impending journey

Since we haven't seriously been out of town since 9-11, we're planning our jaunt to Seattle with a little more verve than most would expect. Sylvia has been booking hotel action in both Seattle as well as 2 nites in Mt. Shasta on the return loop, just after Ashland and prior to Placerville. I think it's best to let her have her head in this regard.

I booked the car only, thru Hertz, but may well try Enterprise to attempt to get a better deal. Then it's just gas up and get out of town, in a little less than one month.

Over the July 4 weekend, we visit Ryan & E.J. in San Diego area on Sat., Judy & Paul on the 4th its own bad self.

Not much going on this week, but am working indigenously (and industriously) on L.A. Rock & Roller Coaster, after breaking country away from r&b, a very dangerous task for the uninitiated.

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week of all weaklings

Well, at the end of this week, we just finished a bootleg DVD of "Control Room," the all-Arab award winner. Earlier this busy week, I did my show on Sat., but did very little on Sunday. On Monday, I thought about going to LBCC to see the movie, you know, the Woodward-Bernstein flick, All American Reporter, or something like that, but not knowing the title, I passed.

On Tues, met up with the Wilson High School lunch bunch: Silva & spouse, Renning, Jorgey, Soon, Armstrong and yours truly. Overate and after trip to Beachcomber, came home. Soon was here to show a scintilating DVD of his N.O. trip, but feeling not so good, I passed, and so did he. Bad scene.

Weds, an even more scintilating Cable Comm meeting in which we learned of some shocking news, which I'm not going to put here, because I promised temp silence to Matt Kaplan, who asked me not to report it until he can work things out at LB State....so be it.

On the way back, stopped at Dizzy's and search out the homeless for a photog, wtih no luck., tho there was a sleeping bag near the 405.

Speaking of high schools, the night was truly interesting, as a police chopper was circling our house all night, seeing as how there was a shooting at Vet's Stadium during a Poly graduation with a bloodied victim disappearing. I could have gone over to photograph, but didn't. Wish I had....sorta.

Thurs, it was a day with Dr. Paul, unknown to have humor, so why did I make a jest about a once-a-week shower...not even cracked a smile, but did give a worried look about this dirty patient. Will I ever learn? In a word...no.

After my appt., checked out the Vet's Stadium scene and talked with those involved...the case of the disappearing victim. Looked all day for a homeless scene to photograph...where is one when you need one? Lots of interesting stories going in the hopper.

Friday, finished up a bunch of articles, going with Sylvia to Denny's for bkfst in my free time. In the afternoon, we watched "Control Room" and did this....sort of completes the circuit, doesn't it?

white castle

We just watched a video called Howard & Kumar Go To White Castle, a mildly amusing, wildly imossible move at a par with ET for reality and Gilligan's Island for lovable characters. All of which made me wonder, didn't Longo Beacho once have various white castles or am I imagining this shit? Plus, if you like dope (and dopes), this is the one for you...everything but faith healing and pig fucking.

And it made me hungry for $40 worth of the stuff.

homeless and hurtin'

The past few days have been fascinating. Yesterday, I was sitting at home, minding my own business, when someone called me unawares....they said "is yo name Steve?"
I said "why sure."
They said "you the boy we been lookin' fo"...actually she said, "my name is Cassandra and I have some really old records and I'm on foot, so where can we meet?"
"On foot, as in homeless?" I enquired, having wanted to do a story on E.L.B. homeless for some time.
"Yes, yes, a million times yes," answered Cassandra. Actually, she played around with the concept, but she agreed to do an article, if I looked at the records.
We met at a burrito shop near the Ralph's at the Traffic Circle. The records were junk. She was nervous, smoking, irritable, her boyfriend hung about, as tho she'd need protection - after all, she didn't know me.
She wanted to get paid. I said no. She talked, I listened, she refused to let me take a photo, she got antsy, she isn't exactly crazy, but she's too depressed to do much about her sitch. Then they wanted $10 for the 78s/10" LPs, which I refused to do, they got huffy & left. So did I. Went over to the Great Balboa on 10th, which really isn't.

Today, I got scheduled to have my nagging cyst removed, but when I went in, a rather aloof, not so nice Dr. Paul said since it was infected, he couldn't do it, but it would have to be "opened & packed." That means a shot, a slice, blood and bandages. Real nice, real uncomfortable, and a need for daily return visits for the nurse to repack for a week, when Dr. P. sees me again. Oh, goody. That means I can't workout in the iterim.

end of month, end of week, but not end of the world as we know it...yet, at least

In a very uneventful week, Sylvia left at noon to visit Ruth, her mom in Temecula, to wish her a happy 89th birthday (really on June 16), put another candle on her birthday cake, sing "happy birthday to you" (at least once), watch Barb's kids swim, munch hot dogs and more or less do those things after getting there at about 2:30 because traffic was so horrible on the 91 corridor that Barb, who was driving called me about a shortcut that everyone else in the family has rejected, but only while complaining about the heavy traffic.

As usual, I have no good ideas, so what's the point of sharing them? Pearls before swine, except when they ask, then I'll consider it. Am I pissed? No, just a little tired of being shined on.

Went to gym in p.m., watched TV, read newspaper and had argument with Sylv in a.m. over her 3 complaints in one sentence ("pick up tennis shoes, fold your laundry, don't sit at computer") before taking a deep breath. I dubbed it the grousing machine...not a very nice saying, but it's how I view it honestly. And with me, it doesn't work.

Expect her home well after dark and exhausted. But I didn't go, so I wouldn't be pissed off about all that traveling for so little time there, which is what it all amounts to.