I just got done working a 22 hour day and it's 4:30 a.m. now my time. I'm at that point where I've been up so long I'm a bit more delerious than tired. At this point if my last 24 hours was a record we would be listening to the b-sides. It's like being on drugs without taking drugs which is kind of nice because the worst of it is that I'm just going to have amazing sleep the next 12 hours.
Lately whenever someone knocks on our door we go into karate mode. The thing is anytime someone is coming over they just walk in, which is the norm amongst good friends. So now if we hear a knock it means it's unnanounced so we get karate immediately until the mystery is solved. So far everytime it's been like one of the random neighbors we don't talk to or someone we forgot was coming over that didn't feel like walking in without knocking.
Point is karate mode is a part of life out here because even though shit hasn't gone down yet that doesn't mean it won't happen. Crazy shit happens in LA, I see it on the news everynight, right before they start talking about celebrities. We live in a good neighborhood, our usual worst is when the ghetto birds (LAPD helicopters with spotlights) circle around low a few times. When that happens karate mode is on a hair trigger and the ghetto birds have gotten so close to the house that I've walked around with a bat before.
I'm not afraid that something is going to happen to us or the neighbors, but it's stupid to think that nothing can happen.
Right now it's about 40 degrees outside and its raining. Since our house is 3 stories (first story is the garage, 2nd is living room etc...) the wind and rain makes crazy noises. Now the only concern I have with this is differentiating the noises of the rain from the noises of the ghosts/roommates. Most of the time it's just me thinking too much, but last time it rained is when I heard the guitar playing by itself. Two nights in a row.
As far as an update on what's going on besides karate, rain and ghosts, I've just been working a lot lately. I think I've settled into a groove finally between work and normal life and since February started work has been coming like crazy. I'm thankful for that, especially since I'm freelance. I've only had 4 or 5 days off all month far so it's catching up to me a bit considering my work days are never less than 12 hours.
Lately myself, the roomies and the neighbors have been hanging out a lot which is great cause I have a feeling since the strike is over that won't be the case in the next week or so. I'm the youngest one out of both houses and therefore I've been given the nickname "youngblood" or sometimes "yb" for short. Coming from a person that's given everyone nicknames it's the first one I've ever recieved.
I can barely see what I'm typing now. Too much horror business...
Miss you all.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
No Sympathy for the Devil, Keep that in Mind
It's been a while since I posted because we didnt have internet all through January so I'll get right to it.
While I was away from this blog I had thoughts of shutting it down. I feel like what I've been writing about in the past is coming off like bragging. I talk about shit I've done but in reality it's not reflecting what I'm going through. I feel like I've been leaving people out. The last 3 months have been fucking crazy so I'll try and do a better job of filling you in cause I think it'll help me out too.
January had to be one of the hardest months I had to get through in years. Up until the 26th I had only worked 6 days all month and 3 of those days was for only 100 bucks a day. It was the first time I actually thought about moving back because I didn't have enough money to pay rent. Working freelance isn't so much stressful as can be worrysome. Depression never really set in which surprised my mom because I think she figured it was inevitable. Come to find out at the end of the month not much happens in this city in January.
I hopped on a 5 day job in the last week at 200 a day which set me straight and things have been looking up since then. I just got back from Vegas working on a Lil Wayne video for his new track Lollipop. That job was the fucking craziest experience I've had since moving here. I went with my roommate Travis and we had to take 10 video ho's with us in a van. We worked fucking 22 hours straight the first day by the time it was over, then slept 5 hours and worked another 15 on day 2. The possibility of physical and mental collapse was very real.
The video ho's confessed their bisexuality to us in the van but none of them were really my type. Too gangster. Speaking of gangster the highlight of the trip was meeting Suge Knight at the shoot. Suge Motherfucking Knight, and he was the coolest dude. I told him it was a pleasure to meet him and he said the pleasure was all his. I'm pretty sure he's killed some niggas and he was still humble. He's like a wall of gangster walking around, I felt like I was next to a Corleone.
As for work today I did some shit for a pilot about auctions, an easy 200 bucks, then I'm on another music video for this chick Santogold tomorrow and the next day. So far this month is my best month yet. It's like November I was broke, December got paid, January fucking barely made it, and February getting paid so far. Hopefully March is good too cause I want to go back home for a week.
I started missing Orlando pretty bad during the Superbowl. It just wasnt the same here and when I'm talking to all the old roomies I could hear what I miss. That said when I was in Vegas I missed LA so I think I've rooted myself to LA as my new home. I don't miss Orlando the city, but I miss the fuck out of my friends.
Onto other pressing issues, my house is definitely haunted. You want the proof? I present to you a list of encounters...
-Our neighbor Nick ran out of the house after seeing what he said was an old man looking down at him from the top of the stairs.
-Hugh and Travis (my roommates) saw someone walk up the stairs to our front door through a window next to the door. After opening it no one was there.
-Thursday night our TV shut itself off when we were having dinner. This has happened to me twice on the TV in my room.
-Last night Hugh confessed he has seen an old man looking up from the bottom of the stairs when he is upstairs playing guitar.
-Last weekend on Friday and Saturday I could hear someone strumming a guitar in the loft next to my room. This was after Hugh and Travis had already gone to bed.
So of this our neighbor Nick had the idea for us to do our own episode of ghost hunters. I'm most eager to take on this project so hopefully when we get some time off it will happen.
I haven't cut my hair in 2 months which is the longest I've gone since I was 19 I think. I'm digging this whole long hair thing and I'm afraid to go have it cut. It's not like I have a mullet or like emo hair or anything, it's just longer than most of you are used to. What's weird is now that its kind of long I can just wear it normal with no gel or anything. I just push it down when I get out of the shower and rock it. I could have a decent mohawk if I wanted to.
Speaking of mohawks I've been listening to a lot of punk lately. Not that 90's punk shit but old school like Black Flag and the Circle Jerks. It feels appropriate for these times plus it's like the birthplace of a lot of the new music I like. And I'm convinced the Misfits are now my favorite fucking band ever.
On one last note there's a horror film festival coming up next weekend that Eli Roth is putting on. He's playing a bunch of old 70s and 80s horror movies that I love, most notably Pieces, Torso and Cannibal Holocaust, all on the big screen. The worst thing about it is I have no one to go with. Back home I'd have at least 3 people that would be interested, but here no ones down with the blood like I am. Well at least no one I know. I'm still gonna go cause I'd hate myself if I missed it but hopefully I'll find someone to go with. Usually I enjoy going to movies by myself but this is a pretty big deal so I need someone to be there to be a net for my happiness.
Well thats it. Stay tuned cause I'm gonna post a list of my all time favorite horror movies. Whoever reads this just know I miss you all. The last 3 months have felt like a year.
While I was away from this blog I had thoughts of shutting it down. I feel like what I've been writing about in the past is coming off like bragging. I talk about shit I've done but in reality it's not reflecting what I'm going through. I feel like I've been leaving people out. The last 3 months have been fucking crazy so I'll try and do a better job of filling you in cause I think it'll help me out too.
January had to be one of the hardest months I had to get through in years. Up until the 26th I had only worked 6 days all month and 3 of those days was for only 100 bucks a day. It was the first time I actually thought about moving back because I didn't have enough money to pay rent. Working freelance isn't so much stressful as can be worrysome. Depression never really set in which surprised my mom because I think she figured it was inevitable. Come to find out at the end of the month not much happens in this city in January.
I hopped on a 5 day job in the last week at 200 a day which set me straight and things have been looking up since then. I just got back from Vegas working on a Lil Wayne video for his new track Lollipop. That job was the fucking craziest experience I've had since moving here. I went with my roommate Travis and we had to take 10 video ho's with us in a van. We worked fucking 22 hours straight the first day by the time it was over, then slept 5 hours and worked another 15 on day 2. The possibility of physical and mental collapse was very real.
The video ho's confessed their bisexuality to us in the van but none of them were really my type. Too gangster. Speaking of gangster the highlight of the trip was meeting Suge Knight at the shoot. Suge Motherfucking Knight, and he was the coolest dude. I told him it was a pleasure to meet him and he said the pleasure was all his. I'm pretty sure he's killed some niggas and he was still humble. He's like a wall of gangster walking around, I felt like I was next to a Corleone.
As for work today I did some shit for a pilot about auctions, an easy 200 bucks, then I'm on another music video for this chick Santogold tomorrow and the next day. So far this month is my best month yet. It's like November I was broke, December got paid, January fucking barely made it, and February getting paid so far. Hopefully March is good too cause I want to go back home for a week.
I started missing Orlando pretty bad during the Superbowl. It just wasnt the same here and when I'm talking to all the old roomies I could hear what I miss. That said when I was in Vegas I missed LA so I think I've rooted myself to LA as my new home. I don't miss Orlando the city, but I miss the fuck out of my friends.
Onto other pressing issues, my house is definitely haunted. You want the proof? I present to you a list of encounters...
-Our neighbor Nick ran out of the house after seeing what he said was an old man looking down at him from the top of the stairs.
-Hugh and Travis (my roommates) saw someone walk up the stairs to our front door through a window next to the door. After opening it no one was there.
-Thursday night our TV shut itself off when we were having dinner. This has happened to me twice on the TV in my room.
-Last night Hugh confessed he has seen an old man looking up from the bottom of the stairs when he is upstairs playing guitar.
-Last weekend on Friday and Saturday I could hear someone strumming a guitar in the loft next to my room. This was after Hugh and Travis had already gone to bed.
So of this our neighbor Nick had the idea for us to do our own episode of ghost hunters. I'm most eager to take on this project so hopefully when we get some time off it will happen.
I haven't cut my hair in 2 months which is the longest I've gone since I was 19 I think. I'm digging this whole long hair thing and I'm afraid to go have it cut. It's not like I have a mullet or like emo hair or anything, it's just longer than most of you are used to. What's weird is now that its kind of long I can just wear it normal with no gel or anything. I just push it down when I get out of the shower and rock it. I could have a decent mohawk if I wanted to.
Speaking of mohawks I've been listening to a lot of punk lately. Not that 90's punk shit but old school like Black Flag and the Circle Jerks. It feels appropriate for these times plus it's like the birthplace of a lot of the new music I like. And I'm convinced the Misfits are now my favorite fucking band ever.
On one last note there's a horror film festival coming up next weekend that Eli Roth is putting on. He's playing a bunch of old 70s and 80s horror movies that I love, most notably Pieces, Torso and Cannibal Holocaust, all on the big screen. The worst thing about it is I have no one to go with. Back home I'd have at least 3 people that would be interested, but here no ones down with the blood like I am. Well at least no one I know. I'm still gonna go cause I'd hate myself if I missed it but hopefully I'll find someone to go with. Usually I enjoy going to movies by myself but this is a pretty big deal so I need someone to be there to be a net for my happiness.
Well thats it. Stay tuned cause I'm gonna post a list of my all time favorite horror movies. Whoever reads this just know I miss you all. The last 3 months have felt like a year.
Friday, January 04, 2008
THUG Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry
So 2007 was a pretty big year; I got off probation, graduated college and moved to LA. So far so good, and it can't be taken away from me, but the kiss of death would be talking about what's going to happen in 08. Right now I'm sitting on my party porch, drinking Mexican beer, and listening to Frank Sinatra. Today I got to work on a commercial for Nickelodean with Jack Black. Jack Black is the coolest actor I've worked with so far. Dude is amazing on camera and he was the nicest guy. So far he's the only actor I've seen that requested multiple times to do more takes without the director asking. He never complained, he was nice to everyone and he is so much funnier in person than on screen. The whole stage was cracking up when he was doing his shit. Like Ice Cube once said, I gotta say today was a good day. Ohhh waaa.
New thing I've found out about LA: The indy/artsy look for dudes is taking over this city. The directory today had on a scarf with a jean jacket, tight jeans, slip on shoes, black rimmed glasses and hair that shagged over them. Dude had on a fucking scarf. I've seen this before, a lot, but it clicked today when the 2 hottest girls on set (graphic designers or some shit) were all over him. Now, I know what you're thinking, he's the director, of course he gets the poon. BUT, this realization ceased when some random asian dude dressed the exact same way was balling around with the other 2 hottest girls on set (there's usually a lot of hot girls on set). If the Apple version of Bruce Lee was directing he'd be rolling in the vag like P Diddy in the I love it when you call me big poppa video. Speaking of Apple, this neo tech art look has 5 basic requirements: 1) You have to LOVE Mac, that's numero uno period. You at least have to have a powerbook and an iphone to fall in this category 2)You have to wear black rimmed eye glasses 3)You have to smoke 4)You have to feel comfortable shopping for clothes like a woman and 5)You don't have blood, you have Starbucks. Now, don't get me wrong, both of these dudes were super nice and cool guys, it's just the male way of living out here is alien.
I've done some cool shit besides the Jack Black thing since my last post...
I landed a gig on a commercial with John C. Reily aka Dewey Cox/the Magicman. It was a cross promo for Walk Hard and Monday Night Football on ESPN so needless to say it was a high quality production. John C. Reily was cool and really funny, and I'd have to say it was the most pro job I've worked since getting out here.
My last job of 07 was doing sound for an indy comedy called "See Dick Run" with Kel Mitchell and Page Kennedy. Kel got famous doing the Keenan and Kel stuff for Nickelodean, and Page Kennedy is U Turn from Weeds. Kel is a cool guy, but I got excited when I saw U Turn show up on set. I started quoting U Turn and he loved it so we chatted about Weeds and got a little buddy buddy over the weekend. At one point he was rehearsing his lines with me and he actually said I was doing decent with my lines. Now, holding a boom mic for 12 hours a day with a mixer strapped to my chest on a harness was the opposite of fun. The production was cheap, and poorly run. It was one of those situations where everyone complained about how shitty production was but never did anything to make it better. Surprisingly the script was funny, but other than that and hanging out with U Turn it was my worst job yet. The last time I do sound, fo sho.
So now I'm looking for my next job, just kind roaming around LA and Hollywood and hanging out with the roommate and the neighbors. We had a party on New Years that didn't get too out of control but had its moments. We came up to this very porch I'm on right now and watched fireworks fire off Hollywood Hills. Not a bad way to ring in the New Year. Happy 08 bitches and niggas. Wish me luck
New thing I've found out about LA: The indy/artsy look for dudes is taking over this city. The directory today had on a scarf with a jean jacket, tight jeans, slip on shoes, black rimmed glasses and hair that shagged over them. Dude had on a fucking scarf. I've seen this before, a lot, but it clicked today when the 2 hottest girls on set (graphic designers or some shit) were all over him. Now, I know what you're thinking, he's the director, of course he gets the poon. BUT, this realization ceased when some random asian dude dressed the exact same way was balling around with the other 2 hottest girls on set (there's usually a lot of hot girls on set). If the Apple version of Bruce Lee was directing he'd be rolling in the vag like P Diddy in the I love it when you call me big poppa video. Speaking of Apple, this neo tech art look has 5 basic requirements: 1) You have to LOVE Mac, that's numero uno period. You at least have to have a powerbook and an iphone to fall in this category 2)You have to wear black rimmed eye glasses 3)You have to smoke 4)You have to feel comfortable shopping for clothes like a woman and 5)You don't have blood, you have Starbucks. Now, don't get me wrong, both of these dudes were super nice and cool guys, it's just the male way of living out here is alien.
I've done some cool shit besides the Jack Black thing since my last post...
I landed a gig on a commercial with John C. Reily aka Dewey Cox/the Magicman. It was a cross promo for Walk Hard and Monday Night Football on ESPN so needless to say it was a high quality production. John C. Reily was cool and really funny, and I'd have to say it was the most pro job I've worked since getting out here.
My last job of 07 was doing sound for an indy comedy called "See Dick Run" with Kel Mitchell and Page Kennedy. Kel got famous doing the Keenan and Kel stuff for Nickelodean, and Page Kennedy is U Turn from Weeds. Kel is a cool guy, but I got excited when I saw U Turn show up on set. I started quoting U Turn and he loved it so we chatted about Weeds and got a little buddy buddy over the weekend. At one point he was rehearsing his lines with me and he actually said I was doing decent with my lines. Now, holding a boom mic for 12 hours a day with a mixer strapped to my chest on a harness was the opposite of fun. The production was cheap, and poorly run. It was one of those situations where everyone complained about how shitty production was but never did anything to make it better. Surprisingly the script was funny, but other than that and hanging out with U Turn it was my worst job yet. The last time I do sound, fo sho.
So now I'm looking for my next job, just kind roaming around LA and Hollywood and hanging out with the roommate and the neighbors. We had a party on New Years that didn't get too out of control but had its moments. We came up to this very porch I'm on right now and watched fireworks fire off Hollywood Hills. Not a bad way to ring in the New Year. Happy 08 bitches and niggas. Wish me luck
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