Doc Hop

I feel like every post I’ve written lately has featured a protest or rally, but the country seems to be getting more fucked up each day. So until Trump dies or is forced out of office, you will see me at every one I can possibly get to.

This week’s protest was the national No Kings movement, and though there were rallies across all of LA and Orange counties, I participated at the Long Beach location. The LB event was in Bixby Park and ran from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, so I woke up early enough to enjoy a coffee and grab a good spot.

And it’s a good thing I did, because WOWZA, was it packed! This was my first political protest in Long Beach so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we turned it out! Even at 9 a.m. the sidewalks were packed shoulder to shoulder, and I could hear the honking and hubbub from blocks away. I walked through the crowds for about 20 minutes before finding a bus stop that provided me with an elevated view and a place to perch. I was initially near the end of the crowd, but by 9:30 the protest stretched for at least two full city blocks.

The energy and community was overwhelming, and it made me incredible proud to call Long Beach my home. (I say this all the time, but you would NEVER see this in Augusta. I’m pretty sure their pro-King and anti-First Amendment.) Half the cars that drove by were honking, flying anti-Trump/ICE signs, and cheering along out of their passenger windows. I saw quite a few bikers and motorcyclists participating in the movement as well, one wrapped in a pride flag! It literally felt like a parade. (Which is kind of ironic, considering Trump’s big authoritarian birthday bash was such a fucking bust! Womp womp!) I only saw one POS from MAGA drive by, with a red hat and giant American flags flying from the bed of their truck, but they hit a traffic light and were properly “SHAME”d by the crowd. (I gotta thank George R. R. Martin and Game of Thrones to that fun edition to modern protests). Overall, the energy was infectious, and I am very proud of my city.

Below you’ll find the unedited, raw footage that I captured during the event. It was hard to get a strong perspective of the size and scope without a car or a bike, but I tried to capture a piece of the overall vibe.

I parked right by the beach, so after the protest I walked along the shore back to my car. It was kind of early and pretty cloudy, but the whole place was deserted, and it felt like I had the entire ocean to myself. Like I was the only person at the edge of the world. (Everyone must have been heading home from the rally.) Whatever the cause, it was an incredibly peaceful and relaxing walk, and I took it slow so that I could listen to the waves for a minute as the tide worked it’s way in. Our out. I’m not quite sure.

Lately I have been a nut for Starbuck’s new Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, and I’m always a nut for Sierra and Becca, so they’ve heard me rave and crave about it. About an hour after I got back from the protest we had a long-distance coffee date, which meant that we each got one at the same time, just hundreds of miles apart. And Lemon got a pup cup. For friendship! I love LB, but being in a new city can get lonely and making friends as an adult can be hard, so I’m always very grateful for virtual hangs with my closest friends/chosen family. I sure would love to see them and squeeze them more often though!

As a related side note — I saw a sign at the protest that said, “I like ice in my horchata, not my city.” And I felt that.

Other than that I’ve just been up to my usual nonsense — coding, biking, reading, and playing some video games.

Next week I’m planning to take a day trip down to Laguna Beach to check out the sea, sand, and maybe some food as well. I watched the stupid MTV show when it aired a million years ago, but the area has popped up on my TikTok quite a bit recently, and it looks simply stunning. I’ve always traveled north into the city, so it’s about time I explore to the south! I’ll report back then.