:: Life on Planet Dan-E ::

:: One Year in Miami and all I got was this Stupid T-Shirt ::

Today marks the One Year anniversary of my move to South Miami Beach (technically, I arrived September 23rd but I spent most of that day on a plane so it doesn't count). Looking back, I can't believe it's already been one year while at the same I time, I can't believe it's only been one year. What a change, what an adventure. Knowing that this day was coming up, I spent some time ? mainly trying to avoid doing schoolwork ? reflecting on some of the differences in my life.

- Let's start with the easy stuff: In SoCal, I had a car; now I walk a lot more.

- My hair is considerably longer, not surprising since I haven't cut it since I moved.

- My exercise routine has changed, in that I actually exercise now. Kidding. Before I was something of a gym rat but now that I don't have a gym membership, I've resorted to running around a track at the nearby park. Something of a minor feat since while I like working out, I hate running. Even more than I hate light beer.

- I'm more disciplined now. It all started when I tried out the Atkins diet a couple of years ago and I've maintained (most of) that discipline to this point. And yet...

- ...I can be such a lazy bastard. Never more apparent then my sleeping pattern when school is not in session. Sleeping in till 2-3pm isn't uncommon, and even then it's still another couple of hours before I drag my lazy ass out of the bed.

- I use a lot more profanity. I'm not really proud of this nor can I pinpoint when this started back up. It doesn't bother me really that I cuss more; it gives me pause since it probably should.

- I eat healthier. Not Atkins or anything but, healthier. I'm also thinner. Or rather, less fat.

- As if it was possible my humor has gotten even drier.

- I've discovered I really like bars, though I still don't like clubs. Not really surprising considering one my of my favorite places back home is Hennessey's Tavern.

- I used to play tennis, volleyball, football, and softball fairly regularly. Here I play soccer. I hate soccer. Almost as much as I hate running. And NO I will never call it football.

- I've discovered that I can be a pretty good server so if the economy tanks again or this advertising thing doesn't work out, I can always make a decent living working at a nice restaurant. I'm still wondering if that's a good thing.

- Despite my dryness, I'm funnier here. While I still get plenty of blank stares, I tend to garner more laughter than back in LA. I wonder if it's an East Coast thing.

- I flirt a lot more. It's not really a case of women of the East Coast vs. West Coast but rather, my old circle of friends contained way too many uptight women.

- Going the first 9 months here without a TV, I've learned that I have a unique ability to find new ways to goof off. Again, I don't know if this is a good thing.

I could probably go on but this list is long enough as it is and sometimes, it gets a little dull writing about myself.`

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 7:23 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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Thanks to the requisite scheduling changes resulting from the onslaught of several unwelcome hurricanes, I've spent the last few days finishing up final projects and tying up other loose ends for school. I should be at the beach soaking up the rays or at the bar watching a ball game or something but this unintended extension has the benfit of fewer people running around school stressed out of their minds, almost ready to sucker punch the next person that even looks at them funny.

Most of the work I've been doing the last week has been with partners who were/are taking off during the break so we can finishing up stuff before they leave. Anal-retentive perfectionist that I am, I've been tinkering endlessly with stuff I'm doing on my own and it's proven to be... frustrating. And yet, not unlike the breathless pace I was going on last quarter, there's still that warped side of me that's enjoying this.

There really is something wrong with me.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 2:24 AM [+] :: | 0 comments
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I just got off the phone with my parents. I told them I'm on break for the next two weeks and they offered to buy me a ticket back to LA so i could stay for a week or so. I declined.

Is that wierd?

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 3:41 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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it's a moot point now but stuff like this isn't really encouraging. I mean, I know hurricanes are difficult to predict but, come on. My personal favorite is "UKMET."

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 3:26 AM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: WTF??? ::

Move over "Women of Home Depot," "Women of Enron," "College Hotties" and even "Women of Starbucks." Playboy is now in search ladies to grace it's latest gimic: "Women of McDonalds." I couldn't make this shit up if I tried.

Now, based on my many, many, many (many, many) trips to the golden arches in years past, this is going to be the most grotesque things to come out of Playboy, surpassing even the microbe-laden oil slick everyone is covered with when emerging from their infamous grotto.

Unless of course, you're aroused by overweight chicks who lack the aptitude to make it in any other line of work. I'm not uncluding the hard-working teens who work there to earn a little extra cash and learn a thing or two about hard work but it begs the question: how many people seek employment at McDonalds thinking "today, fry cook. Tomorrow, cheesy magazine pictorial!"

One can only surmise that Hefner is finally succumbing to the effects of either Alzheimers, dementia, or quite possibly, pity.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 2:32 AM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: So Miami's Going to Hell in a Handbasket ::

"It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine" - Michael Stipe

So the entire Florida peninsula and a considerable part of the Caribbean is doomed to a fate of fire and brimstone, only instead of fire and brimstone it’s high winds, heavy rain and flying lawn furniture. Or at least that’s the prevailing mentality of some of the more melodramatic Miami natives. You can see why they might feel this way - hurricanes are a major a factor in Florida the same way earthquakes are in California, tornados are in trailer parks, and inbreeding in the deep south – you typically only see storms Category 4 or higher once every few years but to see three in such rapid succession would make one wonder if they somehow pissed off God in ways unimaginable. You know, unpardonable sins like red wine with fish, white pants after Labor Day, ordering steak well done, that sort of crap.

Some of this mentality has permeated to the people who run the school. When we returned to school earlier this week, we were told the due dates for our assignments were moved back a week to next Monday. Now, everything has been moved back to the “first day of the next quarter.” Also, the graduation scheduled for next week is postponed until December.

Now I understand the “better safe than sorry” mindset and all and this has been a freakish season but some people really need to calm down. The Doppler has Ivy (Ivan) skirting the west coast of Florida sometime next Tuesday and it’s still an iffy thing. I really don’t mind the inclement weather; if it happens it happens; it’s the whole thing of putting your life on hold for a few days that’s driving me a little stir-crazy.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 1:34 AM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Back Home ::

I'm back in South Beach simply riding out the tail end of Frances... that doesn't sound dirty does it?... and waiting for normalcy to return, at least what passes for normalcy in this city. This whole experience is pretty much what I expected it to be; not much excitement, nothing to write home about. Still it's better to be safe than sorry and I did take precautionary measures like everyone else. Given the nature of the people I was traveling with, we wanted to make sure we had everything we would need to survive, as well as enough booze for a hurricane party. Before heading out to Plantation, RB and I made sure we had enough beer (as well as some choice tequila) to last two hurricanes. We brought food, too.

What's a hurricane party like? If ours was any indication, there's a lot of drinking, sitting around, drinking, talking, and drinking, Is it sad that I still didn't get drunk over the weekend? I guess it's nice to have about 200 pounds worth of flesh loaded up with a large dinner to absorb a large intake of alcohol. Then again, I don't know too many people who get drunk off beer. Tequila on the other hand...

What is sad that all four of us brought our laptops so we could get some work done (ostensibly) but didn't actually do anything of substance. We talked a lot about it, and discussed ideas but actual work? Nah. There's something about being cooped up in a large, comfotable house sheltered from gloomy weather, listening to the steady pounding of precipitation and swirling wind that can cause a high degree of lethargy. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Anyway, I hope everyone out there makes it back safely.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 10:56 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Evacuation Complete ::

I've evacuated South Florida with three other friends from school and we're now out in Plantation, Florida in my friend's sister's place. I gotta tell ya, this house is much better than any shelter I could have gone to. It's a spacious, two story, five bedroom house in a quiet neighborhood and unlike, say, a shelter, it has carpeting and Internet access. This should be an interesting weekend.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 8:36 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Ya gotta Hate Being Right all the Time ::

The Florida Marlins are currently on a seven-game win streak, as well as having won 10 of their last 12 games. Thanks to Frances, most of the weekend's games have been postponed. They've been playing solid baseball since the all star break and one local reporter, with a penchant for hyperbole and conjecture, quipped a couple of week ago that the only thing that could stop the Marlins from making the playoffs was an "act of God."

Sometimes, you just hate being right.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 2:59 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: What, Me Worry? ::

If anything good comes out of Hurricane Frances for me on a personal level, it's that it's nice to know that I have a few friends that are concerned for my well being. Even though it's mostly because I'm responsible for finishing up the final projects, I'll take it. (Just kidding Carolina.)

I was doing a little walking around today trying to finish up some filming for a project and one can't help but feel the tangible difference in, for lack of a better word, atmosphere. People are harried. The usually jovial looks are replaced by anything from denial to concern to fright. Going back to yesterday's earthquake analogy, no one can predict and earthquake so there aren't steps that people take to prepare for one. Here,there are people walking around with water jugs, luggage, bags of canned food, and heavy faces.

Yet, I've been feeling strangely, relatively nonchalant, almost incousiant about this. My partner MK has been nagging me about putting together a plan to get the hell out of Dodge. Plan A was always to take myself to a shelter and wait it out there but it seems almost everyone else here is trying to get a carpool together to, well, anywhere else so I've spent the last few hours seeing if anyone else is leaving and if they have room for one more.

Maybe it's because I've been through natural disasters, having grown up in earthquake country. I've experienced the tremors firsthand (and yeah, I'm on of those freaks that doesn't feel anything under 5.0 on the Richter Scale) as well as having friends who've lost valuable prosessions. Fortunately, I haven't lost any actual friends to earthquakes. I guess I've accepted the idea that natural disasters, however unfortunate, are a part of life.

i should probably mention that I do appreciate the people who are looking our for my personal safety. And don't worry, the projects are gonna get done =P

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 5:09 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: We're gonna get some Weather ::

I never bothered mentioning the last hurricane that came through Florida since Miami was never really in any danger. Hurricane Francis seems to be another matter, being as it a few of the South Florida natives have expressed some concerns to me. I suppose I should be more worried but having grown up in earthquake country, I've gotten used to experiencing violent forces of nature. Then again, I've never had the experience of being bused to a hurricane shelter either so we'll see how that goes, should that need arise.

One major difference between earthquakes and hurricanes; no one can predict when an earthquake will occur but hurricanes, while not completely predictable, does give you a few days warning about where and when it'll strike. (Well, that and one is a ground tremor and the other is really, REALLY windy.) As it stands now, Frank is supposed to hit the Palm Beach area, which is a good 60-70 miles north of us. That doesn't mean Miami is completely out of the woods, since we'll experience some heavy precipitation, high winds, possibly a swarm of locusts, and maybe, just maybe, the death of every firstborn child. So I found it interesting as to how many people in our area is hoping that it stays its course. It’s that "yeah they're screwed but better them than us" mentality and I caught myself thinking the same thing. I was joking earlier tonight with a friend of mine saying "doesn't this hurricane know that we have finals next week?! The nerve!"

I guess it boils down to which area God hates more: West Palm or Miami Beach? Who'd he rather take out: rich, stuffy old folks or a city full of self-indulgent hedonists? Come on now, if you can't find humor in a natural disaster, you're just not trying. Yeah, I’m going to hell.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 10:11 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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