(Another) New Chapter SUMMER 2011

Here I am back in LA. I wanted to let you all know what's going been going on with me in the past few months.

After graduation my dad and I spent like a month and a half searching craigslist daily for cars. Finally I found an awesome car for an awesome deal - 2004 VW Jetta. It's nice to get rid of the AntiChrist (my old cadillac) and get something more modern (and that works the way a car should).  I absolutely love it, I can get up to 33mpg in it, only 90k on the engine, and its quick and small. It took me a while to learn to drive a stick but now I feel like that much more of a man. And if a zombie apocalypse occurs and I only have access to a manual transmission vehicle... I will survive.  Also manual transmissions are way faster and really fun to drive, I don't think I will ever go back to an auto.

I moved to LA in the last week of June and moved in with two friends from last semester at LAFSC in the same apartment complex I was in before.  This was helpful, because I knew the area really well, and it was great to have some good friends to live with.

I spent many weeks applying for jobs in the industry, along with contacting literally every person I know in the industry or the area.  I worked a few shoots as 2nd assistant camera (2nd AC) meaning that I update and use the clapper, switch out camera lenses, and assist the camera department with any other help that they need.  That was pretty enjoyable, but I couldn't find any continuous paying jobs for it.

End of July I got to go with my roommate to the LA Coliseum to see Muse and Rage Against the Machine.  My sister came and visited me for a couple days and she definitely kept me busy showing her around the town.  The week after that my parents came to visit.  It was really nice getting too spend some good quality time with family.

Following that, I began my acting career doing some background acting.  The downsides are that it pays very little, work is sporadic, and it is literally the lowest job in the social hierarchy of jobs on a film set.  Like even PA's avoid and don't talk to background actors.  It's kind of hilarious.  The great thing about getting to do that was getting to meet a lot of cool people, I got to spend adequate time on most of the major studio lots-  Sony, Paramount, Universal, WB.  I was on a couple no-name shows, some indie films, but I also got to be on shows like CSI, New Girl, Two Broke Girls, The Sing-Off, and Glee.  Another benefit is that you get plenty of time to sit around which is good for reading books or writing scripts.  It was great for the two months I did it, but I was definitely ready for a real job (and a resume-worthy job) at the end of the summer.  And as my previous blog discusses, I did indeed find a great job.

I made the most of unemployment doing plenty of recreational activities.  I have done a ton of hiking (which is a great way to see the beauty of California, and get away from hordes of people for a while).  I have made it my goal to visit the beach every two weeks, and can honestly say that I have succeeded in doing this.  I therefore have at this point, visited every beach from Zuma in Malibu down to Laguna (Zuma and Huntington are my personal favs).  One favorite hobby of mine is longboarding (skateboard) along the beach because there is a 20 mile bike path along the coast.  My roommates and I also got boogie boards.  But just know that the ocean here is never warm, it may look nice and warm, but don't let it fool you, cause it's not!

To top off my summer with awesomeness, I got to drive down to San Diego to hang out with Kyle Van Kirk and his family for a few days.  They were taking Callie to Cali and decided to let me join their family reunion for a few days.  It was a great mini trip.

Welp, thats summer, and it certainly wasn't a bad one.