Echo Park Pool, Flat Tires, Tree Cutters and Angry Swimmers

Today was productive, and productivity breeds peace and peace apparently makes itself known with sore shoulders and stomach.

Two nights ago - July 4 - I made the monumental climb up the Baldwin Hill to watch the fireworks in the L.A. valley. In the meantime, aside from completely draining myself climbing the steps which I referred to as being 'Roman-esque', I aprently pulled a muscle in my stomach and feel like I did an ab workout from 7 years ago.

Following dropping off some material informing the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles at St. Paul's Cathedral - not that St. Paul's Cathedral - I made my way to discount tire because I have a tire issue on the minivan and I think it's a bent rim or a rat has been chewing on the valve stem.

My worse concerns were realized when the tire store representative told me I had side wear and that I should start with the rim. We then talked for a few minutes, I explained who I was and what I was doing in L.A.; land of the body bags. I told him I was looking for good places to bring cars to be fixed, saftied and all that jazz, minus the music. He said he was the man and that he 'knew people' to fix dents and apparently get rid of anything that fit into a 6' black trash bag.

Later I stopped by St. Francis church and school, dropped some material and said a short prayer before heading back down Sunset Blvd and to the Dream Center.

If you know nothing of the Dream Center, they are big business and apparently for the betterment of the kingdom. They made national headlines with this story, reported in 2005 in the wake - no pun intended - of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

I want a meeting with their leader, the Rev. Matthew Barnett.

Following a short talk with a secretary, I made my way home, back down Belville, left on Silverlake Blvd and right on London Street.

Returning to 3411, I found the tree cutters who were to be at the house at 8 a.m. had just arrived, right on time at 2 p.m.

The noise was obnoxious and tonight, I took a walk through the backyard following the intented deforestation project to find that they hadn't done anything noticeable and didn't leave until I returned at 6 p.m. from the Echo Park library.

Prior to returning to find the tree cutters, as they are now referred to in LA, I made my way to the Echo Park deep pool to swim some laps and apparently be bowled over by the gorgeous attendant behind the small window. I took my $2.50 in change, lied about being a lifeguard and coughed incessantly to remove the lump in my throat from what I had just witnessed. Focus, Nathan.

I changed, and took the equivalent of a cold shower; a 2500 yard session laps in the pool. Apparently in the process of excercising and sore-ing my shoulders, I did a flip turn and pissed off a small man in my lane who belonged more in the intermediate lane, than the fast lane.

After struggling to climb out of the pool, and changing next to the man I kept hearing him saying a dirty word in Spanish, glaring at me with his suit pants rolled up and a collection of wadded paper towls he was using to dry his face and neck, scattered about.

I gave him one last smile, glanced through the window to mercilessly find the beautiful creature facing the other direction allowing my quick escape to the Echo Park library.

This evening I made Chicken Tandoori, asparagus, steamed cauliflower and salad.

Presently I am sore, tired and fulfilled that I actually made a good effort today and feel happy about it. It is a bit stuffy in my room, but I'll deal, read my new book and play one last round of Words.