November 14 - November 29: Al & John, Big tires, Piano Al, Boston Market, Sac Thanksgiving, Sac to LA, Roaster Family

You know those fast-food coupons you get in the mail? They really work.

I've been visiting my Uncle Al on and off for weeks, and he's never asked me for anything. But one day, he calls upstairs: "Hey, you still there?" I rush down, thinking it's an emergency. Instead, Uncle Al points at an Arby's coupon and says, "Hey, let's go here!"

Uncle Al loves food. He's also 100 pounds overweight and at high risk for a stroke, heart attack, etc. But what are you going to say when it's the first thing your 87-year-old uncle has asked for in weeks?

From Al & John

Uncle John happened to drop by right before we left, so the three of us had a rare lunch together. You can tell that Uncle Al was really looking forward to his Arby's sandwich, can't you? =)

I was driving from point A to B in LA, and I saw a semi truck with a load that I had to take a photo of. A semi truck has really big tires, right?

From Big tires

Look at the tires here! Imagine one of those upright, next to the semi's tires. On the freeway.

What monstrosity must these belong to? I shudder to imagine it.

On another day, Auntie Helen and I were visiting Uncle Al. She wanted to play the piano, so we tried a few songs, but we had both forgotten our training. Auntie Helen asked Uncle Al if he wanted to play, but he was demure. I had never seen him play since his stroke.

From Piano Al

Later that night, after Auntie Helen left, I was in my room upstairs. And I heard the piano below! I quickly crept to this vantage point, took this photo, and watched my uncle in awe. He wasn't a virtuoso or anything, but it warmed my heart to see him at least trying to play. I felt like I was in a feel-good Hollywood movie.

I later found out that Uncle Al didn't think anyone else was home. Maybe he's too shy to play around others? If so, does that mean that us being around could be hindering him in some ways?

Thanksgiving … it seems so far away now, but at the time I remember it was a rough period for me. Thankfully, God had friends, family, and even complete strangers lined up to help.

On Thanksgiving Day, I was going to drive up to Fresno alone. However, a guy answered my craigslist rideshare ad at the last minute. His name was Ken, and he's a performer at Knott's Berry Farm, not far from my house. We had a great time talking about girls, relationships, and life in general.

In Fresno, my Uncle Ron and Auntie Muriel decided to have Thanksgiving at Boston Market. I loved the idea. The only thing better would have been Thanksgiving at In-N-Out. (I'm serious!)

From Boston Market

Here we are at our Thanksgiving table. There was no tablecloth or fancy silverware. But I think the time and energy we saved let us focus on what's really important: each other. I was really glad that the three of us could be honest and talk about matters of consequence.

Afterward, I drove on to Sacramento. My sister wouldn't be home until Saturday, so we'd have Thanksgiving again then. This gave me time to hang out with old friends.

One of my closest friends is Glenn. Glenn's mom loves cats. Thankfully, I also like cats.

Isn't that an interesting look on the cat's face? It's like the Mona Lisa of cats.

Glenn and I played some board games with our other friends: Rob, Mitch, and Steve. Steve's aunt graciously invited us over for turkey soup, a fitting meal for the day after Thanksgiving.

Saturday morning, I woke to strange sounds from a neighbors yard. I went outside, and the Shibatas had quite the festival going in their driveway. They were making their own mochi!

They also had really good sake. =)

My sister was a little late flying home, so Grandma, Mom, and I had another simple Thanksgiving meal.

Simple but good.

From Sac Thanksgiving

The next day, we went to church. First Chinese Baptist Church of Sacramento, my church growing up.

Worship songs there are very simple: 2-3 people singing in front, and an overhead projector. But the small congregation is faithful and has a love for God.

Yeah, that was the theme of my Thanksgiving: Simple, but good.

On the other hand, driving back to LA was a bit of an adventure, but also really great. I was going to drive back alone, but another guy answered my Craigslist rideshare ad the night before. I'll call him S. S and I agreed to meet the next morning at a Starbucks near the freeway.

When I got to the Starbucks, S texted me that he was running late. I had time to think, and I noticed a "traveling kid" just sitting on the curb. He wasn't showing a sign, but otherwise he looked like a hitchhiker. Long story short, he was a 22-year-old guy who went by the name Tennessee, just wanted to go south "to warmer weather," and he didn't have any money to chip in for gas. He only had $4, to buy dog food for the little dog he carried with him (chihuahua-pitbull mix). But when S arrived, he said he was cool with it, so I picked up my first hitchhiker!

Turns out S was also 22 years old: An aspiring actor/stuntman/action hero. As far as I could tell, a decent-looking guy in great shape. (He was scheduled to do a workout video after we got to LA.) And then Tennessee, who had been bumming around the country for 5 years, growing his hair out, smoking a lot of marijuana. But they both had a lot of stories about girls. Anyway, everyone had a fun, safe, educational trip to LA, and we talked all the way. (No mom, I didn't smoke any pot.)

When we got to LA, things turned really funny. I dropped off S and Tennessee at an LA Fitness in Studio City, since S lives nearby and Tennessee could catch a bus to Venice Beach (of course). But after Tennessee left, I noticed that S was hanging around, calling people. I thought he could just walk home, but he had a lot of bags, and I guess he was hoping to find someone to give him a lift the rest of the way. He didn't want to trouble me since he said he lived a bit up in the nearby hills.

I said we'd come this far, I might as well take you all the way home. So we drive to this road I'd heard of but never been on: Mulholland Drive. (A movie was named after it.) It's a pretty ritzy area with a lot of windy roads. Finally, we get to S's place: 2607 Nichols Canyon.

It's a $4-million mansion!!!

Okay, maybe it's not a mansion. It's a villa. But it's so nice that it has its own website. Turns out S's aunt owns the villa and is trying to sell it, and he was just house sitting. But S let me take a peek.

I took only one photo, and it's of the closet in the master suite. Apparently Jason Bateman's family came to look at the villa, but his wife said this closet was too small. Girls.

You can look at the villa's website to see more of it, but I'll give two more points: It has its own tennis court (in the Hollywood *Hills*), and Matthew McConaughey used to live in the house nearby.

The website exists to help sell the house, so if you know anyone looking in the just-under-$4-million price range, please have them take a look!

Craigslist rideshare: A perennial hitchhiker with a dog and only $4, and a guy living next door to … Tim Allen. (Yes, him too.) Good times.

From Sac to LA

S lives near the Hollywood Bowl overlook, so I stopped there on the way home. I'd never been to the Hollywood Bowl, much less the overlook, but it's a nice view! (And I'm sure it's packed on date nights.)

From Roaster Family

On my way home from the great adventure, I stopped by Roaster Family Coffee, in Alhambra. (There's one in Arcadia, too.) Friends in my Bible study sometimes hang out there. They have great coffee at reasonable prices. And the owner, James, seems very friendly and down-to-earth. Here, James is making siphon coffee.

They even roast their own beans.