I had the pleasure of accompanying AH on a drive I often make: the 405 straight down from the Valley to Orange County. AH sputtered like she was crossing a time zone. She wondered if anything actually did exist BEYOND Los Angeles. I just couldn’t help laughing because everyone in Orange County is perplexed to learn that there is LIFE beyond the Getty Museum.

Similar dualistic feelings caught both of us earlier that week when we headed off to a networking event at the UnUrban Cafe on Urban Street in Santa Monica. Upon arrival, AH and I were floored to find ourselves in a sea of undergraduates. We clung like barnacles to pylons, wondering if the foam would swallow us whole. AH burrowed into an armchair with an adult person for most of the event, sipping her latte and saying marvelous AH things. I attempted to cross the waters to other islands–there was the just-fresh-out-of-school, maybe-we-are-professionals-and-maybe-we’re-not-professionals-but-we-can’t-decide-yet couple, the too-precocious-and-talented-and-unreservedly-but-sincere-ambitious duo who might have been teenagers. I don’t know, but they looked it. Then the older graduate who was here for reasons I couldn’t fathom. Everyone had business cards. Everyone asked what school I was with. I couldn’t believe anyone was asking me that question again.

And again, I’m sure I have another story about extremes but none come to mind….but I’m sure you won’t have to wait long.