Who Knew?...

7:10PM - Survivor's Bravest Season Yet...

So, this season's Survivor is broken up by race. I don't know why i needed to mention that, i'm sure everyone in the civilized world knows by now. it's been all over the news the last few days. people can't seem to stop bitching about it. everyone labeling the show racist, and saying that it presents a poor image to the children of this country. i have only one thing to say about that.

THIS SEASON'S GOING TO ROCK!

i am very excited about this season of Survivor. i know the season premiered last night, but i haven't gotten to watch it yet. i'll be watching the premier when i get off work tonight. however, i don't understand what everyone is bitching about. i think the show is going to be a very interesting social study. one thing Survivor has always had going for it, is showing people in stressful circumstances, when they're true identity is kind of pushed up to the surface. over the last several decades, people have debated how much progress has really been made in this country in dealing with race relations. i think this show is an interesting opportunity to find out how far we've really come.

when the show starts, people will be forced to vote against their own race, since by losing a challenge, they must vote someone of their own tribe out. then, once we get to the merge, it will be interesting to see if races will stick together or will it be everyone for themselves. the show might get ugly this season.

my real point is, what is so wrong about what they are doing? they are in no way saying that one race is better than the others. anyone who draws those kinds of conclusions from this show should probably stay away from Jackass: The Movie, violent video games, and anything contains anything interesting.

to people of higher intelligence, i plead with you to watch this show. while those with closed minds are busy boycotting Survivor, i am calling those with common sense to try and help keep this show on the air. i think this season is going to be among the most insightful and entertaining seasons the show has ever had. please, everyone, watch Survivor.

3:04PM - A View on Personal Accountability...

does anyone watch Nancy Grace? i have never seen a single show. that being said, i hate to rush to judgment on something i have never seen, but this woman has all the makings of supreme bitch. and not the good kind.

so, apparently she grilled the mother of a missing child so hard, that woman broke down into tears during the taping of the show. a few days later, less than half an hour before the show was set to air, the woman shot herself in her grandparents home. now, the case still has a lot of questions to be answered. the child is still missing. no one has any clue who might have taken the woman's son.

this is what upsets me right now. the media pull to this story is that the woman killed herself after being viciously cross-examined by a cable news anchor. Nancy Grace has, of course, denied all responsibility in reference to the woman's suicide, saying that "guilt" is most likely what drove her to kill herself. Nancy, I don't doubt that guilt had everything to do with this woman's suicide, but the fact remains to be seen: was it just or unjust guilt?

i understand, this is a delicate situation. there are several questions and contradictions with the woman's statements that the police have not been able to put straight as of yet. this is where Nancy Grace really comes into the picture. let's take this from two angles: if the woman WAS involved with the kidnapping, and if the woman WAS NOT involved.

WAS INVOLVED:

then we shouldn't be sympathizing or grieving over the death of a kidnapper, right? i mean, the woman had what was coming to her, didn't she? shouldn't we be celebrating Nancy Grace on a job well done?... One problem with that. we still don't know where the child is. if this woman was involved, Nancy Grace's irresponsible grilling of her on National TV may have just pushed the case of saving an innocent child right into the cold case files. if the woman was involved, then she was the police's most valuable lead in the case. if her guilt was riding her so hard that she was willing to commit suicide, then had the job of pushing her been left to the proper authorities, perhaps the little boy would be safe and sound right now. instead, the police are left without a single piece of significant evidence. so yes, thank you Nancy Grace. I thank you. My family thanks you. And that missing little boy thanks you.

WAS NOT INVOLVED:

does Nancy Grace really think that little of the mass public of America that we would actually believe that her "interview" with this woman had no effect on the amount of guilt this woman had? if she was not involved with her son's disappearance, she still might feel tremendous guilt from her son being lifted right out from under her. sometimes, the guilt we feel towards things is worse with events that we actually had no control over in the first place. if that is the case, and this woman was reeling from guilt for failing her son, then Nancy Grace's show probably had an even more profound impact on this woman that if she had been involved with the kidnapping. if this woman had nothing to do with her son's kidnapping then i believe that Nancy Grace should be indicted with involuntary manslaughter. i am big believer in free speech. but speech is only protected when it does not incite violence or incite people to break the law. rationalize things however you like, Nancy Grace actions during her show with the mother of the missing boy, directly affected this woman and, in a way, incited this woman to bring harm unto herself.

i understand that this is a hot button topic, and i'm not sure that will be my opinion on these matters for long, but this is my initial reaction to these events. feel free to discuss. in the meantime, i think i'm going to be sick.

so long and mahalo.

1:16AM - Can't We All Just Get Along...

So, I don't know what made me think about this. but i'm sitting here, late at night, pondering the debate between Creationism and Evolution. i am not debating which is right. i am not debating whether either one exists. i am simply pondering why there has to be a exclusivity when discussing these topics. it seems to me that you must be in one camp or the other. if you're not for us then you're against us. i find the staunch attitudes taken by people on this issue very silly.

before any of you get up in arms, thinking that i'm about to write an entry actually in favor of creationism, hold up a sec. that's not what i'm saying either. in all honesty, i am a christian. i don't discuss my religion very often, and i rarely share my personal religious beliefs with anyone unless asked. however, i have NEVER in my life come close to doubting the Theory of Evolution. at the same time, the Theory of Evolution has never caused me to doubt the existence of a supreme being that did create the universe.

i will say that Traditional Creationism is flat out wrong. the world is not 10.000 years old (it far far far far far far far far far far older) and dinosaur bones were not placed on Earth by God, or the devil, or whoever, just to test our faith. at the same time, just because there was no Adam and Eve or that the world wasn't literally created in seven days (as science and evolution have proven), it doesn't mean there is no supreme being watching over this world.

if you believe in a God that loves life - a God that treasures all life on Earth as beautiful and worthy, then could there possibly be a more perfect system than the system of Evolution. Evolution is a system that is infinitely complex, a system where any kind of life has a chance. Evolution, in a way, is the ultimate form of freedom. I believe the saying goes that if you love someone (or something) let it go free. I, personally, believe that is what God with Life.

i'm not writing this to convert anyone and, honestly, i feel very uncomfortable typing all this for everyone and anyone to read. i'm just trying to point out that i don't think the ideas of Faith and Science have to be mutually exclusive. if you don't want to believe in God, that's your call, and i'm not going to judge anyone any less for it. it's a matter of personal faith. and i stress PERSONAL. if you don't believe in Evolution, that's your choice. it's a stupid choice because Evolution is fucking FACT. but it's your choice.

i'm just tired of hearing people say, "You can't be Christian, you believe in Evolution." and "How can you possibly believe in God, don't you understand Evolution?" both sides of this argument have been incredibly closed minded and ignorant of the gifts each of them has to offer the world.

they key is not figuring out which is correct: God or Darwin. The key is in realizing that these are two separate types of ideas that do not need to overlap. there is a place for science and a place for faith. faith does not belong in the schools, but having it doesn't mean that someone is a less rational, intellectual, or scientific person.

i don't know what set me off. it's just been bugging me for a while. thanks for listening. so long and mahalo.

12:09AM - this is a test to see if pedophilia can ever be funny...

well... i watched a little news today... not much. i can't really bear to watch any single news station for longer than about fifteen minutes before i start becoming violently ill and start noticing the scent of phantom eggs...(hmm... maybe i should get that checked out).

anyway, i didn't notice much on the letter to Iger in the news. i did catch a story about the movie WTC and whether or not that film was accurate. the Iger letter is still part of the top story on Drudgereport. That doesn't mean too much, though.

i need to start writing again. it's been three months since i've done any serious writing. the last thing i wrote was a short film. it was good to get it out, but it's time to move on. i haven't written anything feature-length, or with a strong narrative, in nearly three years. i figure it this way, i have about four or five different feature length projects that i could start working on tomorrow. but which one?

honestly, i'm probably going to start working on at least two of them. one will, no doubt, be the American Revolution mini-series script that i'm developing with Jeff. but as for the other one, i really don't know. there are a lot of options.

in any case, i'm excited. also, tomorrow is the first meeting of the new sketch comedy troupe. as of now, the members are myself, Jeff, Jordan, Morrow, Jillian, and Dana. This troupe excites me. i think it's going to be good. and i don't mean, like, funny good... or even showstoppingly good... i'm talking, like, end-of-the-world, rapture inducing good. we're going to be dangerous... really. i mean, we're so funny, that our audiences will enter as mild-mannered, civil-minded fellows, and leave a bunch of ass-hungry pedophiles.... (was that joke going a bit too far?)

now, just a moment. i don't want that last paragraph to come across as too pompous or pretentious. the fact is i don't think I could be that good in a million years. however, i just wanted to illustrate how much faith i have in the people that i will be working with. they are rock stars, each of them, and to be able to collaborate with them in the name of comedy is a blessing i'm not sure i completely deserve.

but i'll take it anyway.

so long and mahalo.

5:32AM

i know, i know. it's been a while. i just stumbled across this, and i figure it will probably be all over the news tomorrow, if it isn't already. so, apparently ABC is going to air this dramatized mini-series they made called, "The Path to 9/11." Supposedly, it depicts all the events and short-comings that lead up to the 9/11 attacks being possible. ABC claims it's based entirely on personal accounts and the 9/11 Commission's Report. however, over the last few days, members of the Commission, who have seen the film, claim that the movie is horrible inaccurate and fictionalizes a great many events in order to place blame where it is convenient. these inaccuracies are causing such a stir that several key Democratic Senators have issued a formal letter to Robert Iger, President and CEO of Disney (ABC's parent company), asking him to pull the mini-series from airing this Sunday and Monday night. According to reports, Disney has also entered into a deal with Scholastic, to make this film freely available to teachers at school for educating children on what lead to 9/11.

i'm a big believer in free speech. anyone of you who is reading this knows that to be true. still, i cannot deny that if this movie is half as inaccurate as is alleged, it could do irrevocable damage to us understanding what really allowed these terrible terrible events to occur and to us preventing further tragedies from occurring in the future. we live in a country with a great many freedoms. thank god for that. and there is nothing that can be done, should ABC choose to air this film. they have every right to air it. and i must admit that if they do air it, i will probably watch it.

what bothers me more than any of this is the possibility that an entire generation of school children could grow up with false impressions of what caused one of the worst losses of life in American History? it seems to me that we live in an age that should be beyond propogandized history. we now know that Pearl Harbor really wasn't a surprise attack. we now know that the Boston Massacre wasn't simply a group of blood-thirsty British soldiers killing colonists for sport. if we know what really happened, as is clearly stated in the 9/11 Commission's report, why should ABC feel the need to fictionalize events and try to alter the perception of history? i think this is an issue that people need to pay attention to. if this movie does air, i would suggest watching it. remember the mistakes made eveident in the following letter. remember.

September 7, 2006

Mr. Robert A. Iger

President and CEO

The Walt Disney Company

500 South Buena Vista Street

Burbank CA 91521

Dear Mr. Iger,

We write with serious concerns about the planned upcoming broadcast of The Path to 9/11 mini-series on September 10 and 11. Countless reports from experts on 9/11 who have viewed the program indicate numerous and serious inaccuracies that will undoubtedly serve to misinform the American people about the tragic events surrounding the terrible attacks of that day. Furthermore, the manner in which this program has been developed, funded, and advertised suggests a partisan bent unbecoming of a major company like Disney and a major and well respected news organization like ABC. We therefore urge you to cancel this broadcast to cease Disneys plans to use it as a teaching tool in schools across America through Scholastic. Presenting such deeply flawed and factually inaccurate misinformation to the American public and to children would be a gross miscarriage of your corporate and civic responsibility to the law, to your shareholders, and to the nation.

The Communications Act of 1934 provides your network with a free broadcast license predicated on the fundamental understanding of your principle obligation to act as a trustee of the public airwaves in serving the public interest. Nowhere is this public interest obligation more apparent than in the duty of broadcasters to serve the civic needs of a democracy by promoting an open and accurate discussion of political ideas and events.

Disney and ABC claim this program to be based on the 9/11 Commission Report and are using that assertion as part of the promotional campaign for it. The 9/11 Commission is the most respected American authority on the 9/11 attacks, and association with it carries a special responsibility. Indeed, the very events themselves on 9/11, so tragic as they were, demand extreme care by any who attempt to use those events as part of an entertainment or educational program. To quote Steve McPhereson, president of ABC Entertainment, When you take on the responsibility of telling the story behind such an important event, it is absolutely critical that you get it right.

Unfortunately, it appears Disney and ABC got it totally wrong.

Despite claims by your networks representatives that The Path to 9/11 is based on the report of the 9/11 Commission, 9/11 Commissioners themselves, as well as other experts on the issues, disagree.

# Richard Ben-Veniste, speaking for himself and fellow 9/11 Commissioners who recently viewed the program, said, As we were watching, we were trying to think how they could have misinterpreted the 9/11 Commissions findings the way that they had. [9/11 Miniseries Is Criticized as Inaccurate and Biased, New York Times, September 6, 2006]

# Richard Clarke, the former counter-terrorism czar, and a national security advisor to ABC has described the program as deeply flawed and said of the programs depiction of a Clinton official hanging up on an intelligence agent, Its 180 degrees from what happened. [9/11 Miniseries Is Criticized as Inaccurate and Biased, New York Times, September 6, 2006]

# Reports suggest that an FBI agent who worked on 9/11 and served as a consultant to ABC on this program quit halfway through because, he thought they were making things up. [MSNBC, September 7, 2006]

# Even Thomas Kean, who serves as a paid consultant to the miniseries, has admitted that scenes in the film are fictionalized. [9/11 Miniseries Is Criticized as Inaccurate and Biased, New York Times, September 6, 2006]

That Disney would seek to broadcast an admittedly and proven false recounting of the events of 9/11 raises serious questions about the motivations of its creators and those who approved the deeply flawed program. Finally, that Disney plans to air commercial-free a program that reportedly cost it $40 million to produce serves to add fuel to these concerns.

These concerns are made all the more pressing by the political leaning of and the public statements made by the writer/producer of this miniseries, Mr. Cyrus Nowrasteh, in promoting this miniseries across conservative blogs and talk shows.

Frankly, that ABC and Disney would consider airing a program that could be construed as right-wing political propaganda on such a grave and important event involving the security of our nation is a discredit both to the Disney brand and to the legacy of honesty built at ABC by honorable individuals from David Brinkley to Peter Jennings. Furthermore, that Disney would seek to use Scholastic to promote this misguided programming to American children as a substitute for factual information is a disgrace.

As 9/11 Commission member Jamie Gorelick said, It is critically important to the safety of our nation that our citizens, and particularly our school children, understand what actually happened and why so that we can proceed from a common understanding of what went wrong and act with unity to make our country safer.

Should Disney allow this programming to proceed as planned, the factual record, millions of viewers, countless schoolchildren, and the reputation of Disney as a corporation worthy of the trust of the American people and the United States Congress will be deeply damaged. We urge you, after full consideration of the facts, to uphold your responsibilities as a respected member of American society and as a beneficiary of the free use of the public airwaves to cancel this factually inaccurate and deeply misguided program. We look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Sincerely,

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid

Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin

Senator Debbie Stabenow

Senator Charles Schumer

Senator Byron Dorgan

1:45AM - News from the City of Angels...

So, i'm in LA.

So, I finally got my computer unpacked and up and running.

So, I've got a job, at least for the week or so.

This is awesome.

I left Austin early Sunday morning. (Actually, not as early as Jordan and I had hoped, as we didn't actually hit the highway until about 9 or so in the morning)

We traveled down 290 until we hit I-10. From there, it was on to Fort Stockton and El Paso. We hit El Paso around 8pm. We stopped there to get gas and a car charger for my iPod which has just run out of juice.

Then, we were off again. We went through Los Cruces, NM and then into Deming, where we stopped for the night at a Days Inn.

New Mexico was strange. The freeway was full signs noting that "Dust Storms May Exist". Jordan and I had quite a discussion (once we reached the hotel) on whether this sign was playing non-commital about niether confirming or denying the existence of these so called "dust storms" or whether the state of New Mexico has recently granted "dust storms" the right to be and storm in our reality. We never reached a final conclusion.

The next morning, we set off around 9 or 10am. We drove from Deming to Tuscon, and from there into Phoenix. Just before Tuscon, however, we decided to make a stop and check out "The Thing" museum. We had been notcing signs for "The Thing" as far back as El Paso. Now, two states later, there we were. Parked at a little shop, ready to embark on a mini-journey of discovery inside of our journey of discovery. That's right, plays within plays are for pussies.

We paid for our tickets ($1 a piece) and walked through the back door that lead out behind the gas station/souvenir shop. We followed a marked path leading to a small collection of warehouses. Being the John Carpenter fan that I am, I couldn't help but run through flashing images of Kurt Russel and Keith David fighting for their lives in a desolate arctic station, and I hoped, that should Jordan and I find ourselves in a desert variation of their situation, that our deaths would be quick and painless.

Long story short(er), "the Thing" was a mummy. Actually, it appeared to be a mummified Native American girl, buried either with a doll, or her newborn child. It was hard to tell.

Phoenix pissed me off. It hot. Hot, hot, hot. I'm from Texas and I thought I knew hot. But this was unreal. It was, according to Phoenix's all knowing Bank signs, 116 degrees when we pulled into town. On top of that, the people seemed rude, pretentious, and dumb. And nothing pisses me off like unintelligent, mean, pretention. Also, it took us nearly two hours to get through Phoenix. I've now been in LA for the better part of a week, and none of the traffic here is half as bad as what Jordan and I experienced in the city that should have remained a pile of its own ashes.

I'm tired now, and this story is going to get much longer. So, just like Pirates of the Carribean II, here's all the boring stuff. The story's just getting interesting and...

To be Continued...

So long and mahalo.

10:57PM - A Simple Shout Out...

The people I know are AWESOME!

That is all.

2:35PM - There's Always a Trade Off....

So, I just finished installing a new DVD writer into my computer. But, for some odd reason, now my computer is incapable of making sounds. I tried to go to volume adjust and the computer tells me that there is NO audio device on my system. I'm confused. And angry. And resisting every time my brain says, "Jon Smash!". You see, unlike my computer, my brain IS capable of making sounds.

Other than this little setback, all is going well. My job is definitely extended for another two weeks, which means money isn't an issue in the impending move. I have a company waiting to hire me when I get out there. Things are going well all over.

Fuck my computer.

For some reason, I fear I'll find myself at Best Buy by the end of night, having to purchase a new sound card for the son of a bitch. That would suck.

Hope all is well with the rest of the world.

So long and mahalo,

1:00AM - Boy, I Really AM a Jerk-Butt...

So, for no reason in particular I signed on to my LJ account for the first time in close to a year. I'm looking down at the last entry and I see that we had apparently just finished the second SICKS show and were preparing for the Out of Bound Festival... hmmm. How things have changed.

For those who don't live in Austin, the SICKS are no more. We had our farewell show last month, and it was possibly the best show we ever did.

Opheliapain, you have not been forgotten. Without your help, the troupe might have gone through all this time without a name at all.

I just received word today that the census job is going to end a little earlier than expected, probably in the next two to three weeks. It's not much earlier, about a week. But that means that that's $500 less that i'll be getting before the big move. I haven't spoken to Jordan about it yet, but this may bump up our moving date a little bit, especially if both our operations are ending at this time.

I sincerely hope I don't hate California. I consider myself pretty laid back, but I'm also someone who doesn't like to sugarcoat things or put on a smiley face when I don't really feel like it. That doesn't seem to fly in LA. I'd better learn to adapt.

I know I'm going out there with great friends, who I love dearly. However, over the last six months, I've made a lot of friends who I care greatly for. I wish I could take everyone with me, or move Austin to the Pacific Ocean. I'm just going to have to get a great job and come back often.

Well, that's about it for now. I think I'm going to go watch something incredibly dorky. Maybe 1960s Batman, maybe Wrath of Khan, not sure.

So long and mahalo.

11:15AM - Long Time No Update... That's Right, I'm a Jerk-Butt...

Okay. So this has to be fairly quick. I'm at work, and I can only do this because I'm on my lunch break. So, I have only a few minutes to sum up the last few months... Yeesh....

First off, the second SICKS show went amazingly well. We drew many more people, and the general thought is that it blew our first show out of the water. This is due to a number of particular people who were new to working with the troupe. They brought elements that we were lacking and provided amazing depth and thought to every sketch. Bob Apthorpe, our director for "The Revenge of the Sicks", is a genius. Kacey Samiee, who stepped in for Smiley as a performer and writer, has quickly become of the troupe's MVPs. Jill Morriss, our newest writer, provided some of the most original and clever sketches we've ever had. In short, the show rocked.

Now, the SICKS are preparing for two different ventures. We've been hired to play a 17-year old's birthday party. The mother of the birthday boy is giving us $100 to show up at the party and perform a 45-minute set. That rocks!

Second, the SICKS have been accepted in the Out of Bound Improv & Sketch Comedy Festival and Miniature Golf Tournament, which will take place in Austin, Texas, September 7-10. We perform on September 8th @ 8pm. Troupes from all over the country are going to be there. I'm incredibly excited.

Not a whole lot else is going on. I work. I watch movies at night. That's about it. I'm about to start working on a new play that I'm very excited about. I think Kacey (from the SICKS) and I are going to co-write it. It will be a two person show, playing off of old-vaudville routines and classic Burns & Allen comedy stylings, only with a very very dark twist. I can't wait.

How is everyone else doing? I've tried to read everyone's posts whenever I get the chance. Things have just been crazy. Hope all is well in the LJ universe. Hope to hear from everyone.

So long and mahalo,

9:29AM - New Job... Other Events...

I know, I know. Here goes:

I have started my new job. It's pretty much everything I was doing at my old job, but I'm getting paid more. Sure, I have a couple of extra responsibilities, but it's worth it for the extra pay. And another funny thing, it's next door to the place I was working only a week and a half ago.

The Sicks have their new members for the july show. We had some meetings this weekend, and i think this show is going to blow the socks off the first. i'm very excited. for anyone who reads this who is in the Texas area and might be interested in catching us in Austin, here are the show dates and times:

The First Show: The Happy Fun-Time Sunshine Comedy Variety Spectacular will be performed Fri 07/08 and Sat 07/09 at 8pm at the Hideout on Congress.

The Second Show: The Revenge of the Sicks will premier on Fri 07/15 and Sat 07/16 at 8pm, also at the Hideout. The second show will also be performed the following weekend Fri and Sat 07/22 & 07/23. Same time, same place. Tickets will be $8.

Well, i should go. This job isn't as friendly with wasting time online as my last one.

So long and mahalo,

5:16PM - So, here's the deal...

Well, it is official. I will be out of a job come Saturday... The company is downsizing and I'm SOL.

I figure I should be alright. The CEO and CFO of the company have been really helpful with assisting me in fine-tuning my resume and keeping their ears to ground for potential work for me. I'm hoping I can have something by the end of next week. I can't really afford not to. But I have faith.

The Sicks have auditions on Sunday for women looking to fill in for the summer. My roommate has a job in Connecticut over the summer and she'll be gone through half of September. I just hope people actually show up for the audition. It's going to be interesting.

I've been writing again, finally. That is very very good. I'm working on three different screenplays right now and trying to start work on a High School TV show pilot with two of the other writers from The Sicks. I think the show is going to be much darker than most high school shows I've seen.

Well, that's all from this side.

So long and mahalo,

10:12PM - A Little Update...

Well, it's been a little bit, and I feel I owe the LJ an update. So, here goes:

Have I become boring? I certainly hope not. I used to actually have some passion about the subjects I was writing about. I was showing and not telling. Well, at least i hope I was. Now I pretty much just come on, randomly list off the events that have occurred and then sign off. I don't know about you, but I find that boring. Events are more than events, they have meaning. Maybe not to the people who read this LJ, but they do to me. (I'm speaking specifically of events listed in my LJ. The events my friends post in their LJ's definitely have meaning, and the express such. This is failure on my part. I feel like I'm not fulfilling my part of the unwritten pact that exists between LJ friends.)

Well, to cut to the point, I'm tired of not expressing my passion on this thing. This may be due to the fact that, for the first time, I am not at work while writing this. So, I really don't have any time constraint to get it done, and I don't have to worry about my boss looking over my shoulder and trying to figure out how this online journal related to listing auction items on eBay.

I'm really only going to talk about one thing. A girl. I haven't talked about a girl yet. At least, not in the sense that I'm about to. There is someone I know that I have amazing feelings for. Honestly, I can't recall the last time I felt this way. I'm not going to say that I'm in love, or even that I have a crush. I really don't know yet. I just know that I don't know, or have ever known, anyone like her.

Being in her presence makes me feel like the most contradictory creature on the Earth. I feel amazingly confident, but vulnerable. She makes me feel scared, nervous, excited, and at peace - all the same time. She's one of those people that makes you feel in a constant state of awe. Not necessarily in awe of her, though it's not far off. Instead, she makes fills me with awe for the world.

I've talked on this LJ before about the key to being happy in life is to never lose awe with the world. Never let yourself cease to be amazed by the world's little miracles. Sadly, I had become so as of late. But not when I'm with her. When she is around, the world feels like a miracle that is far to large to even begin to comprehend.

Listen to me, I'm sounding like a 15 year old girl. Oh well. I just needed to get that out. I haven't figured out what to do about it yet. Or even if I need to do anything. Like I said, I'm not saying that I'm in love, or that I have a crush really. I suppose, in way, I have a hero. Or a muse. Yeah, I think it's a muse.

I'm sure that you've noticed that I haven't written a name anywhere in this entry. I don't intend to. I worry a bit too much that should the subject of this entry read this, she might get weirded out and take this as some kind of crush or infatuation or obsession. It really isn't like that. Should that person ask em flat out if it is them or not, I'll tell them the truth. But I don't want that person to read this and not have me there to explain anything. I'm really rambling now. I'm not writing the name down. Period.

I guess, what I'm really trying to say, is that it has been a long time that someone, unrelated to me, has infused me with a joy that makes me happy to be a part of this world. It's been a long time since someone has inspired me. And to that woman, I say thank you.

Thank you.

That's all from this side.

So long and mahalo,

10:25AM - LOST Quiz and Some Ramblings...

Okay, so I took the LOST quiz that i found on Ophelia's LJ...

You scored as Charlie. You're Charlie! Sweet, adorable and caring but with a bit of a bad habit. </td> Charlie 81% Claire 75% Kate 69% Jack 63% Sawyer 63% Sayid 63% Locke 56% Boone 56% Jin 56% Michael 44% Hurley 44% Shannon 44% Sun 38% Who is your "Lost" alter ego? created with QuizFarm.com

Not what I expected, but definitely something I can live with.

So, I think the Sicks have their next show dates... July 8,9,15,16,22, & 23... We still have to get a replacement for Smiley while she's gone for the summer. We've come up with a short list of possible replacements... I'm sending out an email on tuesday, inviting them to audition.

This July show is going to be a BIG gamble... It's going to mean a lot of money down the drain, or a big boost in our name recognition and profit.

The SURVIVOR finale was hella sweet. I also just started watching THE L WORD's first season. It's a pretty good show. Jennifer Beals storyline is freakin' great. Pam Grier is also awesome on the show.

Okay, I gotta get back to work. Hopefully, I'll have enough time to make another post today...

So long and mahalo,

12:07PM - The Last Week and a Half has Been Crazy

It's time for people to get all caught up on things...

The show went well in it's final performance. We made exactly enough to cover rent for the theater. Unfortunately, that also means that all the cost of costumes and props and publicity came straight out of our pocket. Hopefully, the next show won't be nearly as expensive to produce. Now we have a nice collection of costumes and props that we can pull from for the next show.

I've started writing on some scripts again. I actually started three different scripts last week. Pretty soon, I need to pick one and see it through to completion, then move on to the others.

I started a MySpace account. Through the website, I ended up finding an old high school friend of mine that I haven't seen in a number of years. It turns out that he lives only two blocks down the street from me. Isn't coincidence amazing!? We went and had a beer yesterday. It was awesome to catch up.

The move to LA next May is becoming more and more set in stone. I certainly hope I have the money. I don't see why I wouldn't. I just need to keep my head on straight.

I'm hoping to arrange a trip to NY before I move. My older brother and one of my sisters live out there and I would very much like to visit them before I head out to LA. I know that once I get out to California, it will be very difficult for me to get out to the East Coast.

For those of you who don't have one and read this journal, I highly recommend getting a MySpace account. It's been a lot of fun and I've been having a blast.

I'll probably post the same thing that Ophelia did earlier this week. I'm just going to post it right now. But I really do like the questionnaire. Well, that's all from this side.

So long and mahalo,

11:17AM - One down... One to go...

Hello all,

Well, the show opened last night. The last few nights of rehearsal, we were a little low on energy, and so everybody came to the theater juiced (excited, not drugged) for the show, determined that low energy would not be a problem. Unfortunately, it seems that we have a had a bit too much nervous energy for the show and we tended to rush the first act a little bit. It wasn't bad, just not as good as it could have been. Still the audience seemed to enjoy it.

The second act went very very well. It was probably the best run of the second act we've ever had. The audience seemed to really dig the show. Hopefully tonight will go as well if not better.

We managed to get 23 butts in the seats. Not bad for 10pm show on a thursday. However, it means that we'll need to get at least 27 in the audience tonight in order make rent of the theater. I'm already probably going to have to pay people back out of pocket for their expenses. I really don't want to have to pay the theater from my own money. But, if it happens, it happens. And it will have been worth it. This show has been amazingly fun to work on. It's been great.

The Sicks will of course get the next week off, without any troupe commitments. We'll probably have a meeting the next weekend to get our schedules straight for a show in July. Also, Smiley is leaving for a few months at the end of May. Ben will be leaving for good in August. The meeting will be figuring out how we're going to do the selection process for replacements. It will be a sad meeting in some ways. I love everyone in this troupe. None of them can actually be replaced. They are some of the greatest people I have ever worked with. But, such is life.

I'm a bit nervous tonight. I have a sketch where a father walks in on his son masturbating and the whole awkward conversation that ensues. The sketch opens with me on my bed, my hand down my pants... It's funny, but tonight I get to perform that sketch with my parents in the audience. Talk about wiggins...

Hope all is well with everyone. I've got to get back to work. Have a great weekend, everybody. I hope you find love, if you don't have it already, and may vast sums of money fall from the sky for each and every one of you.

That's all from this side.

So long and mahalo...

10:21AM - (singing like Richard Beymer) Tonight.... Tonight!

Well, tonight is the night. I first came up with the idea of starting a sketch comedy troupe last September... I put off the idea until late December, when I finally figured out exactly who I wanted to bring in as members. We met for the first time in late January. We continued meeting every Saturday and Sunday for writing sessions and weekly readings. We had our selection meeting some three and a half weeks ago.... And tonight is the night.

Tonight, the Sicks will be performing their first official show. I am so excited. Of course, given my nature, I am also worried about a lot of different things. One: The length of the show. Currently, our show is running somewhere in the vicinity of two hours. That is extraordinarily long for sketch comedy. In total, we have 21 scenes. I'm very worried that the audience will hate us for having a show that long. The second issue is one of energy. Sometimes our performers (me included) have more energy than we know what to do with, and we'll have a fantastic run. If we're low on energy, the run slows down and we end up have a show that runs closer to 2:15 or two and a half hours. That could be disastrous.

But, as I said before, I am very excited. I have faith in all the actors involved in this show. I have faith in the writing of every scene. I love our music selections throughout the show and I love Mike D'Alonzo's brilliant direction. I am so so very excited.

Over the next two days, I am going to be a nervous wreck, so probably won't hear much from me... I'm planning on spending the weekend without leaving my home (as our last show is Friday night) and I'll hopefully be taking Monday and Tuesday off from work to recover fully. I'm going to take this time to wish everybody a great weekend and hope all your wishes come true. If you're in the Austin area, come see the show tonight or Friday. If not, I'll be letting you know the second we have a DVD available (should be around late August).

That's all from this side.

So long and mahalo,

1:22PM - The Directionless Dribblings of a Slowly-Slipping Mind...

Hello all...

This past week has been crazy and it won't be letting up anytime soon. The Sicks will finally take the stage on Thursday. I realized how close we really were last Thursday and my stomach hasn't come out of knots yet. I am incredibly nervous and excited simultaneously. However, there is still mucho worko to be done before Thursday. We still need the banner for our set painted and hung... we need a few more costume pieces and props, and programs must be designed and printed.

I do not foresee sleep in my near future...

Yesterday's rehearsal was amazing. It made me feel really good to run the show from start to finish as opposed to going through individual sketches with short breaks between each. It was rough and unfocused, by I think we'll fix those problems by tomorrow.

I have decided to quit smoking. I'm not doing it today, however. I am starting my break-up with longtime companion nicotine on Monday. I've tried to quit before, but more because I felt I should, not that I wanted to. I now want to quit. I'm actually looking forward to it. I just don't want to put my fellow cast mates through my withdrawals while we're trying to put up a show. Monday will be fine. Once again, I'm very excited.

Oh, for those who haven't seen it, here's the poster for The Sicks' 1st Show:

THE HAPPY FUN-TIME SUNSHINE COMEDY VARIETY SPECTACULAR



I am the (as Opheliapain said) the dorf in the bottom right-hand corner. I don't know is she meant dork or dorf. Personally, I find it a compliment to be compared to the great Tim Conway. But I suppose dork is fitting as well.

The other members of the group are as follows:

GIRLS (Top to Bottom): Kate Caldwell, Sarah Smiley, & Lauren Hunt (my little Sis... in real life)
BOYS (same): Ben Sterling, Jordan T. Maxwell, and myself.

The knots are coming back...

Hope all is well with everyone. Busy here at work, so I better get back. Everyone chime in and let me know how you're doing. That's all from this side.

So long and mahalo...

3:53PM - Another Short Post with Interactive Bonuses!

Pick ONE from each pair that you think describes me the best & leave it in the comments. Then copy this and post it in your own journal to see how your friends view you.

* dominant or submissive
* logical or intuitive
* social or loner
* kinky or vanilla
* cute or sophisticated
* kitten or puppy
* warm flannel sheets or sleek satin
* leader or follower
* quiet or talkative
* spontaneous or planned
* teddy bear or porcelain doll
* hiking or window shopping
* tequila or vodka
* top or bottom
* bare foot or shoes
* jeans or slacks
* tender or rough
* aware or dreamy
* nerd or geek

I answered Ophelia's and will answer all those I know who do this as well. I find this very interesting. Much better than most survey-type things.

Only 8 days till The Sicks debut.... Things are getting to crunch-time. Kind of Sickly-nervous-excited feeling in the pit of my... you know.

So long and mahalo,

5:02PM - Interviews, Sketches, Guys Night, and the Like...

First things first. That, of course, means I am going to discuss events in my life in reverse chronological order.

This is a simple interview thing that I chose to participate in. It's like one of those e-mail questionnaires, but LJ style. So, it's kind of cool. Here are the rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Here are the questions I answered that jme333 asked me (I don't remember how to hyperlink):

1. What one thing do you wish you had more time for?

Honestly, a lot of things. But, if I have to choose one, it would be theater and such. I have so many plays that I want to write, so many shows I would like to produce or direct or perform in. If I could, I would make this sketch comedy troupe my full time gig.

2. You just won the lottery, what is the first thing you buy?

Homes for every person in my immediate family. I want my family to be able to live the rest of their lives without ever having to worry about a roof over their head.

3. How would you describe yourself?

I'm a very very passionate person, but I tend to subdue that part of my personality around friends. I worry a bit too much about upsetting people, or having people misunderstand me. I tend to be extremely irreverent, but that comes from my belief in questioning everything. By magnifying and satirizing people, places, and situations, I think you get a much better understanding of how they work or who they are.

4. What would the perfect date consist of?

A beautiful, elegant dinner at the local Chucky Cheese's, followed by a barrage of Ski-Ball competitions. Following that would be a leisurely drive through the city and the outskirts, through hills and across bridges, and just enjoying the view. The drive would eventually lead us to a quiet, candlelit bar for drinks or just some good old conversation-time. Hopefully, the night would end on the couch at one of our homes, watching something classic.

5. Who is your role model and why?

My Father. I know, that may seem an easy and stock answer, but my father is really one of the most upstanding people I have ever met in my life. I may not agree with him 100% (or even 70%) of the time politically, but he never closes his ears. In a discussion, he is always willing to listen and is amazingly logical and compassionate. He has a tremendous heart and is never afraid to come to bat for his friends in need. I hope to live up to the example he has set before me.

So, now you all know a little more about me, and know what kind of geek I really am. You read number four and wonder how in world I haven't had a date in two years. Well, we'll get back to that subject when we cover Guys' Night.

And now for.... Guys' Night!

So, my friend Mikey knew that his wife and sister-in-law were going to be having a Girls' Night. As so, it was decided that a few of us of the male sex, should as well have an evening to go out, hang out, and be incredibly male. In translation, that meant we should go out to dinner, trying to look far cooler than we actually are, go out and have a few drinks at a club where we would be surrounded by people far better looking than us, and end the evening sitting in our underwear playing Grand Theft Auto and talking about Star Wars.

It sounded like a good plan to me..... And then...

About a week before Guys' Night was to go from theoretical event to historical record, I became aware of secret agenda to the Evening of Men. This secret agenda had a purpose. A target. A goal so unattainable, that I merely sat back in awe and laughed quietly at the feeble attempts to bring such an unlikely event to fruition.

They guys wanted to get me laid.

Some men may take this as insulting, or embarrassing. Not me. I have a good sense of humor and it's very very difficult to offend me. I knew this was more for humorous reasons, and I even found them funny. However, I found it even funnier as the week went on, and the guys became more and more sure of themselves and our (or perhaps I should say "my") certain success. They were so sure of themselves and their "wingman" abilities. Well, before I knew it, Guys' Night was upon us. Honestly, I really didn't know what to expect.

We started the evening off by treating ourselves to a fabulous dinner. I knew we were going to nice place, and I don't often have a reason to dress up, so I decided to wear my new suit. Dinner was amazing, though it took us two and a half hours total, what with starting drinks, appetizers, dinner, and after meal cigarette.

I just realized that's the first time I've mentioned smoking in my LJ. Sorry if it takes a few people by surprise. Yes, I smoke. I know it's bad, I know it's unhealthy, and I know it's really gross. I do need to quit. Just haven't yet for some unknown reason (addicted much?). I, of course, would also never recommend it to someone who hasn't already taken it up. But, back to the Night!

So, we got out of the restaurant around midnight. We headed for this new bar called Light (that doesn't sound at all pretentious, like some trendy LA hot-spot where Leo and Tobey and Lindsay Lohan would hang out, does it?).

Light was actually very cool. The music, or course, was very very very very loud and was all remix DJ stuff. Dance music. However, there was no dance floor. Hmm. Interesting. I'm not going to go into a bunch detail about the club. It was fun and I had an excellent time, as did everyone else it appears. However, the goal was not accomplished. Not that a lot of effort was put to it. Mostly talk. No Action. I mean, No Action.

And indeed, as I had foreseen, we get back to the duplex (My roommate and I live on one side, Mikey and his wife on the other), the underwear and PJ's come out, and the PS2 is fired up. I eventually go to bed around 5:30 or 6 am. I awake the next day at 3pm. I don't why I slept so much.

I wasn't hungover... I don't drink. Well, I don't drink more than one or two drinks a night, at the most.

Guys' Night was actually a lot of fun, and I realize that the story was very anti-climactic, but so be it. I did happen to give a bride-to-be a lap dance for her bachelorette party. She was very sweet and I wished her a beautiful wedding and congratulations.

I realize this post is already way way way too long. I'll post more about The Sicks upcoming show a little later.

That's all from this side.

So long and mahalo,