In Kingdoms of the Cool

Day 3...

This was finally a day for work. We met up with Tyson Mao at CalTech (California Institute of Technology) and put him to work. The interview went extremely well and the visit to Pasadena was absolutely gorgeous. The scenery seemed to differ from block to block and the campus at CalTech was just a dream. Tyson's friendly personality added to the already wonderful morning. Not only did I get to film a stupifyingly smart guy solve a Rubik's cube behind his back, but I got to flex my cinematography muscles afterwards by capturing coverage from around the beautiful city of Pasadena. Trust me, there was plenty to work with.

We came back to the hotel and recharged for a bit and watched the footage we had so far. We got a call from Kamelya's cousin, Helga, and she demanded to pick us up and be our guide around Hollywood and Sunset Blvd.

Arriving around 8:30, we hit up almost every souvineer shop in the along Hollywood Blvd. It was a mind-numbing task, one that paled in comparison to the breath-taking scenic views of Pasadena, but everyone always needs souvineers, I suppose. We had fun walking the streets and seeing Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's house and then we ended up at the Chinese Theater and the Kodak Theater as well. Very tourist-type photo ops that I had to have. It was a very pleasant night and we all had loads of fun doing the tourist thing for a night.

I will very easily get used to this weather. This much is obvious. I cannot, however, leave the seasons behind in the midwest. Nonetheless, the weather here is gorgeous right now. Never too hot and never too cold. I have yet to become acclamated to the people from the area, however. I truly believe that just a few years of living in a mid-western town would make these people much happier and much more appreciative of life as a whole.

I am not judging them because who am I to judge? But, still, the way of life in this region is such a culture shock to me as a humble (lol?), low-key mid-westerner. I cannot begin to break down the psychological reasoning behind the things Californians say and do, but I will tell you that I often find myself rolling my eyes and asking, 'Why?' I really need to work on that. The problem is that it is so hard for these people to let their guard down and discuss something of importance. Then again, it appears, and this is not a judgement, merely an observation, that the biggest concerns out here are all material. Therein lies my problem. Once a true connection is made, however, they become real people to me. This is a work in progress, and I will keep you updated.

This was a business trip when I got on the plane in Chicago and has now begun to take the form of a vacation. This is the best and most obvious sign that all is well and I am having fun.

Now Playing: Stars of the Lid - "Ballad of Distances, Part 2"

P.S. - Vicky, I miss you...

posted by MikeStan @ 1:04 AM