Celebrity Spottings

Today on the tours, the following celebrities were spotted by various guides and guests:

• Clint Eastwood (near his production offices)
• William H. Macy (near the stage where Shameless shoots)
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt (near the Museum)
• William H. Macy (leaving the lot)*
• Robert Conrad (in Warner Village and then again near the Prop House and Picture Car Vault)**
• Dave Coulier (near his trailer outside the Mike & Molly soundstage)

• possibly other members of the Fuller House cast, near the stage where Fuller House shoots

It has begun, kids. The summer hiatus appears to have abated, and with it, heavier traffic patterns and lack of parking availabilities, as well as the appearance of more people who are more famous than I am. I'm not yet sure how I feel about that. (Yeah, right. It makes me warm and gooey inside to let my guests get to interact with someone they admire, or even just notice that person from a distance). Let the games begin!

* spotted by me or by my tour guests

** introduced to my tour by the guide that was driving him around the lot. What a sweet, beautiful man. I told him that my husband now had someone to be jealous of (and then I relayed that to Stephen, too, because I know he "gets it" when I flirt with someone who is way beyond me {due to fame and/or age} - I'm not looking to "hook up" with Robert Conrad, but I'm sure it makes him feel better about possibly aging out of the industry. "We're gonna need a bigger boat" Roy Scheider was the same "sweet and beautiful" when I worked with him all those years ago. It doesn't hurt me one iota to let these men know that there are still people out there who remember them in their prime, and appreciate when they stay active past their heyday.)

So ennyhoo. I am blessed! (And I love working in this industry). Oh, and I got to carpool today, and I get to carpool with someone else tomorrow! Woot!

Welcome, Luxembourg!

Glad to have you drop in - could you please let me know in the comments where you are on my blogger map? I made Europe as big as I could, and I couldn't tell which part of it was green at all. :(

In other news, I gave three great tours today. My guests today were from various states around the US, as well as Belgium, Chile, Switzerland, and the UK, and I get to go in early again tomorrow to do it again. :)

Welcome to the White House

At some point last night or this morning, I was doing a tour. "That was the Oval Office, folks, and here on the left: my bedroom." I have gotten so acclimated to my job at Warner Bros. that I now feel comfortable giving tours anywhere, and apparently, will do so, particularly in my sleep. However, there was something about that tour that startled me, and I woke up right as my group reached the bedroom, so I only remember seeing the two spaces on the tour. I must have been startled enough to say something out loud, because I also woke up Stephen, and we had a conversation, although I don't remember exactly what we talked about. {sleep/dream state}

I was going to get up and blog right then, but I blogged myself back to sleep, rather than actually opening my eyes or removing myself from the comfy-ness of the bed. When I returned to slumber, I was suddenly Sarah Connor, fighting Terminators while also guiding tours around a grungy town. I recovered from that strangeness and experienced some more dreams, possibly tour-related, and awoke with Cocoa seeking belly rubs, and my alarm going off in the living room, where my phone had been charging overnight. {sleep/dream state}

After returning to bed with my fully-charged phone, I composed a letter to the landlord in both English and Spanish, and I got all of the neighbors to sign it, asking him to regulate the heat in the pool by setting a specific temperature and using the timers that I know all pool heaters have. {sleep/dream state}

Then, in NOT {sleep/dream state}, someone else's alarm went off forever. The alarm was ringing through our open windows from an adjacent building, and that tenant either got up very early and left before it rang, or he/she is out of town, or he/she is dead. So I came out here to eat and blog, and then Stephen popped his head out the door to ask if the power was out in the entire building or just the back bedroom. He noticed because the fan in the bedroom had stopped running, and he probably also looked at the clock that's plugged in across the room. I didn't realize until he asked, because I'm not using any power. and I hadn't noticed that the alarm had ceased. Apparently, the power is out in this section of the block, at least. ... I also didn't realize that I am using power, at least to connect to the internet, and I would have discovered that when I tried to post, except that the power is back on. Thankfully, that other tenant's alarm is not.

It's been a busy night/morning!

Do you ever have dreams where you're still performing your job, but differently than in real life? Is the dream job better or worse or just weirder than your real life?

Welcome (Back), Eastern Hemisphere!

Yes, some of you are missing in this pic, but overall, I think this is an awesome pic:

this week, updated to include Vietnam, which just visited for the first time just now (before the update)

... in other "news", I've been having a really excellent week, personally. I was scheduled for 5 eight-hour shifts, which included two consecutive days off, meaning a "weekend", albeit in the middle of the week. Then I got a phone call on that first day off, asking if I wanted to pick up a shift that day. Hells, yeah, I wanna pick up a shift! What time? Oh, plenty of time for me to finish the laundry I've already started AND tread some water in the pool AND get to work on time? Excellent! You got it!

Then yesterday was my "day off", which I spent doing some bookkeeping, having a nice lunch with Stephanie, cutting Stephanie's hair, and then grocery shopping with Stephanie, while Stephen worked the "late" shift. On his walk home, we talked on the phone, so I wouldn't have to get to bed too late, and he gave me some news about a decision he'd made, which made me quite happy to hear. I won't divulge here, just in case he wants it to be "our secret" for awhile. No, he has not decided to become a father, so don't start squealing over babies. I'm too old for that shit. I love all the babies my family have provided; I needn't provide more.

Today, I went in to my meeting and frightened everyone there with my overly cheerful disposition that came without aid of caffeine. I had a tour; I had lunch; I had another tour. Talked to Hattie about dancing; talked to Brenton about Mommy. The schedule for next week came out, and on it, I discovered that I have one long day, one short day, and one day off. Cha-Ching! I love that I get to work overtime doing a job that I so enjoy. My life is so awesome. So I had another tour, and I worked a little in the theater in between all those gigs, and I stopped at Trader Joe's on my way home, because I hadn't quite spent enough time in the grocery stores yesterday with Stephanie.

I got home to discover that the furbabies had missed me all day:

I make the bed every morning before I leave.
This is what it looked like when I left today.

This is what it looked like when I got home.

So I ate the rice pudding I'd bought this evening, and it's very likely that I won't eat anything else tonight. Sometimes, rice pudding is what's for dinner, ya know? I've had a good week; don't judge me! ;)

An Attitude of Gratitude (in no particular order)

Six days of work last week equaled fat paycheck. For that, I am grateful.

Stephen's settling into his 8-hour days at his job, and from what I can tell, they mostly don't suck. For that, I am grateful.

Last night, my 6-hour shift turned into a nearly 10-hour shift. For that, I am grateful.

Today, I had my only day off this week, which meant I was able to sleep in and get in the pool later in the day, when the coolness of the water would be counteracted by warm sunlight. Los Angeles, baby. For that, I am grateful.

The last time I talked to Daddy, he sounded pretty good, in spite of the (sleep and dream) issues he's dealing with lately. For that, I am grateful.

Today, I caught up on a bunch of episodes of Mom. It's one of our sitcoms at Warner Bros., so it makes sense for me to catch up, especially since it's funny, and it stars 6-time Emmy-winner Allison Janney (with Anna Faris and at least a couple of great supporting actors). I think Mommy would like it, because of the actors and the subject matter. For that, I am grateful.

I've got an order in for the best pet odor/stain remover I'm aware of, and we'll be able to use it to correct some recent "accidents" of late by this time next week. For that, I am grateful.

Today, I also had time to do a little internetting and catching up with Stephanie and watching Her and Broken Flowers (both interestingly weird), as well as making a run to Trader Joe's for just a few essentials. Having the time to not rush through my day; for that, I am grateful.

Tomorrow, I work early. I like the early shift (really, I like every shift). For that, I am grateful.

We had a visit from a college buddy this week, and I was able to make a great pot of pasta, which we stretched out to our lunches through today. For that, I am grateful.

Saturday will be six days of work this week, which will equal fat paycheck. For that, I am grateful.

There's plenty of wine and chocolate in the fridge/freezer to allow us to wind down every night. For that, I am grateful.

My schedule next week is easily remembered, with my shifts being all in the 9-6 neighborhood. For that, I am grateful.

Today, I decided to blog about gratitude. That means I must be blessed. For that, I am grateful. :)

Apparently, there's a new stupid trend here.

Last week, I did not get in the pool on Tuesday or Wednesday, and when I got in it on Thursday, it was brutal. Got in it this morning, and the water was barely warmer than cold. I managed to "work out" in it for about 45 minutes, so not bad, but tomorrow is my only day off this week, and if it's brutal again, I'm going to have some harsh words for management.

Today, I go in late for a short (6-hour) shift, unless they call me in early (which they could). Before I even get dressed for work, though, Stephen's probably getting a haircut. He needs it.

What are you up to on this fine Ides of July?

A Hairy-Tale for your Tuesday Night

I have been incredibly lazy these days, what with my not-wanting-to-shave-my-legs-or-pits-in-for-freakin'-EVER. So here are some pics for you. Do you ever get so lazy with an aspect of hygiene that really has NOTHING whatsoever to do with hygiene that you just wait for some other symptom (like itchy skin) to trigger an hygienic event?

still the left leg - trying to let you REALLY see how lazy I've been!

left leg, just barely begun

left leg finished, right leg waiting -
looks like that right leg
 is more tan, right? NOPE.

gimme a leg with hair; long, beautiful hair...
shining, gleaming, streaming flaxen-waxen

SMOOOOOOTHERATOR!

Happy Friday!

I have today off. I live and work in the civilized Western world, and having requested to always be working on weekends, today is the day I was awarded as my "day of rest" this week. Yes, I only get one this week, and I only get one next week, because I also added my name to the "do you want to work overtime? add your name" list LAST week. Overtime. Yeah, baby.

So I did my laundry, as one is wont to do when one has sufficient free time to do so. I also checked the pool, and I think the water will be warm enough to get into when we get back from seeing Inside Out at the first matinee. Yes, Minions also opens today, but I really don't need to support that one on its opening day, surrounded by Very. Small. Children. So we'll see that one later.

But the laundry got me thinkin'. Maybe you can answer this question, or maybe you have a similar laundry puzzlement, like regarding missing socks or something. Here's the thing. If towels are used only to dry clean dishes or clean hands or clean bodies, then Why do we ever have to WASH them? Aren't they already (still) "clean"?

Kill My Landlord

I told you, just a couple of weeks ago, that my apartment swimming pool was suddenly heated. The day I discovered it, we'd been having some SERIOUSLY warm and sunny weather, and while we didn't necessarily need a heated pool in the middle of summer, we definitely appreciated it, with the thought that we'd be in it through the winter.

I didn't get in the pool yesterday, because I had to be at work pretty early, and then Stephen and I went to an event at Warner Bros. that was a preview of things to come. That was fun, but it was us away from home all day and into the night. The day before yesterday, I didn't get into the pool at all, because early workday and then laziness.

Today, I go in to work in a little while, so I got up at my regular 6:30 with the intention of getting back into my habit of treading water for an hour. Went downstairs and dipped my toes in, to discover, much to my chagrin, that the heat was no longer on. Checked the jets to verify, and came back upstairs, uncertain what I'd do next. (Puttered around on the internets, FYI)

Around 8:00, I thought "it's now or never", so I went back down and dove in to swim the length of the pool. Upon coming up for air, all I could say was "FUCK. This shit is COLD." So I treaded water back to the deep end and stayed there long enough to decide I can't deal with it today.

The view from my front door today - we call it "June Gloom"

Came back upstairs and stood in my nice hot shower 3-4 times as long as I was in the pool this morning, and that's without dilly-dallying or lollygagging or anything! Poop.

I really wanted to link a youtube clip of the Eddie Murphy Saturday Night Live bit - "Images: Cill My Landlord" but the only clips that came up when I searched were shot using cell phones, vertically, of television screens. AWFUL! This is the best I can offer.

Two outta three ain't bad

Yeah, yeah, I know - I'd like to thank Meatloaf for the title of today's post. Truth is, I had three tours scheduled today, and I only got to give two outta three of 'em, so that ain't bad. ;) (If there just aren't enough "tourists" to take all the tours that get scheduled, then some guides are going to have to do something else in those timeslots; that's what happened during my first scheduled tour.) I spent the first two hours of my day helping the "theater" department, which is just sorting the folks who do show up for tours into their appropriate groups. Not bad, and I was able to get myself a good group (almost "hand-picked", if you will) for the next two hour timeslot. Yay, me!

In the first of my two tours, I had all 'Muricans. One family from Ohio (and here), and one family from Pittsburgh (and here). But on my FINAL tour of the day, I had a great, mixed bag. I had a German couple, a family from Australia, a family from Chicago, and couple from Slovenia.

No kidding, folks. I have just recently welcomed my first readers from Slovenia, and today, I got to drive a couple of Slovenik kids around, showin' 'em the sights of Warner Bros. Yay, me!

... and we have a new "attraction" that we are adding to our tours, starting officially on the 16th (next week), but for which we're doing "soft openings" this week. My first tour, with the two 'Murican families, won the daily lottery that is "gets to test out the soft opening attraction" tour. Yay, me!

Good googly moogly, am I blessed.

I think Mommy came to visit me this morning

Mommy was originally one of nine children, and before she died, she'd lost her three older brothers. After she died, we slowly but surely lost all the rest, save Uncle Eddie (if he's even still with us - he was the baby of the family but also always the "Wild Child", and we ended up not knowing his whereabouts).

This morning, in my dream, I answered the phone inadvertently, while trying to call back someone I'd just accidentally hung up with. I was talking on an old office phone, the kind that had up to five lines below the keypad. It was a moment of just choosing another open line, and when I did, Aunt Gloria asked how I was doing.

This put me a little on edge. Even in my dream, I knew that Aunt Gloria was no longer with us, so how could she be having a phone conversation with me? It wasn't a scary conversation, full of portents and omens. It was a pleasant conversation, just catching up. But I was nervous, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

And suddenly, I was in a room surrounded by quite a number of small, contained fires, and the woman who was in the room with me was scolding her son, who I couldn't see. One by one, the fires were extinguished (like magic), and as the room got brighter and brighter, the son was also in the room with us. I don't know who the woman or her son were, but in the dream, I recognized that I knew them both, and knew that neither of them was alive. I wasn't frightened to be in a fiery room with two ghosts; I had more of a sense of "what's next?"

Then my alarm went off, and I got up to go swim. I know that the dead do not communicate with the living over the phone or in a magic fire room, but I have a feeling that my dream was someone from the other side trying to get a message through. Maybe it was Mommy; maybe it was someone else entirely; maybe the message isn't even for me?

If any of this means anything to you, or you have any experience with dream interpretation, won't you please comment below? If it doesn't mean anything to you and you have no experience with dream interpretation, and you just feel like calling me a weirdo or something, won't you please comment below? I love reading your comments!

Happy Monday, kids!

Welcome, Guyana!

... and welcome back, India! Not sure how you found me, but I'm glad you did. Hopefully, you found something worth returning for.

Friday Fictioneers - Child's Play?

Friday Fictioneers is a weekly "event" hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. I've participated really sporadically (like, I think, only once before, and it was awhile ago). But it's a cool thing, and I like it. There's a new photo prompt on Wednesdays, and anyone who wishes to publish their 100-word fiction needs to do so (and link it) by Friday. Pretty simple, huh? Wanna play along? Bookmark Rochelle's link above, follow the rules, and then leave any constructive criticism for me here.

PHOTO PROMPT – © Jean L. Hays

Child's Play? - 99 words

"I'm bored." "There's nothing to do." "It's too hot."

Ah, the plight of summertime.

"Mo-om! There's nothing to DO!" "I'm bored." "Can we go get icees? ... I know we just filled up, but it's HOT and I'm bored!"

It's not that hot. Go play. Play leapfrog or something, and get out of my grille.

"Leapfrog? That's a game for little kids!" "Can we turn on the sprinkler, Mom?"

Fine.

"C'mon, guys, we'll play sprinkler leapfrog; it'll be fun."

... later,

"Uh, Mom? Can you come help us? Mudpit leapfrog might not'a been our best game for a day like today!"

*****
Follow the frog to read more Friday Fictioneers, or to linkup your own!

Wednesday. Nothin' weird, just Wednesday.

Got up early again today; I have the day off work, so I decided at some point in my sleep cycle that I would do a little laundry and swim while waiting for it this morning. Worked out pretty well; my first beach towel that I took downstairs absorbed the bulk of the water from my swimsuit while I was folding my dry laundry, so when I came upstairs to fart around online, I swapped that towel for a dry one, so I wouldn't get the futon wet.

Sat down, did a little online, then got up to grab cereal. This is what I came back to:

Why do cats believe that the space you've just recently occupied actually belongs to them?

The laundry is done; the morning swim/workout is done; I've eaten breakfast and am enjoying some hot tea. What else shall I do with my day?

... besides pet the kitties? ;)