I was going to do a post on the impending Blockbuster bankruptcy, the dominance of Netflix, and a nostalgic look back at the days of VHS tapes, the local video store, and spending hours browsing through tapes, trying to decide what to watch/or racing there, hoping desperately what you wanted to watch was still available. But that all changed when I decided to do a more CDM centered post and review:
HOT TUBS!!!!
How could you NOT love one of these?!?!
Yes, hot tubs. Or, as they’re known when they’re in ground and part of the pool/backyard design – pool spas. I actually like the sound of that better – “pool spa.”
What prompted this switch from the topical to the indulgent?! Well, I have to be honest – I’m about to climb in one and I won’t lie to you, it is one of my most favorite things. Why? There is just something inherently relaxing, therapeutic and decidedly end-of-the-day signifying for me when I climb in one.
I wish there was a bit more to it than that, but honestly it comes down to simply that end-of-the-dayness for me. Here at Casa De Uebe it’s often quite tranquil, of course, being more of a town, rather than a big sprawling city. But also the sky is clear, away from the heavy smog, and when the moon is out, it’s bright and wonderful to gaze up at it as one of the jets works over my aching shoulders after a hard day grinding pages. (Okay, there aren’t many hard days for me when I come down to the Mar. I promise, though, the memory of them haunt me when I’m down here and the pool spa is just the right remedy to chase them away.)
If you’re near one in the not-too-distant-future, I’m telling you: ultimately, it’s therapeutic. That means it’s good for you. Climb right in, without hesitation. And let the tension melt away.
Call it the Corona Del Mar effect. I say I’m gonna do something on the blog, but there’s an unplanned twenty-four hour delay. It’s the relaxing atmosphere Stags and I cultivate when we’re together. That and the sweet ocean breezes. That helps, too.
Here we go. Tomorrow we have our first pitch. Jason and I are a bit jittery – but that’s more over getting in there so we can do what we do and get a feel for the rhythm of the real game. Tomorrow’s is at Warner Bros. Studios with the producer of Grand Torino, among others. The meeting was bumped up to Ten A.M. so that the man with his name on the door could join the pitch. That’s a good thing. Any time the steps between you and the actual decision makers are cut down, so much the better. This would be our agents or manager probably at work. I’m would bet my bottom dollar there’s some kind of connection. I know we share the same law firm, so that’s something. Anyways, instead of pitching to a CE (Creative Exec,) who then in turn pitches your idea to her Boss, who’s either the head of her department or company (in this case its company,) we get to leap frog to him directly now. The reason why this is better is that he might have a discretionary fund for development from the studio as part of his deal to park his company exclusively on their turf and provide for their pipeline. Which means, if he did (it’s not a given, but it’s a possibility), that the head of the company could lock up the idea with a paid option or outright purchase, before taking it to the studio. That sort of thing. Regardless, it’s one piece in the telephone game of pitching, which means less relying on someone else to regurgitate your idea in just the right way. Got it? Good. Here we go:
-THE WIRE, people. Watch it. All of it. Man, I should’ve listened to my brother years ago. THIS. IS. THE. GREATEST. SHOW. EVER! It’s almost too much to handle. Deadwood’s a close second, tied with Six Feet Under. But, NONE, of them touch The Wire. NONE! I’m on season three. It’s blowing my mind how rich, detailed, and authentic this whole story and characters are – not to mention how they slowly and perfectly grow the world of the story from season to season. Of course, when it’s Denis Lehane, Richard Price, and George Pelicanos on your writing staff, you’re doing good as far as crime writing goes.
- My second niece is off to college. Which, honestly, makes me feel kind of old. Sounds like she’s doing quite well from what I can tell on facebook. Her sister is a Junior and their younger sister, my goddaughter, just turned 16. They are all getting too old too fast. It’s not fair.
-We booked another pitch for next week today, which was great. It’s with a non-writing Co-Exec Producer on Breaking Bad. That’s pretty good.
-We’ve got five pitches total right now. Which, I think, is just the first set. Or, I would guess it is. What do we know? We’ve never actually done this before.
-The thing I’ve been dwelling on, savoring even, all day is this: In the past, if I scratched something together, it was usually to get one person possibly interested. One person who, as a long shot, MIGHT be able to make something happen. In other words, the very few times I got into this situation, it was a do or die situation. That one person or nothing. Tomorrow, walking into the first pitch their will be four more right behind it. None of it is do or die in the moment. We will get better as we go through the first run of pitches. We may be great tomorrow, but we’ll then become unbelievable. It’s strange, but this feels, despite all the rest of advancements this summer, and even before, like the biggest career advancement yet. This is exactly what we wanted when we were struggling with the deal that ultimately didn’t go through. This is really all you can ask for as a writer in this town – the chance to take your ideas to the market and to write. We’re doing that. Pretty cool, isn’t it?
-Ten years ago was the most pivotal time of my life as I struggled through the biggest change in my life ever. A change that is still having an incredibly profound effect on my life every single day. I’m beyond fortunate to be here, in this city, just enjoying the sunshine and my friends, let alone to be in the midst of my greatest dream – living that, too. I don’t quite know what to say actually. There were many nights – long, hard ones – where I thought this was just not a possibility EVER. Not in my life. To be here. Well, I feel like I died and went to heaven. Thanks to all the angels that have carried, and continue to carry me here.
- Cardinals looks like they found their bats. A little help from the SF Giants and we might just climb back into the division race. One way or the other, it’s shaping up to be one helluva stretch run!
Okay. I’m gonna catch another episode of The Wire. Then I gotta catch some zzzzz’s. Big day tomorrow!
Got to bake a cake today from scratch. It’s been some time since I’ve done any serious, for a bunch of folks baking. I gotta say I’ve missed it some. Definitely still out of sorts and getting tired of it. We did get the DVD’s up on the wall over the TV, which was the last project between both me and Jacob that was lingering. That means that the DVD’s are out of my room and I should be able to finish the last little bit of setting up my room/office. Also have a lead on a few freelance writing gigs. We’ll see. Sometimes, you get fried on remaining hopeful while keeping your expectations low. It happens. This, too, shall pass. It always does and I just need to let it come and then go and not make it worse. On to the review:
CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH VANILLA FROSTING
Mmmmmmmm!
One hundred percent homemade. No poseurs-from-a-box allowed in the B.O.H.
This, by the way is not the cake I baked today, though it looks a lot like it.
What better combo is there? I used to be a chocolate on chocolate guy. (Cecil’s Deli in St. Paul has the absolute greatest chocolate on chocolate three layer classic. That icing. Man! I’ve been trying for years to replicate that icing. I got in the ballpark once in Chicago, but I don’t know what I did.) But eventually, I migrated to the start contrast, born to melded in cake bliss forever combo of chocolate cake/vanilla frosting. Let’s take another look:
Callback: Mmmmmmmmmm!
I don’t even know what’s on top of that slice. Some kind of hat like icing decoration that is entirely unnecessary. The chocolate and vanilla just look perfect together, don’t they? And you know what? It tastes like one big Oreo. Which, come on, who doesn’t like that?
I utilize a recipe for a “Black Magic Cake” that I got off the internet. I’ve tried others. This recipe is by far the most moist and dense, chocolate flavored cake out there. Do not use instant coffee, as it calls for in that recipe. Do yourself a favor and either make or buy strong coffee. One cup’s worth is all you need (one measuring cup, not a mug.) The real, strong, bold flavored coffee makes all the difference in the world. Trust me. What you arrive at with it is a very moist, deeply flavored cake that’s really hard to overcook. The actual cake is beyond heavenly. As you can see, it’s a very basic recipe that can be whipped up (no pun intended) rather quickly and efficiently.
From the there I utilize a pretty standard homemade vanilla frosting recipe from an old cookbook that II got as a gift some years ago. The cookbook deals exclusively with the making of every kind of chocolate cakes known to man. The cookbook is a wonderful resource. It’s by a woman by the name of Michelle Urvater, but the name of it escapes me at the moment. The recipe I use details the most basic vanilla except that I always put in extra Vanilla extract or actual vanilla bean, depending on. I like a nice, vanilla/sweet twang when you bite into the velvety cake.
Anyways. If you love cakes at all, make yourself one with black magic cake and vanilla frosting; then watch everyone flock to you!
The result: pure deliciouness. Okay, I’m gettingh/?
My brain is a little fried tonight. Been pounding on the keys quite a bit again. Tons of work to do. Like, starting-to-make-me-nervous-amount of work. I can’t even imagine the chain of events that will lead past this torrent of projects. Uff-da! (As they say in the North Country.)
Okay, let’s rumble:
-What in the name of GOD happened at Coors Field tonight to the Redbirds? Good lord. Can we all agree that Ryan Franklin as closer has reached the end of the line. He gave up two three run home runs! I’m not even angry. I’m numb with disgust. St. Louis Post-Dispatch baseball columnist, Bernie Mikalscz is right! This team is an embarrassment at this point. Something is wrong with the mix.
-I have to return to the dentist on Thursday. I will admit I’m fairly depressed over this unexpected development. The lab is not happy with the impression taken last time, so I need to have a third one taken before they can properly make the more permanent crowns/veneers that will go up front. It’s no one’s fault – just bad luck. Because they’re in such a visible spot – my front teeth – we have to go the extra distance on getting them right. Unfortunately, that means four or so more hours in the chair before the four or so more hours to wrap the whole procedure up. UGH!
-I’m having lunch tomorrow with cousin Polly, who’s bring her sons Will and Matt up from the O.C. to attend a basketball camp at UCLA. I’ve been looking forward to this for a bit. Polly’s a very busy lately and with my busy schedule, we often have a hard time connecting. It’s always a treat to catch up with her.
-Still have to hand in my graduation forms, so that I can get the actual diploma.
-Need to get on that job search, too, while I’m at it.
-Wish I could share the almost, really cool news here; but we’re not quite there yet. Moved a little closer to locking up the first stage of it today. Hopefully all will progress just fine with it.
-Free Jason Motte from the 8th inning!
-Apartment search is on hold until Jacob returns from seeing family in Seattle. Should move real quickly upon his return.
I think that should do it for this edition. Have a wonderful day/night wherever and whenever you are!
Maybe because not much happened. Or, not much noteworthy. I did my laundry. That was something. Did some research and preliminary writing on a new idea that Jason and I are kicking around for a one-hour drama. Got some notes back from Jacob on KEPT, the play I wrote. Some very helpful notes, which gave me plenty to consider as I circle my first rewrite of the piece. Thought more about my next play, sort of gathering a brief reading list for inspiration. Watched a couple of pilots (ALIAS, 24, and THE SHIELD) to get a feel for a rhythm for this new drama idea I did the preliminary writing on. Got some phone calls, but got interrupted returning them. I also, he admits sheepishly, was a klutz when I went out to get the mail and newspapers, wasn’t paying attention on the four or five side steps that lead to the garage, and missed the last couple of steps coming down. This meant I took a pretty nifty tumble to the concrete walk that runs behind the garage. Tweaked my ankle something fierce and got a few cuts, nothing major, except for my extreme embarrassment. (This is what threw off the returning the calls.)
Okay, so a few things happened. But, I’m telling you – Stagger Lee slept through all of it, even my loud cursing right after the fall, so none of it must’ve been too important. All in all, I guess I’m a bit melancholy at my last day approaching tomorrow, down here in Corona Del Mar. There seems to be an ever mounting “To Do” list waiting for me back in L.A. While, I generally enjoy being very busy, I’m not looking forward to what I have to get done. A lot of it is transition type stuff and I dread those tasks. Ah, well. It’s all a part of life, I guess. Onward and upward.
I am down the coast @ what has become one of my most favorite things to do, especially after a stressful run in school, which is to watch my dear cousin Polly’s dog, Stagger Lee, at her home in the always gorgeous, quiet beach town of Corona Del Mar. It is always a retreat for me from the grind of Los Angeles and the constant stress of the trying to build a career in Hollywood, not to mention navigating grad school at UCLA.
Stags and I get along like a house on fire. He likes to sleep during the day – sometimes getting a little grumpy if I bother him in his bed in the living room, basking in the early sun. But, come five o’clock, or so, when it’s dinner time, the old boy comes ambling into the kitchen – ready to eat and get some well deserved affection. I usually split my time during the day between the outside dining table – a big rustic hunk of wood that always calls out form some writing time, or at the kitchen table, which is wide and square, near the screened door, so that late in the day there’s a breeze, but some light.
The house itself is beautiful and serene and quiet. I am able to envelope myself into the kind of monkish solitude that I so cherish these days, alone with my books and the company of one of the best dogs in the world. I write a bit, I sleep, I watch some movies. There’s a spa/hot tub that always melts away the tension from too much work in the city. I slipped in tonight at twilight and could’ve slept right in its warm cocoon. There’s also a spacious, professional grade kitchen to cook in. Really a dream kitchen, more so for how smart the layout is. Everything in close reach. Once you get the feel of it, you realize how much care and time went into the space finding its contours and rhythm.
Of course there’s other soul stirring benefits. Such as seeing the Pacific when I go out to collect the mail and, occasionally, climbing the stairs to an upper balcony where I can take in the sunset with a breathtaking view of the Ocean, Newport Beach Harbor, and all of Corona Del Mar. The house sits near the top of a hill on a quite little residential street surrounded by other homes. To the back, is a view of the Hills. It’s all together a marvel, too, because it’s a normal residential street. The houses, in true California style, are bunched fairly close together. But somehow, Polly and Joe (her husband)’s house feels like it’s on an island, it’s own oasis, untouched.
So, that’s where I am. If you try to call and I don’t answer, well, I’m either snoozing with Stags, reading, watching a movie, a sunset, or in the hot tub. Maybe even writing a bit. I will say this – when I’m here I wish I could always be here. I wish this were my life. The only thing I’d want to add is maybe a detached writing studio with a view of the ocean or turn that upper balcony (I guess it’s more of a lanai) into one.
Thanks to Polly, Joe, Will, Matt, and J.P. – but most of all Stagger Lee – for having me and keeping me in my right mind!
I am amazed that yesterday’s entry was even coherent. I was so exhausted/falling asleep at the keys when I pounded it out last night. You should’ve seen me trying to write it out. Literally to just string those thoughts together. I think I had to take a nap on the couch at one point to rally and edit down the babble I had put down initially.
So, to recap on what I was trying to say and give anyone who’s curious a little insight into the cause of such exhaustion:
-Jacob and I decided not to go with the Culver City place we initially settled on. The one I blogged about earlier in the week. Instead we decided to raise our monthly limit a bit and broaden the area of our search and see what we came up with. That was yesterday. We took a look at several two bedrooms in the $1450 to $1600 a month range. We saw one that might work right down from Boardwalk 11 (Tiff!) Then today we conferred and decided to postpone our move out dates until August 1st, so that we can really look and find the right spot. We both have a bunch of writing type work to do and I need to look for employment of some kind, etc… So, it’s a relief to back off for a few weeks and come at it down the road.
-I was sooooo exhausted b/c I had another crazy, marathon dental appointment. Though this one caught me COMPLETELY by surprise. I was under the impression I was going to get the finishing touches on the work I had done two weeks, or so, ago. Usually that’s a quick one or two hour appointment. Your in, your out. Everything is paid already. It’s not new work – just swapping the temporary work for the actual veneers or crown (or combination which is what I have this time.) So, I swung in for what I thought was a quick visit and was there for a little over five hours in the chair, straight. I didn’t eat before, which was my mistake. Big mistake. But the whole visit was painful like the last time, which is unusual for me. Something about my front, upper area – super sensitive all around. So there were many shots to numb the area down, through the whole process. I also had a tightly scheduled day – looking at apartments, a notes meeting with my professor, and a writer’s support group meeting that night – boom, boom, boom – all back to back. So, as soon as I realized what was happening at the dentist, I had to start texting to cancel this and move that – very stressful when you’re managing pain and quite hungry! Then I had to race out of there when I was finally free (in another cruel twist – they took the temporaries out, showed me the permanents weren’t done to their satisfaction – I could put them in, but my Dentist wasn’t completely happy with them, then had to totally redo the temporary!) and get on with what was left of my day. Which meant when I finally got home at 11 p.m. and ate something substantial, I got very sleepy very quickly. BUT, in true doc fashion, refused to admit to myself I should go to bed, because I wanted to watch the season finale of JUSTIFIED and eat this (what turned out be awesome) slice graduation cake JJ had brought for me at the writer’s support group. Thus the world’s shortest blog post last night!
- Saw the wonderful John Sweet for notes – my final UCLA obligation. He loved the script from the quarter. That’s good because we’re using it as a sample!
-Lastly, our former manager-producer officially declared he’s not going to pay us, or rather claims he can’t pay Jason and I the money we are owed on the two pilot scripts we separately wrote for him last winter. We got some money up front, but not the money due upon completion. There’s a signed contract, plenty of emails in our favor – all sorts of stuff. We just need to evaluate what it will take to get our money from him. He lives in $9000 a month condo with his fiance who owns four luxury day spas (invitation only) and guests on the Rachel Ray Show. He’s an actor on All My Children. I think he can afford $8,500 dollars (total amount owed.) We even offered a payment plan. He claims he doesn’t have the money. We’ll see. Sadly, this is a part of the film business and has to be endured. You do your best to avoid these situations or deals that will lead to these situations, but it happens.
So much to gab about, so little time tonight to gab about it. So, without further ado, let’s hit it:
-I’m hesitant to say anything about the Cardinals at the moment. (Did you see tonight’s box score, Dad? Not bad. Not bad at all.) Let’s just simply say: YAY! And leave it at that.
- Mouth? Still sore. But, starting to settle in. Body? Still discombobulated. Though I think that’s more from the 48 hour write-a-thon I found myself in, before the final 434 on Thursday. BTW, that script is looking quite sharp. It was a rewrite of one of Jason’s – a spare, dark psychological thriller. Near my sweet spot, so to speak. He did a pass, after I wrapped up on Thursday and the script sparkles in my opinion. Truly sparkles. I want to see this movie. See what a director could do with it.
- The delightful Ms. Antone is in town for the weekend from Prescott, AZ. Always a major league treat! We hustled out to see a play at the Pasadena Playhouse. It’s called boom by Furious Theater Company. It was not the best thing we’ve seen. A little annoying. Tough to say if it was the direction, though, or just the play itself. Overall, I’d say the production was quite well done – acting and set design. But the story turned on a rather trivial and tired joke at the end, with far too much wackiness before that to really hinge on something so – plain. One notable to the evening is that this production featured Julia Duffy, mostly known for her work as a series regular on the funny and endearing sitcom, Newhart .
-Tonight, my niece, Ellen, had her high school graduation party. I wish I could’ve been there, or, more importantly, there on Sunday when she graduates. She’ll be off to Saint Mary’s of Notre Dame, in South Bend, next fall. Congrats, Ellen!
- I’m just glad Ellen made it home, safe and sound from her senior trip – a mission trip to Guatemala that some students do as their senior project. All the students do some sort of aid work as their senior project. This particular trip took place this past week. Which meant that they were trapped in Guatemala after the volcanic eruption and then tropical storm. You can read about it here.
-Always makes me a little melancholy when someone I love, who’s heart is still full of wonder and isn’t hardened to the roughness and inexplicably tragic in the world quite only to get a random glimpse of it before they should. I made choices that I’m not so proud of when I was quite young, lead an extremely reckless and self-destructive life when I was in high school, college, and my 20s. This life brought me out into that rough and inexplicably tragic world far sooner than I should’ve been. When I look back on some of those things, string them together in their proper context, and look at them again in clear eyes, I wouldn’t wish that for anyone’s teenage years. Not what I saw. Not what I did. Not what I learned – about myself, about others, and about the world.
-I have three days to rewrite the play. Should actually be a mellow experience. A nice victory lap on my MFA career.
-I’ve made the decision to search for a 2bd/2ba apartment with my buddy Jacob Bursten-Stern, a fine playwright, former HS basketball star, and good guy. I’ve known Jacob for the full three years of school. We both worked together, as well, at the UCLA Film Archive during our first year. We go to lunch every few weeks, talk shop, etc.. He’s also a very good friend of Tiffany’s, a playwrights who plays poker, has good taste in TV shows and – with Tiffany – kept me in it to win it with playwriting this year. We’ve been discussing this, after Tiffany suggested it, for a couple of weeks. Kind of amiably considering it. Bottom line came down for both of us, at different times, this week and the fact of the matter is that we can find a place in Culver City that’s big and will go for $1300 to $1500. Split that in two, plus split the bills and all of a sudden, I cut my monthly by a third, which is nothing to sneeze at. So, for July 1st as the target date. I hate to give up living alone. But, I’ll have plenty of time for that later. Need to stay in the hunt and this will help that – tremendously.
-Been a frustrating week on the business side of things. That’s all I’ll say for now. It is what it is. Suffice to say, this business is not a very above board, say what you mean style of business. Deciphering the different layers of “I said this, but really meant this.” Or, “I agree to this, but what I really wanted was this.” Is a major pain, most all the time. But, it’s also par for the course, unfortunately, and you just have to grin and bear it. Best advice? Keep writing.
- YAY REDBIRDS!
-Coach John Wooden, The Wizard Of Westwood, passed today. He was considered not only one of, if not the, greatest basketball coach/es. More than that, though, he was a teacher, a mentor, a molder of men. As Vin Scully said: “He is a genius in his ability to inspire There are a few giants who walk among us. He was truly one of them.” Coach Wooden’s spirit pervades all of Westwood. Not just in a basketball sense, but in an inspirational success. One of my favorite Wooden quotes:
“Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.”
Below is an brief video from UCLA’s tribute page for Coach Wooden. In it he talks further about failure:
“In life there will be peaks and valleys. The strength of a person’s character depends on their ability to accept both success and failure. Gonna have both.”
That is a lesson former Sony Pictures Head and famed Producer, Peter Guber, who will speak at graduation on Friday, taught quite eloquently in his opening lecture for his class ‘Navigating A Narrative World.” I believe he mentioned that he had learned it from Coach Wooden, but I’m not sure. It is, I feel, the core lesson that UCLA teaches and a resounding truth to life that is all too often overlooked. In all things and in all lives there will be peaks and valleys, you must reconcile that in your heart, have faith and learn to grow from both.
At the end of the tribute, Coach Wooden intones a beautiful poem on letting go of the fear of dying.
It’s the last week of the quarter. Well, the last week of the last quarter. So, I’ve been crazy busy, trying to bring the projects home on time. Had an immense weight lifted today. I finished my last 434 script and handed it in to my awesome professor, John Sweet (The Affair of the Necklace.) I haven’t slept much in the past two days, but I got it done and in. So, now all I have left is the rewrite of my play for next Tuesday. Then school will be done.
Regular posting should resume tomorrow. I’m taking a long night on the couch to regroup, before the final push. Plus, Jason and I have a few things we have to get cracking on. On top of all that, I had my dental appointment on Tuesday. What was supposed to be a 3-4 appointment turned into an 8 and 1/2 hour marathon. 8 of those hours were solid work. The 1/2 hour was interspersed throughout the day in ten minute increments for breaks. It was unexpected and wiped me out. I still haven’t completely recouped my forward momentum. I lost an entire day to it. I came home and tried to work and couldn’t. It was a rough one. Roughest I’ve ever had – terrible back pain in the chair in the morning, countless shots throughout the day to numb the area consistently that they were working on, six teeth in total were addressed, an allergic reaction to the slow-setting material they used for my first round of impressions. It was grueling. I’m thrilled it’s over and I don’t know how else it could’ve been done, but I never want to endure that again.
So tonight, some TV, some pasta, some Ice Cream, and some sleep. Tomorrow’s another day.
Not a good day, by any stretch of means. Just got out of a notes session on the desert script. Let’s get right down to brass tacks. I’m tired and feel a little beat up. These days happen. This too shall pass. Doc shall rise again.
- The notes session. Overall, I guess we survived. There were definitely some good notes and the talking it out that happened around that notes will, most likely, prove quiet positive. That being said, it’s never fun, as a writer, to watch as work you were responsible for get completely shredded. Work that you invested in, stood by, and believed in. It happens. It’s happened plenty before and it’ll happen again; but going through that tonight was not fun. Especially when you felt those sequences (not even scenes – entire sequences!) were just called flat and “not doing it”, but had been misread. You flip open the script the exec/producer has written all over and across whole pages, multiple pages, are big red X’s from corner to corner. Sure, I’m venting here, because I couldn’t in the meeting. Sure, I know I have to take it and, hey, it’s clear I didn’t do my job. But, that doesn’t make the pill of it all easier to swallow. Not that the scenes need to be unanimously adored or loved, I guess it’s just that they were tossed completely out. It’s the worst kind of strike out. The one that makes you look foolish, most of all to yourself. Thank God Jason was there. Otherwise that would’ve gone much, much worse.
-For some reason, it’s like a sauna in my apartment. I checked the heater and it’s not on. I kind of don’t know what the deal is. It’s not all that hot out and it usually doesn’t get that hot in the apartment, ever. (No direct sunlight, really)
-I’ve got Dave, an awesome cocker spaniel, with me for the weekend. I’m watching him for a friend, who had a job in New York over the weekend. He’s about ten. Really happy go lucky. A super sweet dog and has taken quite a liking to his stay at Camp Doc where the treats flow steadily and the walks are plentiful, dinner’s always on time, and we sleep in late when the spirit moves us!
-Though I am looking down the barrel of a seventy-two hour lockdown in the apartment. Got a ton of writing and even more rewriting to do. Mainly for school this weekend. It is the final push.
-I’ve slowly become a Trader Joe’s shopper, for the most part, over other stores. I think it’s more cost effective, but I’m not so sure, yet. It’s keeping me out of Whole Foods, which is good.
- Finally watched the Lovely Bones last night. Didn’t I first mention it almost two weeks ago? I haven’t seen a movie that so thoroughly misunderstood the novel it was adapted from in a long, long time. I mean, we’re talking BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES missed the boat. It was rather stunning to watch. I don’t recommend it, though, for fans of the book. In addition, the film was so wildly self-aware of itself, it almost seemed like an exercise in Douglas Sirk styled melodrama.
-Early Tuesday morning, I’m to have a long procedure done on my teeth at the dentist. I won’t get into the cost, or what it is, it would probably bore most all of you. Suffice to say, it represents the end of the decade long endeavor to overcome a condition I was born with – a not uncommon problem, but still difficult to manage without extensive work on your teeth. Work that, in the end, costs as much as a nice mid-market sedan. I will be thrilled to be done. My gifted and talented dentist, Dr. Grace Ahn, will be thrilled as well. My amazing dentist in Chicago, Dr. Scott Stiffler, would be amazed if he knew. It’s been a long road. Especially with no dental insurance to speak of through most of it.
- Man, it’s hot in this apartment!
-Dave sure does love watching HGTV and his rawhide bone.
-Cards beat the Cubs. That helps. A lot.
That’s all I got. Have a safe and fun Memorial Day Weekend.
