Posts Tagged ‘Los Angeles’

Wrapped up my stay with Stagger Lee in Corona Del Mar tonight and made my way north, back to C-City and the grind. Round two with the meetings starts tomorrow. Currently we have three on the books for this week. I’ll cover them as we go. Going to be speaking with the Feature Agents tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll get the fire going as well, soon.

Sad to say good-bye to Stagger. He’s my dear, dear four-legged pal. Always sleeps right by the door to the room I stay in, so he knows when I go to bed at night. Usually he’s there when I wake up, if I’m late getting going in the morning.

Had a fabulous dinner with Polly, Will, and J.P. before heading back. It was the perfect cap to my stay. We had a grand time at Gulfstream catching up. It’s always so wonderful to see them. Before, J.P. and I had an in-depth conversation about the first grade, how much he likes to not go to school, and how he tries to fool his mother into thinking he’s sick. We covered all the bases. (I refrained from getting into the “Doc” story.) He was not too thrilled with the prospect of homework every night. And at dinner, Will and I talked movies a bit. Mainly Harry Potter, but we also dipped into Toy Story 3 (which he hadn’t seen yet, but I recommended highly) and Despicable Me which got a thumbs down, despite the Henchmen. Will is quite the young man these days, too! The only bummer was that Joe and Matt weren’t back yet. I always love my time with Polly, but when the rest of the clan is added to the mix, it’s a special treat.

After dinner, I made my way up U.S. 1, the PCH, through the coastal towns – all quiet on a Monday night for the most part. The last few shades of dusk heavy in the sky against a thin band of faraway autumnal burnt orange on my left, streaking what was left of the Pacific’s horizon, lingering out past the endless beaches and white-tipped waves rolling over the deep blue. The last few beats of sunset fading in the cool night air. Window down all the way rolling up the coastline, alone with my thoughts, all the way back to L.A.

We had Jacob’s official birthday get together (you were SORELY missed, Tiff! Beyond any words!!) today over at Mar Vista park. I was baking the cake for this. Friends, and some of Jacob’s family (cousins, specifically) gathered. There was a bit of a picnic. Various UCLA theaterfolk, of course, came out. People brought food. There were a few babies in attendance. All in all, a lovely afternoon in the company of good friends and meeting new ones. The cake was a hit. It was almost completely consumed, which is the best way to tell. The afternoon ended with a rather long variation on kickball that featured no set teams, score, or specific competition. It’s difficult to describe, but it was fun enough that play went on for over two and a half hours. I was 0 for 3 from the plate, almost made a web gem when I was manning first, and pitched a good portion of the exhibition. For a bunch of actors, writers, and other fellow roustabouts we did not openly embarrass ourselves, which was promising. Then it was back to the homestead, a visit from Gilda the dog, and dinner followed by Mad Men. Not a bad Sunday. Tomorrow is chasing after some freelance writing gigs, getting down to brass tacks on the feature Jason and I have to write, and hoping we gain some new forward momentum with meetings on either the TV or Feature side, soon. I have to admit, I’m completely baffled as to the time frame we’re on, currently (it seemed all rush, rush, rush. Now, who knows?) I’m also feel deep into uncharted waters in terms of the writing career stuff and that kind of “blindness” (for lack of a better term) is really a process for me to manage. It takes effort, continual effort, and doesn’t seem to get easier as I work at it. In fact, it seems to grow harder. I feel so caught in between states and don’t know what exactly is the priority because of that. I thought it was writing (which, yes, I understand intellectually it always is; but I meant for the transition out of school, as opposed to getting set-up with more steady work outside the writing) now I’m not sure. Or its passed from that. Or, it hasn’t and I’m just not seeing it. All entirely possible. This isn’t exactly an area I can go off and research, like I’m used to. Instead, this is all about accruing experience, without losing my head, which can be painful and frustrating, but shouldn’t ever be defeating (I hope I’m made of stronger stuff than that.) Anyways, that’s where I’m at. Tomorrow is, as always, a brand new day.

Which makes me pretty sad.

Not so much b/c of all the lovely amenities which come with my visits to Corona Del Mar, but more so because I do love Stags so much. We’ve become quite good buddies and I think he knows I’m going. He’ll come and visit me when I’m writing, just to say hello and get some affection and he’s been visiting me more than usual today.

And for the quiet. The lovely, deep and thrilling quiet that exists here. With that comes a such an easier pace to the day which allows me to get more done, be more focused – which can be a struggle at times. I guess maybe that’s it. I’m good, out of necessity, at winning that struggle on a daily basis so I can get my work done. But, it takes a ton of effort in a place like L.A., which leaves me fairly exhausted most days of the week. Here, it seems like the days unfold more the way they should and I’m not doing as much wrestling with myself.

Ah well, work and life, for now, is back in L.A. Someday it might be just outside of L.A. in a place like Corona Del mar. Hopefully! That being said, I am due back. It is time. Work is piling up. Phone calls are happening. People want to talk. Time, essentially, to put the house in order for the next stage. Plus, there’s life stuff to handle as much as I dislike it. There’s a new apartment to find and a job, more than likely, in my near future. Plus, organizing my loans and setting that all in motion.

I will say this. For about the past year now, but in the past four or five months in particular, its been an extremely fruitful period of work. A level I haven’t personally touched quite before. I feel like its been a true maturation as a writer – lots of hard work and sweat put in that’s starting to peek through in the pages and ideas and problem-solving. I always follow how I see things – the pages, the outlines, the drafts, the ideas – and I feel like I’m seeing them very well right now. Getting faster at identifying solutions and building on ideas.

In Major League Baseball, hitters talk about how well they’re “seeing the ball,”  that and their timing. When you’re tasked with hitting a ball that’s the size of an apple thrown at an average of 90 mph from  a distance of sixty feet and change with late movement; you have to be able to time your swing. Which means you have to react to the ball leaving the pitcher’s hand. You’ve got to see it and read it from jump. If you hang back and wait, you’re more than likely toast. The whole interchange happens in seconds, so it’s all about knowing and acting immediately.

Which is kind of, in a long-winded, tangent of a metaphor what I’m talking about during this furtile period. I feel, as Albert Pujols would say: “I’m seeing the ball real well.”

Seriously.

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.

More, when I know it!

Jacob and I found an apartment we like in Culver City. It took us all of two and a half hours, then we ambled over to S & W Diner on Washington, ate and discussed our options. We actually had found two. One was rather palatial, but older, had the same neighbor problem, I have now, and was a little farther away from downtown Culver City. Not completely out of walking distance, but a long walk. It had AC and 2 parking spots. For the record, we’re looking only at 2 bed, 2 bath spots.

The other one we looked at and liked was only three blocks from downtown Culver City, which is rather huge, because your talking two movie theaters, countless restaurants, coffee shops, and generally a nice feel. This one had only one parking spot, but we determined after quizzing several potential neighbors, that the parking on the street is pretty plentiful. It was a bit smaller – not much, but a bit in square footage, but newer looking and doesn’t have anyone below or above it. It sort of hangs out over on posts to form a garage. No AC, which was tough.

Both were $1350 a month and both seemed to be negotiable, meaning we could get it down to $1300 if we wanted to, which would mean $650 a piece in rent. I pay $1150 right now, so that’s nearly a fifty percent reduction, plus splitting the bills which actually makes those easier (namely the cable/internet bill which is a killer.) So, you can see the motivation to do this. Honestly, in looking at the cost and all that, I wish I had done it way back in year two. But, I never knew it was possible. There were so many apartments available in Culver City today, it was borderline ridiculous, Seriously. We looked at maybe ten or so in the span of those two and a half hours. We started, lazily, at 10:30 and were eating lunch by 1:00. Then we went back and looked at the one with the better location. (Did I mention 1 block to an Albertsons grocery store, three blocks to a Trader Joe’s, and a quarter of a block to In N’ Out? That was a tough perk to – the In N’ Out Burger right there – to walk away from.) So, we decided we’d sleep on it, but we got apps for that one and it looks like we’ll make a bid for it tomorrow. Then July 1st, we’ll move one more time. (Notice there’s no cheering going on.) In the end it’ll all be worth it if I can save that money.

Started pushing around the job sections today, searching online, seeing what’s out there. I have to say that I feel really unsettled on the whole career side. Just ominious unsettled. I hope it’s just school ending and not some premonition. I wanna get out there and attack – it’s TV selling season until the end of September, so I really feel we could do some quick damage – get something rolling. But, it doesn’t seem like we have the gas for that right now. I don’t know. It’s hard for me to put my thumb on it, exactly. I just feel unsettled and wish there was more direction, more target focus. That’s all.

…as a UCLA graduate student. Next stop? The real world and a career of some kind.

Been thinking of the wonderful souls who lifted me up along the way, most of all the years I spent bound and determined to fall. I am truly blessed soul who travels this world in the company of some fierce supporters, who couldn’t have helped me anymore than they have in my winding road to this beautiful point in my life. My gratitude to each and every one of you knows no bounds.

My folks are visiting for the first time since I moved out. We toured North Campus today, had lunch in W L.A. at John O’Groats, stopped by Urth Caffe in Beverly Hills for a late afternoon coffee drink, and then out to Santa Monica and Il Fornaio for dinner. It was a good day. Action packed, but good. UCLA’s campus size really seemed to blow them away, plus it was a beautiful day and there’s nothing quite like that campus on one of those postcard perfect afternoons. It’s some serious pretty.

To be honest, I’m seriously frazzled and can’t believe tomorrow is tomorrow and not a big ole day of rest. I think we should run Graduation like the NBA finals and put four or five days in between events. At least.

With that, I will bow out. One more parting thought, tuck it in your breast pocket so it stays close to your heart.

This week two very different, but equally dear, close, old friends of mine lost a parent, unexpectedly. Both were not terribly young or as healthy as they could be, but were young enough for each death to be a bit of a tragic surprise.

I share this in hopes that if you’re the praying kind, you’ll say a prayer for both. They’re largely on their own in dealing with all the arrangements and that’s a task I couldn’t imagine.

But also, as a gentle reminder, in life we all know there are many beginnings and endings, but we don’t always see either coming. So, if your near someone you love, as I know many of my UCLA friends reading this are this weekend, take a minute to cherish their presence and hold that memory of cherishing them for those days when you won’t be able to.

My heart and prayers go out to both souls of the dearly departed, and to their two wonderful children who grieve their sudden departure.

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.

God Bless and Good Night.

Kind of a lost day, today, but I mean that in a good way. I told myself I was going to tackle some basic chores around the house – cleaning and laundry chief among them, some grocery shopping would’ve been good. But, I arose a little later than I thought I would and was slow out of the gate, got wrapped up in email correspondence and just, kind of, let the day go. These days happen. Usually after power sessions like the one earlier in the week. So, I’m not too concerned. All right, enough rambling about the non-state of my day, let’s get down to it!

-Went to see a fellow Bruin Scribe’s latest short film tonight – Lily, whom I have lunch or breakfast with every now again, commiserate with and tweet (on twitter for the non-tweeters reading) back and forth with a little. It was screening at The Bridges Theater on campus, along with a directing student’s thesis film, both Produced by Producing student Justin Begnaud, who is producing the serial killer script that Jason and I will draft over the summer. Lily’s film was awesome. I think I mentioned her other short won the audience award at the Milan International Film Festival recently. She’s a hard worker who goes out and makes it happen. She’ll be shooting a feature soon and i can’t wait to see it.

-Alan read the first 35 pages of the script we just handed in and loved them. Really, really loved them. I think he was a little blown away. That always feels good.

-What is up with the Cardinals? They won tonight, but not before starting pitcher, Brad Penny, after hitting a grand slam (yes, that’s right a grand slam) left the game in the fourth with a tweaked back muscle. Which Brad had admitted he tweaked a week ago, while pitching against Cincinnati. The teams been winning sporadically, the situational hitting has been atrocious, the pitching brilliant and the bullpen an adventure. But now, players are hiding injuries! (Mr. Penny was the second pitcher in the course of the past couple of days to go down with a more severe injury b/c he neglected to say anything the first time he was hurt. It boggles the mind! This is a multi-million dollar enterprise. You’d think they’d get a handle on something like this! Quite hiding injuries guys! This has been going on for years. Time to stop. It’s killing the team. Just killing it.

-A 13 year old boy become the youngest person ever to top Mt. Everest. I guess he climbed Kilimanjaro at 10! Man, talk about the best “what did you do last summer” essay when he hits school next fall. Seriously, though, if you can dream it, you can do it.

You. Just. Have. To. Try.

-Has anyone been watching Friday Night Lights, the television show (which is back on NBC now, from DirectTV) ?   It’s on tonight actually and is in its fourth season. If you haven’t been – and I wouldn’t be surprised if  you hadn’t – FNL is one of the most unsung shows in Television history – do yourself a big, big favor, listen to me, and go watch the first season on DVD. You will be hooked. Such a fantastic, heartfelt, stirring show, all about Texas small town High school football and the people of Dillon, Texas. It’s downright criminal that this show wasn’t a huge, smash success. It’s really struggled to find it’s audience, despite being possibly the greatest primetime soap ever. And easily tied for first or just barely a step behind The Wire as greatest television show ever.

-Facebook is about to log its 500 millionth active citizen, worldwide, in the next few weeks. Chew on that number for a minute – 500 millionth! The social media site has only been in existence for six years and was started in a Harvard dorm room (or stolen in one, depending on who you talk to about it.) If it were a country, it would be the world’s third largest – 2/3rd’s bigger than the U.S. That’s a lot of power (personal info on each user) that just a handful of people control. Staggering to think about, isn’t it? With all the privacy debates raging about Facebook, I wonder if they’ve grown too large for the U.S. government to sanctioned or demand changes from. I mean that in more of a philosophical way. Sure, you could pass laws and they’d have to be followed, but is the genie out of the box already?

-Real quick, on Facebook, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, a studio film about the founder of Facebook and the story behind its creation. Well, one of the stories. It’s a major Hollywood production – directed by David Fincher, screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and stars many young, up and coming or just breaking talent. Should be an interesting film. It was very hot screenplay a few months ago. They’ve been shooting some at UCLA.

-LOST ends, of course, this Sunday night with a huge, four hour event. I know of several parties with invitations out that are going on. It’s been awhile since I can recall a show ending that has generated this much attention and outpouring. Sure, this season, compared to last, has been a little off. Maybe it’ll play better, years down the road when all the hubbub and expectations have faded.

With that, I will bid you all, farewell for now.

Of course it’s common sense, but repeating it never hurts – Mom, thanks for putting up with me. From those first nine months until now, I’m sure you could’ve never imagined that it would go quite like it has, which has been an adventure to say the least! I wouldn’t be here without you, in so many ways, so thank you for me. I hope you know just how much I love you. I can’t wait to show you L.A. when you come for graduation.

I also think it merits a mention – thank you to my two sisters, Caroline and Claire, who are fantastic moms themselves and probably got more practice than they anticipated when I showed up on April 1oth, 1971. (Yes, I know. It opening day and everyone was headed to Busch Stadium. Until I interrupted it all.)

Then there is Grandma Pedrolie, a.k.a Nanna, who is no longer with us sadly, who was my greatest pen pal ever. Especially in San Francisco, when I was truly on my own for the first time in my life. I still carry those letter with me and can hear her voice every time I read them. I always cherished our correspondence, so very much. And of course, my mother’s mother, Mimi, who also had a profound hand in shaping who I am. Some of the best parts of me come from that woman, who I think is a saint. I wish I could still head to “summer camp” for a couple of weeks, play rummy tile, see a show at the Muny, and go to the swimming hole.

Then lastly to my wonderful Aunt Ginger, who besides being the best Aunt in the world, has also been like my west coast Mom and dear, dear friend, since I’ve been hear in school, going through so many changes and striving to reach such a difficult dream. I’ve been beyond fortunate to be able to escape to Scottsdale so I can spend time recuperating and relaxing with Aunt Ginger and Big Daddy. Of course, I couldn’t close without mentioning my cousins, Aunt Ginger’s daughters, Paige, Polly, and Megan – all married now with their own families, all wonderful Moms as well, who have watched over me in San Francisco and now here in L.A., cheering me on, and making sure, even in Chicago when Polly was there, that I didn’t completely lose my way.

You see, that’s one of the wonderful things about being the youngest. Especially when it’s by so many years. Your whole family watches you grow up. It can be a little overwhelming when your in the thick of it, but when your an adult you finally gain some perspective and you can gaze back over the years and see how they’ve all had a hand in raising you, supporting you, and loving you into who you are today. That’s an incredible gift. Not everyone gets that kind of treatment. It just so happens, in our family, there are a lot more women than men. So, the list is deep for “mothers” that I’d like to say HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to and let them know I love them for all they’ve given me.

God Bless….

On time and even a little early this week! Let’s get right down to it. We had a sunny, upper seventies day today and hopefully it means summer is underway here in SoCal. Not that we have rough weather, but we’ve definitely had a funky run this winter. Lots of hot-cold, rapid switches. It would be nice to settle in. (I’m not complaining, just making conversation here, jeez! I’m thankful for what we’ve got!)

-Went to dinner tonight with my good friends, JJ and Cheyna, who are back from a Guatemala trip/adventure. They took me to a Santa Monica, low key trattoria called Fritto Misto. In a word? Fabulous. It’s a real simple, store front pasta joint. A good go to, italian dinner. Not too expensive, fresh food. So, along with the always good conversation and stories from their trip, they introduced me to a great new restaurant right down the road. And they brought back Guatemalan coffee for me, which I’m cold brewing as we speak.

-We went to dinner at six. When we walked up to the restaurant, which is on the corner of 6th and Colorado, near the Promenade, their were about ten or so simple plastic chairs – like lawn chairs – you’d find in a patio or around a dinner table in a frat house – on the sidewalk. In a perfect neat row, empty and waiting. We all cast a glance at them as we strolled into a mostly empty restaurant, grabbed a table, and commenced with dinner and catching up. When we left near 8:00 o’clock, the restaurant was full and had that storefront clatter to a busy night; but when we hit the sidewalk I did a double take – all the chairs were full up with people waiting and their were an additional ten or so in little clusters waiting as well. That’s usually the mark of a great restaurant. If nothing else, the manager or owner is smart and prepared.

-Did anyone catch the Cardinals-Pirates game tonight? I didn’t either. But, true to form, I checked the Cardinals box score upon arriving home from dinner. (What? You didn’t? I know my Father did. Anyone else?) In the top of the ninth, with the score tied 3 a piece, Joe Mather (a.k.a. Joey Bombs), came in as a pinch runner at first with two out. Joey got the steal sign from TLR or The Secret Weapon (Jose Oquendo, Current Third Base Coach, Former Utility Player Extraordinaire) and took off from first. Risky call, but you gotta push it – even in May. What transpired next was a thing of absolute hardball beauty. You see, Joey Bombs was dead to rights, out by about two steps, but being the bench player he is (A young Tony LaRussa bench player) who doesn’t want to head back to Memphis if he can help it, dove for the bag. BUT, as the Shortstop swept his glove for the tag, Joey Bombs – in mid-leap, outstretched, all his kinetic energy committed forward to the bag, arms outstretched – raised his arm AND then tilted his body a half-turn UP, completely avoiding the tag in an improbable moment of gravity defying, split-second baseball physics. Joey Bombs barreled into the bag, slid over it, but had the presence of mind to clutch the bag with his right toes to kind of brake his runaway forward momentum. SAFE! Even on the replay, in slo-mo. Yadier Molina doubled Joey Bombs in for the winning run five minutes later. That’s how you play May baseball, people!

- I gotta finish my play this weekend. At least the first draft. Plays evolve. Kind of like novels. So, this is more a just do it thing. Though, I’ll have to do a quick burst of serious rewriting because it will be read by actors in a workshop table read the Tuesday before graduation.

-I think I mentioned that I went to a series (three) of the one-acts from my classmates in the playwriting class. They were all really well done. That’s not meant as a polite bit of propaganda. That’s an honest critical statement. You don’t always see that in your peers in grad school. I was completely enthralled with each piece. I did notice in the course of the night, that I have successfully immersed myself in the theater side this year. Even the professors I haven’t taken know me now and were saying hello and I was there with one of the playwrights. It made me think, this year has been – in terms of school – all about theater. Even though I’m in a Screenwriting 434, I don’t feel of the screenwriting side, like you normally do when that’s your main focus. Part of that’s because my 434 is on a Thursday, which is opposite most everyone elses (which are normally on Monday’s and Tuesday’s.) I’m pretty thrilled that I have had the experience I’ve had in my playwriting classes. It’s the one part of graduating that I’m sad to leave behind. I’d love to keep taking classes – some theater history, more playwriting. It has had a fantastic effect on me.

-Been knocked off the new sleep regimen lately. I have this current determination to see a movie or some TV and read before I turn out the lights. It’s one of those rituals to end the night. Three hours is the usual block, though sometimes it’s two. (I know. That’s a serious chunk of time.) It’s hard for me to give up or get around the drive for it in my head, even when it doesn’t make sense; which with the new sleep schedule is anytime (like last night) that I go out and I’m out past 11. I have the strangest time coming home and just going right to bed. For some reason, I can’t do just that. That’s gonna have to change.

-May go to AZ next weekend to see Big Daddy and Aunt Ginger. I’m planning on it. Hopefully nothing will crop up and disrupt my plans. I have a great time to go over. They’re the absolute best. I’m pretty fortunate to have them relatively close. Plus, I should be able to swing through Prescott and see Tiff, which is an extra added bonus!

-Figured out finances for June, which is good. We’re at the one month at a time point. It’s a tough spot – not the lack of cash flow or uncertainty, though. That I’m used to. I’ve been there plenty of times before and am decidedly non-phased about it right now. It’s more so the in-betweeness careerwise that the option puts us in. It’s not all that unlikely that we could make some money sooner rather than later. When that is (as JJ and I talked about tonight) is anybody’s guess? Is it next month? Is it in six months? Just saying six months is a fantastic thing. Heck, even saying we should make some money in the next year (which I would say, yes, we will almost certainly right now. Like ninety percent certain and rising fast to a hundred,) is a major accomplishment as far as I’m concerned. But, can I hang out for a year until that happens? That becomes the question. And a rather slippery one. Of course, at first blush, I can’t. But the financial space between no and yes for an answer to that question is shorter than one would think, so how do I traverse it, if I have to? Don’t know that yet. Not even close.

- Consider this a part two to the above. You see the trick is momentum and really that’s the core of the dilemma. Sure I could pick up a variety of jobs, patch together a means to make rent, and gut it out. BUT, I can’t stop writing. You have to keep that forward momentum. You have to keep taking meetings, keep pushing, be ready to redirect your efforts on a moments notice, all in, all the time. So, taking on that barista gig is dangerous, because it’s not as flexible as it appears. Momentum must be maintained, now more than ever. In fact, I’d go so far as to say, it has to be pushed harder to make the final summit to paid, working writer. It’s a hustle and if you’re not focused on the hustle, it can pass you right by and getting back becomes a difficult proposition.

-Still haven’t watched The Lovely Bones yet.

That’s all I’ve got tonight, folks. Be good to yourself and do something nice for your Mother or a Mother! Nine months is a long time!