On Sunday morning, I headed over to the neighborhood Pavillions, an upscale groceria, to get some edibles for the Oscar Party later that afternoon. Still in my lonely phase, I was wearing a black workout ensemble which I had slept in but rolled all the cat hair off. A hat I figured would hide my make-up-less face and the cut above my lip from a sharp plastic bit on a water bottle. At least I was hydrated.
I raced to find the Boston Creme Pie I had seen earlier in the week to highlight my themed cuisine for the party. Each nominated Best Pic is represented:
Iwo Jima = edamame and gyoza
Little Miss Sunshine = Olives and Olive tapinade (for the main character's name)
The Queen = stilton and bangers
The Departed = the aforementioned Boston Creme Pie
Babel = humus and 7 layer dip
SCORE! they had the pie. I didn't have the time to create one myself. And that's when I saw him. John Lassiter. CEO of Disney Creative and Pixar. He's pushing a trolley along the cheese aisle. I smile and nod, as I usually do when I see him in the hallway at work. But out of context, I am nothing more than a very friendly yet lonely cat owner in the cheese aisle. And then I remember that he's going to the Oscars THAT AFTERNOON! Hey, I should have said something to him such as, "Good Luck!" "Don't trip on your way to the stage!" You know, something pithy.
I make my way around the store searching for him and there he is on the other side of the produce section talking to the VP on Feature Animation, Carolyn and her beau and daughter. By the time I make my way over, he's scooted over to the checkout. So I chat it up with Carolyn for a bit and we head our separate ways.
My phone rings. I answer. "Dara McGarry. I can hear you giggle all the way over in the wine section." It was John and his wife Audrey. John sits next to me at work. He knows my giggle. I head over to wines and spirits and find them shopping for the wine to bring to my house later. (6 bottles total were consumed, I think mostly by me and Audrey, judging from our headaches.) We recount the days events and the impossibility that we are all at Pavillions at the same time.
I make my way back to shopping, as there is still so much left to buy! At least 30 minutes go by and there is John Lassiter again, this time with a hand basket. He's vacantly roaming the aisles. This time, I stop and wish him luck. His glassy stare tells me I'm still the loney cat owner. I introduce myself and his gaze instantly turns warm as he shakes my hand and seemingly tries to memorize my face, I hope not to have me sacked later. After the awkward "we have nothing more to say" pause, we go our separate ways. But I keep seeing him in teh aisles. It's now 1:00. The pre-show starts at 3:00. I'm concerned. "Shouldn't you be getting your tux on about now?" He looks dejected. "Yeah, I really should be getting ready. My wife needed hair spray," he says picking up a bottle of water to read the ingredients. Clearly he was nervous. I give him one more good luck and decide to give the poor man his space. he obviously doesn't need another friendly, hairy cat lady giving him Oscar advice.
I was really hoping he'd win.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Being and Loneliness
I have come to the astonishing conclusion that I absolutely hate being alone. I will do anything to avoid it including making bad decisions. When I was growing up, my brother was 11 years older and probably still is. By the time I was 6, he was off to college and I was an only child. We lived in a neighborhood where the houses were very far apart and there weren't any kids there anyway. I was so lonely I took to spraying a variety of harmless aerosols on my bedroom wall. Things like hairspray and deodorant. I never said I wasn't easily entertained. I kept denying that I was doing it. It didn't really leave a mark anyway, so I wondered what all the fuss was about. But my insistence on lying left my parents no alternative but to ground me for a week. I was mad of course, but even worse I was stuck in my bedroom without a spray can. Horrors. And that left me where I am today: lonely and bored. What a lethal combination. Anyone got a can of aqua net?
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Keep Moving Forward
It happens to be the catch phrase for the movie I just spent the last 2 years and 2 months of my life working on. And it also seems to be the best advice I can give myself. Just like Lewis in the movie, I have this desire to go back and change things in the past, to undo some wrongs or perhaps to not do some wrongs. Maybe to do some things I didn't...etc. Oh, I guess this will make more sense after you see the movie on March 30. (BTW, the intro on the web page features some of the cool efx my department did. So proud of those guys.)
There is a ridiculous software application used by companies around the world and universally hated by them as well. It's called SAP. If you happen to be in any SAP module, you can't really step backwards like you are probably doing right now, hitting the back button back into MYSpace and finally back to your midget porn you were surfing earlier. Much more interesting than my drivel. Anyhoo, in order to get anywhere in SAP, you have to click forward. Ridiculous and time consuming. But you just simply can't go backwards. Which means you usually can't get the exact same page more than once.
I guess that's supposed to be a life lesson or something like that.
There is a ridiculous software application used by companies around the world and universally hated by them as well. It's called SAP. If you happen to be in any SAP module, you can't really step backwards like you are probably doing right now, hitting the back button back into MYSpace and finally back to your midget porn you were surfing earlier. Much more interesting than my drivel. Anyhoo, in order to get anywhere in SAP, you have to click forward. Ridiculous and time consuming. But you just simply can't go backwards. Which means you usually can't get the exact same page more than once.
I guess that's supposed to be a life lesson or something like that.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Firecracker
Yesterday, in the pouring rain, James, Marlon and I headed to Chinatown to run the annual Firecracker 5/10k race. I opted for the 5k since I've been under the weather lately and not running so much. James and Marlon were set on the 10k. The race commemorates the Chinese Lunar new year 4705 - the year of the Boar. As the celebrity (I didn't know who he was but I am sure he is famous somewhere) stated before the race, "The year of the Boar is sure to be either boring or all about you bringing home the bacon." Mmmmmm, bacon. Ironically, we had bacon that morning not even realizing it's connection to the lunar calendar.
As usual, we spotted other Disneyites amongst the ranks and promised to catch up with each other post race for the usual dim sum at Emperor's Palace. We waited in the rain for the start which is supposed to include the Lion Dance and 10, 000 firecrackers to ward off evil spirits. We were right up at the start. Soon enough, the announcer came forth and introduced a quartet of lovely young women to sing the national anthem. They were called Jazzmin and it was the best rendition of that impossible song I've heard in well, maybe forever. It was in fact jazzy. Then the Lion Dancers took center stage (or street as it were) and began the traditional dance of the 2 lions that, well, dance. Not sure what it is supposed to represent but it was really beautiful. They tossed an orange and a cabbage back and forth. It was kinda cool, in a salad sort of way. And then, the 10, 000 firecrackers were lit. And we were right next to them. That's a lot of firecrackers. Bits of exploding cracker hit our hats and faces. I had my iPod buds in just to absorb the noise, so it wasn't too bad. It was amazingly wonderful. So much smoke. The Lions danced all the while looking like two demented puppets in a fog.
Then they called the 5k runners to the line and off we went. I had a great spot up front and was able to run from the sound of the horn. Usually I'm in the back and have to wait and walk a good 2 minutes before the traffic has cleared enough to run. I felt incredibly energized because of the firecrackers and the Lions and the rain. I ran hard even as we started to ascend the first hill. I thought there was only one so I gave it my all. Oh no. There wasn't just one hill. Half the race was a hill. And not just any hill. Elysian Park hill. By Dodger Stadium. Big hill. But I ran it. And I kept running even when I thought I was going to pass out. It's only 3 miles I thought. And just when I thought I couldn't go any more, the down hill would start where I could really race, passing tons to people who were too nervous to go too fast in the rain. I was covered head to toe, so I figured it would be more fun to go fast and who cares if I take a header. But I didn't. And so I raced past the drummers and on to the finish. Just as I approached the finish, the 10k was starting. There was Marlon and James right up front and racing up to the hills, all bright and happy. We waved and shouted and on to the finish I went.
I raced in passing Kathleen Wilhoite.
She spent her time in the chute talking about how disappointed she was with her time. I offered that the hills were really killer and certainly affect your time if you don't train on them. Meanwhile, I was thinking that I was more than happy with my time. Since I didn't train for the race at all and still came out with my best time on a 5k to date: 31:50 on the race timer and 31:33 on my own timer. (Meaning about 20 seconds is how long it took me to pass the start line. This race is not chip timed so everyone has the same start time even though not everyone passes the start line together.) I was pleased.
And so I ate the complimentary banana and pineapple juice, but forgoing the wontons to save room for dim sum. I saw more Disney people and then made my way to the finish line to watch for the boys. James came in at 47:50 and Marlon at 50. Another Disneyite, Taralyn, found us and talked incessantly the rest of the time about her 5k in 45:47 and a brief stint at the Playboy channel. The never ending monologue put a damper on the less than yummy dim sum meal, but all in all it was an incredibly fun time. And that is probably the only time I will ever get into Emperor's Palace without waiting for a table. The trick apparently is to get there at 10am.
I'll definitely do it next year.
As usual, we spotted other Disneyites amongst the ranks and promised to catch up with each other post race for the usual dim sum at Emperor's Palace. We waited in the rain for the start which is supposed to include the Lion Dance and 10, 000 firecrackers to ward off evil spirits. We were right up at the start. Soon enough, the announcer came forth and introduced a quartet of lovely young women to sing the national anthem. They were called Jazzmin and it was the best rendition of that impossible song I've heard in well, maybe forever. It was in fact jazzy. Then the Lion Dancers took center stage (or street as it were) and began the traditional dance of the 2 lions that, well, dance. Not sure what it is supposed to represent but it was really beautiful. They tossed an orange and a cabbage back and forth. It was kinda cool, in a salad sort of way. And then, the 10, 000 firecrackers were lit. And we were right next to them. That's a lot of firecrackers. Bits of exploding cracker hit our hats and faces. I had my iPod buds in just to absorb the noise, so it wasn't too bad. It was amazingly wonderful. So much smoke. The Lions danced all the while looking like two demented puppets in a fog.
Then they called the 5k runners to the line and off we went. I had a great spot up front and was able to run from the sound of the horn. Usually I'm in the back and have to wait and walk a good 2 minutes before the traffic has cleared enough to run. I felt incredibly energized because of the firecrackers and the Lions and the rain. I ran hard even as we started to ascend the first hill. I thought there was only one so I gave it my all. Oh no. There wasn't just one hill. Half the race was a hill. And not just any hill. Elysian Park hill. By Dodger Stadium. Big hill. But I ran it. And I kept running even when I thought I was going to pass out. It's only 3 miles I thought. And just when I thought I couldn't go any more, the down hill would start where I could really race, passing tons to people who were too nervous to go too fast in the rain. I was covered head to toe, so I figured it would be more fun to go fast and who cares if I take a header. But I didn't. And so I raced past the drummers and on to the finish. Just as I approached the finish, the 10k was starting. There was Marlon and James right up front and racing up to the hills, all bright and happy. We waved and shouted and on to the finish I went.
I raced in passing Kathleen Wilhoite.
She spent her time in the chute talking about how disappointed she was with her time. I offered that the hills were really killer and certainly affect your time if you don't train on them. Meanwhile, I was thinking that I was more than happy with my time. Since I didn't train for the race at all and still came out with my best time on a 5k to date: 31:50 on the race timer and 31:33 on my own timer. (Meaning about 20 seconds is how long it took me to pass the start line. This race is not chip timed so everyone has the same start time even though not everyone passes the start line together.) I was pleased.
And so I ate the complimentary banana and pineapple juice, but forgoing the wontons to save room for dim sum. I saw more Disney people and then made my way to the finish line to watch for the boys. James came in at 47:50 and Marlon at 50. Another Disneyite, Taralyn, found us and talked incessantly the rest of the time about her 5k in 45:47 and a brief stint at the Playboy channel. The never ending monologue put a damper on the less than yummy dim sum meal, but all in all it was an incredibly fun time. And that is probably the only time I will ever get into Emperor's Palace without waiting for a table. The trick apparently is to get there at 10am.
I'll definitely do it next year.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Friday, February 02, 2007
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Parking Garage for Me
(Photo to come)
It's not everyday you see a pirate ship on top of the parking garage at work. Pirates 3 apparently has some pick up shots to do this month ( better hurry! The film releases in May!) so the ship was rebuilt on top of the garage. ABC has a tendency to use said garage in a variety of garage-y shows such as Alias. It's not uncommon to see a film crew around. You can tell it's a film crew because it's a huge generator and a bunch of guys sitting around "on union break." But I have to say, I don't recall ever seeing a giant ship on the 5th floor of a garage.
We considered trying to drive all the way up to the ship. Apparently the security isn't all that tight since the principal actors are not involved.
Last summer, the lot was abuzz with young secretaries from all over the company loitering around the commissary and nearby sound stages waiting for a glimpse of Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp. Mr Bloom would occasionally appear, sometimes with his dog, in the commissary. I saw him once on his cell phone smoking. But Mr Depp proved to be a more difficult find. Rare is the person who has actually seen him. I thought I saw him once, but honestly in a crowd of pirates, who can tell?
It's not everyday you see a pirate ship on top of the parking garage at work. Pirates 3 apparently has some pick up shots to do this month ( better hurry! The film releases in May!) so the ship was rebuilt on top of the garage. ABC has a tendency to use said garage in a variety of garage-y shows such as Alias. It's not uncommon to see a film crew around. You can tell it's a film crew because it's a huge generator and a bunch of guys sitting around "on union break." But I have to say, I don't recall ever seeing a giant ship on the 5th floor of a garage.
We considered trying to drive all the way up to the ship. Apparently the security isn't all that tight since the principal actors are not involved.
Last summer, the lot was abuzz with young secretaries from all over the company loitering around the commissary and nearby sound stages waiting for a glimpse of Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp. Mr Bloom would occasionally appear, sometimes with his dog, in the commissary. I saw him once on his cell phone smoking. But Mr Depp proved to be a more difficult find. Rare is the person who has actually seen him. I thought I saw him once, but honestly in a crowd of pirates, who can tell?
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