Garbage Pail Kids

I, along with many other children in the 1980's, collected those disgusting little Garbage Pail Kids cards. I think they were .50 cents per pack, and contained two or four cards and a piece of gum. The cards featured creative and overtly disgusting children with odd "pun" names, and graphic depictions of their "special feature." Little did I know, as an 8 year old, that they had actually created a live action Garbage Pail Kids movie.

So, nearly twenty years later, I have caught my first glimpse of the liva action schlock. And let me tell you, it's incredible. They released this movie on DVD just this year (don't ask my why) so many people will probably see it for the first time. Or, the second time, if they saw it at some obscure time in their childhood.

As a fan of 80's schlock horror, I soaked in every scene of this low budget masterpiece with giddy enchantment. It has a lighthearted humor, and an edge of 8-year-old-boy grossness. I gawked in disbelief when the bizarre live-action Garbage Pail Kids broke into a musical number. I laughed out loud in awe of some of the hokey one-liners. Some of the visual gags stunned me with their over-the-top cheesiness. The 80's fashion of one of the movie's main characters, ("Tangerine" is her name) nearly had me rolling on the floor with laughter. And, her boyfriend and "main bully" looked a lot like Steve-O from MTV.

The low budget and clunky puppetry of the Garbage Pail Kids is almost embarassing. Yet, near the end, I caught myself actually believing that these bizarre little buggers were real. Talk about suspension of disbelief! I had to laugh at myself. Overall, this movie is an 80's B-movie joy, and you should do yourself a favor by watching it.

Click here to read about The Garbage Pail Kids movie on rotten tomatoes.

the tortured existence of an extra

When I lived in L.A., I signed up with a couple of different extra casting agencies. These companies cast extras for movies and television shows. In these situations, you pay a small upfront fee, and they add you in their databanks. They take a picture of you, driver's license style.

The main casting company is called Central Casting. When I signed with them, I was new to California. I went down on a Wednesday or Thursday morning to register. Once I finally found the place in Burbank, I was startled to find several hundred people, all shapes and sizes, waiting in a crowded room. The whole process of paper work and picture taking took a couple of hours.

More recently, I signed up with Sandy Alessi Casting. It was a much smaller boutique in a random office space in Studio City. It seemed more personable, so I reluctantly signed up. My friend and hero, Benj, talked me into it. He was quite successful with Central Casting, and he told me he heard about Sandy Alessi through the extras circuit. (Yeah, there's an extras circuit.) So, I registered with them expecting never to get extra work. Of course, they always give you the "Hollywood", "Oh, we'll call you." Of course, the idea is that you have to call them. Usually, if they call you, there's been some kind of mistake.

Two times, in the past month, Sandy Alessi Casting has called my cell phone and offered me extra work. Being in East Tennessee, I kicked myself for misssing out on cool opportunity. But, what are you gonna do? If I was in Cali, I would literally be on the set of Fast and Furious 3 right now. Weird, huh?

Of course, I can't continually beat myself up for leaving that place. With all the excitement and cool opportunity, there are equal amounts of hardship, danger, and disappointment.

lemonade stand

Looking for hours of internet fun? There's this pointless, but addictively fun game I discovered a number of years ago called Lemonade Stand. Yeah, creative name. But, you can play it for free online. Click here for it.

You get to decide how much lemon to put in each cup of lemonade, and how much ice and sugar you put in each cup. You also have to balance the price of the lemonade with the temperature. It may sound lame, but it's a fun game. And, it's a nice li'l lesson in the basics of economics.

I'm a nerd, ok?

traffic schmaffic

latraffic
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

Upon first moving to Los Angeles, one thing that struck me was the local attitude about traffic. Most complained about it being the worst in the world, and they hated driving anywhere. True, there are a lot of cars on the road. And, I suppose some people consistently get stuck in traffic on their work commutes. I, however, never really encountered bad traffic.

Except once.

I used to work late hours at Universal, and I was sometimes exhausted in the summer schedule, getting home at 1 or 2 in the morning. On one such morning, I was not feeling particularly "up to speed." When I got home from work, I lugged my achey body upstairs to the bedroom, and took a hefty chug of nighttime cold medicine. If you know anything about nighttime cold medicine, you know that it pretty much knocks you unconscience for at least eight solid hours. So, after my medicinal dose, I laid my frail body down on my wonderful soft bed. I drifted away into a blissful drug-induced sleep, and it was beautiful.

In the early morning hours, before the world is awake, around 5:30 or 6:00, I have a vague and dream-like recollection of my roommate Doug barging into our shared bedroom. Being halfway in another deminsion, I can barely recall him frantically explaining to me that he had driven our mutual roommate, Andy, to the Burbank airport. Andy was supposed to leave that day to get home to his family for a week or so. Doug explained that they had gotten their a couple minutes late, so Andy's seat on the flight had been given away. If you're familiar with Los Angeles airport ritual, it should come as no surprise. So, in desperation, Doug asked me if I could go get Andy from the airport.

Groggily turning my cell phone on, I heard about three desperate messages from Andy, at the airport, explaining how everyone else he knew was either out of town, or at work. So, I was the only human on the earth who was available to come get him at the airport. Laying in my warm fuzzy bed, in the dark hours of the early morning, exhausted and sedated on cold medicine, I reluctantly agreed to come get him at the airport.

Dragging my bones out of the sheets, I drearily clothed myself and draped a hat over my messy head. I couldn't believe I was awake, much less driving to the airport! The Burbank airport was a good fifteen to twenty minutes away. I drove their in the cool morning air, meeting a grateful Andy at the airport pick-up place. Climbing into the hatchback, he explained that the airport explained to him that there was one chance for him to catch a flight. In two hours, a flight to Seattle was leaving,...in Orange County.

Orange County is a solid 45 minute drive, through the heart of Los Angeles morning rush hour traffic. But, out of love and devotion to my roommate, I did it. I drove there. And 45 minutes back, which actually took nearly two hours because of the traffic. I mean, it was like a parking lot driving up the 405. It could've been the 101. They were both terrible that morning.
But, Andy made his flight. We were both thankful for that.

When I got back to the apartment, I crashed happily on my bed and sank back into my slumber.

The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari

I wanted to take an opportunity to tell everyone about my friend Doug's upcoming project. It's one that I'm excited about, and it looks very interesting. Doug is excited about it.

I remember Doug telling me about this projecet repeatedly, because he knows I like campy horror. Only, this horror film is darker, and cooler than the typical 80s camp I rave about. It's called The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and it is a moderately budgeted independent film. It is a remake of a thirties horror film. ( At least, I think it's the thirties.) They used some of the original footage juxtaposed with modern imagery to create a clean, glossy, yet classic looking scenerio.

Doug plays a sideshow psychic named Cesare. You can check out the film's official web page here. It's a highly technical page, so it may take a minute to load. But, it looks really cool.

The film opens in mid-October. I'm not sure if it will hit every major cineplex, but if you keep your eyes open, you may get lucky. I wish I could've been in L.A. for the premiere, but that's just how the proverbial cookie crumbles. Apparently, this film has gotten a lot of buzz from the German independent film crowd, as well as American horror fans. It's been nominated for some Screamfest awards. i don't know if it will be good or not, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I love Doug Jones! He also has a pretty cool web page here. There is much love to go around, my friend.

Sequoyah

Yesterday I went on a therapeutic excursion with my parents to the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. It was surprisingly educational. Sometimes my level of ignorance astounds me.

For example, did you know when Andrew Jackson ran for President, one of his policies was "Indian Removal"? Yep. He was a self-proclaimed "Indian hater." That began what became the Trail of Tears. The Native Americans were forced from their homes in Tennessee, Georgia, and a few other states in the southeast. Later, when Martin Van Buren became President, he attempted to extend the deadline for Indian Removal, to give Cherokees and others more time to relocate. The state of Georgia revolted, claiming infringement of states' rights. So, the plan continued.

Around the same vague couple of decades, Sequoyah worked hard on his Cherokee alphabet system. After about twelve years of tweaking and working, he finally had a completed system. He was nationally revered, and honored for his achievement. It was an amazing accomplishment creating the only original Native American written language. Cherokee newspapers were then published, and the Cherokees became literate in a relatively short amount of time.

But enough of my community college lecture. I thought these findings were fascinating. We walked into the museum entrance, located in Vonore, Tennessee. It was a beautiful setting, green hilly fields surrounded by trees and water. it was also a crisp day, with the first traces of autumn setting in. Some of the trees had just a twinge of color in the leaves. The museum itself was only three dollars per person, but the budget of this place was obviously very low. They had these "listening Phones", where you could push a button. Then, these little hand-held speaker phone thingys would crackle to life, and a somber-sounding narrator would tell an old Cherokee folk tale. These listening phone things were obviously early 70's era, which added to the hilarity.

After that, we went to a nearby park. It was amazing, and we walked four or five miles on a "Meadow Loop" trail, through woods, and a field. We saw several deer, and my Mom complained about the length of the trail. We were walking next to the lake, and it was so peaceful.

These are things that make me appreciate East Tennessee.

poet?

I'm not much of a "poet", if you will, but I sure give it the 'ol heave ho. So, here is a poem from my heart. I hope this can express my feelings accurately.

Roses are red,
violets are blue,
true friends are special,
and sometimes I want to run through the streets screaming and bust out a window with a brick I happen to find laying on the ground. That way, the cops will peel up in their cruisers or whatnot, and shout at me through their megaphones to drop down on the ground. Then, they'll run up on me, take me down to the ground, and cuff me while digging their knee into my back. Then, I can spend the night in jail and make one phone call to my mommy as I blubber like an idiot over the phone reciever like a 6 year old girl.
the end

smoothie heaven

Occassionally, I crave a good 'ol fashioned smoothie from Jamba Juice.

My love affair with smoothies dates back before I moved to California. I used to get them at this place called Smoothie King. They weren't bad, but at the time they had problems I didn't recognize. They were chalky, and overpriced. Smoothie King is the kind of place that's designed for muscle heads. (Imagine a Schwarzenegger-type with the I.Q. of Frankenstein walking in, "I gots to get smoothie after workout! RAAAGH!!") They have things like protein wafers and multi-vitamin cookies. These are things that do not occur in nature, so they weird me out.

Well, when I first got to L.A., I gave Jamba Juice a "whirl", if you will. To my surprise, their smoothies were cheaper, and the quality was better. Finally! I could get a strawberry-banana-cherry razzle dazzle with an extra shot of vitamins at an affordable price!

Some people got shots of wheatgrass "on the side", with their smoothies. Huh? "Shot of wheatgrass"? Since when did drinking grass become healthy? In Tennessee, I can walk out in a cow field after a light rain and get a shot of wheat grass. And, I save 3 dollars.

And, if you're not careful, your smoothie can quickly get expensive, even at Jamba Juice. With so many additives and "special features", you can tack on an extra two dollars. Of course, the up side is, you won't have to eat again for the rest of the day.

Tim Burton

I have been a Tim Burton fan for many years. Even before I pinpointed the director's work, I was a fan. It wasn't until I was thirteen or fourteen years old until I began to put the puzzle pieces together. I thought, "I love Batman. I love Edward Scissorhands. I love Beetlejuice. I love Pee Wee's Big Adventure. And now, I love The Nightmare Before Christmas. And, they were all directd by the same guy!" (Tim Burton turned directing duties over to Henry Selick on The Nightmare Before Christmas, but you get the idea.)

I saw The Nightmare Before Christmas when it first hit theatres. I remember being enchanted with the stop-motion animation visuals. At the time, the music was actually an added irritation. However, I have grown to love the music almost more than the film itself. To date, I feel it is the most distinct "Tim Burton" stylized film.

Also, one of my favorite films is Ed Wood. It amazes me that this has been so overlooked over the years. It's an oustanding cast, featuring Johnny Depp, Bill Murray, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Martin Landau. And who can forget the director/producer, Tim Burton?

This weekend, the latest Tim Burton "masterpiece" shall be unveiled! Corpse Bride has already opened in theatres in L.A. and New York. But, the world shall be exposed to this delight soon enough! The official web site is really breathtaking. Take a look here!

Early Prediction for Corpse Bride

the down side:
I have varied expectations for Corpse Bride. While I do know that I will love the style, look, and music, I think we're all familiar enough with Tim Burton's work to know what to expect. My fear is that the story itself may be a little flat.

the up side:
The trailer is breathtaking nonetheless. Burton still bursts with imaginative surprises. When you think he may take a familiar route, he spins it with enough originality to please the brain. Case in point, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Who can resist the mix of modern computer technology and the stop-motion animation of the old-skool? Not me!

Overall, I think Tim Burton will add enough original spice to Corpse Bride to make it a winner. By the same token, if he relies to heavily on old formulas, it may be too predictable and simply a rehash of his earlier work.

Click here for a cool Tim Burton web site.

Click here for the Official Corpse Bride web site.

Visit Corpse Bride here on rotten tomatoes to learn more about it!

rainbow gathering

8135-fairy-camp-circle
Originally uploaded by loupiote.

When I worked at Universal, I had the pleasure of working with a delightful young man named Travis. Once, Travis told me of a magical experience he had with a group called the Rainbow Gathering. He described it as a group of people "out in the woods" singing, playing music, dancing to tribal drums, eating, and becoming one with the universe, or something. He spent the night there at the Rainbow Gathering. Then, he hitched a ride with total strangers in a Volkswagen up to Idaho, (wish I could make this stuff up) to another Rainbow Gathering. He stayed, partied (or something), and stayed with some random person on their farm. He had to hitch a ride to a local town, and ended up hitching a ride back home, like 8 hours away.

I did some research on the Rainbow Gathering, and found that they're quite active. I can't believe I was blissfully unaware that this group existed. It seems like a story you would see on Nightline, or 20/20.

It's oddly inspiring to me that there are people in this country who don't have jobs because they travel around in the woods with groups of hippies. Sure, you can call them names if you want. "Hippie", "bum", "druggie" come to mind. Sure, these names are all completely acurate. But, it's still inspiring. I guess the hippie ways of existence are deeply romanticized, and reminiscent of a time that existed before I was born. These hippie images seem surreal, and I can't believe hippies really existed in the 60's and 70's. Woodstock has been promoted, at least in my mind, to mythical status. So, to see that people still believe in that hippie dream is inspiring. (However, the cold hard truth is that they probably just want to do drugs in the woods.) But, the idea is romantic. I mean, the hippie part, not the drugs.

Here is a fairly thorough site on the Rainbow Gathering.

a 10

Ok, so a lot of people don't know this, but I'm a model. I've been modeling for three years now, for a modeling agency called "Eyeem Laubyujett", after the French designer who owns the company. I do ads for mittens, time share resorts in Florida, and ketchup. Most of the ads run in Japan, so I'm not very big here in the states. But, I've gained quite a following over there.

Okay, none of that is true. But, you should go to a self-indulgent site called "hot or not", and rate me a 10. Why? Because of the inner beauty.

Click here and click "10". I also added a link down at the "Links" section to your left. So, you can come back to my blog and click "10" frequently. Hey, I'm shameless.

2005 Emmys

Has it really been a year? It may seem to early for me to start regurgitating old blog "material". However, one of my first blog entries was a story about working at the HBO Emmy party last year. I got hooked up with a catering company that had the lofty task of catering to all the "important" Hollywood hobnobbers at the 2004 HBO Emmy party. I rubbed shoulders (almost literally) with many of my favorite celebrities. You can ready my original blog entry on this subject by clicking here.

This year I'll be watching the festivities from many many miles away, in East Tennessee. It's strange to think I was actually there! HBO dominated the Emmys last year, with "cutting edge" (consorship free) programming. I don't really get into any of the HBO shows because they're a little "much" for me. I don't normally like my TV as intense as the Sopranos. But, to each his own.

The Emmys for this year airs tommorow night, and I'll probably tune in. I may switch back and forth between that and some other prime time schlock.

Click here for the official Emmys web site.

speak up!

Have any of you seen the movie Fever Pitch? I saw it when it first came out. I was reluctuant, of course, but it ended up being surprisingly entertaining. There's enough testosterone-fueled baseball fandom to keep most men involved. Yet, of course, there is the Drew Barrymore aspect. While being somewhat of a chick flick, it is still terrific. It came out on DVD this week, and it's worth checking out.

Otherwise, I thoroughly washed up my car today. It was filthy, and needed a good overhaul. It feels like a new car! Except, it's a new car with 180,000 miles on it.

Seen any good movies lately? Email me a movie review, and I just may post it on my site! I'm always on the lookout for other people's opinions. Heck, it doesn't even have to be movies. Music, tv shows, something that happened in the news. As long as it's a critical review format, I'll be happy to accept it. I created a new email to accept your submissions!

evansblog@bluebottle.com

walk the line

joaquin_phoenix1
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

Joaquin Phoenix plays Johnny Cash in the upcoming November film release of Walk the Line. I've seen the trailer, which you can download for free here at trailerdownload.net. I've also seen the trailer a time or two on the big screen.

I don't want to review a movie before I've even seen it, but I just have serious doubts about it. I mean, Jamie Foxx seemed so comfortable in the skin of Ray Charles in Ray. That performance felt truly inspired. I feel like Joaquin seems a bit uncertain and uncomfortable in the skin of the Man in Black. In some scenes, I think he looks more like Bruce Campbell than Johnny Cash. And, his "Johnny" singing? I don't know. I'm just not convinced. His voice seems thin and unsure. Maybe I'll feel different when I see the entire film in context. But, I just get a feeling about it being...well, not Ray. (the obvious comparison). As for writing and directing, we'll see when this bad boy hits theatres.

A correction from the other day: The David Spade show is on Comedy Central, not VH-1. I think I saw a commercial on VH-1, and it confused my delicate and convoluted mind.

Johnny Cash on allmusic.com.

Reviews, opinions, movie info, and predictions for Walk the Line at rottentomatoes.com

adding to the noise

Congratulations To George Jones, who turns 74 years old today. I wrote a blog about him earlier this year that sums up how I feel about him, and his legacy. Click here for it.

Everyone reading this has a bit of homework to do. But, don't worry. It won't require you to "read" some boring book with no pictures. All you have to do is watch television! David Spade has a new television show premiering thursday on VH-1. Oddly, I couldn't find anything on the VH-1 site about the show. But, maybe you'll have better luck than I did browsing the site. I think the show looks like a terrific and hilarious jab at Hollywood self-promoting narcissism. For you fans of shows like "Best Week Ever", or "I Love the 80's", it will be along those lines. Only, I predict it will be better.

And, while I've got your attention: You may be expecting me to comment on the tragedy on hurricane Katrina. Well, I think the news media has pretty well covered it. Do I need to add to the white noise? Besides, I may be going down there later this month to help out with getting people food and whatnot. So, I'll definitely blog on that later, if it happens.

destiny

Lately I've been going through a crisis of identity. I've been trying to choose a career path I can live with. And, something I can be successful with in the long run.

Today I was in a store that has all manner of bizarre "knick knacks" of technology. I came across this Los Angeles guide booklet, and I couldn't resist. I had to check it out. So, I picked up the pocket sized guide and began thumbing through it. There was a fold out map of the old stomping grounds. I reminisced in my mind the memories of old as I was bombarded with those old familiar boulevard names. Then, in the "things to do" section, I stumbled across a blurb describing the Groundlings Theatre. Of all the random sites and attractions, The Groundlings Theatre was one of the few sites listed to "must see." The blurb described the Theatre as "A training ground for 'out there' comedy performers. (SNL alumni, Pee Wee Herman.)" Hm. Snl alumni. Pee Wee Herman. Hilarious. I guess "out there" describes my style pretty well. I laughed in the store, reading this, and seeing the little red square on the map where the Theatre resides. Was I really there? Or, was it all a dream? We don't know.

So, tonight I was browsing through the Groundlings web site, which is not too shabby. I saw pictures of my old Groundlings teachers in sketches. There were a couple of pics of one of my old teachers in this sketch with Chris Parnell from SNL. I kind of took a joy in that. You know, knowing that this one guy went on to be relatively platinum in the comedy world, while my putz teacher stayed behind for a number of years teaching classes, continuing to struggle. That teacher was kind of putzy. Am I a jerk or what? Maybe there's bitterness in my heart.

I also saw a big picture of Amoeba Music in the guide, one of my favorite places. All my fav museums were listed, such as The Getty, which is fantastic.

I also got an email a few days ago from a friend of mine in L.A., Doug Jones. He was describing his latest actor enterprises. Yet more traces of a former life.

What's the deal? Why do I miss that chapter in my life? It was a crazy cool adventure. In fact, this very blog you're reading, dear reader, began as my chronicles of the enchanted land of L.A. I have since drifted from that theme into other realms. For example, how boring my life now is. I still harbor bitterness for the weird turn my life has taken here in East Tennessee. I struggle to stay optimistic and continue to count my blessings. Does the grass always have to seem greener on the other side? Am I destined to dissatisfaction? I hope not.

Groundlings Theatre

Amoeba Music

wretched tree of death

Yesterday I went tubin' on the beautiful Little River in Tennessee. It was perfect weather, and I was in the mood to have a moderately intense whitewater tubing experience.

My friends and I paid our dues, grabbed our tubes, and began making our way down the river. It was a very low impact experience at first. There was nothing too treacherous about the slow drifting current. Houses were dotted along the edges, and various other people were tubing, too.

At one point, we were winding around a left curve. Off in the distance, on the right shore, a couple of teenage males were monkeying their way up a tree. Reaching the top, about twenty five or thirty feet, one guy took a flying leap off the branch. There was a good two or three second free fall before he splashed into the water. I wanted to hop out of the water and look around the platform at the bottom of the tree. So, I climbed out of the water onto land. There were wooden rungs placed all the way up the tree in an amateurish Appalachian manner. Before I could even control myself, I began climbing. The rungs were about a body length and a half apart, nailed in the middle, so it was no easy climb. Some of the steps even began turning as I stepped on the edges of them.

One of the boys at the bottom, I learned, was a sixteen year old. He was the one that had jumped out of the tree before. He also built the step ladder up the tree. He was also insane. As I reached the top, I hugged the tree for dear life. Below me, twenty or thirty feet, was the river. There were giant underwater rocks, and in the middle of them the water was black. I assumed that was the area one would jump. The sixteen year old assured me the water was fourteen feet deep. With my friends taunting me, and my nerves killing me, I made the decision to jump.

Maneuvering my body around the trunk of the tree, I stepped out bravely into the empty air. In a blur, my body plunged downward toward the black water abyss. The free fall was cold and exhilirating, and I let out an involuntary yelp as I fell helplessly. With a splash, I hit the cold water and rocketed toward the river bottom. I swam back to my tube, vowing never again to trust sixteen year olds with my well-being. I was genuinely scared, but it was also exhilirating. I escaped unscathed, and I guess that's the important thing.

spaghetti chunks

Like I have rainbows. Scary dragons are hiding under the wooden staircase. If you hold the green glass bottle up to the light, it will refract open models of future space stations. When I drink the coffee under the kitchen sink, the pipes drip slime into my burning colon. Horse feed finds my dreams fried like the fourth of july grass breeze with a hint of autumn calling a gross football player. If elves really knew how to fly, the forest would be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Of course, that bidder will already have to have their mortgage cleared with the bank in order to set up payments. And, they have to high five movie star mogules who paint limousines with old hardened paint brushes. Blue paint drips in rhythm with an old man tapping a cane in Tibet on the edge of a babbling brook full of rainbow trout. He shall reach down with his bony hand and snatch a rainbow trout, thus consuming it into his frail body. Then, after chewing and swallowing, he shall proclaim the secrets of the universe like a crackling old radio glowing audio truth into a black night's sky. Laughing, he will die.

Kittens run and frolic with inner innocense as their fuzzball bodies tumble in the leaves.

broken flowers

broken flowers
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

Bill Murray is right on the mark as computer company owner Don Johnston in the film Broken Flowers. I went to see this film saturday with some friends. Admittedly, I wanted to see it for many days before we saw it. So, I was looking forward to it. I hadn't heard much about the plot. I only knew Bill Murray was in it.

As I stated in an earlier blog, it's easy to take Bill Murray for granted because he's so good. Broken Flowers may very well be my favorite performance of his to date. Of course, it's tough to rate it higher than Lost In Translation, which is close. It's hard to rate these performances on any kind of fair scale. They're both different, and beautiful performances. The magic is in the subtlety.

Now, down to business. This film isn't for everyone. I don't even know if it's a comedy or a drama. I certainly laughed out loud in several spots. I was never deeply moved, but this movie does have a weird cerebral depth that has you waiting for the next moment, hanging on for the next event in Don's adventure. I won't go into detail about the plot, but the point of it is he has to confront four or five "old flames" in his life. He literally has to fly there and confront each one of them. These "broken flowers" have all gone their seperate ways, and it's fascinating to see where their lives ended up. You can see Don, who is reluctant to take this trip, absorbing these women's lives, and trying to process exactly what's happening.

I love the ending. At the time, I was upset by how it ended. But, the more it sinks in retrospect, the more beautiful I think it is. Life doesn't always present us with answers. There are things in all our lives that we strive to learn. But, these mysteries are not always answered in simple black and white explanations. It's tough to deal with, but the film does it beautifully.

It also deals with the choices we all make. Not the small daily choices of "white or wheat", but bigger choices. Life choices. It's similar to some themes of the film Garden State, but it's not as emotionally intrusive. Don seems to be coming to terms with guilt and regret, possibly for the first time ever. He learns that he may have a son with one of his former flames. It seems to bring him to a place of reflection and regret he has never experienced. Don't we all have those times? Maybe we don't have illegitimate sons roaming around, but we do have weird experiences from our past that deserve closure. At least, I do.

When I watched it, I was constantly apprehensive that director Jim Jarmousch was going to slip off into "artsy fartsy" territory. But, the film never gives in to that temptation. It seems to have a certain integrity, and genuine stability to it. I loved it, and I'm probably going to see it again.

That's my two cents. To Learn more about the plot, and other things, click here.

autumn time

Well, as the summer lumbers on into late August, I am beginning to sense the first traces of fall. The afternoons are not quite as blistering and oppressive. There is a cool breeze most of the time. The humidity has eased its blanket from around the earth, thankfully. Schools are back in here in Tennessee, and the day light is getting shorter day after day.

This is going to be an unusual autumn for me. I haven't experienced fall in almost two years. At least, the real Appalachian fall. The hillsides smothered with oranges, yellows, reds, and browns. That's my favorite, you know.

Along with this time of year, which is my favorite, there are certain traditions. Since trading in the scuzzy Hollywood fastlane lifestyle, this fall is going to be a more traditional down-home experience. And, traditionally, there is certain music that accompanies that. Over the years, I've developed kind of my favorite autumn time music. Some of the associations are subconcious, associating a certain song or album to a certain time of year. So, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite fall time music, which dates back as early as 1997.


1. Beck - One Foot in the Grave
I first got into this album around 2000. I love the early Beck style, and the simplicity of the music. There is also the early Beck humor laced throughout, which makes it twice as enjoyable. This is an album that happened pre-Mellow Gold, and pre-Odelay, so it's sort of a side project. Which, makes it even better. But, there's a greyish meloncholy edge that makes it appropriate for fall. It's also an album that makes you want to play in a pile of freshly raked leaves.

An aside:
While you're at it, check out the bizarre journey of "Mellow Gold" (very fall-like) and "Odelay", a late summer/early fall celebration. And, "Odelay" is one of my favorite albums of all time.

2. Smashing Pumpkins - Various
Now, I hesitate with the "various" recommendation. And, here's the reason: there is not really one whole album that is appropriate for fall. It's mostly the band's overall vibe that fits in with the theme. There's sort of a drab, intensely emotional, vaguely Halloween-is-coming-soon thing happening here. But, among my two favorite Pumpkins albums, "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness", and "Ava Adore", there are some real gems. Not all songs are winners, but most are perfect autumn adornements. Another fall song, not included on either of these albums, is "Disarm". It's worth checking out. And "Today." I don't know why it reminds me so much of fall, but it just does, okay? Back off!

3. Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming, Crash
Ah, nostalgia. Nothing sweeps me back to warm cozy coffee houses in the late cold fall like Dave Matthews. I can almost taste the Capuccino when I listen to the soothing melodies and soaring acoustic guitars. I feel like a college freshman again, in a good way. Favorites: "Crash Into Me", and "Satellite".

Honorable mention: Radiohead - OK Computer
Still brilliant. Still beautiful. Still sad.

These are not my only fall albums. But, to list everything here would be a tediously long blog entry. Some recent discoveries are The Shins, particularly the Chutes Too Narrow album. This band is thanks to my friend Tim who recommended them. I hope you enjoy!

You can check out all these albums on AllMusic.com

Iraq controversy

intelligent beauracracy

star wars

star_wars
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

I am basically going through an identity crisis in my life these days. So many strange factors in this world pull us in different directions. What career? What family? Where to live? You know, the usual routine. The same old questions that plague my thinking, day after day. It's kind of a zen experience much of the time. You think you've taken three steps forward, only to find yourself in a tougher place than you were before.

That's where George Lucas comes into frame. Today, and yesterday, I had the privelage of watching the original Star Wars film. Now, you may consider me a Star Wars purist, because I love the non-Special Edition version. Without aid of tons of money, a small band of rogue nerds created a genuine masterpiece. And, at the helm, was a young George Lucas. This film is inspiring to me on so many levels, I hardly know where to start. And, of course, what would it be without the brilliant John Williams score?

First, there is the George Lucas factor. Here was a young guy who had directed an independent film called THX. And, well, that was about it. He wasn't much of a writer, and loathed the process. Yet, he had ideas, and passion. With that as his driving force, he worked around financial limitations. The result was a genuine masterpiece. Today, we flippantly throw around terms such as "masterpiece", and "genius" very loosely. People that are very talented, or clever often gain the "genius" label.

The dictionary definition of masterpiece is: "The greatest work, as of an artist. Also called masterwork." or "An outstanding work of art or craft." A genius is described as "A person of extraordinary intellect and talent: 'One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius' (Simone de Beauvoir)." Well, Lucas fits the bill.

One reason I love Star Wars is because Luke Skywalker experiences genuine change. He is a young (whiney) man who doesn't know what to do with his life. He knows something bigger is out there, but he doesn't know how to achieve it. Then, before he realizes it, he's doing and feeling things he never thought were possible. It's very inspiring.

Plus, the Mellinnium Falcon is rad.

Click here if you want to learn more about George Lucas. There is a fascinating interview on achievement.org.

Thompson/Muir

Today I walked along the Hiawasee River. Yes, the very place where naturalist/writer John Muir once marveled at the natural beauty and architecture of the land. It truly is beautiful, and very rough.

I also read quite a bit about the life of Hunter S. Thompson today. Okay, am I the only one who thinks he was just completely insane? I mean, some of the crazy stories are fascinating to read. But, overall, it's hard to admire a man whose legacy is all about how many drugs he did. I guess there's the whole gonzo journalism thing. But, still, it's all quite strange. I will give him this: when I read the stories of his eccentric drug-fueled insanity, underneath it all there was a genuine inspiration. I guess you have to really go for something if you have that deep hunger for it. I don't think Thompson was a "genius". But, maybe revolutionary. Or, at the least, he was cutting edge. I don't know where I'm going with this. The guy was crazy, yet inspirational. It's a paradox, and I have mixed feelings about it. It's just the same way we all feel about Ben Affleck, right? We like the guy, but don't want to admit it.

Guess I'll stop this blog while I'm still ahead.

items of the day

1. Yesterday I heard a rumor that Willie Nelson died. I was in a panic, until I was able to confirm it as mere heresay. (And, I've been trying to find a use for the phrase "mere heresay" for a long time, so mission accomplished!)

2. Today I saw the Wes Anderson film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou". What a cast. Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and Willem Dafoe among my favorites. And, they're fantastic. Bill and Jeff give exceptionally good performances. At this point, it's easy to take Bill Murray for granted because we're all so used to him being so good. But, his performance in this film is one of his best ever. And personally, I felt Jeff Golblum stealing every scene he was in. Goldblum's natural persona is so good. Two outstanding performances. Everything else was just okay. I chuckled a few times at the moderate humor.

3. I am totally addicted to a video game called "the Sims." It's a game where, instead of living your real life, you sit down at your computer and live fake computer people's lives. It's great.

4. Happy birthday to my friend MAK.

5. It's really, really hot outside. Hotter than California. And more humid. And more miserable.

6. I discovered a new and wonderful chinese restaurant in town. Despite the lack of a buffet, their food is good. And, they have more than you could eat at once, so it's really two meals.

7. My special friend is going on vacation for like 3 months, so the distance thing is getting out of control.

That's about it.

hold the proverbial press

eleanor cook
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

Whoa! I heard recently on the news that two jurors in the Michael Jackson case regret their acquital! I can't handle this. In my soul, I was settled with the verdict. I was somewhat surprised that Jackson had been found innocent of all those charges, but the court of law was good enough for me. I mean, any respectable person is going to have OJ Simpson-like doubts about the verdict, but nothing too incriminating.

But NOW...these two schmoes step out into the public eye and claim they regret the acquital. All these weird "behind-the-scenes" stories are coming to the surface. And it also happens that both these jurors are going to write books. Hm. How coincidental. Eleanor Cook's book is going to be called "Guilty as Sin, Free as a Bird." And, Ray Hultman's book will be called "The Deliberator."

So, why would they acquit Micheal Jackson, then write scandalous books revealing the "truth" of his guilt? Something doesn't add up. They both claim that they were sort of pressured into the acquital. But, come on. They knew how big a deal this trial was. I mean, it was child molestation. It was Michael Jackson's life on the line. It was the life of a child on trial. Not to mention, this child's whole family was affected. Why would anything persuade a person against their belief in a trial of that magnitude? To me, it could be a huge stunt to sell books.

But there's always two sides to any story. Watching 79 year old Eleanor Cook on the news, I was confused. She seemed genuinely moved by the fact that a "child molester" had been set free. She was brought to tears as she talked about the weight of her guilt. I'm tempted to say that a 79 year old is not going to be a good actor, but Christopher Lee proves that wrong.

The bottom line is, now all my suspicions of Michael are drudged back up. I mean, how could a grown 45 year old man not understand that having small children in your own bed is not okay?!? You can say "eccentric" this, and "lost his childhood" that, but it doesn't seem right. Any grown adult should understand that. That's why Michael was tried as an adult, and not as a child. He's responsible for his actions. Now I don't know about his innocence anymore. Are they creating a publicity stunt to sell books, or getting the truth off their conscience?

super size me

burger
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

Today I watched a fascinating documentary entitled Super Size Me. Now, I know the power these documentaries have to skew the truth in favor of something biased. But, much of the "facts" of this documentary rang true to me. If you've ever read a book called Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, then this doc isn't such a stretch.

The basic premise is, this guy eats NOTHING but fast food for 30 solid days. 3 meals per day, every day. As he does so, he documents the physical changes in his body. And, he interviews many doctors and nutritionists along the way.

It will be a long, long time before I can bring myself to eat fast food again. Even foods containing partially hydrogenated fats, and monohydro-whatever fats, are so bad for your body.
In California, I ate fast food frequently. I mean, I love a good burger as much as the next guy. But, I was hooked on the NoHo diner. Fast food just ain't my bag, baby.

I would encourage anyone to check out this documentary. Not only is it informative, but entertaining. I really got emotionally involved with the "main character" of this documentary. By the end, I was really begging him to stop eating junk food! I was in his corner. And, I found myself checking every label of everything I ate today.

The documentary also had some things to say about the way we feed kids in public schools. Now, public school beauracracy is already an issue that interests me. Especially with all the "intelligent design" nonsense that's happening. Well, politics doesn't end in the classroom. It gets carried over into the cafeteria as well. They showed these middle school girls eating french fries and cola for lunch. And, that was it. Some kids had potato chips (filled with fat), Gatorade, and candy bars. And, that's all they ate. The teachers seemed to be conveniently ignorant about what the kids were eating. Everyone seemed to pass the buck to someone else. They also addressed the condition of physical education classes. Which, if it's anything like it was when I was in school, is just appauling.

I'm not saying I'll never eat another fast food burger ever again, but I'll sure think twice. And, it's going to be a while.

Check out the Super Size Me web site here.

Play the official Super Size Me game (free!!!) here.

happy halloween

happy halloween
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

I just had a magical experience. I was watching Boy Meets World on ABC Family. And, of course, it was a Halloween episode. This holiday fascinates me. The imagery, history, imagination, and customs of this night are enthralling.

Check out this web site to visit some ghosts from my past.

summer 2002

In the summer of 2002, while I was still in college, I worked at a youth camp called Student Life. Now, for all of you who may have certain images of summer youth camp, let me tell you: times have changed. No longer are kids bunked up in musty log cabins, roasting marshmallows, and (you guessed it) singing kum-ba-ya around the fire. Youth camp is all high-tech now. I was on the acting team.

We had an elaborate set, with high budget lighting. There were two giant screens on either side where films and various footage could be shown. And, graphics and animations made my Student Life.

Yesterday I had the privelage of going up to Covenant College, my old camp stomping grounds. I was visiting my friend Les. (The guy I moved to Cali with. I met him at camp.) We were on the same team that summer.

It was fantastic walking across that campus. There were teenagers running around, and camp was in full swing. I was struck by how much the culture has changed in just three years since I did camp. There are now pink Student Life shirts for the guys! I guess that's the cool thing for the kids these days, guys wearing pink.

The culture among teenagers may always be changing, but the energy does not. Having several hundred or a thousand teenagers together in one place still provides the same supercharge of electricity. I enjoyed it.

I got to see some old faces, and meet some new ones. I bumped into a youth minister I haven't seen in years. I first met in back in 1996 or so, when he was in college. He was excited to see me (and I him). He had many questions for me and the 'ol gang. It was refreshing and unexpected to suddenly be connected with my past in such an obscure way.

There is a weird tower on campus. The school is literally on top of a mountain, so from the inside of this tower, you can see an amazing panoramic of Chattanooga. At the end of summer 2002, a group of us were taken up into this tower. There, in this hot wooden room, we signed our names. Gazing up at that tower last night brought back the crazy memories of signing my name with many others in years past.

I also want to say congratulations to my friend Les. I can't say details now 'cause it's a secret. But, I can elaborate later.

P.S.- The tail lights on my car went out during the trip. So, I had to drive an hour in the dark, on an interstate. But miraculously, I wasn't pulled over by the 50. I want to send a shout out to the public serving and protecting of America's transportation outlets. I'm glad somebody wants to do it!

christopher lee

christopher-lee
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

Last night I was watching a VH-1 show called Best Week Ever. The show takes the most important weekly pop culture events and analyzes them. It's a funny show. Last night's episode picked actor Christopher Lee as having the best week ever. Which is incredible, because I'm going through a Christopher Lee phase right now! With Lord of the Rings, Star Wars III, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this 83 year old dude is on a roll! And, he deserves it. His rich deep bass voice delivery harkens back to the days when British Shakesperean acting was revered and practiced by the best.

One of my favorite "horror" movies is called The Wicker Man. The leader of the village was, of course, Christopher Lee. This movie was made in the early to mid seventies, so it's a very different version of the actor. But, his demeanor and delivery are the same. Christopher Lee's style is eloquent, classy, and graceful. That's why it's even better when he has to deliver lines like, "Lollipop? Might as well be called 'cavity on a stick'." And, "As you see, my Jedi powers are far beyond yours." I hope Lee continues acting in films 'til he's 90! Click here to check out his profile, including all the movies he's been in.

tree 37

Yesterday I went to a Tennessee Smokies baseball game with my friend Tim and his family. I'm not the biggest baseball fan on earth, and I couldn't tell you any players' names on the team. However, the experience turned out to be blog-worthy.

We turned out to be sitting right next to a moderately obscure Christian rock band called "Building 429." We had a couple of good laughs at the name, and Tim's sister semi-met them. They seemed really friendly. I wasn't sure who they were, so I didn't want to be one of those people talking to them, or something.

After the game, a truck pulled out onto the field. A crew set up the stage and equipment, and the band began playing. There was a definite Switchfoot thing happening, but I liked it. The lead singer was like, "Hey, we sort of met you!" And waved up at us.

I suppose the thousand-something teenage youth group boys and girls at the game really enjoyed it. And, I did, too.

life in Athens, Tennessee

I don't really know what I want to say. Too much happens to process it all. We all have obligations to fulfill that keep us occupied. Sometimes it's difficult to communicate that with others. My life isn't really that interesting here lately. But, maybe others think it is.

Athens, Tennessee is where I've been for the last few weeks. It's a small town, but there's something about it I like. There are lots of lush green trees, hills, and plants all around it.

I could have been an extra in a Will Ferrell movie that's filming in Birmingham, Alalbama. However, I just found out about it yesterday. And, they had an open casting call this last weekend. It would have been fun, but I was a little too slow. Blast me, dear reader! Have I blown the opportunity of a lifetime? That's what I've been living with today. But, I don't think it's as dramatic as that. However, it would have been nice to be able to go to that casting call.

I am actually considering substitute teaching this fall. Am I crazy? I must be insane. Maybe for some combat pay and a new car, or something. Then I'll think about it. I don't know, maybe it would be fun to interact with teenagers. And, I would only be working one day at a time.

I feel the inevitable low budget job slowly approaching over the horizon. I don't want to get some mediocre job just to pay bills, but it looks like my circumstances are drifting that way. Oh, well. What can you do?

rolling stone rambling

Life is funny. None of us can predict where we will go, or how we'll get there. It doesn't matter how much money and influence you have, you can never be completely secure. From Donald Trump to the scuzziest grocery cart pushing homeless bum on Hollywood Boulevard, we're all sort of in the same boat. We just plod along, moving toward the best life possible. If "best life possible" sounds too vague, well, it's a big can of worms. It can be different for everyone.

The other day I was watching "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star" starring David Spade. Yeah, I didn't have much else to do. Or, actually, I had a lot of other things I should have been doing. But, the whole movie is about a failed Hollywood acting career. The interesting thing about it was the portrayal of life as a Hollywood actor. It was sad and funny, all at the same time. The life of a starving artist. Starving, yet blessed. Because, not many Americans are genuinely starving. I was just starving according to my spoiled suburban roots. Actually, I gained weight in California because there were so many fantastic places to eat in Cali.

So, where am I going with all this? I don't know. I feel like I'm grasping in the dark to articulate feelings of a past life in Hollywood, that now feels like a dream of distant people and images. Could I have done more? Did I miss meeting the right casting director by five minutes one day? Could I have worked harder while I was there?

I can't answer most of those questions. All I know is, I did what I could when I was there. I worked the smartest way I knew how. And, while I didn't become the next Ted Danson, at least I was successful in the sense that I kept my wits about me. And I ate. And I learned a lot. And made life-long friends. And saw Eric Estrada. And transvestites. And a Kiss cover band. What more could you ask for? I would be spoiled and foolish to consider my time in L.A. a failure.

he's still got it

burton
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

This weekend I had the joy of seeing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on its opening night. One thing you have to understand up front: I'm a huge Tim Burton fan. I'm a fan of his style, but not so much any specific work he's done. Although, I do enjoy his movies.

Over the course of the last few years, Burton has churned out a few movies that are of interest. Big Fish is a good, in-depth and mature work by Tim Burton. Much of the playful humor is exchanged for a darker tone. Before that, there was Planet of the Apes. It was another summer "blockbuster" release. And, well, it wasn't Tim's best, let's be honest. In fact, it was awful. I only watched it one time. Then, the one before that, waaaay back in 1999, was Sleepy Hollow. A cool, atmospheric film, but not my favorite by a long stretch.

So, what was the deal? With so many classics I loved like Batman, Beetlejuice, Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, and Edward Scissorhands all being way back in the early nineties, were Tim Burton's best days behind him? I was beginning to think so. Big Fish, while good, and somewhat interesting, lead me to believe Burton was going in a more grown-up direction. Thus, leaving behind the childish joys of pure imaginative expression.

Alas, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory changes all that. I know comparisons to the original movie are inevitable, but let's set that aside for a minute. In fact, the very theme of the movie is holding on to childhood imagination, and embracing family and creativity. Visually, it was incredible. Even as a Tim Burton fan who knows what to expect, this movie was still rich with unexpected surprises. Christopher Lee, one of my favorite actors, is fantastic. The Oompa Loompas are hilarious, and the songs they sing are brilliant. And who can forget; the accompanying Danny Elfman contributions.

A few scenes that stuck out to me are as follows:

1. There is an animatronic puppet show that Willy Wonka created. It catches on fire accidentally, and the puppets begin to burn and melt, obscuring their voices. It was deliciously Burton. Very poetic.

2. Tim Burton managed to wedge in a wonderful Halloween scene, with Christopher Lee at its center. I reveled in the joy of it.

3. Every song the Oompa Loompas sang was cryptically lyrical, and hilariously dark.

Though dark, the movie manages to be funny and charming. I loved this movie. A warning for all you moviegoers: you may not share in that love. Many reasons I love this movie are because of obscure personal preferences that others may not share. So, don't be angry with me if you're disappointed! But, if you've already seen the other summer blockbuster schlock, and you want to see something creative and unique, check it out. Don't take it too seriously, though. Just sit back and enjoy.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory official site

stand-up

I am scared, ladies and gentlemen. I'm scared to try stand-up comedy. But, I want to. It's just so scary. I could be a disaster. Plus, I only know one joke, and this is it:

Q: What kind of a drill does a dentist use on a dragon?
A: A fire drill.

How far am I going to get with that?

The only time I've done stand-up comedy was an impromptu episode in a Knoxville coffee house. They had an open mic night, and I took the opportunity to stand up there and muddle through some "stand-up". It was stuff I just made up on the spot. Kind of weird.

Nearly all my peers in my Groundlings classes were stand-up comedians. They're a strange breed of people. The times I went to see stand-up comedy in L.A. proved to be truly disturbing episodes. I've blogged on that subject before.

If you watch Pauly Shore's new series about The Comedy Store, that's where I saw stand-up. And met people that operated the place. A weird, weird breed, let me tell you. I'll never forget seeing Andrew Dice Clay...well:

You can read the whole story here. When you click on the link, just imagine blurry waves taking you into the past, like they used to do on Saved By the Bell when they did a flashback.

the new man

I have a confession to make. I kind of enjoy shopping. I know, it's not the most "manly" thing I could admit, but hey, it's a new era. Friday, I met someone at the mall. I pretty much went crazy because they were having all these end of summer, beginning of fall clothes kind of sales. I wasn't planning on buying anything, I just wanted to meet my friend there. But, I went crazy with a new pair of shoes, pajamas, pants, sandals, and a new shirt. I was racing frantically from store to store, dragging my friend along.

Maybe most men are not as savage as they once were. Most of us are not catching animals in the forest with our bare hands, or hauling giant rocks around like cavemen. We work in offices, and shop in malls. We drive sedans and drink morning coffee. I mean, I like theater, for crying out loud. And I admit, I enjoyed Fever Pitch, with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon. But, the baseball part was the best. Not the love story.

Wow, this blog took a weird turn. Excuse me, I'm going to go reevaluate my life.

grateful baptists

grateful baptists
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

During my first two years of college, I was a part of a drama ministry group called "OOMITS". It stood for "Out of Mind, in the Spirit." Cheesey, I know. Our uniforms were light blue denim shirts, and kakhis. We travelled to area churches and performed a whole slew of skits and dramatic musical interpretations. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being Mozart genius, and 1 being low budget schlock, our skits and performances were a solid 2.6. We performed in sunday night services. Sometimes sunday morning. Often times we performed for youth services. Oh, we were serious.

Travelling to so many services afforded us the opportunity to meet many fascinating people and have many interesting and strange encounters. The following is one of my favorite "OOMITS" tales.

One sunday morning we headed off to a small Baptist church in the middle of nowhere. We travelled so much, I didn't know where we were half the time. This church building was very old, dark, and ornate. Most of the few hundred congregation members were of the "elderly" persuasion, if you know what I mean. They were friendly, though. And so was the pastor. He was a shorter, middle-aged guy. He sported a nice dark blue suit and a black mustache. A really nice guy.

After we performed our hand full of skits, we sat through the rest of the worship service. Music, sermon, standard fare. At the end of the service, we (the entire congregation) were instructed to stand and join hands as we sang the final song. The words were printed in the program. It was a nice tune about joining together, and loving each other. Whatever.

Afterward, our small acting troupe was invited to eat lunch with the pastor and a handful of moderately elderly church members who had made food. So, we sat in the basement in the "fellowship hall", enjoying our meal and chatting with the pastor.

"So, did any of you recognize that song we sang at the end of the service?"

We were blank. I had never heard it before.

"Well, I probably wouldn't want to tell any of my members this, because I know they wouldn't like it. But, that's a Grateful Dead song. Tune and all."

Um...excuse me? You are actually rad enough to, first of all, be familiar enough with their music to pick a song to sing in church? And secondly, you don't tell your members because you're afraid they wouldn't like it? So, we're standing in a church service, standing, hands joined, singing a Grateful Dead tune and only one sicko in the room knows what's happening? Brilliant.

America: Greatest Country Ever

I wish I was in L.A. these days. I miss the weather. July 4th, my parents and I saw some fireworks in a town called Etowah, Tennessee. Population: 3,639. It was a drizzly muggy night, but the show was great.

America is the greatest country. Now, I have friends that freak out when I say that, because they say, "Oh, other countries have rich cultures, ancient customs and wonderful history..." Well, that may be true, but it ain't America. We are free. And, to love America means you love freedom. That isn't limited to one country. To have disdain for love of America is to have disdain for freedom. Loving America isn't narrow-minded. In fact, it's one of the widest-minded loves there are. The love for people to be free, for society to experience justice, and the power for people to self-govern.

Some other countries seem great on the surface. The average income seems high. The quality of life appears to be okay. But, if you look below the surface you begin to realize that those countries are basically communist. And, they come begging America for help when they get in trouble, like whiney children.

Some of you are probably irritated by those words. Maybe infuriated. Well, sorry. I love liberty and freedom. I like John Stuart Mill. And, freedom of religion. (the seperation of church and state was drafted in part by a Baptist, mind you.) When people credit Thomas Jefferson for the actual phrase "separation between Church and State", he was basing that phrase on a statement by famous historical Baptist, Roger Williams. Thomas Jefferson was writing a letter to a Baptist church, which is why I guess he used the Williams terminology. Here is what Roger Williams said:

When they have opened a gap in the hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the Church and the wilderness of the world, God hath ever broke down the wall itself, removed the candlestick, and made his garden a wilderness, as at this day. And that there fore if He will eer please to restore His garden and paradise again, it must of necessity be walled in peculiarly unto Himself from the world...(2)

Enough sermon. The point is, I like the government to have its grubby hands off the church. And, I like baseball. And hot dogs. I love Coca-Cola. And Johnny Cash. I wish I owned a Corvette. Some other countries are nice, but I love America. It's the best country ever.

Billy Graham at the Rose Bowl

Billy Graham at the Rose Bowl
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

Last fall, Les and I discovered that Billy Graham was going to speak at the Rose Bowl in L.A. Knowing his age, we wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. We knew it was most likely one of his last speaking engagements, so we drove down there on sunday night.

I'm not sure what I was expecting. I thought it would be emotional, super-spiritual, or a life-shaking experience to watch this legendary man speak. But, it wasn't, really. It was just what it appears to be: a frail old preacher speaking from the pulpit. He was hunched over, holding the sides of the pulpit. His voice was soft and elderly. The simplicity of that was moving.

Les and I had no direction when we got to the Rose Bowl. We had to walk about a mile or so to get there after finding a parking spot. When we entered the actual Rose Bowl, we had no idea where to go. There were no signs or anything. We entered, and found ourselves surrounded and bombarded by Koreans. We were in the Korean vector of the Rose Bowl! We had to stand, and got repremanded by a Crusade worker who didn't want us to stand in that particular spot.

People flooded the field during the altar call, and it was an odd thing. It was surreal to hear Billy Graham up close, calling to the masses. I'm glad I got the chance to do it, especially in light of his recent announcement that his speaking engagements in New York will probably be his last. I deeply respect him, and God has used him tremendously.

forced retreat

I have been living in a trailer for the last week and a half. As in, mobile home. It's in a town called Ten Mile, Tennessee. There is no cell phone reception for miles, and it's right on the lake. My parents are moving into a house, and while I look for a job, I'm with them. So, that means I'm in the trailer for now.

Being on forced retreat has its pros and cons. The down side is, I feel removed from all society. There may be things I could be doing for my career out there in the world somewhere, but I don't have access to it. And, I'm losing touch with friends. And maybe reality.

The up side is, there can be spiritual benefits to such a retreat. Especially if it's forced. Being on the lake provides a heavy dose of up-close nature. It's always interesting to confront nature.

I went fishing with my dad. Standing out on a pier, in the afternoon sun, I quietly cycled through the process. Squeezing the line, whipping the rod, and casting the lure. The brightly colored lure whizzed through the air with a whrrr, and quietly splashed into the water. Methodically, rhythmically, I reeled it back in, watching the ripples. As the lure was reeled back to its resting place, I started over. The lake looked so serene. It's not going anywhere. It doesn't have any appointments. Off in the distance, clouds were silent and still. Steam slowly rose from a nuclear power plant (no joke) and blended into the white puffy clouds above it. Birds fed, chirpped, flew. Turtles swam, creatures splashed, ducks floated. And, I fished. Over and over and over, the cycle of the cast and the reel. Of course, I didn't catch any fish, but that's hardly the point, is it?

I also saw a snake one night. Brown and black stripes. It was slithering in the shallow water next to the shore. Over rocks, under a tree root. It was fast, smooth, and quiet. It stopped for a prolonged time, several minutes. Then, continued its slithering, disappearing.

Several times, while taking an evening stroll, I've startled a bunny from its hiding place. Bursting from undergrowth, it darted across the field. I don't know if I've seen the same bunny more than once, but it looks like the same one. It stopped some distance away, facing me, and remained still. Motionless, it sat in the grass, watching me. Then, it darted away into the trees. Innocent, and so full of life.

One night I took a stroll down to the lake. I found myself picking up rocks and throwing them at fish! I would stare into the water until they swam around. Then, I would launch the rock at fastball speeds straight down, shocking the fish and sending it zig zagging away like a bolt of lightning. The rock splashed explosively, sending a burst of waves and bubbles. I don't know why I found this so funny. I guess violence toward small fish is always funny. But it also reveals something inside me. Something I can examine. Feelings, thoughts, swirlling about in the subconcious, brought to the surface through the meditative act of communing with nature.

evil dead

evildead
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

Ah, where to begin? How can I begin to describe this legacy in my life? I suppose I'll just start at the beginning.

I grew up in Morristown, Tennessee. For many years of my young pre-adolescent/post-adolescent life, I had heard of a film that was made in Morristown called Evil Dead. Of course, I wasn't curious enough to watch it. I'd seen the VHS case in the video store every time I skimmed over the horror section. I always hated that section. Gross VHS covers of ghouls, vampires, and other various twisted images. And, Evil Dead was no different. I turned my nose up at the thought of actually watching this schlock.

That was a long time ago.

When I hit college, and began getting interested (no, fascinated) with 80's horror, I remembered the Morristown, TN movie. So, one night I rented the VHS of Evil Dead with my friend Tim. My life, really, was changed.

"Evan, as your loyal blog reader, I'm wondering...how can a chintzy, low-budget, VHS 80's horror movie change your life?" Where, loyal blog reader, do I even begin?

First, I'll start with the film itself. Instantly, the fact that it was filmed in Morristown, TN, my alma matter, was the first big plus. Later, I was to find that it was filmed off the very road I lived on. "Really, Evan?" Absolutely. Literally one minute from where I lived. That's where it was filmed!

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. First, the film itself. It opens up with a band of miscreant college students riding in a car, as many 80's horror films do. The acting is bad, the writing is bad, and the cinematography is brilliant. It was like a spoof of an 80's slasher film. But, oh no, this was the real deal! These college "partiers" have rented a cabin up in the woods somewhere. They discover, I think in the basement, a "book of the dead" (original film title) with cantations, and some such nonsense. Unwittingly, they bring forth the evil in the woods, thus turning them into zombies, etc.

There are parts of this film where I had to stop the tape and rewind it. It wasn't because I was scared. It's because I was literally laughing so hard, tears were streaming down my face, and I missed chunks of the movie. ("chunks of the movie"...how true. It's quite gory.) I can safely say that almost nothing in my life, much less a movie, has ever made me laugh that hard. I don't even like most comedies, unless it's Will Ferrell. But, this one did it for me. Evil Dead is the funniest movie I have ever seen in my entire life. This film transcends the actual film genre into a new realm of genius. I won't go into the details of why, but you get the idea. The sequences of bloodshed are so over-the-top, yet so sincere. The filmmakers were obviously trying so hard to make something over-the-top scary, but instead, they made it over-the-top bloody, absurd, and beyond all reason. But, the creativity and candor of it really make it worthwhile.

Reason 2 that I love this film so much is because of the lead actor. I noticed him when I first watched Evil Dead. His acting bad, yes. His screen presence...something endearing, and so hilarious came through. He sort of ends up being the hero of the film. (or, at least, the only one who survives.) As I watched the end credits (after a brilliant final scene, I must add), I saw that his name was Bruce Campbell. He couldn't have been more than 22, or 23. Oh, I was so naive, loyal reader.

After that initial magical Evil Dead experience, I learned that this film had a cult following. And when I say cult following, I don't mean 30 people in a van wearing homemade Evil Dead patches in Nebraska. Nope, I'm talking about real cult following. They have conventions. Fan clubs. Web sites. Everything. The whole nine yards. There are people obsessed with this little film made in my neck of the woods.

And Bruce Campbell? He has become the hero, cult icon, of this film. He shows up at the conventions, oh, yes. He signs autographs. He caters to fans for hours and hours. In fact, he's made a living for the past 20 years doing it. And, he still does. He has even written a couple of books. I own If Chins Could Kill, and it's one of my favorite books. He recently came out with a new book called, "Making Love the Bruce Campbell Way." Yikes. Bruce also still acts and directs. He directed several episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess. (yeah, I know.) And, he has appeared in several films and tv shows. I won't bore you by listing them. My friend Benj, who is the king of movie extras, was an extra in a scene with Bruce Campbell! And, he even spoke to the man, the legend, himself!

Evil Dead has spawned two sequels. Evil Dead 2 (duh) and Army of Darkness. You may be wondering, who directed Evil Dead? A young man named Sam Raimi. He is now one of the most prominent directors in Hollywood. He directed The Quick and the Dead, For Love of the Game, and both Spiderman films. He has also produced a whole slew of tv shows and feature films. There is also speculation that there will be new Evil Dead sequels.

Here are some sites for hardcore fans. Even if you're not hardcore, these sites are still interesting:

Bruce Campbell Online - the official web site

Deadites - official Evil Dead fan site

Ladies of Evil Dead - official site of the women stars of Evil Dead (no, really.)

spin cycle

You ever feel like your life is on spin cycle, and you don't have much control over where it goes? I certainly do.

I also feel paralyzed by fears of failure, being "stuck", and drifting into miserable situations. I can't say everything I want to say in this blog right now, because it would come across as being far more bitter than I mean it. I will say, however, that my fears usually become self-fulfilling. That's the catch 22 of it. I know I'm being vague, but I don't want to beat dead horses.

INNOCENT: my initial reaction

michael jackson trial
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

I can't believe it. Micheal Jackson has been found NOT GUILTY on all 10 charges against him. That includes, giving intoxication agents to a minor with the intent to commit a felony, and conspiracy.

As I was watching the trial, I had several initial reactions. First, I found the crowd outside the courtroom hilarious! A middle aged white woman was releasing doves. They had to put one person on a stretcher and haul them away in an ambulance. There was cheering, and it was crazy. I was laughing out loud.

I was also shocked by the verdict itself. I expected Michael to be found guilty on at least one count. Even if it was a minor offense, it seemd like too much smoke for no fire. But, no. Innocent on all ten counts.

I also felt sad when I saw how somber Michael was as he walked out of the courtroom. Or, I should say, groggily shuffled out. They said on the news that if there was an outburst in the courtroom when the verdict was read, then there would be consequences. So, maybe The Gloved One was down playing his emotions. Weird, weird, weird.

My hope is that Michael is truly innocent. I feel odd about the verdict. On one hand, I celebrate it, as a fan. The cynical side of me, however, feels suspicious that this could be another...dare I even type this name...OJ Simpson situation. We'll see. We'll see what happens as the next bizarre chapters in Michael's saga unfold.

wading through peanut butter

I am a stout believer that people accept the consequences of their actions. I also believe that people don't end up in their station in life by accident. I believe in hard work, determination, intelligence, and all the things that drive a person.
My position in life right now, however, has me scratching my head and asking questions. How come I can't find a job? What's the deal with my family? Why are we moving? Where did my new girlfriend come from? How is it that all these things are happening to me, and I'm not doing anything? It's all just an odd sort of whirlwind. I'm caught in a storm. And, the goals I'm working toward?...Well, it's like trying to wade through peanut butter to get there. Neck high. And, I'm apparently doing something wrong.
I don't consider myself a very good actor. But, I haven't been in a play in a long, long time. And, I'm beginning to miss it. Times are strange. I'm desperately searching for a balance in my life, but the storm is rocking my little boat too much.
While it's out in the open, I do have a new girlfriend. It's incredible. But, maybe I'll blog more on that later.

make a difference

Brad Pitt in Africa
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

proverbs 22:9
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

I have a desire. The desire is to talk about my deep impressions of seeing poverty, sickness, and starvation in Africa without sounding preachy. After seeing the special on television tonight, I have a deep compassion for the poor people in Africa.

It is encouraging to see platinum celebrities such as Bono and Brad Pitt genuinely reaching out for such a worthy endeavor. Hopefully their celebrity status will get attention to the problems of starvation and poverty in Africa, and prompt people to do something about it.

My friend Les has sponsored and African child for a small fee every month. I was always curious about it. Now, after seeing the film Hotel Rwanda, hearing about the genocide in Darfur, and seeing Brad Pitt's passion for Africa, I have made a concious decision. When I have the means, I want to give money to African aid, and sponsor a child. It's a staggeringly small amount of money that can change someone's life. Click here to find out more about the effort.

NoHo Diner

As you may or may not know, I left California in misery. I felt that my adventures there ended on a high note with a fantastic two day excursion to fabulous Las Vegas! (another blog for another time) But, with all the reasons for moving back to the lovely southeast, I am beginning to miss things about California.

One such thing would be a fantastic little diner a couple of minutes from my apartment called the NoHo Diner. (North Hollywood Diner.) This place had a lot of character. The waitresses were women who were mostly close to the "senior" phase of their lives, if you get my drift. The setting of this diner had a lot of character, and a lot of regulars. I went there, on average, at least once per week. And, every time I would order the burger and fries. It was one of the best burgers I've ever had.

My friend Travis introduced me to this eighth wonder of the world. He was a big fan. He always got the #12, one waffle, bacon, and orange juice. It was the real deal.

This diner was an intrical part of my social life in L.A. Travis took me there one of the first days I was in Hollywood. My friends and I would frequently meet there, since it was open 24 hours per day. It was a weird solace area where we could absorb the strangeness of the environment, have a quality cup of coffee, and have a center of reference for our social meetings.

I've met some interesting people in the diner. A homeless man, a couple of transvestites, and the guy who played Chekov in the original Star Trek. I used to sit out in the outside seating area, that was sort of outside, but it had a roof over it. I loved the fresh air breeze, and the frequent blaring car alarms. Such a strange thing to miss, but there was just nothing like it.

texas chainsaw massacre

tcm
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

I am a big 70's/80's horror film fan. They are usually clunky, low-budget, saturated with bad acting, and filled with wonderful "special effects." I sometimes wonder how these films get made, and all these elements are part of the appeal. These movies are rarely scarey, but it's kind of fun when they are.

I'll start by telling you my favorite of all time: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I always go into these films expecting them to be really bad. That's the fun. So, I rented the ancient VHS copy of TCM, popped it in the VCR, and my life was changed. Yes, the acting is bad. Yes, it's low budget. And it is a rare cinematic genius.

The film takes place in Texas (duh). Many of the shots are hot open road, blazing in the sun. The opening scenes of the sun, and the voice over by John Larroquette, are stunning. The sound effects are great. It is revealed that a group of unknown grave robbers have stolen some corpses from a local graveyard.

Then the action begins. A group of somewhat miscreant teens/early 20's kids is traveling to vacation at one of their grandfather's old houses. The dialouge is hokey, and the "performances" are clearly amateur. The first third of this film has some fantastic shots, creative angles, but other than that it's kind of slow. I was wondering why I had heard about this movie so much, and why some considered it classic. I was assuming it would probably go over my head.

Gradually, this film's true persona unravels. Like poetry, the pace of the film draws you in and scares your pants off! Surprisingly, there is very little, if any, blood. There is a bit of gore, but clearly would be PG-13 by today's standards. No, this isn't a slasher film. This is a suspenseful and psychological horror. By the time you're introduced to Leatherface, the notorious TCM killer, the pace of the film picks up, more ultra-bizarre freaks are introduced in the film, and the ending is simply unbelievable. I don't want to ruin it by explaining details, but I'll just tell you, it's wondrous. This is one of the most demented films I've ever seen, but not really offensive. Just bizarre, and a little scary. There are a few films I would actually consider poems. Most of them are Stanley Kubrick films. But, Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is truly a cinematic poem. Rare, and artistically pure.

new challenges

So, the other day I was watching TV. A Clearasil commercial came on, and I thought the girl in the commercial was familiar. Alas, I knew her! A wonderful moment! And, I was watching (yes, I admit) the Disney show That's So Raven and I saw another guy I auditioned for once. I saw a sitcom tonight that I went to a taping of, and I also saw 'ol Uncle Chuck Norris on the tube tonight. Friendly and strange reminders of a life I once lived. A life that only a handful of people know much about. It kind of makes me sad to have this year of life that's kind of a blank spot for so many friends and family. I wanted to bring more people into that world, but things had a way of working out differently. I still find that tough to accept. But, I soldier on in this new world. These new circumstances call for a different mindset. I struggle with the challenge, but I welcome new challenges. I don't believe in predestination (if you're not familiar with predestination, do yourself a favor and don't even ask), but I do believe that we all meet our destiny in one way or another. We have a responsibility to make choices. That is our power. We humans don't have much power beyond decision making. That's why I fight myself inwardly every day to make the right choices, and so often fail. But, I know the road to my ultimate destiny will inevitably be fulfilled. Uh,...I hope.