chase the light

Ah… Home away from home. Really this is were I spend most of my day. Bamboo beaded curtain, hula lamp, tropical painted globe lights, old projector, turtles, various island trinkets, and a fish net to top it all off. Yes, I’ve looked up her skirt. Nothin’ but wheels and pulley’s and such.

Somewhat trapped in my house, a bunch of people, 23,647 to be exact, went running by my house for the L.A. Marathon. Some ran, some walked, and unfortunately a lot smelled. Never thought of that aspect of it, but after having run 13 miles they were all smelling pretty bad.

I guess he could still fly. Yes I changed the phone number, so if you see our little wayward crow contact me. He’s black, I’m guessin’.

The cake delimma. So, on Saturday we had two full cakes left over from my grandmothers service. Problem is, what do you do with them? They’ve got “in memorium” written all over them. The plan is to pawn one off at work in one of the kitchens. My thought is if they “don’t know” it was for my grandmother they’ll willfully gorge themselves. I left the cake in the refrigerator for a day and hardened it up. With a sharp knife I was able to break off the lettering. Then, I figured I could get it in to work and slice it up to make it even less noticable. At lunch I snuck the cake up the side stairwell, so I wouldn’t have to explain the cake in person. Then I quickly sliced it up in the kitchen and slipped back to my office. I even took a slice to get the ball rolling. In about 20 minutes I went back and checked on it. Oooo… four slices are now gone. It’s working and no one knows the better. Bwa ha ha ha. In just over two hours the cake was gone. EXCEPT for that damn last slice! So there’s the last slice sitting in the box. It sat there for another hour until finally, FINALLY someone came along and… no they didn’t eat it. They sliced that piece in half to make an even smaller last piece. You have got to be kidding me. People, eat the last slice, it’s ok, really. Ok, enough about the cake.

Sunset Blvd. Lunar New Year Parade, festivities, and the loudest damn thing I’ve ever heard. That’s nuts.

Wetafx L.A. Tonight a rogue group of former Weta worker bees met at Paru’s in L.A. for dinner. Most of the discussion was post Lord of the Rings travel adventures, why we don’t want to go back, 5 year plans, who’s working where, who’s looking, and the mid meal diaper change. I drove around for 20 minutes looking for parking and was about to give up when the spot five feet from the door opened up. Nice. Laura’s disembodied hand is creepin’ me out. It’s pinned to her shirt.

We received my Grandmother’s ashes this week, so we all headed up to Antelope Valley to spread them out at the poppy park she helped establish. Those were her wishes. It’s a bit early for the poppies, but in a little over a month this place will look like a living Monet painting. On a good year it’s really one of the most beautiful things you’ll ever see [LINK]. There was one set of poppies that had already come up so Grandma helped it along.

Tonight’s the night a bunch of VFX geeks get together and vote who’s best. There are three “Bake Off’s” this week at the Academy. Sound Editors, Visual Effects, and Makeup and Hair Stylists. Many years ago a sound effects editor named Kay Rose came up with the term “Bake Off”. It was coined because of the blue ribbon environment in which the best work of the year is judged. Kinda like pies at a state fair. Her daughter’s name is Victoria Rose Samson, also a sound effects editor, and I happened to take a sound editing class at UCLA that she taught in 1992. She invited us all to the Sound Effects Bake Off, and I’ve been going ever since. What happens is the Visual Effects Supervisor gets up and talks for 3 minutes, they show 15 minutes of effects from the film, and then the whole team gets up and answers questions for 5 minutes. A big red light comes on when your time is up. After it’s all over the members of the Visual Effects Society vote for three that will be up for the Academy Award. I’m going with “The Two Towers”, “Attack of the Clones”, and “Minority Report” as the final three.

Her real name is Virginia. She’s always gone by Ginger, but at Imageworks we’ve always called her Virginia. So now she’s pulling a fast one and wants to be known as Ginger. Of course it’s hard for all of us to switch over. So now I always say it really loud and accent the hell out of it. Jinjah. It’s really pretty annoying of me. Until I get used to it I’m going to continue saying it awkwardly. Anyway she’s sits next to me, and because of that, complains that I don’t help her on the Matrix Reloaded Tunnel lighting. Um, you’re look development, not me. I just work here.

Diane Garrett, “Variety” reporter extroadinaire invited me to the Premiere of “Shanghai Knights” at El Capitan theater. Lot’s of press and lights all over the place. Jackie Chan was doing interviews out on the street. Fans were lined up on Hollywood Blvd. We got to walk down the red carpet. Well at least behind all the stars. The after-party was at the Hollywood and Highland Entertainment center and Owen Wilson was milling about. Crystal Bernard was looking old. Jon Voight was sitting upstairs in the corner, and all I could think of was he was depressed about Angelina. That crazy looking guy from the movie “Ghost” who runs around on the subway system freaking out Patrick Swayze. He was there. Vincent Schiavelli. Yeah, that guy. S.W.A.G. for the night included a press/guest badge, chinese takeout boxes with “Shanghai Knights” printed on them, and a banner of my name in some sorta fancy calligraphy. They hired all those guys from the 3rd Street Promenade to do them for free at the party. Not that I would buy one normally, but it was free. I told Diane it was perfectly OK to invite me to any of these she sees fit. Here’s her writeup [LINK]. Damn, Nia Vardalos was there… missed her.

His mom probably accepts him, but his dad is probably in denial. “We should have never sent him to that clown college.”

I have these pink roses out in front of my house that keep disappearing. Once they bloom someone comes by and snips them. I’m not sure who insists on stealing my roses, but it might be a closet botanist. Update: This flower disappeared Tuesday.

My new favorite sunset viewing spot in L.A. Here’s what you do. Go to The Grove, park in the structure and take the elevator up to the 7th floor. You now have a 360 degree view of Downtown, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Century City, etc. Get your stub validated at the movie theater because they have the machines just sitting out on the counter. Possible soundtrack: “Take it Easy” by The Eagles.

Well it wasn’t sailing, but we motored. Layin’ around, hangin’ in the sun, cruising the harbor. I just hung off the front of the boat and watched the abstract world go by. In the 80’s, slight breeze, no clouds, and a nice winter day all things considered. The new Falmouth Cutter on a relaxing day and a little “Periwinkle Sky” by Victoria Williams to get the vibe.

The “Who The Hell Are You? A Hat Party”. Another in a long line of the Sony balcony theme parties. “Matchmove & Friends present “Who The Hell Are You?” A Hat Party – Friday January 24th @ 6pm – SPI/MM Balcony – 3rd Floor East – All partygoers must wear a hat. Otherwise, plan on being HATTED! See you on Friday!”