Relentless Rain

Boy, has it been raining. It's bizarre. It's the end of May and the rain persists. Why do I whine about it, you might ask? It's because when you're homeless, you have to scout constantly for a new area in which to call home for the night. Last night, I found a couch (again) and guess what, there was a bonus. A rug included on top of the couch. It came in handy. It was cloudy all day yesterday. There was not a single spot of sun. It was relentless. Then, a little after 9 pm, the shit hit the fan. It just started pouring. That's when the rug came in handy, it provided cover for me but not for long. There was first a drizzle, light sprinkles, then it started to pour. Even though I had the rug for cover, pretty soon I was soaking wet. In my mind, I had to make a quick decision. Should I stay under the rug, or go. I was contemplating staying because on Friday, I bought myself some clothing, instead of staying in a motel room for one or two nights. I bought some leather sandals and a pair of pants, along with a jacket. I had to consider the leather sandals getting wet. Once leather gets wet, you have to recondition it. Or, you can weatherproof it beforehand, which I didn't do. I decided to take off. The rug started leaking anyway, failing to provide cover from the rain for me. A cardboard box would've been more handy. A mentally ill man was rummaging through the dumpster right behind me last night, the noise depriving me of sleep. It was very frightening. The experience, between the noise (there were no helicopters in the air) and the rain, the fear of getting wet, trying to stay warm as well. Whew! I'm glad I got that off my chest. I'll be going to the Department of Public Social Services this week, I think the 30 day sanction has been lifted (if you do not complete the G.R.O.W. program, you are penalized for a certain period of time before you can apply again).

"Crazy Thing To Do Today" Thought: Throw your head back and open your mouth while it's raining.

C

Crazy cronies crooning.

Creepy creatures crawling.

Crystal creamy critters carousing.

Crappy cats colliding.

Crescent Heights craving cash.

Cranial cast creeping cowardly candid.

Crescendo Christ craning collectively.

Crapshoot cantor crazily christening chorus.

Canaries constantly canning coins.

I thought someone might appreciate a little wordplay.

Stray Cats

I've noticed there are a lot of stray cats wandering around, especially in areas I frequently go to. There was a woman walking down Burton Way in Beverly Hills clutching a box of cat treats close to her breasts. She was calling out "Nicky", "Nicky". She had lost her cat. After describing what the cat looked like to me, I mentioned an area in West Hollywood where I may have seen a cat similar to hers wandering. I then asked her, "Do I get a reward if you find the cat?". eShe said, "You just did.". I said, "Yeah, what was that?". She said, "A good feeling.". "I didn't get a good feeling.", I said. I then said, "Could you give me a good feeling?" (use your imagination). Has anybody ever seen the movie "Vanilla Sky"? There's a scene in which Penelope Cruz's character says to Tom Cruise's character, "I'll tell you in another lifetime, when we're both cats.". It was difficult for me to sleep last night, in an alleyway. I don't have a pillow, so I used newspapers stacked up yay high. It was very uncomfortable. There were helicopters buzzing in the sky and sirens wailing all the time. Pure pandemonium. I managed to get some shut eye. I took off my sneakers, giving my feet a rest. I rarely do that, for fear someone will take them. There were other homeless people sleeping nearby. That's not a good sign. It's a condensed space, which means trouble. I'm not going there tonight. Someone emailed me yesterday, commenting on the blog, calling it one of their favorite's. They also said thank's. Your welcome. I hope you will find entertaining. I do. Cool. I hope it's someone famous (just kidding). Here's another " Crazy Thing To Do Today" Thought:

Walk into a Victoria's Secret store in a naked body suit and prance around.

"Crazy Thing To Do Today"...Another One

Walk up to a person in Beverly Hills, cock your head to the side and ask: "Where's the best place to get a nose job around here?".

Unleash The Power

I went to a mall last night to use their public bathroom and a security guard working there followed me, waited for me to come out of the bathroom and tried to block my path out. I asked him, "Is everything okay?", he did not say anything and gave me a quizzical look. I then asked the reason for being so aggressive with me, questioning his behavior, he then said: "Get some self-esteem.". What planet is he on? Is that person actually qualified for the job? I told him I would surely let the security company he was working for know his actions and his odd behavior. I went to a bar last night called the Red Rock cafe and saw Andy Garcia walking down the street. I said, "Hi Mr. Garcia!". Mr. Garcia? I was a little embarrassed after calling him that because it sounded like I was in a classroom and greeting a school teacher. He didn't seem to mind. Sometimes, you can run into celebrities walking down the street, a great opportunity to pitch a project, if you have one (not a good idea). Sometimes I feel like everyone is in outerspace, their minds warped because they aren't self-conscious of their actions. It's a sub-conscious effort (I'm sure some of you are familiar with that). Why not just jump off a bridge? The minute depression kicks in, it's time to get some treatment. Don't spread your "love" with everyone else. Sometimes I feel like people judge me by the way I look. Shabby. It's true. They do. Very few people I meet actually talk to me and they are either wealthy or educated. Or just plain lonely. Martyrdom. I hate it. It sucks but it's implanted in people's minds, I think. Maybe that's the reason why I'm homeless. Corporate greed. A PATH employee approached me today while I was sitting at a Starbucks in West Hollywood. She wanted to give me a lunchbag. I told her never to approach me again. Why, you ask? Well, it's because the food they are distributing to the homeless is not fresh. When I accepted the lunchbag I was given on Monday, I looked at the date on the carton of juice. The juice was approximately two weeks old. Are they trying to kill me? Yuck. The Starbucks I was sitting at while drinking my cup of coffee has lapsed in standard. After drinking my cup of coffee, I noticed debris at the bottom of my cup and hair! What the hell is going on? After bringing it up with the manager, she looked at me as if I was crazy. Yuck. I'm going to start posting "Crazy thing to do today" thoughts. I thought it might entertaining. Maybe people sitting at their computers in their office cubicles will enjoy the sense of humor. Here' s the first one:

• Bang your head against the wall while listening to Radiohead's song "Creep".

To The Anonymous Commenter

I've received several comments from an anonymous commenter, cool. I don't know if the comments come from the same person or not. It doesn't matter. It shows that "someone" is reading the entries. You can review the comments yourself by clicking on "comments". It always excites me when someone reads the entries because hopefully, they will get a clearer picture of what is going on with homeless people such as myself. I'm also really excited because local cities, Santa Monica and West Hollywood in particular, are purchasing lots and building affordable housing. Real estate prices are also going down, foreclosures are taking place. The bidding on most of these properties that have been foreclosed usually start at one dollar. Amazing. Bottoms up, baby. Since the couch in the alleyway has been propped in an upright position for disposal, I have been sleeping behind two cardboard boxes filled with debris. It gives me cover and a little privacy. It is not a good idea to be seen by the public when your eyes are shut and you are sleeping. I found some carpet on the ground which I use for padding. Today, I'll be participating in another research project. This one is similar to the one I did before, the only difference is this one will be a group study, a focus group of some sorts, consisting of men who have made themselves available. No, they are not actors talking about their experience at the Hugh Hefner mansion at one of his soirees. These are people, such as myself, who have experienced sex with men and can contribute information on the attitudes of the general consensus regarding HIV and sex. Have no fear, there is a vaccine in the works. There are banners posted along side street lamp posts screaming it out, looking for volunteers. When that vaccine is available, I'll be sure to be first in line. It'll be similar to a rock concert, electric energy in the air. I went to a soup kitchen yesterday in Beverly Hills at an Episcopalian church. This particular church focuses more readily on religion, playing guitars and singing Christian music, while about fifty homeless and poor people sit at tables to eat. Everybody wears a sticker on their chest with their name written on it. I don't, I find it degrading. I just literally slurp my food and leave, red-faced. I can't stand listening to Christian music, it makes me bang my head against the wall and create a hole. There's a PATH organization van sitting outside the church, with a person handing out bags of lunch and taking a survey. I always take the lunch bag and give them a fake name. They ask you for the reason you are homeless and coerce you into participating in a six-month program at one of their facilities. I told them I was not interested. Their curfew is nine o'clock. P.M. Too early for a grown man or woman. Perfect for a child or teenager needing strict supervision. Essentially, in my opinion, these are detoxification centers. You are woken up at five o'clock in the morning the next day and are dismissed at six o'clock. Yikes. Charming. Hell, for someone who is sober the majority of the time. I told them bad credit and debt are my primary problems.

A New Friend

Well, it's Monday. I ran into someone yesterday who is in the same situation, homeless and is a songwriter and guitar player. He is about my age and is looking for a singer. He's waiting for a job, he will purchase a guitar amp and guitar, allowing him to make music. We'll be working together in the future. I see him all the time. There are plenty of creative people out there who need a place to stay, it's about time this gentrification bullshit ends, it's stifling creativity. Everytime I go to a coffee shop, there's always a problem with the coffee. It could be coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup or stale coffee that has been sitting out too long. Or a disgruntled employee, waiting to ruin someone's day. These business's attract revenue and a particular customer (the same customer's that like to show their dogs off, thinking it's cute) but they also attract a mindset, ignorance and instant self-gratification. Did you ever see the movie Bulworth? It was released a couple of years ago and has been airing on Cinemax a lot lately. It is about a senator going through a middle-age crisis who decides to blow the whistle on campaign financing and just politics in general. He hangs out with a girl from South Central, L.A. called Nina and starts rapping, smoking marijuana and djing. It's very entertaining because it was fun to see a politician let lose. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, I won't tell you happens in the end. It is a riveting and intense film. Gun's N Roses performed in New York City over the weekend. The review in today's Daily Variety magazine of their concert on Friday, May 12th was great. They were given a head's up. There was a moment in the concert when Axl Rose, the frontman said, after singing one of his new, unreleased songs, "You fuckers really know how to download!". I guess he wasn't too happy over the leak of one of his songs. I hope they come to L.A. to play a few gigs. I would purchase a ticket without hesitation or try to sneak in somehow. The couch I've been sleeping on is standing upright now, in an attempt to have it disposed of. I guess the garbage men forgot to pick it up. It's been sitting there for three weeks straight. I didn't attempt to put it back in place, I don't want any attention in that manner. Besides, in a few more weeks, I'll eligible to re-apply for General Relief. Hopefully, they'll (the Department of Public Social Services) get it right this time. I also hope there will be a room available.

Bloom

I feel wonderful today, after having a cup of Latin American coffee at Pete's Coffee shop located in West Hollywood. It's because I was listening to classical music playing in the store. It's a great motivational factor. Music definitely helps you think and can set your mood. What was I thinking about? The tyrannies of society. What I've discovered long ago was that, over the years, I have constantly looked for a way to express myself artistically. There are people that are born with that creative aspect but it cannot be fully developed in the wrong environment. Then you are lead into the workforce and forced to suppress those talents. I have been fortunate to experience euphoria through music, thus healing myself, quelling my pain. Once a person can do that, intelligence takes place and you find your ambition. What a wonderful thing, it's empowering. I look for inspiration from nature, billboards advertising products and people. I watch and observe, as well as listen, to everything going on. Then I process it in my mind. Pretty fascinating, huh? Imagine yourself poor, in a four-star restaurant, watching the uppercrust of society dine. Madonna did it. Or reading Vanity Fair magazine. Or watching a period film. You observe and learn. That's what little, itty, bitsy, cutesy, wootsy kids do. They watch everything. I like to watch birds, especially, I think, sparrows, snow pigeons and baby crows. I'm not sure what sort of species they are but they are adorable. I also like looking at beautiful cars float by on the street, as they are passing through traffic. This morning, I saw a gorgeous Lotus. I asked the owner, " How much did that set you back?". "$60,000", he replied. That's not a bad price for a sports car that goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4 seconds. That's a lot of gas, though. With gas at $4.00 per gallon, you would need a hefty bank account. I told him, after he said to me how much he paid for his car, "Oh, that's one script.".

Summer Is Coming

Well, summer is almost here. I can feel it. The days are getting longer and the flowers are blooming. Those are just some of the signs. I will also be able to reapply for the General Relief/Cash Assistance/GROW program, hopefully (the period-12 months-expired). Maybe, then, will I get some housing with the Skid Row Trust foundation downtown in Central City with a General Relief voucher. I do feel a sense of enpowerment from posting on this blog, even though few people read it because writing assures me that I'm not homeless due to a mental illness. I have assessed I am homeless due to simple, unfortunate reasons. You can simply go mad trying to figure it all out or sit down and think about it (not philosophizing, which can lead to contempt.) I try, with all my might, to live as normal a life as possible. It's difficult. I have so much competition with people my age. It's hard to go into a public place wearing the same clothing everyday and smelling ripe, like I would if I had just departed the gym. A couple of blog entries ago, I was going to go into detail as to what happened a year ago, when I first arrived here but it's really quite simple. The house I was staying in was sold and the person I was staying with moved. Was it a man, you ask?......Yes. Your guess would be correct. It was only platonic relationship. Without friends or family to count on, you have got yourself.

Wondrous Day

Finally, today sun actually broke through the marine layer that has hanging over our heads. Great beach weather. I went to participate in the survey the University of Southern California is conducting and I was paid for it. It was pretty fun, answering those questions for two hours. I guess a team of psychiatrists are trying to figure out how to create advertising for safe sex. I told them to display a 6-foot condom on a billboard. Underneath that condom displayed would say "Use It". They also asked how I would convince another man I'm having sex with to use a condom. I told them, "I would tell the man I'm having sex with to put the condom on to cover the cheese.". Just a little disgusting humor. I've had sex with other men before but what they are trying to figure out, I guess, is how to get men who like having sex with other men without a condom to use one. Good luck. Doctors, scientists and psychiatrists should just focus on a vaccine for the AIDs virus, we need one. People, through impulse, are going to have sex regardless, at any location. I have sex with woman too. Woman are just as impulsive, if not even more so. Did you ever fuck a woman in a bathroom? I haven't but I've had sex in a bathroom with a man. Why don't I have a girlfriend or boyfriend, you ask? It's difficult to meet people for that purpose when you cannot afford a place to live. People are generally weary and distrustful. If you tell them you're homeless, they going to think you are going to steal something from their home. Some people already know I'm homeless with me telling them. They smell it. Mmmm. Can you smell that stench? There are a lot of gorgeous trees in Los Angeles. I always stop to look at them. The butterflies are around too, lots of them, as well as wasps and bees. I stay away from wasps and bees. I look at the flowers carefully. Oh, I forgot to mention, I saw Larry King again yesterday entering a Jewish deli for breakfast. I had a pretty good breakfast myself, a smoked salmon bagel sandwich. Mmmm. That fishy taste.

Great Night

I went to a lesbian bar last night to sing karaoke. It was fantastic because I didn't have to really wait too long to sing. I sing pretty well, I think but I received a lukewarm reception. I then slept in a park in Beverly Hills on a bench without being disturbed by law enforcement. How cool is that? I stopped sleeping on that couch I found in the alleyway located in West Hollywood because I started noticing other homeless people congregating. That is not good, it attracts deputy sheriffs. The tenants in that area take notice and pick up the phone. In my situation, you move around from time to time, never staying in one location for too long. I do not socialize or associate with other homeless people because the majority of them will cause trouble, thus pulling you into that dark hole with their filthy claws. I like the lesbian bar but when males go there, they (the lesbians), look at you suspiciously. They are weary of men and take precaution. It's very interesting watching lesbians socialize. I have never seen them in action, though. I wonder what it would be like? Hmmm. Fantasies. So, after singing my heart out, I felt a satisfaction. I also felt assured that I still have my singing voice. Eventually I will pursue something in music. Music is a way for me to keep my cool. I just can't write songs though and I am not classically trained with instruments. Bummer. Someday, though, I guess I'm going to have to go through the motions.

Interesting Weekend

I should actually title this particular post...Wow...with a capital w. It was an interesting weekend because...after checking out of the motel room Saturday and mingling with the public, I encountered about two or three interesting people. One was a writer with a treatment and a script written based on his life. He was scant with his ideas, referring to himself as a genius with an I.Q. score of 190. I was sympathetic, though, when I asked him if he had registered his work with the Writer's Guild of America. He did not. He then handed me his card and said, "Help me. ". Today, I emailed the correct information to him pertaining registering his script. If you do not register your work, you are screwed. Someone else is going to make millions off of your idea. I then met another fellow yesterday. After asking him for a cigarette, he gives me one and pokes me in the abdomen with his forefinger. It was quite a strong poke, targeting a very specific area in the abdomen, so I asked him if he was ever in the military. He then confided he was an ex-CIA covert. "I could kill you with this plastic card", he said after pulling out his Ralph's Club Card. He makes a horizontal gesture, side to side, displaying his "skills". He then tells me he's killed 900 people over the years, as his job. He was very intimidating. I was not surprised to hear that but quickly was on my way. Those are just some of the kind of people you may meet as you are alone on your quest for housing. I have just a few more weeks to wait until I can reapply for General Relief.

Wow

I missed posting an entry yesterday, I didn't have time. Here's why: As I was leaving a coffee shop, I noticed a piece of paper on a community bulletin board that they have there. It was for a research project. The Department of Health is conducting a project on how to stop the spread of AIDS between men. It pays $35. You go in and take a survey. Afterward's, they place you in a group and study how men interact with one another. They also gave me an HIV test. The results came back negative within a 20 minute period. So, every week, for the next six weeks, I will be participating in this survey and recieving $35. This morning, I met an interesting fellow who openly told me he was infected with the virus. He sympathized with my situation. We talked for half an hour. He lives in a building in West Hollywood designed especially for the infected population. He wasn't too stable though, you could kind of tell he was angry in general. Well, so am I, sometimes. I know this situation will subside, so I remind myself. You do notice things other people don't see, though. It's like looking through a magnifying glass. Well, it's Thursday, which means I get paid tommorrow and will be in a hotel room, resting, recuperating, pondering, etc.

Stubborn Fog

There is a stubborn fog that just won't lift from Los Angeles and elsewhere. People may find it kind of depressing. It is certainly making me sleepy. Cloudy days always make me sleepy. Since that couch in the alleyway is no longer available, I've had to find alternatives. The gate to the underground parking lot I found Sunday night was closed last night, so I slept on a mattress behind a dumpster for the same building. I think the building of some sort of drug rehabilitation center, the facade doesn't look like your ordinary residential building. Normally on the 1st day of the month, I would receive $221 from the county of Los Angeles, through the Department of Public Social Services but since that's no longer happening, I felt a little moody. At the least, it would've provided me with a few days of well deserved rest. Everything will be in order soon though, when I reapply (ironically, it would be during the summer). I'm starting to feel like some sort of Buddhist monk, wearing the same clothing everyday and passively coping with this situation. Not cool. I'm not a particular fan of Buddhism and I'm very materialistic (let me clear my throat). I like clothing and I have style. This for me, is extremely fustrating but just what are you going to do? You can't admonish your integrity. Sometimes, in order to feel better, I would imagine $1000 in my pocket and going on a shopping spree.

Wish List

I've been researching how to direct more traffic to my blog, there are some helpful tips, most I've done already. I think the most important thing to do is to be patient. A couple of entries ago I mentioned compiling a wish list. Well, here it is:

• A pair of fuzzy Uggs
• A military field jacket
• A Starbucks teddy bear
• A walkman
• A pair of Levis cargo pants
• A nice leather belt
• A filofax
• A gym membership
• A Swedish military sleeping bag
• A Dell laptop computer with Hollywood Basic Scriptwriter software kit
• A complete hygiene kit
• A Metro monthly bus pass
• Internet membership
• A nice, soft, 100% cotton fleece sweater
• A nice CD collection

I've thought about these items over and over again. Eventually, I'll get them. They are all practical items good for everyday use but also essential for comfort during those tried and tested times I experience.

Sumptuous Day

Once again, I stayed in a hotel room Friday night and woke up Saturday morning to the movie Saturday Night Fever! What a treat that was. It gets you going for the rest of the day. The choreography/dance scenes are to die for. After I checked out, I'm walking down the Santa Monica Boulevard strip and stop to admire a red Bentley with white, leather seats. Low and behold, the person driving the car was none other than........Eddie Murphy! You don't get to see him everyday. Talk about A-list. It has been reported that he is now finalizing a deal to do a sequel to Beverly Hills Cop! Once again, that night, I ended up on the same couch as before located in an alleyway but all good things must come to an end. The very next night, Sunday, a thuggish creature woke me up at 1:30am to tell me the couch I was sleeping on was his couch! This is the first time I've had interaction with another homeless person regarding sleeping arrangements. I always avoid confrontation, so I got up and walked around in a slumber. After walking around for half an hour, I found this underground parking lot of a residential building. The gate was open, so I walked inside. Low and behold, there a zillion couches. I thought about the risks for a second. 'I'm trespassing now but the couches are sort of hidden inconspicuously, away from the cars. There aren't that many cars parked in the area (which was kind of odd, given the building was residential).' So I parked my body on one of the couches, I was exhausted. I didn't get the quality sleep I wanted, you have to consider police or sheriffs arousing you and inquiring. About two hours later, I woke up to hear a car entering the parking lot. With my sweatshirt tucked over my head (check the picture out), I freeze. 'Oh no, what if I'm seen?', I thought. False alarm. The person did not see me. Whew, that was close. I go back to sleep, wake up in the morning and get the hell out of there. Chances are, though, I'll be returning to that particular spot tonight. There's a marine layer cast overhead which is preventing the sun from poking through. Eventually, the overcast will dissipate. It does feel like it is going to rain but it's not. Summer will be in Southern California very soon. Blockbuster films are ramming into movietheaters and gas prices are going to go through the roof. If you're walking across the street, be very careful, wherever you may be, drivers are going to be very angry, looking for someone to mow down. Hopefully, by the summertime, I will have already gone through the commotions and have gotten proper housing. The city of West Hollywood is taking action against the growing rate of market-rate, sky-rocketing, through the roof and into the sky rent. They are purchasing lots or have already purchased lots and building affordable housing. As reported in the Westside Chronicle, they are focusing on, with all their mighty power, building close to 250 units. How do you get on the list, I don't know but I'm sure as holy hell going to find out. The next time I visit city hall of West Hollywood, I will inquire, inquiring minds want to know (there was no information in the article about how to get on a list). The city of Santa Monica is working on the issue of homelessness with aggression, they're sick of the problem. The average income per capita in this city by the beach is $50,000, so they are disgusted with seeing filthy, mentally ill people on the streets scratching themselves and rummaging through garbage cans sightlessly. The mistake, in my opinion, the city is going to make is giving this responsibility for sweeping the streets clean to non-profit agencies. Not a good idea! They don't know what the hell they're doing. Every city needs doctors in whitecoats with needles in their hands, walking down the street, looking for anybody who might resemble a sick, homeless person. I was walking down the street in Santa Monica once and saw this homeless man with the bulb of his nose corroded away. Yuck! It was disgusting. I had to look twice to make sure that what I was looking at was real. How is a non-profit agency going to handle that? The person needed some serious help, I think he had some sort of flesh eating disease.

Finally

I have finally got a picture. Yeah! I ran into a photographer at a Coffebean and Tea Leaf store in Beverly Hills and explained I had a blog and needed a photograph. It turns out he needed a subject. He's also written screenplays and has directed feature films. So, I'm going to post the photograph (it is exceptional) on this particular entry. He has a website you can go to: http://www.gravitywavefilms.com. On that website, he showcases his work.

The Sofa Again

I slept on a sofa again thrown away by a nearby tenant in an alleyway. It wasn't too uncomfortable but without a pillow, it isn't comfortable. I only carry the clothes on my back. I have a oversized sweatshirt I wear which I stretch over my head at night to ward off the coldness of the night. Underneath that, I have a button down shirt which does not fit very well. Then, I have a pair of black stretch cotton pants I wear, with a pair of pink and black (black being the dominant color) converse sneakers and a pair of ankle cotton socks. What I'm wearing does not keep me that warm,though, I am not shivering. California has been experiencing strange, artic cold blast weather, mixed with tropical air filled with moisture. So, on some days, it is cloudy with bits of sun peeking through mixed an artic blast of cold weather and on other days it is full on sunny. Ideally, I would love to sleep in a park, undisturbed by sheriffs and policeman, they mosey around at night looking for prey nowadays, due to the redevelopment of most neighborhoods. It's hard to camouflage yourself and disappear into the night. The first thing a law enforcement officer will do is arouse you and ask for identification. The reason is because they want to check for any kind of warrants you may have against you. If you do have warrants against you, they first give you a citation for "camping", then they handcuff you and incarcerate you until it is time to see the judge in that particular district. The warrant is then recalled and you are remanded and sentenced, paying your dues for whatever you did wrong. I don't know how many homeless people experienced this but I know I have. So, I can't make it obvious I'm homeless, I have to be inconspicuous. In my opinion, the city officials should give people a chance to recall the warrants themselves through a lawyer. It is not fun sitting in jail, in a uniform, with a cholo, waiting to see the judge. You just might get your face bashed in by a deputy sheriff, giving you incentive to see the nurse, missing your court date by a day. Yuck! Back when Bill Clinton was president and before the World Trade Center tragedy, there wasn't any patrolling (trolling) going on in city parks. You could sleep undisturbed, at least in Santa Monica. The former president would sometimes jog along the beach, so from time to time, a Santa Monica police officer would gently arouse you and you would be on your way, feeling really good because you were warm that night and you had a good night's rest. Nowadays it's total pandemonium. You have to keep one eye open and one eye shut. Not because a person may rob you of, lets say, your sneakers but you have watch out for police. They're always in the air and driving around, through alleyways, looking for prey. You are deprived of sleep so, where do you end up? At Starbucks or, if you prefer, a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf store. Or you could, depending on the weather, lie down on a grassy knoll while being bitten by fruitflies and gnats and mosquito's. Yuck! That's what I've experienced anyway. I met an artist who paints yesterday. We had a lonnnnnng conversation in a parking lot of Pavillions located in West Hollywood. I gave him my blog address and mobile phone number, he offered me a job modeling in the nude in front of artists for three hours. Whether or not that happens, depends on him. Guns N Roses are back in action, after a three year hiatus. I love Axl Rose. He will be performing in New York for four days at the Hammerstein Ballroom. It is a sold-out event. Good for him. He's performing with a different roster of muscians. Wouldn't it be cool if he read my blog? It'd be even cooler if I got the opportunity to meet him. His singing voice is awesome but he is also finicky about when to release his music. I can understand that. People should have a little patience. Remember that song? I have met a lot of people. Madonna, Michael Jackson among others. I met Madonna in an art gallery. I got to meet Michael Jackson at an autograph signing for his CD he released in 2001. It was complete pandemonium. Only 500 people got the chance to meet him. He looks very different in person. I've also met Jermaine Jackson at a Starbucks store in Beverly Hills on Beverly Drive. We talked for half an hour! How cool is that. They will be both releasing new CD's. Smashing Pumpkins, you remember who they were, are getting back together and recording new stuff. How exciting is that.

Lolling and Trolling

I've received an email today from a person who responded to yesterday's entry (Hello) that was heartfelt. You can read it by clicking on "3 comments". I really do feel people can perceive the yuckiness but not turn away in disgust and then turn around, spitting on the sidewalk(that's an exaggeration). It always excites me when someone responds and compliments my writing, I've never really written before. What convinced me to write was meeting an actual writer who told me, with a British accent, "You should write something, you observe everything.". He was referring to my demeanor. I never really look down while walking down the street, I always look at the architecture and cars as well as people. There are so many ferrari's and Bentleys and Lotus's in this town and I always try to guess who's in them driving or in the passenger seat. It's also fun to try and guess what people are thinking. What's not so fun is watching people mope, their shoes sloshing on the concrete. I always get intimidated when I see a couple walk by with a baby in his or hers carriage. More families moving into the neighborhood. What about the intensity someone could feel while walking by a Mexican. I'm referring, of course, to the new illegal immigration law but you have to wonder why an American citizen can't get affordable housing. By the way, while walking on Rodeo Drive today (on my way to the library), I ran into Larry King. He is very tall. I've always assumed he was short because he wears suspenders while on set, interviewing. I didn't get to say anything to him, like: "Hello, Mr. King, congragulations on all of your success.", he was on his cellphone. I am pondering posting a picture of myself but on the other hand, it may be better not to, as a way of remaining mysterious. Tell me what you, the readers, think, by posting a comment. It would give me insight on how I should proceed with this blog. In the next couple of days, I will go further into detail on this past year, 2005 and the events which lead me to what I'm currently experiencing.

Hello

I recieved yet another comment from a reader of the blog. He says that I am a articulate writer. I try to be as concise as possible when explaining what the scenario is. I have a way of tracking how many people are visiting the blog and from what I can see, it is building up slowly. I believe this my fourth week posting on this blog, it will take a while. When I apply for General Relief again, things will definitely become interesting. That will be the time when I will conclude whether or not the Department of Public Social Services can provide me with temporary housing while I participate in the GROW(I don't know what that stands for) program. That is the only way for me to get out of this mess, unless, of course, someone reading this blog, living in California, can give me room and board while I participate in the program. That would be highly unlikely and ultimately frightening, you never know who is reading these blogs. The documentary Pras Michel of the Fugees is participating in, is garnering attention. It's going to be released sometime later this year. I didn't get any word back from the person who wrote the article in Daily Variety, Patricia McClintock but I'm glad someone who became successful had enough balls to sit down on a sidewalk in the Skid Row district or stand on a corner, begging for nickels, dimes, pennies, quarters and hundred dollar bills(he might have). If you don't know what I'm writing about, go to the link on the April 17th posting, it will lead you to the article written by Patricia McClintock. I mean, the dude wore the same clothes for nine days and stood on line, I think, for food at one of the many places in the Skid Row district. He probably endured the sermon held at the Los Angeles Rescue Mission every afternoon before lunch. Well, we will all have to wait until later on this year. I slept in a hotel room Friday and Saturday and found an abandoned couch in an alleyway, so I slept there on Sunday night going into Monday morning. Since I ran out of money, I had to ask people for $1.50 for coffee, I have to have coffee in the morning. I got $2.00 instead. A one dollar bill and four quarters. I then ate at a soup kitchen in Beverly Hills later on in the day after taking a nap.