November 28, 2002
And I-I-I wanna thank you...
Whatever the questionable, genocidal origins of the holiday we celebrate today, I do believe we can make it into what we want it to be by our celebration, and what I always like about it is what the name says -- a time for giving thanks.
I'd been meaning to write something about this earlier, but what I'm most thankful for is that this year, unlike most that I've lived through, I can look around and say that I have true friends. I remember back in college getting frustrated with a roommate of two years and having someone tell me, "Ahh, you guys'll be friends for life, hanging out in the old folks home together." That my first thought was "Please, I hope I do better" indicated that the friendship was probably not going to last, and in fact it didn't. After he absconded with the girl of my dreams, I seldom saw him again.
It has also been true of much of my time in L.A. that on any given weekend, I can call every person I know, and no-one is home...except, of course, me, not having been invited to anything that all these people are out doing. Similarly, any time I've been part of any group or clique, from high school onward, I've almost always been on the very outer rim of it, the slightly strange guy no-one really wants to hang with individually.
But this year, my car broke down in the driving rain during rush hour, and I had someone to call who responded immediately. I wanted to get this website up without any knowledge of html, and at least three people volunteered to do it. I have shirts with my initials on them, and people want to buy them. And when New Times LA folded, everyone I know called me, without any prompting, to make sure I was OK. The fact that any of the seasoned journalists at that late great paper give me any respect at all is awe-inspiring, too, given that I had no journalistic credentials when I started there.
This, above all, is what I give thanks for. Also the brief but lovely sex life I had for about a month -- I'm very thankful for that, as well as to the female artist I met earlier in the year who gave me a bit of practice first.
I'm thankful for my wonderful younger brother, the only person in years I've ever cried to have to leave behind. I'm thankful too for the even younger one, though I don't yet feel I know him.
I'm thankful that after last year's horrendous terrorist attack, there has been no equivalent follow-up. I'm thankful I live in a state where Republicans are not voted in and smokers must conceal their habit. I'm thankful I still have a job. I'm thankful that the people I work with respect me.
I'll be more thankful when I'm finally making movies, of course. But in the meantime, that's a lot of good stuff up there.
Posted by LYT at 1:51 PM | Comments (0)
November 27, 2002
Review Update
My review of the sci-fi "remake" Solaris is up at Clevescene.com: http://clevescene.com/issues/2002-11-27/film3.html/1/index.html
Due to a font that makes upper-case i and lower-case l look the same, I should clarify that the title of the piece is "Ocean's ill heaven."
UPDATED: miaminewtimes.com has the most readable headline of them all. Around 1/3 of the papers changed it altogether, rightly figuring that "Ill" looks too much like the Roman numeral three (as seen in those that kept the original head), even though it's supposed to be a synonym for sick beginning with the letter i. I love the header too much to relinquish it to fonts, though, and Miami did the best by slightly cheating on capitalization rules in order to render the word legible. Go Miami!
Posted by LYT at 3:18 PM | Comments (0)
November 26, 2002
This weather really blows
Killer winds whip through the Southland! It's usually a safe bet that whatever L.A.'s weather is, the rest of the state is experiencing ten times that and people are dying of it. Windy? Trees fall over, people die. Raining? Mudslides send houses into the ocean? Hot? Brush fires, of course.
Last night, though was insanely windy. Loud, shrieking wind that battered my windows all night. Yet it's still warm, and there are very few clouds in the sky. Dirt and dry dust flies everywhere, and my sinuses don't like that.
Well, it's official -- the New Times office will close for good by year's end, putting me at home even more than normal. At least I might get a better modem -- this dial-up one plays hell with me when I'm trying to deal with folks in 11 other cities.
The shirts should arrive tomorrow, though the salesman isn't inspiring a great deal of confidence -- I feel he may need to be hurried along by me tomorrow, and I plan to lay the verbal smackdown if they aren't ready as promised. If I'm happy with them, I'll promote their place no end, though.
A certain relative of mine caught a look at this site, and was disturbed that I admitted to being depressed and drinking in one post, fearing I'll never get hired for a job again if word somehow leaks out that, gasp, I'm not always happy, and consume alcohol! I looked back at the journal , and saw that that post was made the night the Republicans won everything. I'll go out on a limb here, but since this is the only state that the Democrats swept, I'd say a lot of Californians were depressed and drinking when the national results came in. Just a hunch.
It was fun hanging with my friend Ed and his dad on Friday -- Ed's apartment is being used to film a script of his that I read back in college (he's not directing this one -- too many other projects that I'm not at liberty to say anything about). That Ed is a horror director/writer, and that I freaked him out with a Tortured Souls action figure, speaks proudly to my personal tastes, I think. I know he'll figure out a way to push my boundaries somehow, though. I'd love to get horribly murdered in one of his films. Or horribly murder someone else.
Saturday I watched the movie Frida -- Salma Hayek finally shows her boobs, and they're fantastic. In the same vein, watched Scarlet Diva on Sunday, which I loved; everyone I know, almost, has made this kind of self-confessional/pseudo-docu movie about themselves, but Asia Argento is more shameless and has more resources. Check it out.
I'll try to post here more often, but I was so amused by my own Scientology Santa skit that I wanted it to stay on top of the page for a few days.
Posted by LYT at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)
November 23, 2002
Merry Crass-mas
Christmas lights up already? I'm waiting until after Thanksgiving, danke schoen. Scientology Santa's house is being rebuilt again on Hollywood Blvd as we speak. Pity the kids who go to him:
"Ho ho ho! What would you like for Christmas, little boy?"
"A fire engine."
"Purged Engrams? Let's look at daddy's wallet first, shall we?"
"No, a fire engine. A battery operated street one."
"You want to free your Operating Thetan? Oh dear, daddy's wallet looks a little bit light for that. But maybe he could start scrubbing Santa's floors for a dollar an hour."
"No Santa, why are you being so weird?"
"Been Cleared? Yes I have! Only cost Santa $75000 and the loss of Mrs. Claus and all the elves!"
"That's...kinda pathetic."
"Dianetics? Why, sure, Santa can give you that. It's a good book, too. Santa might even give you some extra copies for your friends!"
"But that's not what I want! And I've been a good boy!"
"Yes! Johnnie Goodboy Tyler! He's the hero of Battlefield Earth, which is a best-seller! Santa's got lots of unsold toys from that movie -- how about a talking Terl action figure?"
"Daaaaaaaad!"
Posted by LYT at 7:12 PM | Comments (0)
(deleted)
This post has been self-censored. Sorry folks, I do that sometimes. That's why you gots ta check every day if you want to catch everything.
Posted by LYT at 1:08 PM | Comments (0)
November 21, 2002
Review Update
My take on the Ice Cube comedy "Friday After Next" is up at phoenixnewtimes.com, and most of the other papers as well.
Posted by LYT at 12:38 AM | Comments (0)
Site update
The shirts are coming. Five days from now. Once they've arrived, I'll officially be the most shameless self-promoter I know (where's your T-shirt line, Amy? Gotta catch up!). We'll have details on how you can get one soon, as well as an official site launch party with giveaways!
Also in the works is a video guide cobbled together from over 300 old reviews. This will be a monstrous task that'll likely take a couple of months to complete, but should be mighty impressive when we're done.
And even that's not all! If I could just get some of the folks I want to really kick this thing into high gear to return my calls, I've got many more ideas to improve this site and make it a must-visit location. In the meantime, I'd like to encourage all of you to post on the message boards. I know it's intimidating the first time, but don't be shy. This site can really rock, and be for you guys as much as for me -- OK, maybe never quite as much as it is for me, but without you, I'm just a voice dying my hair in the wilderness, or something...
Also there's a new picture of me as Robby the Redneck in the Photos section.
Posted by LYT at 12:23 AM | Comments (0)
November 19, 2002
I can't think of a clever headline
James Coburn has died, and the world is a poorer place for it.
Be sure to check out his most recent role in "The Man From Elysian Fields," a film that seems to predict his death. And if you want to hear his voice over and over, you may still be able to get the talking J.B. Waternoose action figure from Monsters Inc, a giant spider in a suit that talks like Coburn.
Shame he had to make Snow Dogs in his last year on earth. But there's lots of good stuff to counter that.
Posted by LYT at 11:27 AM | Comments (0)
November 18, 2002
After this, I'm gonna go watch wrestling, listen to Eminem, and maybe defile a church or two...
Found the fourth of five 12" Clive Barker's Tortured Souls toys today. Last remaining one to get is Lucidique, available exclusively at comic book stores via Diamond distributing (get it... 'Luci you can bu-uyy from Diamond/Ahhhh!')
For anyone who has $40 to spare on Xmas gifts for me -- I'd love a second set of these. One to keep in box, one to open. I'm keeping mine in the boxes this time. For $20, there are the porn star action figures at plasticfantasy.com. Hate to be so shameless, but my family and friends always lament not knowing what to get me, so there you go. I won't be mad if no-one gets me these, though. Promise.
As to where to get the 12" souls, should you be that rich:
Agonistes -- Tower Records (available online)
Lucidique -- comic book stores
Venal Anatomica -- Suncoast, Sam Goody
Scythe Meister -- Electronics Boutique
Talisac -- all of the above.
Posted by LYT at 8:25 PM | Comments (0)
AFI-fi/Arabian Nightmare
Well, just to prove this won't always be political, here's a less-linear posting...
AFI fest wrapped up last night, with the best catering of the fest and a kickass party that unfortunately had a lower turnout than one might expect, maybe for being on a Sunday. Still, that meant lines for the free drinks were shorter. I've been spending the past 10 days at the fest, with the URL for this site literally written on my forehead. Maybe you're reading this now because you saw it. If so, thank you, and hire me. Please.
Festival head Christian Gaines and all-around cool guy (he has a kid named Luke Thompson -- really!) deserves a big thanks for not revoking my credentials once my paper closed. As I told him, next year I'll probably either be with another outlet or submitting a film to him. That said, I know he'll hate me for saying it, but I still give the edge to the LA/IFP West festival as my favorite this year. AFI may be the purest, and have the highest prestige films (good job getting The Quiet American, and my nightmares thank you hugely for Dark Water), but LA/IFP knows how to throw a party (they also had "May," one of my favorite movies this year). Open bar all day every day, porch parties every afternoon with food and a DJ, and wacky special events, like singalong with the Elvis movie at 8000 Sunset, or getting a live band to do a new score for a silent horror flick. AFI is all about the movies and nothing else, but it's also a tad stuffy as a result. Making it the must-attend weeklong party of the year would, in my opinion, improve turnout and positive coverage. But take that for what it's worth.
Last night I actually had a dream about being captured in Saddam Hussein's palace -- it sorta tied in with a dream I'd had another night in which the middle east actually shared a border with America, as I think it did in this dream also. Saddam caught me, killed my friend Steve Davy by impaling him with a well-thrown spear, and beat the hell out of my other colleague (Saddam had near superhuman strength), who may have been Gregory, but I'm not sure. Then Saddam starts sprinkling radioactive crystals on my clothes, pledging to turn me into a human nuclear bomb, but agrees to set me free if I can walk a low tightrope over a canal across the Iranian border, with him following cloes behind. The canal is filled with crocodiles (a la the Jackass movie), but the prospect of being eaten is better than being a human nuke, so I do it (leaving my surviving colleague behind, but there's no way to save him and me). By the time we reach the other side, it's gone from night to day, and Saddam is now disguised as a little girl, so all the Iranians won't hurt him. But I tell them who he is anyway, and the Iranians start trying to stone him to death. He runs back across the rope, and the large stones keep falling from the sky, as I have to dodge and deflect to keep them hitting my head. I remember thinking it's like a game of Asteroids. Then the falling stones are replaced by falling cog-wheels. That's about when the dream ends, or at least pauses -- later I'm in the house of an American family I know in Iran (not really, but I know them in the dream), changing out of my radioactive clothes and being told I'm still radioactive.
It's a weird dream because I rarely even think about Saddam. I don't fear him as much as GW Bush would like me to. Not sure there's any significance to it. But despite the appearance of geopolitical folk in it, I thought it might be a change for you guys to read something less screedlike from me.
Posted by LYT at 3:45 PM | Comments (0)
November 17, 2002
Hal and High Water
North Carolina columnist Hal Crowther is a friend of mine, and the principal reason that there's a link on this site to the North Carolina Independent (indyweek.com), for which he writes a column every couple of months. He tends to be spot-on when criticizing the Republican party, and his vehement anti-smoking stance emboldened my own. But every once in a while, he'll say something so out of touch with my reality that it damn near forfeits any populist credentials in the contemporary sense of the word.
In the latest column, a broadside against outrageous radio shock jocks (among whom I would not include Howard Stern, though he does) comes this line: "If they buy professional wrestling, body piercing and Eminem, it's a safe bet that torturing animals, defiling churches and tormenting widows will delight them too."
Okay. Let's clarify what's being said there. Folks who like theatrical stunt/action shows, body modification, and clever if inflammatory rhymes are also likely to be amused by torture and sacrilege. I'll grant him the sacrilege -- many people with the anarchic sensibility of an Eminem or Eminem fan are none too fond of churches. I'm only into torture if it's consensual, or fictional.
But let's look at the other stuff. Professional wrestling has been around for almost a century now, and is predated by Punch-and-Judy shows which, aside from being enacted by puppets, are more or less the same thing. Crowther cites the '50s as being a more civilized era, but it was then that wrestling delighted in the sort of xenophobic stereotypes that are nowhere near as common today -- Fritz Von Erich, Baron Von Raschke, Ivan Koloff, etc. True, there wasn't the same level of media saturation, so a fellow who didn't want to hear about it didn't have to. But it was there, and the fans often believed it was real to such a degree that they'd try to actually kill or beat up the bad guys as they left the arena, which would be unheard of today.
Eminem -- well, I wonder if Hal's listened to Eminem. Em is articulate and has a nimble tongue, though he does often use it to provoke. I frankly can't imagine many people hearing his delivery and taking it seriously, but folks who just read the transcripts certainly could. Dirty, articulate, and provocative rhymes are nothing new, by the way -- there's a fella by the name of Chaucer who predates this century. Read Francois Rabelais' "Gargantua and Pantagruel," if you can get through its entire chapter on ass-wiping.
As for body-piercing, that predates western society by a long shot. I wonder if he has a problem with earrings, and if not, then the problem clearly isn't one of sticking a needle into one's flesh, but rather the social acceptability of where it's done.
Much love to you, Hal; you're more often than not a valuable voice. But how about trying to understand the appeal of some of this new stuff that seems strange to you (as you did with Kurt Cobain way back when), rather than just assuming it's evil? That way, you'd be one up on Rush Limbaugh and co.
Check out the column yourself at www.indyweek.com, in the "columns" section.
Posted by LYT at 12:16 PM | Comments (0)
November 16, 2002
Gored by the Bull
So Al Gore has "reluctantly" decided that a Canadian-style single-payer health care system is the way to go, eh? Interesting. Does anyone believe that if Gore had become president, he would have come to this conclusion? More importantly, if (when, actually) he runs again, can he keep it up? If he does, he may get my vote, and anyone who remembers me in 2000 can testify as to what a shift that would be. Could it be that Nader actually successfully proved that Democrats can't take the liberal vote for granted any more?
Republicans will smear this as socialism (yeah, maybe, so what?), and mention Clinton's failed plan. But Clinton's plan failed not because of socialism, but because it was a bureaucratic mess that no-one could understand. What killed it was Bob Dole going on TV to explain the convoluted mechanics of the whole thing. Of course, there was also a lot of talk about being able to choose one's own doctor (not that you can now -- my HMO doesn't cover the local doctor I like and trust).
Larry Elder yesterday had several calls from ex-Canadians with horror stories of endless waits for hospital care. By contrast, I've heard many tales of Americans sneaking across the border for Canadian treatment. What I can offer is this: I had testicular surgery in Ireland, which does have health care, and I didn't have to wait for it. I don't believe health care should be a for-profit system, just as you shouldn't have to pay police a fee to catch the guy who mugged you, except out of general tax money. It fundamentally seems wrong to me that we live in a country where someone can die not because we couldn't cure them, but because they couldn't pony up the dough to get that cure. If I have to be taxed so hard that I can't buy food for a week, it's still worth it to save a life.
Posted by LYT at 3:37 PM | Comments (0)
November 14, 2002
This is hit
Welcome to the new blog. Looks kinda the same as the old one, but seems like it'll work much better. Now I just have to get motivated enough to write up a week's worth of back-stuff. Hah! Unlikely. But here are a few quick takes:
-Star Wars E2 DVD rocks. Minority opinion -- I think the deleted scenes should've been added back in -- the love story makes more sense with them in it.
-I made a short film on Sunday for a wedding present for a friend of mine who's leaving town, and it was such a rush to do it. I've gotta get more movie stuff done.
-Super Dave Lerman rocks, and he told me to say that.
-If you're one of the people I was openly angry to this week, I'm over it. Expressing it was all I needed to do, and you folks took it nobly.
-Matt King also rocks.
-POD's music can be surprisingly calming.
-Are Democrats growing balls by naming Nancy Pelosi as their leader? The LA Weekly thinks not -- they're running an article about how she's a creature of political expediency and campaign contributions more than anything. Still, most politicians are, and I'd rather have one that's leftist than not. I think the Weekly agrees. Read it online at laweekly.com.
-Full review of WWE Anthology 3 CD set and Hideo Nakata's movie "Dark Water" coming soon, or not.
Posted by LYT at 4:54 PM | Comments (1)
November 13, 2002
Updates and such
Here's what's new this week: Gregory and I collaborated on covering the St. Louis International Film Festival, and you can check out the outcome now at Riverfront Times' site. Also going on this week in Dallas is the Deep Ellum Festival, for which I contributed a brief review of the movie May, which you can find by clicking on Dallas Observer's coverage and scrolling down the page. Also at Dallas Observer's site is a short review of Seagal's new movie Half Past Dead.
I promise more journal soon. There's been plenty to write about, including AFI Fest, new Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, ATE 13 live, and various voices in my head. But with the blog program about to be imminently switched, or so it seems, I didn't want to write and have it all disappear. Regular readers, if there are any, will get the journal fix soon.
Posted by LYT at 11:47 PM | Comments (0)
There's a tear in my beer
I'm so depressed. I'm tired of my job, the Republicans maintain control of the house, and look to be getting the senate too. My response has been to drink beer and eat nachos, in the manner of Homer Simpson and Gerald Ford, both of whom would be better candidates than most of the clowns who got elected tonight.
Our government just sucks, and it seems like there's nothing that can be done. If Hollywood's so liberal, and movies influence behavior, how come more people aren't liberal, huh, you fucking right-wing goons?
God damn, conservatives can even have cool tattoos and long hair these days. I bet when they hit 35 they disavow it all and put on a stupid blue suit with a ton of hair gel.
I'm totally rambling at this point. Did I mention I was drinking?
I love living in this country, but fuck our government. Fuck it right in its ear.
In the LA governor's race, looks like Green candidate Peter Camejo pulled a record 5%. Go Pete! Hollywood didn't secede, so no politics for Angelyne.
For now.
Posted by LYT at 11:47 PM | Comments (0)
That last post...
was written very much in the emotion of the moment. There are indeed some folks I'm rather disappointed in, but I don't mean to tar everyone with the same brush.
This is what I meant about being candid in the journal. Not sure yet if it's a good idea, but it probably makes for a better read to strangers.
Posted by LYT at 11:46 PM | Comments (0)
Reign of Ice
Let me just say that I'm a little fucking disappointed in those of you who didn't come out for "Cool as Ice." Not like I hadn't told you multiple times or anything. What, water falling from the sky deterred you? Funny, it didn't deter me. And I didn't have a car. I'll explain in a moment. But seriously, if you were wondering why this website is such a self-serving, egomaniacal, self-promotional tool, here ya go. Clearly almost no-one pays attention to what I say, and I have to promote myself, or no-one else will.
Anyway, to back up: It's been raining for two days straight in L.A., and they're already calling it "El Nino" again. This wasn't a very warm California year to begin with; ironic to think that "The Kid" is in fact caused by global warming.
And my car, which had a stiff gear shift lever, decided to lose it at night, on Friday, during rush hour, in the driving rain. Transmission went out of whack, to the point where I accidentally discovered that the reverse gear was now first. After a Mr. Toad's Wild Ride from heck, I got it to the one place I was sure would be open and take it in -- the Felix the Cat VW place by USC. And God bless Gregory W. for coming swiftly to my rescue. I knew he'd understand -- the man has more continuous car trouble than anyone I know. When I first met Gregory, the reverse gear in his car didn't work, and anytime we'd go anywhere, we'd both have to use our foot power to back the car out of parking spaces.
So, you see, I was really hoping at least ONE of my Hollywood homies would be at the screening and gimme a ride back.
Mark, the Nuart's assistant manager, better known as the Movie Geek on the TV show "Beat the Geeks," was tremendously disappointed that I couldn't draw more people to the movie, and said to give everyone hell. So I am. But I didn't need his encouragement -- I've been talking about this for a while now. It was great to introduce the movie, which was hilarious, and in a pristine, never-before-watched print (cinematography by Janusz Kaminski, who went on to do Saving Private Ryan). The audience were fabulously receptive, though of course there weren't as many as we'd hoped for.
AFI fest kicked off on Thursday with Denzel Washington's directorial debut "Antwone Fisher," a deadly earnest tale of a sailor with anger management issues who finds his long-lost family. It was written by the real-life guy, and naturally makes him look like a hero and role-model. I expect to spend the nest 10 days mostly watching AFI films and downing free vodka. Come join me at the Arclight -- admission's cheaper than their usual for these flicks. Oh wait, I forgot, it's raining. Can't leave the house when that happens.
Also captures 3 out of the 5 new 12" Tortured Souls toys by Clive Barker and Todd McFarlane. All but one are store exclusives, meaning they ain't cheap, and you have to search around for all five. But they're beauts. I may actually leave them in their boxes, as I have the smaller ones to play around with.
Yo man, I'm outta here. Word 2 your mother. -----> b kool stay n skool
Posted by LYT at 11:46 PM | Comments (0)
Color Me Badass
Tuesday was one of those days when, as a critic, you just have to grin and bear it -- sitting home watching videos all day for an upcoming film festival.
Doesn't sound so bad, right? Think about it again. You have no time to leave the house. You must watch videos all day, and pay attention. They are movies you have never seen or heard of before, and most are super-low budget. You have an adequate TV, and a couch into which you sink like quicksand. Trust me, it's work.
But on the plus side, after weeks of prep for being Robby the Redneck on Halloween night, it feels so good to color my hair again. For those of you knifeheads out there who want to copy me, I thoroughly endorse the brand "Raw Color" and the colors known as Peek-a-blue and Hot Rod red.
Catch me tomorrow (Thurs) at the AFI fest premiere party, and Friday midnight at the Nuart to introduce "Cool as Ice."
Posted by LYT at 11:46 PM | Comments (0)
Dept. of depressing ironies
On the way to work, I saw a car with a big waving flag atatched to it cut off a fire engine that had its lights flashing. A person unclear on the concept of patriotism, and/or amnesiac about who the heroes of 9-11 actually were that his flag is most likely intended to salute.
I'll bet the guy didn't vote today either.
Posted by LYT at 11:46 PM
Review Update
My review of Mike Leigh's latest working-class Brit film "All or Nothing" is up at dallasobserver.com, while my "Femme Fatale" review (Brian De Palma's Parisian erotic thriller) is making the rounds in Phoenix, Cleveland, Houston, and KC. I recommend the Phoenix and KC versions, as the other two have been trimmed for space.
Posted by LYT at 11:45 PM
almost forgot...
Vote tomorrow. Angelyne's on the ballot for Hollywood City Council; I endorse her but oppose Hollywood secession, which won't pass and thus makes her position irrelevant anyway.
Camejo for governor is my choice, though Gov. Gray Matter will of course take it.
If you're black and in Florida, bring ID and don't be deterred!
Posted by LYT at 11:45 PM
Keep Fishin'
Not much to add today. Spent most of Sunday either watching TV (new Simpsons Halloween special wasn't up to par, except the final segment, a Dr. Moreau parody with Dr. Hibbert; New King of the Hill was better, but I miss Beavis and Butt-head) or sleeping. And worrying about my future.
It's hard to know how candid to be on this board. I know for a fact that some of my employers may know this url, so I can't say anything bad about them; and all my friends have it, so if I'm mad at one I shouldn't publicly bitch...several of you have said you wanted to see my uncensored Reagan rant.
I dunno. Should I be candid no matter what and invite controversy, a la Courtney Love, or ensure that everything I let out about myself is carefully controlled, like the new modest Madonna? You can let me know on the message board.
I get to see the new Harry Potter tonight. Haven't read the book this time, so I know very little about it. Should be fun.
Posted by LYT at 11:44 PM
Samhain judgment
For those unaware of Irish pronunciation who bastardize the word above,it's pronounced like "sound" but without the "d" on the end. Thus it's kind of a tortured pun. Samhain is a pagan festival held Nov. 1 that became All-Saints Day, but it's also the Irish name for the entire month of November.
"Irish? Don't you mean Gaelic?" No, and don't get me started on that. The name of the language is either "Irish" (if you're saying it in the English language) or "Gaeilge" (in its own parlance). "Gaelic" is an adjective similar to "Hispanic." And Mexicans don't speak "Hispanic," though one could say they speak a Hispanic language. Get it?
Anyway, kicking of November wiwth a party chez Campbells is the best way to go. Though if you want a Halloween scare, here's one: I went in costume as Robby the Redneck, and I'd say a majority of folks at the party seriously said it was a good look for me and I should keep it.
Whatever. If I went by what other people wanted me to look like, I wouldn't be as well known around town as I am.
It was good to see most of the old NTLA gang again; possibly for the last time, though I doubt it. Most seem to have their travel plans firmed up. I don't know if it would be OK to formally announce where specific individuals are ending up, so I won't. Suffice it to say that the SF Weekly and Phoenix New Times seem to be getting the bulk of 'em. Once they start their new positions, if any LA fans want to know where their fave writers have ended up, drop me a line or ask on the message board and I'll let you know.
I've been thinking once more about career change -- I was kind of getting in a rut anyway, and the time may be right to start pursuing my original goal again. Honestly, I almost felt relieved when it seemed like I might be out of a job. But I'm sticking with it for now. It's just tough to be in transition, and it seems like it will be "in transition" for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile friends of mine are getting their movies made.
But back to the party -- those of you who've been begging for nude shots on this site should've stuck around for the climactic hot tub session. It was so hot that "Steve" (name changed to protect his identity, or maybe not) begged me not to leave at around 3:30 a.m.
Posted by LYT at 11:01 PM
Journal-istic unintegrity
This journal program has its problems. You may have noticed that when the new month rolled around, all the links disappeared. If it turns out we have to manually add them every time, a new journal program may be sought.
Meanwhile, use the back button on your browser to take you to a page with all the links.
Posted by LYT at 11:00 PM
Journal-istic unintegrity
This journal program has its problems. You may have noticed that when the new month rolled around, all the links disappeared. If it turns out we have to manually add them every time, a new journal program may be sought.
Meanwhile, use the back button on your browser to take you to a page with all the links.
Posted by LYT at 11:00 PM