December 30, 2003
A Little Something Extra In Your Stocking
Never have I experienced such a boat ride before. I actually rushed to the port at Long Beach the day after Christmas to get on the worst ride of my life. The catamaran was 55 minutes late in leaving for Catalina because of the small boat advisories and the previous slower channel crossings. I was on the forth or fifth trip after several boats had been cancelled on Christmas day because of the storm. It was all clear this day except for the high winds and the swells were incredibly high. As the crew handed out plastic garbage bags and half the passengers were up-chucking, I half expected to see George Clooney and Mark Walberg sloshing around in the stream of water coming down the aisle. Well, I thankfully took a Dramamine before the trip and stayed focused on the horizon Ð when you could see it. Sometimes the boat was so horizontal, all you could see was sky. Except for smelling the garbage nearby, I was safe from contributing to it myself. At least during the passage. Maybe it was a delayed reaction but I had to run to the bathroom in the middle of the night and I was fragile and dizzy the whole next day.
Several of my friends from my Illinois hometown met in Avalon for the holiday getaway. My girlfriend Lisa had her three kids with her (they were on the passage two boats before me and two of the kids got sick) and two of her sisters. In all, our wonderful friend Barb hosted seven of us. Despite the tenuous belly and fuzzy head, the first day and a half was full of laughs, card playing and short walks through Avalon, including a gift of massage from Barb, the greatest masseuse in the West. (Just ask Bruce Springsteen.)
On Sunday the winds died down, and the sun was high. After baked apples and oatmeal we geared up and set out for a hike. The kids and their mom and one aunt made it up to the botanical gardens and Wrigley Memorial while Barb, Maggie and I kept going on up the trail to the top of the peak.
Once we got to the crossroads at the top, I was intending to separate and go down the Gulch trail while they turned the other way to go to Little Lone Tree. We were telling Maggie about the trails and pointing out the Stagecoach road which is about a nine mile hike from start to finish, but that the Gulch cuts that in half. Since my return boat was that evening, I wanted to get back in due time and not strain my sorry ass. Somehow, perhaps through selective listening, Barb tells me that going the other way around, and bypassing Little Lone Tree was a only a short distance further than the way I was intending to go. Not wanting to miss out on our trail talk, I said, sure, I can do that, letÕs do it. Well, after a couple miles and steep hills, I remembered doing that hike once before and I said, Barb, is there a short cut, or does this only end up at the end, and were you talking about it being a little longer than the Gulch or Stagecoach trailÉ Well, suffice it to say, that once again, BarbÕs Bootcamp had finagled us into a 4 1/2 hour, 10 1/12 mile hike up and down and around that island.
We were aching and thirsty and starving when we finally returned. We had just enough time to scarf some munchables, slug down a beer, ditch the kids at the arcade and say our goodbyes at the Marlin Club.
Talk around the town of Avalon all week was and will no doubt be for some time to come about the sickening swells and surviving the crossings at Christmas time. Thankfully, the boat ride back was so calm it was like being on a lake. I imagine lots of people will never go back to Catalina because of their experience. More room for me Ð just that next time I will watch the reports and maybe postpone accordingly.
December 26, 2003
An Echo Park Christmas
After a day of lounging around, cleaning up and tons of rain, David and I had a wonderful Christmas dinner at our friend's abode in Echo Park. The men brought the wine, the women brought the vegetables and our host Chris made the stuffed roast chicken. Seated above are - David, Chuck, Chris, Mary Jane, Normandie and George. Oh yeah, the little guy is Albino Bowler.
Mary Jane insisted on playing Christmas Charades, but she could only talk her husband and her mother into playing so it didn't last long. As slightly seen in the picture, Chris passed on his badass bag from EFILM to me and Albino Bowler to Mary Jane. MJ was most proud however of the t-shirt her step father gave her that had the statement "There's A Village In Texas That Has Lost It's Idiot".
It was a very sweet evening of Illinoisans - Illinoians?- in Southern Cal.
The party ain't over yet- its on to Catalina for a couple of days....................
December 25, 2003
Happy Christmas
It looked and felt like a wind storm came through my home and head on this Christmas morning. Much revelry on Christmas Eve at our friends, the J.J. Wall's, open house before coming home to rip through all our presents. Too exhausted to clean up till the A.M. Bush should be very happy - we did our part keeping the economy alive and well.
You think our friends think we enjoy a cocktail from time to time?
Love and warm wishes to all during this holiday season.
December 17, 2003
Tis The Season
To Spend Money. On oneself. Its so damn easy. One for you and two for me and one for you and two for me. Amazing. It just goes poof just like that. Its only money. For the past two weeks I've been intensely preoccupied with deciding how to buy myself a new camera, deciding if it should be digital or film, deciding I need both, finding that film cameras are now a whole lot cheaper than digital, deciding however that I need a better digital, deciding wheter or not to trade in one or two that I have, deciding how much of an upgrade I need, deciding how much I'd have to spend on the upgrade, deciding that just because Canon has made what I need that I'm a Nikon snob and maybe I should wait for their version of the same or just spend more on an even better one... Hells bells, I decided not to buy anything at all. Except that pair of shoes and a bag and a scarf and a sweater and darned if I didn't find practically the same down coat at the Discovery Shop for ten dollars that was at the Gap for fifty. I just hope I don't get sick over the next couple weeks so I can wear this garb to the oh so many holiday functions coming up. Well, if I do you can bet I'll be in my ten dollar down coat in bed and there won't be anything to take pictures of anyway.
December 15, 2003
December 11, 2003
PAWS REDUX
Well, I THOUGHT that my dog painting that I donated to the PAWS/LA auction didn't sell. At least I saw that it didn't during the live auction. Well, I received a letter yesterday telling me otherwise. It was sold they say, to a man named Juan Carlos Hernandez. It being LA, I just typed him into Google and and turns out he's a - surprise - an actor! A couple movies to his credit, several TV appearances and most impressively, a regular on the HBO series OZ. Thanks, Juan Carlos! Muchas Gracias for getting more assistance to PAWS and saving my humility.
December 09, 2003
Another great test
Which John Cusack Are You?
I had a feeling my results were going to be "Lloyd Dobler". Okay, okay, I know I'm a female, but John speaks to us all. Maybe he's one of my favorite actors BECAUSE he's in touch with his female side yet seemingly out of touch with everything else....And he loves the Cubs.
Take the test and find out which whacked out Cusack you are.
December 08, 2003
Valerie turns 33
Not only will my friend Valerie soon be teaching meditation to Disney Executives, but around her house, even the snails get a little zen.
She and boyfriend Stan threw a swell soire on Saturday as Valerie added another candle on her cake and is now as old as Jesus. Not sure how to caption the above photo, but view more party pics at my Buzznet site.
December 05, 2003
MDB NEWS
Well, down on the right of this page it tells viewers (and myself) who's referred to this site in the last 24 hours and how many times. I looked at it today it said - "mdb news" had six referrals. I said to myself, What the Hell is mdb? I clicked on it and it was Michael des Barres!! Not him personally, but a page dedicated to any news surrounding mdb. How cute! Not only tidbits but a wonderfully gawdy glam photo to boot.I wrote about him a month ago and through the power of the internet, fans of mdb everywhere can know about my mdb encounter by clicking back to this site. I know, I know, that's the purpose of all this, but it just tickled me - and scared me at the same time. What the Hell. It's not WHAT you know, right? Maybe I should recount the time I made out with Michael J. Fox and see how many clickety clicks I get. Nah, I'll leave that story to my nieces - they enjoy telling it so much.... If either Michaels ever end up reading this - Love to you both. (and a little mdb good-health fairy dust sprinkled over mjf's way would be nice)
December 04, 2003
Book 'em
Okay, it's not as horrifying as Nick Nolte's booking photo, but Glen Campbell's mug shot is number 2 on my favorites list for its sheer orneriness. Don't get me started on Michael Jackson's - that's just plain creepy.
December 03, 2003
2003 Thanksgiving recap
Aurora smells of smoke from teenage cigarettes and middle age cigars
StoneyÕs Bar (Saloon?) has ÒGourmet PizzaÓ Ð no more Tombstone freezer by takeout counter
Middle brotherÕs ex-wife doesnÕt speak to my sister or me so we reciprocate the same
The town crier of teenage molestation by coach ambushes me and hovers over me and sends others to ambush me with questions and cigarette breath
The retired APD detective arrives with model-wanna-be son who smokes and hovers too closely to his step-mom
Retired APD detective plies older brother with rum
Drunken 250 pound man in plaid leans in as he falls by me every ten minutes, smells like an ashtray
Clothes smell so bad we hang our coats in cold garage for two days
DAY 2
Secondhand smoke hangover
Thanksgiving starts normally with anticipation of food and beer and family fodder
Thanksgiving ends in blood, smaller appetites and tears
Younger brotherÕs partner is rushed to emergency room after the crowd-frustrated dog takes a chomp at his face
Nine stitches
Non-drinking mom needs a belt
Fire truck and ambulance sirens heard racing by and we know someone else is having worse Thanksgiving
DAY 3
Freezing cold wind and snow flurries
Watch niece #3 play sophomore high school basketball at alma mater
Remember own antics in same field house
Visit friend and her visiting family and play three hours of cards
DAY 4
Dog sees doctor and is put on puppy prozac
Attempts to shop and lunch and move along our merry way thwarted
Car breaks down, gets towed, get rescued, borrow car
Little Owl grills us comfort food
Visit friend for one beer at other smoky haunt from yesteryear
Brother and partner resurface showing off stitches and good humor
Dad opens gift and proclaims, ÒYeah! A letter of resignation from George Dub-ya!Ó
Doorbell rings during dessert and sister says, ÓOh, itÕs the stripper.Ó
Brother says, ÒOur sister-in-law is here?Ó
See a 1910 family photo with child that looks exactly like me
Sister and I meet brother and partner at Walter PaytonÕs Brewery for nightcaps
Heated discussion about maternity, paternity and test tubes
Oswego High - sisterÕs employer and nieces alma mater wins state football championship in double OT
Hear the fire engines and honking busses returning home at midnight regaling the win
Watch third quarter of Bears game at Walter PaytonÕs Brewery
Visit high school friend and see her new house
Brother-in-law fries fish and chicken and play more cards
Retire early, sister happy it is soon over
DAY 6
Wait for a package of e-bought Christmas gifts that doesnÕt arrive
Have nice French bistro lunch with mom
Get a ride from niece to OÕHare and fly back to smokeless LA
Wonder what I was thinking when I thought Thanksgiving was less stressful than Christmas
December 02, 2003
POST TURKEY POST
Having just returned last night from my long weekend in Illinois, I still have a bit of emotional recovering to do before I summarize my trip. Suffice it to say that there should have been a camera crew there and my sister was practicing her maniacal laugh for when people asked how her Thanksgiving was....
For now I will suggest a look at Brian Flemming's account of his weekend