There is a phenomenon out here in LA that I've never really experienced before. Even though I've been here for five months I never even noticed it until this week. I'm talking about the Smog. (Not Smaug--for that, see the Hobbit, though it would be equally as bad).

I have a great view from my window at work where I can see over much of the valley and into the mountains. On Monday, though, there were no mountains--Just a haze in the distance. It was so bad that my eyes started itching. No joke. Luckily it lifted and went somewhere else after day or two.