Oh, hey. What's up, General Discussion.

Most everything about my hometown in California is the same as it was two years ago, except there are a lot more housing projects on the outskirsts and new shopping centers in town. What struck me the worst was my local coffeehouse's environs. It used to be a lone Starbucks with a Blockbusters attached to it and dirt lots everywhere else. Now it's all local businesses and crowded as fuck. My one spot for relaxation is now ruined completely.

The worst possible time I saw a terrible childhood spot ruined was my father's home he grew up in. It was a typical nuclear family neighborhood by all accounts back in the 60s and 70s, but he left after high school for the military and his parents retired in the late 80s to another city. Just before we moved away, he drove by to see how it was doing since he hadn't actually seen the house in several years. We drove down the street and stopped in front of it, and there were literally five or six thuggish mexicans hanging around the porch with the lawn and everything in shambles. The rest of the houses were in equally poor condition. He didn't say anything as we left, but I could tell he was torn up about it.

Yeah, pretty much all the places I used to hang out at are getting screwed by the day, so memories of them will just have to do.

How ya doing, buddy?