My strange life in England

I've only been here in London for three days, but it feels like much much longer. I am in a coed flat-- two guys and three girls. Separate bedrooms and, thank goodness, two bathrooms, but a shared kitchen and living room. It's like I'm in undergrad again. And my roommates are fun, but a little bit nuts. Especially this one girl--she is a crazy party girl. She has truly gone wild. No, I have not slept with her. However, I cannot say the same about my roommate. Last night I slept on the couch.

Yes, it is a reality show.

I'm probably too old for this. Especially now, I'm in desperate need for some alone time. Fortunately a whole bunch of people in the program are spending this weekend in Amsterdam, including the party girl. Don't get me wrong-- I actually like her and in general I've been drinking and socializing a lot-- a good time-- but I would like some more time to myself to check out museums and theatre.

I have not spent much time being introspective yet this summer-- this trip to London is a bit too distracting for any of that-- but it is in the back of my mind. Being here does make me want to travel more-- maybe get a job that lets me travel all the time.

I will post pictures soon!

Stay tuned...

Sorry, everyone, I've been down at the beach with family. And now I'm about to head out to the airport to fly to England for three weeks. BUT FEAR NOT. I will have internet access there and will do my best to post all the wackiness from London. Cheerio.

NOW I'm gonna work

Okay, I've spent the weekend and Monday recreationally. But when my family is around, especially my nephews (2 years old and 4 years old), who can think about work? There will be enough time this summer when they are all off doing their own things and isn't that a better time to work on myself and my projects? The answer to all of this, dear reader(s), is yes. So if ask you this in real life, you know what to say.

I want to put more photos on this blog but I need to figure out my father's computer first. Stay tuned...

Day of Relaxment and Enjoyation

Today I...

mowed my parents lawns, front and back,

fought with my mother,

went to a Phillies game with mother, brother, and sister.

Overall, a very good day. Sure, there was that little tiff with my mother. But it was short and quickly forgotten. The Phillies lost, but the game was exciting anyway--lots of exciting plays at the plate, etc. And I really actually enjoyed mowing the lawn. I don't get to participate in physical labor that much. I have no lawns to mow or decks to build or houses to maintain. I can see why so many suburbanites enjoy it all. Maybe I'm turning into a podperson, but it is really satisfying to push a machine across the yard and watch the square patch of tall grass get smaller and smaller.

Really? Am I getting that old? Yeah, maybe so. Can't I still be young and old at the same time though? Why does all this lawnmowing mean I can't still enjoy hanging out at a bar, taking risks, or playing the fool?

It doesn't, Roger. You can do it. Yes you can. Barack Obama says so.

Day Two on This Strange Planet

Yesterday I walked around Crum Creek in my hometown. It runs through Swarthmore College's woods. It was very nice and relaxing and thought-provoking. I got very introspective, especially when I wandered over to the train tressel where so many have jumped or fallen to their deaths over the years. There I saw many spraypainted messages that show (1) how hippie Swarthmore College is...



(2) how poetic (this says "only intelligence considers options. I am somewhere lost in the wind")...



and (3) how encouraging...



Today has not been so poignant. I've spent most of it so far wrestling with my father's computer, trying to get the wireless router to work so I can post important blog entries like this one from my own laptop. So far? Computer 1, Roger 0.

Next week, starting on Monday, I plan to be much more creatively productive.

East Coast Love

So now I'm done with FINALS!!! Thank Christ. Now I'm back in Philly staying with the 'rents. (is it still cool to call them "'rents"?) It's hard for me to process that I will be here until mid-August. My body is like a pet that has been trained for a certain routine-- come home, relax for a few days, then get the hell out-- and it feels very confused when I tell it we'll be around for most of three months.

I packed two large suitcases to the brim for this "trip." One barely made it under the weight limit, and that was only because the nice Southwest airlines employee gave me a half-pound "grace period." 50.5 pounds. That's how heavy one bag is. What can I say? I have a lot of clothes, shoes, and make-up.

It's actually books, board games, and sheet music that makes up most of the weight. I needed to bring more of my recreational items if I'm gonna be here for that long. Speaking of which, I guess this is Day 1 in my summer of productivity. My #1 project is making this family documentary-- and in the process practice editing skills that I can hopefully use back in L.A. I wish I'd brought my good video camera from my apartment. Oh well. My #2 project is a little more vague: I'm thinking either I'll write a musical or a one-man show or a combination thereof. Anyway, I don't think I'll start working right away on any of this so maybe this shouldn't be Day #1. After all this studying, I think I deserve at least a few days of relaxing with my family before trudging down the creative path.

We'll see how it goes.

A Quest For A Time Machine to Take Me Forward 36 Hours

Tomorrow is my final final. I just want it to be over. A lot of myself is already waiting for me on the other side. It's already over there at Tuesday, relaxing, having fun, and taunting me. Mmmmm, ahhhhh, ohhhhh all this free time! It's sooooooo goooood! Screw you, Tuesday self, I have to concentrate.

This blog will get deeper, I swear

But for now you'll just have to settle for short posts about nothing much.

I took the second of the three tests I must pass. One more and I will reach the chamber that houses the holy grail. My last test is multiple choice. Let's hope... that I... choose... wisely.

Anyway, again I'm buzzing from the weight that's been lifted off my chest. I don't know where all this is taking me, but I sure am enjoying getting off the ride.

I guess, in all seriousness, being back in school is making me think long and hard about how much I want to accomplish with my life and how much I want to have fun. Of course, the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but a lot of things worth having take a lot of putting that proverbial nose to that proverbial grindstone. Right now I really would like to be acting in a show. That's still work, but it's fantastic work. I haven't been doing this law school thing because I don't like acting anymore. I'm just exhausted from years of looking for acting work. That's the shitty part. When I am acting or performing, there's nothing I'd rather be doing, but everything before and after the times I'm acting-- the auditioning, the rejections, the mailing of headshots, and the lifestyle of living hand-to-mouth-- has gotten really old. After all, I'm in my thirties now. I look around me and life seems like it has sped up tenfold. I don't necessarily feel like I need to have arrived at a destination by now, but I do feel like the scenery out the driver-side window should have started to change. I need more stability now than ten years ago. Not too much stability, but enough to make me feel like I've built a foundation of something.

Alright, now it's too late and I wasn't supposed to get all deep yet. To bring us back...

fart.

Much better.

I am an old man who doesn't understand these things

Uhh, I figured the link in the last post would just naturally be a hyperlink you could click on. I was wrong. I don't know how to make it do what I want. If you wanna see the youtube-- as the kids call it-- you're just gonna have to copy the link to your...

Uhh...

space-up-top place.

A post about nothing, just to prove I can

That's right. I'm trying to get myself to post more often, even if I don't think I have anything to say. Cuz perhaps I will come up with something as I type. Ya know? Maybe something brilliant and poignant will spring forth from my fingers as I write this. Vuvuvuvuvu. Mumoooooooo. Yeah. That's improv. I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. And I'm loving every minute. Anything goes! Meany meany mimimimi. Hey hey I'm a monkey. The people can kiss my bootay! Oh yeah.

Wow.

I guess I was wrong. Improvising blog posts is not such a great idea after all.

But I am enjoying watching really great improv on youtube. My favorite thing on Whose Line is It Anyway? is always when Ryan and Colin do the Sound Effects game. They are brilliant. Here's a good one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_MLpgGlLC0&feature=related

Love it.

One down...

Just finished taking my first final exam of law school. It feels great to have that one out of the way. I have no idea if I did well or if I tanked it. Probably the latter. But I'm buzzing anyway. Just the feeling of having a stress lifted is what's doing it, I think.

Maybe that's what I really want more of in my life. What I crave. That feeling of accomplishment. Maybe it doesn't really matter what I do, as long as I feel accomplished after doing it. They should make a drug that gives you a feeling of accomplishment. Maybe they do. Would that be speed? Never having taken anything stronger than marijuana (that I know of), I wouldn't know. If anyone can recommend a drug for that feeling of accomplishment, I'm all ears. And don't say life. I like getting high on life, but sometimes it's hard to find some good shit.

Anyway, now on to study for the next test on Friday. Then one last one on Monday night and then I fly east to Philly. I cannot wait.