the tannest i’ve ever been. and, yes, that’s my cousin

so, yeah, speaking of america…

in september, atif and i spent a few blissful days in los angeles, one of the many places i consider home [eric gets around, see]. the goal was to see the sights, enjoy some great weather, some sunshine, some tasty food. to hang out with my cousins jason and brian at their fab new pad in huntington beach, to perhaps see some of my old friends from caltech, and of course to see my dear friend josh.

jason [pictured above] and i grew up together… our parents got divorced at the same time, and we’d visit our dads every sunday, going to cubs games, going swimming, eating dairy queen, watching our family get drunk. i ran away to california then to london, he ran away to las vegas and then to california with his brother, the semi-professional baseball player.

i love my family, all four parts of it [both parents are remarried, see]. i’m a bit, erm, estranged distant with my dad’s side of the family, for no particular reason than apathy*. thus, i’d fallen a bit out of contact with jason and brian… i hadn’t even properly congratulated brian on getting married to the very lovely molly, and didn’t even know they had all moved out to california until just a few weeks before my trip.

jason is very much the straight version of me. he’s motivated by pleasure and opportunity and adventure, and is keen on new life experiences and not too concerned with boring career paths and logical life choices. he’s worked his way across the pacific sunwear corporate ladder, a big surf/skate clothing chain. everytime i cross paths with him he’s dating [at least one] pretty young thing, and seems to have a penchant for girls a few years his junior. not to generalize about the bogses, but we do have incredible taste in mates.

we went to the happiest place on earth [disneyland] on the saddest day in america [september 11] and had an amazing time. we gorged ourselves on tamales and fish tacos and burritos and pico de gallo and horchatas at every opportunity. jason took us shopping and the watch the surfers and to talk politics and it was just great.

i got to hear bits and pieces about my family, which made me feel connected yet nostalgic at the same time… knowing i should pick up the phone, but knowing at the same time that the phone works both ways. having too too much to catch up on with everyone, and not wanting to explain my insanely bizarre life.

the highlight of the trip had to be the first annual bogs beach bonfire bonanza, which coincided with my arrival from london as well as brian’s return from being on the road for months during the baseball season. we set up a roaring fire on the beach [huntington beach is one of the few beaches that allows bonfires], we taught atif how to roast smores, and we shared some stories and laughs as well as some quiet moments.

it had been a long time since i felt a sense of -family- like that. it worked, it definitely worked for me.