bukowsica!

Two words: I'm busy. Man. I've overextended myself and I kinda sorta like doing that but I think I also do it because it keeps me from doing something really, really well; i have an excuse as to why everything isn't great: "I'm so busy... If I had more time then I could have...."

But, so far, everything is working out fairly well.

We've had a total of 5 Bukowsica! rehassles and I think we have figured out how to make it work. It is, like Love Tapes was, deceptive. It seemed much more simple than it actually is, but I have the great John Mitchell and Becky Harrison on my team holding my hand.

I also have a great script and music and the biggest advantage is that everyone in my cast is perfect. So, if I somehow drop the ball, they will all figure it out and make it work. That is, of course, the worst case scenario.

After a few days where I left skilljam, I'm back. More growing pains, etc., and some miscommunications had me believing I wasn't needed there, but that was far from the case. So, I'm back there doing that email thing I do. It's nice because I can do lots of it from home, so everyone wins. I can get something at the end of the day and work on it at night, so it's ready to go the next day. It's like I'm outsourced, only expensive.

Played an 80's gig last Saturday night at Burbank Bar & Grille. Wore the corey wig, two izod shirts, the members only jacket, the leather pants... the grace... it's such a blast. So freeing and relaxed compared to playing in the thornbirds where I don't want to come off like the moron I am. When doing the 80's stuff, I embrace the dolt in me. My #1 stalker, Shirily, was confused at my choice of movement style on stage. I stomp around like ozzy (without the bladder problems) with a big fake billy zoom grin. It is ridiculous looking. I love it. It's also great practice. I play just about everything with my fingers. So between the upright and the 80's gigs, I could actually improve as a player.

We opened the 2nd set with Bohemian Rhapsody. That got their fucking attention. Oh boy. It is a blast to play Bohemian Rhapsody for a crowd who has no idea that the band they're seeing can pull off Bohemian Rhapsody.

I had a girlfriend who hated that song so much she would cry. I was with her for a while. I dont' know what either of us were thinking. Hmmm...

Russ has been slowly laying more guitar tracks for Thornbirds record #2. We have a massive amount of songs. Enough for a double album. Or long, 15 song record and then maybe release one song a month on the web. Or we'll just be the Boston of the indie world and never get around to finishing it. We've been recording for a couple of years now. So, I'm going to go finish my bass stuff next Tuesday.

The house looks amazing. Chris, our contractor who actually seems competent and good and stays on schedule, and his team have removed the popcorn ceilings, the crappy carpet, the ugly wallpaper and the rotten laminate flooring. They have almost finished painting one room, put primer everywhere else, created a doorway where there hadn't been one and ripped the ugly stuff out of the bathrooms. Peter, the electrician, got in and installed boxes for lighting in each room. There had only been wall switches before. No one understands what people were thinking in the late 70's with that shit. Why did they not want light coming from the top? Why only lamps everywhere? Was it some lamp lobbying group who got some bills passed which made it difficult for home builders to install lights in the ceiling? Hmmm.... CONSPIRACY?

um. no. just a different time.

There was some even uglier discovered in the living room. Chris said he didn't understand how anyone could have such busy and ugly wallpaper in their house. I said that in 25 years, people will look at the stuff we're doing to the house and think we're insane.

For example:

Speaking of insane... colin suggested that each of us have one wall be an accent color in our offices. I saw Jessie's purple wall today. It looks completely boss.

I have a nifty blue going on my wall and I'm also going to put up a big wallsized thing of the earth from the moon. Or a big horkin map. Jessie suggested that I put that on the wall people can't see when they look at the room from the hallway.

Hmm.

Victor and I will be leaving to go to Malaysia to do Spamscamscam in a little over a month. I think we've gotten them all the stuff they need. I have to find a long video cable which will work with my media controller and a projector. That will make things easier and I will relax about the trip as it's really my only worry. The Garnder & Wife folks seem beyond competent. They should be, they produce travelling shows a few times a year at their theater.

Packing. Jessie has done most of the packing so far. My free time before last Saturday has been filled with learning 80's songs for the gig, so I didn't do any packing. I started some tonight.

I really dislike it. A whole bunch of dislike. Next time: Staff. Or, the Sheriff's will just take everything because we'll be losing the house.

I did a cool demo spot for Bud Light. I sure hope they keep my voice and don't give the gig to Owen Wilson when it's all animated. That would suck, it's also probably what they're gonna do... but... if they don't.. i will be able to afford staff to pack my stuff.

so that's my life right now. coding during the day, bukowsical rehassles at night, record and send v.o. auditions to agents after i get home.

i also finally got all of our services at the house scheduled. Plus, we're getting television. It seems that I have most likely read my last book.

I'm also the heaviest I have ever been. I must be close to 180. Not good. My face is puffy and doughy.

I keep repeating: May. May. May. 2006 begins in May.

Oh yeah... Julie Mullen and I got nominated by the l.a. weakly for best comedy performances for Love Tapes. Jessie got nominated for best comedy direction (and the the director for gorey stories, the show she asst. directed, got best comedy direction, too. Plus Banks y Penn got nominated for best script. Two days after that, I got a call aksing if I was interested in auditioning for a really cool play at a really cool theater. That is the kind of spontaneous publicity I need to get ahead, people!!!! I got that goin' for me.

Which is nice.

Speaking of acting. I auditioned for The West Wing. Finally. How long has that thing been on? First time. Like with ER, it's one of those shows where they will run out of actors. Unlike the one for Close To Home, I actually enjoyed the process. I made it about the work and not about the audition and I'd forgotten about that. You just sorta kinda "act" like you've been hired to do one take of part of a scene for an audience who can't be figured out. So it was nice. I did the best I could. And when one does that at an audition, getting the part is gravy.

Of course there was no gravy, but I didn't leave wanting everyone to die.

The only discouraging thing is that Lawrence O'Donnell Jr. is the showrunner on WW and created Mr. Sterling. I consider him a good friend and knowing him didn't help me get the gig on the show. So, perhaps I was frighteningly bad.

Ahhh... insecurity... so sweet!!!

speaking of crappy: the 17" iMac is, according to the tech, "A Doorstop". Cool. Those apple computers! They're so good and reliable!! The 15" was out of commission for nearly two weeks. I got so frustrated with it when it wasn't turning on, that I slammed it into the wall. Can you say "Completely fuck yourself out of your security deposit within two weeks of moving?"

I knew that you could.

Jessie is out of town for a few days working with Penn & Teller. Keep me in the manner I am accustomed to.

This novel has been brought to you by Carpal Tunnel & Associates.