The L.A. Project Part II - Daily Dispatch #1

A slice of fresh-baked cinammon raisin toast with butter would normally be a real treat. However, this particular slice of fresh-baked cinammon raisin toast with butter already had two strikes against it. A) It was being consumed at 4:30 am, and 2) I had just finished brushing my teeth. Thus began my Omaha exit and the beginning of my L.A. adventure.

Spending three days in Omaha was a welcome buffer between what I was leaving behind in New York and what I am (ostensibly) going toward in L.A. A Sunday night gathering at my favorite bar on Planet Earth, The Homy Inn, gave me a chance to catch up with a random smattering of old friends and reminded me just how easy it is to pick up where you left off when you've surrounded yourself with people of quality.

Monday started with computer shopping for Ma, but was spiced up with a call from a commercial agent in L.A. wanting to set up a meeting for the following Monday. Not an earth-shattering occurrance in and of itself, but psychologically significant on a myriad of levels, not the least of which being that in FIFTEEN YEARS in NYC, I'd never received a call from a cold mailing. And now a headshot I'd sent less than a week earlier to one of only a handful of commercial agents in L.A. garnered a call. Without projecting undue importance onto the event, I took it as a sign that the idea of spending a month (or two) in Los Angeles to sow some seeds wasn't all that reckless or high-falutin'.

Monday ended with an evening at the Lutzes. Two of my favorite people in the world. And their ridiculously adorable offspring. Dinner, wine, a fire pit, a young boy playing with a Barbie doll. What could be better?

Tuesday was errands with Ma, software installs, grilled pork chops and re-packing of suitcases. The night ended late and the morning came too soon. Which brings us to the toast. And today...

Wake 4 am, arrive Eppley 5:30.

Major sinus or cold funk happening. Sore throat, completely stuffed nose. Kleenex after Kleenex. Feel like someone's sitting on my face. Perfect condition for flying.

OMA>DIA - Hot, stuffy, cramped. Fat man in the middle seat. Breathes loud through his mouth because he can't help it. Thighs spilling over into my seat because he can't help it. Reads over my shoulder because (apparently) he can't help it. Unable to choose between having a low-grade panic attack or punching him dead in the face. Opt for fitful dozing instead.

DIA>LAX - Hotter, stuffier, crampier. Nose manages to be completely stuffed AND drip profusely. Sinus pressure builds. Trying desperately not to be that person on the plane. The sniffler. The snorter. The loud blower. Nose Problem Guy. Ride ends with level 11 ear-popping and acute pain. Still not able to hear completely out of left ear 12 hours on.

LAX>Rent A Wreck - Yes, it's a real place. Guy named either "Ron" or "John" comes to pick me up. Nice guy, refreshingly simple. Kind of guy who picks people up from the airport in his own car for a living and figures it's a pretty good gig. Like him straightaway. Rent A Wreck owner makes a big deal about the difference between driving in L.A. and driving anywhere else. I make the mistake of saying I'm from New York, so I'm used to dealing wi...

"Different kind of driving altogether. New Yorkers drive aggressively, in L.A. you gotta drive defensively."

Yeah, no, sure, of course, I was just here a couple months ago, I mean...

"You gotta understand, it's a different kind of driving altogether. You really can't take anything for granted here. That's how you get clobbered."

No, absolutely. I'm sure. I just, I'm a pretty cautious...

"Did you read the chart?"

... Sorry?

"Here. Read the chart. Make sure you read it. It's got some important information about driving in L.A. Different kind of driving altogether than driving in New York."

After dutifully reading the chart and selecting my mid-90's Ford Escort with the manual transmission and the tape deck, I'm SURE I'm ready to finally hit the...

"Better take you for a test drive. Show you how the car works and show you how you're supposed to drive in L.A. It's a diff..." It was either keep listening and have my head pop off or just tune him out and nod occasionally. Choosing the latter kept my nerves in check and allowed me to get on the road without much further ado. Car's not bad, actually. I was prepared for worse. And the stereo is actually a boon since I brought along my cassette deck iPod adapter. More variety, less fuss. Can't spend 14 hours a day in traffic without a solid selection.

Arrive Casa de Mijewawa shortly before noon with no hassles. My accomodations for the next month. Looking forward to catching up with Mr. and Mrs. MJ over the coming weeks. They've cleared the second room for me and the setup is perfect. Manage to get all physical items unpacked and organized. Tomorrow will involve unpacking and organization of mental and emotional items. But only after sleep. Much sleep.

The reality of the L.A. Project and all of its implications hit me like a ton of bricks today. Think it will hit even harder tomorrow.

Bottom line is... after months of planning, praying, swearing, scraping, fretting, borrowing, lying, head-scratching and FINAGLING... I am here.

I am finally.

Here.

...Now what?

-IMBA