How I learned to stop worrying and love the Tumblr

Good news, everyone!

I have a Tumblr. It is here.

The pellmellblog may be making a permanent move to this new platform, but for now, I'm just test driving it. You can read my first post now.


[I got soul, but I'm not a soldier]

Stephen Pell of Mars

There's a lot to discuss and recap, so let's dive right in:

I am employed once again (for the next two months, anyway) on a little show entitled, "John Carter of Mars", which just so happens to be Pixar's first live-action film.

Am I stoked beyond stoked? In a word: yes.

Secondly, my Mom bought me a shirt and then shipped it to me in a tiny box with love. It looks like this on me:



Thanks, Mom.



Third: I am an on, off, on again, off again, on again, off again, on again, off again sort of person, it seems, and that's enough about that.



I am writing again. I have a few feature length scripts in the fire, and one, horribly bloody, gory, dark twisted animated short that I'm trying to get off the ground, more details on that as they develop.



I'm reading Blue Like Jazz again, for what may be the third time. What can I say? It's an incredible book, and with each reading, I gain a new insight or perspective on this spiritual journey I call a "life", or is it the other way 'round?


I find afternoon drives to be very freeing, particularly when they extend all the way to San Dimas...




Overall, morale is high, and I'm excited for what the next few months will bring.

And to my cousins in Georgia (Emma, Reagan, and McKenna): Stay classy.






[She wants a coat made of my leather, my fur, my nails]

Being of the Unemployed Variety in Los Angeles

Let's get this straight: being unemployed is fantastic. There's plenty of time for relaxing, sleeping, playing video games, hanging out, and thrifting. The only real downside is the lack of cash flow.

Psssh. Pesky little details.

Still, I'm starting to like it here, little by little.

Is it the beautiful vistas spread out in nearly every direction? Yeah, that could be a factor. Could it be the plethora of amazingly cool things available to do at any given time? Well, it certainly adds some spice. Maybe it's the cool people I've been lucky enough to have met on 'Live To Dance'? Not maybe. Definitely.

And when these three factors come together, they form Captain Planet the perfect day/night.

Let's just say it's been a spectacular week. The best week so far in LA.

Also, I just had some breakfast and a slice of lemon meringue pie after catching a free improv show at UCB with special guest, Tim Meadows. I sat on the stage. I laughed many, many times.

And I went to church today for the first time in six weeks.

It's been a good day.

Just call me Ice Cube.



[I gotta go cause I got me a drop-top]

Okay, okay, okay, aokaokday....


Tomorrow is my last day on the show. It will involve much wading through receipts and petty cash envelopes and check requests and credit card statements, but then, it will be finished. Like the end of a fight in Mortal Kombat. And once I rip the still beating heart from a mountain of backdated expenses, I will emerge a victor... and on to the next battle.

I don't know what the next battle will be, per se, or if I should continue with this flimsy Mortal Kombat metaphor, yet I carry on.

I have a few leads, and one in particular that I'm really hoping comes to fruition, until then, it's just a waiting game. Of course, while I'm waiting, I might just go check out this big city that I find myself living in now. I started working immediately on LTD not complaining) that I never really got a chance to explore or partake in anything quintessentially "LA" (besides paying too much for alcohol).

Hiking is on the top of my list; I can tell you that much.

But before all that, I'm off to explore an entirely different kind of town. That's right: Vegas, baby.

Saturday morning, I'm hitting the road with some friends from the crew to Sin City. I plan on wearing a suit and standing at the craps table all night -- glass of whiskey in one hand; dice in the other. There will be much suave posturing and fist raising and wide, goofy open-mouthed smiles should I hit a hot streak... but hopefully not too hot (I've seen Casino one too many times... and I like having my hands). So, I'll take pictures and get married accidentally or whatever. We'll see how it goes. Winging it seems like the best route to take on this one.



I think I'd like to take a cue from my heros Jack White and Michel Gondry and just create. Just make movies. Just write. Just play. Just sing. Just because.

Because who cares about a shiny, polished, professional, expensive, well put-together, time consuming, "perfect" looking project when the alternative is no project at all? Not this guy... Not anymore.



Time to go to bed... time to finish this post.

FINISH IT!

fatality.


[Well we all need someone we can bleed on]

Ch- Ch- Ch- Changes and Other Nonsense

Gotta get back on top of this bloggy thing.

Sadly, whilst LA has many places in which to imbibe myriad libations, they all suck. That is, every bar I've been to thus far has been over-priced and over-populated. Gone are the days of $3.00 Long Islands and $0.75 cans of Black Label at The Meanwhile. Case in point: Friday night, I order a shot of Jameson, and it cost... wait for it... $9.00.

My skull almost imploded. It's a sad state of affairs here. The search for a good bar in LA continues...

And, soon enough, the search for a new job will commence. That's right, for any of you faithful viewers tuning in to Live To Dance every Wednesday night instead of Idol (and instead of doing ANYTHING else) you'll be sad to hear that this Wednesday is the last show of the season, which, of course, means that as those credits roll on that final episode, I'm cleaning out my desk.

It's just how it goes. Job to job to job. Hopefully I'll find something new before I'm living hand to mouth... or is it foot to mouth... foot in mouth disease... I can't get a disease, not now... Not without a job or insurance... Oh, I'm so screwed...

I still want to move to the South, that is, after a brief stint in Japan. LA is nice, but I'm not in love.

Speaking of love, everyone here is in it, or some form of it, it seems. *le sigh*

But, hey, brightside: I might visit the set of the Muppet Movie. Fingers crossed.

Also, improv class went well tonight. I screamed a lot. I like screaming. Especially when it's well received.

And I watched this video about a hundred times. At 3:40, it goes from great to amazing.

Lost In The Trees | A Take Away Show | Time Taunts Me from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

[I wanna hold you 'til it feels like it's been long enough to stop saying 'I miss you', stop saying 'I miss you']

For Everyone Wishing to Hear Tales of My Exploits in LA:

Prepare to be disappointed.

Here's a song about lamps. Just lamps.

And, as a special treat, everyone wishing for a high-quality sound recording will also be left wanting...




[big wheel keep on turnin']

Michigan Seems Like a Dream to Me Now.

My cross-country road trip feels as if it took place in another lifetime.

I came here and just hit the ground running with work and apartment hunting and improv classes -- I only left six weeks ago, but it feels like an eternity.

There are so many mornings that, when I get on the highway, I want to just keep driving for twelve hours, if only to relive that trip. What I wouldn't give to be back on that highway through Texas, or through the sands of Arizona, or the Ozarks of Arkansas, but especially, the north woods of Michigan.

I miss Michigan.

However, now, I truly live in LA. I have an address. I have a year long lease. I am a resident.

Yay.

Yes, it's true. I now share an apartment with one other roommate (but I have my own bedroom and bathroom) and it's in the very central location of Studio City, which cuts my commute down from an hour and a half to just a half. Beautiful. Plus, someone said that Studio City was the place for twenty-somethings in LA. I don't know who said it, but someone did, and that's the key thing to remember.

This week will be crazy at work, seeing as how we go live on Wednesday.

I will be a tired Stephen for the next few weeks leading up to the finale.

And after the finale... Season Two! Or unemployment!

Yay.

Oh, life, and your wondrous self, thanks for always keeping it interesting.

Sincerely,
Stephen T. Pell (The T is for Tiberius)



[Home is wherever I'm with you]

Paying Rent.

Tomorrow, I get to start doing that again!

Hooray?

I'm moving into my own place in Studio City. Technically, it's not all mine, I have a roommate: Greg.

Greg's cool, though, so no worries.

Also, I have my own bathroom.

Is this the dawning of a new age for Stephen Pell, or just the dawning of the age of Aquarius?



[Let the sun shine]

Blog a Little Blog...

The apartment search continues, as today, I finally signed up to join Westside Rentals. Sixty bucks. Now, if that doesn't bag me a nice place to stay... umm... witty hyperbole...

Apologies if I seem a little slow tonight. It was a long day today, good, but taxing nonetheless. The best part was the beginning. We had a tech meeting this morning at 10:00am (which allowed me to catch some extra Zzzz) in CBS Television City.

Pulling in through those gates: magic.

Then, regular office stuff set in. I made some calls, did some research, watched some edits, and now, I'm home. Finally.

Speaking of homes, I'll be house/cat sitting at one of my old Production Coordinators home 'til Saturday... So, if you need me, I'll be there.

In closing, I would like to alert you to this website, which just about sums everything up: When Parents Text


[You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I'll come runnin']

A Belated Christmas Present For You!

...is a new post.

I'm cheap.

Anyways, what has happened since my last post? Oh, that's right. Everything.

Devoted readers of my blog (of which, there are two(ish)) are familiar with this sort of routine. The routine I'm referring to is, of course, the substantial week or two of posting, followed by a long, boring drought. I hope to curb this, I really do, and, in fact, just today I've decided to implement a new system for getting in my hour of writing per day, so, if all goes accordingly, new posts will once again be the fashion of the day... if all goes accordingly.

This blogging thing was much easier in the bygone days of Xanga, no?

The thing is: I bought khakis. Yes, khakis. Granted, they're cool khakis, the kind that say, "I'm vaguely professional, but if there were an impromptu Arcade Fire concert, I still fit the dress code." Still, it concerns me a bit. Though, it is nice to have brown pants instead of always wearing blue pants. Finally, I can wear blue shirts again.

I went to Disneyland whilst on blogging vacation. It was pretty fun. Did all the Disneyland stuff, which, if you've ever been there, you know it's all standard fare. There are rides and sights and whatnot. Hardly worth describing in blog form. Instead, I'll just post pictures.

That's the kind of guy I am.

Two Jeff Bridges movies I have seen in the past week: Tron 2 and True Grit.

The Former: Music, hero's journey, glowing, fights, glowing, Olivia, glowing, Daft Punk, glowing, light jets!!1!, glowing... glowing... gone. Grades --> Story: B- Glowing: A+

The Latter: Violence, subtle humor, humorous violence, Matt Damon, regular violence, funny talking, shocking violence, arguments, kidnapping, snakes... violence --> Story: A Violence: A


Needless to say, I highly recommend both films.


[Poets often use many words to say a simple thing]