Can anybody find me... good pad thai?

No one in Los Angeles seems to understand how to make tofu pad thai. The tofu is disgusting. This county is 0 for 3 in terms of Pad Thai.
I miss Thai Spoon on Harrison and Wabash in Chicago. It may not have been the very best Thai ever, but it was cheap and delicious. The tofu was always perfect--dried before frying. $6.06 plus the $1.35 for a bottle of Coke in the film building was my favorite lunch. Not even AstroBurger can compare. And I never had to pay for parking.
Point is, for being a diverse, desegregated city in comparison to Chicago, Los Angeles has not provided any good ethnic food. It's frustrating. I cannot live on burgers forever.

Toyotas and Tofu: The Bane of Los Angeles.
I need to get out of the area for awhile. I've been here six consecutive weeks. I haven't stayed in a city this long in about three years. Perhaps I will drive down to San Diego some weekend.

After an Evening without Internet

Last night, the internet in my home ceased to work. Today on the lot, the internet for my building was down. I was 30% cutoff from the world. Instead of panicking, like I do, I worked on my spec, uninterrupted.
Needless to say, my brain hurts. Spending that much time with a television show is not pleasant, and I have no idea how one could write for television as a career. My realization that I am not meant for the world of TV Drama is now complete. While I would not turn down a job in television, I am not going to pursue one with any sort of fervor.
Fervor is a dirty little word, isn't it?

I will be so relieved when I am back in film classes. It is a shame, though, that saying good-bye to my taste of television means saying good-bye to a few of my classmates. Rachel, in particular, will be missed. Without her around, I will probably get fat from a lack of hiking or mobility in general. She also forced wit out of me on a few occasions, and it was nice to have to be sharp and have to pick up on sarcasm.

Alas, I have distracted myself long enough now that my internet has returned. There are still pages to be written and edits to be made. This episode of Without a Trace may kill me before tomorrow. While I enjoy the show immensely, I want to be writing other things in such a bad way.
Whatever. The sooner I start, the sooner I can finish, and the sooner I can get back to my cop and my koala.

This Sunday's Nouning: A Recap of The SiLA TV Drama Writing Program. Lucky you.

Dear Toyota, I Hate Your Stinking Guts.

I drive a Pontiac with a Toyota engine. Most days, I feel I drive it rather well. However, for all intents and purposes, I do not drive a Toyota vehicle. In Los Angeles, that fact alone makes me a better driver than about 10% of the Los Angeles area.
Toyota drivers are the worst. Especially if they drive a Prius. This is pretty easily explained when you think about the ideology behind buying a Toyota:
-Folks who buy Toyotas are usually middle-class people who want good gas mileage and a decent safety rating. They don't appreciate well-engineered cars that hold the road, nor do they seem to understand the need for windows in a vehicle.
Having just purchased a car, and having considered purchasing several of Toyota's models, I can safely say that these things are riddled with blind spots. All of them. Especially the Prius. They are also not designed to hold the road. Now, my car is no German wonder or anything, but I can see, and I know that when it rains or snows, I'm golden. In fact, I've driven it through a snow storm. I've also driven Toyotas in flurries to find myself a little scared.
So they are soley worried about money. They drive too fast; they drive to work. They double park to ensure a lack of contact. They're cold and angry people.
-Folks who buy the Prius are morons. It gets only 10 miles a gallon better to the gallon than most fuel-efficient non-Hybrid cars, and they all meet emissions standards. However, when you examine the cost of owning and maintaining a Prius versus the amount saved in gasoline, the numbers do not add up unless you plan on owning the car for more than seven years. These cold, money-saving bastards are screwing themselves out of their own almighty dollar. Eventually they must realize this and their conscious suddenly feels conflicted. They will not hold onto a car to the point that it becomes ugly or outdated. They're angry and dissatisfied. And a danger to others on the road.
I think everyone must agree, then, that Toyotas are responsible for more evil than good in this world. Car accidents, road rage, a lack of moral conscience and proactive environmentalism have made these cars the bane of my driving existence.
Ban the Toyota. Buy anything else. Buy Pontiac, Mitsubishi. If you can, buy German. Or buy a damned Honda.

Nouning: The Academy Awards

I just returned home from Hollywood where a group from class watched The Oscars from behind the Kodak Theater. It was a cool night, albeit a little not full of surprises.
This week's will include positives and negatives.

Positive (Oscar) People:
1. Sean Penn: Awesome (Commie, Homo-loving) Best Actor
2. James Franco and Seth Rogan and Janusz Kaminski: Awesome (Comedy) Presenters.
3. Jack Black and Jennifer Aniston: Awesome (Animation) Duo.
4. John Legend: Awesome (Peter Gabriel Replacement) Performance
5. Kate Winslet: Awesome (Best Actress) Acceptance Speech.
6. Dustin Lance Black: Awesome (Kind and Compassionate) Acceptance Speech.
7. Danny Boyle's Daughters: Awesome (Keep an eye on the camera) Oscar Hair.
8. Hugh Jackman: Awesome (Talented) Host

Positive (Oscar) Places:
1. The Kodak Theater: Awesome (Incredibly Close) Re-vamped Theater.
2. India: Awesome (Slumdog) Country
3. Japan: Awesome (two winners) Country
4. Germany: Awesome (Holocaust Film) Backdrop

Positive (Oscar) Things:
1. Natalie Portman's Dress: Awesome (Pink) Deviation from the Champagne Nastiness.
2. Homage to the Movie-Musical: Awesome (Baz Lurman-coordinated) Routine.
3. Hugh Jackman's Opener: Awesome (Hilarious) Kick-off
4. Best Supporting and Lead Actor/Actress Presentation: Awesome (New) Oscar Gimmick.
5. Amy Adams' Necklace: Awesome(Non-Diamond Boringness) Jewelry.
6. The Documentary Guys: Awesome (Magical Shout-Out to Herzog) Prolonged Thank-you.
7. Danny Elfman's Score: Awesome(Overlooked) Nominee.

Negative (Oscar) People:
1. Sophia Loren: Ookie (Old) Presenter.
2. A.R. Rahman: Ookie (Boring Thank-You) Winner.
3. Daniel Day Lewis: Ookie (Absent) Presenter

Negative (Oscar) Places:
1. Japan: Ookie (Beat Israel) Winner for Best Foreign Film.
2. Highland Ave.: Ookie (Closed) Main Road.

Negative (Oscar) Things:
1. Slumdog's Score: Ookie (Elfman-Beating) Score Winner.
2. Champagne-Colored Dresses: Ookie (Boring, Not-for-White-Women) Color of the Season.
3. Predictability: Ookie (Hope-crushing) Trend.
4. Disney-Channel Stars: Ookie (I know they're people but not really) Vanessa, Zac, and Miley.

And that's that.
Also under negatives but not fitting the format: lack of Hellboy 2, Iron Man, and James Franco nominations.

Socks to be me. Ding dong the mouse is dead.

This week has been ridiculous, but tonight I received the saddest ego-boost ever.
Where to begin: my car has a stalker. We've established this.
Yesterday, before a job interview, a mouse ran across my foot and my bedroom floor. He stayed in there for a bit, my roommate locked him in, and then I had to drive her to work. I came home and opened my door. Then I went and bought a trap. This morning, a mouse, perhaps the same one, was dead in the kitchen. I slept on a pull-out couch. So unpleasant.
Also yesterday, I went to a friend's house to hide from the mouse. We ended up playing pool in Beverly Hills, then going on a Garden State-meets-Pineapple Express adventure into Bel Air.
Today, toured Paramount. Bay may or may not have been there. I wish I could have seen him.
Later today, I called Christine because I received a beautiful pair of custom-made socks in the mail. That makes two packages and one letter this week. Anyway, the point is, I realized that I took so many of my friends for granted while I was in Chicago. It's a strange realization, especially because I love them so much. But I never realized until they were so far away how vital all of them were to my development as a person. While sitting along the pool today, I discussed with Rachel how certain people are in your life for a time, and perhaps they leave, but the change they make in you is forever. While I believe I will see Christine, Jordan, Andy, Mike, Cody, Paul, Nick, Connor, Sabrina, Jim, and the others again, if I don't, at least I will always have the person I am today and the person I will become, which is infinitely happier and more fulfilled, compassionate, and loved than I would be otherwise. I only hope they can say the same of me. After tonight, talking with Christine, I think there's hope of that.
And damn it, I'm a sucker for hope.

Here's to a better couple of days!

My Car is Being Stalked

Apparently, my car has a stalker or two.
This morning, around 5 a.m., my roommate Georgie came knocking on my door. Having just seen The Omen two days ago, I was scared and it took me a second to respond. Apparently, two people were outside starting my my car. They set off my other roommate's car alarm. Not wanting to go outside, and not sure where these car stalkers had gotten to, Georgie called the police. When the officer came over, he said there were no scratches or signs of forced entry on my car, but that perhaps it was tree branches that set off the car alarm. But I don't think Georgie would mistake tree branches for people. Oddly enough, though, there were also no footprints. I'm totally puzzled. My car has a ghost-stalker. Maybe it's the exotic appeal of my Illinois license plate or the total soccer-momishness of the hatchback. I dig it, so it's no wonder two mysterious strangers would find it appealing as well.
But honestly. Weird as hell.

Nouning: I lied about Coraline. We're doing the Holiday Weekend Instead

This weekend is riddled with Holidays: Friday the 13th, Valentine's Day, and Presidents Day. So I'm going to noun my weekend (Monday hasn't happened yet, I know)

Awesome (Holiday) People:
1. Ben and Kate: Awesome (Friday the 13th) Movie Buddies
2. Dave P.: Awesome (Valentine's Day) Brotherly Phone Call.
3. Rachel: Awesome (V-Day and maybe President's Day) Hiking Buddy.
4. Jenna Jameson: Awesome (Friday the 13th) Zombie Stripper

Awesome (Holiday) Places:
1. Griffith Park: Awesome (Valentine's Day) Hike--6 miles!
2. Underground Strip Clubs: Awesome (Friday the 13th) Terrible Setting for a Movie.
3. Mikeandcheese.com: Awesome (Valentine's Day) Site--I know I've mentioned it before, but Mike makes V-Day fun for all.

Awesome (Holiday) Other Things:
1. Pad Thai: Awesome (Valentine's Day) Early Dinner
2. The Omen: Awesome (Friday the 13th) Flick
3. Chardonnay: Awesome (Valentine's Day) Gift to Myself
4. Days off: Awesome (President's Day) Idea

There you have it. Next week's topic might come a day late because I'm doing The Oscars.

Laundry Day

My washing machine (wachine mashine?) is still broken, so I went to the laundry place down the street. I rather hate the word laundromat, so laundry place can and does suffice. Point is, I bought a bunch of quarters, which is always a good time, and before realizing that my drier is still in perfect condition, began drying my clothes at the laundry place. Doing laundry in public is the absolute worst, and I've been avoiding it all week, and it is just as bad as I expected. Loads of people skirting around each other in a public place, trying to hide their personal dirties. Add to this the fact that LA is image-conscious and s different sort of culture than what I'm used to, and you've got yourself Xaney-fest 2009. I'm trying to calm down before I go remove my clothes from the two driers and continue my quest for a job.

Here we are four hours later and I'm still not calm. Bear with me for a moment while I describe panic. Sometimes confronting the beast helps.
When I get panicked, it's for one of two reasons--the big one being people. With people, which is the sort of panic I am feeling today, it usually feels as though I am a piece of silly putty and three or four grubby little kids have decided to stretch me at the same time. Inevitably, when silly putty stretches, holes form where it gets too thin--no group of little grubbers takes the time to stretch it evenly. These holes are the panic, and as I allow myself to be stretched, the hole grows. Eventually, these holes spread and cause the silly putty to tear. If I allow myself to be stretched any farther, I will have a big panic moment--sometimes referred to as a panic attack. Which is about as dumb as laundromat. So, what it comes down to is this: in the laundry place, I felt panicked. While driving, I felt panicked. When at the mall... but honestly, this one shouldn't count because anyone who isn't sketched out by the mall is probably the crazy one. But then I sit at my computer and I've got three different people making plans tonight, and I remember tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and why that matters I don't know, and I have to write 30 pages (no big thing) but then you see how it is... That hole just got huge. All in my head. And somehow, I have to roll myself back together. So that's it. It's vaguely senseless, but it's been a part of my day, and I suppose a lot of people find themselves in similar situations. And Whitman said to cast our webs, to connect our spheres, and we will feel less lonely. And I believe him.

In other news: this week's bit of nouning will be a recap of the movie Coraline. So now we all have something we can anticipate. Yeah!

Coffee or Wine? Forget it all and give me a burger.

Right now, I am debating between a second glass of wine or a cup of coffee. I'm not sure if I want to go to bed early or stay up late. These are my big decisions in LA. That and what I want to do with my life. But I keep putting that one off. I'm just a kid, right? Damn it, that's twice tonight I've sounded like an X-man (person?). Where the hell are my superpowers? And predicting Steeler's interceptions doesn't count--except on that wonderful, glorious, beautiful SuperBowl. Thank you, thank you Harrison. (I'm not ready to let it go just yet... SIX...)

Yesterday, I visited AstroBurger. Since coming here, I have been trying burgers like mad because, outside of Blackie's on Printer's Row and The Wabash Tap, I was never satisfied. However, AstroBurger, recommended to me by Hilary Swank via People Magazine (or was it VH1?), was amazing. A great follow-up to a week that included In-and-Out Burger and Barney's Beanery. Barney's was good--Kobe beef, swiss cheese, medium well. But I am a sucker for fast food, and AstroBurger was quick, it was cheap, and it was delightful. (That's what she said, yeah?) And it's right down the street from Raleigh, so I can go whenever.
So, score yet another one for LA. I cannot wait to have a job and get fat from all the burgers.
Also yesterday, I climbed a rock or foothill or whatever with my same friend, Rachel. We didn't realize how soft the rocks were. They crumble. And it had just rained. Needless to say, we did not make it to the top. But getting down, it turns out, is harder. I think there is a life lesson in there--probably something about pressing on, but since we ended up climbing down successfully and making a fair mess of the seats of our pants in the process, I can't quite make the connection. Oh well. It was so worth it. I felt like one of Peter Pan's Lost Boys which is probably one of the better feelings in this world.
Score again for LA. You can't get high adventure like that in Chicago.

And in other news, Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Actually, since it's this week, I suppose we've passed a corner. This probably means a care-package from my mom. I really can't complain. But if you want to see a good rant that will make all us lonely folk feel better, check out mikeandcheese.com. This kid is hilarious.

Another Morning Quickie... Privacy Issues

In about 15 minutes, I am going to leave for class where we will be discussing one-another's beat sheets. It has always been my opinion that beat sheets are of a personal nature, and are structured as the person sees fit to suit their own understanding of emotional shifts and scene work. OUTLINES are useful in discussing how heavy or light a scene is, and how much material is useless, useful, and where the plot holes are located. But yesterday, I shared my beat sheet with thc class--my beat sheet strucured like an outline. And today, I will critique other's private writing techniques based on what my instructor, who does not actually seem invested or interested in the class, has "taught" us.
In about 5 hours, I will find out whether or not our washing machine is fixed, and then, possibly, go and air my dirty laundry in public. Laudromats scare me. Actually, taking my laundry in public scares me--especially towels, underwear, and socks. The socks and underwear are so easy to lose, and so easy to misplace, and, they are also the most awkward to think of someond finding. Here's hoping that machine is fixed and working by the end of today, because I cannot go another day without doing laundry.

Today, I'm going to lay it all out there--flash Los Angeles County, if you will. Too bad I'm so pasty from winter in the Midwest.

And before I forget, please visit Andy Hannon's Blog. He's a funny kid with a funny contest. But don't enter the contest, because I think I should win since I'd like to see banana bread travel 2000 miles.

Nouning: California Positives

Here is a list of positive nouns about being in California This is more for my own sanity than anything, but maybe nouning will become a Sunday ritual for me:

Positive (New) People:
1. Georgie: Awesome roommate.
2. Rachel: Awesome (hiking) classmate.
3. Eric: Awesome (annoyed) classmate.
4. Chris: Awesome (asshole) classmate.
5. Jeremy: Awesome Friend-of-a-friend
6. Sean: Awesome-ish (kinda, I guess... just kidding, Sean is fun) Friend-of-a-friend.
7. Zach: Awesome (pug owning) friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend.
8. Lou: Awesome WWII Vet and Olympian.
9. Jack Gilbert: Awesome instructor.

Positive (New) Places:
1. My house: Awesome cute little office space and cute little bedroom and cute little yard.
2. Griffith Park: Awesome hiking trails.
3. In-and-Out Burger: Awesome (cheap) burger place!

Positive (New) Other Things:
1. My car: Awesome Pontiac Vibe in Salsa Red.
2. Writing letters: Awesome way to stay in touch, plan the revolution, and pass the time.
3. My cabinet in my room: Awesome place for hanging random stuff from friends (send more!).
4. Dolphins: Awesome creatures in the wild!
5. Sunshine: Awesome way to make me smile.
6. Howl and Other Poems: Awesome (not new) poetry that has saved my life.

See, things aren't so bad? I just have to adjust to the new environment, and that will take awhile. I can't wait, though, until I can list Awesome (New) Job among the Positive (New) Other Things.
Here's hoping for a Positive Week! And a new category idea...

Plumbing--What a Strange Word

So, I wake up this morning, and I smell like cigarettes. Yes, I succumbed and smoked a few. It had been three months, and now I feel kinda bad about it, but I've had my fix for another three months, I suppose. Honestly, though, it just reminded me of Chicago and how I met people out there. Now, it's a way to escape from people and remember. Point is, I smelled out-of-character, so I wanted to shower. Our hot water was not working. I have no idea if it was the water heater, or some big karmic kick in the ass for smoking, but the water is just barely lukewarm. So I take the first cold shower of my life, and it's for all the wrong reasons. Not that there are ever right reasons to take a cold shower, but there are certainly more dramatic ones. I get done with the worst shower ever, and not five minutes later, the maintenance guy comes to fix things.
Then, I go to do laundry. Georgie informs me that the washing machine is, once again, broken. So, I was supposed to go for a hike and 1, but I'm instead stuck waiting on another maintenance guy to fix the washing machine. Then I'm going to go for a really long hike, wash my towels, and take a really long, really hot shower.

In other news, my faith was restored in the power of imagination when I went to see Coraline in 3-D last night. It was whimsical and beautiful. It threw realism to the wind in everything from acknowledging Coraline's beautiful blue hair to creating a lore and a story that felt scary enough to get me out of my seat. Mr. Gaiman, Mr. Selick, bravo. I love you. The children who see this movie and got to see something new and real love you. And if they don't now, they will in the future when they realize the worlds you opened for them. Even the 3-D felt like less of a gimick than it normally does, emphasizing the bizarre world and pulling me in deeper. The past three months, I have found myself leaving more and more movies smiling. Even with life, both on mass and personal levels, being so chaotic and unpredictable, the film industry is giving me (and others, I'm sure) hope in the human spirit, in the individual's ability to influence the collective conscience. I so wish to be a part of it!

The things I do on rainy days...

So, after two facebook notes, the most boring class ever, Tyra, and Maury, I find myself wondering what it is I am doing with my life.
Actually, that's a lie. It feels like real college right now, which is too funny.

But seriously, I was watching Tyra and she posed this question: If you found out your sig. o. was "gay for pay" how would you feel?
And she got half an hour out of that. I'm having a hard time coming up with a second sentence.

Today, I think I realized I don't want to work in television as a writer. Unless I'm writing bad ideas for daytime talk shows.

This blog of mine needs to find a focus. I need a hobby. Or a job. Or something.
Any ideas?

Morning Quickie... AND SOLITICITATION

I sent out five letters to be mailed to various parts of Illinois ranging from its largest to (probably) one of its smallest towns. And one to Michigan-almost forgot about that. Writing letters is so fun. I had forgotten how fun, actually.
SO with that I am soliciting you, my readers, for some help:
I have a bookshelf. Only three shelves are filled with books. I also have a wall with a mirror and lots of space. SEND ME PICTURES--I don't care if they're drawn or photographed, but send me pictures. They can be silly or seriously or sentimental, but all I ask is that you mail them to me. Let me know if you need my address in Glendale, because, and I'm serious here I'm serious, folks, brown walls are not pleasant. However, pictures, like the ones on my cabinet in my room, are extremely heart-lightening and superfun. And I want to remember everyone. AND you will probably get a letter back because I love writing letters. And because I don't have to walk down 17 floors and through a creepy hallway to mail them--I just reach out my front door.
So this is quite the deal people. It's better than Shamwow. It's better the Oxyclean. Don't send 19.95, send a picture, and in return you get a piece of your work in sunny Glendale and a return letter. From ME!

Super Bowl Blues

My team won. The Steelers have six Super Bowl wins--more than anyone else. Beautiful. Chicago sent me over 100 text messages tonight, plus two or three phone calls, plus some outgoing ones of my own. The Super Bowl is honestly a bigger deal to me than my birthday. It's something I look forward to every year, and I'm glad I had a place to go tonight. But damn it, Chicago misses me. And I miss it.
But wasn't that game amazing? That was a Super Bowl. It was only boring for about ten minutes. Excitement, close calls, weird calls, and good defense from both sides all the way through. Just brilliant. And Santonio Holmes deserved to be MVP, hands down. He played a great game.

On a sidenote:
I haven't hugged a single person in two weeks. Isn't that strange to think about?