I Remember California
Day 1
I'm amazed I can function at 4am. I think I got some sleep, the night before, but it was both shallow and fitful. After getting dropped off at the airport at 4:30(my mother is correct in that I owe her a big one for the ride), I made a final reload of my edit files for NAQT, and got my first of 3 breakfasts on the day.
The first flight was PIT-DAL, and I spent most of it doing edits. I'm coming to realize that the year doesn't end in quiz bowl any more, it just means that the summer is your time to build up surplus for the future. (more on this someday, suffice it to say I wholly believe that moving towards a surplus would cause increases in question quality that would dwarf everything we've seen in my playing career.) Got done with that with about 20 minutes to go in the flight.
I'd never flown into Dallas before, and it's an odd airport. It seems kind of frozen in 1970's public architecture (makes sense, given that was the money time), and frozen in 1970's typography (Signs are all white Helvetica on blue plastic.) Add to that it's basically three semicircles, which only adds to the THX1138/Rollerball feel, everything seems vaulted out, and weirdly non-linear. Here was where I got my first taste of "Dwight wants free wireless." I'll freely admit I'm spoiled by this, despite having it for only a month. But then again, I've been able to use it in Panera (two locations between my office and home) and the airport. So when I see that I have a choice between two networks, and neither is free at the Dallas airport, my cheap sense rebels against me. I wasn't about to pay for either, figuring I'd be able to do this somewhere else. (this is called foreshadowing, people.)
That plan shot, I proceed to wander around the airport looking for breakfast. The Pittsburgh airport is rather amazing for the way that they force a lot of the restaurants to be open for breakfast, so every single place that isn't McDonald's, Starbucks, or Au Bon Pain has a sign for "Hash Browns, Eggs, Toast, $4.99" in exactly the same style one would find outside the airport for "Loading Zone ONLY." In Dallas, they are not so formalized, though I wouldn't have minded the BBQ place not having that exact Pittsburgh menu available. I considered the TGIFriday's with actual pseudo-breakfast food until I checked the menu prices and discovered I'd be getting bar food at minibar prices. So I went over and got a tea. I also discovered that in Texas, commie red teddy bears who mess with Texas will get theirs. I also discovered there's a group going on a Christian fellowship run down to Central America, wearing t-shirts marked "I Believe in Belize". I just can't figure out what Belize has done to require this public reassurance.
On the Dallas-LAX flight, I nod off about two minutes after finishing the snack, thus wasting my only chance all trip to "see a film for free". Instead, I wake up about ten minutes from the end of Miracle, then I get scarred for life by my first ever encounter with the Richard Quest Experience. On the plus side, I wouldn't fall asleep for the rest of the flight. Can't sleep, Quest will eat me.
Landing in LA, I enter into a bright gray sky. Excellent. I was almost hoping for this, that California would be cooler and grayer than Pennsylvania. Yes, this is a function of me living in an air conditioned office all day, then getting blinded by afternoon sun as I drive home. I knew I'd be driving a lot, and I didn't want to deal with it first day out.
After spending one hour in the rental car line (!?!), I pulled off the lot and headed south. No reason for this, I just had an afternoon to kill. I wasn't going to meet Joe until 4, and I had four hours before that. So, I headed down the 1 for a while. Discovered where El Segundo is (didn't stop anywhere, didn't want to leave my wallet.) Ended up driving through most of the HS districts that have come to HSNCT from SoCal. Discovered a couple oddities of the road like Enya Sushi. Then proceed to take some coastal pictures as I drive. At some point I turn off and end up in a housing development which consumes me with the question of "okay, how much of the housing cost is markup for LA, and how much is markup for the beach." I never answer the question, because frankly, I'm sure it's one where if you have to ask, you can't afford it.
Heading back I miss the street that is the 1, and realize I have to turn around. Half a block later, I see a sign for a used book store. As much as this screams fraught, I think I got away easy (3 books). I then head back up to meet Joe. On the way, I discover this scene, which is probably very similar to what our troops saw entering Baghdad, only with more LakerDrama and fewer tanks (I'd say fewer Humvees, but you know...), and this mural/sculpture, which either is a true sign that we're really not emphasizing geography enough, or somebody bronzed a child's map puzzle too early.
After picking up Joe from work, we drive back to his apartment, deposit stuff, then head out for Mexican. His selection, El Coyote, will be recommended for three reasons.
1. Supposedly it was the last place Sharon Tate ate before the Mansons killed her, making it a cheaper replacement for Mezzaluna on your LA serial killer dining tour.
2. They do not water down their margaritas. In fact, I think they tequila down them.
3. Ostrich tacos. You're just going to have to trust your favorite stunt carnivore on this. It may have been the marination of the meat, but still.

After that we run over to Amoeba Records, where I discover that in fact, yes, Tom, there is a band called DEK. More importantly, I'm a little frightened to know that on their album are two tracks. One called "Groundhog" and one called "I Hate DEK". Didn't buy it, though, and I don't plan on suing for defamation or infringement. (Besides, Donald E. Knuth would kick our mutual butts.) After that, we headed over to pick up Jefferson, Joe's roommate (finding this abomination of the English language (and possible disproving of the "marketing cannot defeat recursion" theory along the way, this weird juxtaposition of elements of the Muppets, Chaplin, and the topplable Saddam statue, and something Craig's been waiting for for months, an image of the Frank Gehry KFC.), and then Sara(possibly spelled without an h, forgot to check), and ended up with a couple drinks in a bar lying along Hollywood's Walk of Fame. (This picture is here just to scare the crap out of BillV.) After that, I got to use a couch for crashing, and the longest of the days was over.

Possible happy fun image caption contest (we may have a couple of these, I took lots of pictures):
What else can this be the international symbol for? Comment below.