Anywhere but here

So this is me, almost 4 days without playing my guitar, and I'm starting to get shaky and clamy, mood swings, delusional, severely depressed, schizophrenic fits . I never thought of it as a drug, but it has the effect of chemical stimulation once you're well into the practice. Like running, or body building, or pumping opiates into your veins. wait...

Or maybe it is the effect of being bitten by Hollywood, morphing me into something monstrous as the new moon rolls over head. That might be pushing it a little too far. I've been far too cash strapped to allow myself to enjoy the revelries of young foolishness that abound here. But living here, and once again having too much time on my hand, I am reminded that I do not belong in this town, and that I should have known better than to settle for living in downtown Hollywood.

I took a walk on down to West Hollywood on Saturday, and found something more, well, American than anything where I am at. It's quiet, the shops are diverse, the communities are safer, the houses are not covered in iron bars and spiked fences. The Community is provided with semi private parks with a full range of recreational facilities. The city of West Hollywood has a heavy eastern european influence, which I must say, is a wonderful break from the overwhelming hispanic culture... To put it simply and without causing too much offence, there are several good reasons no one wants to invade Mexico.

Walking back was more than depressing, going from a city where the communities are more the epicenter of municipal conern, to a slum where tourism and entertainment is the only focus.
Some statistics
total population of LA 9.9 million
population per square mile 2,344
Percentage of high school graduates age 25+ 69
Percentage of Bachelors degree or higher age 25+ 25

I'm packed in like sardines with a highly uneducated population, and it really shows sometimes...woohoo
But on a lighter note, reports show that every form of felony offense, at least in Hollywood, is down by an average of around 10%. The only crime that was up in number was rape.

In a town that sells sexuality as an entree, I'm not surprised.

Living here has taught me to be insensitive to humanity, to those that struggle. I know well that everyone has a story, but I've seen so much absurd behaviour and needless suffering, that I no longer care about the soul behind the eyes, as long as it doesnt spill into my life, stick to my shoes on my walk home, disrupt my morning routine.

I have to get out of here and soon. Anywhere but here.
Anywhere but Hollywood.