June Gloom

Nature works, in its own ways in L.A. June is the month under a cloud of gray, as the ocean warms up, the marine layer envelops the city in some London type gloom. I am surprised to find I enjoy it. When most of your days are sunny and golden, rain and gray skies become the exception you can enjoy. I like that about L.A., things get turned around, have the opposite meaning from before, it's its own planet.
The gray skies seem to put some sense into people and make them take care of business - that marijuana loop-hole just got stuffed, the city council decided that 600 dispensaries are enough, no more emergency exceptions. The sky stays gray. This year particularly persistent. The ekkonomik outlook seems to even affect the weather in California.
It doesn't seem to put too much sense into me. I should be looking for new endeavors all the while spending my days at my desk examining my past, looking back to find the trail that brought me here and write about it. It is a lot of work, but when, after a lot of bad stuff, some pieces of the puzzle fall in place and you actually have the words to capture them, it feels really good. I enjoy to write.
Last week I read a short story about DALLAS, the 80s tv series, and how it changed my life at an event called "Spark". It's a monthly date in small theater in Santa Monica where 7 people read their true life stories about one topic to an audience of dedicated listeners. I went in May because my friend DJ talked about his tattoo (here's DJ's website, he just published his first book, so I'm sure he appreciates it: www.djameseldon.com). It was a great evening, filled with stories about the body. I was surprised to be so engaged in the act of listening, of sharing people's life stories, about cancer and aneurysms, body image obsession and obesity. So simple and yet so intense, the act of telling a story and listening to it live. Much better than TV. When I saw that the next night in June would be about "80s tv series" I immediately thought of DALLAS, the show that became a big bonding experience with my mother - and made me long for the US. It was the 80s, I was 15, what did I know about the ridiculousness of shoulder pads? They liked the idea so I got the spot. It was a beautiful experience to share the stage with six gifted writers and have an audience listen to you. Exciting and encouraging, a whole new way of connecting with the world. No twitter involved.
I guess that is what the gray skies are about, giving you a chance to look inside, not get distracted by the sunshine, that so eternally entices you. Steel your resolve when the sun comes back, because you've had the time to connect and find your story.