RUSHING OFF

October 1, 2016

Film soon..   Saturday ..  

Well!  I rushed off to one of the most endearing fifteen minutes of my life today.  Met with a handful of loyal Jem! fans in the amazing party bus arranged for by the voice of Jem: Samantha Newark.  I cannot remember everyone's name because I was too excited to write them down.. but they came to tour Hollywood with Jem from Toronto, Chicago (adjacent) Dallas and I think a couple of locals. I will mention Sasha and Benjamin, the children of a lovely woman, Mars Camacho.  These loyal fans were excited and kind and open and funny and present and lovely and nice.  I don't do many fan meet and greets, but this one was super special.  Oh Nicholas..  a young guy with amazing tattoos dedicated to Jem is helping Samantha with her tour.  The most impressive thing is that these folks truly enjoy what the show was all about.  Power to young women and finding ways around the thorns that inevitably stuck into the sides of Jem and the Holograms.  Riot (Townsend Coleman who almost showed up as a surprise) and the Stingers came in to hassle Jem  and the Holograms toward the end of the series.

Samantha retains the enthusiasm that she had when we recorded the show many years ago.. we met in the parking lot of the old Wally Burr Studios North on Hollywood Way.  Chatted and then autographs and varoom. off they went for a full day of adventure in Hollywood.  Gosh!  Here's the gang!  

Benjamin and Sasha: the kids in the front. Other names to follow.

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Leaving the tour, I did some shopping and had two major revelations.   Entering one store, I saw a man of totally indeterminate age. His skin like leather, he finished off a bag of potato chips and accepted coins from shoppers exiting the store.  He was in the direct sunlight.  His beard was down to his chest.  I bought some sandwich makings and when I left the store offered them to him: simple fare: boloney.. cheese and bagels.  He refused my gift.  

"Why won't you take this food?"  

"I just ate."  

"This will keep."  

"I don't want it. Thank you. "

No sooner had I left the bearded man than a Hispanic guy in his twenties was lurking across the parking lot.  

"Do you have any change?"

"I have baloney, cheese and bagles. Would you like to have them?"

He paused and smiled.  And, declined.

"You are the pickiest beggar that I've ever seen?" 

"I'm allergic to baloney.. thanks anyway.." 

He had a grill and was saving up for steak.  

There is a lesson here.  I told the kid that I was going to write about this. "You're a writer??" At least I half impressed him.   Neglecting to take photos of these two examples of humans on different edges of life was a mistake.  If I do this again.. probably won't.. I'll have photos.

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On the way home, still high on the love of the Jem fans, I stopped by Brand Park and Galleries to take some photos of my artwork just removed from Barnsdall's LA Municipal Art Gallery.  These photos are stacked instead of laid out on the table.  Harder to figure out.. But fun.  Only one person was curious about the art.  Makes me want to do more experiments with setting up artwork in public. 

Eins, Zwei, drei, vier... 

   

 These blocks were made to lay flat on a table which allowed them to be easily stacked like this. Figuring out the stacking order was a challenge. but Brand Park was beautiful and the heat of the day tolerable.  Thanks to Jill Bell's terrific interpretation of this kanji calligraphy. 

The bus got on the freeway and we almost got up to sixty!  Wheeee.  A gas station in Glendale is charging over a dollar more for gas than stations along the way today.   Guess they aren't really in it for the gas sales?

Do a good deed.  

don't tell..

be well. 

Happy October 1, 2016

michaelsheehan