Fun

I am pretty damn happy I found someone I get to have fun with! That is pretty friggin' important!

"What kind of training?"

I am happy to report that I am home at last in Chicago. It's not that I don't enjoy the road, I do. I think it was the fact that when I left Chicago on August 23rd for a Caldera job, I thought I was returning on Sept 9th. Then I got the call for a PA job in LA that took me there from Sept 10th through Sept 27th. The return to Chicago on the 27th got all sorts of weird when I suddenly became a truck driver to Colorado Springs for the commercial I was working on. It looked a tad grim I would make it back when I was expecting. That was till Max (travel coordinator) improvised and sent me home out of Albuquerque. Yet you know that part of the story.

Shortly after getting to LA, I agreed to stay on for the Colorado portion on the commercial. I bought another Frontier flight from Chicago, Sept 29th through Oct 5th. The majority of that time was spent down in Colorado Springs on the Ft Carson Army base. It was an Army commercial, in case I forgot to mention it. That was the first time I had worked on a commercial where the background did not drive me crazy. Well that is when they were actually from the Army. When we were in LA and we had the standard LA background, I wanted to kill them all. Seriously, there is not a more useless group anywhere on set. The ARE cattle. I was grateful for the chance to make some extra cash by doing background, but it was difficult for company those days.

I had a great day with Mom when I was done in the Springs. We had Lucile's and St. Mark's. Mom registered to vote which was very exciting since Colorado is apparently a swing state for the first time in years. We went shopping and later had soup with the whole family. Adam and Jen came by with their brood. Sydney is getting cuter by the day. Judge for yourself below. Lincoln is still just a one trick pony. He sleeps.

I am glad to be back, although these last couple days have had the looming work of some design projects. I am glad for the freelance gig's, but it is tough for me to keep a schedule. For example, I will work on something all night till I like it. I am not being paid to do so. I am being paid for 5 hrs of work. I also forget to give myself breaks. Now that I don't smoke (4 months this Fri), I have very little to remind me to step away and maybe... EAT. I am trying to manage my freelance work as if it were someone else. I tend to treat employees a hell of a lot better than I do myself.


Tomorrow I go back to the Girl and return to waiting tables. Yet again I have to train for my job. They moved across the street while I was away. That is a big step, but more so for those that have become entrenched in their old ways at the original store.

Delving into the mind set of veteran employees at a children's store is an effort for a different entry.

For now I am savoring just being back. It's raining and chilly. I love it!!! Soon I will attempt to get back to more of a thought provoking Stupie. For now, "fire bad, trees good."

LA -vu

It's surreal to be back. I got in around midnight on Wed (thank you again Tanya!) and by 6:30 am I was driving a Super Cube truck to MJZ through early morning traffic. Where am I? Seriously?

My friend Max has arranged for he and I to stay in his former apartment here in Hollywood. It has been vacant since he left as the building will be torn down soon. However, until he got here last night the power was out and the hot water heater had been removed. I spent very little time in the apartment thus far, but it had been all by candlelight. I felt like a musician on tour.

Returning to PA life has been alright thus far. More of it is coming back faster than I thought. Directions around town are more known than thought out. I miss coming home to my Beachwood apt with Tiff at the end of the day. While production life is all-consuming, it was nice to have that oasis where you could actually see how fucked some of the demands were.

Right now there is no oasis. The phone just rang... I am off.

Go Go Gadget Troy

Taking my time before boarding my Frontier flight home to Chicago to drop a line and try and catch up both of my readers on my whereabouts and plans.

First, I am flying back to Chicago after a fun and successful trip to the west coast with Caldera. I left Chicago on August 23rd and o'dark hundred and before I knew it was on the road with Josh, Scott, and Noah in a duel 26' truck caravan.


The trip out was smooth, aside from a broken side mirror. We spent a week setting up event after event for Black Entertainment down at La Costa in Carlsbad, CA. There was even an opportunity or two to grab some In & Out Burger (grilled cheese for me) and jump in the Pacific. Super fun job.

We got back to Colorado on Thur and I have been enjoying seeing my family. That niece of mine is getting cuter and cuter. My new nephew is adorable too, but not quite user friendly just yet. I was able to get up to Estes Park for the Scottish/Irish Highland Festival as well and had a blast with the few friends that made it. I stopped in Ft. Collins on the way home and caught up with a handful of folks before turning the Jeep south for another late night trip down I-25.

That brings me to present to the airport I am sitting in.

From here I am going to Chicago for a couple days with Tiffany. Far to little time with her for sure. I fly out to LA on Wed night to do another PA job. My regular team asked for me and I thought it would be a good job to take. It kinda saddens me a little though as Tiff and I were supposed to be heading up to Minneapolis this weekend a la Megabus. That trip will have to be rescheduled. I will be in LA till Sept 27th. Have no fear, I will be back in Chicago in time for the PAWS 8K some of you have been kind enough to donate towards. Then I may (or may not) be heading back to Colorado to wrap up the PA job as they are shooting here for 3 days.

Whew.

Pictures to follow, but now I am boarding. See you again soon!

3000 Miles in 2 days

"What the hell just happened?" That has been the one thought continuing to roll through my brain a few days later. It was a whirlwind trip to the West Coast. Here's what I remember of the whole affair.

I got up at 3am on Wed, 1/23, to head down to Midway for my 6am flight. It was one of those below zero nights we were enjoying in Chicago last week. On 3hrs of sleep I was just trying to make sure I did not fall asleep on the Red line before hopping on the Orange line. I also wanted to make sure I did not hop a Green line by mistake like I did last time. Everything went smooth and my first Frontier flight to Denver went without any difficulties. It is tremendously hard for me to sleep while traveling under any circumstances, but it did not help that the only reading light on in the entire plane was the jerk right behind me. I could read in my seat by his light as well. None the less I was able to doze a little.

I scrambled across the A concourse at DIA to catch my flight to LAX. It had begun boarding when we reached the gate so it was a sprint. We bounced down in LA on time and I headed out to get my shuttle to the rental lot. Again, no troubles just unfamiliar. The set me up with a Hyundai Santa Fe witch had a dashboard like a cockpit. Super nice. At this point I reluctantly decide to grab some food. I mostly wanted to try to get everything done. I had to make this trip fast as the rental was expensive. I booked it for pick-up at 10am on Wed and return at DIA by 10am on Fri.

I stopped in Hollywood and had lunch at Sharky's. So friggin' good! I sat there and watch several production trucks drive by (a big rental lot was next door), and chuckled at the familiarity. Sharky's was my big meal on return days for production. It was also a good stop for ioWest nights being around the corner from them also. It was fascinating to see the old neighborhood. I was a little bent on getting the task accomplished though.

The Storquest on Sunset was fun. I unloaded everything in less than an hour with Tanya's help. By the time Suzanne arrived, it was game of Tetris and prioritizing. Those two women saved my ass by helping me fit more and more into my over packed SUV. When all was said and done, only the IKEA furniture purchased out there had to be sacrificed. I wished it didn't since most of it replaced IKEA furniture sacrificed to move to LA and this is getting redundant. However, everything that truly mattered made it. I had begun to rain before the doors were even closed. Tanya and Suzanne, you are my heroes!!!

I hit the 101 at 4:15pm in a full rain storm. Traffic was typical for such conditions. From the 101 to the 10 and finally to the 15, it took me 2.5 hrs. I never got faster than 30mph. That whole distance was just 45 miles. Then I had a white out on the first mountain curve with 3 lanes of cars slamming on their brakes. Ah, now I know where the California driver come from that slide of our Colorado highways every winter.

It took me 7hrs to get to Vegas and it became obvious to even me that a stop was necessary. By this point it was approaching midnight. I pulled of in St. George, UT. That was the best hotel room I have ever had due solely to its timing and location. I hit the road by 8am the next morning and with the exception of driving most of it in snow and rain, it was uneventful. The Santa Fe was excellent on the road and I will forever long for cruise control now. I listened to Jack Kerouac's On The Road and Tiff's mix CD that featured some great CA songs. I recommend "Los Angeles" by the Sugarcult and "California Songs" by Local H if you get a chance. That CD is still in my player Tiff! It is fantastic and I miss you!

I am now fully packed away in my folks basement. The picture of the livingroom is pre basement push, but it is impressive the amount of stuff that came out of the Santa Fe. Again, Tanya and Suzanne- you were amazing! It was easier than Storquest to be sure. It's good to be a little more consolidated, but that lingering feeling of this being a final hurrah to nomadic life is still there. For now I will be in CO for the next month or so for Caldera. More thoughts to come on that, Colorado, and my pursuit of acting to come, but this is a way too long entry as is. Till next time...

Hitting the Road Soon

With the spirit of adventure living out of a couple suitcases brings, there seems little that could make it more exciting. Yet, I have found a way. Last week it occurred to me that I was about to shell out $111 bucks to the storage unit in Hollywood while it would cost just a little more than that to fly out there. With what it would cost for just another month or so, I could rent a vehicle to take my worldly possessions back to Denver. My folks graciously offered to let me store some items there. Apparently, much to my surprise I have some boxes already there from as far back as my pack-up to move to London in 1999. There must be some frightening and needless things in those boxes!

So, next Wed I will be flying from Chicago to LA at the crack of dawn, renting a "mid-SUV" and loading up my storage unit. Some friends have agreed to buy some of my bulky items. Others may just stay in Hollywood. Kinda a shame I couldn't justify a full truck as there is no IKEA in Denver and the furniture may fetch a decent price there! Also frustrating was that you can not rent a cargo van to cross state lines. A van would have amply taken care of my 5x5 unit.

By this time next week I will be fully pulled out of LA for the time being. As for the question of whether or not I will go back, the answer is still "ask again later" according to the Magic 8 Ball I consult daily. If I do it will likely be for short trips. I have also learned over the last couple months how little I need to get by. I must admit the cold snap we are in right now has made me aware of how little warm clothing I now own. I am grateful as hell for the new leather coat Tiffany got me for Christmas. It does all sorts of fun things, like zip up!

The choice to consolidate is one I am happy about. It has been fun telling people I have everything in a storage unit in Hollywood, my Jeep in Denver, and a couple suitcases in Chicago. The reality is, I am not a prospector and need not leave things everywhere I may wish to go to. I also sense that my current adventure may be a final sort of hurrah to the nomadic life. I am interested in things like furniture, mortgages, and the like. Not just yet, but soon-ish. I will be in Colorado for the next 4 - 5 weeks working for Caldera. that should be good too.

I am coming back to Chicago after that. I have not yet begun to hit a threshold for cold.

Windy City Love

I got in last night just after midnight. I was in an audition for a national commercial less than 12hrs later. So here's my weird universe story. Scotty was over yesterday morning and while he was getting ready to go to breakfast at Lucile's Denver, I looked up my agent in Chicago to send an email letting them know I would be in town for a few weeks. I could not find an email, so I decided I would call later in the day. Less than 2 minutes later, my phone rings from said agent with an audition today. I never told them I was coming. Weird

After my audition downtown I ran a couple errands, refamiliarizing myself some with Chicago sights and sounds. It felt so good to be walking around town. I missed it here a lot. Over the last couple weeks or so I have had to clarify my perspective on Chicago often. It seems those that know me well are fond of reminding me with knowing smiles that I truly did not like the Windy City very much for a long time when I first got here. That is true, I called it the town "I loved to hate."

However, after a few years of doing my best to get out of town on children's theatre tours, I started to warm up to it here. That last 2 years were friggin' fun. After all, I got to work on 6 consecutive shows with only 2 weeks down time in 15 months during one stretch. I have a great agent here that continues to help me even in LA. Plus the people are fantastic too.

Now what makes LA any different from Chicago, based on my timeline? For starters, I enjoy stage work more than film. What LA can offer is exciting and interesting, for sure. I love the constant energy there. Everyone is just one call away from fame and secure rent. That's cool. Artists should be able to earn their pay doing what they love and have sacrificed for. I, however, prefer the connection with people too much to want to leave theatre for long. Now true there is a lot of theatre in LA, some of which you don't even have to pay to play in. It is tougher there to carve away that sort of time there. If you can, you find the higher caliber of people out there for sure. LA is like all huge cities in that it is full of transplants. Hell, a good chunk of my favorite company in Chicago now live there. Guess "nothing is safe" now in LA.

The other, rather inflexible point against LA for me and me alone is that I don't like heat and sun for long. I don't. I prefer storms to get my creative wheels turning. I caught a little flack for coming to Chicago for Nov. and Dec. for this. Last year in LA, we had a couple days in the 100's at the end of Nov. Nothing like getting a Christmas tree in shorts and a tank top, wondering if an off season AC unit would fit in the car too. That's just not for me.

While I can admit, LA and Chicago have very similar starts for me, I don't believe LA will grow on me the same way. This town is closer to a NY vibe and that tempo is the one I enjoy. LA is fun and blessedly unapologetic. I am fascinated by a city so proud of itself and detested by everyone else. I continue to try and bite my tongue and just learn.
For now though, I love being in Chicago again. It's chilly and threatening snow and I could not be happier. I am learning what to like about LA. I miss Chicago and appreciate everything it did for me. Colorado is now and will always be home.

Having a John Denver moment...

All bags really are packed and I am ready to go... That's about where the analogy ends though. I have decided to take a break from LA while I am between both jobs and homes. I hit the road Mon morning with Adam (my brother) for Denver. From there I am still deciding, but that will be my jumping off place for further plans. I am looking forward to this. I have felt a tad blah lately, so I am glad to get a chance to recharge. Till next city...

Gettin' exciting now...

Sitting here in the bright morning sunlight in my folks kitchen, all seems well. There is a wealth of good music coming from my speakers and I am enjoying the crisp, cool Colorado air. All seems well. I can not believe how much will be different by this point next week.

I spent the last week or so since Cody took off painting and packing my apartment on Beachwood. I was aiming to be 100% done by the time I flew out here on Wed. realizing I might hit 80%. That I did. I have a sizable stack in my livingroom, ready to go to the storage unit being held for me on Sunset. By "sizable," I of course am referring to the fact that I originally got to LA by Metro. While Tiff used her car too, she took most of that load with her back to Chicago. Most of it. I still inheritted some odd shaped stuff. I now have a bed, not a leaky air matress. Ah progress... nicer stuff, bigger storage units.

I now have 3 major options before me for the 2 months I have to get by till an apartment opens up I want. I have the option to work in Chicago, Denver, or stay in LA hoping work picks up. My major employers have gone on a 2 month vacation as well so my phone has gotten pretty quiet.

I am figguring out the last details here this weekend as to what will make the most sense, but reality is also starting to become more real.
All those little routines are about to get locked up on Sunset also. The little things, like the coffee maker. It's habit. It's going away for a bit. I look forward to this, but it's tough to not get a little nervous putting everything away for a short time.

I have had a bunch of people come forward and extend their time, help, support, and even one or two couches. That is amazing. I am so entirely blown away by that sort of friendship, it means a lot. For now, I am enjoying Colorado. I am still amused to be here at such an odd time. How often have you been packing to move and right at the critical push you wished you could just walk away for a while? Well, by way of Mom's big birthday I got to do just that.

Happy birthday Mom and thank you!

Fresh Coat of Faith

I am fond of airing my grief with the lack of rain in LA and how I find it tough to be inspired to paint out here because of it. Well, the universe has a sense of humor. It rained on Fri and I got to paint... my entire apartment white again. Not exactly what I had in mind. Next time I'll be a tad more specific. Plus, our ceiling leaks badly and wrecked some valuable stuff. It's not like Tiff and I have not told the management company. We've told them all 3 times it rained in the last 15 months. Grrr.The deadline to leave the Hollywood bungalow is October 26th. I have so little time to get everything done. So far I am staying positive that the direction to go will become more clear but I am reminded of a joke I heard once. It goes like so:

A man of tremendous faith found himself and his home in the path of a great flood. Authorities said it would wipe out everything in its path and evacuations were ordered and the trucks came. The man would not leave. He said simply, "I believe in God, he will save me."

The rain came and flooded the streets up to his house. A rescue boat came down his street and he would not leave. "I believe in God, he will save me."

The waters overtook his house and he retreated to the roof, just above water. A helicopter came, but he would not go. He shouted, "I believe in God, he will save me." He could almost make out the pilot mouthing "idiot" before the roof went.

Lo and behold he next found himself at the pearly gates, soaking wet. He sloshed right up to God and said, " I believed in you and you still let me drown?!" God handed him a towel and said, " I sent you a truck, a boat, and a helicopter. What else did you want?"
Now, I believe in signs and messengers (ie Eskimos). Have I been sent my truck and boat already? I don't know. I am entertaining a couple ideas. Oh, I need to explain something else. I have a line on a good apt. for a great price. It's available Jan though. The price makes it worth the wait. I also am in a bind with my main employers going on vacation for a couple months. Basically I am on my own for 2 months. Denver? Chicago? Couch surfing galore in LA? I don't know. As I said before though... this is a friggin' awsome problem to have! Stay tuned. Oh and by the by, my painting ensemble in the picture above is my new favorite outfit. I will probably be wearing it next time we see each other.

Go Rockies!

Union Man!

It became official today, I submitted my paperwork to join SAG. It feels good. Mostly because I have realized that I am less interested in pursuing film work just for the reward of it. Me, I like the stage. I am thrilled to have achieved this rite of passage. This was one of the things I wanted to achieve out here and can thiumphantly check that box on my card. Let's see what else I have to finish here before I can move on to the next level?

Scientologists don't want me

Simple as that. I was trudging the hot streets when I spied a solo Scientologist far from her safe street (ie Hollywood Blvd.). A word to her credit, she was alone on the corner of Sunset and Vine on a holiday weekend trying to talk to people in a blistering 108 degree afternoon. I don't know many people that would want to stand out there, let alone try to talk to people about their belief. That's as far as my credit goes. I decide on my way back to chat with her, a la Rollin's style. Hey, she's on a city street... fair game. She aproaches every person in front of me as I am walking towards her with no takers. Well, then she sees me and walks out of my way. I turn after I pass and she is going after the couple behind me.
Guess I don't get the free L. Ron Hubbard book.

Plausable Deniability

What a great term: plausible deniability. Or even deniable plausibility.

That fantastic term was used in Kubrick's Dr Strangelove as a government stance. It described the ability to outright do something while being completely able to say it's not being done. While our government seems a laughable, scary machine of ineptitude these days, it still seems like a likely term for them to use.
What makes me bring this up was a conversation I had with a good friend this morning. I made a joke about taking a U-Haul to Minneapolis for DuoTeam's wedding. Just an off-hand joke based on my well-known dislike for LA and eagerness to move. Ha-ha. Right? Well I found out a short time later that a few friends that know me fairly well actually were not sure whether or not to laugh. Apparently I have earned an air of unpredictability. For better or worse, there you go. Who hasn't dreamed of just taking off with whatever could be grabbed in the span of ordering a latte? As it would seem, I could do it without shocking many people.

Is that a good thing or bad? Who knows? Who cares?

What's important is the people I have in my life. I keep in touch, best I can. Provided I stay upfront and honest with them, it seems my unpredictability isn't such a bad thing. Maybe that's just my perspective though.
Tiff and I keep trying to take the next right step out here. Where those steps lead is anyone’s guess. Today, home is still at the bottom of the hill with the Hollywood sign.

As for my personal deniable plausibility? Well, I don't want any further shenanigans called. I will let you know what I know. I stayed in Chicago for 6 years with just the vague idea there was more to be done. Most of that time I did not know what exactly was left. I am still here on the same reasoning. Till then, have another glass of rainwater.

So close, so close...

It's funny working as a PA sometimes. Tiff said that it would help us to get a chance to work in the industry out here while we were auditioning. In some ways that seems to be true. I have thoroughly suplimented my lacking knowledge of film set lingo and etiquette (thanks again CSU). It has helped tremendously working so closely with the "talent" on so many of these commercials, afterall they are what most of us are out here hoping for. McDonalds and Bud can pay the rent for a few months. I quote the term "talent" in that, aside from being dressed and showing up to the right address on the right day, you really have little to do with convincing anyone of anything, especially "talent." Yet I digress...

I am currently working on a big car commercial that will potentially be the signature feel of this football season. I am in the office today and they finished doing fittings for several "talent" this morning. Honestly most of them were young enough to still be excited (and rightly so). It was the older "actors" that seemed to be... bored... irritated... dead? They were completely tired and ready to go as soon as possible.

Now this was not what I would call acting per se, but they made it this far... it's all fun from here. Plus the spot is going to be beautiful, not to mention profitable. How could you not like the idea of getting a national commercial that will only require you to look great and maybe play football some? It could be much, much worse. Watch five minutes of TV and see. Wait don't... it's not worth it

Anycase, it helps me stay hungry seeing it happen for some of these kids. Plus it canoccassionally be fun too. It's so close though.

Once hungry...

I have heard it said that strays have nearly insatiable appetites due to their early years of scarce food. I have also heard it said people tend towards those same instincts. If you grew up where things were in short supply, you find yourself inclined to hoarding if available. Well, my upbringing being anything but Disney, I felt the recession on the Reagan era pretty close in my family. I had my first business effort at 8 selling bowling novelties at my Dad's league night. My first job was at 14. I learned early on how to work.

My brother and I show the same tendencies on the job too, so I am inclined to believe we picked up something from our modest upbringing. I usually work harder than needed, longer than required, and with more ethics than could be included in any "at will" contract. These characteristics are all being exploited to their finest as a Production Assistant. The job by its nature is so cruel at times, it's a wonder it has not attracted any legal backlash. After all, it is industry standard to lie on our timecards, work well over 10 hours a day (and then drive 550 Super Cubes), and never see overtime or a full-fledged break.

Nonetheless I like working, still. Not necessarily as a PA for much longer. I am flattered to have heard from most of the coordinators I have worked for in the last year this week. I have established myself as a solid guy to call and depend on. That feels good, regardless of the job. A PA life is one that should probably best be spent figuring out how to get out of being a PA to be sure. For now I will sling the pop-ups and lock-down street corners. It's not always so bad. After all, yesterday I was running 30-yard sprints, back and forth while being pursued by a faux Jet and Giant. Plus I had a stand of cheering NY fans in their best autumn gear... in Long Beach... at Veteran’s Stadium... in 95-degree heat... ah, Hollywood.

I have a ton of work coming and am ok with it. I was offered a role this week for another small, storefront show that I had to decline. It was starting too quickly for me to change my schedule unfortunately. I was flattered nonetheless and had a ball auditioning. LA seems to be a tough town to try and do a play. They take too much time. It is the MTV generation's kinda town. My jobs are measured in days and my lease is month to month. Foundation? Why that's my no contract gym membership and fellowship of constantly changing cohorts.

I am heeding the adage I heard a while back as of late though. Let me not ask for a lighter load, but a stronger back.

At least that’s for now. I also know that every director’s chair and sheet of layout board are bringing in the money that will let me move from here. Funny... just funny

Stay of Eastern Motion

It's been a hell of a week or so. I've had it in mind to write this entry for most of that time. Unfortunately for you, my two readers, I have had a job PA'ing a Lexus commercial. It's been good but a surreal sort of experience given where I had been. When I first got the call, I laughed a little afterwards. I had my bags packed and by the door to escape to Colorado for some head clearing solitude just days prior. I was convinced my days in LA were numbered and that that number was not going to excede 13 months. Hell, I though it may be closer to 12 there for a bit.

Oh and there was the certainty that I was returning to the Windy City also for a bit. It seemed a logical and emotional good choice for both Tiff and I to go back where we felt more comfortable and the leaves changed. How could that be a wrong move? After all, I miss Chicago as much as Denver most of the time. Yet there it was again, the gut feeeling. The same reason I did not leave Chicago in those first 3 years. That instinctive feeling that I was not finished there yet. Now I don't feel LA has the same span to look forward to, but it did seem premature to leave just yet, especially like this.

Mr. Mowery put it great perspective by saying, "you have accomplished as much in a year there as you did in six years back in Chicago."

Kinda true.

On the other hand, I am getting more and more aware of a yearing to enjoy a quality of life again too. I am tired of just visiting it when I go home. Danielle retorted a question about her move to Denver from LA and acting sacrifice quite simply by saying she, "hadn't given up anything by moving." That might be true also, I am beginning to believe.

Yet I digress. This blog in particular is about the choice to stay in the land of Botox and Pinkberry. For now, it seems right. The problem though with "for now" is that it can change on a dime.
Tiff and I were debating this morning about the depressing prospect of another Fall without Fall. We can not even bring ourselves to discuss an utter snow-free Winter. For those that think that an odd statement, try a 100 degree day or two at the onset of December. It is a little tough on the spirits to wear shorts and try to get a Christmas tree on the car.

Today though, my California driver's license is correct. Today, my plates are legally accurate. Today I have a place to hang my hats. Today I know where the coffee is. What will I do when "for now" changes? Well I guess that is never a problem if you can stay in the now. "Now" doesn't change does it? When I refuse to stay with it, that's seems to be when the torque begins. God knows staying with it is a challenge (pun intended).

To bring it entirely up to the moment then, I will continue to enjoy the Dave Mathews playing. I will pour another cup of black coffee and move the clothes to the dryer.

For now...

SPF 365

Time flies when your in the sun. Tiff and I rolled into LA last year on the 6th. I remember it so well. We actually hit town at about 4. We sat in traffic for 2 hours, having just finished up our 2000 mile trek across the country. That was concluded by a fast unload of our 2 over-packed cars. We were staying with her 2 friends, Ian and Amanda, who had a spare room but not in a good neighborhood. Then Amanda, Tiff, and I hopped in the lime, VW bug and went to Truly Vegan for food. God, it is so surreal looking back at that night.



The year since has been right there in suit. I became a PA the next morning and have stuck with it. As much as it may get on my nerves, that job has introduced me to so many people. I learned most of the city quickly and got to do some pretty unusual shit. Production license it is called here. In Chicago, that same thing used to be called organized crime.

I have had a chance to do a lot of work, some stage and some film. I became SAG eligible within a year. Tiff and I have explored a few beaches, cafes, and restaurants that were truly delightful. I quit smoking! Seriously, some things will missed heartily. I have become quite enamored with the city that continues to think money can solve anything. It's like the family member that every year tells the same bad jokes. Sooner or later you sorta start to love 'em for being so ridiculous. LA is no Vegas, but it certainly holds that in common- no excuses.

I have also seen utter misery here. Within days of getting here I stood less than 15' from a gun man shooting at a house of people. I have seen poverty at an extent it forever changes you (the place PA's go isn't always great). I have no real interest in cataloging all the difficulties though. They have been here. Not just because of here. That's what I know about that.


So what now? I have written a lot about moving. That seems in the works. The serious look at what that means is underway. Can I go back to Chicago without just erasing my year of progress here or just hitting my rut I left there? Is Denver or Minneapolis or Seattle a good step right now? A smaller market to test my bigger skills learned in? Hell, just to breathe? To finally have a cup of coffee during a rainstorm again?

Then the most horrifying idea... staying here longer. I can no adequately express how difficult an idea that is. I have relished the possibility of leaving as soon as is possible. Now I may have to stay and even defend it? I don't know if I could win a long round bout in that corner. Personally I am ready to chuck it all and run a coffee shop in the mountains of Colorado somewhere. What do you say Polairess?


You ever truly tried to figure out which star is the second one on the left?