Saturday was NOT a good day. Dropped littl'un off to go and see what turned out to be a crap film (the worst waste of celluloid ever), have a crappy meal and even worse conversation. Nuff said.

Hey ho, another Friday.
Hit the library and ran into B. We chatted about the Getty and he said that he hasn't had the opportunity to get back in since it reopened. The librarian, G, was arising and she practically begged me to get her in. Blimey! Will have to see if I can do anything with the tickets.
Picked up some drinks and headed to U TV in Santa Monica. Dropped it off (with a promo sticker on each bottle - gotta do it, people. They forget who you are after a week). RUSHED up PCH to the Villa. On stage today and worked thru the new songs and the dialogue. The counting issue in 2b is totally mastered and the MD was very impressed - especially after we nailed three times in a row!
More dialogue added and it is very funny!
Sat in our break and talked about how bad things were with the unions and the fact that the production companies and networks are playing one off the other to try and squeeze the most out for the least money. With technology changing all the time, there's a lot of gray areas surrounding what contract goes with which job, how it's filmed, where it's played, etc. and the production companies are taking full advantage to the detriment of the union members, There's also a ton of companies using non-union talent which, I suppose, is always going to be a problem for union workers. Basically, the companies don't want to pay pension, health and worker's comp so they go with non-union talent. Also, there's trouble brewing on the agent front whereby the frachised agents are trying to put through a 'general agreement' whereby represented talent would owe them 10% of EVERYTHING they EVER have and EVER will do, even before joining or after leaving their books. Sounds mad, yes? Well, you'd be surprised. People are signing them. Actually, that's hardly surprising given that most of the 125,00 US based union members are as thick as two short planks and are as trusting as a small puppy, with an equivalent IQ. Oh, and if you're a union member and you're signed with a non-franchised agent, you may end up without representation very soon or, of course, without a union card if you don't find a new agent.

Dropped off monkey.
Into the office. D's moved out and is working from home. I came in and we caught up.
It was great to see J and we had a chat. Seems she is having major issues with production on the film she's working on. I think it's put the tin lid on her deciding whether or not to move out of the extras biz. She has to work with self centred arseholes most of the time and I think she's done with it. Can't blame her.
M picked me up and we went ot get littl'un.
Hollywood Blvd is closed from Highland as most of the Oscar's 'tent city' is being built in the street outside the Chinese theatre. This week is the one the whole town looks forward to. Come Sunday and you won't be able to move for road closures, police, limos, parties and helicoptors (at all hours of the day and night). Ah well...
Rehearsal day. More crap about the tickets. Still only allowed four for the invited dress rehearsal!
Went well. We've worked through all of the new stuff and the new songs are pretty much there now. We'll be good for the shows.
Tweaked the short film screenplay a little. Have to register it with the WGA so I can start giving it to people and work out the shots.
Boston Legal on tv. Love Shatner and Spader!

Last couple of days...
Looking for somewhere else to live. This place is not ideal, certainly with the Ice bitch from hell living next door...
Rentals in LA are wildly overpriced and really not that good. We continue searching...
Back to acting class. Woohoo. Three new faces and some of the old faces have moved (or are about to). Sort of back in the swing of it. Felt good to do an exercise. Everyone has a scene except me as I've been away for six weeks. Going to have to find someone to do one with! Watched a couple of students from another class do their 'first read' of a scene. Was OK. Caught up with the girl outside and asked where she was from (as she had a thick German accent). She said Berlin but was sort of upset that I'd detected it. I couldn't quite believe that she thought people wouldn't notice a German accent as thick as block of cheese.
Anyway... from there, headed to a movie meeting. The script has been started and is already at page four (or thereabouts). I've been moved into another role which is a supremely better one than I had (although there won't be as much opportunity to lose it, emotionally or physically). Read thru the pages and they sounded great!!

Had the first two rehearsals back at the G yesterday and everyone's back on form. New songs, new dialogue, all really funny.
BUT, the ticket allocations are a complete disaster. Basically what happened is that the Getty allowed each email address registering on their website to reserve upto 4 tickets each (for free). That meant that all of our three performances were 'sold out' in a hour or two. It also meant that most people (including me) couldn't get ANY at all. What is going to happen is that those people 'reserving' tickets are a) not going to show up or b) not going to use all of their allocation. You can see where this is going.... we're going to have half full houses and those people who really wanted to come are not even going to get a lookin. We also can't have standby as people wanting to see the show and willing to wait for returns can't get through the security gate as, yep, they don't have tickets. The whole things is daft.

Wake up at 7.30am and laze. No work today. As long as I'm ready to leave for the airport at 1.30pm, the day's my own.
Watch TV. Goldeneye was on. Great film. Pierce Brosnan has got to be the best Bond (after Sean Connery, natch).
Everything into the bag and off to brekkie.
S is clearing out the office and we donate about 100 bottle of CC to the Hotel! Noone has the space to take them either in the trucks or in their bags.
Off to the airport. Lunch with T & B. The flight is abso packed.
Land and say goodbye to everyone at the carousel. I breeze of to get my cab (no checked bags!) and home.
Hugs and kisses. Bath & bed for the monkey.
Watched 'Round the Bend'. Very good film. Odd sort of piece. Great performances from all.