HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

I woke up late and figured out I had turned off my alarm automatically while half asleep. Even though I got ready with two hours and twenty minutes to get to the 20th Century Fox Studios, I knew it was going to be close. Sure enough, by the time I got to Olympic and could see Century City, I had only fifteen minutes to spare. So I had to call Central and let them know I was going to be late.

However, when I got to the gates, I noticed there were several other people in the same situation I was. I didn't feel so bad, but still, I hate being late these days.

I thought I hadn't ever seen this show, but seeing Neil Patrick Harris scooping up some eggs next to me at crafty helped me realize I had. He was quiet and looked like he was going through the motions. He probably wondered why the hell there were so many extras at the breakfast line. Normally, hot breakfast isn't given to extras, but when the bandwagon is rolling, you might as well jump aboard. I suppose there were extras who had been on the show before and knew it was cool to snatch up the food.

This gig was my first live audience tv show. In the scene we were in, there was no studio audience, but you could tell the show normally has one. The nice thing about being in this kind of gig is that they use four cameras and digital media. That means that there are no turnarounds and there aren't too many cuts. That means a shorter day.

I was paired with a very attractive young lady named Tanya. She looked like a pretty seasoned veteran because she looked so bored. She told me that it took her about four months before she became SAG eligible and that she joined fairly quickly after that. She had earned her union vouchers when directors called her back for some scenes. That made me wonder if she did a little couch casting. She also said she was on Joey's list and that made me think she's the type of girl that is used to getting her way.

The scene had us in a restaurant and the principals sat in the middle of the stage in a big table. I wondered if I was seeing Jennifer Love Hewitt but it turned out to be Alyson Hannigan. Tanya noted how she wasn't aging very well and I told her that was because she was white. I kind of laughed inside wondering if Tanya took offense to that remark.

The special guest was Lindsey Price. Although her face kind of looks Asian, she has the body of a full-blooded white girl. She was getting a bit older, but her body was definitely bangin'. No one could figure out what show she was from, and when I suggested Beverly Hills 90210, no one seemed to know what that was. That's when I felt like an old geezer.

The call sheet said lunch was at 2pm. We checked-in at 9am and right before we broke for lunch, we were wrapped. I tried calling Aeron to see if he was anywhere near the lot, but by the time he called me back, I had already left.

For lunch, I decided to go to CJ's where Vanessa and I ate lunch long ago. I had their torta which was as good as I remember. The only thing that was missing was Vanessa's company.

Afterwards, I headed over to the Hustler casino to get back some of my money. I started off okay, going up about $30 in about three hours of play. But I didn't feel like leaving since there might still be traffic at 7pm. I should have left, but instead, I ended up losing. I hate limit poker. It is so damn frustrating. However, I am resolved to beat the game, whatever it takes. In fact, when looking at my records, I noticed that I'm pretty much even with the game, having won early on in my sessions. It's just the tourneys that I've played that has weakened my bankroll.