Reasons Why I Love California

 As many of you know, I'm loving life right now. I still live on the East Coast, but get to enjoy the wonders and pleasures of the Golden State, California, for at least the next year (but hopefully longer!). And all of my closest friends know that whenever I travel, I always have the craziest things happen and the best stories to share. I don't think I've ever come home from a corporate travel empty handed without a good story.  So, in my efforts to remember all the good stories, crazy moments, and the "did that really just happen?" occurrences, I'm going to be starting an on-going blog and writing my stories each weeks.  They'll be simple and to the point, but a good way for me to keep track of all that goes on...  Enjoy the reads!

•  5/27/2011 - What do you get when you have a loud, snoring man on your left, a man with no deodorant on your right, and two screaming babies directly in front of you on a Red Eye flight back to DC?  One miserable Marissa. Nyquil couldn't even knock me out.
• 6/9/2011 -  I decided to switch my flight and leave LA a day earlier than I expected. I was pumped to get home and was glad they got me on an afternoon flight at 1:00 pm. You can imagine my dismay when I got to the gate and we were delayed 90 minutes. Ah, oh well, these things happen. They get us on the plane and we're sitting there for at least an hour before they announced that there was an hydrolauic leak. Great, I would have been halfway home by now.  The captain came on and said we were ready for takeoff - yes!  We leave the gate and head down the tarmac.  Again, we proceed to sit for another hour. We were 2nd in line to takeoff, but had more mechanical difficulties. They took us back to the gate, where I got off the plane and just figured I'd go back to the Hilton. (Well, I couldn't get my luggage, so I was stranded). An hour later, my new friend Omar came back with a tea for me to calm me down because I was so stressed out. They loaded us back on the plane, only to sit for 2 more hours. We finally take off and land at Dulles around 4:30 AM, nearly 5 hours after our original arrival time. To make matters worse, I waited an hour for a cab.  Nothing like getting home at 6 am and starting your work day!
• 6/9/2011 - Saw Kanye West in LAX airport; he was with two big security guards, but I managed to get a head nod and smile out of him.
• 6/25/2011 - Driving with Casee down Pacific Beach, I see a homeless man outside of the man road asking for change in his jar. Without skipping a beat, a green toyota pulls up, and hands this man a Stella beer. Made me say, Did that really just happen?!  Yes it did... Welcome to California.
• 6/26/2011 - I just landed in San Francisco, got in a cab and asked to be taken to my Hilton Hotel. The cab driver takes me to about 2nd Street and proceeds to tell me he can't take me any farther due to the "Naked Gay Pride Parade" and all of the roads being closed down. After much arguing, he pulled over, dropped me off 10 blocks away from my hotel....with two big pieces of luggage....and in the middle of the Ghetto. Talk about a cross breeds of halfway houses, drug dealers, and homelessness. Me and my bright pink bag stuck out like a sore thumb.  To make matters worse, I had to walk through the Gay Pride Parade to get to my hotel. I was looked at like I was an alien because I ACTUALLY had clothes on. Penises were everywhere. Never a dull moment. 
• 6/30/2011 - I was walking around San Francisco, trying to find a place for lunch when I saw this: a young teenager completely showing off skateboarding down a hill in the middle of traffic. In his attempt to seem cool, he does a flip trick and completely falls on his ass, rolling down the hill. I know I shouldn't... but if you're skateboarding down a main street in San Francisco, which happens to be on a hill in the middle of traffic, and you fall down the hill.... I just might laugh. Just a little.
• 7/1/2011 - Flying back to DC, at the San Francisco airport, something a little ridiculous happened. Obviously, we all know I walk a little differently, and there's normally a line for folks who have a disability/injury/etc. I was told to go to that line. I go to the front and the lady looks at me and says, "I'm sorry, but you're not handicapped enough!" .... Um, I'm sorry, is there a VIP checklist with levels of handicap-ness?!
• 7/1/2011 - Going through security line at SFO, I go through the scanners and go to grab my belongings.  A college kid from UC Berkeley is in front of me and he looks at me and tells me his license is missing. He starts to freak out and TSA does NOTHING to help him. I quickly grab my stuff and take him to the bench and start asking people around us if they found a license. 30 seconds later a woman was walking off with his license....on purpose.  TSA was sitting there, so I had to go up to the one guy and tell him to get up and go after that woman. Finally, they caught her and she didn't even deny her actions. Note to self: always watch your belongings.
• 7/11/2011 - After getting a massage at Hotel Monaco, I walk out towards Union Square to hear all this music and singing. I had to check out the scene. To my surprise, in the middle of Union Square, a huge church choir from Dallas, Texas made up of 100 kids were singing gospel music. They knew how to draw a crowd and they broke it down for Jesus. Pretty cool sight to see.