I'm Tom Freakin' Skilling

Rage of old age

I don't know. Maybe I'm getting old, but I feel out of place at a gay bar.

Last night, I went to rage in West Hollywood for Beo's birthday. It looks just like any other gay bar in any nameless city; lots of mood lighting, a cheerless bartender and dance music blasted so high, the dead in Las Vegas can hear it.

While it was a blast to surprise Beo for his birthday -he knew he was coming to Rage, but did not know all of his friends would be there as well - but I felt, I don't know, like a the gay guy that I am, sitting in a roomful nuns. It was odd, very uncomfortable and just weird.

I've never enjoyed gay bars, per se. Especially the real popular ones. Back in Chicago, in Boys Town, there are many bars sandwiched between Addison and Belmont on Halsted. There's Spin and Sidetracks, along with Roscoe's and Hydrate (once known as The Manhole). Those are the most popular, the ones where all the boys are pretty, perfect, thin and probably all size queens. But they're also shallow, overpriced and generally boring if you don't fall into the above slots.

I like Sidetrack, if only because of Showtunes Sunday. Campy? Yes, but also fun.

Big Chicks, up in Andersonville (far north side of the city) is, perhaps, my favorite. You go there to drink, have some fun times with your friends, maybe dance, but you never feel like you have to be on display, like the bars in Boystown. It really has no attitude what so ever.

I've yet to find a place in West Hollywood that even comes close to it.

So, anyways, I just felt old there last night, and I sensed that the bored bartender knew I was from the 'burbs, thus I was, I'm guessing, uninteresting.

Don't get me wrong, I would like to go to gay bars, but I like to go for the conversation, music at a lower level and pretty boys who may not have a 32" waist and spend all their money on hair and face care products.

Then again, as freaky as a leather bar is, I actually find them more fun to go to. I wonder what that says about myself (get the whip out, sister).

Leno apologizes

Nearly two weeks later, Jay Leno has apologized for his comments on his show.

When actor Ryan Phillippe appeared on his show, Leno asked the actor to look at the camera and give it his "gayest look." You see, one of Phillippe's earliest roles was a gay teen on the soap One Life to Live.

That one incident sparked Avenue Q creator Jeffy Whitty to post about it on his blog, ending with a picture of him giving Leno the middle finger, saying that this was his "gayest look."

As only that can happen in this internet age, mygayestlook.com was born. Nearly 400 people submitted photo's (including yours truly) to the site, giving Leno our "gayest look."

Now, with some help from here (let's hope) and a little pushing from GLAAD, Leno said he was sorry.

"In talking about Ryan's first role, I realize that what I said came out wrong," Leno said. "I certainly didn't mean any malice. I agree it was a dumb thing to say, and I apologize."

I can and will accept the apology. However, he's still not funny.

WGN tries to break the Cubs Curse of the Billy Goat

No comment

Go Cubs Go

2008 marks the 100 year since the Cubs won the World Series. Though they have a great pitching staff this year, can the Cubs really take it all?

Readers of the lost life

I love to read. As a matter of fact, I bring a book with me everywhere. When I go to work, I read between stop lights. Even if I'm traveling on the freeway, I bring a book, if only because here in LA, a traffic jam is never far away.

On weekends, when I'm not filming on Odyssey or Helena Chronicles, I can be found in my Starbucks reading, sipping my way overpriced hot mocha (because I like them hot) and extremely overpriced pastry. Yes, strangely, I find I'm able to get more reading done there, than at home. Go figure. Perhaps, because, I'm easily distracted by the computer or the TV.

The point is, I think, that I once thought I could find someone who liked to read also, that we could have conversations -though I'm not really into those literary works - and spend Siundays on the couch reading.

But these days, I think as author Ariel Levy said, that the goal of a any relationship is “to find somebody where your perversions match and who you can stand.”

So, I guess, I have to let my rope out, and maybe take a chance on someone who hates reading. I'm so wrapped up in finding, what one friend called my "intellectual equal," that I've missed the forest for the trees.

Or, more realistically, I'm destined to be alone.

Sometimes I feel like Burgess Merideth in that Twilight Zone episode Time Enough to Read. That because I read so much, not partaking in the glory of life, that I missed the boat. The plane. The space ship.

What an odd post, David

Book: Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris

Then We Came To The End is a witty novel about the post dot-com bubble-bursting. Set in a Chicago ad agency in 2001, the book follows a group of people who are facing rolling layoffs. But even as the company tries to find more work -and ends up doing some pro-bono work on breast cancer (where they try to find the humor in it) - the employees take on a siege mentality. Told in the sometimes confusing first-person plural, the novel gives a fishbowl look into the daily operations of an office on the verge of falling apart. .

For anyone who’s worked in a office full of cubicles, where gossip, pranks and the joy of finding food in the breakroom, is sometimes more important than the actual work, will love this from first-time novelist Joshua Ferris. This is no The Office or even Office Space, but it does share the same universe. For some, the workplace becomes your second home, filled with “family” members who are just as dysfunctional and lunatic as your own.

The book is filled with many amusing passages, including the office coordinator who tracks serial numbers of office furniture and how the employees raid the detritus of former employee’s things, sifting through their boxes in hope of finding something useful.

Sharp, and at times wildy funny, the novel zooms along taking people on a glorious ride.

Gavin DeGraw - In Love With A Girl (new song)

After a five year gap, DeGraw's new self-titled CD streets on May 6.

It's a strong song, and great, but five years was way too long.

Counting Crows - 1492

After what seems like F.O.R.E.V.E.R,
Counting Crows returns with a new CD that was released on 3/25.

Hey, Jay Leno....My Gayest Look

Leno

I won...er...tennis balls?

Back in early February, I entered a contest that was sponsored by the publishers of Stephen King’s latest novel, Duma Key. The grand prize was a trip to Florida, where the novel is set in.

As things are, I did not win the trip. However, I got an excellent consolation prize, a set of Wilson tennis balls with DUMA KEY and STEPHEN KING's name on it. The tennis balls, by the way, are part of the story, just in case someone was wondering.

Have no idea what I'll do with them, as I don't play tennis. I guess I'll store them, along with the deck of cards I got when Hearts in Atlantis was released.

The Ruins Redux

This is a re-post of a review I did last August for the novel, The Ruins. A comment left on a recent post by a friend of mine in Chicago, asked if I was going to see the movie version. I think I'll let this review (with spelling corrected) be my voice:

I’ve always liked Stephen King’s tales of horror, though oddly, never been a huge fan of the movie adaptations (with a few exceptions, such as The Dead Zone). TV has been a bit more faithful to his works, but they sometimes fail to capture the true nature of what King’s books are about, which is what happens to the people when things fall apart.

Scott Smith, who back in 1993 wrote the thriller A Simple Plan, returned in 2006 with The Ruins, a horror novel that is creepy in many ways, yet very familiar in others. Two couples, who are preparing to return to college in the fall, venture to Cancun for a vacation. They hook-up with a German tourist, who is searching for his brother and who vanished a few days earlier with some girl who wanted to take him to see some ruins in the forest. A Greek man also tags along.

A language barrier is the least of these peoples problems, as it seems the local people are trying to prevent them from going. They seem to know something, yet the six ignore them.

All too soon, though, they realize that ruins they’ve been in search of -and the people they are looking for, hold a terrifying secret. There is a presence at this site, one that will drive them to their demise.

As a whole, the book is well written, if not filled with stereotypical twenty something kids, with the female ones coming off as particularly unappealing and annoying. While I can picture in my mind the cast of the forthcoming movie (cause Smith goes out of his way to point out the size and weight of each of the characters -not a “normal” human among them, but male and female models; skinny and beautiful) of the book, its that exact reason why I found the novel distracting.

So, horror movies and books depend on stupid people doing stupid things -though the karma is they get what they deserved in the end. And these arrogant, spoiled college students seem to be the cream of the crop. Their blundering into areas that they should not have blundered into, is so unoriginal, and thus boring. It often reminded me of films where the heroine ventures into the dark room calling out “Who’s there?” I mean most people would just beat a path out of there.

Even the much older Mathias seems a bit dumb, not putting two and two together until its much too late.

Still, I give Smith props, as I feared the book was going to be more of a slasher than real psychological horror. It’s overlong, to be sure, but it transcends more typical horror of the slice and dice variety. And while the young adults are beautiful, I kind of liked the parts were the doomed group begins to wonder who’ll play them in the movie version of this unfolding horror (as it turns out, Jonathan Tucker, Shawn Ashmore, Jena Malone and Laura Ramsey. Nice "C" level actors if there was one).

It’s a good read, but I was never spooked out by it. But maybe because I’ve read Stephen King so much that I cannot be frightened anymore. Plus, I see these people -these idiots making the most basic mistakes - and wonder why I should even care about them.

Self Pic's 11

Monday after last

After last week's annoucement that my company, Borders Books, was up for sale, there has been much speculation from the media and customers wondering what is going to happen.

I came back to work, feeling that this was going to be just another day. After all I should be grateful, really. Going to work and not finding a declaration of bankruptcy was nice. I mean, there is every reason to believe that with in a year, Borders will find its self in two positions. One, a very much smaller company, or two, dead as George Washington.

Still, I'm mad at my company for not learning from its mistakes. Not taking any sort of risks and letting B&N and Amazon.com walk over us like paper laid down for the puppy to piddle on.

Plus, the company has watered down the store so much, there is nothing interesting about the bookstore anymore. It’s like someone power washing an alley; it’s become pointless. Granted, that's much like what has happened to America in general, from TV to movies to Wal Marts and Cosco's.

They can spin this latest move -those goofballs in Ann Arbor, I mean - but everyone has lost confidence with Borders. Investors, customers and, sadly, employees are much aware that this company, the one I actually still like working for, has no idea, no plan to rescue it.

Maybe it should die. But, then that would be more sad than anything.

Zombie around the clock

JayTee called me at about 10 minutes to 10 last night and asked if I wanted to be a zombie. I knew what he was talking about, somewhat. Over the last few weeks he had mentioned something about being a zombie in a movie, though I'll admit I thought it had to do with his movie he is preparing.

Well, I was wrong, as it turned out this zombie was for an extra in a movie called Dead Air, being directed by former LA Law actor Corbin Bernsen.

So, after some hemming and hawing -after all, it was nearly 10 and I had been up since 7 am - I decided, what the heck. So, I showered and head towards LA.

After finding the place, on north Figueroa Street, I got made up as a zombie.

Met up with JayTee and Sharon, and producer Sonia - who also plays a recurring role on our Star Trek show, The Helena Chronicles. We worked, long and hard. Now, having worked on HF and assorted projects for the last two plus years, I know how productions can go on and on. You can't plan for everything, including shots.

We filmed outside, which meant we had to get everything done before the sun rises. So, we worked, took time off at about 3am for "lunch" and returned to finish off what was needed by the director.

We wrapped at about 6:45am. I was home by 7:30, now realizing I have been awake for over 24 hours. The last time that happened, I was 20 years younger. I went to bed, and slept until 1.

It was fun, and I would do it again. But the next time, I would like some notice before hand so I can get some rest before spending the entire night running around like a zombie.

Borders Books put's out the For Sale sign

Back in 2000, Borders Books (the company I’ve worked for since 1997) tried to get someone to buy them. Coming off many late 90's blunders -including its too late entry into the internet e-business - it seemed ripe for sale, or even a take-over. But when no one seemed interested, the company took itself off the sales block and has tried for 8 years to pick itself up.

However, it seems the company cannot escape its past. This past week, Borders announced that they are seeking “strategic alternatives” in hopes of staving off liquidation. Those options could include sale of the company and/or some of its divisions. The company has hired J.P. Morgan Securities and Merrill Lynch to aide them.

To help prevent liquidity, Borders received some financial commitment from Pershing Square Capital Management (who already have a 10% stake within Borders already) of some $42.5 million (at a whopping, staggering, unbelievable 12.5% interest). Pershing will also have the ability to purchase some of the Borders international business.

This will, essentially, keep the company going through 2008.

And asked why CEO George Jones decided to look for other options after receiving the funding from Pershing, he told analysts on Thursday that the company is looking to maximize shareholder value, and one beneficial aspect might be to sell the company.

As of now, the company is reducing cost across the board, mostly by to reducing inventory (and discontinuing all of the perks on the retail level) while trying to improve inventory turns, which is means, essentially, the stores will be stocked more with stuff that has sold in the past. Essentially, will have a high inventory of, say the Oprah bookclub book New Earth, while lower inventory on new titles from unestablished authors. Since New Earth is selling, and we continue to pump up its inventory, this comes across to potential investors as a “turn” of inventory. It’s smoke and mirrors, but I guess it keeps the company from going belly up.

Still, Borders does not listen to its customers. While most of the ones I encounter like us better (as in employees) than B&N, but they find our stores confusing and not very cozy. They like the staff because they’re knowledgeable and nice, but they don’t want to be bothered every 10 seconds by a staff member coming up to them and asking them if they need help.

The store set-ups are confusing and not user friendly.

And now, with the rapid deterioration of music sales, the company is opening concept stores that offer customers the ability to download music at the store. Of course, I’m unsure why someone would want to do this, considering they can do it at home. Something a customer recently pointed out to me. She thinks the new digital centers is lame and wants to come to Borders to but CD’s.

Spin is the name of the game and the company is already trying to figure out how to get them to come anyways. I’m ambivalent at best on how this will help.


I feel, in the end, Borders will attempt to sell off Walden Books (though I suspect they’ll eventually close these mall based stores) and probably the UK based Paperchase after that. It continues in search of a buyer for its Australian/New Zealand operation, after a recent talks collapsed.

It has, I believe, a year or so left if it cannot turn around sales. Of course, the economy plays a key factor here, also, as its certain it will be not until 2009 that things get better. Despite that, most investors have no confidence in Borders stock (even my financial advisors tells me not to purchase Borders stock).

It’s a great company, really. Always was. It’s made some horrendous decisions over the years, but some how its still here. But the writing, it seems, maybe on the wall this time.

Sleep

I beginning to wonder if I suffer from some sort of sleep disorder.

I cannot remember when I’ve slept through the entire night. I have no problem falling asleep. I usually nod off, like most people, within 10 minutes of turning out the light. I then sleep very deeply, very soundly, going into REM and everything.

Then, maybe four hours later, I wake up. And then, I can’t get back to sleep. Oh, well, I sleep, but not as deep as before, and it usually falls under the “cat napping.” I fall asleep, then wake up within fifteen to twenty minutes.

This will go on until I get up at 5am. And that’s another thing, I always wake before my alarm is scheduled to come on. I guess, it could be some psychological thing, as I fear that I will oversleep and be late for work.

So I wonder, just what makes me sleep for such a short period of time. I once thought it had to do with my sugar and caffeine intake, but I make sure I cut it out over three hours before I go to bed ( because I know if I have chocolate or even a soda before I go to bed, I cannot sleep).

Even on weekends, I rarely get a full nights sleep, so I usually get by on a little over 5 hours sleep a day, though on a rare day, I’ll get caught up with maybe 7 hours.

I do have a lot of stress, but none more than most. I worry about money the most, but so does everyone else. So, I wonder what prevents me from sleeping from the time the lights go out, until the alarm (as it should) wake me up.

The Crane Wife 1 - Decemberists

Winter's last gasp

The weekend brought a reminder that it's still -somewhat - winter here in SolCal. While yesterday was a nice, if cool day, by late afternoon it began to rain. I was in Pasadena, at the studio, at a production meeting for the upcoming feature-length crossover episode Operation Beta Shield when it started to rain.

And, hail and thunderstorm. Both very rare here. Being up in the hills, somewhat, causes this, but it still was interesting. Anyways, got what we needed to get done, including seeing the schedule.

Due to some actors availability, we'll be shooting two days during the week. Both are suppose to be done by 11pm, which is when I'm suppose to be in bed because I'm up at 5. But we'll see how it plays out.

The rest are on Saturday until the three day shoot in June. I'm taking the week off, so no problem there. Plus, one of the three days of those June shoots includes beginning work on the next project linked to Odyssey and The Helena Chronicles.

Anyway, today has been cloudy, a bit breezy and cool. It's 60 now, and I don't think it got much higher than 65. Just a reminder, that while winter is almost over, its still winter none the less.

The pics above are of the clouds above my house. I thought they were interesting. Of course, I'm under no illusion anyone else will find the interesting.