So I am a hipster, i know what’s happening.  I think of myself as someone “in the know.”  I pretty much assume I know all the venues for fun. I even have an old-timey mustache.

I know nothing. I am like a child. Thursday night, I had this moment of severe jaded perspective. It was as if I knew nothing about the social scene of my city. I felt like a tourist wandering my downtown. I discovered art walk. I know that countless of my friends have been going for years. I understand, it’s this thing that’s been a fixture of downtown for years and years. I really have no need to hear anyone’s “I told you so’s,” please. I get it.

I had been asked to do some lighting for some VIP tents and a street artist’s park for Citizen LA for this guy George that it seems all of my friends know, and I have never met. And then to the after-party, at a venue/loft downtown I’ve never been to. There were DJs I’d never seen, playing music I didn’t recognize…

I realized, in a moment of sublime face-palm: I am nowhere near as cool as I thought I was.

This is a good thing. It means I get to discover some new things. I can’t wait for Art Walk next month! I am also completely open to new things again! Bring me to the light.

I don’t want to go anywhere anymore.  Sorry westside, sorry mom and dad, sorry friends in San Fransico and San Diego, sorry cabin.  Gas has nearly crested $5 a gallon, and going anywhere has become expensive.

So I look to carpooling. To go anywhere, I look for people to travel with. Even though they are not paying for the gas (I haven’t asked for gas money since I was seventeen, but now I am thinking about getting one of those stickers for my car). It’s nice to feel like you are doing something!

Living in LA, the thing I keep wondering is when (not if) will gas prices break this city? When will our poor public transport system and super spread out car culture go broke under the financial burden? We rely on trucks for so much of what we take for granted. When will the food and goods stop coming?

Hell, at least it got me to actively carpool.  And, I know I can do more. Here’s what I promise.

• I won’t go anywhere alone if I can help it, even though my house is kind of out of the way, I am sure I can find someone nearby to travel with me.
• I will actively carpool to work when possible. Most of the crews (except wolfie) live on my side of town. There is no reason to not drive with a buddy. Besides, maybe I can get them to drive.
• I’m going to drop my speed. The optimal speed on highways is 55-65 mph. This one will be tough. I will also need to start minding my acceleration. It’s there where the most gas is consumed.
• Alas, I am going to have to remove my roof rack. Air drag. This might give me an extra mpg or two.
• Track my MPG. Number of miles when you fill up, divided by the number of gallons you put in. I’ll keep a little notebook in my car to track it as time goes by, noting variables.
• More places in one trip. No going out for just one thing. Make lists and group journeys.  Stop at Target to get cleaning supplies on the way home from work, do several meetings in a day, etc.