I'm so excited I can't breathe...

I have completed two days at the clinic in the Santa Monica and Venice Beach sites. I am fully aware that a certain level of intensity and worthiness is expected of me at all times (much to Doommonger Luck's annoyance mostly, although even the Head of our Department refered to me as 'principled' - I think that's code for annoying as well), but am I on this occasion allowed to be completely shallow? I'll tell you about the clinic another time. Let this posting be all about me and what a great time I'm having...

Having spent far too many holidays on my own, not even exchanging pleasantries with a living soul for days on end, I decided to overcome all shyness and just speak to people. It actually works! On my first night in Venice, where usually I would have said hello at most and then run off, I introduced myself to someone, invited myself out to dinner with her and ended up having a really lovely evening (welcome Jill to this blog!). She asked two friends to join us (welcome Dave and Veronica to this blog). At the end of the evening, we exchanged numbers and I was invited out to Sunset Strip the following evening with Dave and his friends.

Now, mates of some longevity, what were the chances of my actually following up that invitation to join a bunch of strangers on an evening out? Zero? Absolute zero? Well you will be pleased to know that 5 minutes before I was due to call to say yes/no I was still tearing my hair out and thinking I'd go to bed with a hot cocoa. But I said yes. I was picked up at 10.45pm, driven round Beverly Hills, Hollywood and such like, taken to a really swanky Sushi bar on Sunset Strip where all the celebs go, had a brilliant evening with Dave and his lovely mates and fell into bed about 4am. Hoorah! You know I'm not in the slighest bit star struck or interested in celebs (Nico and his mum excepted, of course) but for the benefit of Sal and Glyn, Jake G was there.

And I LOVE Venice Beach. I have only felt seriously like this about Melbourne. If I were told I had to stay I would be beside myself with joy. And to continue being seriously shallow, I think I stumbled across the appartment that Hutch lived in. It's a cream double fronted house that says Venice Place on the front. I think Sal, Jayne or Brian might even remember without looking, but Andre might need to refer to Starsky and Hutch Season 1. I need someone to confirm this for me!