SICKO and the US Healthcare System

Michael Moore's latest film SICKO will be released this upcoming weekend to nationwide audiences. I'm not a huge fan of Michael Moore and his antics, but I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this film. Today, I want to encourage everyone to see it because the issue of health care in this country is affecting millions of Americans on a daily basis. I take a lot of interest now in the subject because this topic has personally impacted my own family to a huge extent, costing us thousands upon thousands of dollars. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, this is a huge issue that will likely impact you at some point in your life. The costs of health care, and the unbelievable amounts of money that are needed to get prescription drugs in this country are absurd. Now, I don't want to rant too much about the drug aspect because I know that I will offend all of my friends back East that work for major pharmaceutical companies. But I will say that I think they are partly to blame as well (yes, I know that they are a great place to work, I know, I know. I'm not saying that). I just think that it's very wrong to push drugs on people the way that they do at times, because I know from personal experience that many times the drugs are not needed and cause more damage than good. Drugs can obviously be a good thing, but there is a fine line between what people really need and what sales reps are pushing and/or what doctors are prescribing on a daily basis.

I just hope that people will learn about the issues at hand for the upcoming 2008 election. For example, did you know that because I now have a pre-existing condition that most insurance companies will not even cover me? I have to pay almost $500/month for health insurance, only for myself. Think about that. That's $6,000/year. I've had to go through enough already, is this really what I should have to deal with now? This is only one example of how so many people are impacted by the corruption of our countries health care system. All I'm asking is that you take note, and learn about the issue. It may not affect you now, but it could in the future. I'm worried about our future. There are so many good people in this country that are unfortunate enough to deal with illness, they should not have to worry about astronomical medical payments on top of everything else.

And if the policy doesn't change in 2008? Well, maybe I'll just find a nice Swedish boy to marry.

Evening

I took a lot of interest in this film because it was written by one of the same writers that worked on The Hours. Since I worked on The Hours with Scott Rudin in 2000 during the filming, I knew that this would have a similar feel to it. And it did. A chick flick for sure -- well worth seeing.

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3626

The Naked News

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Music and More

This month, I'm focusing on music. For work and for play. I love the music scene in creative LA. It's the best in our great nation, with Nashville close behind. Los Angeles has the most ridiculous radio stations (no need for Satellite out here, there are too many to count) and the best part about it is that all the famous DJ's that you think only do weekend shows on the East Coast... well, they are all actually the morning talents out here. Ryan Seacrest, Rick Dees, Leeza Gibbons, etc. On-air interviews with celebs and rock stars happen at least 4-5 times a day, and celebrity news that you read in US Weekly breaks on-air (sometimes with celebs calling in) at least 2-3 days before it hits the national circuit. There's even an Indie station that lets celebs guest DJ. My favorite time to tune in is when John Cusack is spinning on Saturday afternoons on 103.1.

One of my favorite things to tune into are the album release shows that LA stations host on a frequent basis. The bands come in, and play their albums the week of their release. The bands typically explain what they were doing when writing each song, and you get to know them a little bit better. Today on the radio, for example, I got to hear Lifehouse's album release show, which I'll let you know was damn good. If you liked The Fray's last album (which I loved dearly before it went mainstream), I suggest you check out Who We Are later in the week.

I'll be posting a few music articles soon, but in the meantime, there are a few things about music that have crossed my mind in the past few weeks. First, has anyone heard the new Bone, Thugs and Harmony song? It's fantastic. My friends and I used to love them in high school, and they are back with vengence. Way to go guys. I guess I don't have to listen to First of the Month anymore to get my fill of you when in withdrawal. Second, I want Carrie Underwood to be my best friend. Seriously. That song where she keys the car because he cheats is unreal. She has come a long way from Idol, and I want to hang out with her on a daily basis. I must say that I appreciate girls who aren't afraid to be a bitch. Third, I freaking love country music now. I don't know if it's because I'm older and I long for a more simple lifestyle, but modern country is great. There, I said it.

And lastly, I just found out that we have a karaoke machine at school. It was like the day that I found out Santa wasn't real. Nothing will be the same ever again. I think that there is no better way to teach my students English than with a little Bone, Thugs and Harmony, no? Well, maybe not BT&H, but some Journey certainly can't hurt. You SO wish that you had me as a teacher. Trust me on this.

Happy Father's Day!

June is time for Dads and Grads... And I have officially found the best Father's Day gift! There are just a few small steps to follow in getting the perfect gift for Dad:

1. Become a writer of some sort.
2. Get a job with a ridiculously cool publication that will give you the liberty to write something for Father's Day.
3. Write a tribute to your Dad, and then have it published in real live ink for 90,000 people in Los Angeles to read.
4. Frame article.

Apparently, I made my editor cry with this piece (below). I had no intention to do so, but hope that you like it too. To all the Dad's of the world, Happy Father's Day.

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3545

GREEK

So ABC Family is coming out with a new show this upcoming summer called GREEK. I will admit, I actually really like ABC Family. They aren't as family oriented as you might imagine, the name is kind of deceiving. I wish that I had Tivo because I would definitely tape this show. I think it looks great, but maybe because I still have Peter Pan syndrome. Anyway, if you long for your college days, check it out.

MySpace en Español

I've decided to teach myself Spanish. Classes? No. Lessons on tape? No. I have decided instead to learn a new language by converting my MySpace page into Spanish. I figure that each day, when I log on, I'll learn at least one new vocabulary word... Like "Christina tienes 220 amigos." See, it's easy.

Yes, I realize that sooner or later I will run out of new vocabulary words, but that's when I will decide that it's time to learn German instead. So don't hate the plan stan.

God MySpace, you really are changing the world. What's next?

The Laundry Bandit

My apartment building is great. Similar to Melrose place, it's a LA community full of life and scandal. I've come to realize in the past few weeks, however, that there is one big deterrent from living in a communal space: sharing the laundry facility. Sure, it's problematic when everything is in use, but what I find to be most annoying is the guy that lives on the first floor who likes to move everyone else's clothes around. He's the guy that times everything, and if you aren't there to get your clothes when the buzzer goes off, he is. Before you know it, your wet underwear are thrown all over the laundry room so that he can be the next one to claim his stake on a washer. I find this to be one of the most unappealing habits of a neighbor. And I have decided to give him a name, The Laundry Bandit. The Laundry Bandit and I have had 2 run-ins this past week, and to sum it up, we don't like each other. Every time that I see him, I hear the old Western showdown music in my head and draw my fabric softener to get ready for the impending confrontation.

To all of the laundry bandits in the world, RELAX. And please stop touching my underwear.

Long Plane Rides = SICK.

I had strep throat a bunch of times when I was little...and I just got it again after coming back to LA. This time it has wiped me out BIG TIME though. I went back to the doctor today and he is making me take a second Z Pack. Is that even allowed? Yikes.
My apologies for not posting anything this week, but I will do so when I am back to my normal self. Promise.

This one is for My Meez.

I told RJK that he was my inspiration for this one - all those nights watching Entourage, and of course the summer with the viking helmet. One of the perks of living in LA: figuring out where the show is filmed, and then trying out the venues yourself (and writing about them). Life's tough, I know.

This new hot spot, Caffe Primo, is awesome. If ever in LA, please check it out. Here is the link to my review:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3506

LAX > NEW > NYC > PHL > PIT > CLE > LAX

Well, I'm back. My trip back to the East Coast was a successful 10 day vacation (which actually felt like a month because I did more in 10 days then most people do in a month, I'm pooped). I can confidently say that it was one of the best weeks of my life. I know, it's a bold statement, but it's true. I got to hang out with my roommates from Sydney again, take over a karaoke bar in New York with 8 of my closest friends, spend mucho quality time with my entire family, and catch up with all of my high school friends.

And let's not forget that my 10 year high school reunion was also this past weekend, which I was in charge of helping to plan. We had no idea how it would turn out, but we counted over 100 people that showed up! My cousin-in-law (is that a real relationship?) told me that I should pretend to have all of these crazy professions when talking to people that I haven't seen in a while. He told everyone at his reunion that he was a male stripper. So I did tell one person that I moved out to LA to work in the porn industry, but as soon as I said it, I realized that this joking comment would somehow come back to humiliate my mother in a grocery store shopping line. So I decided that I better just shut up. And the truth of the matter is, that now I have one of the coolest jobs on the planet, so why lie about it, right?

"Family, Faith and Friends" -- one time a priest at my cousin's confirmation said that these are the only 3 things that are important in life. And now it's my family's cheesy motto. But this week, I realized it more than ever. That priest sure did know what he was talking about...

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

So as I said in my last post, I had the chance to meet and talk with both Parker Posey and Hal Hartley. You know when you meet someone and think "wow, this person just has IT." You might not exactly know what IT is, but it's something. Parker Posey just has a certain aura around her that is magical. I found her to be a lot more laid back than I originally had thought she would be though...maybe because she's often played a neurotic character in some of my favorite films. She's super cool. After meeting her, I like her even more. And Hal Hartley, the writer and director of Fay Grim, was also a great guy. You can tell when speaking to him that he is a genius when it comes to making movies. He answered every question with intelligent remarks, and seemed truly interested in sharing his purpose behind the film. The entire day was such an awesome experience.

A Film Review and More

Congratulations Lisa and Aaron.
Girls night in the Big Apple.
Hooray for the grad! Shannon, I can't wait to welcome you to California, and I know that Stanford is pretty happy too.
Happy Birthday Dad.
And 10 years, really? The BHS Class of 97 reunion...Yikes.

There are so many reasons for my upcoming trip back to the East Coast. I leave tomorrow on a red eye, and can't wait. I feel it in my bones that this going to be one of the best weeks ever. Before I leave, I wanted to post two of my recent articles (published today) -- the first is my review of the film Fay Grim. Now, I not only got to go to a special press screening of the film last month at Raleigh Studios, but I also got to interview Parker Posey and Hal Hartley personally during a press junket. The private screenings are VIP, and the fact that I got up close and personal with one of my favorite actresses can't really be compared to anything else that I did at my last job. So read up, and if you can, check out this film. Parker Posey is great in it.

Here is the link to the review: http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3422

My second article this week is a synopsis of DVD releases that are scheduled to come out this summer. It's not too interesting, but will give you a quick review of what you have to look forward to on the days that it decides to rain. You can check it out here:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3441

I had a comment in there about Sexual Chocolate and the gang from Coming to America, but I can see that my editor took it out. Boo.

Mother's Day Ideas

i just realized that I totally forgot to post this article!! I guess it's too late, but here are some ideas for Mother's Day next year:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3418

Also, you can visit the website www.campuscircle.net and click "download current issue" to actually see what the publication is like if you live outside of LA!

Bobby: Rent It

One day, when I was home sick from grade school, I watched a special anniversary news report about the assassination of JFK. For whatever reason, from that point forward, I became obsessed (in a good way) with The Kennedy Family. I finally rented Bobby over the weekend, and if you have not yet seen this film, you should. It's an amazing tribute to American History, and to the man that had unmatched ambition to lead our country in a time of change. Watch this movie, LEARN, and love every second of it.

Some Random Sh*t

I feel like in the last couple of weeks, some really random things have popped into my mind -- so like that Ruminations guy, I didn't want to dedicate an entire posting to these thoughts, but just mention each one briefly. Here goes, some random stuff that I've been thinking about lately:

Why is it that when you get on an exercise bike, and bike an entire mile, you only burn 13 calories? Seriously, I watched it today. 1 mile at 95 RPM = 13 calories. And when you read Cosmo, it always says stupid stuff like "Kissing for 1 minute burns 25 calories. WOW." If this is true, then I would just be better off making out with people (snogging if you will, see July blog) instead of going to the gym? This sounds like a much better option to me.

When you live in LA, 3,500 miles away from home, it is NOT a good idea to ever leave that Nickelback song "Faraway" on the radio while in the car (particularly when stuck in traffic). Because before you realize it, all you can say to yourself is "Oh my god, I really am SO FAR AWAY." And then WCD hits hard, and you want to belt out the rock ballad in tears. Take note, nearby drivers do not want to see this! Just change the station immediately the next time you hear it.

I cannot just eat one of those Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. I always want another one - can anyone just eat one? And here is another diet thought that I discussed with a friend last week: Since Weight Watchers figures in how much fiber is in a food, can you make something worth ZERO points by adding a ton of Benefiber to it? And why is it impossible to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks? Because this is what I've been trying to do before my 10 year high school reunion, and it just hasn't worked. Sometimes, life just isn't fair.

Last time I was in Yoga class, the instructor kept saying "Just become one with your body. The process is about letting go of the thoughts in your mind, not thinking about the pain." But honestly, the thoughts running through my head at the time consisted of "Ouch....ouch....stupid instructor, way too hard...freaking downward dog, I hate you...that guy next to me is hot...not going to be able to walk tomorrow... wait, I think he's gay...OUCH." Does this sound familiar to anyone else? Anyone? Am I the only person that is incapable of focusing in Yoga class? Because sometimes, I think so.

Los Angeles is ON FIRE.

Today is a really sad day here in LA. A huge section (they are estimating 1,000 acres) is on fire in Griffith Park. Homes have been burned down, everyone is evacuating the area, and it's totally scary. Driving home from work today, it literally looked like WAR was going on in the distance. It's pretty unbelievable, I've never seen anything like it before...

Aboe is a picture from the news reports - in the forefront is Griffith Observatory, one of LA's finest cultural institutions.

Singing in the Car - Embrace it.

On the days that I teach, I end up spending about 40 minutes in the car to and from work. I actually don't mind it at all, because it gives me time to catch up on all of my phone calls and either wake up or unwind from the day. And I am well-known for my outrageously loud singing skills in the car anytime that a good song comes on the radio. On top of that, I have a horrible singing voice. Since starting my new commute, I've been caught so many times singing my head off in the car by total strangers next to me at a red light or on La Cienega. Obviously, the initial first reaction is to become embarrassed. But now, I've decided to embrace it and sing directly to the people watching. It makes for a really funny situation, trust me on this. I suggest this sociology lesson to everyone reading -- try it out and have fun with it.

To the black Acura at the corner of Washington, you weren't mistaken. I do wear my sunglasses at night.

YAY Pittsburgh.

Congratulations to Pittburgh. It was ranked #1 as the "most livable" city in the United States. Those of us that know it well aren't surprised at all. And, I love this quote -- it's so true:

"If Pittsburgh were situated somewhere in the heart of Europe, tourists would eagerly journey hundreds of miles out of their way to visit it." —Brendan Gill, The New Yorker

Pittsburgh rated “most livable” once again.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07116/781162-53.stm

Pittsburgh is back at No. 1 among Places Rated
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07115/781048-100.stm

Pittsburgh Ranked “Most Livable” City
http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_116072554.html

How now brown town?
http://www.economist.com/world/na/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=7914950

The City of Bridges
http://www.popcitymedia.com/features/bridges.aspx

Top 10 Unique Things to Pittsburgh
http://www.popcitymedia.com/features/30uniquepgh.aspx

Pittsburgh Rankings
http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=580

Pittsburgh Trivia
http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=587

Pittsburgh Outdoors
http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=588

What’s New in Pittsburgh
http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=71

Review - Tasca Wine Bar

Hot of the press...Here is the link:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3346