L.A.

So I have a lot of new stuff going on right now. It's what I wanted; to experience some new things and to meet some new people. It's weird when you work hard to get these things and then suddenly, you have them. I'm not quite sure how to react to everything. When Chuck called for me on Sunday I was on the porch drinking a Corona after Monique just made some killer fajitas for lunch, meanwhile, two maids are going to town on my room. It can be hard to keep things in perspective when all this is going on, but I'm doing my best.

First things first, I finally got a job. It was a long, tiring process, but I stuck to my guns and things turned out well. I'm working at Fox in Century City in their Network Distribution department. I assist the VP of the department and one of the station reps. Aside from doing their bitch work, I contact Program directors from Fox's affililate stations across the country, promoting new shows, assisting with primetime programming issues, ect, etc. There is a lot of opportunity at Fox, which is good and I've learned a lot about TV.

This is the building I work in. Next door is the Sports building where they film shit like Best Damn Sports Show Period which I get to go see Thursday.














This is the main building at Fox, The Tower. For those of you that have seen Die Hard, which I haven't, it was in Die Hard apparently.



















Across the street from my building is a New York set built so that when Fox movies need to be filmed in NY they don't have to go across the country and pay money to shut down streets, they can just use the set they have at Fox. It looks real although there is nothing behind the front walls. Last week they were filming a Coors Light commericial on the NY set which is right where I drive in so there were 50 black people dancing with fake snow blowing everywhere. Not a bad way to start a day. Other photos from the Lot as well.




















































































I found a great place to live. It is only two miles from Fox making my commute about 15 minutes, which is unheard of in LA. I'm looking for a bike so I can ride to work if I'm in the mood. Fox actually pays you a couple bucks everyday if you get to work without driving a car. My apartment is a block away from Beverly Hills; very surreal. I never thought I would be able to afford living in this area, but here I am.










































My luck hit its stride when I met my new roomate, Monique. I checked out quite a few apartments that I wasn't very impressed with and the people were lame, but when I met Monique I knew we would get along really well. She must have thought the same thing because she called me back the same day and invited me to be her roomate. We have gotten along great over the last few weeks (it would be hard not to get along with her) and I really enjoy her company, which is the most important thing. To make things better she is gorgeous, laid back, not bitchy or annoying, and overall a stellar person. To top it off, she recently picked up cooking and has been making awesome lunches and dinners. See pic below, that was Saturday night.















Monique is 25 and works for a German based medical company. I would explain what she does, but it's too confusing, I don't even really know what she does, but I hear it's important. I guess all I really know is she isn't at home during the day. The pic on the left is Monique at our apartment, on the right is Monique and Lydia, the head of "The Chicas" of which Monique is also a part. The Chicas are an ultrapowerful group of LA women ranging from 25 to 42 that terrorize men and create plots of how to steal everyone's money and build huge houses where they can all live in harmony together with lots of clothes and shoes. Actually, they're just a big group of girls that hang out together, but you don't want to fuck with them, trust me.














































I got a car at home and drove it out here. I finally got a car, hey, it only took 23 years. I got a computer, too. It's too much.














Here's my apartment after the maids got done with it. They came over on Sunday at 9:30am and left at 2:00pm and our apartment isn't even that big. Weezer was right, "when the housemaids clean the floors they get the spaces in between." Monique proceeded to give the maids two bags of her clothes and about ten pairs of shoes. Apparently, she's trying to recruit new chicas.

Monique likes keeping things organized in the fridge. I feel like I'm on cribs.




















Ok, that's enough. I can't believe I just spent that much time writing this blog. I hope everyone enjoys it. Hi mom? TM

Burlington

I figured I would take the opportunity to give my brother's band a little publicity. Their name is Burlington and they are a foursome from Naperville. John plays rhythm guitar and does backup vocals. He also sings a few tracks on his own. Their website is www.myspace.com/burlingtonband

Listen to the song "This Time". John recently wrote it and although the vocals are a bit shaky in some parts, it's still pretty fucking good considering these kids are only 16, which is kind of annoying to be honest. They play real shows which Under Funded should have done. I guess it's ok to play shows when you actually have talent. I will say, however, that UF did influence a couple of these kids in some ways, I know my brother is one. They passed us by awhile ago though, their lead guitarist is pretty sick if you listen to some of their other songs.

Chucked Up

Some of you might have had the opportunity to meet this individual, others might not have been so lucky. But as I surf the internet and gaze upon pictures from the past few years with my new wireless connection installed tonight courtesy of Jason, the computer master, I recall great people like Chuck. Somewhere, someplace, Chuck is being Chuck. I just wish that place were here. TM

Living for Adventure

I received this quote from a good friend through email on my 23rd birthday.

So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.
- Jon Krakauer

This quote is inspiring and speaks volumes about the nature of people. In some ways, this quote describes the life I've lead, but more importantly, it describes the life I hope to lead. The adventure of life is the only thing that keeps us going and as soon as the adventure ends, then there doesn't seem to be much of a point to continue living.

Of course the need for adventure can be overdone. The only things that garner success (a job, a permanent home, etc) seem to contradict the idea of adventure. There is nothing blatantly adventurous about waking up and going to work everyday, coming home to your house, your bed, and the comforts you find there. That is why life should be balanced between seeking adventure and seeking stability. Sometimes I get frusterated when I hear about people who travel the world and experience new things on a daily basis. How can they do that? How can they afford that? Why can't I do that? Most of the time, I learn the reason they are able to live that lifestyle: rich parents, large inheritance, they possess the gift of being a great salesman and can live off people, things like that. I always feel better when I find out that I didn't mess up anywhere in the past, I just didn't have the same opportunity. So for the rest of us, we are forced to keep our balance; work hard, play hard.

Toastmaster

Check it out

For those of you searching for a new look for the upcoming summer season I may have found the perfect website. I think the popes said it best; "this could be just what were looking for"

www.swell.com

Something to keep in mind

I am currently reading a Bob Dylan book entitled Watching the River Flow and I came across an interesting observation. "Another problem, and in a way a much more serious one, is the widespread desire to "find out" what Dylan's trying to say instead of listening to what he is saying. Not being able to hear something, because you're too busy listening for the message, is a particularly American malady. There's a tragic lack of freedom in being unable to respond to things because you've been trained to await the commercial and conditioned to listen for the bell. Take a look at a great painting, or a Polaroid snapshot. Does it have a message? A song is a picture. You see it; more accurately, you see it, taste it, feel it, (love it and/or despise it). Telling a guy to listen to a song is like giving him a dime for the roller coaster. Its an experience. A song is an experience. The guy who writes the song and the guy who sings it each feel something; the idea is to get you to feel the same thing or something like it. And you can feel it without knowing what it is."

The line of communication that has just been opened between us friends could be nothing more than another line of communication OR it could be the oppurtunity we've all been hesitant to create for ourselves. Only time will tell. I found this particular quote interesting when taken out of its context. What I mean is that it can be related to relationships as well. A relationship, similiar to a picture or song, is an even bigger complexity that you can feel, taste, see, love and hate.

What I have been thinking about lately is that maybe ive been trying to associate a certain feeling, idea, defintion, etc. to the relationships that I have. I think that the actual experience of knowing someone or that can be shared with someone can be commonly underappreciated. The types of relationships you have with others largely define who you are and you can still love and appreciate them without knowing exactly what they are.

In all honesty, there are many relationships in my life right now in which I dont exactly know what they are or where they are going. But that doesnt mean that I am not going to enjoy them or give them my undivided attention. I am a firm believer that you only get in return what you put into something. Take this for what it is worth to you, but I thought that it was something to keep in mind.


-T.C.

In The Ends is the Vision of The Beginnings

They call it the "Quarter-life Crisis." It is when you stop going
along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things
about yourself that you didn't know and may not like. You start
feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but
then get scared because you barely know where you are now.

You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those
friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the
greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch
with are some of the most important ones. What you don't recognize is
that they are realizing that too, and aren't really cold, catty, mean
or insincere but that they are as confused as you.

You look at your job...and it is not even close to what you thought
you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing
that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you.

Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and
find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realize
that you have certain boundaries in your life and are constantly
adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what isn't.

One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure. You laugh and
cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared
and confused.

Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past
with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and
further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or
move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do
such damage to you. Or you lay in bed and wonder why you can't meet
anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or maybe you
love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you
are doing this because you know that you aren't a bad person.
One-night-stands and random hook ups start to look cheap. Getting
wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic.

You go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk
with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to
make a decision. You worry about loans, money, the future and making a
life for yourself... and while winning the race would be great, right
now you'd just like to be a contender!

What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it.
We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as
we can to figure this whole thing out.

Send this to your twenty-something friends... maybe it will help
someone feel like they aren't alone in their state of confusion? "I
bend but I do not break."

First

To All,

So I am starting this blog. The point of it is unclear. I have been influenced by my roommate and other friends and think this might be a good idea, if nothing else a nice way to stay in touch with people and an interesting website to view. At best, a creative hotspot where people are constantly posting interesting pieces of writing or intriguing facts/pics/articles, etc. Who knows what will come of it, it all depends on the individual's contributions. And I feel that some of the people that I am closest to have a great deal of potential when it comes to creativity. And that includes all facets of creativity; humor, inteligence, depth of knowledge, range of emotions, ect. So here is my first contribution: a picture of a friend's brother in elementary school from the early 90's. There are a number of things going on in this picture; I really like it for various reasons. And it coincides with my goal of owning my own business: a poster business is one of the ideas that I think might actually work. But that's neither here nor there. So the blog has begun, it's not as gay as facebook, myspace, etc, and not quite as straight as sending basic emails. You could say it's a bit metro.

-Toastmaster