Boy, You're Gonna Carry That Weight, Carry That Weight A Long Time

My phone finally broke today. Screen went completely stupid. However, I did get to see Kavan and James together for the first time since 2008. Met up with Jeff, the lead in Eat Your Heart Out. I guess it was a "production meeting"? Whatever. Talked about casting this week. So hard to stay on track. Don't understand why this is all so stressful and draining, as if another force inside me is pulling the opposite way. Never been so mutely excited for something I really want to do-- it almost feels like unexcitement/dread.

Need to learn to balance my life better this time. Didn't do well dispersing my efforts and attention today. Not everything is purely, completely devoted to filmmaking anymore, which I'm glad. I feel more like a real human being this time. I think I'll be a better filmmaker because of it. It definitely helped me write better. Now to figure out the production part.

The Lovers

Woke up and watched this in bed before I got up. Early French New Wave, 1958. It's ridiculous how romantic some of these stories were. Love decides all-- above morality, logic, or practicality. I'd love to believe it, but I feel as a global culture, as a species, we've been systematically trained to stop believing this. Western religious influence. Stories about love like this are now considered too corny to tell, too cheesy to sell-- shit you only get from pop songs or sitcoms. Fairy tales you grow out of. Love of the old kind makes people take too many chances, go out of control. Louis Malle was only twenty-five when he made this. Not the best film, but worth watching. The themes are timeless, as long as we're still human beings.

A Balanced Meal

Brown rice is usually pretty gross-- always with the stale texture and almost bitter taste, but it's good for you and I bought some basmati brown rice from India that looked promising. Lucky for us, there was a recipe in the back for brown rice and black beans, along with some zucchini, salsa, red and yellow peppers and sour cream. We also added Tofurkey sausage-- SO GOOD and GOOD FOR YOU.

For dessert, we had chex mix, popcorn, chili powder and parmesan cheese-- BOMB

I'm Not a Business Man-- I'm a Business, Man

Well...not really. Made business cards today, finally. Used an old polaroid of Santa Monica Pier and my Smith and Corona typewriter and a scanner.

Beignet Death

So somehow I went to N.O. and didn't go to Cafe Du Monde and get a beignet and actually didn't even realize it until I was at the airport but a lady working at the gift shop said WHAT?? YOU WERE HERE AND DIDN'T GET A BEIGNET?? and immediately directed me to this product and said that I could at least try to make it at home and so that worked out because I would have felt guilty to try one in N.O. without Katie who was the one that introduced me to them at the Jazz Kitchen in downtown Disney so now this way, we'd both be able to try beignets from New Orleans.


SUCKED. COULDN'T GET THE OIL TEMPERATURE RIGHT; MAY HAVE RUINED BEIGNETS FOR BOTH OF US FOR A WHILE.

Po' Boys/Rich Boys

Shrimp Po' Boy, The Po' Boy Shop, Napoleonville, LA

Oak Alley Plantation, Vacherie, LA

After shooting some video at 7am of the line of fishermen at the BP offices in East New Orleans, we went on a little road trip towards Baton Rouge. I finally got my Po' Boy-- it was alright, a different kind of junk food but junk food no less. We also stopped by Oak Alley plantation, took a tour of the mansion, which I had little interest in at first, but when the french doors opened on the second floor veranda and I saw the view...yeah...

Was excited to get home though. Trips just ain't the same when the other half is missing.

Southern Eats

Alligator sausage!
Gumbo, Jambalaya and Crawfish with rice-- The Gumbo Shop, Bourbon St, N.O.

Bourbon street reeked of vomit and the buildings were pretty, but who didn't know that already.

Sometimes You Find The Most Amazing Things

Ended up in some strange night club in the west side of New Orleans with the most intricate disco ball and dance floor light show. I've been waiting for a camera like the Canon 5D since I started this whole filmmaking thing.

Forest Gump

Went on a shrimping boat today. Interviewed a Vietnamese fisherman. Seems like a slow, satisfying life. It makes me wish I could live 800 years. There are so many good ways to spend your time on earth, it's unfortunate we only get to pick a few. They seem like good people. This oil is going to ruin their lives in ways I'll never understand. It's a sadness I don't even know how to talk about.

New Orleans, LA

Flight was delayed three hours. Didn't get into N.O. until 2:30 AM. First time I've flown United since I was a kid. I literally didn't fit in the seat. The weather said it was going to be 89 degrees with that infamous humidity. When I stepped out of the airport, I thought I walked under a large heated fan coming out of a machine. My glasses completely fogged up. After a few more steps, I realized it wasn't a machine. I asked my boss "is this for real?" He said "Yes. This is for real." On the outside of all the windows of the buildings, a layer of steam and moisture slowly dripped down.

LAKERS

I was so concerned about my own physical well-being today as I took the train to work and walked the few miles to and fro, thinking-- if I was hit with a car or the train derailed and I had to go to the hospital...HOW WILL I BE ABLE TO WATCH GAME 7??

Luckily, I made it home and was welcomed by this wonderful cake Katie made, showing her support even though she hates Kobe and has trouble rooting for the Lakers. Then again, anyone not blindly attached to the Lakers would say the same I'm sure.

Juan Chavez

Put together a small segment of the possible documentary I'm going to do on Juan. It'd be nothing short of a feature length festival quality project, which means it'd require some funding. We'll see what happens. In the meantime-- Eat Your Heart Out.