Dodge this...

The history is rich. Starting in Brooklyn in the 1890s the Dodgers had Babe Ruth (the Sultan of Swat), Jackie Robinson (a veritable Rosa Parks for baseball), Roy Campanella, Sandy Kofax, Don Drysdale, and so many other Hall of Famers in those "early" years. In the late 50s they moved to LA because the owner at the time wanted a certain stadium that wouldn't work for Brooklyn--in addition to the neighboorhood issues and decreasing ticket sales. Dodger stadium was completed in time for the 1962 season.

That's the same park I went to last night.

It's not very nice but it has rich history.

I went with a FOAF (friend of a friend--official sociological term) and we got the cheap seats ($4) and expensive garlic fries--dinner--and had a great time.

When I was in 7th grade we had to list our 15 year goal and one of mine was to play for the LA Dodgers. It was a coming home, of sorts, for me last night. I laughed, I cried, I cheered--and that was just to park. Yuk, yuk, yuk.

THINK BLUE

only in Hollywood

You may have heard of Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles before. If you have the ear that loves to be tickled by that genre known as "rap" to the youth these days then you have heard countless rappers profess their love of this East Hollywood gem. Well because I'm kind of a low-level rapper I had to check it out. Led by our guide Jay Dawson and his sister Libby, we dined. I had already eaten dinner and yet was wooed by the smell of maple syrup and fried chicken. I'm telling you it is not a place to take lightly.

(**side note: Roscoe's is where the cast of 'The Office' declared as their post-Emmy destination and I may have only missed them by minutes....so close)

Emmy-agine that!?

Well today's audition was good. I didn't know what to expect but I was very calm and felt your prayers and thoughts so thank you so much for that. I went in and met the director and writer and they asked me some personal questions about who I am and then asked me what it would be like to be "in the experiment." I did some background on the obedience experiments and it was helpful in answering the questions they posed such as, "How would you feel if you were the teacher, learner, etc." It was a cool experience.

Then as I left the USC campus I noticed a large group of people. Oh yeah the Emmys. So it was pretty cool watching limos drive up and see all the stars get out. I, of course, didn't actually see anyone or recognize them b/c they were about 5 lanes away. I plan on being at the Emmys next year. I don't know how I'll swing it but I'll be there.

till next year.

You always remember your first

Well I have my first audition. I signed up with an online deal called NowCasting and it's used by alot of film and tv (alot of USC--Southern Cal not South Carolina--students) productions. I sent my headshots for the part of Bob. What is Bob like? Well....

Bob 'The Learner' - Co-Star / MALE OR FEMALE / 25 TO 50
The good-natured ham. He's a good sport, a bit of a goof, always friendly and unnerving for the shy people around him. He likes his work but people are always surprised by the serious nature of what he does for a living.

The film:

Story Line: This film is based on a psychology experiment of obedience from the 60's. The experiment involved bringing in volunteers off the street and making them 'teachers' in a study of memory. There was a 'learner' in another room, strapped to an electric shock generator and when they missed a question, the 'teacher' was instructed to punish the 'learner' with a shock. But with each wrong answer, the voltage would increase until the 'learner' was in excruciating pain. The 'teacher' was told to continue by the experimenter, until the 'learner' knew all of the information. This film will be a reenactment of the experiment with a 'teacher'.

So I just wanted y'all to know about this so Sunday from 3-5 PST you can be thinking and praying for me!

I'll let you know how it goes.

cheers

Shut up. Get out of the way. I hate you.

Men's Health recently published the angriest cities in America. Using stats such as: high blood pressure, FBI rates of aggravated assaults, workplace deaths from assaults and "other violence," and road congestion data as well as speeding citations given. So where do the important cities stack up?

#54 Raleigh
#56 San Diego
#65 LOS ANGELES
#77 ATL
#85 Dallas
#86 Charlotte
#96 Nashville
#100 Orlando

admittedly the stats are probably skewed b/c you might have the South with higher blood pressure and maybe in Nashville you are more prone to get a speeding ticket b/c overall city speed limits are lower thus giving them a #96 ranking. BUT....you know what they say about excuses.

freeze...LAPD

Well, I wanted to share with you that I have booked as an extra on my first gig. I am going to be an LAPD officer (in uniform) filming on the new show Shark with James Woods. I'm really excited. You have to call in to the casting agency periodically during the day and they will post new spots. They might say, "Hey guys this is Devon and I'm looking for an African-American between the ages of 25 and 35 who can juggle for CSI:Miami. You will be filming on location in Long Beach. If you are this guy then please call...." or it might be something like I called back on, "...need Caucasian males 25-35 who are athletic looking for CSI:NY." I called and the spots were already taken but the lady looked up my picture and information and put me on for Shark. She said, "I don't have any other CSI spots but you can be my LAPD uniformed officer." I was like, "o.k."

So then I call another hotline after she books me. I have to call after 8:30p.m. for further instructions with a special code she gave me. I call and access a mailbox that tells all the people working as extras on Shark tomm downtown how to get where we are going and gave me coordinates off the Thomas Guide (comprehensive LA map I own). I am to bring an extra set of clothes, no whites or pastels. I need to be ready at 4:30 p.m. which means leave here at 3:00 to make sure with traffic and everything I'm good. Also since most shoots are 12 hours....yes....MOST shoots are 12 hours then I'll be working late into the night/morning. So on the East Coast I could be going to bed when you are getting up.

I don't care.

Put your hands up...LAPD.

hustla

I have had a few phone calls as of late from my friends (most of which who read this) asking about me and what's life like, what do I do, how do I "break into" this business? Well I'm glad you asked.

One thing I have found is consistent with the "way to break in" is that there is no consistency. I have done some reading online about actors' biographies and spoken with others in the industry and it's pretty wild how different each actor's story really is. Some have worked on sets and networked through that. Some have been in restaurant as a server and they get "scooped." Some have been working their butts off for 20 years (Steve Carrell) and others just hit it early on.

So I know this journey is really on my own. That is about as exciting as it is nerve racking. So I set my own path and how is that going? Well I think (and have corroboration from others) that the best way to approach this acting thing is to see it as a job. I know that sounds easy or simple but it's not. It means that I try to read about acting, writing, production, etc., study performances, take classes, talk to others in the industry and never stop hustling. I am of the mindset that whatever happens has a great deal to do with me creating opportunities.

What does that look like so far? Well I have one book about the industry overall (info about agents, actors, producers, directors, sound mixers, PR/Marketing, trailer editors, BTS (behind the scenes), and so much more) and am reading another about acting techniques. I have a contact with a reportedly great acting teacher I'll go to in a while (make the dough b/f I spend it) and learn even more about this job. I just finished my paperwork and had my headshot for extra work. I will check in on a hotline 2x per day to see if there is a listing that sounds like I could fit it then call a hotline to book it. I could be one of those guys sitting in a library, coffee shop or whatever. This is a great opportunity for me to get on film (feature) sets and T.V. too. I can make a little bit of money but it's more about the experience. Also, hopefully, I will be able to gain 3 vouchers that I need that will allow me the chance to then buy my Screen Actor's Guild card/membership (SAG). It is a union thing that you have to have to do features. I've joined an online free posting site for actors called nowcasting.com where I was sent to after going to USC college of film to look for student films. I've also sent out resumes to people off Craig's list and a few industry publications. Right now I'm hunting with a shotgun.

In the words of Jay-Z, I'm a hustla.

side out

So if you were anything like me then today you would have driven 45 minutes, parked 5 blocks away from the beach, walked to the sand courts to meet you friends, play for 2.5 hours while the AVP Manhattan Beach tournament was going on a mere 200 yards east of us. We then left the courts and watched Walsh/May (Olympics, anyone) play in the finals in a packed stadium. That entree was served (no pun intended) with a side (out) of Mr. 40-ish himself, Karch Kiraly (cur-eye) moving on to the semi-finals tomm with his 26-year old partner Larry something.

I love beach volleyball. I really love playing and watching. It was a crazy-different crowd from anything back home but it's just one more reason that like McDonald's, duh duh duh da da....I'm loving it.

...do you remember...

Only in LA can you watch a movie on the lot where much of the movie was filmed. I went to Ollie Stone's new truth-umentary "World Trade Center". I was invited by my friend Meghan Nash to a free showing on Paramount's lot in the nicest movie theater I have ever been to in my life.

This movie was strong in every sense of the word. I think this movie meant so much to me because I remember sitting in my PR class that Tuesday morning walking past the next room knowing class had ended and thinking it strange that no one had left that room. As I gazed into the room with curiosity I saw all eyes glued to the T.V. There was a girl leaving the room crying and another on the phone frantically trying to get in touch with someone. As my class emptied it became even more clear something was wrong. We all crammed into the other classroom sitting on the floor, desk tops and leaning against the walls. No one talked. Some prayed. Some just sat and stared. I was somewhere in between. I will never forget that day and will never be the same.

Watching this movie is literally like walking back in time after creating distance from this tragedy over the past five years. There were CGI and 3D animation but I didn't even realize that till I saw the credits for that team at the end. Wow.

I don't cry in movies. I'll trust a character. I'll buy their problems, issues, concerns, conflicts, etc. and then move on. I don't even cry in life--much. Tonight I cried.

Go to this movie and remember.

day 3...oh yeah

Well what on earth could posses a man to write at 2a.m. on his blog? Could it be the great day he had chilling at the beach and then playing tennis (and losing badly) in Santa Monica? Could it be that he met some new and cool people or got to hang out with his friend Michael? Could it be that he got to see Taledega Lights--the new Will Ferrell movie. OR could it be I am writing to tell you that after the movie (average) I was standing with my friends outside joking with a shuttle driver in front of an Escalade asking if this one was for me when I noticed some weird guy in a cowboy hat. Oh wait. That's Will Ferrell right there. Huh. Wow.

"You guys like the movie?"

(a number of different responses from the group muttered without coherence or unison and I said nothing)

"Great. Have a good night."

(all together) "you too."

So there it is people. I'm here for a mere 3 days and share a theatre with Will Ferrell then see him from like 3 feet away as he got into his limo car thing.

No video. But wow.

Just wanted everyone to know.

me

Day 22/23

Hey guys. I wanted to let you know since I didn't have enough (again) from a sub-par day 22 I waited to combine it with an over-the-top day 23. The result is a video with everything from PM Tony Blair to suicide interviews, crazy crabs and a side of Giants baseball. It's good times for all who are lucky enough to enjoy.

Can you believe it? I'm on the road this A.M. driving part of the coast for some great shots and then I'll have my car unpacked (after nearly 24 days of being full!) and I'll be with the family in L.A.

I'll have some final thoughts after today's video. Maybe that will be the last one. We'll have to see.

Until then....enjoy this one. Yum.