Another Lazy Dog-Dangling Afternoon

Has it really been over a week since I last posted? Sheesh! This day job thing is really cramping my style.

A couple of days to the big election. I've got that morning off to cast my ballot, and I am praying that the lines won't be a big deal. Get me in, get me out. That's all I ask. The great thing is that I have Wednesday off, thus I can stay up late watching the results come in...then again, I am now in LA, so that'll happen a lot sooner...while I'm at work. Perhaps I'll have the good news by the time I return home.

Halloween was okay. I had to close down the store, so I didn't get to the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival (is that the official name?) until about 9:30. It was fun to see all of the costumes, and the freaks. I met up w/ the other half and friends Chris and Ami. We had dinner, chatted and watched the people go by. We parted ways after that, and the other half and I ended up walking the remainder of the carnival path, and then all the rest of the way home. This was no small task, considering I had just worked an 8 hour shift. This means that since I walked to the carnival from work in Beverly Hills, walked through the carnival itself and then home to Hollywood after the festivities, I walked home from work yesterday...Beverly Hills to Hollywood. I think it's about 5 miles. Needless to say, I was thrilled to have today off, and the opportunity to sleep in, and have an afternoon nap as well. My body needed the rest. That was a nice, droning adventure I just recapped for you. You're welcome.

We are planning to meet friends Lorri and Jason this evening for dinner somewhere, but no permanent arrangements have been made. I'm looking forward to it, since we haven't seen them in ages.

No work has been done on my script, but I did have a fruitful meeting w/ friend Chris on Monday. He schlepped his way to our neck of the woods, and we sat down to discuss current projects, how we can assist one another on those, and also projects we might want to work on together. We're building a partnership, and have a good plan of attack to make it work. Yeah, us! One of the things we have promised for each other, is that I will have a rough draft of my script (yes, my second due date has passed) and he will have another draft of his current script, both ready by November 15th. We're here to push each other.

My job isn't as tragic as I thought it was two weeks ago. Today is my official one month since I started w/ them. That was FAST! I had computer training in Gardena on Wed and Thurs, and I had a great time learning. The teacher loved me (told me she was impressed w/ what I knew and was able to learn, since I was a mere "baby" with the company), and I thought she was a genuine treat. My "capabilities" or lack there of in others case, is supposedly to be reported back to our District Managers. I should get a glowing review. Back in the store, I am relying less on my co-managers, which is allowing me less time to have to deal w/ some of their petty issues, which is why I think things are getting more tolerable. I've had two employees comment on how they like me, so that makes me feel like I'm doing well.

Yeah, this is a boring ass post, so I will move on.

I need to go grocery shopping.

I want our stuff from storage.

I would love some ice cream right about now.

Saw some classic movies over the past week. Strait Jacket. The old William Castle/Joan Crawford story about a vengeful woman who kills her cheating husband in the opening moments, then returns to live with her now grown daughter (who witnessed the murder) about 20 years later. It was low budget, but a very good time. Small roles filled by the likes of Lee Majors, George Kennedy, and the story revolving around my lovely Joan. It had some fun scares, a nice payoff, and a genuinely good performance from Joan. Upon meeting the parents of her daughter's fiance, the shit hits the fan, and Joan serves up a really powerful scene. She really gains your sympathy, despite the fact that she's completely cuckoo. Also not to be missed, is her "seduction" scene of her daughter's fiance. Very creepy, but quite effective. I love me some Joan.

Next up was Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte. It was to be the second film starring feuding divas Crawford and Bette Davis, but apparently, Crawford couldn't bring herself to do it. So, screen legend Olivia de Haviland was brought in, which makes this a much more effective piece. Had it been Joan, we might have had a clearer idea about where the plot was headed. With sweet Miriam (de Haviland) you're kind of thrown for a loop. Davis is equally as good as Crawford in Strait Jacket, also bringing you to a fever pitch of sympathy. I can't tell you the number of times the other half and I just shook our head at the treatment of her character on screen, and said, "That's just sad", or "That's just awful". Having heard the theme song from friend Jeff, everytime I've seen him over the past 9 years, I finally get it. It's catchy, kitschy, but ultimately drives home the story. I've been humming it for the past week. The highlight scene? Bette and Olivia have to dispose of something and Bette gets a bit nervous about it. Olivia takes control of the scene, and it is truly frightening. Melanie Hamilton, what are you doing? I think this film has such a cult status, I was expecting it to be trashy, over the top fun. It had those moments, but overall, it was a great, respectable time.

That is all.