Termite Free in NYC!

Brothers and Sisters:
Sounds like I took a trip at a good time. Alex writes of hundreds of termites in our little Los Angeles house. And here I am, three thousand miles away from the winged-infestation of Los Feliz. So a few days of solace from the ants & termites...
Took a 7:10am flight yesterday from Los Angeles. Read most of "The World According to Garp" on the plane. (I had sadly never read it, so when I saw it at the Great 2005 L-Kountz Yard Sale / Tecate Giveaway, I knew I just needed to pick it up, along with a tie, L's unwanted fancy crayons, and a couple of other pretty good libros I thought might be worth reading or at least putting on my bookshelf (I need another bookshelf... I'm officially out of room for books)). I landed at 3:30pm and the fun began...
You'll hear it all in good time. Happy Friday! - Eric

P.S. Would write more, but a store neglected to return my credit card after I bought a raincoat, so I need to go track down my American Express Card (just so the little space between my debt and my credit limit doesn't get filled by some jerk buying himself everything he's ever wanted at Spencer Gifts...)

TERMITES

We have termites in our living room. Confirmed it last night. For about a week, I've seen these winged insects either dead on the carpet or dead with their heads poking out through the holes of the sliding glass door screen. Even worse, I think, are the bodyless wings that are scattered on the kitchen floor and by the windows. I thought these were merely flying ants, a seasonal disturbance that would pass in a day or two. I don't mind bugs but yesterday really got to me. It was hot as hell yesterday; it was still plenty warm at 11pm when I got back home. I checked the window sill to see if the situation got worse because of the heat and yup it did. Instead of seeing like 10 or so dead bugs, I saw, in all seriousness about 100 dead bugs piled on top of each other. I got some paper towels and cleaned up the mess. I then started to get all paranoid that these bugs were everywhere and sure enough, when I sat down to read the paper on the couch, I found about 10 live ones crawling under the cushions and a couple hiding in the folds of a blanket. GROSS. I got my RAID out and started going buck wild. Then I finally hoped on the internet to see what the hell these winged insects were: TERMITES. I combed the brown carpet for more dead termites and I found a few before the ants could get to them. Then like any normal person, I started to feel bugs crawling on my skin even though of course I was just imagining it.
This morning, I've scheduled two inspections for next week. Last night, as I tried to fall asleep---thankfully, no bugs in my bedroom---, I decided that it might be worth looking around for somewhere else to live, a place without ants---we've had ants ever since we moved in over a year ago---without shitty carpeting, with better lighting, a place that doesn't get blazingly hot during the day, a place without disgusting termites!!!

LOVE
ALEX

PRELIM

It's been a crazy busy week on the doc but I did manage to catch a couple of flicks over the weekend: EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED & A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE.
Do NOT go see EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED. It is the worst film I've seen all year and I have seen them all (e.g. Fantastic Four, Cellular (pretty good actually), Must Love Dogs). Tonight over dinner, Vonds and I discussed our preliminary best and worst films of the year lists and EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED made it onto both our worst ofs. There isn't a single frame that sustains any interest whatsoever. It's truly bizarre. Sorry, Liev, but you done wasted some poor sap's moolah. You might be a great Shakespearean thesp, but a director you ain't. I should've done what Eric done did which was take a 45 minute long nap.
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE: the critics are more or less right. It's as good as people say it is though it's not Cronenberg at his most challenging. It reminds me a lot of Starship Troopers but more nuanced vis a vis audience bloodlust and filmic represenations of violence.

So before the Fall movie season truly kicks into gear this weekend, I offer you a preliminary 5 worst films of the year list.

WORST 5
5. Any JGyllenhaal movie. Last Thursday, I caught PROOF by myself. Could've been decent, but every time JG popped up on screen, I laughed and wanted to throw up. He is so ugly!!! Especially when he emotes (or whatever the hell you call what he does when shit don't go his way). Seriously friends, he is one ugly dude and in a middlebrow flick like PROOF, everyone better be good looking to sustain my interest. Plus, I'm supposed to believe he's a math phD candidate? How about that JARHEAD? He looks fucking stupid! Having read the book and seen what Anthony Swofford looks like, JG is totally gonna suck in the Suck. And oh yeah, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN...don't even get me started on that one. Like he's ever worn denim on denim before in his life! And that 10 gallon hat he wears! Wow that's just funny shit to me.
4. CONSTANT GARDENER. God, poverty has never looked so cool! Africa's burning but boy oh boy do those kids make for some sweet background! Let's emasculate the only African character in the whole movie and kill him off as if he were a darkie in a slasher flick! Let's set the movie in Africa but let's not deal with Africa! The acting is fine and the source material is fine but it's basically a porno.
3. MUST LOVE DOGS. I was embarrassed for all the actors in that film. Diane Lane is a great actor but boy was she awful here. John Cusack sleepwalked through the thing. I love dogs but this movie sucked.
2. MA MERE. Stupid stupid stupid. That is all.
1. EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED. NOTHING IS ILLUMINATED.

There's a ton of stuff to look forward to this Fall. Other than the latest offerings from the Dardennes, Haneke, Hou, and hopefully Denis, I look forward to seeing Spielberg's MUNICH and two Sundance docs I didn't get to see earlier this year: NEW YORK DOLL and WHY WE FIGHT.

LOVE
ALEX

It's a bird! It's a plane! Nevermind... Just another fiery something or other flying over Los Angeles...

Last night, Anna, a co-worker and I went to see Antony & The Johnsons. We met up with Alex, J-Innes, and Sarah-H at the show. On our way to a pre-show drink, Anna points up to the sky and asks, "What is that?". I explain that Antony is probably arriving at the Vista Theater in a spaceship.

As for Antony & The Johnsons, they put on a great show. Grown men cried. Alex held up his fist to give me a pound when during encore time Antony & Co. launched into a cover of VU's "Candy Says". A fantastic song to begin with, A & The J made it their own. Driving Anna home, I put on some Cat Stevens. Which matched well with Antony. It all struck me as so great when musicians can wear their emotions on their sleeve. Which leads to, I'm happy. It's Friday. I'm at my cubicle. Signing off. Happy weekend. And if you want to sing out, sing out! - Eric

P.S. Research Rocket Lights Up Sky
From Associated Press
September 23 2005
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.; A rocket carrying a military research satellite blasted off Thursday evening, dazzling spectators from California to Arizona with a rainbow of colors as it streaked across the sky at dusk.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rocket23sep23,0,1170411.story?coll=la-tot-promo

Van Morrison... I don't get him.

Dear G-d, I like pop music and all, but will i ever "get" Van Morrison? The dude just doesn't do it for me. I try and try, but his songs just aren't for me. Maybe these songs are an acquired taste, like olives or beer. Lord almighty, thanks for lending an ear. Stay cool, Eric

Unrelated to my letter to the divine regarding vm:
P.S. Okkervil River is coming to L.A. in a couple of weeks. Let's all get tickets!

P.P.S. ERIC WILL BE IN NEW YORK CITY NEXT THURSDAY (9/29) thru THE SUNDAY (10/2). I'm catching movies at New York Film Festival with my grandfather, but maybe Saturday night I'll be up for partying on the town. I was just in New York a few weeks ago for my birthday. I'm dangerously edging close to being bi-coastal, it seems.

P.P.P.P.S. I signed up for an improv comedy class at Upright Citizens Brigade. Last night was the first class. I haven't done improv since the college days. First class was fantastic. Will let you know how it goes as it progresses. There are some superfunny guys/gals in the class.

P.P.P.S. I wrote a song late on Friday night when I couldn't sleep. It goes:

In the middle of a dream, I became a smoke machine!
I showed you things you'd never seen, My spiderweb caught the laserbeams!
I was a light show! I was a light show!
And you were the audience! You were the audience!
I'm the awesomeness on the planetarium ceiling!
I just hope you feel what I'm feeling!

P.P.P.P.P.S. I've been listening to Dead Milkmen's "Soul Rotation" a lot lately. Say what you want about that album, but I wish I could personally thank every member of Dead Milkmen for it. It's really fun songs about paranoia, aliens, and suburbia's relation to Americana. If you can track down the album, listen to it a couple of times. I've been loving this album since it came out in '92. There's a pop melancholy behind a lot of the humor that I find endearing...

Sarah L. calls in to say hello to everyone...

The amazing Sarah L called on Sunday night from Lafayette, LA. She's traveled down there as a volunteer to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I'm sure she'll have plenty to tell everyone when she gets back. She called to let me know that she's okay. She also spoke of how horrific life still is for the survivors/evacuees. There is massive confusion between different government agencies and not everyone is getting the help they need. Giving money to the Red Cross, while a great thing to do, is not gonna help everyone who's suffering right now. After I spoke to Sarah, I felt proud of her for being brave enough, caring enough, and selfless enough to go down there to help so many people in need. - Eric

EMMYS

So last night I dipped toes back into the brackish waters of cater/waitering for about the first time in a month and a half and boy oh boy was it hell. There were oh I don't know 200 of us working the Emmys, which judging by the ridiculous amount of security, could easily have been mistaken for something important and serious like a G8 summit. In fact, the shuttle bus that took us from the parking center to the Shrine had a police escort and roads were blocked off with cement dividers. Definitely Al Qaeda proof because you know, the Emmys are such a huge blip on their radar.
There were a few familiar faces from the summer, but mostly, at staff meal, it seemed more like a refugee camp. A refugee camp of cultists given that all of us were wearing the same ugly beige nehru jackets. Everyone was handed out the same brown bag dinner. Weird.
The job lasted from 4:45-12:30. For a good 6 hours of that, I was on my feet, literally running ovals of food from the enormous temp kitchen to the glitzy, super dark Governor's Ball, clearing plates of half finished food, checking out celebrities, and at the end of the event, hauling 50 pound bags of trash up and down the Shrine, lifting and counting huge racks of dishes, hauling more trash, moving centerpieces from one side of the room to another (3 times no less!), and generally just getting p.o.ed. The most tiring and breakneck paced catering event I've ever worked. I sweated through my underwear and pants: the ass chafe was definitely on.
The Governor's Ball was very 80s but I don't think that was intentional. The color of the evening was black; the style neon Art Deco. The entertainment was an I-don't-know-what called the "10 Tenors," 10 Australians who sang really crappy pop songs choreographed to equally crappy dance routines. They were the worst tenors I've ever heard and they were so fruity that I thought they couldn't possibly be serious, that this indeed was kitsch of the worst kind. But I guess seeing some celebrities made the service part of the evening less unbearable. (favorite sightings: a very pregnant very stunning Heidi Klum and Sandra Oh's parents! GO KOREA!) Seated at my table were mostly I think behind the scenes producers and execs: no Geena Davis who by the way is more beautiful than Sela Ward who in turn is more beautiful than Eva Longoria who in turn is more beautiful than that fat guy from Lost whom I got to see eat a lot a lot of food. (I wish I had TV so I could write more about their talents rather than simply judge their looks, but let's get real, who cares about talent in Hollywood anyway?)
The food: shrimp cocktail, beef wellington, peach tart w/ ice cream. It all looked fine, but not when you see it all laid out row upon row in the kitchen. When we went in to bring out the shrimp, the kitchen reeked of seafood, seafood gone bad. Thousands of steamed shrimp: gross. Thousands of rare beef filets: gross. Thousands of melting peach tarts and ice cream: gross. I'm still amazed out how caterers are able to cater such huge events: really amazing, marvelous even.
When I got home, I felt like I had been jumped. This morning, I couldn't get out of bed and go to class. Back was sore from all the improper lifting and my whole upper body was numb from all sorts of carrying of stupid items like VOSS water. I officially hate VOSS. What arrogant assholes those marketers are.
I'll probably cater/waiter again, but not the Emmys.

LOVE
ALEX

won't you take me to pizzatown?

eric:
mat-j and i waited in line at casa bianca in eagle rock last night for over an hour. there was an impatient kid who at one point, nearly defeated by the wait for dinner, said, "i want hot pizza all over my body". how weird/funny is that? i burnt the roof of my mouth on the pizza. thumbs up.

can anyone in new york recommend any good temp agencies? not for me. for a friend.

surprise beck show tomorrow night at the el-rey. i completely failed to get tickets. friend of ticketmaster is no friend of mine. anyway, it's okay. i really need to hit the theater this weekend and catch up on movies. i still haven't seen junebug!

i turned in the camry for a blue mazda 6, which is smaller and more fun. another month 'til my car is fixed.

on saturday, i'm test driving cars to see what my next car will be. audi a3 3.2 hits dealerships in december. i think it's, in the words of Grease, "the one that i want, ooh ooh ooh." unless of course i find a used 246 dino.

my mom bought me the brightest madras shirt, which i wore to work today. just wearing this shirt makes me happier...

-Eric

SLOW DOWN

Alex needs to slow down! School is wearing me out a bit of late. Don't know where all this stress is coming from. Shouldn't school be fun? The more I think about it, the more I question being back in school. I talked to my pops about it this summer, about my dropping out/taking a leave of absence, and he ixnayed that asap. I was like, fine, maybe school'll be of some benefit but now finding myself stressed and unhappy about school (mostly b/c of the doc I'm crewing on) I wish I'd been a little more forceful in explaining my situation to da, post-Sundance. Now that the script I've worked on is finished---needs to be read and drafted again---I can get things going professionally through the contacts I made at Sundance and maintained throughout the summer and get in touch w/ some friends who work in the biz and might be able to help a brother out. But the catch is that school's taking up so much of my time that I worry I won't be able to fully focus on the shit that'll get me going as a writer or hopefully as a director. I've tried hard to make time for the work, but it's been difficult this week to find time for it. FUCK!!! And what's so good about USC's instruction really? My buddy at NYU won a silver medal at the Student Academy Awards this year and when I looked at the list of all the nominees in the different categories, there wasn't a single USC student among them! Incredible.

LOVE
ALEX

Don't stay out too late on Saturday Night... OK Go is on Mad TV!

OK Go website says: "OK Go will be bringing their critically-acclaimed dance to MAD TV this Saturday, September 17th, which airs on FOX. Tune in!"

Eric says, "Alex, we have a widescreen HD television. You think we can spring for some rabbit ears so we can get some reception and see "The Oak" do their thing?"

In unrelated news, I'm sick. Flu. Stuffy nose. Sore throat. Yet still at work. Fighting the good fight. And sniffling.

In need of chicken soup, Eric

P.S. Watched "Oldboy" last night. Visually stunning, 'though it got way slow near the end. The film finally answers the big question: How much mandoo does someone need to eat to get sick of it? 15 years, apparently.

Tonight Show meets OK Go and all is awesome in the universe...

OK Go were on the Tonight Show tonight. This afternoon, thanks to the amazing power of Neighbor Matt, I along with Kat, Alex, and Hil, sat in a studio in a Burbank and saw the whole thing get taped. The four of us sat in the front row and totally got to be closest to Leno during his monologue. While it was pretty neat to see the show getting taped (Jay Leno comes across as the nicest guy in the world), the best part of my week was sitting there and seeing/listening/experiencing OK Go scorch the stage. It's cool to see A-Ross as part of this rock band that's touring with a wonderful new album, Oh No (in stores now!), and even cooler when you're watching it when it's being filmed for network television. We went backstage afterwards and got to chat a little with A-Ross...

Alex and I are going to see OK Go, or as I call them, "The Oak" (not really) tomorrow night at their L.A. show. I saw them at Spaceland a few months back and my eardrums and I enjoyed it so much, we're giddy to once again, bear witness to OK Go...
- Eric

Oh, by the way: If you haven't seen OK Go's "A Million Ways" video yet, make your day a lot better by clicking on one of the following:
Windows Media

Real Player

Quicktime

Fundraiser #1

Eric here:

As some of you may know, I'm a big fan of Beck.
To raise money to donate to the Red Cross, I'm selling some of my beck collection.
I have a bunch of vinyl 45's (7" singles).
If you know a beck fan who's a collector, please share this list with them.

Here's what I'm selling:
1 Copy of Pay No Mind w/ Picture Sleeve - description is that it's a euro copy, Holland
1 Copy of Deadweight w/ Picture Sleeve - corners a little bent on cover. record looks good.
4 Copies of Loser w/ Picture Sleeve - 2 in amazing condition, 2 in good condition
1 Copy of Devils Haircut w/ Picture Sleeve - VG condition
2 Copies of Jackass w/ Picture Sleeve - VG Condition
3 Copies of Sissyneck w/ Pic Sleeve - VG Condition; 1 is showing shape of record.
2 Copies of Tropicalia w/ Pic Sleeve - VG Condition
2 Copies of Loser with Blue Sleeve (Jukebox version, b-side is Alcohol)
2 Copies of It's All In Your Mind w/ Pic Sleeve - VG Condition
1 Copy of Pearl Jam Christmas 7" with Sleepless Nights on B-Side w/ Pic Sleeve - Good Condition
1 Copy of Mixed Bizness w/ Pic Sleeve - Good Condition
1 Jabberjaw Boxed Set - Box is a little dented, but records and sleeves are in great shape...

Anyway, that's all for now (for Fundraiser #1). If interested, people can write me at the above e-mail address.
-Eric

Thai Elvis...

Palms Thai has re-opened. Will report as soon as I try it. Jonathan Gold says it's still good, if not better. Here's a picture of Thai Elvis that was in last week's LA Weekly...



I've only tried a few Thai places in Thai Town in L.A. Some are good. Ruen Pair was my fav for a while... but a little problem arose. (For those outside of L.A., a little info: every place that sells food of any kind in Los Angeles is given a letter grade on their cleanliness: Most get an A... Some get a B... And the dirty ones, they get a C. Well, Ruen Pair had been a B, and then it dropped to C. Until they move up to a B or A, I don't think I can eat there... It's a little silly, as it was probably C conditions while I was there a couple weeks prior... Nontheless...

I haven't yet eaten at a C. (I did sit down at one with Hil (Sapp Coffee Shop) and there was a weird smell, so we had our drinks and left) Anyone brave/foolish enough to eat at a C? - Eric

P.S. Scary thought: Word on the street (by street, I mean amongst the sorta foodies who frequent Chowhound) is that some restaurants are posting photocopied grades. So that seemingly clean restaurant you're eating at might really be a C. This is cheating, and I suspect it's pretty rare if it happens...

Labor Day...

Eric here:

New York was over a week ago and I still haven't written about the b-day celebration.
J-Ro plus One, E-Hals, G. Via G., my sister K, Paul, Dr. Smith & IMG (Carman 1201 Represent!), Mr. & Mrs. G-A, A-Scardino all were at John's for Pizza, as was someone else, I'm surely leaving out. Whomever you are, forgive me.

Post-pizza, we all embarked to Wogie's, where more people showed up. We took the bar over in the name of Eric. Lots and lots of drinking. B-Talbs, GregKinLA, M-Balfe, A-Wurth, D-Targs, Wisco B, JH4 (L.A. missed you) and many many more... Who am I leaving out? Again, I beg your forgiveness. A-Davie and J-Kraj rolled in smoothly near midnight. The highlight for most was the bartender putting on Beck's "Debra" on the stereo. Paul and I put on a lipsynch performance that would rival the best. I fell to my knees and did my best James Brown. Maybe it was the atmosphere, Maybe it was the combination of beverages in my abdomen (in addition to quite a few beers, shots taken by that point: jagermeister, maker's mark, kamikaze, tequila, and something red(?))... Whatever it was, I was a showman, and earned that applause. The highlight for me 'though, was seeing my friends and family; realizing: "L.A. might be treating me well, but New York & Connecticut are home".

Somewhere around 4am, I was eating french fries. I woke up around 9am. Ouch. In no mood for breakfast, I sat around and let Gatorade and aspirin work their magic. Met up with sister K on the train. Headed home. Amazing birthday dinner with the family. Mom blew my mind with the dessert, a fruit trifle, that was so fantastic of her to take the time to make. (I tend to prefer fruit desserts, as chocolate gives me a headache) It was a gargantuan trifle, layers of cake, sliced fruit, creme anglais (thanks L), and fresh whipped cream. Grandpa joined and we had a great dinner...

Monday, I went into the city with Mom and Sister K, saw the sister who is just starting college, and I then jumped in a taxi to the east side. Met up with JH3 outside his apartment and walked him to his dentist appointment... he could've walked himself, mind you... I just wanted to meet up with him while I had a chance... Wandered around for a bit... Ended up at Moma, where I wandered around for 90 minutes (Thanks E!) Mixed feelings about the new Moma. At times, it just feels like an Apple Store (is that a bad thing) but it was my first time at MoMA Redux, and I gotta say, I like it... I still don't know visual art well (thanks for nothing Art Hum), but I enjoy museums (No, I haven't been to the Mutter museum, but next time I'm on the East Coast, I hope to go) of all types... Fun people-watching... E & I jumped on the E Train (named after her or me?) and went to her apartment. A couple beers later, we split up. I met up with Mr. & Mrs. G-A for dinner at Frank. Great dinner, 'though restaurant was empty... I, suprisingly, did not have the usual rigatoni al ragu. I had spaghetti-esque pasta. It went well with the wine.

After dinner, we walked over to the Continental. Heavy Metal Karaoke. B-Talbs came down to hang out. E-Hals and the famous Rob both came as well. Heavy Metal Karaoke is great. You have a live band that knows hundreds of metal and punk songs that plays the music for you. All you need to do is rock the vocal. Maybe it was being nervous... Maybe it was that I hadn't heard the song in a long time, but my rendition of Sabbath's "Paranoid" was at times, pretty sloppy. You should definitely know the song well before you get up there. The audience still applauded heavily for me. If there's one thing I'm good at in life, it's singing Black Sabbath on karaoke night.

I went to Mr & Mrs. G-A's house in NJ for the night. I fell asleep watching a history channel type show about British paratroppers.

All for now, Eric

P.S. My company is matching for donations to the Red Cross. I donated today, and never has any donation I've made felt so small. Selling some stuff on ebay I don't need to try and raise some more money to donate. Anyone out there wanna share in how they're helping with the Katrina relief effort? I might try to volunteer at work to help with the clothing/food/etc. drive.

California, did you miss me? It's the same Eric. Only with a slightly lighter wallet.

After the car accident last week, it felt good to be going on vacation. I've returned from my birthday travels to the East Coast. Each day there was full of fantastic moments. And now, here I am, back in Los Angeles, feeling like I usually feel after a great trip to the East Coast: far far away from home. I don't have the time right now to discuss everything in detail, but I'm planning to ASAP...

On Friday, I left work a little early and went home, packed my bags, and ran some errands. At 9:45, my plane lifted off from Long Beach. Next to me: some dude with a full tennis outfit and rackets, looking ready for a long nap before the big game. I had a big game of my own coming up on Saturday...

Anyway, I took a couple of painkillers and fell asleep listening to my ipod shuffle. Mark my words: in '05, I'm getting a regular ipod, and I'm going to make a mix of music to sleep to. Whale songs vs. Sufjan Stevens vs. Alisdair Roberts megamix, here I come! (If you haven't heard Illinoise, pick that shit up: Casmir Pulaski Day is my fav. song of the summer (aside from whatever music ends up on alex's sounds-from-the-street-summer '05-thug-jams-mixtape). Alex loves some hip hop. Keep sending it downstairs man... Keeps me inspired to follow my dreams of having every eardrum in America bleeding from the M.C. Nuggets inevitable triple-album.

I slept and woke up in New York. 5:55am. SATURDAY!!!
Gate -> Baggage Claim -> Airtrain -> E-Train -> Former Apartment on Waverly Place.

I woke Paul and Martha up gently (no airhorn or crying babies unfortunately at my disposal). Paul and I went on a walk for orange juice and seltzer. We fell back asleep. At noon, I woke up. We all stepped out the door and headed out for Brunch.

Alas, Grey Dog was packed. No super-thick toast or homemade raspberry iced tea for the time being...
We turned a corner, and fate struck.
BLUE RIBBON BAKERY.
I hadn't eaten since lunch the day before, which resulted in the gluttony of ordering a 6 oz steak with two poached eggs on top of it. A breakfast of champions. The red wine sauce on top of all it sealed the deal.
Blue Ribbon Bakery is fantastic. Thumbs up.
The pate was too cold and too dense and thick to be really enjoyable, but everything else was great. If you love bread, hit it up sometime for brunch.

Went back to the apartment. Paul, Martha and I watched a few episodes of Chapelle Show. Paul ran away for his bocce ball championships. (The other team didn't show up so Team Balzac came out ahead!) My sister K showed up. We watched Wet Hot American Summer, and Martha packed. She had to leave that night for work in Vegas. Legit work, unfortunately, but I'm sure she'll return with some fantastic stories, nontheless...

Sister K and I walked around a bit. I had an iced tea while she ate her lunch. It was late afternoon. My phone rang. Paul. We met up with him, J-Ro, and M. The Belgian Beer Bar on West Fourth. Vol de Nuit is the name. Yes, Hoegaarden and Lambic Framboise wrapped the afternoon up quite nicely.

We headed over to John's Pizza on Bleecker Street and got in line. Autographed picture of Dave Faustino in the window. It's a pizza that Bud and I can agree about. More about that later.

It's 7pm... I'm headed out now. Memories of a birthday party like none I've ever had to come soon. Looking forward to sharing them. Yours, Eric

P.S. West Coasters: This Saturday (I'll send an invite out) I'm hoping to have my California birthday bash. I'm thinking of a lunch, at The Bucket in Eagle Rock. Burgers and buckets and beer, Oh My! As soon as I know, will let you know...

P.P.S. Bought a new cell phone (old number will still work) and um, I lost the rental whip in the mall parking structure. Called Mom and had a great quick talk with her about the sneakers she got me, while I walked around, trying to find the fly gold ride. I eventually found El Toyota de Oro. Camrys are very easy to lose. Next time I rent a car, I'm going into Hertz/Enterprise with a plan: White Countach.

SCRIPT

Finished the screenplay I've been working on since February a couple of days ago. My goal was to finish it before school started, but what can you do, things got in the way of that, but hell, I was pretty close don't you think? Towards the end, instead of writing effective dialogue, I had my characters --- the story's bloated right now mostly cause I love my characters so much, so much so that I didn't want their lives to end---say shit like "blah blah blah?" "blah blah:" I wanted to get the action and structure right and worry about what's said later. Dialogue is important, sure, but when you think of it, not so much, at least when it comes to contemporary movies. So now that I have a pretty good beginning, a distended middle, and a sweet lump-in-throat ending, I have to print the sucker and start reading what I've written. I do have flashcards (ha! flashcards!) taped to black posterboard above my desk w/ scene headings and notes, but that's only effective as a reference. The thing is, I don't want to print out the screenplay at home b/c I can't print double sided. Might have to ask someone who works in an office for a favor.

Then what else? Oh yeah, I got my ass torn up by a single mosquito the other night. Lack of sleep that night contributed to a very looong Wednesday.

But in all seriousness, since I don't have TV or read news online---can't stand it---I've only seen a handful of photographs of New Orleans, Biloxi, and other Southern cities. Michael Ignatieff writes about how the media especially through images has made human suffering more immediate but because we've become so inundated w/ these pictures, the effect they have on us now is not dissimilar to that of pornography. I sorta understand his point, but hell, that's no excuse not to do anything about it.

LOVE
ALEX