New Super Hero!

When I was working on some Corporate gig about 3 years ago, I became a superhero.

CAPTAIN APATHY!

This was some Corporate gig. I had to sign a NDA because I might overhear something top secret. Yeah, right. It was 9 days of work and a paycheck. And I totally didn't care. I got paid to sit around and do nothing for most of that time. When I did have to go do something I totally didn't care. Usually I have some kind of pride and work ethic, but I just couldn't get it up. So to speak.

And I came up with Captain Apathy! (tm. all rights reserved.) I would do theme music, "Bum, bum, BUM!" Stand with my legs apart, put my hands on my hips like a Superman pose, then deflate and say, "Fuckin', nevermind. I don't give a shit, do what you want." This became a running joke for days on the job. The whole crew was Captain Apathy, but until then they hadn't put a voice to the emotion.

Later I would work other production gigs and run into some of the guys from that job. They didn't remember my name, but they remembered the Captain. They were still doing the running joke. Kind cool to know I am the Captain of not caring... Hm...

At the moment I feel the Captain is close. Somewhere off to the side. Because there is so much uncertainty in my life right now, I am having a hard time caring. If I gave my full attention to the things I have little or no control over and let myself worry about it, I'd have ulcers or become an alcoholic to anesthesize myself.

Sometimes not caring and letting go is all you can do.

Thanks, Captain Apathy!

Water

I like the water. I learned to swim at the age of 2 in Scottsdale. My parents didn't have a pool then, but they would get a membership to a pool at a hotel nearby. First was the Safari Hotel on Scottsdale and Camelback. Later it was the Valley Ho (That was the name. Stop snickering.) on Indian School and 68th street.

When I was maybe 7 or 8 we got a pool. On my street most evryone had a pool. I think there was only 2-4 houses without pools. It's kinda crazy. All the kids in the neighborhood would swim at each others houses. It was fun.

When I went to college I missed the pool. I haven't lived with a pool in the backyard since I was 17. But a good friend of mine lets me come over and swim at her place n Burbank. It's someone I housesit for every once in a while.

I'm not sure what it is about the water. The thick silence when underwater? When all I can hear is the grinding of my shoulders in their sockets. (It's not the years it's the mileage. My shoulders have seen a lot of mileage.) I like the floating weightless too. Also, I can stick to a wall like Spider-man and fly like Superman. That pleases the 8 year old part of my psyche. I have always wanted to be a superhero. Though the villans have the best lines...

My best day ever was in 2008 on the Great Barrier Reef scuba diving for the first time. I was underwater thinking, "This is going to be and expensive fucking hobby." I will someday get certified, and then go back into the deep. The warm deep. None of this California stuff. Brr....

Life Sentence

The Lockerbie bomber was released from a life sentence in a Scottish prison because he has terminal Prostate Cancer. It was called a compassionate release. I have questions.

1. Does his release change anything in his diagnosis of the prostate cancer? Still terminal I imagine. Release from prison is not a miracle cure.
2. He is meant to die in prison. Hence, "Life Sentence." Dying in prison of old age is okay, but dying in prison of cancer is bad? A life sentence is so they die in prison. Something will kill you whether it's old age, heart attack, or prostate cancer. 2 of them are okay, but prostate cancer, ooooo that's just mean?
3. He killed 270 people. Okay. That's not a question, but I thought I'd point out what his heinous crime was.

He is going to die in a lot of pain probably. But they have beds and drugs in prison. They can make him comfortable there. And he can fulfill his sentence. Life sentence.

Damn. I sound like a Republican.

Funny Fat Guys

I was working as an extra on a Bud Light commercial this week. When booked for this it was made clear that we would be in tighty whity underwear at some point. Or maybe boxers. No big deal. Been there, worn butt floss (G-string). Got to keep it after the shoot.

Anyway. Out of the 8 extras, 5 were men, 3 women. Out of the men, 4 were in pretty good shape. We were asked if we would wear flesh colored underwear. Bal-Togs they are called. We all agreed. It's a gig, they are paying me. I actually wore something smaller in a shower scene in a commercial.

When we saw the male leads, none of them were in good shape. One guy had lost 50 pounds and had rolls of loose stomach flesh drooping. And on top of that he was hairy. Just don't dance in front of us, Dude! It was pretty gross to look at these guys, but it was funny. It made me wonder what the casting notice said; "30 to 55, real guys. No model types." The spot should be very funny, and things will be pixelated, but where does this air? ESPN? Do I need to watch football to see this?

But it was the Funny Fat Guys who are cast in this spot. There is always room for Funny Fat Guys in Hollywood. So what did I learn that I can take and apply to my career? Hmmmmm...

Eat more doughnuts.

Snitching

I was reading the paper today about on-line privacy. I do google my name occassionally. I also go to my IMDb page but that it just to raise up the "star meter". It's silly but I don't like being in negative numbers...

Anyway, I learned about a website, www.snitch.name . This website is like a white pages for a bunch of other websites, but things like Facebook and Myspace and Pipl. There were websites I had never heard of. You can look for inmates in prison . Awesome. So I put my name in and hit "enter." It found the sites I know of. But I also found my name on websites I never heard of. It was a little scary. Information on the web is perpetually out there, and once it's out there it's like trying to capture smoke. You can't get it back in.

So what did I do? I put in other names of people I know. To see what comes up. Even one friend who is a techno peasant is out there on the internet in places I bet he doesn't know about. There are old addresses and pictures and all sorts of an electronic trail now that was not around or accessible with this ease 15-20 years ago.

And people still bug me to join Facebook.

SYTYCD

If you know the acronym, then you know what this will be about.

I hate to admit it, but I watch a reality show. Not America's Best Karaoke. I hate Ryan Seacrest, and the singers are not that good.

I watch, "So You Think You Can Dance." I had never heard of it until 2 years ago. My disdain for reality shows in general had kept me from noticing it before then. I was visiting Bill and Heather in San Diego, and they were obsessed with this show. I thought it was interesting, but didn't really watch until last summer.

I love the different dance styles. The dancers are generally amazing, and the girls are atheltic and hot. And I watch wishing I could dance like them with that kind of virtuosity. I have always liked some of the old Hollywood musicals. Particularly Gene Kelly, and Fred Astaire movies. Singing in the Rain is a classic, and Daddy Long Legs is just fun. Gene Kelly was a man dancing. Powerful and athletic, and fearless in his Broadway style. Astaire had grace, style and elegance.

I like to dance, but it's kind of a freestyle thing in bars. And something too rarely done. When I try to dance something choreographed, I think I dance like a fighter. After years of training, my muscles are geared more toward sword fighting and hurting people. I can pick up any style of martial arts very quickly, but dancing I find tough.

I would like to be able to do half of what the dancers on SYTYCD do. I admire their dedication, sacrifice and passion for what they do. I have done the same for acting. Those dance classes at ACT are just a vague memory now...

Comic Con - Day 4

Sunday.

After such a late night I slept in as best I could. Say 9 am? And then packed a bit in anticipation of leaving. I went to the Convention center and caught up with Zack. He had loaned me a shirt for Saturday night. I didn't have anything dressy. So he kindly gave me something so I didn't look like a slob.

I caught up with him in the hall and we exchanged shirts. I was just worn down by the whole weekend and didn't really want to fight the crowds in the dealer's room. I said "Bye" to Zack and JoJo and then started to leave. On the way out I looked at the schedule. I rarely go to panels, and certainly not those you have to wait with 3000 other people to get in a room. But there was a Voice Over panel that had already started. Cartoon voices. My friend Kari makes a living doing anime and cartoons and I have been trying to break in to the field. (classes, a demo, etc...) So since it was already going I just walked right in and sat in the back.

There were some great VO actors there. Legends really. They were given a script with no preparation, the moderator gave them their multiple roles, and "Action." They did a cold read of a Superman script; one guy was both Ma and PA Kent. If the moderator said "change" they had to read the same line again in a different voice. It was really amazing. And a bit daunting. It made me wonder if I could do that. My friend Kari is really amazing. Sometimes I will recognize her voice, but many times I don't. I'm getting better at picking out her voice, though.

After that there was a panel about the business of VO. So I went to that. It ended at 2 pm. That was my absolute latest I could stay at the Con. I had to be in Culver City to feed a dog, and then go design lights for a show at the Knightsbridge. The panel was good. Did I learn anything that can help? I don't know. Other than keep trying, but I knew that one. It's just like anything else in this business. Persistence in the face of overwhelming odds.

I did give a Demo reel to a couple video game makers, and I gave my card to a few directors. So hopefully something will come from the seeds I sowed there.

I went and got my car from where I left it on the streets for 3 days and drove to the hotel. Finished packing and got out of San Diego.

All in All, a great con. And a nice view from the other side of the velvet rope.