BODY OF PROOF #3

I got to stand-in for a Latino detective.  It was pretty easy, but the thing that made it hard was that I didn't eat lunch before heading underneath the 4th street bridge in LA.  I started to feel really hungry and was a little mad at myself for not keeping anything to eat in my backpack.

Thankfully, we got to break and there were sandwiches at crafty that my other stand-in friends and I gorged on.  Unfortunately, by the time we got to lunch, I was pretty full and didn't really feel like eating much.  But that didn't stop me from eating.

Then I drove home and it was perfect timing because there was no traffic and Jansen's party was starting to heat up.  I stopped by Albertson's for some vodka and Rose's lime juice and brought my Bartender's Bible book.  There weren't enough mixers to make drinks though, so we just made some simple drinks instead.

I roamed around the party, smokin', drinking and yayin', and finally decided to go in the pool.  It was a little cool, but the hot tub got goin' and it was nice.  I got out before it got too hot and decided that was a good thing because otherwise, you end up wanting to sleep.

Jansen and I set-up the poker table and chips and we got to play two games.  I came in 2nd the first game and stupid Tyler knocked me out of the 2nd game which he won.  I got home about 6 in the mornin'.

(written 10/3/11)

S & S COLD REMEDY

I got up feeling pretty well rested.  I went downstairs to log-in some of the data from my paychecks, then watched tv until lunch.  I had leftover tacos from this past weekend for lunch and it was pretty good.

Then I spent some time in the afternoon calling some paint companies to give me some estimates for the duplex in Pomona.  I was surprised to see that there weren't a lot of companies in Pomona.

Then I watched tv and napped until it was time to do some running.  I caught what seems like a little itty bitty cold from Jaime Pressly, but it wasn't so bad that I felt like I couldn't run.  So I did a low impact, low stress walk/run to deposit some checks and pick up a Banksy book at the library.

When I got back, I worked on the compost a little then ate dinner.  Tacos again with moms this time.  I didn't do much afterward.  I spoke to Shirl a little bit, then headed off to Jansen's to work on my smoke and snort cold remedy.

There, we watched AntiChrist, a very strange movie.  It only had two main actors and a baby boy.  Pretty interesting when you analyze it, but very, very weird.

(written 9/29/11)

I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER #2

I was booked again for this show and only one other person I saw last week was there (other than Britney the waitress).  Today was pretty fun because three people set-up as coffee patrons were relatives of people who worked on the show.  Amy is some office production person and her sister Wendy was visiting from San Diego.  Two gals from Mississippi were also visiting a brother and he got them to be patrons as well.

Jaime Pressly was sick and she was wearing two scarves and coughing from time to time.  I tried to hold my breath whenever I was around her, but I also shook her hand and I bet that contact and her coughing got me sick.  I hope it's not that bad, but I was definitely feeling something at the back of my throat by the end of the day.

As usual, we were given a few hours between rehearsal and show-time to kick it.  I didn't know what to do, so I just went to the parking lot and tried to nap.  It was hard though because it was a warm day and I was wearing long sleeves.  But I got some snoozing done, and then I walked back to stage to cool off.

Around 4pm I went to the commissary to eat and chatted with one of the stand-ins.  I love that they give us a meal ticket to eat rather than have a walk-away lunch where we have to feed ourselves.  I ate slowly and having a full hour to eat really makes eating enjoyable.  Usually, I tend to scarf down whatever is in front of me because I have to get back to work, so this was great.

Then it was show time and we shot our scene first in front of the live audience.  As soon as we were done, we were wrapped and Marcia signed us away.  Then I drove home, picked some goods up, then went to Jansen's to kick it.  We ended up watching a Serbian film that's supposed to be hardcore, but I was disappointed and wasn't really impressed at all.  Sure, there was some child sex and violence and necrophilia, but it really wasn't shown and it really was very flat.

(written 9/28/11)

BODY OF PROOF #2

I was cast as an ME clerical type today and it seemed like I was the only guy in business attire, while everyone else was female.  The other types were in lab coats and scrubs.

It was a pretty simple day and I got a lot of chances to nap on my chair.  But we did our fair share of working too, so it wasn't like I sat around all day.  Although we broke for a walkaway lunch, I just ate what sandwiches were left in crafty to save money.

The day felt like it went by pretty quickly, but we were there for a good 10 hours.  When I got home, I was going to hang out at Jansen's, but thankfully, he suggested we kick it tomorrow instead.

So I just played some online poker and watched tv.  This is the longest streak of work I've ever gotten!  I was kind of sad that it wouldn't continue, but I got a late text letting me know that I'm booked for I Hate My Teenage Daughter again.  I'll keep my fingers crossed that I'll be a regular.

SUNDAY RUN - 6 MILES

After lunch, I did a little napping and tv watching.  Then I went to Ace to get some keys duplicated, to K-mart for some batteries, and went to Vons to buy some spare ribs but they didn't have any.  So I went to Albertsons and they had some that were pre-cut.  Finally, I went to 76 to get moms' gas tank filled-up.

But then it was time to do my long run.  Based on my current training program, my long runs happen just once per week to prepare me for the half-marathon I'll be running in early December.

It was cool and the first three to four miles were relatively easy.  But then my knees began to feel it and it got harder and harder.  I could say I felt a little bit of pain, but it wasn't terribly bad.  But pain is still painful so it made me wonder if the pain will continue to increase as my date with the half-marathon gets closer and closer.

Afterwards, I had dinner and just watched tv.

CAL V WASHINGTON

Woke up pretty late from being kind of tired from last night.  After lunch, I sat down to watch the Cal v Washington game, the first Pac 12 game of the year.  Then the kids came over with K. Noel and Amanda, while Karina brought her boyfriend Sean.

I like the kid.  He's clean, he's respectful and he's just a good guy.  Whether he's cool is something else to consider.  The bottom line is that they like teach other so I guess that's all that matters.  Later, Jared's girlfriend Marissa came over so we had a packed house.

Cal was favored against Washington, but they lost.  It was a pretty close game and only one touchdown made the difference.  Cal had a chance at the end, but the new quarterback couldn't close the deal.

I did a short run and showered quickly when I got back.  Then Karina and I bought some stuff at the Pomona supermarket so we could make tacos.  Dinner went well and it was pretty easy but it ran a little too late.  Oh well, at least it was good and it was cheap.  We fed ten people for just $40.

Then the kids wanted to watch a movie, but it was too late.  K. Noel had to get home and rest.  That was ok by me since it gave me the chance to party.  Jansen came over and I drove us out to Hollywood to meet-up with Ranjith and Jayhan.  First we went to a bar, then we met up with them at Eden.  Thanks to Ran who bought a table, we just walked in without having to pay cover.  And there was a bottle of whiskey for all of us!

Eden was a sweet club, reminding me of Vegas with a lot of people partying and a lot of club gear.  I ended up talking to a Polish chick who wasn't very cute, but hell, it was better than nothing.  After hanging out and drinking, we bailed and got home relatively early.

(written 9/26/11)

THE FINDER

I drove to Dodger Stadium and got there too early since there was no traffic.  So I drove down the street to some fire fighter administration building and napped until it was close to my call time.  Then I drove into the lot and parked at lot G.

No one was checking anyone in, so I just hung out at holding until I finally found someone handing out the vouchers.  He told me to go to wardrobe then get something to eat.  Everyone seemed pretty nice,  but a little bit unorganized.  That's not unusual when it's a first season show, so it wasn't a big deal.

The PA told us that we wouldn't be shooting our scene for awhile, so we got to hang out and chill for a little bit.  I didn't really nap even though I had my chair.  Instead, I read some Philip K. Dick stories from a book I borrowed from the library.

Then we were moved closer to set but still had some time before our scene.  So I got a chance to check out the Mexican fruit stand.  A guy chops up a bunch of different fruits like watermelon, papaya, mango and other juicy treats along with some cucumber, squeezes some fresh lime juice on then peppers it with some chili powder.  I loved it!  It was so delicious that I want to replicate it the next time I have a bunch of fruits on me.

I was cast as a maintenance worker, so I was added to one scene cleaning up in the stands.  Our main scene was inside the halls of the dugout.  It was really cool seeing what it looked like and also getting a chance to be on the field.  It's amazing how flat and perfect the field and grass was and what it's like to be inside.

Then it was over and we were wrapped.  I headed home to take a shower then off to Santa Ana to see J.D. for his birthday.  We had some drinks and then I took Jansen home and we watched Hanna.

(written 9/21/11)

TWO AND A HALF MEN #2

I'm once again quite surprised how long it's been since I've worked this show.  I suppose it doesn't matter though because as I like to say, work is work.

There were a lot of us who checked-in.  Apparently, it's normal.  They like to have a large pool of people to choose from and had about double the number of people to put into the bar.  The depressing thing about it is that they were purely picking people out based on how they looked, not what they were wearing.  We did rehearsal before even going to wardrobe, so it was all about whether we fit into this fake Malibu bar.  Of course, there was no room for me, and I knew it.  This is exactly what happened the last time I was booked on this show.  But as I like to say, work is work.

So I spent the time in holding, hanging out and relaxing.  I even got to go to a health fair that was near the commissary.  I picked up some cool stuff and then went back to holding.  I also had a long conversation with a chick who went to Sarah Lawrence.  I think I judged her wrong though because she wasn't really interested in staying in touch with me and even gave me a bullshit number to call.

When I got home, I had dinner with moms then headed to Jansen's to help him install and pick-up the old tv that was in Son's room.  Son is Tam's cousin and he's got a nice house in a gated community somewhere in Irvine.  I didn't know we were installing, I thought we were just picking-up.

The first step was trying to get a huge armoire down, but it looked like it was built-in the room, so instead, we decided to just destroy it.  It was kind of fun taking it apart with a hammer, but once we started sweating bricks, we realized this was some work.

Son and his boy came home later while we were chillin' in the back.  The last thing left to do was mount the new television, but we didn't have the proper tools to put it on the wall.  We needed a drill and drill bit and a torque wrench.  The drill and drill bit we got from Son who had a friend that he picked it up with.  But the drill bit was too big, practically bigger than the screw that was going into the wall.

Instead, we just did it ghetto style.  Jansen punched a hole into the wall with a screwdriver, then started screwing the long screw in.  He was successful, but I was not.  My screw started turning and it just broke-off.  Now I realize the pilot hole isn't just for the screw to get in, it also helps create a slightly larger hole so that the screw doesn't have to work too hard to go in.

We never finished, leaving the job half-way done with busted screws in the wall.  I felt bad, but what were we supposed to do with crap tools?  Jansen told Son he might come back later, but Son said he might get another friend to do the job.

(written 9/25/11)

SCANDAL

I have no idea what this show is about, but we were filming episode 106 so it must be a tv series.  Anyway, we were booked as Republican staffers for someone who is kind of like Michelle Bachman.  "One nation under God" was Langston's (the name of the principal character) motto and the campaign room actually looked pretty good.

We were at Sunset Gower and the call time was pushed to 9AM.  So I was kind of nervous getting there in time, but it took a good hour and a half.  Usually, if I give myself two hours, I never get into any trouble.

We worked throughout the morning and didn't get a lot of breaks.  They moved pretty quickly and after our scenes were done, we were wrapped.  We were kind of worried we would have to stay for a possible 13 hour day, but nope, we were let go.

Even though it was 3:30PM, there was still plenty of traffic and it took an hour to get home.  I took a nap when I got home and woke up right when moms got home, about 6:50PM.  During dinner, I put on "The Learning", a documentary featuring four female Pilipinos who leave their country to teach in Baltimore's inner city.  It's so sad seeing the sacrifice people will go through for a better life and it hit home pretty hard for me and moms.  It was hard to keep the tears from flowing.

Then I talked to Shirley for awhile about her job and how unsatisfied she is with the owners.  I hope she can pull through or at least talk to them to let them know what's going on with her feelings.

Then I went on a short run even though I really didn't want to.  I feel really tired, but at least I can rest tomorrow.  I got booked on Two and a Half Men and that's four days in a row now.  Let's see if I can get five in a row!

I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER

Jaime Pressly has a new sitcom where she plays a divorced mom with a teenage daughter.  She has friends in similar situations and they go about their lives and get into funny situations.  I had a little trouble getting into WB because there was a fire earlier at gate 7 and the computers were down at gate 8.  So by the time I got to set, I had a little sweat going.

The sitcom really struck me as being funny most likely because of my nieces.  They get into the same kind of things the girls in the sitcom do, and Kimi strikes me as being similar to Jaime and her friend.  They try to be strict and good parents, but they usually end up making mistakes and letting their kids get away with murder.  The live studio audience came in around 5PM and the taping started around 6PM.  It's always fun having a studio audience there because their presence really kicks up your adrenaline.

I got a chance to hang out with Fay and Jasmine, two other backgrounders who I ended up having lunch with.  We got into a lengthy discussion about insurance and our teeth.  Jasmine and I gave Fay hope about her TMJ and I hope Fay follows through with visiting USC for her issues.  Seeing Fay's problems with her jaw made me realize I'm lucky that my TMJ hasn't gotten progressively worse.

After our scenes as coffee patrons, we were let go and I got home around 10PM.  I was still able to do my run even though I felt a little tired, but I suppose it wasn't so bad because I was able to take a little nap earlier in the day when rehearsals were done.

HOUSE #3

I had a call back to be a construction guy again, but when we checked-in, we got put in a gown.  I was rolled around on a wheelchair and it was actually pretty cool because it seemed like my plantar fasciitis really kicked in today.  I wonder if it was because of the 5.5 miles yesterday?  Probably.

Then I got in my construction outfit.  They didn't use me though, so I spent some time chillin' and talking to another construction guy Luie.  He's Dominican, probably the only one I've ever known.  He's a cool cat, a b-boy and he seems so focused and working to get work.

We broke early so I had a few hours before seeing Ashley.  It was that time to catch up and smoke some trees.  I went to a shop right on 9th and La Brea just south of Wilshire.  It was low on the totem pole.  I wasn't impressed at all with the Skywalker even though it was recommended.  It was badly cured, lacked color and wasn't dense.  But it was just $35.  So for some people, herb is herb and it doesn't really matter.  But for me, it does.

Then I drove home and watched some tv.  I'm booked for I Hate My Teenage Daughter at WB tomorrow so I couldn't really stay up late.  But the call time was pushed back half an hour.  Since we're shooting in front of a live audience, I have a feeling it's going to be a long day.  Still, no matter what, I can't fall asleep until at least 1AM.  Thankfully, I had some time to cat nap today and it sure helped though it didn't feel good at all.

SUNDAY CHILLIN'

Poker was bad today.  I played some no-limit.  Two hands basically reflect the session.  On one, I turned trips only to have faced a flopped straight.  Then, the same guy on the next hand raises me when I'm holding KK.  Naturally, I pushed it all-in (all $3 or so) and then saw him turn over AA.  Even though I only lost $5, I still get great enjoyment from playing online.  Oddly, Bodog seems to have really crazy cards, much more than I noticed on other sites.

The kids came over to chill for a few hours sometime in the afternoon.  I was about to play more poker, but didn't get a chance because they came.  We didn't do anything.  We just sat around, ate some snacks and kicked it.  Then Kimi came to pick them out and they were out.

That gave me the opportunity to do my long run.  Sundays are when I do the long runs and that is going to be a little bit of a challenge when/if I start my acting lessons since they're also on Sundays.

When I came back, I had dinner and moms and I watched Monsters vs. Aliens on cable.

NEW TIRES FOR MY BABY

I've had my Honda Civic since 1996.  It was the first car I bought and I still have, even after all these years.  On the one hand, it's a good ride and I paid it off years ago.  On the other hand, it's old and always needs some kind of work done to it just to keep it going.  This time, it was the tires.  I probably could have kept running with them since it's not raining, but I figure it's better safe than sorry and spent some time yesterday calling around for some rates.

I settled on Community Tire in Brea.  They didn't exactly match the rate I got from San Gabriel Tire, but they came close.  They put some Hankook HRII on my baby and it comes with lifetime rotation.  So now I know where I'm getting my oil changes done.

It was such a nice day out and I was quite happy with the tires and service that I decided to take the long way home.  I drove through the canyon and it was actually pretty fun rolling around with new tires.  It's not like the ride feels much different, it's probably just psychological.

Karina and I had a conversation about them coming over today, but I felt lazy and didn't really feel like catering to their needs.  They get bored easily, and I didn't really feel like figuring anything out.  I just wanted to be lazy today.  She also told me that her grammy and Aunt Pat got into a fight.  I hate hearing this, but what can I do but just hope they keep the peace?

After a quick nap, I did my short run, deposited some checks at BofA and came home to dinner.  Moms made some beef steak that I always enjoy, though I gotta say, I think the one I shot was the best tasting I've had.  Maybe she was trying harder then?  Or maybe she's just more into healthier cooking these days and doesn't use as much oil and soy sauce.

Then I spent some time playing poker after testing the goods.  It's ok, not super strong or anything, but pretty solid.  I also watched Serenity, the movie based on the series Firefly.  I'm definitely a fan now.

HOUSE #2

I haven't worked on this show for over two years, but it's strange to realize that.  Our call time was pushed back an hour so I was actually able to chill a little before leaving.  I was booked as a construction worker.  I dig that because you don't have to get dressed-up.  I was telling my cousin the other day that I found it ironic that I get booked having to wear suits.  I've always hated wearing suits to work and then now I'm doing that.

For some reason, the stage at House is freezing cold.  It wasn't bad when we were working on the set or in our construction clothes, but when we changed into patients, it was seriously freezing.  I was so cold that I was shivering.  Good thing they gave us a bath robe to wear while we froze or I would have suffered immensely.

The cool thing was that I met two guys who were actually members of the Screen Extras Guild.  They told me it had about 3000 members when they were in it and you had to qualify to get in just like you did with SAG.  They even went on strike but it failed and SAG then swallowed them up.  I told them that it was my dream to make a documentary someday about it.  Interestingly, one of the guys told me that Bugsy Siegel was actually the one that started the union.  He said something about the mob using pension plans for income or something like that.  One of these days, I would really love to make that documentary.  Maybe I can call Gabriel to see what he thinks.

We ended up working over ten hours even though we weren't used much.  So we sat around snacking on things and reading stuff.  One guy gave me a New Yorker magazine with a cool article about Rin Tin Tin.  Who knew about his incredible origins and his odd but very devoted master?

I was pretty tired when we wrapped and I got home around 1AM.  It didn't take long for me to fall asleep.

(written 9/17/11)

NO REST SO RUN

I worked on washing the goods we picked up last night.  I realized I had very little acetone left so I've got to order some.  In fact, I was so low I decided to just reuse the stuff.  It's pretty interesting because as you re-use the stuff, you can see there's a color change in the acetone.  It became quite yellow and whatever dried was pretty tacky.

I was supposed to run yesterday, but I skipped the day.  So to make it up, I ran.  When I first start my run, I kind of feel bored, but as I go through it, I feel better and better.  I'm beginning to feel very confident about the half-marathon with all this training.  I still hope I don't feel exhausted and that I get through the half without too many problems.

(written 9/17/11)

ROOT CANAL

I was hoping to get up early enough to do some running, but instead, I got up to get an oil change.  I went to Big O tires and they told me my tires needed to be replaced.  I suspected that, but hoped that wasn't the case.  They also said I needed to replace the air filter, but I just replaced that and knew they were just trying to make money.

After lunch, I headed over to Dr. James Chen's office in Chino.  I finally met Rosa and thanked her for all her work helping me get the estimate or co-pay for the procedure.  Then it was time for the root canal.  The Dr. did some of the tests that all endodontists do.  First they tap and ask if you feel pain.  Then they make you bite on something.  Then they freeze your tooth.

He told me I had classic symptoms of fractured tooth syndrome.  You feel pain when you bite on something as opposed to feeling major pain all the time.  Then he started the procedure.  First were three big shots to my gums to numb me.  Within a few minutes, I was feeling nothing on my right cheek.  They were working on tooth #30 which is the lower right molar.

The Dr. started with some drilling to make a hole so he could insert stuff inside and get all the pulp out.  The root canal was basically what people had told me - it's like getting a filling but a little more complicated.  It wasn't painful.  The most painful thing for me was having to use the bathroom and waiting until I could.  That was a relief.

Then I paid my $150 co-pay and I was off to Chino Hills Dental.  There, they told me the crown was not going to work and Dr. Refela suggested I use a harder crown that would last much longer.  Of course, it was expensive, costing over $1,000.  But I told the guy that I was told I only needed to pay for the lab fee the last time I was there.  I was surprised they didn't have any records and I said that Lisette was the one that told me this.  I was wrong,  it was actually the manager Gloria.  Thankfully, she was there when I asked to speak to the manager and she actually remembers the conversation we had.  So instead of paying $1,000 I only have to pay $350.

Unfortunately, I have to wait a few weeks for the crown to arrive so I'm once again stuck with a stupid temporary.  I hate just eating on one side of my mouth, but that's the price I pay for not keeping my teeth in order.  The next major work I want done is to replace my bridge, but I'm also considering maybe getting an implant.  It's going to cost more, but I figure it might be worth it.  It's just that I don't exactly have the money right now.

I got home around the same time as moms and we ate spaghetti for dinner.  Then Jansen picked me up to head out to our westside connect.  We then drove immediately back and plan to party it up on Friday with our goods.

NCIS LA #2

I was a little happier that our call time was moved back from 6:15am to 7am. That amount of time doesn't seem like much but for me, every minute counts. It's so nice to have that extra half hour of sleep. When we checked in we were immediately shuttled to Hollywood and vine. There are some units in a tower there that we used as a hotel lobby. After shooting the scene, a lot of people were wrapped. It's always nice tom have that short of a day. But the rest of us were kept for a bullpen scene. I napped a little then we shot the scene. We were broken for lunch so I got a chance to visit the commissary on the Paramount lot. I had lunch with Gia, a divorcee and we got a chance to share our stories. After lunch we were wrapped, and it was nice to drive home outside of rush hour. I wanted to run before dinner, but I fell into a deep sleep that took me a long time to get out of. So I just waited after dinner to run. It was cool and there were still people out walking. When I got back, I had a conversation with Cesar next door about the Ortiz vs Mayweather fight this weekend. I think ortiz will lose because Mayweather will be too fast, but we'll see what happens. Hopefully it'll be a good one.

JUST A RELAXING DAY DOING ERRANDS

I woke up to K. Paul's call. He was just calling to say hello, but of course, we got a chance to discuss a bunch of family matters that were on our minds. The main concern K. Paul has is for the kids and he's very concerned that the current situation is affecting them negatively for the future.

After lunch, I left to get an oil change at Big-O in Chino. But they were totally backed-up and needed my car for a few hours. I passed and headed to Dr. James Chen's office to see if his endodontic office looked ok. It did. So I'm likely going to get my work done at his office.

Then it was off to return some stuff I bought at Lowes. I was able to talk to an electrician who told me that some of the ceiling fans just don't take fluorescent bulbs so unfortunately, I had to buy regular incandescent.

When I got back, I just did a little work with the compost bin, turning it to get some air in there. I watered the plants out in back and took the bins out for the trash pick-up tomorrow. That was pretty much it. I watched a little tennis and before I knew it, moms was home.

I had dinner and started to play some poker and wondered if I would get booked tomorrow. I did and I find it odd that I'm always getting booked so late in the evening. Oh well, work is work so I'll take it.

10TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11

I wanted to try to leave early, but I was too tired from KK last night. I didn't even drink that much, but I guess even a little drink these days is enough for me to poop out.

I had to run five miles today, so I did but it wasn't too pleasant. It wasn't that hard, but after last night, I realized I could run after a night of dancing and drinking. It's just that it's not that fun.

After lunch, I headed out to the hotel that Carol and Tet were staying at. I waited there until they and Kevin, a Vegas boy who drove out for some "meetings" but mostly to hang with Tet returned from the Hollywood and Highland mall.

We decided to go to the Griffith Observatory and we wore some warmer clothing. However, it stayed hot up there and we didn't need it after all. We also parked way too far down the road when there was plenty of parking up at the top. The tip is not to heed the "lot full" sign down the road.

After about an hour, we headed back out and decided to head back to the hotel. Tet and her Vegas boy had to do some work, so we dropped them off at the hotel and Carol and I went to grab some coffee. We had iced coffee drinks and good conversation at the corner of Highland and Franklin. While we spoke, I noticed a beautiful body on a youngish girl. I wish I could have talked to her, but what am I supposed to do when I have a guest to attend to?

After an hour, we went back to the hotel to pick up Vegas boy and Tet. We stopped by the Bowery but the menu items were too expensive. Instead, we headed out to In-N-Out so Carol could experience a Southern Cali classic.

Then Carol and I dropped off Tet and Vegas boy again so we could grab a drink. I was texting Ranjith to find out where to go and he recommended the Well. But I was having a difficult time finding it, and before I knew it, a cop had stopped me.

I asked the officer if I did anything wrong and he said he would explain after seeing my license, registration and insurance. He said I was using the cell phone while driving, but I was very adamant that I did not and how dangerous I know it is. He left and his partner asked to see my phone. We noticed the last call was a few hours ago so he said he'd talk to his partner.

I knew I was going to get let go when his partner said this, so I just remained vigilant about my stance. He said he would give me a break and let me go, then asked me if I played poker. He noticed the visor in the rear seat and I told him my nephew had given it to me. Later, when I went home, I noticed that he and his partner stopped another vehicle but this time they were searching it. Glad that didn't happen to me!

Maybe part of me getting away was the fact that I was with Carol, my lucky angel. If it was all dudes in the car, I'd be busted, but he probably saw that I didn't have a record and that I was so sure of myself. Anyway, we made it to the Well and had one beverage while we talked. It was fun talking to Carol and I knew we had a connection, but I didn't really want to make a move because I didn't think it would really lead to anything.

(written 9/12/11)

TETYANA AND CAROL

A lot of us cousins weren't sure if we were going to Ron's 30th birthday, but as soon as one of us decided to commit, we all ended up going. The party was at April's parents' house in Walnut and it was legit. There was all kinds of food and drink and the backyard was set-up for entertaining.

Most of the Maranans were there so it was nice to see some of the fams and chill. We made the same joke about BJ and El and how they are always late. We decided to give them a chance and play beer pong, but we even finished the game and they still hadn't arrived.

When we were all leaving, they finally got there. But we left and I told El and BJ to meet up with me in Hollywood since my friend Tetyana and her friend Carol from Spain were in town. I got to their hotel room in the early evening and they were starving. So we went to a Thai restaurant down the street from their hotel which was just a few blocks east of the 101.

Then it was time to party, but the girls wanted to dance so I scrapped The Bar and went to King King for Balance instead. Jay-J was there and it was a pretty fun night of drinking and dancing. I took them back to the hotel after and realized that BJ was trying to get a hold of me. We never met up! They drove all the way out to meet up with me but I never heard or felt my phone buzz.

The other interesting thing that happened was when I was outside of a motel and saw a ho come out in her panties and cut-up tube top. She looked super fuckable and it was interesting to see her and another ho get inside their pimps car. I assumed it was a pimp since it was a nice Audi, but maybe it was some guy who just wanted to get his rocks off?

(written 9/12/11)

RINGER

I don't like night shoots, but when you get booked, you can't cancel. So I got booked for this new Sarah Michelle Gellar vehicle where she plays twins. One goes missing and the other one tries to find her.

I drove to Cal State Northridge and got there early because there was no traffic. That gave me a chance to go to Pho 22 and eat dinner since our call time was 5:45PM and they wouldn't be serving us "breakfast" or the first meal of the day. When I checked-in, I didn't realize that the casting director was at the check-in table. I wish I could have said hello to Claire.

We were driven to CSUN's theater building where we were all supposed to be fancy schmancy invites to a very important social ribbon cutting event. Unfortunately, we had to stand all night and at some points even stand outside. It was extremely unpleasant, but the good news was that Eriq La Salle was directing and was on point. He had things moving and knew exactly what he wanted.

I saw Max working so we hung out and spent some time talking about stuff. There was a Korean chick named Nosco or something like that who I had my eye on, but I just wasn't sure if she was feelin' me. So I let her go without really doing much.

We were finally able to leave around 4AM and it didn't take too long for me to get to sleep when I got back home.

(written 9/12/11)

CHIPOTLE IN ADOBO SAUCE

I took moms to the train station this morning since I wanted to get her car smog checked. When I got home from the ride, I cooked some breakfast, ate, then went back to sleep.

When I awoke, it was around 10AM. I figured I'd try to make it a productive day since I didn't have to work. So first, it was time to find a smog check station. I wanted to get the check done at the place I did it last, but I went through my Honda folder and couldn't find the place. Instead, I found an old place out in Pomona.

I called them and they offered to do it for just $35. So I drove over there and after it was done, I went to Cardenas, a Mexican grocery pretty close to the shop. I bought the ingredients for Pati's Chicken in Tomatillo, Chipotle and Brown Sugar sauce. It's simple to make and I thought it would be nice to make something different.

However, the sauce was way too runny and it was too spicy. Next time, I need to add more adobo sauce and less chipotle. I may also add less chicken broth as that seemed to add too much liquid to the dish.

Today was a bad poker day. I'd been noticing how well I'd been doing the past few weeks from Bodog and wondered if it was just luck or if there was something going on with the programming. I'd been getting really lucky lately with big hands and everything seemed a little too easy. Well, today was the opposite. Now it seems like I can't catch a break. Still, I'm playing well since I'm getting all my money in with the best hand but just losing to players who get really lucky.

PERCEPTION

I headed out to Pasadena early this morning and knew it was going to be hot. Even at 5:30AM it was already quite warm. I parked at Paseo Colorado and walked up Euclid to base camp, a dirt parking lot with catering set-up. After checking in, I had breakfast, then walked over to wardrobe to get my crime scene unit jacket.

Then we were sent to a nearby church and held there until the shot was set-up. They told us we would be leaving pretty early because we only had one scene to shoot. At the top of the scene, I was paired with another crime scene tech and we stood across from the principal actress Rachael Leigh Cook. She was kind of goofy but gorgeous and her clothes fit her very well.

I remember her picture gracing a calendar my old friend Pete had up in his closet. It was the first time I noticed her since she usually played geeks in the movies I saw. This time, she was pretty smokin', but still professional since she was playing an FBI agent.

After sweating our asses off, we were wrapped and I headed to Janine's salon. We did a little computer work on her LA Casting profile, then headed to Corner Bakery for lunch. We had a nice conversation about a little project she once had called the audition kit. She keeps saying she's an idea person but unfortunately, the salon always keeps her too busy to do anything.

When I was getting ready to leave, I told her we would need to hang out at her place in Burbank so we could kick back and smoke some trees. One of these days . . .

Oddly, there was afternoon traffic on the 210. I was nodding off and it was really hard to stay awake. When I got home, I just crashed for a few hours. Moms got home and we ate dinner. I played a little poker then did my run.

AFTERNOON NAP

I woke up, put my EDD form in the mailbox, ate lunch, then took a two hour nap. I'm not sure why I was so tired. I fell asleep around 11PM last night and still felt groggy when I woke up. I guess the long drive pooped me out or, as I always say, I'm fuckin' old.

I was surprised that I made $800 last week and around $900 the previous week. That's gross though, so with taxes, I'm not getting much net-wise. But I liked the fact that it was a decent amount of money. Still, when I looked at my BofA account, I didn't really see much to impress me. I feel like after getting some work on my car and paying for my teeth cleaning, it took a long time to get back to where I basically was. Oh well, such is my life right now. I can't say I'm complaining.

Then I did a short run, returning "My Year With Eleanor" to the library and running back. I was supposed to run about 30 minutes, but I probably did something closer to 25 minutes.

Moms and I had some Subway for dinner and I had some conversations with Charlotte and Janine on the phone. I found out I had $10 in bonus money for the Bodog casino so that should be fun to play with.

GOODBYE ONCE AGAIN RIVER

I woke up around 10AM and walked outside to say good morning to folks. Zita and Kimi were fixing breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns. I was responsible for toast and buttering them babies up.

After our brunch, I spent most of the time just watching television and going outside to hang out. Soon, it was time to get ready to leave and everyone was helping around the house either cleaning or putting things away.

I noticed that the vacuum cleaner's brush wasn't working, so I took the thing apart to see what happened to it. It was a simple case of the rubber gasket coming off. It wasn't broken, it had just slipped and wasn't grabbing onto anything anymore. So I put it back on and it worked just fine after that.

We said our goodbyes to the Kreps' and other folk, and Kimi rolled out. I was able to take a little nap, and was happy to because I was feeling a little dizzy from the snus I'd been messin' with since the afternoon. That little nap was magic because I noticed Kimi started getting tired so I told her to pull over so I could drive.

When we got to the Morongo area, we ate at In-N-Out then drove back to Corona. Then I took Marissa home, showered and said hi to moms when I got in then chilled.

OFF TO THE RIVER

The plan was to get to Kimi's by 7AM, but Kimi partied last night and moved it to 8AM. I picked up Marissa and we headed out to Kimi's. She was hungover so we let Jared drive all the way to the river. It was great letting him drive because it gave us a chance to rest and sleep. We stopped by McD's on the way for some breakfast that helped us feel better.

It wasn't that hot when we got to the river. We unloaded everything and then I spent most of the time chillin' inside since it was so hot outside. I had some shredded beef with gravy sandwiches for lunch and a lot of iced tea during the warm afternoon.

Soon, it was time to head out on Dick's boat to get to the big sandbar. A lot of boats were docked and it was the first time I'd ever been there. It's a short little walk around the sandbar and unfortunately, there were only underaged chicks or somewhat hot milfs with buff boyfriends around, so I got over it pretty quickly.

I did manage to find a little pick-up game using tied up tennis balls and some pvc piped that you tried to hook onto with the balls. It took a lot longer to score points and play than I thought. Most of the people who were on the sandbar were from Aha Quin so I told the couple I was playing with that I would roll down there that evening to look for them.

When we got back, we had corn and basically fish and chips for dinner. Zita uses a buttermilk dry batter for the coating and a beer marinade and egg wash before double dipping. Pretty simple, but I would have preferred a faster cook since the fish pieces were so thin and small. It turned out to be more batter than fish, but still very delicious.

Then the teens got together and we were off to Aha Quin for a party the oldies told us about. It took some time to find it, but we finally did. The teens didn't really want to stay because they didn't really see anyone their age, so we took off to Waterwheel to see if we could find that guy we saw the last time there.

Instead, we didn't find anyone, but decided to head out to the little cove they had to see what was happening. We met Britney who was nice and drunk enough to introduce us to everyone and we just hung out there and chilled while meeting folks. I noticed a little tight body on a girl who seemed awfully quiet, but I got her talking and her name was Sarah. It was her first and last night there, so she was hoping to party it up.

But soon, it was time for people to go, so I kind of pushed Noah, Austin's friend, to talk to her and get her info. He did so I was satisfied how the night ended. No one got in trouble, we got a little drink on and someone ended-up with a phone number. Not much more you could really ask for here at the river.

(written 9/6/11)

THIS IS 40 #2

I was recalled for the movie and we worked the same scene as yesterday. We were inside the theater right next to the Mayan and we listened to Graham Parker and the Rumour jam while we pretended to be their biggest fans.

I could barely stay awake again because I stayed up until 1AM last night and woke up 5:30AM. I felt good in the beginning then the four hours of sleep finally kicked in and I had to close my eyes at times to take some cat naps.

But after lunch, we were wrapped so I got to leave around 4:45PM to head back home. I caught some traffic, but again, not so bad that it took a lot more than an hour. When I got home, I was tired and sleepy, but I forced myself to run three miles. I ran to Lorbeer, ran a mile on the track, then ran back home. It wasn't as tough as I thought it would be, but the fatigue from the lack of sleep was the hardest to overcome.

After dinner, I headed out to Jansen's to chill at his place. Vanessa was there with her sister? and Tyler and Allison came later. We all went swimming and did a little hot tubbing, but basically, we got some of our drink on which made us all very sleepy. Jansen knocked out around 2:30AM and I went home to try to get some sleep before tomorrow.

THIS IS 40

The movie is still in principal photography so there's not much news about it, but it stars Paul Rudd as some guy who gets some kind of record deal with an old band he must have loved when he was younger.

I wasn't too worried about getting to downtown in time since my call time was 7AM. There was no traffic and I got to the parking lot with about ten minutes to spare. But the shuttle van waited to get full so we all got to base camp a few minutes late. The line for wardrobe was already pretty long, but the line to get your voucher was well organized and ran smoothly.

Since they were calling NDB (non-deductible breakfast) for union folks, I was told to eat breakfast before checking with wardrobe. So after eating some scrambled eggs with basil and sun dried tomatoes, I stood in the wardrobe line hoping they wouldn't change me. It's not that much of a hassle changing, but you still have to do it so it's always much nicer not to have to.

I could tell right away that my prospects for keeping my clothes wasn't going to happen. They had a tent full of clothes that they were giving out to anyone who looked the least bit casual. They put me in a crazy and colorful shirt, almost psychedelic, a dark cotton jacket, some grey pants and black sneakers. I got to try some skinny jeans from Kenneth Cole that were stretch and I loved them. But it didn't go with my top so much, so they had me change. I wonder how much those skinnies cost.

I sat next to a guy named Greg who was pretty cool. But he had terrible bad breath so I tried not to talk to him so much. Every time I would get a whiff, I'd try to blow out so I wouldn't breath too much of it in. We were seated in the first row, stage left, all by ourselves. I said the girls we were with were already backstage slutting themselves out with the band just to have a back story.

After about an hour of songs from the band, we were sent back to holding for lunch and I was able to take a short nap after my meal. I was so sleepy when the band was playing that I was glad to get up and do a standing ovation now and again just to stay awake. The nap wasn't that great, but it did the job and I felt refreshed.

Then groups started getting wrapped. We knew that the bouncers still had to check-in and someone said that there would be an exterior scene shot as well. They probably used a bunch of the non-union folk to save money because my group was wrapped before all that. Unfortunately, it was 5:30PM and it was rush hour.

So I called Janet and texted Ashley to see if they were around but they weren't. Instead, I headed home and I was surprised how well traffic flowed once I got to Montebello. I got home a little over an hour. Not bad at all.