Been up to my eyeballs in it. What is it you might ask?! Lots of things.
I mean a shitload of things. Sent out more poetry and plays. Finishing
the one for Culture Park one act play festival and a reading at
Playwrights Platform.
I went off to the SAG-AFTRA Convention on Thursday Oct. 1. and returned
by red eye on Oct. 4. Man was that a bitch,the return flight. Whoever
built that seat musta been in some kind of torture group. It was
heinous!!!!
But let's back up here about the L.A. adventure. Great flight over
although massively early. I got picked up at my house at 3 am by the
limo service Joel recommended. They were excellent. The driver was
pleasant, funny and full of great stories about being a private
chauffeur before turning to limo driving. Man those rich people he
worked for were assholes. He was an employee, NOT a slave. Big
difference. Duh!!!! and money doesn't make an asshole, being an asshole
makes an asshole.l I met the man who owned Calvin Clothing years ago,
He wanted me to come to his house on an island to help him select
paintings for a charity exhibition back when I worked for the
Standard-Times. So of course I greed and had a great time chatting with
him, not only looking at his paintings which were not half bad. He was
courteous, kind and intelligent. Okay I wasn't an employee, but I doubt
that he would shift to asshole mode with them. People tend to be
consistent with tat kind of attitude.
The flight to L.A. was a good one. At LAX I met up with Susan Gorvine
Nelson the Executive Director for the New England local and got a ride
to the hotel with her and a couple of staff members on their dime from
their expense account, to the Sheraton at Universal City. Works for me.
Plus I was out there on my dime and the kind donations of several
people, several union people from the local board and people like Peg
Holzemer, thanks Peg!
Really nice room with a cool view... pics to follow. There was a
reception for the delegate that evening at the Sunset room at the top of
the hotel. I saw Jodi Bentley there who used to act at NBHS and saved
all my reviews of her, which were glowing since she is very talented,
but this was from years ago. She told me she was glad to see me since
she had just been talking about me and showing those reviews to friends
in LA. I also took her two day seminar on marketing yourself as an actor
in NYC before she moved to LA where her career has grown. It was a fun
reception and appetizers and drinks were free. Met new people as well
as connected with longtime connections.
Business began the Friday. But when I got to LA dontcha know it I have
trouble with my cell phone. Okay I was looking at new ones before I left
intending to finish when I got back. But Oh, no, the cell says to me,
RIGHT NOW, NOT when you get back. The cell keeps telling
me "Google search has stopped" whenever I try to type ANYTHING! Are you
kidding me? WTF! What the hell does Google search have to do with me
typing anything but a search!? But Google search does NOT agree so I am
screwed.
Fortunately Guy, the concierge is great and finds me a local T-Mobile
store for me to get this resolved--either fixed or another phone. He
calls me a taxi and I call him a lamppost. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Get to the store and we try everything to fix it until I say, screw it
let's look at new ones. I had an LG and looked at more LG's and ended up
picking the LG 4. So far so good. We transfer everything over to the
new phone including the storage card. I get back to the hotel way in
time to get ready for the reception.
The reception was a delight with a great view which I will send pictures later.
On Friday morning we get to work early. We have pages upon pages of
Constitutional Amendments, elections and resolutions to debate and vote on. We get
going. it goes well, but I won't bore you with the details. Long day.
At night there is a gala awards ceremony and reception at the Warner
Brothers Museum in LA, not that far away. I had signed up--there was a
cost for it--but was one the waiting list. I went to find out to find
out low and behold, someone had dropped out of it and I was next on the
list. Serendipity! Or whatever her name is!?
Glad I brought my suit! Being a boy scout paid off-- be prepared!
Caught the shuttle over there through merciless LA traffic. Some of the
folks on the shuttle said the driver took the long way and right into
tons of traffic that makes Boston look tame. Really, it did. Photos of
Warner Brother's museum etc. to follow.
The food was excellent and the beer and wine free... come on guys where
is the real alcohol, what is this beer and wine shit?! So anyway I
conceded and got a Heineken. Not my favorite beer but I didn't see any
Corona--I mean shit we are in CA with tons of Latinos and you got NO
Corona-- what the hell is wrong with you?
So they do the awards and four, a record four people get gold membership
cards. One of which is our president Ken Howard. It is, believe it or
not--the ceremony and awards-- very entertaining. Then music and
dancing.
So I am there watching people dance. They are having a blast, the band
and singers are very good. As I am innocently watching. a tall, I mean
she's gotta be six feet or close to it, woman comes up to me, Molly
Ballard, and tells me to dance with her. Okay, it was more like ask
bordering on tell. Hey, I can never say no to woman asking me to dance.
(Good thing I can say no to marriage thought !!!! LOL) I didn't at the
benefit at the Yoga center a few weeks back and I'm sure as hell not
going to do it in LA.
So we have a ball, and she has to go off and
brings her friend, Polly Adams, also an NY actress, over to dance with
me in the interim. Okay, works for me. Reminded me of the times when daughter Jen
was young and her dance teachers used to drag me off to dance all over
the place, wherever the best music was until the wee hours and then
some. Okay I don't have the stamina I did then to dance on endlessly
without a break but then back then I hadn't survived two heart attacks
and a triple bypass. Come on here, gimme a break!
Found my colleague attendees there including my cousin Frank Caciola.
God you can tell we're related as we share the same outrageous sense of
humor! I swear must be a family trait since my family all over shares
it. Oddly enough I didn't make it into most of the group
pictures--WTF!? If you don't want me there, just send me home. I won't
get offended. I don't give a rat's ass, be there, be elsewhere I don't
really care. Alone or with a crowd, I don't care. I was born an only
child fore crying out loud I enjoy my company and don't care if anyone
else doesn't. I can leave, really, no problem... EVER. But if I do,
don't' call me to save your ass, cause it ain't happening pal. You are
on your own. Have a nice day!
On Saturday, even more debates and voting on more resolutions. It
beginning at 8 am and ends at 6 pm with an hour lunch. There is a
special showing of the movie about Steve Jobs. Pass, thank you every
much. So instead I got to Universal CityWalk. I eat at Wolfgang Puck
Bistro. Reasonable prices, particularly for LA. I had bacon wrapped
meatloaf and a Mondavi Merlot. Delicious.
On Sunday we wrap it all up and do delegate photos, yes, I do make it into these.
I have to admit I have an issue. I paid my way to get there, but one of
the delegates who was fully funded either abstained from voting or
didn't' vote on most of the votes. I mean WTF, you were FUNDED to be
there and VOTE. Do your goddamned job!!!!!!! This was not supposed to be
a trip to LA for you for the helluva it. You were sent there to do a
job, so DO IT!
So for amusement I make comments on Facebook to aggravate the anti gun
crowd. Man it is easy to set them off and running ranting and getting
pissed. I bet you could sell 'em a bridge in Brooklyn too! Doesn't take
me to evoke their religious fervor. LOL Son Jon and I love irritating
them. And it is soooooooo easy. A dog could do it.
Okay gotta go finish some plays and poems for submission.. Be well and enjoy!
