Exciting tales of the LA freeway system

Exciting tales of the LA freeway system

Before I begin this new story, I'll quickly touch on the story in the post I was going to make about Elliot vs. Andy. It's a pretty standard vying for attention kind of thing and because I didn't want to deal with something like that at the moment, I've made myself aloof for the past few days.

Anyway, last night Naomi and I hung out, and we ended up back at her place until 3AM. I left and to get home from her place, I have to take the 101 to the 110 to the 10 to a street exit. I drive up to the 101 last night tired as hell. Of course traffic's at a standstill due to an accident up ahead. Tow trucks and police cars pass me on the shoulder, and I think: Okay, these guys do this all the time. I should be out of here in no time. Incorrect. After waiting for an hour, trying to stay awake, the next thing I remember is hearing a knock on my window as a car passes me on the shoulder and and looking over to see cars passing me on my left. I'd fallen asleep on the highway while waiting for them to clear the accident. I was in park, so no harm, no foul. I finally got back at 5AM before passing the fuck out. And I was planning on going to Universal Studios today...

D

It might make a believer out of me once again

It might make a believer out of me once again

I'm not sure how many of you are following the NBA Finals (if any), but maybe you should check out one of these in the next few days. It's incredible. The Pistons--who haven't done anything since Isiah Thomas fifteen years ago--somehow got through the playoffs, and now they're absolutely dominating the biggest, most successful basketball franchise since Michael Jordan's Bulls. It's literally a Sandlot situation: this rag-tag bunch of players from the Motor City are taking on the polished, glamorous guys from Hollywood...and winning. This is the first time I've been excited about basketball since middle school. By crackity, it's just good fun.

Also, I'll do a post later about how I've become the epicenter of my own love(?) triangle. Two men are fighting over me. One is Elliot, my self-proclaimed fairy godmother from across the street from the Orbit and the other is Andy, the Anglo-Aussie banker in town for five days. It's pretty interesting. It's also pretty ridiculous, but it once again proves that all gay men love me.

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Well I'll probably never do THAT again

Well I'll probably never do that again

I tried going to see Close Encounters of the Third Kind this evening but despite ariving an hour early, it was already sold out. Damn. What was showing that I hadn't seen yet? Nothing. Instead of just walking out and going back to the hostel early (mostly because I didn't want to have to pay $2 for ten minutes' parking) I went to see Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind again. This--if you're ever in a big city essentially by yourself--is a bad idea. It was sad the first time. The second time it was fucking depressing. On a lighter note: I did see famous movie critic Leonard Maltin. The bastard probably took my last ticket for Close Encounters. Oh well, another movie for another day.

I've also started reading a book by my not-so-future boss, Roger Corman. It's called How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime. Concise the titles isn't, but the book is pretty damn interesting. I'm learning how to get things for free--trade equipment for free advertising--and how sometimes it's okay to drop acid--like when you're making a movie called The Trip. The guy is cool and ballsy. I can't wait to start working.

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Hooray for hope

Hooray for hope

I walked in after making my post last night, and my phone was there waiting on my bed. I shrieked like a school girl and asked my roommates if they knew where it'd come from. Apparently it was on one of their beds--halfway across the room and on the top bunk. I'm not entirely certain why the cleaning ladies moved my phone there, but I'm sure they had good intentions. Whatever. Like a distraught parent, I don't care what happened, I'm just glad it's safe. Maybe I'll actually get something done today. Then again, I haven't checked my car yet...


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What a day indeed

What a day indeed

Well, I've pretty much just been spending my nights in the theater, and today--despite some minor setbacks--was no different. I went to see a sneak preview of The Chronicles of Riddick this evening and I'll give the review in a series of ad quotes:

"A rollercoaster ride...a visual feast!"
-Drew Weaver, LA Poolboy

"Loud as fuck!"
-Drew Weaver, Out of Work Model/Actor

"The dialogue made me cringe!"
-Drew Weaver, Disenfranchised Youth

"It's not actually possible to out run the sun on foot!"
-Drew Weaver, Low on Gas

There are some pretty badass moments, of course, but they're amidst some pretty ridiculous ones. Also, more subplots than you can shake a stick at. I give it a resounding, "Meh."

Other movies I've watched recently:

Saved!

Baadasssss!

Oddly enough I only just realized that both those movies ended with exclamation marks. I'm off now to lament my lost phone and lost money.

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Worst day EVER

Worst day ever

So today I got a $45 parking ticket because I didn't move my car before 8 AM for street cleaning (they got me at 8:15), and I lost my phone. I've called it twice and had someone call it once. No luck. I've got little hope for finding it. I'm going to wait a day and see what turns up, but I'm not really holding my breath. Man, I picked the wrong day to stop using barbituates.

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There'll be hell to pay, goddammit.

There'll be hell to pay, goddammit.

I just walked down to my room and saw that my linens are gone, and it looks like someone's stuff is sitting on my bed. I am not pleased. I'll have to get to the bottom of this right quick.

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So here's the kicker

So here's the kicker.

I got out of Baadasssss! yesterday and saw that there was a message on my phone. I listen to the voicemail, and it's Naomi. She says she's gotten into a car accident. Oh shit, says I. I give her a call. She says she can't talk long. She's gotten a ride from the scene, and they're going to visit the guy who's in the hospital. Fucking hell, says I. Everything's fine, she says. She just went off a cliff. Fucking hell, says I.

Turns out she lost control of her car and went over a 30-foot ledge, causing the people who were tail-gating her to slam on their brakes. They got clipped by the person who was tail-gating them. The second tail-gater subsequently swerved into a telephone pole. Two separate accident reports later--one for her, one for the two cars behind her--and she's in the clear.

We went and looked at her car today, and there's nothing wrong with it. Well, there's a dent on the driver's side door. Other than that, nothing. Naomi falls off a cliff, doesn't get injured, and her car attains some minor cosmetic damage and some dust. One guy was taken to the hospital, but it turns out he's doing okay, too. Unbelievable.

The road where she crashed was still closed off today due to repairs to the telephone pole.

All in all, today has been accident-free. Uneventful and nice besides picking up the car. So far, so good. Any well-wishers should email Naomi at her new Hotmail account. I'm going to take a nap and otherwise call this day a wash.

D

Welcome to Hollywood.

Welcome to Hollywood.

So the City of Angels isn't all that exciting when you live in a hostel and the people you meet rotate daily. On the other hand, my boredom has sort of forced me to drive around and discover the town. And watching movies? Forget about it. I've gone to four different theaters in the past three days alone. "How are things?" you might ask. Things are good. Things are stable, somewhat.

Due to financial circumstances and misunderstandings, Naomi and I are no longer living together. She's got a place in Echo Park where she's living now, and I'm moving into my place in the Westwood area on June 20. The phrase of the week is: c'est la vie.

Nonetheless, my place is clean, safe, and nice-looking. I get everything for $450 a month. Everything. That includes garage parking spot, power, cable TV, high-speed Internet. Not only that, it's a ten minute walk from my place of internment (in the best sense of the word).

At the moment, I have nothing to do but wait. I'm discovering the town. I'm listening to music. I'm reading. I'm reading. It's sick. I haven't read a book in a year. As a film scholar, it's not really my area of expertise. (Note: it's a very strange feeling to say film scholar rather than film major. Sign of the times, I suppose.)

So here's some of the things I like about LA at the moment:

car pool lane + passenger(s) = license to speed

as many indie and classic movie choices in the theaters as summer blockbusters

parking validation

people watching

the beaches

assertive drivers ("It's always an adventure on the Los Angeles freeway system!")

Indie 103.1 (Henry Rollins has a 7-9pm radio show on Mondays, and the first song I heard on it was The Pixies' "Bone Machine")

Some of the things I could do without?:

having a condom dropped on my bed from the top bunk the first night in the hostel

the uncanny way a crowd seems to follow me as soon as I find a quiet place to read

obstacle-ridden road construction

aggressive drivers (An experiment: see how fast a driver behind you stops honking after they see your reverse gear lights pop on and hear your engine rev

And what list about LA could be complete without a Celebrity Sightings list?:

That guy from Road Trip!

Shooter McGavin!

Adam Yauch of The Beastie Boys!

So anyway, I've just been giving myself tasks to do each day to keep my mind occupied. Yesterday I went to Los Angeles famous Miracle Mile where they keep all the museums so people can avoid them. I went and saw some lackluster exhibits at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), although they did have several original Picassos and Magrittes. It was definitely worth the free admission. Today's task is a strong follow-up; buy a soap dish. This is what happens when I don't check out the brocheres before I leave the hostel in the morning. I am going to see this fine film in a few hours though. It looks pretty hot. Check out the trailer here.

Here are some other movies I've seen recently (the past week and a half):

Life of Brian

Shrek 2 in The Arclight Dome

Harry Potter 3 in the Chinese theater

Super Size Me

The Day After Tomorrow

Coffee and Cigarettes

The Bourne Identity

Training Day

Books I've read (or am currently reading):

Junky, William S. Burroughs

Choke, Chuck Palahniuk

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce

Empire and Filmmakers magazines

I'll get some more details later. I've only got nine minutes to proof and post this, so I'll get back to you with more specific (and new) impressions of LA. Bla-dow. Also, I'll try to update my cell phone number on Todd's web directory so you guys can call me and give me something to do. Okay. Gotta go.

D