Expo Line Experience and Roger Waters

This past weekend we were fortunate enough to have tickets to the Roger Waters, The Wall, concert.  It was a perfect storm in and around downtown Los Angeles.  Kings, Clippers, Lakers playoffs, concerts, Dodgers, etc etc. makes for a very busy weekend for our already stressed freeways.  Emails went out from all the ticket providers and venues to take alternative transportation if possible.

Dena and I decided to check out the new Expo line.  It currently goes from Jefferson and La Cienga to the Staples center connecting with the Red, Purple and Blue lines.  It appeared by the terrible Metro map that it stops quite close to the coliseum, the location of the Roger Waters concert.  Saturday night, we parked at the park and ride at La Cienga and were a little taken aback at how many people were in line at the ticket terminals.  It turns out that they have 2 terminals on the East side and 2 on the West side of the street.  There was only one working on the Park and Ride side - East.  So I quickly dashed across the street and bought two one-way tickets.

As an aside - here are some ticketing lessons - a one way ticket is only good for 2 hours therefore, if you're going to a concert or what have you, you need to re-ticket on the way back as buying two one-way tickets at your starting point will mean the 2nd will expire.  You could buy a round trip ticket for $5, giving you all day, however, they expire at midnight - we caught our train home at 10 minutes to midnight.  Buying a round trip ticket would cost you $2 per person but save you from standing in line on your return trip.  Perhaps worth it depending.  Also, currently and stupidly, the Metro system is on the honor system.  So, you could just jump on and not buy a ticket depending on your ethical and  moral compass.

Our trip to the coliseum was a piece of cake - took 10 - 15 minutes and dropped us about one block from our venue.  Very easy and we enjoyed walking by the line of cars waiting to park for $25 in the lots.  On the way back we had to wait 10 minutes for a train as they run less frequently at night.  The first train passed us by as the platform was packed and the train that went by was packed.  We were all quite bummed when low and behold, the Metro people had the foresight to double up and another empty train arrived 3 minutes later.  The entire packed platform got on the four cars and everyone was happy.  We were home in 20 minutes.  Actually home, in our house.  What a wonderful change, less stress, enjoyable.

Information regarding Phase two of the Expo line
Expo Timetables and Maps  <-- and btw, the Trip Planner on the Metro website sucks!

Our Last Day

Here's a picture of us on the way out of Hanalei Bay.  No picture can ever do this place justice for its beauty and lushness but, I try. 

Weird Ride for 7 days

Since I've been here in Kauai I've had 3 migraines, lower back tightness and all muscles are so tight that it is driving me crazy, and restless leg syndrome - the worst I've ever had. I've had no diet anything, nothing with artificial anything in it. We've been to the farmers market and have been eating tons of fruits and vegetables and mostly locally grown or caught sustainable food. My body probably has no idea what to do about all that wholesome goodness. We've even had a Lomi Lomi 90 minute massage.

You would think after 7 days of all that I would feel like a million bucks. I definitely feel better than we got here, for sure. But I am not to where I would like to be. I'm taking a yoga class at noon today in the hopes that some of this muscle tightness will subside. I've been religiously taking magnesium, vitamin D and omega 3's. Ive even been drinking alcohol very little, having multiple alcohol free nights/days. I mean what the fuck else do I need to do??

Do you think this is all from one diet red bull a day? Or is it stress build up? Or is it a combination of stress, burnout and artificial sweeteners?

**Update**  Well duh! I figured this out finally.  I'm supposed to be taking one medication daily.  I packed it in my bag and for some reason when I hit the shores of Kauai I completely forgot to take it again.  I would have to say now, after some internet research on withdrawals from this particular medication, that 90% of my symptons were from that.  So back to the Red Bull and stress!!!  LOL, just kidding....no red bull for me

**Update #2 **

Having a vacation has been so rejuvenating for my mind.  It feels so free, creative and focussed.  I've come up with two business ideas since being back on the mainland and I've only been here for < 8 hours.  Like I need more work....but hey, creativeness comes in many forms

Vacation update - well maybe it started that way

It seems to me that we've probably had what some would term a classic vacation. So unlike us. I slept quite a bit the first few days, probably a result of burnout I'm sure. Dena has read 3 books and counting. We swam at least once a day in the bay here, but usually twice. Dena just made me a detox tea which we've been having twice a day. I'm trying to clean my system out from artificial sweeteners.

It might sound odd but post cancer surgery; after the pain, fear and exhaustion subsided a bonus of the whole affair was coming out the other end of it all completely diet soda pop free and feeling pretty awesome physically. My migraines hadn't shown up in months, my energy level was even keeled, and a host of other things that I didn't know you didn't have to live with we're gone.

At the time I didn't know if these benefits were derived from having no cancer or from the lack of artificial sweeteners or what, but frankly, I didn't dwell on it much. I was just happy to get back to my normal life. After life just sort of chugged along for 6 months I started to get the occasional migraine, feel a little crappy, fatigued, etc. But of course, I thought this was life and the effects of stress. I believe now that some, if not all of these symptoms are the effects of NutraSweet and diet sodas.

I cannot be sure of course if stress aggravates them or visa versa as we all know that stress comes with a physical cost. So much to Dena's dismay I have spent the vacation cleaning my body up.

Vacation - How do I do this again?

It's been a long time since we've been on vacation. I mean a vacation of the type where you are supposed to relax and recharge. This means not an adventure vacation which was 4 years ago - Antarctica. Not a family visit vacation which was just this past Christmas. I mean one of those vacations where you do nothing....like Hawaii.

We've been to Kauai so many times in our 21 years together that it is no longer one of those vacation spots where you need to sight see or explore. It's a recharge, swim, sunbathe, chillaxing type spot for us. It's been so long since we've been here I cannot remember how to do it.

The first full day we were here we slept until 1030 am PST, we're up for an hour, had a papaya and then went back to bed until 230 PST. I mean wow, that's a lot of sleeping. I just have been a little burned out eh? We capped off the day with a swim in the breathtaking Hanalei Bay and then a yummy dinner at Dena's favorite restaurant in the world - The Dolphin.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.