on your MARK, get set, go!: PLAYING WITH FIRE

Hello all,

Yesterday I rose from my slumber in West LA with a list of things I wanted to do for the day.

1. Beverly Hills

2. Fresh Prince Of Bel Air House

3. Visit UCLA

4. Surf in Malibu

I got in my car and made it about half a city block when I saw the most beautiful woman I have seen on my travels thus far and perhaps in my entire life. She was sitting at a bus stop. I quickly thought to myself, the hell with my list. I pulled over to the side of the road and proceeded to have the following exchange. Or something very close to it.

Me: Excuse me, hello, it looks like you are trying to get somewhere. May I help?

Her: Hi, Well, where are you going?

Me: Umm, I don't know... anywhere you want.

Her: Santa Monica?
Me: Great!

At this moment, had I been told Poland, India, or the moon for that matter, I was going to say yes.

As a BONUS she had another super pretty young lady with her! Too good to be true. Before I knew it, I had two lovely women in my car! In my mind, this could have been a scene from the beginning of romantic comedy. Hopefully in their minds it wasn't a scene from the beginning of a horror movie. Gena, an Austrian computer genius, and Ugne, a lawyer, professional pastry chef, and almost the reason for me driving off the road... from Lithuania, were my new copilots! Boy, was I in over my head! Both spoke perfect English too. That certainly helped because who knows what kind of English I was speaking at that moment. Nothing comprehensible. Probably Jabberwocky.

I made a few quick moves with my surfboard in the back seat, took a deep breath, and we were off. How do you like them apples? From West LA, we made our way to both Santa Monica and Venice Beach for the entire day!

We also did some amazing people watching, stopped at Arnold's old gym on Venice Beach, and tried on some fancy hats. Our conversations were also fantastic. I think we touched on most anything one could think of. Oh, we also saw some guy with two pythons in a suitcase! Yikes!

After the beach, we made our way to an outdoor rooftop patio to take in the sunset and get some dinner. I don't think I saw a second of the sunset. I was preoccupied with my company. That, and the two dinners I ordered. 2 orders of Chicken Teriyaki and veggies for dinner one. Half a rotisserie chicken, mac and cheese, and carrots for dinner number two. Who knows what the ladies were thinking when I took down both meals. I bet they were impressed. Or disgusted... What can I say? I had worked up an appetite all day as I had to keep extra focused not to pass out in disbelief of my good fortune. I could not have asked for a better way to spend the day. THANK YOU LADIES FOR GETTING INTO A CAR WITH A COMPLETE STRANGER! You made my day!

After parting ways with the two beauties, I made my way to Rodeo Drive and UCLA. Had I written this blog yesterday, I'd have been raving about UCLA and telling my cousin Daniel or my buddy William to go there. However, this morning, after setting up camp in my car somewhere North of LA for the evening, I made my way up to Malibu to go surfing and made a visit to Pepperdine University! Guys, go there! I'll pay for it if you let me visit. The security guard asked me what the purpose of my visit ways before giving me the green light onto campus. I told her I was looking at the law school. (mind you I was dressed in a bathing suit, tshirt, and my mesh baseball hat) What?… I LOOKED at the law school. I didn't go inside or anything, or ask any questions, but I briefly LOOKED at it. Don't give me that. I didn't lie. This campus is absolutely incredible. It sits in the Santa Monica Mountains on a cliff above Malibu Beach! In my next life, I will be going to Clemson for undergrad. Clemson for my MBA and then I'll take my sweet @ss time with that Pepperdine law degree.

After Pepperdine, I took the plunge with my board into the waves of Malibu Beach on the other side of the Pacific Coast Highway. About 10 feet from campus. My good luck continued as I caught the very first wave I went for. Clean living! No big deal.

Since this morning's visit to Pepperdine and Malibu Beach, I have made my way up the Pacific Coast Highway. I am currently in Santa Barbara. The drive was spectacular. I went about 20 miles below the speed limit the whole way. People were beeping. I wasn't worried. Mountains to my right and incredible beaches to my left. I wasn't in a rush to get anywhere.

The whole way up, I kept thinking about how to get myself to Lithuania where I'd commit some sort of harmless petty crime that would leave me requiring a lawyer. I know, that's playing with FIRE. I like FIRE.

Mark/Chops

PS.. Yesterday, Ugne pointed out to me that her name translated into English is.. you guessed it... F I R E.