You aren’t me, and that’s enough to make me happy.
I’ve mentioned before about how sometimes we all look around and see someone that is achieving by their own admission. Maybe you see their support. Maybe you see their internet points or something. I don’t know. But whatever it is, you start to compare yourself to them. And it doesn’t look good. When this happens to me, it does sting. Some kind of jealousy creeps up and it doesn’t feel good. Then I remember I’m me, and I’m happier being myself than looking at someone else’s achievements.
I say this because I know a few people who are getting ahead in the writing sphere and every time someone announces something it slightly wears on me. Makes me think I’m doing something wrong. I usually get reigned in in about 5 minutes and am only kickstarted with more of a fire to continue what I’m doing. Fuck it, lets get involved in the stock market.
This weekend taught me that I was raised in Highland, California, but I grew up in Puyallup, Washington. After a weekend there on a 2 1/2 hour airplane ride, it doesn’t feel like it’s so far away.
First airplane ride, and I can solemnly say I enjoy the hell out of takeoffs and landings. Took a bunch of photos of landmarks from my window seat. Sea-Tac is a beautiful airport, I’ve learned, and I’ve also learned that the Orlando terminal is awful. At least Sea-Tac had a Starbucks. Pumpkin Spice Frappe started my journey, as I felt I needed to arrive in California as a true Washingtonian.
And I also saw my best friend for the first time in 5 years. He’s into cars. He drives an S2K and he knows San Bernardino well enough. I got to meet his SO, too! Been hearing about her for three years or so now. You know how when you don’t see someone for a long time, there’s a chance that things have changed enough that the reason for knowing each other doesn’t have it’s core anymore? Yeah, that didn’t happen with us. Still very much friends, and still very much ready to either play Xbox or just drive around.
One of the first stops was at a Del Taco at about 1 AM. Fucking amazing food there. Street Tacos: HIGHLY recommended.
We had plenty of Baker’s, as you kinda have to when you’re in the IE. American-Mexican food to the max. Best breakfast burritos, and best hamburgers I’ve had to this day. Also: Baker’s Hot Sauce already has a poem on this very website!
Another was at an Asian food buffet place in Citrus Plaza. While looking for parking we stumbled upon a scene where a guy and a gal were getting frisky behind the loading docks of a Toys R Us. Upon a second or two longer to take in the scene, and the guy tackling gal to the group with a raised fist, it was clear that some domestic violence San Bernardino is famous for was taking place right there in front of us. We gunned the car at the guy to see if he would budge, but he wasn’t too concerned. People were parking and going to the shops, not 20 feet away from this going on. So we pulled over and dialed 911. 12 minutes later, the police show up, go over and talk to them, they wave us off after a while telling us “You guys are good to go”. Hadn’t even been in the city for 24 hours yet. The buffet was nice.
We saw ‘It’! Old Krikorian theater doesn’t exist anymore, but the Citrus Plaza has really grown up and has its own theater now, so that’s where we saw the movie. It’s motivated me to come up with my “critique” section of the website, so that’s gonna happen real soon. But just to get some thoughts off my chest about it: holy fuck the opening scene could be its own thing. *SPOILERS AHEAD* The way Pennywise drools as he talks to Georgie… so fucking eerie. Tiny little detail. Then when Georgie reaches for his boat, Pennywise TAKES HIS FUCKING ARM OFF AND THE KID FALLS BACK IN THE STREET WITH BLOOD POOLING WITH THE WATER AROUND HIM AND HE GETS DRAGGED INTO THE STORM DRAIN. Fucking shit. I love movies that make such bold “fuck the status quo” statements like that. *SPOILERS OVER*
Kids dying on screen in movies so viciously isn’t really a thing in movies unless they are of a significantly darker variety. Classically it’s a no-no, like a few other general things. But nope, this “Stranger Things crossed with The Babadook” movie fucking ripped the arm off of an 8 year old in the first scene of the movie. Really set the tone there, and I was a fan of the entirety of what followed.
I found out about poke (poe-kay)! Had myself a delicious sushi burrito of sorts and now I will never look at Japanese food again the same way. It was like Chipotle but Asian! You’ll see my post Low-Key Night and that’s the thing I ate. Need to find a place that does that around here. Desperately.
We spent a day going to vantage points and taking photos, too. Under bridges, in the barrios, and in my hometown. It was weird being back. Couldn’t stop talking about how small everything was. From old schools to Palm Ave, to Base Line, to all the old landmarks we could investigate as pre-teens. 5 years later, these things were tiny.
I knew it was going to be fun when he put in his ‘… And Justice For All’ CD and we drove really fast in his modded Honda S2K. So from that start we could only do what we knew now. Coffee, sushi, driving, and photography. Maybe some Titanfall 2, too. I’m gonna miss him.
Radio Reality City is back at headquarters (see: my laptop), and this journal’s excerpt will be from “Lakefair”:
“Dead inside beside living
And the carefree
Making fun of them
Because they aren’t
The two
Of us”
About a thing that happened over the summer that I’ve finally gotten some time to write about. Aside from that, I have that Copper Canyon Press submission to edit and submit before Halloween. It’s gonna be a busy vacation week for me.
This is Jake Thomas Shaw from Radio Reality. City, saying thank you for tuning in! Check out the main site at https://radioreality.city if you like what you’ve heard and would like to look at some more cool stuff. Consume reality! Radio Reality City!
Consume Reality! 