A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

CALIFORNIA HERE WE COME: Some thoughts on my arrival into lovely Southern California for what may be as long as a week for work stuff (which may explain some lack of blogging from me over the next few days):

• Man, the Bose Noise Cancellation Headsets provided by American to its Business Class passengers really work. Watching The Bourne Ultimatum on the tiny little "Digital Entertainment Device" they gave to us was a pleasure (and, man, does that hold up--if The Fugitive was nominated for Best Picture, this oughta be, too).
• I always forget coming into Los Angeles that it's surrounded by mountains. Never having lived anywhere where there's much change of elevation in the metro area, it's really a refreshing thing to see change of elevation.
• Man, Santa Monica is strange. I'm in a hotel right on the beach, yet a block away are horrible craphole motels, and then another block away, what appears to be a massive tourist trap. It's a little freaky (and, yeah, got lost on the way to the hotel and got to navigate through the random streets of Santa Monica).