Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Flipping Coins

In the last few days I have grown somewhat disappointed with handful of people in my life. I don't know if I am being fair but expected much better from this handful than I have been given and I don't know what I should do. Or rather-if I want to do what I should do... It just makes me sad to think about and it's enough to make me rethink certain relationships.

But on the other hand-as I was running last night-I forced myself to try and think about all the happy things about the people I know. To try and feel inspired rather than upset by them--to find something good rather than something sad. About how people are changing their lives to try by being brave and open and honest and driven. How there are good people in my life who deserve my respect and admiration.

The others aren't worth my time.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Ding Dong

Mrs. Garrett has given us a move out date. She has a new apartment. She is moving out when I am going to be visiting two of my nearest and dearest in San Francisco. When both I and Edie (back from filming) return to our house she will be gone.

It's so amazing how relaxed all of this makes me. that she is moving out. That someone I like is moving in. That there will be no awkward good byes. She'll just be gone.

If anything will make me believe in a high power--this might be it!

(Party to come soon!)

Monday, July 09, 2007

How My Weekend Started

Four brothers arrested in North Hollywood robbery spree
Article Last Updated: 07/09/2007 10:29:55 AM PDT

NORTH HOLLYWOOD - Four brothers were in custody today in connection with a robbery spree in which the suspects allegedly used a replica handgun, baseball bats, and a knife to stick up their victims and steal cellphones and jewelry, police said.

Police said the incidents began just before 11 p.m. Friday when police responded to an assault with a deadly weapon and several armed robbery calls in the North Hollywood area. Officers spotted the suspects' vehicle before taking them into custody without incident, police said.

One victim of an assault told police he was high on drugs when several males confronted him before he blacked out, police said. He later woke up at a hospital with facial injuries, unaware of how he got there, police said.

Jose Alberto Garcia, a 25-year-old construction worker from Reseda, and Jose Cruz Ibarra, 22, from Reseda were arrested in the 7300 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard in North Hollywood. Juan Carlos Gonzalez, a 27-year-old home child care worker, also from Reseda was arrested about a block away on Sherman Way. Manuel Antonio Ibarra, a 20-year-old cashier, from Huntington Park, was arrested in the 4200 block of Valerio Street, also nearby, police said.

The suspects were booked Saturday into the Los Angeles County Jail on suspicion of second degree robbery, the detective said. Bail was set at $100,000 for each.

In addition to recovering victim's cellphones, jewelry, and other property, police seized a replica Glock handgun, two baseball bats, and a knife, all believed to have been used in the crime spree, police said.

LAPD Detective Joe Esquivel identified the suspects as brothers and said detectives were looking into whether the men were involved in other heists.
For up-to-date news and observations on crime in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, check out the Daily News' crime blog by clicking here.
Guns! Gossip! Gumshoes!

So I was mugged this past Friday. I’m not sure there is anymore dramatic build up needed than to say I was held up at gun point while walking to meet the gang at a neighborhood bar. But since the devil is in the details I’m gonna give my due.

If I was to ever believe in karma than this might be the one time to really get into that philosophy. I was walking down to Residuals on Vineland to meet up with a handful of people for drinks—what’s ironic is that I pushed to meet at this bar since it was close so I could walk. Kaylee had started the e-mails and Lola pushed for the place but I made my feelings known on the subject.

So when Kaylee texted me she was not coming out I was a bit disappointed. That and I had something I REALLY wanted to discuss with her and didn’t want to wait. So when I got home from work I made a quick meal, took a shower, sent a text that I was on my way and decided to call Miss Kaylee on the way.

Now I won’t get into what I was discussing with her but it was actually not very nice but something rather dramatic that had just happened and I want to be able to fully relish the moment. It is not something I am proud of and certain people would be hurt if they knew what I was discussing which is where karma comes in.

I was almost at the corner of Vineland and Ventura—basically across from the bar when three young Hispanic guys walked toward me. Now this is not abnormal in my neighborhood—people tend to walk around all the time from the stores and coffee shops or over to the subway. I saw them and they saw me—and as I came closer they spread out to let me pass as I continued on the phone.

It wasn’t until they got right on top of me that everything changed. One of the three stepped directly in front of me and demanded my phone, one stood to my right with a gun pulled out and crouched down. I couldn’t tell much about the gun but it did look like a glock—similar to the type my dad had as a cop. The third guy stood behind me and pulled one arm behind and with his other hand pulled out my wallet and searched my other pockets.

What’s funny is that I didn’t panic at all—I was kind of dumbfounded because of where we were—how light out it was, the fact that were obvious cameras on the pole around us. I was so taken back that I didn’t even say anything to Kaylee—who was still talking on the phone the whole time—instead I just went with it. The guy behind me made me open my hands and gave me back my keys while the one in front of yelled about locking at them.

This is the only stupid thing I did at the time—as he kept yelling at me and they started off I did yell at them. I called them stupid fucks, that there were cameras around and they weren’t gonna get jack shit from me. The one with the gun was so startled he stopped and turned back to me but the other two grabbed him by the arms and pulled him away. I quickly crossed the street and into the security booth of the apartment complex there and told them they might want to call the cops.

There is nothing worse than dealing with the cops in the aftermath of a crime. Besides they fact that the 911 operator was rude I then got to wait for about 20 minutes until the cops showed up. I had to reenact the crime several times and felt myself getting worked up because all I wanted to do was go and see my friends. The cops were nice but not very comforting when one of them revealed I was the third person to be ‘hit’ in the last two hours. Which made me madder since the crimes were in all the same area and by the same guys but what could I do? The younger officer (Officer Ricky) offered to take me home but I said no.

Both cops were a bit thrown that I still planned to head off to the bar but I didn’t know what to do. Officer Ricky offered to help me call my friends but I realized that I didn’t know any of their numbers—they were all in my cell phone. Instead I suggested they should go and try and catch the guys. I then headed off to the bar.

It wasn’t until I was outside the bar that I realized that I didn’t have any ID and there was no way they were going to let me in the bar. I debated what to do but I didn’t want to walk back home past where I was just mugged and the guys still at large. I flirted with the idea of trying to get the doorman to find my friends but it was crowded outside and lots of skinny loud girls around him and I just couldn’t handle explaining myself to a stranger. So I figured that there were three smokers in the group and that eventually they would come out.

I waited about an hour before I gave up hanging around the parking lot and decided I needed to head home, get my passport and come back. It was scary walking but where the mugging happened; I was more angry though. I wanted to see the bastards again. I wanted to beat the shit out of them. I carried a brick the whole walk home.

It wasn’t until I got home that what happened fully hit. I turned on my computer to get the phone number list I keep on my desktop but picked up the phone to see if I could even remember a number. I realized that I had programmed a handful of numbers in the phone and while most were out of date—Kirby’s wasn’t.

Without even thinking about it I called her. She was at a party and I tried to get off the phone because she was having fun but instead I just started to cry. And I was mad about that but I needed someone and she was the first one I stumbled across. Of course she offered to come and meet up with me. She’s such a good friend.

I met her outside my building because I knew I had to force myself to be outside and feel safe. I brought my passport, we went to 711 where I got cigarettes and soda, and she hugged me a lot. I needed it. She was the one who pointed out we should go to the bar and while it was hard—I’m glad I did. I needed to be around my friends. I needed a drink. I needed to feel like things were normal. For that I was extremely grateful.

Later that night, I was a bit worried about the fact they had my address but decided to read the returning of my keys as a sign they weren’t interested in robbing my apartment. I canceled my bank card and made a list of things lost—my license, my phone, my social security card, my 6 Flags season pass. Stuff to deal with later.

It was at 3am when the phone rang and I knew I had to answer it. Kirby figured out how to change my cell phone message and I had made mention of my phone being stolen and to call my home number so I figured it could someone freaked out. It was the police telling me they had made an arrest and recovered my phone which was awesome and that I would get it at some point in the future. But no sign of my wallet.

I spent the next few days doing the weird bits and pieces of clean you have to do after something like this. I called my mom because I didn’t want have her stumble across the news before I could break it to her. I went and searched the neighborhood where I was robbed to see if they tossed my wallet. I researched on-line how to get a new license, a new social security card, whether they had used my bank card.

I still went out and did things—sometimes normal is the only thing you have at times—I saw Lucy in Hollywood. I talked with Mrs. Garrett about her apartment hunt. I sent out a thank you card to Kirby. I called Kaylee to let her know what happened. I paid bills.

Saturday Officer Ricky called to see if I was okay. He said he was worried because I was so calm if short with him the night before. I told him that I realized that what happened was so odd—the bold way they robbed me. The fact they were on a crime spree with no plans of stopping. The fact that I lived in the neighborhood and nothing like this EVER came close to happening before. That it wasn’t like I had done anything risky, I was aware of them and my surroundings. It wasn’t normal. It was dumb luck.

The truth is—this is not the first time I have been mugged. The first time was in Boston and I did stupid things that lead to that. I was more in danger then and I somehow knew that at the time. I was going to be fine. I had no choice but to be fine or else I was going to have some serious issues if I couldn’t walk outside without being afraid. Which Officer Ricky seemed to get and he promised to talk to me soon.

This is more irony because the next day I woke up to a knock at my door. I dragged my hung-over self (the stress led to more smoking and drinking) to the door and there he stood smiling and asking to come in. I figured he had my phone and knew I was being rude so I took into the kitchen. He said that something really lucky had happened while he was at lunch—and then he handed me my license.

Turns out he and his partner Officer Hofstra were at lunch nearby and while smoking in the parking lot he stumbled across my license on the end of the dumpster at the resteraunt. Just weird and he was surprised because he couldn’t believe it was mine and he headed over to hand off personally. I was so surprised that he thought I didn’t want my ID back but I went to the bathroom—threw some water on my face—and headed back to kitchen where he waited. I thanked him and he told me I was lucky.

Truth is—he’s right. I was very lucky. I was okay, they were caught, things came back to me and everyone did the right thing at the end of the day. I guess I am still a bit thrown but I am also lucky. So maybe the back half of this was karma. Not the first part.

(PS Before anyone asks again—Officer Ricky was quite cute and nice. He did seem concerned. He will be calling again about my phone. I have no interest because I am not a badge bunny. And it smack to much of needing a hero to save me.)

Friday, July 06, 2007

I'm Like A Bird

So I spent today nesting. And I mean hardcore in your nest nesting--like cleaning carpets and taking down ugly blind holders and through out tons of shite and replacing light blubs (7 at last count) in some weird attempt to make things homey. (I also spray painted several home decore things which is just to anal and gay for words but there you go....)

I'm not sure why there is such a sudden push on the homemaking end but I'm sure its just part of the plan to psuh Mrs Garrett out. She knows we went her gone via e-mails and a fight that she and I had, making things prettier in anticipation of her leaving just adds to it. Which is a good enough reason for me.

And with someone (I think I know who) sending mail to Kaylee at the apartment already--it is just enough to make Mrs Garrett know she is not wanted. Which works toward the master plan. though it doesn't explain me spending most of the day ironing curtains.....
When Its Good--Words Escape Me

When Its Good--Words Escape Me

This weekend was good. I mean really good.

I got something that I really wanted.

I went to four new places with a combination of 6 good friends.

I managed to take care of something that I really needed to and I think I managed to grow as a person in the bargin.

I got books--books make me hot.

I will go into details at some point but if you were apart of this then thank you.

It means more than you know.
Its Not Hot-Its Heat

Kirby and I met up at my show because she was doing something in the area and we had already made plans to do something else that night. So I jumped in her car and we took off through Hollywood to swing by a friends house to grab her phone.

Imagine our surprise when we come down a pretty big street (not sure which) and there four cop cars blocking the intersection and the sidewalks PACKED with cops and neighbors? At first we thought it was an accident but then three more cop cars pull up behind us and the street is effectively blocked off.

Cops behind us the jump out of their cars and get the shotguns (!!!) out of their trunk and come running right pass the car and down to the intersection. It was just like that movie 'Heat'--but without Val Kilmer with a machine gun.

Of course me and Kirby being us--we leaned up through the sunroof and took pictures of the cops running down the street and texted everyone in our phones. That is until the cops forced us to drive over the sidewalk and down a side street to not be in 'danger's way.'

(All I could think was--hot cop I want to be in danger! Save Me !!!!)

What's even funnier is that Kirby and I have no idea what was going on and didn't see or hear anything on the news. But at least we can say we were part of a gun battle which will look great for our bios.