Ryan's Journal

"My life amounts to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean. Yet what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?" — David Mitchell

Buddypalooza

Posted from Burbank, California at 12:15 am, August 31st, 2005

Here’s a belated recap of Buddypalooza:

Friday

After sleeping far too little on Thursday night, getting to work early on Friday, and eating far too much at an all-you-can-eat sushi bar in Glendale (Todai, not bad for $13), I escaped the clutches of the corporate world at 3:30 and started the 375 mile slog to the Bay Area. Fine Irish music and an ongoing news story about a beached whale carcass in Half Moon Bay were entertainment enough to keep me from losing my mind. Upon arrival the triad headed off to Pyramid’s for pizza, oddly-shaped calamari, and a few pitchers of apricot ale (aka the happy beer). That was followed by a trip to dirty Dan’s, highlighted by Paul Will’s philosophising about the advantages of small women, and the Goob’s conversation with a girl in line outside:

Her: “So is there a band inside?” (music is blaring)

Aaron: “No. Actually, it’s usually dead silent in there. But, you know, that’s cool, ’cause they have books you can borrow and stuff. And sometimes on Tuesdays they do Shakespeare readings.”

Saturday

The day of unending fun. Both Chi and Aaron took it upon themselves to call me relatively early in the day, thus ensuring I wouldn’t catch up on sleep. Chi and I headed to Chow’s for lunch, feasting on the delightful cuisine and enjoying the aesthetically pleasing restaurant staff. A quick trip to the happiness store to visit the dog, fish, and action figures was followed by a commandment from God to purchase and consume McDonald’s sundays. That finished with, we grabbed tri-tip sandwiches and lotto scratchers and headed home to meet Aaron. Following a Scrabble debacle (“ja”, I won) we caught a matinee showing of the 40 Year Old Virgin, then met the tall guy at Mudville for mini-basketball and more food. The options thereafter were a party full of girls getting ready to head back to college or else Scrabble and Karate Kid 2. Miyagi and Sato were not to be denied.

Sunday

The plan for Sunday was to meet everyone at Sam Wo’s for lunch and then enjoy a leisurely drive back to LA. I should have known better. Wo’s was followed by a trip to the Nish Bar in Berkeley, where conversation ranged from a missing belt loop to a dog named Chicken to the member of the gourd family most suited to be crammed into an orifice. Surprisingly we weren’t kicked out. The stroll through Berkeley that followed led us to Jaime Hill, where Jaime demonstrated the proper technique for executing a drunken forward roll downhill, across a sidewalk, and into traffic. When finally I got on the road the sun was sinking, but news of the impending hurricane kept me awake for the drive home.

Workin'

Posted from Burbank, California at 6:50 pm, August 23rd, 2005

It’s mildly disturbing how easy it was to slip back into the work routine, in the same way that someone who was on a diet for ten months and then consumed a pint of ice cream at one sitting would be disturbed; like there is something inside of me that was meant to do this sort of thing. I hope that’s not the case, as I would much rather have something inside of me that is meant to roam the earth like Kane from Kung Fu.

In news that might be vaguely interesting, the report from the lot is that the Poseidon Adventure, most of the TV shows, and a movie whose name I can’t remember are all in full swing. One of the backlot sets was in use yesterday with at least a hundred extras and twenty vehicles filming some sort of downtown scene, but sadly not only can I not remember this movie’s title, but I wasn’t daring enough to even figure out who the lead actors were. I must be getting old.

And for no reason other than that I was looking at this photo today and it made me happy, here’s a bunch (herd? flock?) of penguins to enjoy:

King penguins in Gold Harbour

King penguins in Gold Harbour.

Three's Company

Posted from Studio City, California at 11:30 pm, August 20th, 2005

Some quick notes:

  • I’m settled down in a house in Studio City with two female roommates. I know. One of them has been a musician for years, jammed with Motley Crue, and wows me with her other stories. Two and a half bottles of wine last night brought out a lot of stories. The other is Canadian and is making a pilgrimmage to Vancouver this weekend.
  • While shopping today I actually heard someone utter the phrase “that really chapped my ass”. I was floored.
  • In addition to the (flawed) debate over Intelligent Design, the Onion offers a look into the next battle over an alternate view of the theory of gravitation, Intelligent Falling.
  • The transition back to working after a nearly eleven month retirement hasn’t been as bad as I feared it would be. More traumatic was the search for a gym membership and the accompanying realization that a former collegiate runner is having trouble holding seven minute mile pace for more than a few miles. It’s embarrassing.

Still Wasted

Posted from Toluca Lake, California at 11:30 am, August 14th, 2005

“Look at me! I’m playing tennis! Ace! Ace!”. And for those whose sobriety level might prevent them from remembering that moment, there is video available.

Wasted

Posted from Las Vegas, Nevada at 9:40 am, August 13th, 2005

I’m trying to reconstruct last night based on the contents of my pockets, which include a bunch of Irish email addresses written on a coaster and a CD of a bar band that I vaguely remember getting after tipping the band $40. There was waaaay more beer involved than was probably smart (I should have known better than to drink with a couple from Ireland), but it was a classic evening. Chuck Chi was Irish step dancing with a sixty year old Asian woman in a straw hat, Aaron actually tried to use the line “I’m broke and I’m cheap, but I’m a good guy”, there was (earlier in the day) a chow-mein reuben combo at the Bellagio buffet, and vastly more silliness than I’ve experienced in years.

Aaron and Friend

Aaron and Friend.

Many Disasters

Posted from Sylmar, California at 9:50 pm, August 10th, 2005

Back in Los Angeles, and almost on cue the hills went up in flames to greet me. Or at least I hope it was a fire, ’cause if that wasn’t twenty miles of smoke that I drove through then the smog here has gotten about ten thousand times worse. And if it wasn’t enough that a natural disaster was here to welcome me, the hotel I’m staying in is not only surrounded by high walls topped with razor wire, but there are parking spots clearly marked as “Reserved for police”. As always the home of the movie industry finds all manner of ways to entertain.

Bears, Chafing, and Bears

Posted from Lafayette, California at 9:50 am, August 9th, 2005

It seems that people reading this journal are either shy or non-readers, but at least the good Mr. Gallaway added a few titles to the reading list.

As sort of a last expression of freedom before rejoining the corporate world I made a quick trip up to Yosemite, waking up just after 5:00 AM yesterday to be on the Half Dome trail by 6:00 AM. As always it was amazing, but sadly the final half mile of the trail was closed for repairs, and in addition there were some issues with… well, chafing, that made the trek down somewhat excruciating. On the positive side I took a ten minute water break with a deer who was browsing six feet from where I was sitting.

In addition, for the first time in Yosemite I saw a black bear while coming down the trail. The black bear was foraging near the trail and ambled to within about fifteen yards of me at one point (kids, don’t try that one at home). In the midst of watching him tear apart logs another hiker came along, happily munching on trail mix. After pointing out that there was a bear just off the trail and that it might be prudent for him to put his food away this guy did so and then wandered directly into the bear’s path. Noticing this brilliant maneuver, the bear paused, looked around to see if there was an easy way to get around him, and then slapped his claws against the log in a way that had me convinced he was about to charge. And of course, our hero still didn’t move from the bear’s path! Luckily Smokey climbed off of his log and took another route, but it was tough not to be impressed with the animal’s restraint.

Today I’m hobbling around on sore legs with the plan being that I’ll probably head down to LA tomorrow to try and find a place to live, preferably one in which no more than ten police helicopters buzz by each night. Los Angeles again…

Black bear near Half Dome

Bears are apparently intrigued by logs.

Readin’

Posted from Lafayette, California at 4:40 pm, August 4th, 2005

I’ve been keeping this journal for just over three years now. Cra-zy. What started as an attempt to avoid having to write lots of email while I was traveling in Alaska has now turned into just a general attempt at avoiding having to write email.

In a completely unrelated note, a while back Lynn decided to post some of her favorite and most recently read books online, in the hopes that other people would do the same, and the result was a pretty nice reading list. Not sure if it will work here, but I’ll give it a shot. To post your own recently-read/favorites list, click on the comments link at the top of this entry, then click on the “Reply to this message” link to enter a comment.

  • The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. Just finished this one, recommended by Nish. A great story about a man who dies and his experiences upon arriving in heaven. The author also wrote Tuesdays With Morrie, and while that wasn’t a bad book I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much.
  • The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. A great story about an architect who takes on the world. Guaranteed to make you feel at least a little bit cocky, so keep reminding yourself of all the stupid things you’ve done in life while reading it.
  • Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. An even better story than The Fountainhead, with the exception of the hundred page rant by John Galt near the end. Guaranteed to make you feel even cockier than The Fountainhead.
  • Into Thin Air Into the Wild (sorry, goofed up the title) by John Krakauer. A great (true) story about a guy who says the hell with society and takes off to live life like some of us would like to do, but few of us have the nerve to do.
  • Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat. Based on Mowat’s experience as a field biologist in Canada studying wolves, a hilarious take on beauracracy that also includes recipes for preparing cream-of-mouse.
  • The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. The closest Hemingway ever got to writing a story that doesn’t depress the hell out of you, and one of my all time favorites. For anyone who isn’t familiar with the book, it’s about this old man, and the sea.
  • Contact by Carl Sagan. I just started this one, but thus far I’m liking it even more than the movie (which I enjoyed). Also, Ellie is a hottie.
  • Shogun by James Clavell. The Asia Saga (starting with Shogun, and spanning four hundred years of East-Asian history) is a great read. Clavell writes stories filled with mystery, adventure, romance and intrigue, but adds enough historical context to remove that “kind of trashy” feeling you might get from similar books.

That’s my contribution. Anyone else want to add to the list?