The last two days have been a nice change of pace.

Friday Andy, Darryl, and I went Andy's friend's place for a birthday party. It was cool... small gathering, cozy lighting, nice Columbian-based music. The owner was a sweet girl studying Interior Design. Her home was really mellow- stucco walls softly lit with colorful candles. We sat around and talked (I played with the miriad of cats that popped in every now and then). We realized that every single person in the room was from a different country, and that got us started each about our own cultures and the difference between everyone else, and how Miami (with it's billions of people) was a cool place to be confronted with different types.

Then we left to go to Stien's Warehouse (formerly known as Shayla's Warehouse) to watch short films. The Warehouse has been holding their annual film showings for like three years now. In the beginning it was a pretty small gathering of friends. When Shayla and Tara lived there it was more like a regular Warehouse with an alcove on the west end for sound or editing studios and just a stage underneath. It only had Roberto's pencil drawings on the wall and the couch by the kitchen. And when Darryl, Urban, Chris, David S., David R., and I went to help put up the walls to the second floor "apartments" it was still pretty bare. Lately it's gotten to be one of the top places for art people of Miami to hang out... mostly because of the other stuff they do, too (like hold plays, screenings, art shows, misc.). So many people have stepped through it's walls... students, professionals, and sometimes highly recognized/influential people in the misc. industries. The first Iron and Wine music vids were premiered here, as well as a bunch of us MIU grads old student films. The walls are all painted funky colors, the upstairs alcove is now a full-fledged production studio, big 10k-100k Arri Lights hand from the ceiling, the "apartments" are actually cool little hippy/artsy pads, and the stage has been transformed (for movie night) into a wide-screen panel with a digi projector. Chris's artwork lined the walls (nice new stuff, Chris!), and hand-me-down junk couches were scattered all over the floor in front of the screen for the throngs to get comfortable during the showing.

We met Chris up there and hung out in the kitchen with some Corona's (I had Coke... no mess for me) while Ziggy Stardust played on the screen. Chris showed me the little travel diary he brought and the couple (BRILLIANT) sketches he did while in-between movies. When the films began to start again (we had arrived during the intermission) Andy, Darryl, and I sat down to enjoy the show. It was pretty nice... your usual indy gore/blood short films, a cool little mock-u-mentary, and finally Andy's film Paparazzi (which premiered the same time as my Jazzman back in Sept).

Saturday we had some more pick-ups to do. I got to make YET AGAIN a cameo- this time as a lab technician. Darryl and I got hungry when we were done so we drove up to Tokyo Bowl and had some sushi (and yummy tempura cheesecake- sorry Hazel's wedding). After that we went and saw Constantine... pretty good, very funny, thrilling- I liked Shea Le"Boof."

Now I gotta prepare the actuals for My Struggle. Tonight Pete, Andy, and a bunch of people are going to have a meeting about the move to Cali. I convinced Chris, Geraldine, and possibly Shivonne to move with us. Darryl is still undecided, and David said that although New York is gonna be his home he would love to come down in May to watch Star Wars. Score!

Anyway... back to the budget!

Done.

well... almost.

We still have a couple pick-ups to film. &$%#@. It turns out that a mag on our camera LEAKED during some major scenes and consequently our shooting schedule had to expand to replace what we lost. Ah well... I was missing the on-set experience anyway. We "finished" Sunday night and on Monday and Tuesday I was ssssssssssooooooooooo depressed at work that I hardly got anything done. Lots of boo-hooing and such.

Through all that I figured that filmmaking must be my destiny. I literally felt like I was going to DIE if I couldn't escape from work and go film something (and folks- I work in a PRODUCTION STUDIO and I felt like this). I spent all of my work time pondering on what to do about this. I think Kev and Val noticed my low mood, too, because they told me I could go eat out for my lunch break.

Thanks Kev and Val.

I think I know what to do. Although I'm pretty much happy and secure in Miami (with a job in production and a cozy home), I've decided that I have to move to California. HAVE TO. Pete, Andy, and Erick are going there in March to promote the film and I should be there. Producers duty!... I dunno. I proposed the deal to them and they seemed pretty okay. I hope they don't think I'm butting into their plans (which I am) but I sincerely can't stand it anymore. I guess I know how my parents felt now when they decided to move from the Philippines to the US. HORRIBLY SCARED but EXTREMELY EXCITED at the same time.

I hope Darryl decides to come. That would be awesome. I know I can live without him, but I'd prefer not to try anytime soon. After all- STAR WARS is coming out soon. If I move to California and he doesn't how will I see it with him and Dave? He has to come with me! Then David will have no choice BUT to come see it in Cali (at the famous Chinese Theatre with the hands and feet sidewalk, nonetheless!).

Final (Very Random) Note:
I got a new fish. His name is Jughead- Shivonne named him. I don't think he likes life. He just sits around and acts dead all the time. I miss Archie.... and sadly I finally figured out where he went. I brought home his bowl and filter to prepare it for Jughead and me and Darryl decided to clean out the filter cuz it smelled. Well- guess what happened next.

Yeah... Archie fell out. Clumped and raw. I cried all night. It was all my fault- I was the one who bought the filter and didn't put the fish guard on it. I was the one who decided to leave Archie alone at work instead of bring him home with me. I KILLED MY FRIEND.

I'm sorry Archie. I miss you. :(

Halfway point.

We've filmed for a week. We have one week left. In the last 7 days we have lost a generator, gained a greenlight contact from Miramax, broken a Uhaul, fresnel light, and cable, shuddered through 50 degree weather and sweated through 100 degree heat, dealt with 30 children, and looked out for the wellfare of one.

I'm saying we're doing pretty good.