Adventures in the World of Mobile Knowledge Workers

I Dip My Toes into Politics at the Local Level: A General Municipal Election

Voting day in West Hollywood feels like a throwback to a "Leave it to Beaver" time, which I kind of like, maybe because I never experienced the reality of that period. Today is a General Municipal Election, and I go to my polling place to vote for city council and trustee positions. 

I vote this time at the local elementary school, a few blocks away from the Sunset Strip. I walk past the kid-sized seats in the auditorium, to the long tables manned by poll workers. I give my name and am directed to another lady, who gives me a ballot. She cautions that I should  be sure to vote on both sides. "Oh, you mean I have to take it out and put it into the machine again?" "No we don't have machines this time. Just turn it over." I notice a white-haired lady, sitting quietly to one side. I wonder what she's doing there. 

Politics in the Land of Endless Summer

You may think that I spend my time driving around town, exploring neighborhoods and visiting coffee shops. Yes, that is my life, but I also involve myself in the larger world. I'm writing this time about my  experiences as a "California Call Team" member for the Obama campaign.

Although Sarah Palin initially found community organizing to be a source of hilarity, she is probably beginning to understand its political value. 

From the Ridiculous to the Sublime

Once again I'm on the road, going from A to B.  I'm driving from the Starbucks in South Park -- not that I like it so much, but the location's okay, there's easily accessible meter parking and the people are okay. I'm driving through the Fashion District, which is filled to the brim with people and cars. 

While waiting at a stoplight, I see a man trying to push a shopping cart through the crosswalk. In this neighborhood there are a lot of people pushing carts of various kinds, often filled with fabric or clothes. So it took me a few moments to realize -- because he was neat and clean and wearing the same clothes of the other cart-pushers -- that this man's cart was filled with his possessions. 

The neatly folded plaid fabric laid on top was his blanket, not a sample. It definitely also served to keep the contents a little more safe from prying eyes. My prying eyes continue to look through the orange plastic slats of the shopping cart, until the shapes become clear. I see that there are other plastic bags and a lot of miscellany.

The man continues to push the cart but one of the wheels collapses on itself. He's now in the middle of the crosswalk. But he doesn't realize what the problem is and keeps trying to move the cart back and forth -- first pushing, then pulling. It's painful to watch because the cart is simply not moving. It feels as though there's no way that he can ever get it to work and then what will happen? I watch him as he seems to pull himself up and mentally gird his loins. He pushes really hard and somehow gets the thing to move. 

RIP Starbucks on Martin Luther King Blvd.

This is the first Starbucks that I've ever liked. And it's closing. 

The servers are friendly, helpful types. One is definitely a USC-crowd white guy with beard, the other is a young African-American who's maybe even a highschooler, working a part-time job. 

The vibe is very customer service-oriented and community-minded. But the physical space definitely says "we're closing."  There's the same modern Starbucks furniture, but less of it and nests of empty shelves. 

The guy with the beard apologized for the "shambles" of the store, "We're trying to keep it nice." And he apologized that they were out of White Tea, but suggested Rooibos tea. Which I selected, since it's the tea favored by Precious Ramotswe. I expect that it'll help my thinking, as it always does in the world of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. 

Day One as a Mobile Knowledge Worker

I'm off to uncover the Los Angeles of the Mobile Knowledge Worker. Where are the good places to work, with good energy and good people?

I spent some time in the cafe scene in Los Angeles a few years ago, when I was doing a lot of writing. At that time I discovered the world of "directors, " or businessmen of some sort, who always seemed to have business propositions for young attractive women. Business comes in many forms, of course. There was also the In-Home Massage Person (extras willingly performed) who had a meeting at the table next to mine. Because I have ears that work, I learned all about his business model, including the life cycle of customers. Amazing.

But this time I hope to connect with a different crowd. 

Armed with a couple of names and addresses from a free wi-fi site, I set off. The first one, Sin Cafe, turns out to be in the heart of the garment district and not what I'm looking for.