Settling In

Been a long tough week of shooting but we got it done without too much turmoil and I've recaptured lost hours of sleep by spending most of this weekend in the sack.  The horrific triple digit days of heat have ebbed and it's bearable.  Pooch and I took an early a.m. stroll in a park near the stages. She sniffed, ran, twirled and rolled with excitement.  Ramona likes her daycare but nothing replaces being off leash with me.  I keep finding interesting Texas things and snap pics.  The weekend I headed downtown and by chance realized I was looking directly at the Book Depository Bldg and at THE window caused an emotional release I had not expected.  I burst out sobbing. I then saw that I would be proceeding across the very point JFK was killed. It's a one way and I couldn't turn around.  To say it was surreal is an obvious understatement.  Shook me to my core.

It's as if time has stood still when you see this.

I'm still not used to the two time difference but only as it relates to Sunday football games.

It's 4pm and there hasn't been one yet today.  Cowboys got their asses whopped by the Houston Texans last night but where are the other games.  Odd. Very odd. Then again for the first time in forever I'll get to watch the Emmy broadcast live as opposed to on tape delay.

Here for your enjoyment a few looks at all things Texas.

These were the cows who thought my 4 runner was the early a.m. feed truck.

The creme colored one was pretty miffed when I had no hay or oats or anything of interest. Never realized cows could bellow in disgust. Here's sunrise on location. Notice the hay bale.

After the fact I learned the crew moved said bale and the car that was supposed to ONLY go into the ditch, went into the ditch, over the hedge and into the field instead. Sigh.

Well, Howdy M'am

I know all my liberal friends will rag on me but I can't be negative about the Texas experience so far. The warmth of people of Texas is so refreshing! As I was blabbering about how unusual it was to press a call box at a gated fence in a wealthy community (the LA comparison would be Brentwood or Malibu) have it answered by the owner AND be invited onto the property without question, it was pointed out to me, "Why would they be fearful? They're all armed."  Had to laugh.  They do like the 2nd amendment here but in all honesty it's the genuine excitement, the smiles and the complete lack of being jaded that impresses. I can only pray 3 TV series which are all down here filming right now don't trash and burn the place. We won't. Not on my watch.

I'm also loving the looks down here. If I could spend more time out scouting it would be Kismet.  Our show is supposed to be based in Houston and Midland. Large city, smaller town concept. Ashley, one of the kick ass assistants scouted Cockrell, TX for a Police Station that was to portray one in Midland, TX in the script. OMG, OMG, OMG. The place is too perfect! Police station, municipal court, and library all rolled into. Very small interiors though and for a nano second the director was worried, but after getting promised a smaller camera and even thinking about shooting it hand held...well, Cockrell is "Last Picture Showish" and if you think about it, when someone says small town Texas, that's the look that always pops into your mind's eye isn't it. 

The Sheriff, demonstrating how it sounds when that cell door locks.

Sgt Steve and I weren't fools. We stayed on the other side of the 

cell door.

JB, our Producer.

Later in the day JB asked to find out at what time on Thursday can we get into the municipal court to start prepping.  We are building a set in here.

Ash had done the scout so I called so I asked her to check in on this. "Shouldn't be a problem. The Mayor who was there the day I scouted is also the Judge. They are so excited about the filming he may cancel court."

See, what I am saying about Texas hospitality?

The Lone Star State

Left LA for Dallas, TX early Saturday morning. No cell phone but did have a book on tape, the pooch, bottled water and some almonds.  What else do you need to drive through 3 states and half way through another?

Wasn't even out of LA county before I looked at my odometer and saw that Eleanor had finally broken the 200,000 mileage plateau. In October she'll be 10 years old, that faithful, gas guzzling, comfortable ride. Saw a few interesting things on the road:

The wind farm outside of Palm Springs.

Saguaro palms in AZ.

The wonderful blue skies of New Mexico.

The sweet girl pooped out in El Paso.

Officer Degaldo

Oil refinery.

The people of Dallas remember.  Jerry Jones will have to buy his.

3 digit weather with some humidity. Yikes.  The apartment is great tough.

A nice cool respite with a fridge, stove, cable TV, VERY comfortable bed and a powerful shower. Little larger than my studio but NO complaints.

I'll be very comfortable here.

By the way I didn't think those pictures of people at Walmart that are on the web were true BUT I went to a Superstore to get some items for the apartment  and saw this guy.

Ramona rubbing sleep from her eyes on her 1st morning in Dallas.

Looks like some aliens have landed don't ya think.

Lastly, guess who came to town today.  Guess who saw the motorcade emerge from Love field and turn down Mockingbird Ln.  Just made my day to know I came to Dallas and so did Obama!!!!

No pictures of the motorcade just a tiny video. Was lucky to have shot that as it all happened so quickly.

And so the adventure begins.

Really

Are you kidding me?  The highs and lows in the last 24 hours have been "fun!?!" Got a gig in Dallas. Yipee. Love working out of town. Enjoyed a few libations with friends last night before going home to finish packing. Wanted to be on the road out of LA by 5:30am and drive all day to El Paso.  Got up on time, took Ramona out the front door with her food, water bowl and bed and got her settled in the car.  Went back upstairs to grab my suitcase, coffee and the garbage.  Went down the back stairs to toss the garbage in the dumpster and found this man asleep on the stairs just inside the back door . NOT a resident but a street person complete with his bike.  When I'd returned from Yreka I saw that the back door was not locking and notified the manager.  Left a message on his cell and a written work order included in the envelope with my rent check.  Per usual nothing was done so this guy just made himself at home.  He was sprawled out so I couldn't step over him. I barely touched his out stretched hand with my foot and said, "you need to leave."  He awoke, snarled at me and wouldn't budge. I kept an even keeled demeanor and an unemotional tone in my voice and told him again "You need to leave. Your are trespassing."  It's also 5:30am on a Saturday morning and I don't want to scream and yell and wake my neighbors. Long story short, he won't move, I'm not giving ground either.  This is bullshit.  He shouldn't be in the building. After he says "Bitch call the cops, I don't care," I reach to get my cell phone. Suddenly he is up, grabs the phone from my hand and throws it against the wall.  It breaks.  He laughs and starts screaming " I won bitch, I won."  Then jumps on his bike, peddles down the main hall of the apartment building and out the front door. It was surreal. I pick up the pieces of the cell phone and pray it will work.  Nope. Nada. Zip. Zilch.  So I am leaving on a 12 hour drive for a new job without a cell phone.  I got over it around Palm Springs.  Figured I need to enter the 21st century and get a smart phone.  Was holding out for the Verizon iPhone as I am a mac baby BUT it looks like I'll be getting a Droid in Dallas. Other than that Mrs. Lincoln how was the play?

Pics of the trip will be posted tomorrow once I'm settled in Big D.  By the way if I say "ya'll" once someone needs to shoot me.

Secrecy

Those secretive Scientologists are at it again. They've got some big extravaganza scheduled at their so-called the Church of Scientology Celebrity Center. When they get ready to hold one of their "tributes" they literally enshroud their compound. I always wonder if it's because "the small one" (a.k.a. Tom Cruise ) will be in attendance.

 

All I know is that when film companies are in neighborhoods they must have a permit issued by the city and distribute a letter informing the residents of what will be taking place i.e., if loud music is involved, if no parking signs will go up, where production trucks will park and apologize for the inconvenience.  Scientologists don't seem to play by those rules. They've purchased the apartment buildings around them to house their own people. Those few blocks are their private little empire and to be perfectly blunt, they suck. 

a.k.a. Loserville