5A: Group 1

"909", by Percival Everett

This gives the reader a wonderful and personal perspective of the narrator. This person lives in Riverside co., Badland Ca, is a farmer and tries to ride often on their "mule" Monk. The Narrator is giving insight to his view of this part of Southern California (the area codes of 909, 213, 310,714,323,626) He lives in the desert. It gets up to 108 easily, 95 degrees in the late morning. There was a fire there a while back that the narrator speculates a thief probably began to rid of a stolen car, which he adds that he has less a chance of encountering a thief here then in other area codes. You can gather that the Narrator is content living this life and does not want the life style of the people in LA area. He observes the posh cars on the freeway and says he likes that they look like specks and wants to keep it that way. He compares the Freeway to a clogged septic system; which shows his feelings on the freeway and its drivers.

My favorite quote from this reading is this: "Now on Sunday afternoons, the freeway is jammed with automobiles, platinum blondes in BMWs. SUVs pulling jet skis, Jeeps with three-inch lift kits, sporty purple cars with spoliers and decals of Calvin peeing on someone or thing." (Pg. 124, Everett)

This reading provoked a sense of happiness that there are still many Californians that are not caught up in superficiality. I love the out doors and there is something very freeing about walking through and canopy of ancient trees or just feeling the dirt on your bare feet, that always makes me smile.It specifically reminds me of when I lived in the Presidio in SF. I found such pleasure in walking through the hills. Finding new paths or making new ones my self. I felt close enough to the hussle and bussle of San Francisco and also so far way engulfed in nature that it was the best of both worlds! I miss it... Although I am not a fan of the super hot or the desert I still appreciate it for the beauty it holds.

I never knew the exact meaning of "mule". I always thought it was just a donkey. When really it is half donkey, half horse. Which makes me chuckle because while reading this I had a picture of a full sized man on a some what slow both mentally and physically, little donkey.


"The Line", by Ruben Martinez

The line described in this story is essentially the Mexican Californian border. Before the 1990's crossing the border was easily. It was like a festival. Many people gathered there. Some to cross, some to sell items to the people tyring to cross, inculding sexual gestures. There would be a great soccer game there between rival towns in Mexico. The author uses "Goal"! in this story not only after the soccer game but any time the immigrant's triumph. Every one crossing would all go at once, taking separate trails with their trail guide the "coyotes". It was above a 50% chance you would cross and if caught you just try later that night.In the 90's during a slight recession, the Governor of California Pete Wilson upped the border patrol and struck down on the implication at the Mexican Border and the construction on an actual fence. The Hispanics disliked him and booed him at a the Rose Bowl to show how they felt about his new policy. This decreased the rate of illegal immigration. Illegals now have to go far east into the dark. The way he uses dark also shows the darkness that was brought upon the illegals festival that no longer wails, waiting to cross to a new future.

My favorite quote from this story is, " The border wasn't a border. The line was broken. It was an idea, not a thing." (pg 129, Martinez) This was how he described the border in earlier years. It's true, that one time it was only a idea. Now it is an establishment and a large scale operation.

This story made me think of the Mexicans I'm friends with. I know some people that's parents risked a lot to come to America. They still send money home to their relatives and I some times wonder how my relatives felt immigrating from Ireland and Northern Europe. Also how California was once Alta Mexico. The land that illegal Mexicans now flee to was once their ancestors homeland. I lived in Sonoma for many years, across for General Vallejo's Home, where the white man began to take California from the Mexicans.

I knew barely nothing about the history of the California Mexican border. I learned about the atmosphere in Mexico at night when people were about to run to California. I also did not know that Pete Wilson was the Governor that began the border reformation in the 90's.


"Flirting with urbanismo" Patt Morrison

Morrison sums up Los Angles in a nutt shell, and describes the difference between down town LA and the suburbs. She begins by stating many buildings and features in movies that are all in LA and made to look, some where else for the movie or television show. One being the Flat in Seinfeld, which is not in NY it is in LA. She outlines the difference with the two parts of town; downtown is where you work and suburbs are where you live. There is great public transportation so getting back and forth is easy. Jaywalking in LA is a serious crime and on the LAPD will not let you slide on, found out Regan's Attorney Ed Meese. In the early times when LA was developing Down Town was the place to live, now its too cramped and it is more desirable to have to space possible to build a machine and your own mini park. She names many stars and famous people most which I have never heard of and a few of which I knew. All of them in LA, their achievements or buildings they've built. There are many sights to see in LA and she names many on her top list. All together she loves LA and it still is a place that the narrator is taken away by.

My favorite quote in this reading would have to be on page 140, " And there's a certain acute-angled corner of a building in the Wells Fargo Plaza where I can stand and tilt my head back and-- like a little kid wanting the Ferris wheel to go faster--almost enjoying feeling like I'm about to lose my lunch, gazing at the infinite height of it." Morrison is describing looking up to a large three story jukebox.

This reading reminded me of San Francisco and the Bay area. In contrast people want to live in the cramped city conditions of SF unlike downtown LA. But the Bay area, has so many elements to it. Each city has its own flavor and smell. Its own story to tell and people that can transcribe it. I love the Bay area and have lived here most of my life. I have traveled to many other areas in the world and found there is nothing quit like it, home. After arriving home from three months in Europe although sad to leave I was instantly comforted and glowing with delight to return to the fog in Sf, the 101 and drive up to the wine Country to Sonoma and Santa Rosa. This reading also made me want to explore more of the Bay area.

I had no idea about a lot of information in this reading. I did not know the Seinfeld building is really in LA or how many other locations I had seen in movies and on TV that are all in LA. I never thought too much about it but I would assume that people would want to live down town. I have been to LA but have never explored the the down town area that much. I also learned how serious jaywalking is in LA and will never Jaywalk if I'm there ever.