Mods and Rockers
At The Egyptian Theatre it was the Mods and Rockers festival.
Today they had a Member's party in the courtyard. The Gear played and entertained the crowd with great hits from the 60s.
I decided to keep my original volunteer shift. Otherwise, I would only sit home and worry. Might as well keep to the regular schedule.
I did the Members check-in to make sure only Members were admitted into the party.
Usually, I like to chat with the people during these parties. But I am still to numb and worried from last Wednesdays medical tests.
As I watched everyone having a great time dancing to the fun 60s music, I just sat there feeling numb.
After it was all over, I thought about taking pictures. I am so addicted to Flickr
and these would have been great pictures to add. But I didn't even think of it until it was over.
After the party, a friend met up with me. We went over to The Pig & Whistle Restaurant and had dinner.
I had a great chicken cobb salad, and thinking of cancer as a possibility I passed on the bacon bits. We just sat and chatted. I told her all about my medical tests and what the doctor had said about the spot being abstract shaped. I wasn't in much of a mood to talk about anything else.
Bad news
Even though the date above says July 6, I am actually writing this around 24th. I am way behind on my entries. At this point I don't really know f I want to continue making entries. I don't know what I want to do.
Life has taken a turn for the worse.
Turns out that my routine Mammogram showed something that wasn't supposed to be there. So on July 6, I went in for an Ultrasound of my left breast, and a spot mammogram.
I have had cysts in the past and I had to do this, so no big deal, right ?
Wrong, it was a big deal.
As the doctor, technician, whoever she was, explained to me ... showing me the breast ultrasound - the mass was not round. A round mass would be a cyst. This darkened area has uneven edges. Kind of Abstract. Looking at the Ultrasound monitor, it reminded me of a Picasso painting .
The doctor went on to explain that because the edges were uneven, I need to come back for a Biopsy on my left breast.
Not the most fun thing in the world, but I have to do what I have to do. When they say things like this, it gives you no other choice.
Lazy 4th of July
I slept in.
I went to the Internet Cafe . I mainly fiddled around with my Flickr account, while I had a hamburger. I am becoming very addicted to Flickr.
Then I went back over to Arclight Cinemas . This time to see Mr & Mrs Smith .
This was a really fun, action-packed movie. Humor, Romance and Things blowing Up. Hmmm, that could be the perfect combination.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play a couple who are married. Both have jobs as assassins, but the other one doesn't know about it.
I thought it was very interesting that their next door neighbors were portrayed as Born-again Christians. There was a Fish bumper sticker on their car. And Brad & Angelina stole their jackets that said "What would Jesus do?" from the finished dry-cleaning.
Of course, this just adds to the humor. Here are two assassins, living next door to a nice born-again Christian family.
Anyway, it was nice to see a religious family portrayed as "the nice guys".
I also thought it was interesting that Angelina seemed to be covering up the logo on her jacket with her hair. While Brad, I guess couldn't' cover it up or didn't. But for whatever reason, Angelina's was covered by her hair. I thought maybe she was trying to be respectful.
Oh wait a minute ... in real life, she stole a man away from his wife.
Ok, never mind, forget it.
But Mr & Mrs Smith is an action-packed, funny movie. And I enjoyed it for the entertainment value.
I ended up taking some pictures in the Arclight Courtyard.
Calling the Police
Last night as I came home from the movies I notices a Tent set up on the lawn, in front of the apartment building next door. I am pretty sure it was there when I left on Sunday morning. So it had been there a whole day.
Its a camping tent, like you take up to the mountains. On the patch of lawn, right in front of my neighboring apartment building.
Plus, there is a shopping cart right next to it.
Oh, Oh....
I call my Landords.
I ask "Do you know anything about this Tent that is set-up next door?"
Landlord: "No, I don't know nothing. Its not on our property"
Me: "Don't you think it should be taken down?"
Landlord : "Why ? Is bothering you?"
Me: "Well, I don't think its safe. It not to far from the windows of our building."
Landlord: "But nothings happened."
Me: "Well, there could be a homeless person living there."
Landlord : "Well, its not our building."
Me: "Well, I don't feel safe. I am going to call the police."
Landlord "Sure, call the police if you don't feel good."
So on one of the busiest times of the year - the Fourth of July Weekend - I dial 911 .
Me: Hi, there is a Tent set-up in front of the apartment building next door to where I live. This is a residential area, so I am worried about the tent being there. I think it was there last night too."
911 : "Have you seen anyone near the tent?"
Me: "No, but there is a grocery cart right next to it"
911: "Oh.....Okay, we can have someone come by and check it out".
I have to admit that I really didn't think that the LAPD would have time on such a busy weekend to answer such a low-level phone call.
But when I drove off this morning, the tent was gone. So it looks to me like the Police did come by, and they did move the poor person along.
I hope they took him to a shelter, instead of just packing him up and kicking him out. Its such a shame that a person has to live like that, on a tent in the streets. I hope the police were able to somehow get him some help.
Penguin Movies on Sunday
After my busy morning in church, I went home and crashed. Its been a long time since I actually have taken a long nap on a Sunday afternoon. But after this morning, I need it.
I managed to wake-up in enough time, to make it over to the Arclight Cinemas
I decided to see two movies, and make it a double-feature.
I got a ticket for "Madagascar" . And then a ticket for "March of The Penguins" .
The Ticket Person looked at my Arclight Card and said "You have enough points for a free movie."
So... I only had to pay for one movie.
"Madagascar" was really cute. I enjoyed it. I liked the idea of the animals wanting to get out of the confines of a zoo, and break free to go home to their natural habitat. They don't realize how easy their life is not having to be hunters out in the wild.
I am sure my cat would disagree - she's perfectly happy laying on the couch all day and having her food in her dish. She has no desire to even make it into the hallway of the apartment, let alone some natural habitat of her ancestors.
My favorite part in "Madagascar" is when the penguins arrive at their homeland which is freezing and covered in snow, they realize they've made a big mistake, and head for the warmer climate. Very funny.
Then I saw "March of the Penguins", which is now my favorite movie of the year. Take my recommendation, this movie is wonderful.
And I really don't usually like documentaries. Don't let the label "Documentary" scare you away, it is a great movie - Emotional and Interesting. I think if ever a Documentary should be nominated for an Best Picture Oscar, this is it. Those poor penguins, trudging back and forth just to have babies - its alot of work .
So two movies with Penguins in one day !
penguins are cute. Whether they are animated and escaping from the zoo. Or really fighting for survival in Antarctic. Penguins are just cute.
Sunday Church & BBQ
Today was my first Sunday of getting up extra-early to teach the 3 year olds Sunday school. Yes, I was sitting there drinking my half-caf coffee thinking "Why did I agree to this?" I mean, on most work-days I don't have to get there until 9:30 am. Now, here it is Sunday, and I have to be there at 9:15.The fact that its only 10 minutes away, makes it alittle easier... but its still early.
I grabbed my South Beach Meal Replacement Bar , munched it in the car on the drive over, and got to Church early, about 9-ish.
The thing was that I also had to find a refrigerator for the 2 pasta salads that I had made for the afternoon BBQ. Luckily, there was one not far away from the classrooms. Its the same place I have to pick up the graham crackers and apple juice for the kids.
Being with the 3 year olds for around an hour and a half, was fun. Exhausting. But fun. They are all great kids, and they have a ton of energy.
Most of the kids when they arrive, just dive into the classroom because it is filled with toys. There are one or two who pout or cry and cling to their parents, but I guess thats to be expected.
Next to the classroom, there is a little miniature chapel, with 3-year old sized pews. Its really cute. We have our Bible story in there.
Then after the Bible story, we head to the other side of the classroom for the graham crackers and apple juice.
The other teacher was still reading a story to one little boy, so it was my job to serve the 8 other kids their juice and graham crackers.
I had given them all some, and said "Ok, go ahead and start eating".
Nothing - they all just sat there looking at me.
"Hey, you can eat your graham crackers now. Go ahead".
Still no response. They all just sat there.
Finally, one little girl said "Teacher, aren't we going to say a prayer first?"
Oh, yeah, Duh.... this is Sunday School, and I'm the teacher and we need to say Grace before we eat.
I said "Oh, thats right ! Thank you for reminding me !". And I said Grace.
Towards the end of our class time, the teachers for the next shift started to arrive. Many of the kids stay in the classroom all morning, because their parents might go to two different Services.
I got my salads from the fridge and headed over to the CUE service. I am on the "Event Team", so it was part of my job to help organize the Fourth of July BBQ. When I arrived one of the other Event Team members was organizing the food that people were bringing for the potluck.
I gave her my Salads, and said "Is there anything I can do?"
She said yes, she really needed to sit down because they had been busy for the last hour and asked if I could take the food, and put in down on the table in the section where it belongs. So I did that for about another 15 minutes.
Then after the Service was over, we organized the BBQ Grills outside the door. And brought tables and chairs into the back of church. And organized the food and drinks along the back table/bar area.
It was while looking for things, that I lifted a cover along the wall, and saw a row of hard Liquor bottles, Vodka, Tequila, Rum, behind lock and key all along the back bar area that is in the back of church. Gee, I didn't realized we were meeting in a functioning Bar. I thought it was church property.
I guess not.
Later on in the week, one of the numerous Los Angeles area mailing lists I belong to, sent me an invitation to a new Club that is opening on Saturday nights ... I looked at the address... and guess what - yeah, its the building where I go to church.
Only in Hollywood.
