Day 2

Well after spending the first few hours sending out emails to contacts and searching job sites (after learning that a few out here actually work) I get stir crazy and decided I need to get out of the Apartment. So since it's 78 degrees out I figured I would head to the beach. I drive around Redondo and Hermosa and stop in Manhattan for a couple of hours of fun in the sun. I attempt to talk some guys into playing volleyball and fail miserably. They say their fourth is on the way. Only I'm not sure if that ever happened since after a bit there are gone. The dude either didn't show up or they decided to play like one game. So after a few hours at the beach I decide it's time to eat and being broke and jobless its' all sandwiches for this guy right now. So I head on back to the apartment. My GPS tells me it's only 30 mins away. It takes an hour. Traffic actually wasn't that bad it's just that who ever set up the traffic light system in this town should be shot. You get no flow of traffic and even on the major roads you're lucky to have time to go through two lights. They are freaking short lights. Oh and another fun fact about the drivers here, if this was DC there would be people honking every damn light. The light will turn green and then no car moves for like 5 seconds. It's like the driver looks around and says, nah I don't feel like going yet. Let me chill out for a second. Meanwhile I'm behind them thinking, "for god sakes man moving your god damn car." Then after 4 or 5 seconds they finally move. Then when the light turns red the drivers are like, "ahh they aren't talking to me" and at least two cares will still keep going. This also may explain the 4 or 5 seconds delay in starting. I've seen no turn on red signs completely ignored and these are the things I'm seeing at every light as I drive around on my first day. This wh0le having to drive thing isn't going to be fun.

So I get home make a sandwich and check my email. A friend of a friend tells me about some reality TV networking thing so since I have nothing to do and need a job, so I go. Of course I haven't shaved in days since I left DC because I can't find my electric shaver. So even though what little bit of facial hair I have is pathetic I have to run and get a blade. Only I use the electric and haven't used a razor in some time so I accidently cut myself on my lip and give myself razor burn on my chin. Of course if you saw a picture of me after not shaving for six days you would laugh. My friend started laughing when I told her that saying, that's all you have. That makes a guy feel wonderful.

Anyway back to the event. They brag in the event that it's at the exclusive Green Door in Downtown Hollywood. I'm like, ahh ok, if you say so. So I go to this thing and try and mingle with people and every other person I talk to is telling me that the only reason they came was because it was at the Green Door and that it is a very exclusive club and that they wouldn't had a good shot at coming here at any other time. The people were actually quite pleasant. One travel agent came by who realized that I could serve her absolutely no purpose as I had been in LA for less than 24 hours so it was like ahh we can end this conversation. The only other conversation that was like, ahh get me out of here, was with some entertainment lawyer. I'm looking around for help and by this time I had found the friend of the friend who told me about the event and he's asking me what they do and trying to save them from this guy I'm like, ahh I have no idea. I just met them two minutes ago. Which of course I did. How was the overall event? Well it wasn't painful and actually kind of interesting. Oh guy who worked on Girls Behaving Badly (which a third person in the conversation actually watched-its' a show with 7 women who are in some house to better themselves but they end up just getting trashed every night. He said the stuff you don't see it's just absurd. They couldn't put it on air. He said it was truly disgusting with things like golden showers. I joked that they should post it online anyway because if two girls one cup can become a hit then I'm sure anything you think it far too disgusting for people to watch someone, say, a cop in Dallas would find it entertaining. He laughed. Little did he know I was kind of serious. Seriously how long would it take the out favorite Dallas cop to find that damn thing and email us the site. Good times. So I guess I started off well but once I ran into the friend of a friend I ended up spending a lot of time talking to them and so on. Oh well.

One note about the event. Everyone was really nice. Except for the two above mentioned folks. You could turn and talk and everyone was cordial. I was reminded how everyone was out for themselves and but seriously they are a lot of places. And I have to say just being able to turn and talk to someone was refreshing. I have been to several of these DC type of events and there is this wall of pretentiousness between people. You can't really just go, "oh hey how are you without some uncomfortably". You have to be introduced by a mutual contact. It's almost like a mob mentality. Is he a friend of yours or a friend of ours? In LA it's everyone for themselves and everyone knows it so you just have to talk to whomever and see what happens. But it's all upfront and everyone knows it. In DC it's subtle and more backroom dealing about the connections and networking and what someone can do for another. I have to say I found to upfront, hey what can you do for me in LA kind of refreshing.

The event starts to calm down and the band goes on. I decided having the pleasure of going to a club I'm 99% sure I'm never going to be allowed into again mean that I should stay since I have nothing to do tomorrow and see what the honored do on a Wednesday night. Here are the highlights-

The first band was from Jacksonville (he never said which state) and was called Cold Country. They were a chill rock band. Granted it was a small place so it had an acoustic show so at least that night they were a chill rock band. Not bad. Nothing special but enjoyable.

The second band was what people were there for. The crowd started filling in before they came on. And this is at 10:30 on a Wednesday. It was Tommy King's Band so I guess if you wanted to google them it would be Tommy King. On a side note check out this website. http://tommyking.org/1.html I was thinking it was that dudes site only its' some kid who has already won awards and is still in school. Good times. Anyway back to the club-

Two girls were skinny as hell and couldn't stop rubbing and grinding on each other. One had decided that to wear a bra has been a life mission not to do. She was easily in her early 20s and already has a lot of saggage. Not a good thing.

One girl walks by that you could of bounced a quarter off of. And I mean any part of her body. Incredible. Only she walks past me and is trashed. But I had to thank her for having much of her fake boobs showing.

Three dudes show up that took there outfits straight out of the Rob Lowe in St. Elmo's Fire collection. Blue shiny shirts with a few of the top buttons open and ties. If I show up to the cruise or the wedding like that you have not only the right but the must as a good friend to kick my ass. But they knew the band and were obviously the "cool kids" so go figure.

The lead singer (Tommy King) had a Gavin Degraw vibe to him and really enjoyed his best friend in the entire world the drummer. He reminded us of this a few times. Granted he told us his name several times and all I have is that I think he was Jodi something. He always wanted us to make sure we knew who the sax player was. I believe Rob Morrison. Apparently the trumpet player wasn't important as he only shared his name once at the end. He also consistently gave a shout out to the two lead singers. One he was praise as the lovely and beautiful Guinevere and then just say the other ones name. Guinevere may be lovely but radiant and beautiful. I'm not so sure. The other one cracked me up because when she would sing her part she would put one of her fingers in her ear as you see so many of these singers do when they record. Only she wasn't recording and it didn't seem to serve a point. Then again what the hell do I know. If I was up there singing. People would of had blood flying out of their ears and run to the hills for silence.

There was some fat dude that was wearing his finest collection from Frat Boy Gear 101. (White Button Down T-Shirt, Khakis-I believe the only guy in the place wearing them, tie, and a sport coat). Not sure who he was but he had to be someone as he knew who all the hotties were.

There was an older woman in front of me who I'm not sure if she was the manager or what not but she was go crazy the entire show. She was way way way into the music. Would hoot and holler at the appropriate times. She also was upset with Tommy when he said he had a lot of demo cds for folks if they wanted one just buy him a beer or something. She kept telling him get five bucks. She then turned to her friend and was, "at least ask for a five dollar donation. I mean you have to get something for them." She wasn't happy with Mr. King.

The Drummer, Jodi, had a fro that would make disco Stu jealous. The damn thing was impressive. Had to be 3 ft in circumference. Most impressive. He also could jam though with the fro and the dorky face the only way he was getting the good looking girlfriend he had was the fact he could rock out. Quite a shame I can't rock. But I can roll with the best of them. It's ok. I don't know what that means either.

Well after an hour plus of sitting there and being the yawning guy in the club I left and called it a night. I had to walk through the front room which has turned in to a room filled with people smoking in style. And I'm quite sure I'm not going to visual this enought but people weren't smoking the way I've grown accustomed to in NC and VA they were Smokin' in style. Leaning back or leaning to the side. Arm extended with deliberate poses as they held their cigarette. I then walked out the door I came in only to get yelled at by the bouncer who informed me the exit was on the other side. Silly me, thinking one enters and leaves the same door. What the hell was I thinking? Just another DC moron in LA LA land.