It brought back memories of anxiety, that would cause me to drive the route through campus, then keep right on going, out the back gates and back to the apartment, movie theater, or beach.
I haven’t posted in quite some time. That’s on me. It’s hard to believe it’s been close to a year. Yesterday, I made a pact with my friend that I will update this blog every day. Even if I have nothing to say. The good news is, today, I have something to say.
Last night at 10:00 PM, I returned from a trip to L.A. It was a spontaneous trip inspired by my friend’s bout of depression. We both needed a trip, so we took one. We were chatting in his driveway and he said, “do you want to go to L.A.?”. For me, the answer to that question is always a resounding ‘yes’. He went in the house and packed his suitcase, then we drove my BRZ to my parents’ house where I packed a bag, walked my dogs, and kissed them goodbye. At 2:30 A.M., we arrived at the Culver City Marriott, which is just a few hundred yards from the apartment I lived in sophomore year of college. Not long after we checked in to our room, I was passed out, exhausted from the day’s work and the long drive. My friend doesn’t sleep as easily, so he went back down to the front desk to raise hell about the facts that our room keys didn’t work, even after three attempts to program them, and that the room smelled like piss. He got a $50 credit for the next stay. Nice. We had been let into our room by the stooping, elderly security guard whose vernacular betrayed that she was a natural born local.
Upon waking, I was immediately filled with an energy I had not felt since my last road trip to L.A. The possibilities of the day spilled out in front of me as I opened the curtains to survey my surrounds. From the 10th floor, I could see downtown, the hills leading to my old school (LMU), and the Howard Hughes Center, where I spent many a hazy day watching movies when I should have been in class. I picked up the phone, made plans for that evening with some friends who live locally and hit the showers to wash the road off of me.
The drive to Santa Monica took us past my old apartment, along the route I used to drive to school (almost) every day. It brought back memories of anxiety, that would cause me to drive the route through campus, then keep right on going, out the back gates and back to the apartment, movie theater, or beach. It’s no small wonder that I never graduated from LMU. On the drive we also passed the old Howard Hughes airfield, which is now Playa Vista or Silicon Beach, as it’s known to the local techies. What was once an open field and a couple of old hangars, rumored to be riddled with unexploded WW2 shells, where I watched the filming of the Transformers, is now a modern office park, each building more imposing than the last. The offices are home to places like Google and Facebook, where I worked and am working, since we last spoke. It’s also a hotspot for advertising agencies. I thought about popping into the Facebook office for free snacks, but the call of the sirens of Santa Monica were too enchanting.
We checked into the Loews Santa Monica, settled into our room, which had a partial Ferris wheel view, and walked across the street for lunch to meet some friends. At that moment, sitting in that leather booth, surrounded by true friends, I felt on top of the world. It was a feeling, again, that I hadn’t felt since my last road trip to L.A. I knew unequivocally that this is where I want live. This is the life I want. Sunshine, inspiration, love, friendship, sand, and a clear head.
I won’t bore you with every detail of the trip, but know that it included a rooftop pool, a slight sunburn, bodysurfing, amazing food, a trip to the Comedy Store, the premier of ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, and a promise that by the beginning of 2020, I will call Los Angeles my home.
Update soon,
Michael
Michael Makes Movies 