Today's deep thought

There's a reason Schmooze rhymes with Booze.











(it's the ooze)

Lofty dreams? Apparently that's my style.

Yesterday was a bit of looking at apartments and whatnot. Nothing really jumping out at me. There was one place that was pretty nice for the price, a whole unit, bedroom, main room, bathroom, a new kitchen with a breakfast nook that was a little too nooky even for me to fit in. Then I checked out a closet and found a huge cockroach staring at me. We had a pleasant conversation, but he seemed to want the place more than me. Apparently it had a big family to look after, so it just made sense.

There was also talk from someone I'll be working with about getting a live/work loft type situation where I could live, and they could stay when in town. That would pretty much make me cooler than Steve Guttenberg, even from the 3 Men and a Baby era. Though now my brain is dreaming about how cool that would be. I mean that literally, last night in Pasadena I think it got down to 78 degrees in the apartment I'm staying at (that doesn't have air conditioning). I spent most of the night only partially resting (thus my writing this update at 6:30 am,) and actually dreaming about loft apartments in Santa Monica with views of the beach. So that's where my brain goes...to the coolest/most expensive options. I guess that's what dreams are for. Without them, I'd just be in a hot room full of other people's stuff in a Pasadena apartment with a guy who is probably struggling just to breath because he just had surgery to un-deviate his septum. That's the joy of getting up every morning.

So, things still aren't solidified, but I am of the mindset to sublet for a few months so I can keep looking for that perfect place that will make me even sexier than I already am (as if it were possible ;)

One thing I do know: in one week I will be back in Oregon for my friend (since kindergarten)'s wedding and I want to have this living situation thing figured out before I leave. So I'm leaving this to God. He usually figures stuff out pretty well. Though I will keep trying to listen to his messages through padmapper and dreaming my lofty dreams.

Movie night for a change

Movies have the capability to save people.

Sometimes.

Apparently my therapist was right and I do expect too much of myself. I've been down here for two weeks now. I'm not sure what all I expected to achieve in this time-frame, but it seems to be my nature to always expect more from myself. In reality I've not done much, just some emails and meetings and watching a bunch of tv. Tonight I went out of the house and saw a movie.

I went to the movie theater alone, a pilgrim in a strange land seeking solace in the temple of film. I saw The Change Up. A good film. A bit disgusting at times, but a great heart that moved me. I left there and I felt lighter, like what you're supposed to feel like after an afternoon special or what you want to feel like after eating three full pieces of cheesecake. It was just a movie, an experience of life through other people being other people. It worked for me. Yeah, I've been here two weeks and I've done a few things, namely I changed my entire life to focus on this one thing I have a deep passion for. So yeah. Little things. That kind of experience, the change of my perception, even if for a short time is a hint of the true power of storytelling.

Living life Han style...as in Solo

Apparently I am much more of a social creature than I originally thought I was. That, and I don't have a full-time job eating up a lot of my time...at the moment, anyway. I miss being able to call people up and hang out with them, apparently that is something I got very accustomed to. Even if everyone was busy I generally had family I could go visit (that's right, friends and family fall in different categories for hanging out-surprised yet? No? Hm...makes sense).

I'm sure I'll get back to that place soon, where I actually know people and want to go do things with them. I was trying to figure out why it seems so much harder than New Zealand where I knew basically nobody at first, but I think it was just as hard, I simply forgot about it. I spent a lot of time on my own there. Though the big difference between LA and NZ is that I walked around pretty much every day in NZ (partially to get out of the house, but also) to explore, where as LA is usually too hot for me to want to do that.

My friend Graham moved to Dayton, Ohio for ROTC four years ago and I went to his wedding last month, so it clearly went well for him. Perhaps keeping the long game in mind will help.

Mandatory update

I realize I've not been telling people what's up in my life and apparently a few people have inquiring minds, so here's a 60 second update:

I'm looking at places to stay, specifically in the Los Feliz area, though not ruling out West Hollywood, but not ruling in Hollywood.

I've been meeting all sorts of wonderful people thanks to some other awesome people from Oregon who are connecting me with their best people down here. Yes I used the word people three times in that one sentence, I'm doing this update as fast as I can and I'm only wasting time by talking about how much time I'm wasting doing that thing I said I did!

I've been writing a bit. Restarted one story three times, finally I think I found the right groove to follow. Don't ask about what, I'll talk about it with my writing friends and share it with ya'll when I'm good and ready, so there!

I'm starting up classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade in two weeks and I'm excited about that. I'm going to see shows there tonight and Monday. Tonight's show has one of the guys I recognized from Children's Hospital in it, who I met at a one-man-show a friend of mine directed. I met and hung out with some other good creative people at a bar after the show. That was Monday night.

Calling and organizing and emailing galore! Also working out big and small things in my life.

Basically, the bigger stuff won't happen for a couple more months, so right now I'm working on all the small things that add up big time. No big auditions yet, and I won't tell you when I have auditions either, I will only tell you when I get things, and even then, it might not be until I've already shot them. That's just how things will be. Also, if you're still reading this, I'm sorry and I sincerely hope your life gets more interesting than mine appears to be really soon! Also, big hearts to you!

In summation: I miss Oregon and my life there, and I am also happy to be here doing what needs to be done. Thanks everyone for your support, it's what makes me go, like an electric car fueled by caring.

Moot kind of mood

Right now I feel like I have everything and nothing to do at the same time. This is...fascinating, if not semi-frustrating.

Like my friend Grahambo says: One day at a time. Though even the days seem both too long and too short at the same time. Seems like there's no winning today...but no losing either.

Apparently there was an earthquake today but I didn't notice it...so was it like a tree falling in the woods?

Me being helpful, maybe

With all the meeting with industry people, actors and almost both and the advice I'm getting, I am collecting it in a growing binder. If I keep on track with all this and add personal experiences as they come, I can use it as an orientation packet for friends who move down here.
I already have the title: How To Hollywood (For Those Who Haven't)

Just saying. Look for it in the future.