HowNowBrownCow?

Rostopovich digs into Bach vigorously with his bow, releasing a warm wave of sound. The cello-suites fill the coffee shop with a fullness that transports and the world is both new and ancient. Fingers stained with espresso are decorated with swirling lines that...

Blaaaaaa blablabla bla!

Scratch that. Redo.

Rostopovich.

Rrrrrrostopovich.

Rrrrross

toe

poe

vichhh

Rosss TOPOVich

to poe veeeech.

Have you ever noticed how the sound of a word makes you feel? How the 'ha' 'i' 'mmmm' in the word "him" makes you move? The quick 'ha' like a punch in the gut, the intake of the 'i' and the resonance of the 'mmm'. Himmm. Him.

Working on some Shakespeare lately with an acting teacher and rediscovering the power in every word I delight in driving alone, listening to the wind rush by and speaking words.

"Think not I love him though I ask for him. 'Tis but a peevish boy."

Peeeeevishhh b oyee.

Explosive 'p's' and 'b's'.

The roundness of "well" and juiciness of "ripe".

Sharp and cutting "but", "betwixt" and "not".

Actor or not, try it sometime alone. Speaking out loud and savoring, and playing with each word like a candy in your mouth or a river pouring out or a gong or a burst of air.

In what wondrous and wild ways we work!

Can your people talk to my people and get me a job already?

Day 4, Internet cafe number... eh.

A woman just walked in to buy 10 bottles of water for her crew, "they're shooting just over there" she explains as the barista raises a shapely eyebrow. He helps her carry them across the street and I fantasize jumping behind the counter and stealing his job, you know, I just start serving people as they come in to take refuge from the heat.  Ugh, he's back.

Last night was so hot I couldn't sleep!  It felt like the apocalypse or something.  

Oh my god!  A girl just walked in wearing a pea coat!  What the hell???  I hope it's a costume, if not, I think she has a death wish.  Sorry, got side-tracked.

Anyway, back to the heat, as I lay on my bed (AKA: THE FLOOR) tossing and turning I thought about people in deserts, people in New York city or the deep south, other people with no fans and no AC and I felt a little better.  If they can do it I can!  I'm tough!  I can rough it, and really, I have a roof over my head, food in my fridge and I even have a car and a computer!  I'm a queen!

Le floor=Poor girl's bed. I think it's good for the back or something.  Really!

Draping wet rags over various body parts=Poor girl's AC.  Well it works until they get warm and then dry!  It's something.

Plus I think I can now market the newest fad diet.  I'm going to call it "The LA Diet", you know, like "South Beach", why try to be creative?  It consists of eating oatmeal for breakfast and rice and beans for every other meal.  And then making sure you are dripping in sweat all day and all night.  I really think I've lost at least five pounds this week. Seriously.  Oh!  And I can advertise in the LA Weekly right next to this:

Ok, so I've heard of "vaginal rejuvenation" thanks to an episode of "Californication" but could someone please explain the purpose of a BLADDER LIFT???  What???  It's only $2500.00.  I mean, should I be investing in this?

OK, time to get back to business.  I have a job to find.  Stay cool wherever you are and remember, as long as you're crazy and use your imagination everything is an adventure!  Or maybe the heat is just making me delirious, I dunno...

Oooh, 'water girl' is back and now "her people" want sandwiches!  This barista is not happy. His face is turning reddish.  Maybe he needs my help! 

Reporting From The Front Line: Day 3

• I'm at a cute cafe near my house drinking an iced coffee that just came with cream, there was no asking about it.  It's delicious. *Also, I find it funny that every cafe I've been to alone so far I have overheard cell-phone conversations or meetings about "the script" or "the project".  My, my, these fancy movie people are everywhere here!
• It's hot.
  
• Very hot.
  

(I don't have much time because my laundry is across the street and will need to be rotated soon.)

• No Internet at the house yet but I'll have it once I get us a router.
  
• Day 3 and I've already been to hear live music at The Hotel Cafe, met 3 blonde actresses, gotten lost, (or as I like to call it; went exploring) and dropped off 4 resumes.
• My room is hot enough to host a Bikram class in, but now that I've painted it and started to unpack and decorate it's getting cuter and comfier and the roommates are very nice and welcoming.

• I love the area I live in: Silverlake right near Echo Park.  
  
• It's definitely going to be bikable which is awesome and driving hasn't even been half bad!
  
• I get to listen to NPR in the car which is fun cause I never could before and it's the only time in the day that I get to be in air-conditioning.
  
• So far, so good.  People have been really friendly, helpful and nice!
  
• I need, need, NEED a job because I pretty much came here with no money but I'm feeling very optimistic and excited!
  
• I think I'm in the right place.
  
• More soon...

Over and out.

Monday Morning Meditation On A Latte

He said "it ain't easy being green..."  I say, "it ain't easy being.  Period."

Too early to be up on a day off, I left my car at the shop for a tune-up and zombie-walked over to Four Barrel for some caffeine.  Groggy, confused and mesmerized by the intricate leaf design in my latte I reach for my laptop.

No wireless.

Oh yeah, I do remember reading some ridiculous Yelp rant about this at some point.  Forced to sit and scribble on my yellow pad instead I start to wonder...  Why is it so hard to just be here?

If I set down this writing I'm alone, vulnerable and with my thoughts: What am I doing here anyway?  Who are these hipsters walking in and what are they thinking about?  Did the barista judge me for my attempt at Internet connection?  

Thoughts.  Stories.  Mental clutter!  None of this is reality, right?  If I put down this pencil I will have to sit here and exist.  So much harder than it sounds!  Perhaps the discomfort is due to the fact that so much of our culture promotes avoidance and escapism.  Perhaps Four Barrel is more than just your average aesthetically pleasing coffee shop but, in fact, a revolutionary concept, challenging us multi-taskers to chill.  Sit.  Drink.  Relax.

Well, this could be my imagination or another story I've created to amuse myself but either way, I'm rising to the challenge.  I'm going to sit, be present and mindfully sip my latte, which happens to be quite delicious.

I am here.  Here is where I am.

Time to be.

Pencil down.