If I didn't know any better, I would say that getting engaged was an epidemic.
Now then...
My friend Alicia came to my place yesterday and we played games. It was nice to have someone to hang out with during my week off. In fact, she's been the only person outside of the people that I live with that I have seen all week. I need to get out more.
Alicia and I have become very good friends during the past few months. I don't have too many black friends here in L.A., and I would say that she is the closest one that I have. It's really nice because there are things that I can talk to her about that I can't really relate to anyone else. She also has been there for me when things have not been so great. I'll get random text messages from her or a small phone call (which is nice). She's level-headed, smart, and talented. Quite funny in her own regard, she really is one of a kind. So thank you, Alicia.
Something that I didn't mention about the Magic Castle endeavor was that it was also a blind date. My friend Ken had a girl that he wanted me to meet cause he thought we would hit it off. I'm always game for that kind of stuff, so I invited him and his girlfriend along with the girl to the Magic Castle.
May (whose name has been changed for this post) was a 22 year old who worked with Ken's girlfriend at a preschool. She was a very pretty person, well dressed for the occasion. From looking at the FB (which Ken had suggested, cause she looked at mine), her taste in music mirrored mine, hates horror movies, and just likes to have fun (so far, nothing is wrong with her). I was really excited to meet her, since I knew that Ken wouldn't "set you up with a bitch."
Blind dates can be scary: you've never met this person, sometimes you don't even know what they look like, and you have no idea how they are going to act. Naturally, it's understandable ok to be nervous. I was a bit nervous, but I felt ok cause would be with people I knew. I have even suggested that we all go together so that we all would feel comfortable. She didn't talk too much during the beginning, and I totally get that.
As the night went on, we slowly began to ask each other questions about each other, trying to get a feel for each other. I was trying to get her to open up and be a bit more comfortable, but I was beginning to feel like she wasn't too into me; she mainly was talking to Ken and his girlfriend and periodically talking to me.
By the end of the night, we had our fill of magic and so we drove May home. Along the way, she seemed to finally open up and I got to know her a bit more. We hugged and myself, Ken, and his girlfriend drove off to the Whisper Lounge.
The three of us talked about how I felt the date went, and I tried to be as honest as I could. I liked May, but I was worried that she seemed kind of preoccupied for much of the evening. Both Ken and his girlfriend informed me that she was very nervous about the date (even to the point of visibly shaking in the car ride to my place). And, to be fair, if she wasn't interested in meeting me, she would have not gone on the date. I had thought it went well and it was great to have met her.
But ultimately, the question is "would you like to see her again?" And that is the question I have been dealing with since that date. Part of me says "yeah, it would be great to meet up again and see if this goes anywhere", while part of me says "if you weren't feeling anything when you met, what makes you think you can force yourself to feel something if you hang out a second time?" So I sat down and thought about what I liked about May and what turned me off about May.
I'm still working on that list.
At the very least, I need to contact her and thank her for a great time (even though I'm a few days late on that). But I still need to think about if another date is possible.
I know that I sometimes complain about having no one in my life (and by "sometimes", I mean "almost every day"). However, I don't want to pursue something I know won't lead anywhere. That's what I need to figure out.
I updated my OkCupid profile a few days ago: adding some new pictures, rewriting some of the descriptions, answering some new questions. I narrowed the age gap for the women I'm interested in, with the minimum age being my current age of 24 (even though I turn 25 in two months). I need to work up the courage to message a few of my matches, just so that I can get more comfortable with putting myself out there online. I have to get into my head that more likely than not I'll have to be one to initiate conversation. It'll stick. Someday.
I also came to the personal realization that I'm not looking for anyone who I already have a good friendship with. More times than now, I've seen people who date friends not stay friends for long. There are certainly exceptions to the rule (some of who have been together for a while), but for the most part, I don't see the idea of dating a friend work out too well. For me, I'd rather meet someone I didn't know too well to begin with; it just seems easier.
I have watched more hours of cartoons and WWII documentaries this week then I think I have even in my entire life. Boy, I have learned a lot.
Trivia susatains me. The new You Don't Know Jack game is such a blast to play with friends. If you have some spare money and a few extra controllers, pick it up. You won't regret it.
That's all I've got for now. Let's talk again soon, shall we?
Peace Out.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Magically Bored
Right. So.
Today is day 4 of my 12 day break. TPIR is on hiatus, so currently I have nothing to do. As mentioned in a previous post, when this time comes around, I get super bored.
This time around, I'm going to actively try to make myself do different things this week. Everyday I need to get out at least once and be a minimum of 5 blocks away from my house. This way I can enjoy the outdoors and not be cooped up in my home. I don't have any adventures planned; most likely I'll walk to places that I know of. Maybe once this week, I'll venture to a place I have nothing about.
My friend Eric came to LA this past week. He is a magician and just recently got his membership at The Magic Castle. It's kind of hard to describe what The Magic Castle is, but imagine a huge clubhouse for magicians full of history and whimsy. As a member, when he goes to the castle he is allowed to bring up to 9 guests. So I, along with a few friends, went to the Castle during the weekend. It was such an amazing time, and it was great to see Eric again. He'll be back in a few months, and the next time he's here, I'll take him around to see the shows and sites.
Peace Out!
Today is day 4 of my 12 day break. TPIR is on hiatus, so currently I have nothing to do. As mentioned in a previous post, when this time comes around, I get super bored.
This time around, I'm going to actively try to make myself do different things this week. Everyday I need to get out at least once and be a minimum of 5 blocks away from my house. This way I can enjoy the outdoors and not be cooped up in my home. I don't have any adventures planned; most likely I'll walk to places that I know of. Maybe once this week, I'll venture to a place I have nothing about.
My friend Eric came to LA this past week. He is a magician and just recently got his membership at The Magic Castle. It's kind of hard to describe what The Magic Castle is, but imagine a huge clubhouse for magicians full of history and whimsy. As a member, when he goes to the castle he is allowed to bring up to 9 guests. So I, along with a few friends, went to the Castle during the weekend. It was such an amazing time, and it was great to see Eric again. He'll be back in a few months, and the next time he's here, I'll take him around to see the shows and sites.
Peace Out!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
VaVOOM, Baby, VaVOOM!
Last night, I had the privilege of going to a show called Lucha VaVOOM!, a Mexican Wrestling/Burlesque show in Downtown Los Angeles. I got the tickets courtesy of Drew Carey. Well, specifically, he offered tickets to anyone in the TPIR bungalow who wanted to go. Having never been to something like this, and wanting to explore more of what this town had to offer, I accepted. Apparently, a friend of his was guest announcing and that's why he was going.
Myself, MaryBeth, and Vanessa were the only ones from the bungalow who ended up going. When we got there (at the Mayan Theater in Downtown L.A.), we were met by Drew's assistant, who gave us the tickets, and we headed inside.
The look of the Mayan is pretty much exactly what you'd think a theater called "Mayan" would look like: a Mayan temple motif. It was very packed in there; I had no idea how popular LVV was (having never heard of it until I was offered the tickets). The types of people who were there was very varied. I guess all types can get down with Mexican wrestling. Or pretty ladies dancing.
Our group included a few of the TPIR models, the make-up person, and the current guest announcer and his friend. Drew himself was there as well, but he had VIP seats right by the ring with his fiancee. Prior to getting to the theater, I head learned via twitter that a former guest announcer for TPIR and Whose Line alum, Jeff Davis, was the guest announcer for LVV. This made me very excited cause I had the pleasure of working with his while I was a Page at CBS when he was auditioning.
The show itself was very entertaining. The was a burlesque dance, followed by a fight, then another dance, then another fight (you can sense the pattern). All were good as the night progressed, and by the end of the night, surprisingly, I got very into it. It's not something I would do every week, so thankfully they do shows every so often. All in all, I'm glad I experienced it.
While the show was fun, it was hanging out with coworkers outside of work that was the most fun for me. Usually, I'm running around the set, handing off changes to the script and making sure I've done everything on my checklist before the "on air" sign starts flashing. I see all of these people, and I do interact with them, but rarely is it ever more than business when I see them. So to be able to have drinks with them was truly a fun time. Sure, we talked about work, but the main topics had nothing to do with work, and that made it so much fun to hang out with them. Just getting to learn more about each other and laugh outside the workplace, I feel, brought us a bit closer, especially considering how some of us are new to the job. And I'd like to think that I made some new friends that night. Great night overall.
After the show, I went to thank Drew for getting me a ticket, and I also got to say hi to Jeff. He remembered who I was, and had mentioned that he had heard news about me, but hadn't seen me in a bit, which was nice to hear. Hopefully I'll be seeing him again in the future.
There is so much more I would love to say about this night. But I'm feeling kind of tired, so I'll make this quick:
Yes, I hung out with the models.
Yes, they are as pretty off the set as they or on set.
Yes, they are very nice and funny, too.
No, you cannot have their numbers.
Peace Out.
Myself, MaryBeth, and Vanessa were the only ones from the bungalow who ended up going. When we got there (at the Mayan Theater in Downtown L.A.), we were met by Drew's assistant, who gave us the tickets, and we headed inside.
The look of the Mayan is pretty much exactly what you'd think a theater called "Mayan" would look like: a Mayan temple motif. It was very packed in there; I had no idea how popular LVV was (having never heard of it until I was offered the tickets). The types of people who were there was very varied. I guess all types can get down with Mexican wrestling. Or pretty ladies dancing.
Our group included a few of the TPIR models, the make-up person, and the current guest announcer and his friend. Drew himself was there as well, but he had VIP seats right by the ring with his fiancee. Prior to getting to the theater, I head learned via twitter that a former guest announcer for TPIR and Whose Line alum, Jeff Davis, was the guest announcer for LVV. This made me very excited cause I had the pleasure of working with his while I was a Page at CBS when he was auditioning.
The show itself was very entertaining. The was a burlesque dance, followed by a fight, then another dance, then another fight (you can sense the pattern). All were good as the night progressed, and by the end of the night, surprisingly, I got very into it. It's not something I would do every week, so thankfully they do shows every so often. All in all, I'm glad I experienced it.
While the show was fun, it was hanging out with coworkers outside of work that was the most fun for me. Usually, I'm running around the set, handing off changes to the script and making sure I've done everything on my checklist before the "on air" sign starts flashing. I see all of these people, and I do interact with them, but rarely is it ever more than business when I see them. So to be able to have drinks with them was truly a fun time. Sure, we talked about work, but the main topics had nothing to do with work, and that made it so much fun to hang out with them. Just getting to learn more about each other and laugh outside the workplace, I feel, brought us a bit closer, especially considering how some of us are new to the job. And I'd like to think that I made some new friends that night. Great night overall.
After the show, I went to thank Drew for getting me a ticket, and I also got to say hi to Jeff. He remembered who I was, and had mentioned that he had heard news about me, but hadn't seen me in a bit, which was nice to hear. Hopefully I'll be seeing him again in the future.
There is so much more I would love to say about this night. But I'm feeling kind of tired, so I'll make this quick:
Yes, I hung out with the models.
Yes, they are as pretty off the set as they or on set.
Yes, they are very nice and funny, too.
No, you cannot have their numbers.
Peace Out.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
You Don't Know What I Did Friday, Jack
I have just returned from a launch party at the H-Wood in Hollywood. That in and of itself is pretty cool. What made this extra cool for me was that this was a launch party for my absolute favorite game in the entire universe: You Don't Know Jack.
Now, if you don't know what YDKJ is, then you must not have known me for very long. YDKJ is a trivia game show party game that started way way back in 1995 (do you remember 1995?). It was a CDROM game for up to 3 people that tested your smarts in a very unique way. Instead of asking questions with a straight shot, it would infuse pop culture and humor into the questions, adding a new dimension to the game. It was, I believe, well ahead of its time. Thank goodness they went on to produce more than 10 additional versions. Imagine if "Jeopardy!" had been written by the people from "The Onion".
Now that that's out of the way...
The journey to the launch party was long and hard. Well, actually, it was fairly simple, but it took some work to find it. Up until late last night, I had no idea that a launch party in LA even existed. On a whim this morning, I decided to google "You Don't Know Jack Launch Party Hollywood". I wasn't expecting much. Then I came across this:
I had woken up at 1:15. Post Meridian. Don't judge; I work hard all week, I can sleep in late. I had plans to hang out with my friend Jolie, so I posted this on her FB wall and RSVP'd. Thankfully, she loved this idea about going so she RSVP'd as well. We were on the list. WE'RE SOMEBODIES!
The launch party itself was a great time. The H-Wood is a nice location with both an outdoor and indoor space to mingle. There was free food, although there were too many people in line for my taste (no pun intended). The DJ was mixing some great tunes from throughout the years. Decked out all over the place was YDKJ stuff (just in case you forgot why you were there in the first place). There was even a photo booth. A photo booth! With props and costumes!
There were 3 PS3s with the new YDKJ game on them, each one with 2 controllers. The demo included 3 episodes that could be played. Jolie and I played one episode, and then Jeff (Jolie's boyfriend) played another one.
The review of the game is as follows:
Whereas previous editions had given players the option of the length of the game, each episode in YDKJ '11 has 11 questions, including the Jack Attack. In most of the previous games, one player would choose a category from 3 selections, after which the first player to buzz in would get first crack to answer the question, locking all the other players out. Repeat. Jack '11 presents a set order of questions to the players. Also, all players can answer the question at the same time, rather than one player locking out all others. Scores are determined by how fast players answer: win money for correct answers, lose money (and get ridiculed) for incorrect answers.
The classic "DisOrDat" is still here, and while I will not ruin the surprise for you, I will say that it is now multiplayer and I think it is a great improvement on a question type that I thought was already perfect. There are also some other new question types to look out for, which keeps the game nice and fresh.
Look-wise, the game is beautiful. The crisp colors and animations really stand out. Everything is easy to read and is pleasing to the eye. Sound-wise, this game sounds beautiful as well. The game boast 15+ hours of game play, but I'll bet that there is at least twice as much audio work that has gone into it. If you're like me, you'll go back and play previous episodes just to hear different responses for wrong answers. The voice acting has always been a highlight of YDKJ, and the writing has always complemented that. The soundtrack is fantastic, as the music of the series has always been one of my favorite parts (maybe release a soundtrack, Jellyvision? I'd buy it).
One thing I will note is that once you've played an episode, you'll be hesitant to play it again only because you know all the answers. It's not much fun to play against people when one of them has the answers memorized. For Xbox 360 & PS3, there will be DLC content: 4 packs of 10 episodes each. This is a great way to elongate the life of this game. Sadly, I only own a Wii, and due to how audio heavy the game is, having a DLC for the Wii is not gonna happen. For this reason, I am already planning on getting a Xbox 360. Seriously, I'm buying one because of YDKJ.
While I'm not highlighting every single part of the game (cause much of the fun is discovering it for yourself), as a whole, this is a great resurrection (can I call it that?) for the YDKJ franchise (reboot -- *that's* the word I'm looking for). This edition screams "multiplayer fun" and I strongly urge anyone who picks up this game to play with friends. If you have no friends, but you do have Xbox Live or a PSN account, then you should play online against people. I guess you *could* play by yourself, but this game truly shines when multiple people are involved.
Am I biased? Maybe a little. I mean, I do own every version that has come out. I love trivia. I love game shows. And I love clever wit and humor. This game is the first game I have ever pre-ordered in my life. I'm proud to do so, as the folks at Jellyvision and THQ have done such a good job bringing in this game to the next-gen while preserving the principles that YDKJ is based on. I am proud to say that I Don't Know Jack.
As for the rest of the launch party:
They had a live stream going on via thestream.tv, which was cool. They were also giving away vouchers for a free copy of the game as well as an Xbox 360. I didn't win anything. It's alright though. I got some bracelets, I got to design my own shirt, and I got to wear a pimp hat while having a snake around me.
But the best part about the night for me was meeting some of the developers from Jellyvision, Mike Bilder, Steve Heinrich, & Allard Laban. I had the pleasure of talking to them for a small bit about their work at Jellyvision as well as the new game. They were very nice and funny as well, and it was such a joy to meet some of the people who helped inspire me to go into the game show industry and become a game show host. I even got a picture with them (due to a challenge issued to me by the YDKJ twitter account). The cherry on top was getting their info and being able to email them so that I may talk to them more and keep in touch. I don't want to lose this contact; I feel like I could learn a great deal from them and get some great advice.
Oh, and by the way, I won both of my games. But I'm sure you could have guessed that.
So, thank you, You Don't Know Jack, for making my Friday night. I can't wait to take you home with me on Tuesday.
Wait, that didn't come out right...
I have to go now.
Peace Out.
As a huge fan of this game, it was a night I'll never forget
Now, if you don't know what YDKJ is, then you must not have known me for very long. YDKJ is a trivia game show party game that started way way back in 1995 (do you remember 1995?). It was a CDROM game for up to 3 people that tested your smarts in a very unique way. Instead of asking questions with a straight shot, it would infuse pop culture and humor into the questions, adding a new dimension to the game. It was, I believe, well ahead of its time. Thank goodness they went on to produce more than 10 additional versions. Imagine if "Jeopardy!" had been written by the people from "The Onion".
Now that that's out of the way...
The journey to the launch party was long and hard. Well, actually, it was fairly simple, but it took some work to find it. Up until late last night, I had no idea that a launch party in LA even existed. On a whim this morning, I decided to google "You Don't Know Jack Launch Party Hollywood". I wasn't expecting much. Then I came across this:
I had woken up at 1:15. Post Meridian. Don't judge; I work hard all week, I can sleep in late. I had plans to hang out with my friend Jolie, so I posted this on her FB wall and RSVP'd. Thankfully, she loved this idea about going so she RSVP'd as well. We were on the list. WE'RE SOMEBODIES!
The launch party itself was a great time. The H-Wood is a nice location with both an outdoor and indoor space to mingle. There was free food, although there were too many people in line for my taste (no pun intended). The DJ was mixing some great tunes from throughout the years. Decked out all over the place was YDKJ stuff (just in case you forgot why you were there in the first place). There was even a photo booth. A photo booth! With props and costumes!
There were 3 PS3s with the new YDKJ game on them, each one with 2 controllers. The demo included 3 episodes that could be played. Jolie and I played one episode, and then Jeff (Jolie's boyfriend) played another one.
The review of the game is as follows:
Whereas previous editions had given players the option of the length of the game, each episode in YDKJ '11 has 11 questions, including the Jack Attack. In most of the previous games, one player would choose a category from 3 selections, after which the first player to buzz in would get first crack to answer the question, locking all the other players out. Repeat. Jack '11 presents a set order of questions to the players. Also, all players can answer the question at the same time, rather than one player locking out all others. Scores are determined by how fast players answer: win money for correct answers, lose money (and get ridiculed) for incorrect answers.
The classic "DisOrDat" is still here, and while I will not ruin the surprise for you, I will say that it is now multiplayer and I think it is a great improvement on a question type that I thought was already perfect. There are also some other new question types to look out for, which keeps the game nice and fresh.
Look-wise, the game is beautiful. The crisp colors and animations really stand out. Everything is easy to read and is pleasing to the eye. Sound-wise, this game sounds beautiful as well. The game boast 15+ hours of game play, but I'll bet that there is at least twice as much audio work that has gone into it. If you're like me, you'll go back and play previous episodes just to hear different responses for wrong answers. The voice acting has always been a highlight of YDKJ, and the writing has always complemented that. The soundtrack is fantastic, as the music of the series has always been one of my favorite parts (maybe release a soundtrack, Jellyvision? I'd buy it).
One thing I will note is that once you've played an episode, you'll be hesitant to play it again only because you know all the answers. It's not much fun to play against people when one of them has the answers memorized. For Xbox 360 & PS3, there will be DLC content: 4 packs of 10 episodes each. This is a great way to elongate the life of this game. Sadly, I only own a Wii, and due to how audio heavy the game is, having a DLC for the Wii is not gonna happen. For this reason, I am already planning on getting a Xbox 360. Seriously, I'm buying one because of YDKJ.
While I'm not highlighting every single part of the game (cause much of the fun is discovering it for yourself), as a whole, this is a great resurrection (can I call it that?) for the YDKJ franchise (reboot -- *that's* the word I'm looking for). This edition screams "multiplayer fun" and I strongly urge anyone who picks up this game to play with friends. If you have no friends, but you do have Xbox Live or a PSN account, then you should play online against people. I guess you *could* play by yourself, but this game truly shines when multiple people are involved.
Am I biased? Maybe a little. I mean, I do own every version that has come out. I love trivia. I love game shows. And I love clever wit and humor. This game is the first game I have ever pre-ordered in my life. I'm proud to do so, as the folks at Jellyvision and THQ have done such a good job bringing in this game to the next-gen while preserving the principles that YDKJ is based on. I am proud to say that I Don't Know Jack.
As for the rest of the launch party:
They had a live stream going on via thestream.tv, which was cool. They were also giving away vouchers for a free copy of the game as well as an Xbox 360. I didn't win anything. It's alright though. I got some bracelets, I got to design my own shirt, and I got to wear a pimp hat while having a snake around me.
But the best part about the night for me was meeting some of the developers from Jellyvision, Mike Bilder, Steve Heinrich, & Allard Laban. I had the pleasure of talking to them for a small bit about their work at Jellyvision as well as the new game. They were very nice and funny as well, and it was such a joy to meet some of the people who helped inspire me to go into the game show industry and become a game show host. I even got a picture with them (due to a challenge issued to me by the YDKJ twitter account). The cherry on top was getting their info and being able to email them so that I may talk to them more and keep in touch. I don't want to lose this contact; I feel like I could learn a great deal from them and get some great advice.
Oh, and by the way, I won both of my games. But I'm sure you could have guessed that.
So, thank you, You Don't Know Jack, for making my Friday night. I can't wait to take you home with me on Tuesday.
Wait, that didn't come out right...
I have to go now.
Peace Out.
As a huge fan of this game, it was a night I'll never forget
Saturday, January 29, 2011
How Are You?
I'm in one of those moods again.
It's the mood where I say up real late, alone in my room, headphones on, listening to the same few songs over and over again. It's the mood where I lay in my room reading posts on Love Give Me Hope. It's the mood where I'm just thinking.
I'm thinking about my life: where it was before, where it is now, and where it's going to go. I'm wondering if I will ever be in a truly blissful state of being, because right now I'm not feeling too highly of myself.
I'm not a cutter. I thought about it once, but decided that it wasn't my style: physical pain isn't really up my alley. I don't down pills. That takes a lot of effort on my part because I have trouble swallowing pills in the first place. I don't drink myself silly. The hangovers the next day are not pleasant, and it's quite an expensive habit to keep up.
When I am depressed, I shut down. I don't eat much. I don't drink much. I don't do much of anything really. Staying in my room alone, usually in bed, is what I do best. I don't talk to my roommates or much anyone else because I figure "they don't understand. Besides, if they knew anything was wrong, they would have said something". If I do talk to people, it's a select few, and even then, I don't say much about my state. I won't lie to them and say that everything is "super fantastic" or that "nothing is wrong, everything is fine". I used to do that. Now I don't see what the point of that is because they'll continue to ask if everything is ok. Instead I just tell them that I'm just "alright". If any further prodding comes from them, I quickly make the choice as to if I will divulge more or not. It depends on the person.
So I would say that if you are reading this right now, the answer is "I'm not doing too well, but thanks for asking. How are you?"
Peace Out.
It's the mood where I say up real late, alone in my room, headphones on, listening to the same few songs over and over again. It's the mood where I lay in my room reading posts on Love Give Me Hope. It's the mood where I'm just thinking.
I'm thinking about my life: where it was before, where it is now, and where it's going to go. I'm wondering if I will ever be in a truly blissful state of being, because right now I'm not feeling too highly of myself.
I'm not a cutter. I thought about it once, but decided that it wasn't my style: physical pain isn't really up my alley. I don't down pills. That takes a lot of effort on my part because I have trouble swallowing pills in the first place. I don't drink myself silly. The hangovers the next day are not pleasant, and it's quite an expensive habit to keep up.
When I am depressed, I shut down. I don't eat much. I don't drink much. I don't do much of anything really. Staying in my room alone, usually in bed, is what I do best. I don't talk to my roommates or much anyone else because I figure "they don't understand. Besides, if they knew anything was wrong, they would have said something". If I do talk to people, it's a select few, and even then, I don't say much about my state. I won't lie to them and say that everything is "super fantastic" or that "nothing is wrong, everything is fine". I used to do that. Now I don't see what the point of that is because they'll continue to ask if everything is ok. Instead I just tell them that I'm just "alright". If any further prodding comes from them, I quickly make the choice as to if I will divulge more or not. It depends on the person.
So I would say that if you are reading this right now, the answer is "I'm not doing too well, but thanks for asking. How are you?"
Peace Out.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Boredom Breeds... Something
Right. So...
It's been a few weeks. Price was down all this past week, and trying to find ways to keep myself occupied was one of the hardest things I had to do. I've come to the conclusion that if I don't have something to work on constantly, I end up spending most of my time doing nothing. There was one point during the week that I spent close to a good hour staring at my ceiling fan. That was quite a waste of my time.
So I've been using the time to work on myself. Specifically, I spent some time working on my game show ideas and my OkCupid profile.
The ideas are going well, but my main problem is that, often, I will lose interest in working on them. It's not because I don't think they are good (cause I think they are), and it's not because I think it's to much work (cause I actually take pleasure in working on them). It's because I'm always afraid that people will not be interested in them. I have this problem where I'll announce a game idea, and the support from my friends will be, at best, a few people. That never sits well with me, cause I feel like "what's the point of doing it if no one is going to play it?" It is a mentality that I am working on, but it is not easy to do.
My OkCupid profile is always a changing animal. I've been on it for nearly 5 years, and in that time, I've talked to, at most, 10 people, and ended up meeting 2 of them. Of those 2, one of them I still talk to cause we have developed a good friendship. I ended up deciding to move to LA about a month before we started hanging out. Would we have dated had I stayed? I would say probably not, and that's because I wasn't totally attracted to her. As a friend, she is very nice (which many people would read as "ugly", but this is not the case at all) and we totally mesh. But I didn't see it going any farther than that (though it was fairly obvious to me that she liked me a lot).
Which brings me to this thought I had during the week. Of the 2 long-term relationships that I've had, in both cases, my girlfriend ended up falling in love with me, but I didn't reciprocate the feeling. At the time, I didn't think too much of it. But now that I'm a bit older, I'm beginning to wonder if I am actually capable of loving someone. There was one point in my life where I thought I was in love, and this feeling lasted for quite some time. But upon further reflection, I realized that it wasn't "love" that I was feeling for this person but "longing", which is a quite different emotion. I longed to be with her, even though I knew that it would never work out, no matter how much I wanted it to. I don't think she ever found out, and I'm not sure if I would ever tell her.
The overall point was this: I was trying to figure out if I ever will find that one. Maybe not now at this point in my life, but eventually. It scares me a little bit that so many of my friends are either engaged or already married. A good number of them have moved in together, some of who had only been together for a few weeks. But what about me? When does my time come? Is it true that it comes when you are not looking for it, and if so, how do you not look for it? Something to think about.
Some friend from my former workplace, TOMB, send me a link to an episode of a reality kids game show called FETCH! With Ruff Ruffman. FETCH! was a Boston produced show that aired on PBS for 5 seasons. I have the privilege of interning there for one season, and then being featured in an episode for a future season. I had completely forgotten that I had done that, and it was great to watch it. They posted it online on their website, and I have linked it here (Season 5, Episode 513). Sometime in the next few posts, I'll write a detailed account of how it was to tape it. It was a great time.
Oh, and before I forget, my favorite game series (and a primary influence to why I want to work in game shows) You Don't Know Jack, makes it triumphant return on Feb 8. I can't wait.
The nightmares I have when I sleep are increasingly getting much worse. I don't know why, but I am beginning to think that if something is not done soon, I may start to not sleep. And I can't afford to do that.
I can't think of anything else to write right now. But at least I have double the number of subscribers to this blog...
Peace Out.
It's been a few weeks. Price was down all this past week, and trying to find ways to keep myself occupied was one of the hardest things I had to do. I've come to the conclusion that if I don't have something to work on constantly, I end up spending most of my time doing nothing. There was one point during the week that I spent close to a good hour staring at my ceiling fan. That was quite a waste of my time.
So I've been using the time to work on myself. Specifically, I spent some time working on my game show ideas and my OkCupid profile.
The ideas are going well, but my main problem is that, often, I will lose interest in working on them. It's not because I don't think they are good (cause I think they are), and it's not because I think it's to much work (cause I actually take pleasure in working on them). It's because I'm always afraid that people will not be interested in them. I have this problem where I'll announce a game idea, and the support from my friends will be, at best, a few people. That never sits well with me, cause I feel like "what's the point of doing it if no one is going to play it?" It is a mentality that I am working on, but it is not easy to do.
My OkCupid profile is always a changing animal. I've been on it for nearly 5 years, and in that time, I've talked to, at most, 10 people, and ended up meeting 2 of them. Of those 2, one of them I still talk to cause we have developed a good friendship. I ended up deciding to move to LA about a month before we started hanging out. Would we have dated had I stayed? I would say probably not, and that's because I wasn't totally attracted to her. As a friend, she is very nice (which many people would read as "ugly", but this is not the case at all) and we totally mesh. But I didn't see it going any farther than that (though it was fairly obvious to me that she liked me a lot).
Which brings me to this thought I had during the week. Of the 2 long-term relationships that I've had, in both cases, my girlfriend ended up falling in love with me, but I didn't reciprocate the feeling. At the time, I didn't think too much of it. But now that I'm a bit older, I'm beginning to wonder if I am actually capable of loving someone. There was one point in my life where I thought I was in love, and this feeling lasted for quite some time. But upon further reflection, I realized that it wasn't "love" that I was feeling for this person but "longing", which is a quite different emotion. I longed to be with her, even though I knew that it would never work out, no matter how much I wanted it to. I don't think she ever found out, and I'm not sure if I would ever tell her.
The overall point was this: I was trying to figure out if I ever will find that one. Maybe not now at this point in my life, but eventually. It scares me a little bit that so many of my friends are either engaged or already married. A good number of them have moved in together, some of who had only been together for a few weeks. But what about me? When does my time come? Is it true that it comes when you are not looking for it, and if so, how do you not look for it? Something to think about.
Some friend from my former workplace, TOMB, send me a link to an episode of a reality kids game show called FETCH! With Ruff Ruffman. FETCH! was a Boston produced show that aired on PBS for 5 seasons. I have the privilege of interning there for one season, and then being featured in an episode for a future season. I had completely forgotten that I had done that, and it was great to watch it. They posted it online on their website, and I have linked it here (Season 5, Episode 513). Sometime in the next few posts, I'll write a detailed account of how it was to tape it. It was a great time.
Oh, and before I forget, my favorite game series (and a primary influence to why I want to work in game shows) You Don't Know Jack, makes it triumphant return on Feb 8. I can't wait.
The nightmares I have when I sleep are increasingly getting much worse. I don't know why, but I am beginning to think that if something is not done soon, I may start to not sleep. And I can't afford to do that.
I can't think of anything else to write right now. But at least I have double the number of subscribers to this blog...
Peace Out.
Monday, January 10, 2011
FlashBack/FlashForward
It's a brand new year, which means I have a maximum of 12 months to make the most of it. In reality, I'll probably just fritter away a third of it. Let's be honest, Some of my best qualities have to do with procrastination.
Anyway, it looks like the last post I made was in September of last year, and since then there have been some serious events that have happened in my life. Like...
Dancing With The Stars ended back in November. The overall winner was Jennifer Grey, but I'd say the big winner was me. It was hands down the best experience I had working on a production up to that point. I was the backup page for the season, and I was dealing with the VIPs that came to see the show (friends and family of the stars, dancers, and production crew). In that time, I got to meet and interact with some amazing people from different walks of life. Some were super awesome (like the entourage of The Situation), and some were not so much (you were expecting a name weren't you?). But the one thing I'll take away is that no matter where I go, as long as I'm just myself, I can meet some great people and have some great things happen to me. Two of my favorite celebs from the past season were Kyle Massey and Kurt Warner. These two in particular are great examples of what I desire to be like if I were ever famous. They were (and still are) kind, funny, and genuine people who break the stereotype of "celebrity". They truly made working on DWTS a special experience for me. I could go on and on about it, so the last thing I will say is this: Hollywood knows how to throw a ROCKIN' afterparty!
I just returned from a 3 week trip to Boston, and boy did I need that. I had bought my ticket back in October and was counting down the days till I got to go back. It was such a fun time, and it was amazing to see and hang out with my friends again. The duration of this trip was long enough this time around, unlike back in August where I only had 1 week. But that also made it that much harder for me to leave. I love them so much, and it hurts to leave them after getting back together with them for that period of time. It's all good though, because I'll be seeing them again soon. Miss you guys.
On an aside, we got slammed with a blizzard which dropped 15" of snow. It was incredible.
Just prior to leaving for Boston, I had received a call from the offices of The Price Is Right. The position of "Set Production Assistant" had opened up and they wanted to call me in for an interview. Now, I don't squeal. But if I did, that would have been a prime moment to. This would be the "in" that I would need to get into the game show industry. This would be the job that would get me going on my ultimate quest to become a great game show host and producer. This would be the opportunity to not have to wear that red jacket (even if I look great in it).
I had less than 24 hours to prepare for it, as they had called me on a Wednesday night for a Thursday afternoon interview. My resume had not been updated since I had started at CBS, but considering that CBS was the only new job I had been employed to since, it didn't take long to fix it. My major obstacle was trying to overcome my nervousness. I really wanted this job more than anything, and I was afraid that I may not get it. Getting the call was an honor for me; getting the job would be a dream. With the help of some of my great friends, they calmed me down and assured me that I had nothing to worry about because this job was tailored for me.
I had the interview with two of the producers of the show, and we discussed the parameters of the the job and how it would work. Other topics included my goals in life, what some of my favorite game shows are, and how Bristol Palin should have never gotten as far as she did on Dancing With The Stars (that subject alone took 5-8 minutes, and could have its own blog post devoted to it). Though I didn't ask during the interview, I had found out just before I went in who else had interviewed for the job: two of my good friends, one of which was Head Page inside for Price. Even though I showed a lot of confidence, in my mind, I was sure I had lost the job to the Head Page.
The position needed to be filled immediately, which meant that whoever was chosen would start on the following Monday. The next day (Friday) I was scheduled to work a Christmas event on the lot (where I had a brief talk with Joey McIntyre from New Kids On The Block), so I was hoping that the event would take my mind off the job. Surprise: it didn't. We ended midday and I went home. Up until that point, I had not received the call. To calm my nerves, I decided to take a nap (I figured if I was sleeping, I wouldn't be able to think about it). 30 minutes into it, my phone rings. It's The Price Is Right.
As of December 6th, 2010, I am the current Set Production Assistant on The Price Is Right.
The job so far has been great. It is a lot of running around, and I have some big responsibilities to uphold. However, I am with some great people who are there to help and support me. Plus I'm having a fun time watching contestants win prizes. And, yes, Drew Carey is as nice and funny in person as he is on TV. I can't wait to work with him, and the rest of the crew, more as I go along.
So it looks like I'm going to be in Los Angeles for a little while longer. If this job takes me higher, then I will be one of the happiest people you'll ever meet. And if this job ends and nothing comes of it, at least I can say that I achieved a life goal of working on a game show (and one of the greatest at that). Boston was fantastic, and I am ready for the next time I return to it for more debauchery. This new year hopefully will be full of new opportunities for me, with some fun added in there as well.
It's normally at this point where I'll say something about how I should write more in this blog. But I realized that I'll write when I feel like it. Now if more people read this, that just might motive me to do it more often. Other than that, this won't be the last time you hear from me this year.
Peace Out.
Anyway, it looks like the last post I made was in September of last year, and since then there have been some serious events that have happened in my life. Like...
Dancing With The Stars ended back in November. The overall winner was Jennifer Grey, but I'd say the big winner was me. It was hands down the best experience I had working on a production up to that point. I was the backup page for the season, and I was dealing with the VIPs that came to see the show (friends and family of the stars, dancers, and production crew). In that time, I got to meet and interact with some amazing people from different walks of life. Some were super awesome (like the entourage of The Situation), and some were not so much (you were expecting a name weren't you?). But the one thing I'll take away is that no matter where I go, as long as I'm just myself, I can meet some great people and have some great things happen to me. Two of my favorite celebs from the past season were Kyle Massey and Kurt Warner. These two in particular are great examples of what I desire to be like if I were ever famous. They were (and still are) kind, funny, and genuine people who break the stereotype of "celebrity". They truly made working on DWTS a special experience for me. I could go on and on about it, so the last thing I will say is this: Hollywood knows how to throw a ROCKIN' afterparty!
I just returned from a 3 week trip to Boston, and boy did I need that. I had bought my ticket back in October and was counting down the days till I got to go back. It was such a fun time, and it was amazing to see and hang out with my friends again. The duration of this trip was long enough this time around, unlike back in August where I only had 1 week. But that also made it that much harder for me to leave. I love them so much, and it hurts to leave them after getting back together with them for that period of time. It's all good though, because I'll be seeing them again soon. Miss you guys.
On an aside, we got slammed with a blizzard which dropped 15" of snow. It was incredible.
Just prior to leaving for Boston, I had received a call from the offices of The Price Is Right. The position of "Set Production Assistant" had opened up and they wanted to call me in for an interview. Now, I don't squeal. But if I did, that would have been a prime moment to. This would be the "in" that I would need to get into the game show industry. This would be the job that would get me going on my ultimate quest to become a great game show host and producer. This would be the opportunity to not have to wear that red jacket (even if I look great in it).
I had less than 24 hours to prepare for it, as they had called me on a Wednesday night for a Thursday afternoon interview. My resume had not been updated since I had started at CBS, but considering that CBS was the only new job I had been employed to since, it didn't take long to fix it. My major obstacle was trying to overcome my nervousness. I really wanted this job more than anything, and I was afraid that I may not get it. Getting the call was an honor for me; getting the job would be a dream. With the help of some of my great friends, they calmed me down and assured me that I had nothing to worry about because this job was tailored for me.
I had the interview with two of the producers of the show, and we discussed the parameters of the the job and how it would work. Other topics included my goals in life, what some of my favorite game shows are, and how Bristol Palin should have never gotten as far as she did on Dancing With The Stars (that subject alone took 5-8 minutes, and could have its own blog post devoted to it). Though I didn't ask during the interview, I had found out just before I went in who else had interviewed for the job: two of my good friends, one of which was Head Page inside for Price. Even though I showed a lot of confidence, in my mind, I was sure I had lost the job to the Head Page.
The position needed to be filled immediately, which meant that whoever was chosen would start on the following Monday. The next day (Friday) I was scheduled to work a Christmas event on the lot (where I had a brief talk with Joey McIntyre from New Kids On The Block), so I was hoping that the event would take my mind off the job. Surprise: it didn't. We ended midday and I went home. Up until that point, I had not received the call. To calm my nerves, I decided to take a nap (I figured if I was sleeping, I wouldn't be able to think about it). 30 minutes into it, my phone rings. It's The Price Is Right.
As of December 6th, 2010, I am the current Set Production Assistant on The Price Is Right.
The job so far has been great. It is a lot of running around, and I have some big responsibilities to uphold. However, I am with some great people who are there to help and support me. Plus I'm having a fun time watching contestants win prizes. And, yes, Drew Carey is as nice and funny in person as he is on TV. I can't wait to work with him, and the rest of the crew, more as I go along.
So it looks like I'm going to be in Los Angeles for a little while longer. If this job takes me higher, then I will be one of the happiest people you'll ever meet. And if this job ends and nothing comes of it, at least I can say that I achieved a life goal of working on a game show (and one of the greatest at that). Boston was fantastic, and I am ready for the next time I return to it for more debauchery. This new year hopefully will be full of new opportunities for me, with some fun added in there as well.
It's normally at this point where I'll say something about how I should write more in this blog. But I realized that I'll write when I feel like it. Now if more people read this, that just might motive me to do it more often. Other than that, this won't be the last time you hear from me this year.
Peace Out.
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