It’s seasonal but it’s work. I’ve been in LA only 2 weeks and I applied at the agency last Wednesday. They work pretty fast.
Starting November first I’ll be working in the dispatch office of a Christmas tree delivery warehouse. I have to be there at 5:45 a.m. BOO! Then again, I’m off at 3 so I should miss some of the traffic.
Los Angeleans familiar with the stretch of highway near Staples Center: How bad is it at Oh-Dark-Thirty? I’ve only got a 16 mile commute to deal with and boy am I glad.
The job only goes through Dec. 20 but the temp agency is looking for more work for me once I’m done with the trees. So I’ll have some pocket money for Xmas and for an LA Dopefest if we can get one going.
Good for you. I started a job two weeks ago, which is darned near exactly what I was looking for - permanent part time, not answering phones, and near to where I live. It’s great when life works out, ya know?
Traffic isn’t bad in the witching hours of the morning–I’ve driven through there on a weekday to go down to Orange County (do not, we repeat, do not refer to it as “The OC”) to go diving and haven’t had a spot of bother until I got to the Orange Crush. The way home though…ehh, could be a bit iffy. Learn to navigate the surface streets and you shouldn’t have too many problems. If traffic on the 10 is too bitched up you can always take Pico, Olympic, or Santa Monica west; it’s stoplights all the way, but might be faster than stop-n-go on the highway.
Yay indeed. What sort o’ stuff do you do, again? You might check around your home area (assuming you’re planing on staying in Santa Monica), and check the local papers and all that jazz. There should be plenty of retail and hospitality industry work in the area if you can stomach it.
As for a Dopefest, I suggest 4100 on Sunset Blvd (Silverlake area); not only is it fairly central (for LA County folk) but the parking sucks but not quite so badly as Hollywood proper so it’s equally inconvenient for everyone. But I’m open to suggestions.
Again, welcome to LA. Just remember, don’t make eye contact or attempt to speak with anyone, and you’ll be just fine.
Los Angeles is indeed the land of milk and honey, and now that you’re an Angeleno (ixnay on the Los Angeleans), you can share in the bounty. Congratulations! I’m also jealous that you get to work with Christmas trees; that fresh pine tree smell is on my top ten list of great smells.
The 10 ought to be dead that time of morning. Just figure out where you’ll get your coffee in the morning and you’re golden. And I think you’ve already gotten the advice to invest in a Thomas Guide; it’s the gold standard of maps and you should be able to find lots of alternate routes.
Angeleno, gotcha. And since I don’t drink coffee I have no idea how I’m going to wake up that early. Looks like it’s time to bite the bullet and get a Starbucks card.
My first paycheck won’t be here until next Friday so I won’t be able to do anything until then. But that gives us a while to plan and synchronize schedules.
Thanks, everybody. Let me just say, [pittsburgh accent] “Yinz guys drive like maniacs!!” [/pittsburgh accent] I thought Houston was bad but that’s nothing compared to California.
This morning I was bullied into missing my exit and the next thing I know I was in Pomona. (I was supposed to be on the 101 North but got trapped on the 10 East.) I live 16 miles away from my workplace. When I finally got there, I had 74 miles on the odometer! I left the house at 5:15 and arrived at 7:23.
My boss was quite impressed when I called him from Pomona at 6 a.m. He said I made great time: Only 45 minutes. Too bad I work in LA. He was very understanding and even talked me in from Chinatown. (Don’t ask.)
One of my coworkers told me that she was 2 hours late on her first day thanks to gridlock. I asked the truckers how to get home. Following their directions, I made it back in 28 minutes. And that was at 4 p.m.
It gets easier, babe. Coming from Milwaukee, where I was frequently driving down in Chicagoland, I didn’t find the traffic all that bad, and drivers here are genernally more courteous than you’ll find on The Loop or the New Jersey Turnpike. Once you learn the workarounds (and asking the truckers was a spot of brilliance) it’ll be no sweat.
But I’m open to suggestions.
