Entry #98
 
2:30 AM, Saturday, December 23rd, 2000:
 
(This entry is a play on WHERE Marty got a job, not the fact that he got one)
 
Believe it or not, Marty is the new manager at the Ripley's Museum in Hollywood. How cool is that? Jess and I went there this summer when some friends were in town (I protested it saying it was a waste of money, but it was pretty fun). Early in the little tour there's a picture of people making stupid faces, and a subsequent mirror for you to try and re-enact them. Little do you realize that it's a two way mirror, and at the end of the tour, you get to stand there and watch other people making faces. I of course sat there for a half an hour. When little kids came up I would knock on the glass as hard as I could and scare the poop out of them. I literally had to be dragged away from it.
 
So of course for this entry, I had to get Marty to let me sneak my camera in and scare the bejeezus out of some people. So behold a scared woman, and her boyfriend who quite enjoyed her fright...and a cameo of Marty in the background. I know this ruins this joke for others wishing to make fun of you if you ever come to Hollywood, but that's just another one ot the perks of following the 4tvs story (don't ask me of the others)... Marty is pumped to no end. It was getting a bit scary. He'd been here a month. Marty and Gary are in a bit of an easier situation than Jess and I, since they don't have a car.
YouTube link added 02.13.09
 
If it wasn't for 4tvs, I honest-to-GOD would not have a car either. Hell I work at home. Jess would need one, but we certainly wouldn't need 2.
 
Believe it or not, Jess and I have spent $6000 this year alone for insurance. (sigh) - I could lease ANOTHER camry and a tercel for the price of my insurance. Admittedly, getting a speeding ticket in September of '99 is bad...but not THAT much. Out here no one has any points on their license. You can go to traffic school and get the points off your record. And how you can get a speeding ticket in this town is beyond me. I have NEVER - EVER seen a cop with a gun. Nor is it very easy to speed in this traffic. heh. So in September of 2002 all should be good with our insurance. Christ.
 
Believe it or not, Jess met Leonardo Dicaprio at work the other day. (sigh) I'm amazed she could continue working. Jess cries at commercials for Titanic. Apparently he noticed her gaze and just said: "ya caught me huh..." He was wearing a baseball cap and glasses trying not to be noticed. I'm happy for her though...it's cool to be able to work at a place in which one customer can make your entire week. Beverly Hills is cool like that. The chick from The Matrix came in the other day too. Funny, didn't hear about HER this goddamn much - LOL.
Believe it or not, Marty has one of the coolest perks I've ever heard of. He can get first dibs at seeing all the tv shows filmed here in Hollywood. All of them. In January we're going to "That 70's Show", "The Drew Carey Show", "Spin City" and "Friends" - how insane is that? Of course Marty and I picked the shows with THE hottest chicks on the planet. LOL. In Columbus I was the king of all perks in our relationship, but he's got me beat here. Wonder if I can videotape anything? I doubt it highly. But of course, I will indeed try.
 
Believe it or not, the entire 4tvs rennovation is complete, and I did the entire thing for $50. Basically the cost of wheels and spray paint. I decided against boxes after desigining them on my computer and seeing, they just looked too BOXY. I actually like the open feel of the set-up now. So with some fancy cutting and some ingenuity, it is done. I'll leave the specifics for the next entry...
 
Believe it or not, the set-up time will now be 5 MINUTES. You heard that right. I will be able to set-up 4tvs in 5 minutes. From 1 hour, to 5 minutes. It is incredible. Let me proclaim one thing: "THE INVENTOR OF THE ZIP-TIE IS THE GREATEST MAN ON THE PLANET" This invention single-handedly made the rennovation of 4tvs possible. You ever used these things? Little plastic ties that lock? Wow. Tony, I thought of ya every step of the way. Hell yeeeah.
 
Believe it or not, Tony (Promotions Director at CD101) and I set up the Pearl Jam remote in Cleveland with over 1,000 of these babies. We strung ISDN telephone cord for a half a mile to the site and were the ONLY radio station broadcasting from the concert. It sounded so good, people thought we were kidding...believe it or NOT.
 
Believe it or not, I've made more money on Star Wars Blew ($11.63) than I have on every single CD project I've ever done COMBINED. I've only sold 8 (though I'm waiting for 2 of those to send their checks), but because the production costs were so low, I was able to pull it off. It makes you wonder.....hmmmmm.
 
Believe it or not, I'm growing a beard for the winter... Actually I'm saying that just to piss you off. It was 83 degrees yesterday, but I am growing a beard. Why? Why you ask? BECAUSE I CAN. I think 85% of the men who have a beard will tell you the same. As many of you know, when I got divorced in '97, the hair on my chin systematically fell out. By the summer of '98, huge patches of baldness covered my chin and neck. Then earlier this year, I noticed it was all back and POW I grew my goatee back. So I figured at least once in my life I should grow a full beard. I assumed it would freak my dad out, since he shaved his off a few years ago (GROW IT BACK DAD) - I miss it. Anyone else go through this? Your dad has a beard for the first 18 years of your life and then he shaves it off? He's no longer your father. He's this strange man who sounds like your dad, and knows all this shit your dad would've known, but it's not really him...believe it or not.
 
Believe it or not, it's actually 12:45 PM, Monday the 18th, and since I don't have my video ready, I'm gonna update the site later in the week.
 
Believe it or not, you could care less...lol.
 
Believe it or not, Jess had the day off last Saturday and I decided I'd take her to a movie. We've been SOOOO tight with our money, and I thought it'd be nice to spend the day out window shopping and see a movie. There was a couple ahead of us and I heard the lady in the booth say: "$19.00 please" - I just stood there frozen. $9.50 a ticket. It was Saturday at 1 PM. I've never been more disappointed. I just stood there so mad at everything. All day I was excited about finally being able to do something leisurely. $20 for two people to WALK INTO a movie theater. Forget the $10 for popcorn. $20 just to get in the door. We just couldn't justify the money. At that moment, I wanted so badly to be famous and have money. To look forward for something all day, and then realize you just can't afford it is so humiliating.
 
Believe it or not, as we walked from the movie theater, a salvation army guy (or some other homeless organization - not sure), asked if I could donate something - I said: "I'm sorry man, I can't..."
 
Believe it or not, he said: "Well enjoy the holidays...if you can"
 
Believe it or not, I stopped and stood there for about 22 seconds. I was enraged. Having just been humiliated by not being able to go to the movies with Jess, to having this FUCK decide to be snide with me because I won't give him some money...it was incredible the anger I felt. I don't really know where it came from. I pictured jumping on the guy and pummeling him. The audacity of him to make that remark with the smugness - oh my god. I restrained myself as I played the future events in my head if I were to go at him. I was gonna just confront him, but I swear I would've knocked his ass off that chair.
 
Believe it or not, as I walked back past him to our car I found a quarter on the ground. I picked it up, and laughed my ass off. Guess what he wasn't getting. Bastard.
 
Believe it or not, we took that $20 we would've spent at the movies, and bought the 2 disc Special Edition Gladiator DVD and enjoyed it at home (great movie by the way) - with some air-popped popcorn. Someday we'll be able to blow $20 without a care, but not this year.
 
Believe it or not, I'm truly tired of thinking these up, 'and I need to design some things. So I'm out. Be on the lookout for the next entry with the brand new 4tvs setup to bring us into 2001. As well the year end 100th entry on the 31st. Hard to believe ain't it...
 
Thanks for readin'....
 
Adam
 
original video file
 
 DECEMBER 2000