I hate the Santa Ana winds. But whenever they blow, it reminds me of this great passage by Raymond Chandler:
There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands' necks. Anything can happen. You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge.
-- "Red Wind"
What does this have to do with Orange County? Nothing other than it's about the Santa Anas, and they're blowing in OC right now.
What a nerdy thing to have in common, Matt. But I too am a Chandler fan.
It's hard to beat "A Long Goodbye" and a hot cup of coffee.
Posted by: Mike Lawson | December 03, 2006 at 10:29 AM
Chandler is AMAZING!
His images of the City of Angels right on the verge of becoming one of the great cities of the world cause me to yearn for this simpler time, flaws and all.
Has LA realized it's potential from these pre-war days or squandered it all away?
Either way, reading Chander or Ray Bradbury or catching "Mildred Pierce" or a Bogart film on TCM makes me excited to be a tiny part of this vast sprawling metropolis.
I'll spend an afternoon lounging in the cavernous waiting room of LA's Union Station, seated in one of the ancient built-in leather chairs, watching the sunlight stream in through the windows and re-reading a tatterred Chandler novel any day!
Posted by: Publius2 | December 03, 2006 at 12:02 PM
As for the winds, I love them!
Except when they are destructive, of course.
The devil winds (and smog and earthquakes) were all documented by the Portola Expedition. And they'll all be here when our shiny office towers and tract homes are in ruins.
Along with the earthquakes, the winds are just a reminder that as much as we humans enjoy celebrating taming our environment, we are not ultimately in charge.
Posted by: Publius2 | December 03, 2006 at 12:41 PM
Mike:
There's nothing nerdy about loving Raymond Chandler. It's a sign that we have good taste.
Posted by: Jubal | December 03, 2006 at 01:03 PM
Jubal:
Bring back the Fez.
And by the way, I doubt our friends in Ventura County are big fans of the Santa Ana winds today.
Me, I hate them. My mouth feels dry, I can't wear contacts, I feel staticky, etc.
But then again, I am in Sacramento this morning, so never mind.
Jeff
Posted by: Jeff Flint | December 04, 2006 at 06:29 AM