this one was interesting because it was right next door to the academy awards here in hollywood.

interesting but not entirely fun because the cops were seriously on edge, which upset me because when was the last time a cop got hurt at a peace protest in hollywood?

i think a lot of these coppers had watched a bunch of the war on tv and were amped up to be the long arm of the law because when the dude told them to run down the street, they hauled ass down the street. when one of them started jabbing their nightsticks *close* to the protesters, they all did.

it was spooky.

clearly the cops with their riot gear and their helmets and their, uh, guns, were no match for the hollywood hippies. i was wearing a cubs hat, my compadre had on a pleated skirt, and we were about the scariest people within miles. there was no reason for all the testosterone, ponch.

at one point i was being pushed by a young cop.

it was a very interesting dynamic because i havent been touched in that sort of a way by anyone, ever, who i wasnt allowed to push back.

about twenty cops were sweeping about 10 punk rockers away from the precious corner of highland and sunset.

ive got nothing to do with those guys, i told the cop.

he said, doesnt matter, go that way. and i found myself in the middle of a moving square of cops. four in a row, five rows.

it was like being in a marching band of silence.

my date and i didnt look like punk rockers, but we didnt look like cops either. if you didnt know any better you’d have thought that the cops were helping us get through the crowd.

when all we really wanted was a pepsi.

anyhow. here it is now one fourteen a.m. and i dont get to wake up at noon tomorrow.

infact i get to go back to work tomorrow and i should go in early because ive been gone a week and i normally have to read about 75 emails a day.

i will miss you, vacation, you were great to me.

i got to sleep, i got to write a bunch, i got to take a ton of pictures, i didnt have to shave, i got to kiss pretty girls, i got to stay up until it was light and sleep until i wanted to.

i hung out with my friends, i ran a little, i worked out a little, i ate chinese food a bunch, i got to stand guard as a girl peed in the bushes of the rich, i even stopped thinking about work for a few days.

enjoy the latest photo essay and be sure to tell me how much you loved it.