The Gift of Unemployment

So I was watching Oprah last night, which is always really inspiring. It was a story about this football star dude who got hit by a car, lost his leg, and relearned how to walk. He later became a marathon runner.

Then he got hit by a bus.

He became a quadriplegic. But still somehow managed to get movement back in his arms and legs by not giving up hope.

And he says it was all meant to happen. Because it led him on his journey to spread his message and story and to inspire others. It gave him time to reflect on his life and his purpose. Honestly, I think it's kind of bullshit and it would take a shitload of convincing before I was able to think that becoming a cripple was a good thing. But either way, the story affected me.

I have decided to totally embrace my unemployment. It was meant to happen this way. If I had quit my job, I wouldn't have had this freedom to do whatever I want. I'd be getting no income and stressed out about finding another job.

Right now, I'm receiving checks from the government, I can take my time to sit down and learn about photography, something I've always wanted to do.

So...I've decided that each day I'm going to either learn a new photoshop trick or camera technique. I'm going to finally go out and buy that super expensive digital SLR camera. And maybe by the end of this whole thing when I find a new job I will have picked up a bunch of new useful skills. Or I'll at least be able to take proper headshots.

And of course, I'll watch a lot of TV.

Here's a new layering thing I figured out how to do yesterday. It'll be the cover image for my New York album (coming soon). It's not that cool. But I figured out all the layering shorcuts so that I can do something like this in like 3 minutes when it normally would have taken an hour. Yay.

Life As We Knew It

I know this is my second blog entry about Life As We Know It. But Kristy and I just finished watching the final episode after watching four in a row. And I felt the series deserved a special tribute before being tossed into my ocean of memories.

In case you're out of the loop, Life As We Know It was a teen-drama-type show that ABC put it in the worst possible time-slot last year for a new show of its type. Thursdays at 8. Airing against the OC. It featured a hot, young, talented cast, and was critically acclaimed. Even Kelly Osbourne pulled her weight. All 300 pounds.

But after 13 episodes, they pulled the plug.

It was heart-breaking knowing that the storyline was just going to end and that we wouldn't be getting any closure to the questions left unanswered at the end of episode 13.

We each ate a pint of ice cream in mourning.

The show was like Dawson's Creek but with less-annoying, more-relatable characters. It was like the OC with its wittiness and ridiculously good-looking cast, but the characters constantly acknowledged how gorgeous the male and female leads were, they weren't uber-rich, and people didn't get shot.

It makes you miss high school and college, when your biggest problems were running for class president, getting a date for the prom, and getting your heart broken.

The actors did such a good job.

You identify with them. You feel for them. You love them.

I LOVE YOU SEAN FARIS

Sean Faris truly IS the next Tom Cruise. It is no coincidence that he came along the same year that Tom Cruise turned crazy. And he's taller, saner, better-looking, with a perfect nose and teeth.

Hopefully the DVD will generate a lot of buzz. Hopefully Reunion (which Sean now stars on) will be cancelled. Hopefully ABC will realize the error of its ways and pull back the entire cast and continue on with this masterpiece.

I already bought two gift copies of the series for two of my favorite people. That is how much I love this show.

Even the theme song is perfect:

Sooner or later,
We'll be looking back on everything...and...
We'll laugh about it like we knew what all was happening...
Someday, you might listen to what people have to say...
But now you learn the hard way...

"Sooner Or Later" - Michael Tolcher

Farewell CG

I woke up this morning feeling a wee bit unemployed and lost. Watched 3 or 4 episodes of Life As We Know It. Contemplated my role in the world. Meghan and I commiserated a little.

Then my unemployment check came and it made it all better.

Christian came over, we played tennis. I kicked his big jocky ass.

6-3, 4-0 (he gave up after losing 6 straight games).

Went to Big 5 Sporting Goods so that he could pick up some sweatbands for another beating tomorrow morning. Then he decided he needed new sunglasses and wanted my opinion. We tried on a bunch and found a pair he really liked. I mentioned how they looked cheap since they had kind of a matte plastic finish and I picked out a pair very similar that had a glossy finish. He liked them. We went to the counter to pay, but they said that the pair we had chosen wasn't in the system. Apparently someone had just left them in the sunglass rack. So I had picked out the magical pair.

They gave them to us for free. I am so magical.

Christian moves to San Francisco on Monday to start a new career in investment banking. It's sad. I'm sure he will work miserable hours. But I'm also sure he'll just suck it up and become an i-banking robot just like the rest of them.

Going away party is Friday night. Everyone is invited.



I'm sad that he is leaving, but I'm glad we became friends in the short time he was here.

Growing up I was always terrified of the football player-types. I couldn't relate to them. They were mean. One asswipe I remember made ching-chongy noises at me and called me a fag before I knew what that was. I had always thought that football players were notorious for throwing fat nerdy asians into lockers and breaking their glasses.

Christian is just a big lovable guy.

He likes pancakes!

Stock Market Scariness

So a few weeks ago, back when I had a job, I thought it might be a good idea to start investing my money in random stocks that I like.

My parents have been bothering me about interest and money sitting in the bank and how it is better to invest money than have it collecting very little interest in the bank.

And my Felix-friend seems to be pretty knowledgeable and directed me to Scottrade because they charge really low fees for making trades and stuff, but you manage your account yourself.

Well I hate parting with my money so I decided to create a trial portfolio of stocks I would be buying and see how that goes for a few months.

One of the stocks was Martha Stewart Omnimedia. I totally thought it was going to do great with the upcoming launch of Martha's Apprentice and everything. I think they did a fantastic job with the promos and everything. Well. I "bought" it when I saw the first of the print ads. And the price continued to rise. A month later I had made almost $2000 of fake money and was kicking myself for not having the balls to actually invest my money.

Then the day after the premiere the price plummetted. I watched the show. It sucked monkey balls. I am now at -$500 fake dollars.

So I've decided to hold off on investing. I don't know enough about it. It is kind of silly.

This was the boringest blog entry ever.

I'm home!

Just got back from my hellish trip back to LA. Had to lug my big duffel bag across the city in the rain. On the subway. Standing. Crowded. Rush Hour. Switch trains. Take the airtrain. JFK by the way is like a 50-minute dirty subway ride from Wall St. And that doesn't include sweaty standing waiting in the hot humid stinky subway for the dirty stinky train to arrive.

Why does it always rain when I leave places? Rained in LA the day I left. Rained in NY the day I left. Hmmmm...

Spent a lot of time thinking about last night and how hilarious it was. I really don't think I should show my face in NYC again for a while having behaved the way I did. Wow.

I mean we double-teamed a guy. We stole him from another asian. I made him wear my glasses to make out with Chris. And then we performed a switcheroo. We are predators.

Oh my god. We were "those asians".

Also, plane air is recycled and dehyrating. Not good, as you can probably imagine, for my tear-deficient eyes. What is wrong with me? Why do have an old lady's tear-deficient eyes?

Happily, I am home. Megoony picked me up. Thank you my little precious pie lady friend.

Updated the previous posts with some pictures.

Also just received the following email from Anne:

I LOVE YOUR BLOG.

am also definitely taking you to the oscar party if i get to bring a date, and now that's in writing.
(sorry phil) (her boyfriend)

OK Blog-reader. You are my witness. If it falls through I am suing for emotional distress. And then throwing myself off a bridge.

If peeing on other people's clothes is cool...

consider me Miles Davis.

Yeah.

I peed on Felix's clothes.

Again.

Last time it was Eugene's in South Beach. Last night, Felix. Apparently.

I hope he wasn't just trying to trick me into doing his laundry before I leave.

So the day was fun. Went to the MoMa with Anne, who by the way is quite possibly the most beautiful person I have ever met. Inside AND out!



The MoMa, is awesome. Didn't have to pay admission since Vanity Fair rulessss.

Saw some really interesting exhibits, this one that really blew my mind was this series of portraits of four sisters. They were annual photographs, one for each year, for a period of like forty years from when they were in their twenties to their sixties. It was so cool to just look and observe how they aged and changed and it makes you wonder what went on in their lives. One sister looked like she might have had an eating disorder. And another looked like she had had chemo or something and her hairstyle kept changing. Anyway. Really mesmerizing.

The naked parents/babies thing was cool too.



Bumped into Meachin just walking on the street on 6th Ave. The cool thing about a walking city.

Ate the best meal ever at a little french restaurant. I had the Coq Au Vin. We had a psychotic waitress.

And then came the shitshow. The total and complete shitshow.

Splash Bar. Beer Bash. $6 for 10 beers.

Oh. My. God.

I went out with Christopher. We spent $12. I drank about 15 beers.

There was dancing. There was flirting. There was tag-team flirting. Probably one of the most fun gay-themed night of my life. ChrisYee, best wingman ever. AND he didn't vomit last night (see NYC night one).

And then I peed on Felix's clothes.

NYC Day 5: The Shitshow

So I peed on Felix's clothes last night.

They are currently in the washer/dryer. I have no idea how it happened.

It was the fucking best day ever.

Started out hungover in...

oooh laundry.

to be continued...

NYC Day the Fourth

I love this city.

I love this city SO MUCH.

If only I weren't so broke right now. Because it is so very expensive.

Cab rides. Alcohol. Food. Alcohol.

Someday I will be able to afford to live here. Or I will just take the plunge and come out here and hope that my connector abilities will help me find my way to survival. (I've been reading The Tipping Point.)

But yes. I have decided that I love this city. I love LA too. But I LOVE New York. The food. The people. The dancing until 4 am.

So...yesterday. Tee and I woke up at her place. We went to a delcious Thai lunch.

Then went to the scuba store with Alejandra to pick out scuba gear.



Then went to SoHo to shop and, more importantly, stare at pretty people.

Oh...one thing about New York vs. LA...in New York, all the hot people aren't necessarily involved in jobs focused on how hot they are. They're successful at things other than being hot. In LA, hot people's jobs usually involve them being hot and them thinking about how hot they are and what they can do every second of their lives to make themselves hotter. Weird right?

So anyway, I bought a hoodie at Club Monaco. But I refrained from buying anything else. Because I feel so very broke.

I bumped into this girl, I have no clue what her name was, or if I'd ever seen her before...but she remembered me as if we were long-lost friends. Had a few minutes of awkward "catching up", by the time we parted ways I still could not place her....oh well...in a way it's like the celebrity experience, and that makes it ok.

Night fell.

We went to Felix's. Then rode a cab up to Imran's in gay Chelsea. Chelsea is awesome. Imran's apartment is awesome. His roommates are super hot.

We drank at Imran's rooftop overlooking the empire state building. Then we went to Jessup's birthday party 20 minutes away at some club. Then we went back to Imran's. And then it happened.

I broke my head.

On the way up to the roof there was a sharp edged electrical socket just as you open the door to the stairwell. I drunkenly stumbled right into it. Felt fine. Continued upstairs to the party.

30 seconds later I felt the blood start streaming down my face. I put my hand up to my head...covered in blood.

Lee, who was an EMT, brought me down to the apartment, on our way down I passed by the sharp edged socket thing and noticed a huge chunk of hair and bloody head-skin attached to the sharp edge. So gross.



I sat in Imran's tub for an hour. Bleeding. It was fantastic.



Eventually the bleeding stopped. I am very thankful to the drunk people who stopped to help me and wish me well. Thank you ramdoms. One girl kept calling me "Mr. Broken Capilliyaries". Yes. Capilliyaries. Not Capillaries.

Around 2:30am, alcohol ran out. The party died. Tee showed up. I was like, "I broke my head." She was like, "The party can't end here! We must soldier on!!!!" So we jumped in a cab and went to a club.

Of course when we got there Felix hopped right back in the cab in typical Felix fashion and went home.

The club, however, was awesome. It was called Sway. They played the best dance music ever. Like A Prayer to Come On Eileen to Hot In Herre to Hollaback Girl. Small. With lots of drunk dancing people. And friendly ones too. We met some gorgeous tall asian and his two girlfriends. They were a threesome. Said it as if it was the most normal thing in the world. New Yorkers are cool. Tee and I danced until I think 4am when the club closed.

Somehow we were so revved up. We went to ANOTHER club. But not before stopping to eat PIIIIIZZZZZZA.



We ended up going to Splash Bar for afterhours. Or attempting to go. At the door they said cover for me was $10, and $35 for girls. I have never seen such discrimination and it made me really angry. I hate straight-haters. We said eff this and let's go eat more FOOOOOOOD.

And so we did. We went to a Korean BBQ place and ate delicious Bulgogi.

The place was a mess. Someone had abandoned some poor drunk Asian girl sitting at her table asleep in her food.

At 5:30 we finally went home.

My head hurts.

I think it is broken.

But I have replaced the hole in my head with food in my tummy.

NYC Day Tres

Friday Friday Friday

Woke up at Tee's. Watched TiVo. Got all caught up on my shows.

Reunion is still only OK. Sean Faris is still ridiculously beautiful although his character on Life As We Know It was so much more charming and likeable.

The OC is a piece of crap but I will continue to watch because Mischa's hair is just so frickin amazing.

America's Next Top Model - It's funny how everyone starts to look like everyone else from other seasons after a while. I guess when you mix and match pretty features eventually you start seeing the same kinds of combinations again. Weird.

Martha's Apprentice - It looks like a buttload of crappity crap.

Went out to a wonderful wonderful dinner at the Mercer Kitchen with Tee, Chloe, and Felix. Had the most delicious chicken I've ever had in my life. The meat just fell off the bone was sweet and moist and everything yummy.

Then went to Liz and Mario's engagement party.

So very many random people I haven't thought about in years were there. Nice to see them all. Well, most of them.



Xander, who used to date Hope Chu the tall asian girl with thte blonde/blue/purple hair, was hitting on Tee and kept asking me if he could "cut in" while we were dancing and I kept telling him "no" and cock-blocking him. I guess it was rude but sometimes people just can't take a hint. And also I'm mean.

Then wandered over to Bowery Bar to look for "preppier" people. (Tee and I both have a thing for preppies.) Did a quick walk-through. Ran into random Brown kids (New York is full of Brown kids) (And I'm tall.) Dave Chang and Lance the Asian.

Called it an early night around 2. Tomorrow is going to be a big day/night.

NYC Day Two

Spent the morning recovering from the night before.

I really wasn't that hungover. But I still slept a lot.

Made it back to Felix's. Caught up on email. Confirmed plans for the evening.

8pm | Tee and I went to Republic, a very trendy thai-ish restaurant in Union Square, to meet up with Anne, one of my favorite people. Anne and I became friends my junior year when she was a senior because we shared a horrific psych seminar and because we studied together and she cooked meatballs while we studied (without me requesting them). Yes, beautiful meatball-making Anne and I were soulmates. Plus she, like Kristy, can eat whatever she wants and will look beautiful for eternity. So jealous am I.

Anyway. Long story short, Anne has just been promoted to assistant to the publisher of Vanity Fair. This means that she will be flying out to LA in March to attend the Vanity Fair Oscar Party!!!!

And guess who is going to be her date if she is allowed one?

Yes. That's right. It's me. Oh yes.

Tash met up with us after dinner. We ended up drinking at Luna Bar, an outdoor bar in Union square. Then went to Corner Bistro to eat burgers and chili fries. All in all it was a wonderful evening. Wonderful company plus wonderful foodism.



I love New York.

NYC Day One

Met up with Yeebster when he got off work. He cooked me dinner. Stir-fried chicken and broccoli with Quinoa, these healthy little couscous impersonators. I didn't think I would like it but it was mmmmm yummy.



We went out to Splash Bar, the club where Britney had her surprise appearance when she launched In The Zone. It's a pretty awesome club with some ridiculously hot bartenders. They walk around in jockstraps and g-strings. One guy's ass was a perfect bubble. It was amazing.

I also learned something new last night:

Chris Yee + $3 Long Islands = Vomit-mania

We got out of the cab at McDonald's on Broadway, probably the nicest McDonald's in the world complete with grand piano/player. Went in. Ordered a chicken sandwich, and when I turned around he was gone. Went outside and followed the Quinoa vomit trail around the corner to find him hunched over the curb heaving up a stream of little couscous balls. I whipped out my phone and snapped some beautiful pictures from many different angles, all the while munching on the delicious sandwich in my other hand.



I am a terrible friend.

I am a waste of life.

So I woke up at like 6 am this morning when Felix left for work. Got up off the futon and jumped in his comfy bed in his undecorated room (as usual).

It's air-conditioned in here. It's hot outside. It's 3:30. I haven't left the apartment.

What have I been doing, you ask?

Well. I have been semi-productive. I spent the morning exchanging mass quantities of emails with all my New York friends and have my plans set up for pretty much the rest of the week. Very exciting.

And I was planning on going out to surprise Chloe at work (she's doing some fashion week stuff out on the pier today) when I received an IM from Meghan that totally changed the course of my morning.

See, Meghan went with Katie, Naia, Max, and Thesy and them to this Brown Entertainment mixer last night. An event I was very sad to have to miss because of my trip to NY. And who did she bump into? Austen from Kept, our guilty pleasure of the summer, who graduated from Brown in '01.

She directed me to his facebook profile which then led me to his blog. I ended up skimming through his entire blog which then linked me to hottie Kept-winner Seth's blog which THEN led me to Rachel Fuller's blog at which point I imposed a self-intervention and got out of bed.

Or I will in a few minutes anyway.

Yes the worst part of this whole thing is that because Felix has a laptop, I was able to spend my morning being totally completely useless IN BED. I'm still lying in bed right now as I type this.

Ok I'm really leaving now.

Really.

Ok fine. I'm checking my email one more time first.

The NYC!

I'm here!

This city rocks. I miss public transportation. And walking.

Last night was pretty chill. Got to Felix's. Got a call from Steph saying that she had put me on the list at Marquee for a party P.Diddy and J.Simpson were hosting. Could have been fun. But I think we decided we'd probably end up waiting outside for an hour LA-style.

It is hot here. So much hotter than LA. I packed all my winter sweaters thinking it was going to be all snowy or something. Humid as hell.

Hopefully my eyes will go back to normal with the increased humidity. I doubt it though.

I think I'm going to go blind this year. Or maybe my eyes will just fall out.

Off to the NYC!

I'm about to leave for the airport. It's raining!

How odd. Maybe it is a sign.

Life As We Know It

I just watched episode 4. (Yes I bought the DVD of the entire canceled series.)

It is so so very good. I almost cried it is so good. It's like Dawson's Creek with more-beautiful/less-annoying characters.

Why oh why did the suits at ABC decide to air it against the OC AND Survivor on Thursdays at 8 where it died a horrible screaming death? WHY?!?!

Only 8 episodes left. I will treasure each one. Sean Faris I love you.

Leaving for NY in the AM!

The Music Video

Yay. The rough cut of the music video that we shot a few weeks ago for the band that I cannot mention has been uploaded to a website that I will not reveal for fear of imprisonment and just plain bad karma.

I do however have screenshots! (click on the picture to see the big version):

I don't think they're copyright protected, right? They're just pictures of me and my friends...



Naia



Walter



Max



Me



And Tee!!!!

Hmmmm...

I just thought of a great title for the picture below...

I shall call it "Brown Brown Brown. Brown Brown Brown Meghan."

Blogging from Katie's!

I wake up @ 10:30. PM.

Where am I? How did I get here? Who am I?

Girls are screaming my name. This bed is nice.

The lights turn on.

I'm at Katie's. I'm in Katie's bed.

The girls are calling for me to see if I'm alive. They've just come back from a movie.

I take a few steps. Yay! I'm not drunk anymore!

I look down. Yay! I have hands!

How did I get here?

The last thing I remember is Max arriving at the pool and me being so excited to see him.

Hmmmm... Well. It was a fun day. Poolside. Drinking. Shots. Drinking. I drank too much as usual.



We got to Katie's around 1ish. Barbequed, swam, jacuzzed. Oh yes. And drank.

Tash and I did shots. Worst idea ever.

Apparently I drunk-sleep-walked back to Katie's and passed out in her bed moaning while they all went to see the 40 Year Old Virgin.

Apparently I ate Katie's chips and hid them in a cupboard she never puts chips in.

Apparently I uploaded pictures from the Cut + Run Fiesta!

Burgers. Chips. Yummmmmmmy.

And now I'm sober! I can drive home!

Daytime parties are the best.

Cut + Run = WAHAHHAHWHW!ZQAA!!

So the Cut + RunFest was everything it promised to be.



Everyone was in high spirits. 3 bars. The bartenders came from a company called "Yummy Bartenders." Tequila tasting stations. Hundreds of Cut + Run shotglasses. Hula hooping homoerotic dancers. Taquito-mania. Drinking. Dancing. Tequila. Drinking.

Bumped into a bunch of my former advertising co-workers. A pleasant surprise. Everyone was obliterato. Random dudes were passed out in the editing bays. Bosses swinging from the chandeliers.

Lost my phone on the cab ride home. Got a new one this morning. About time I got rid of the freshman year shitphone. But I have no numbers. So if I don't have your number and you want to talk to me ever again, email it to me.

Spent the day recovering. Ate some pizza. Went to Max's to play computer editing fun. Delicious Italian dinner with Kristy. Watched the OC.

And the weekend has only begun.

More meat fo re me?

Is ther me ore meetee for me? i haope there i smore mfmeemtat for me. because that would mean....


YESSS I AM EATING A HAMBURENGER


nono.
i am eating an aboudm dumbleing

dmpogn

dumpling


. micove=crover = DING!


the ubmdlings are DDOINEEE!!!

ayum ym uymu yuymuym yu

aeyin asi agos
good
i lvoe cu t0 run! beacer the beast p[arty ever


masx didn't get in betu walter and peter and katei and tasisy and mEeee and krist ya nd juarked and bty theat i maena jared. jard. yeah. and i tw safun

and open bar anr awed beveragher san beeeeer adn tequila tasting.

i love drikning

The weeds speak to meeeeeeeeee

Here little twitter.

Come take a shitter.

On my new woolen sweater.

Or my doggie named Moe.


I can't take you fishin'

Cuz the river's a-swishin'

And my daddy done stole the canoe.



**sidenote: it is sneeze to fun when you're on the run.

***and by the way, AAAAaaCHOOOOO!!!! backwards is OOOOCHaaAAAA!!!!

Happy Day!

Today IS such a glorious day.

I woke up and it was kind of chilly. I decided I needed a vest. I yanked out my dusty North Face vest that I haven't worn since April and what do I find in the pocket? My tax return!!!

$680 dollars I had completely forgotten about.

Oh it is a wonderful day.

We just ordered $300 of Indian food of which I ate about 10%. Maybe more. Chicken Biryani, Tikka Masala, Saag.

Life at Cut + Run = the best.

Only handful of hours left until the big bash!!!

Guest Blogger: Miss Blotto Speaks! Cross-Blogging! Ahhhhh!

Oh it is a glorious day! A mere 32 hours from the Cut + Run Fiesta, and DK has run to the nursery to buy us some succulent plants! We will then nibble on CTM from Nawab of India before figuring out where to set up our 300 tealights. There was more gloriousness this morning, but DK can fill you in himself.

This is what happens when Dennis logs into Blogger on my computer and leaves it open. Let's see how long it takes him to notice.

Yesterday's New York Times features a "Most E-mailed" article about March of the Penguins. Apparently, evangelicals et al are calling it "The Passion of the Penguins." Because it's about family. According to Michael Medved, it is "the motion picture this summer that most passionately affirms traditional norms like monogamy, sacrifice and child rearing."

I don't think Michael saw last year's special on the monogamous gay penguins at the Central Park Zoo.



Awwww! Penguins!

Cut and Run!

I got a call this morning from Meghan asking me if I wanted to work for her for a few days at Cut + Run.

They are throwing an enormous party on Thursday for 300+ people. Spending tens of thousands of dollars (they bought 200 candle holders/candles if that is any measure of the insanity). And they need help setting up.

So I have three days of work with Megoon and her lovely coworkers. Making deliveries, pulling little sticky price tags off candle holders, unpacking shotglasses, picking up supplies. Easy and fun. Work isn't work when you're with friends.

The office is awesome. They have a chef. They have unlimited snacks and beverages. They have a sauna/shower. It's crazy. A major step up from Graying & Balding.

Fun people, delicious food, mindless non-stressful tasks... groovy baby.

The K.U. Shoot

So I worked on a REAL music video yesterday.

My buddy Chris followed through and finally got me hooked up as a P.A. on the K.U. video. Honestly though, being a PA is the opposite of getting "hooked up", you are stuck doing the shitty stuff noone else wants to do, like cleaning up trash, and shovelling scummy sewage out of the path of the utility trucks.

We shot down in the L.A. river basin which for the most part was dried out. (It's where they shot the Pussycat Dolls' Don't Cha Video and Grease and stuff.) It's going to look really really awesome. But the part that wasn't dried out was all garbage and poop covered and scummy from all the trash and homeless people living down there. Yes, homeless people live down there like little trolls. It's crazy. But also good because one homeless man volunteered to shovel away a pile of muck (with his bare hands) in exchange for a breakfast burrito. Since we had an endless supply of breakfast burritos on our catering truck this was a no-brainer.

The day was fun, but long. It was a real music video. With huge cranes holding lights. And cameras mounted on trucks. And tons of crew, record people, management-types.

And Keith remembered me. That was exciting. He actually came up to me and was like, "Dennis! Nice to see you mate!"

I worked from about 6am to 9pm. It was a long day. But it was a great experience. Directing a music video really doesn't seem like such a monumental task anymore. There are so many people who are involved, the director doesn't have to do all that much. You have lighting guys whose job it is to know everything about lighting. You have the director of photography and camera men who know what shots will look good. And each of these people have a crew of little assistants that help make little adjustments. The director really just liases with the artist and management, figures out what they want, and makes comments about whether or not he likes this shot or that shot, whether the lights look too bright, or the energy is missing, or whatever.

The video is going to look AWESOME. Check it out in a few weeks on CMT or something.

September 11th reflection

After reading Meghan's blog, I found myself reflecting on the way things went down four years ago yesterday.

It was 10 am or something and some random girl ran up to us as we were leaving the Psych building screaming, "some planes flew into the Pentagon and knocked it over!"

I remember thinking this girl was a moron, you can't "knock over" the pentagon. It is the biggest, flattest building ever...

But then as we walked down Waterman we noticed crowds of people clustered around a couple of cars with their doors open, radios blasting. People had their arms around each other, listening intently. A couple of girls were crying.

The first thing I heard was "Oh my god! Oh my god! The second tower of the world trade center has just fallen."

I still get chills thinking about it. It was such an unfathomable image in my head. It took several seconds to register. The second tower falling meant that one tower had already fallen. The WTC, with it's 104 floors or so, collapsing with all those thousands of people inside. I couldn't believe it.

Somehow Kathryn was next to me. I don't remember if we left class together or what. But we just held each other in shock as we listened to the stunned, speechless radio reporters. We ran upstairs back into the Psych building and found a classroom with a big screen tv. The room was filled with people who had come in to see what was happening. It just didn't seem real.

I called my parents. I don't remember what was said. I think they were watching the same thing. The rest of that day was a blur. I remember calling Kristy in Chicago who was fast asleep. She mumbled, "yeah I heard" and then went back to sleep. I thought that was odd. I think we all spent the rest of the afternoon in a dazed, confused state. I remember thinking all the petty little arguments I have with people are such a stupid waste of time. I remember rethinking my life and my priorities and realizing that stressing about stupid shit is stupid when you should just enjoy what you're doing and have fun.

I don't really know why I'm writing any of this. I think that I just want to get it down and written because it's not a feeling I ever want to forget. Maybe I've also been thinking about it because I've been a little worried about what I'm going to do next with my life. I'm not worried about finding a job. I'm just worried about finding a job that I love. I worry about wasting time. And not enjoying what I do. Because that would be the absolute worst thing. Working at a job that I hate. Because life is a journey. This past year has been an awesome journey. I've learned so much and have had so many awesome crazy experiences that I'll remember and talk about for the rest of my life, regardless of what I end up doing.

When I went to visit Ground Zero a year later. I remember being really moved by the last standing remnant of the whole disaster (pictured below).



Oh I am tired. I think that was a long rambling post. I worked from 6am to 9pm today. I'll write about that tomorrow.

My goddamn eyes.

Had dinner at Dan and Emily's tonight. We had to shut off the fan in the corner because it was drying out my eyes and they were burning. What the hell is wrong with my eyes? I'm so excited to go back to New York in a week in a half. Yes to see all the people I love. But also to see if the less dry weather will cure me of this annoying dry-eye syndrome. Oh you cannot understand the discomfort and frustration and ugliness-feeling I have been experiencing for the past 6 months.

Imagine feeling your eyelid scrape across your eye every time you blink. It can't be a good thing. Yet my eye doctor says my cornea is fine and intact. It's just very dry. Probably because of the dry climate. I've tried eye steroids, every possible brand of drops, ointments. Nothing works. I don't get it. They say that on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being a normal eye and 1 being a dead person's tearless eye I am at a 3.

Funny how you just totally take your body's millions of stupid little processes for granted until one little thing starts screwing up.

And honestly the worst part about the whole thing is not the discomfort, but having to wear my glasses every day, EVERYWHERE. Especially when I'm going out. Yes it is totally superficial, but I'm sure all my involuntarily bespectacled brethren feel my pain.

"Hi I'm Dennis. And I wear GLAAAAASSES...."

The embarassment that is my life.

So the happy hour thing isn't the best idea for me. It means that by 8 o'clock I'm trashed when normal people are just starting to drink. By 10 o' clock I am just an embarassment.

I went to happy hour at Q's yesterday.

I MIGHT have gone with Dan and Emily to a med school party in Pasadena last night.

I MIGHT have made a new friend named Boobs the Nurse.

I MIGHT have talked to Brian the beautiful surfer doctor in training.

I MIGHT have passed out on the couch at the party.

Unattractively.

Drooling.

Carson Daly show

Just when I think my life sucks and I've reached a new karmic low, something happens that puts everything back in balance.

Alec, AKA Mr. Aspiring-Action-Star, asked me if I wanted to go with him to watch the taping of Last Call with Carson Daly up on the NBC Lot.

Alec's roommate Josh just got a job as Carson's new personal assistant (his show just moved from NY to LA) so he got us on the list as house guests.

Didn't have to wait in line. Got personally ushered to the front row. Three feet from the desk and guest chairs. It was ridiculous.

Steve Carell, Shannon Elizabeth, Dane Cook, The Donnas, and Blues Traveler.

It was quite a lineup. The musical acts were great. Steve was hilarious, as would be expected. Shannon was sweet, with large breasts and nice shoes. And Dane Cook (see picture to right), who I'd never heard of, is as hot as he is funny. And he is fucking funny.

Set your TiVos. It's next Friday night.

I'll be in the front row.

Wearing glasses. And tall.

Walter's Music Video

So I worked on the music video that Walter hooked me up with yesterday and the day before. Yesterday I went in at 7am and worked until 10pm.

It was a long day.

I spent most of it painting and watching them shoot the video.

Pamela, the director, was incredibly nice, sweet, beautiful, everything. She's a professional photographer specializing in pictures of rock bands and stuff like that. So I would love love love to work for her as an assistant.

I also ended up being IN the video since I guess they needed some "asian flavor". I'm one of the extras who holds up a little sign of their "ex" along with the reason we "broke up". Pictures of Tee and Naia were also selected to be in it. Tee was renamed "Tanya Powers", and Naia was "Denise Kwan".

So whatever. No pay. But it was fun.

Oprah's going to Heaven!!!

Kristy and I just sat and watched the entire Oprah show from today. She was reporting Live from the Superdome or whatever in Houston. It was the most depressing thing I've ever seen.

I actually have it on my TiVo if anyone wants to watch it. It's much more informative than watching the real news. She actually has cameras on the ground interviewing people, capturing footage of corpses, injured people, feces, more corpses, and they actually go INTO the now deserted Superdome.



It's so horrible. People dying and being left in the water and the corpses exploding with pus and disease because of the gas that builds up in the intestines from the decomposition. Gang fights inside the Superdome where there are tens of thousands of people and families trying to survive. And in darkness might I add. 15,000 people living in an enclosed stadium without electricity while people are getting shot and murdered. Stories of children and babies being raped. God. Police officers who have committed suicide and 80% of which are now homeless and many have worked for 5 days straight because they are just good people doing their jobs. Sick/injured people that are hurt beyond repair being left "to die in peace" among hundreds of corpses in the makeshift morgues in the New Orleans AIRPORT. Diseases that will be spreading in the weeks to come because everyone has been wading around in water that has 45,000 times the dangerous bacteria content.

It's so absurd that George Bush is starting an investigation into what went wrong. Look in the mirror you dumb donkey ass. On top of that the federal government is blaming all the local governments for not doing enough. What the hell are local officials supposed to do when their homes and resources are all UNDER WATER and they have no electricity?

It is so sickening and sad. I can't believe Oprah actually went down there. Walked through crowds of dirty disgusting diseased people who all wanted to hug and kiss her. And she actually let them touch her. She talked to them and hugged them and kissed and comforted them. I'm so worried for her health. It's a silly thing to say. But I'm worried that she's going to get all these horrible diseases from all the sick, helpless people just because she is such a good person.



I wish I could be that good a person. I wish I could go and hug those who need hugs without worrying for my own safety or health. But unfortunately I know that tomorrow or the next day I'll just go back to being the same selfish person, worrying about my job and seeing my friends and having a good time. In the scheme of things and humanity I suck.

Oprah deserves every single cent that she has.

Kristy cried for the full 45 minutes. I'm going to donate some clothes or something tomorrow. God knows I have enough of those and who knows, maybe there will be someone who wears size 36 Length chinos.

dunks bkgiigigooggin!!!

ahaeyyy!!@! u an dyrbj

drunskn helloooo can yoyu heare me???!!@#?

yessss!!

beeers! hammbeurgers!!! hororay!

and its chrsitians burthsday!

iaaaa ahhh hhhh

fooooooooood

Casey's Birthday!

This has been an unbelievably awesome night.

Started out with happy hour at Q's. FREE barfood buffet (chicken wings, fingers, tacos, etc.) Jared and Jon met up with us. Drank like six pitchers of beer. Kristy developed a crush, as I suspected she would.

Then we went to CaseySchwartz's birthday dinner in this remote little sushi joint in downtown LA called Zip Fusion. Went with Katie, Walter, Max, and Meghan. Met a bunch of Casey's other friends. Probably like 20 of us altogether. Everyone was really nice. Everyone was a fellow East Coast Ivy Leaguer. The sushi kept coming. The sake kept coming. It was a 4-hour dinner. And it was amazing.

I am so content.

CaseySchwartz I love thee.

I cooked!

Well kind of.

I baked a shepherd's pie from Costco.

It was pretty good.

Kristy says I can't even claim that I paid for it, because really the government paid for it.

There's something really satisfying about being able to say that I live on foodstamps...

White Coats!

Yesterday Dan got knighted.

He got his white coat and is now officially on his way to becoming an MD.

In what I suppose some would say is inappropriate behavior I spent the ceremony scanning the faces of his new classmates and picking out who his new best friend should be. Below are the finalists.



My pick is for #3. Brian Davis. Because he's a surfer AND an aspiring doctor. Our kids would be little half-asian surf-smarties!

Speaking of Miller Lite...

I've been helping everyone's favorite Miller Lite boy with his portfolio for his auditions and modeling go-sees.

He's had all these kickass shots taken by random photographer types. But alas, even the beautiful people need some photoshop help.

I can totally smell superstardom ahead for our little Walter...