Posted on by Jessica Dofflemyer · 4 Comments

November 3, 2010

Today I met an Oliver.  And whenever I meet someone with this name I pay attention.

The name gained significance when I was 20 years old and living in Pacific Beach, going to school and living with my best friend.  A bit boy crazy, young, and kind of silly, we created fictitious boyfriends for ourselves, choosing names that we thought were fitting for the kind of man best suited to each of us.  She was convinced that my soul mate was an Oliver.  I was certain her heart’s companion was a Luke.

Sometimes we would reference these imaginary men.  For instance I may be leaving the house on my bike and casually, with all seriousness, say to my friend as I headed out the door, “See you later…I’m heading down to the beach to watch Oliver surf.  Come by later and see the sunset with us!”
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Posted on by Jessica Dofflemyer

RishiRush

March 13, 2001

“Indian women ride scooters side saddle with the most amazing grace. Every vehicle is bumper to bumper, near head-on collisions are commonplace. You’ve got oxen pulling wagons next to big buses, next to Toyota land cruisers, next to cows, next to dogs, next to a series of scooters and auto rickshaws. A maze of pedestrians filter thru the streets. Brakes slam constantly. And yet, she’s holding bags of vegetables in her lap with no handle, her legs dangling off the side and she’s looking gorgeous in a sari, without a sign of anxiety. People pile 3 or 4 bodies on to one little scooter. Parents have no qualms about sticking their 5 year old up front with 2 more youngsters behind them. The beauty is that in all of the chaos, there really is a method. LA traffic has never been so smooth…” Read more