I haven't had my hair cut in a few months. I like the length now, though it could use a trim. Last summer I looked like a roadie for the Indigo Girls. Hazel has been cutting my hair since I met her through Chris Trew the day before NYE. Since going to her, I've had everyone--including straight boys--specifically compliment me on the cut of my hair.

Last time I called Purple Circle to make an appointment, they told me she had been hit by a car and her collar bone was shattered. That was a pretty shocking phone call. I hope Hazel is okay. And not just for selfish reasons--I really genuinely liked her a lot. She has an incredibly interesting life story and is an all around cool cat.

Hazel, I hope your arm heals and you are back to 100% soon!

I have been doing background for The Informant, a Steven Soderbergh movie starring Matt Damon, since Wednesday. It has been incredibly fun on set. I’m meeting a ton of cool people and am really enjoying working on an actual movie set (even though I’m not doing anything nor am I ever on screen). It’s funny b/c I feel very much like a country bumpkin. Like, holy crap, the director of the Ocean’s movies is standing 5 feet away from me setting up a scene.

A few weeks ago I did background work on a commercial that will only air in Holland—but I learned so much from that set. Unfortunately on this one, I don’t really get to hear the director talking to anyone, but I still have today and Mon-Wed of next week. I’m an office worker in 1994. My cubicle has a ton of dolphin paraphernalia, so I’m the crazy dolphin lady. There’s a weighted thing (pic above) that has become a fun game. We’ll set it off, then time it to see how long it see-saws. So far it’s been about an hour.

Today my call was at 10. I was done with hair and make up by 11 and have been sitting around with The Cool Kids playing a fun game of Phase 10. I’m not getting paid much, but I’m hoping to get a SAG voucher out of it. Originally I was saving for a house, but some very large unexpected expenses have come up and completely wiped out all savings and put me in debt. I need more money than I currently make, so I’m going to try to get my SAG card soon so I can do higher paid gigs.

The best part about these gigs is Craft Services. Yesterday I had Mahi-Mahi, mashed potatoes, broccoli, Jerk Chicken, blackberries, strawberries, and orange sorbet and a frozen custard for desert. I may only be making $8 an hour, but I’m eating like a king! They also serve us breakfast, which is bacon, eggs, fruit, muffins, bagels, donuts…the list goes on and on.

Something the 2nd AD said the first day was, “If you fall asleep on set, I will send you home and make an example of you.” Obviously he said that because it’s happened in the past. I guess I’m still a little shocked at how unprofessional people can be sometimes. I came from a very intense BFA program at Wright State, and they would kill you if something like that happened.

Oh, one last thing. The first day Matt Damon was on set, there were 100 office workers staring at him as he walked to his place. I realize he’s done this a million times before, but I wonder if it’s still weird for him to be stared at.

And I guess a second last thing. On the commercial I did a while ago, I met a ton of people from Austin. One of them even went to high school with Jeremy Lamb! On this set I’ve met a ton of people from Ohio. One girl was from Centerville. One gentleman went to Miami a few years after my parents graduated. And one of the guys I’ve been playing cards with, Guedig, was on the Nescafe set with me (no relation to Ohio or Austin). I like that the more stuff I do, the more it feels like a family.

I just tried to burp but a yawn came out at the same time and squished it down. Now there's pressure in my chest that hurts. Stupid bodily functions.

It's sad when relationships change. I had a good friend move away a while ago. We kept in touch a bit at first. But lately it's been all on my end with no response. Emails go unanswered. Phone calls go unreturned. I know he moved back home to take care of family stuff, and it's not the best situation. And I know that sometimes it's nice to know someone is thinking about you, even if you can't respond. Sometimes, though, it's simply annoying. Like: hello, I'm not returning your stuff on purpose. So, I guess I'm going to stop. Not out of spite or meanness or anything. Just out of I don't want to be That Girl.

This weekend I spent a lot of time in his old neighborhood. A friend who was in town was staying literally 2 blocks away from his old apartment. And a few times I wanted to pick up the phone and say, hey, I'm driving by your old haunts and was thinking about you and just wanted to say hi and I hope you're well. But I didn't.

I miss my friend. I hope we get a chance to hang out when I go back in August, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

If the quality of your character was based on the speed and accuracy of your typing, I would win at life.

You know the Queen song, "Another One Bites The Dust"? Well, I was folding my clothes today and that tune popped into my head with the words:

My underpants match my socks.

Get *that* stuck in your head all day.

You're welcome.

This is one of the most beautiful stories I've heard in a long time. People can be really wonderful sometimes.

1st Telecommuting Complaint

We have new neighbors. They are perfectly nice, I'm sure. (I still make it a point not to know the people I live near. Old habits die hard.) Today they are playing music in the room adjacent to mine. It's so loud the bass is rattling my windows. I tried knocking on their door and ringing their bell, but no one answered. So I left them a polite letter asking them to turn it down. I realize they probably won't get this letter until much later, but at least they know in the future to keep it down. I feel like an old curmudgeon, and I feel bad about leaving the letter. But if this is what I have to deal with from now on, I will have a rage blackout.

Narcotics make my face itch. Especially my nose.