Credit Where Credit is Due

As I am more than well aware, I complain about living in Southern California to an annoying extent.  I stand steadfast in my overall assertion that net-net, the soul-crushing amount of plaid alone is enough to support this viewpoint.  I will, however, admit when California has gotten the best of me.

My day today consisted of getting to work at the "Ohio State" crack of dawn.  New York hours, you have yet to get the best of me.  The difference for today, is that I left the office thirty minutes after the market closed (1:30 PST).  I proceeded to LA Country Club where I squeezed in eighteen holes of golf with Uncle Awesome.  I made my way home for a run along the beach in 85 degree weather, in which my path is framed by the Pacific to one side, the Santa Monica cliffs to the other, Malibu in the distance and Santa Monica Pier in the background.  Not to diminish that my evening is going be capped with a kickball game on Venice Beach in which I have been sternly instructed to bring "champagne, or PBR... or both".  Just in case you were curious, the length of said kickball game is governered by the rule that "the game will be played until the sun touches the horizon of the Pacific."  This is my new favorite way to measure time.

To make matters more enjoyable I was stopped at the tail-end of my run by two Irishmen who wanted to know if I knew of a good bar to watch the four AM World Cup starts.  I was told by them that I looked like a reasonable drinker (flattery will get you everywhere).  Thanks to Uncle Awesome, I happen to know of a bar in Venice that is the colorful haunt of a number of Irish ex-pats specifcally during World Cup viewing.  I know that when those two walk into a bar tomorrow, before the sun comes up, to find it packed with thirty of their domesticated brethren, that karma will be on my side for the day.

I should also mention that my week in sports has included a Blackhawk's Stanley Cup, a US World Cup split with England, and a performance by Ted Lily to close the weekend that left him two outs from a No-No against the White Stockings (the only team in baseball to ever be banned from... baseball).  Let us also not forget the incredible run by the UCLA women's softball team on ESPN-the-Ocho.  Right.

I even came home to the below in my mailbox courtesy of my friend AIG.

In summation; I am happy.  I might even miss this is place once I leave.  Wait?  I Heart Palindromes miss Southern California?!  You're right, let's not get carried away...

...But I thought, nah forget it, yo holmes to Bel Air,...

-I Heart Palindromes