Hollywood, da da da da da da da da HOLLYWOOD .....

well lets just start with it is hot as hell, indian summer, 97 degrees, I don't like to be cold, but this is not warm, it's hellatious. Root's Place, my apt.. is about 10 degrees hotter.. if one more person askes, "What u don't have an air conditioner?" well if i had an air conditioner i wouldn't be sitting here at 6:30 am still perspiring from the heat.. it never even cooled off last night, yesterday my only relief from the heat was my trip to pick up The crew from school, in the little red car, Little Red Riding Root.
AIRCONDITIONING!!!! and that was short lived.. before returning..

There's a breeze, i see it out side my window facing east, the trees blow, not an incling of one passes through this apt..I now can not just open the front door as my mom has as i might distrub the nieghor, who's made such a fuss, now there are signsdown stairs informing me spacifically that no children under 8 can be in the pool and children between 8-14 the ages of Madeline and MJ, must not only be accompanied by adult supervision, must have a certificate for swimming.. ARE THEY KIDDING!! will post photo.

I say me because, if u really want to have a laugh, the signs were posted up with tape above the mail boxes a few days ago then they were Framed and placed above my mail box, #4.. as a reward for doing all his home work i promised I'd take andres to the pool, break the rules, as he is 7.. and a half.. without a swimming certificate, will make one up and print it out on the computer later, as there is no such certificate available in the state of california.. i wonder why as i write this i feel tears in my eyes.. They have it in for me.. let's face it and i can't imagine anyone could be like this.. And people watch soap operas Isn't that why i have the readership i have... whats the next sagga!!

As my day was scheduled with hair repair, I found The academy for goldwell, ellumine hair color here in Santa Monica so u might say i was on a short road trip, as santa monica according to map quest is about 12.5 miles from here and will only take 39 mins to get there.. so west i headed, found it with no trouble, and immediately had a connection with the parking attendant, camella, from brazil, she was surprised at how clearly i spoke, and how easy it was to understand me.. we talked about language and how people do not annucate words properly and that makes learning english so much more difficult, i used examples like thirty, which is usually pronounced thirdy, or how about fordy or fithdy.. she had trouble with the word culture, and i showed her where to put her tongue to say it. Most of us wouldn't even think about that but i've spent a lot of time teaching english having spent 17 yrs with a peruvian..i learned a lot about how we speak where we put our tongue to anounciate a word..

and that was just the garage where i parked!!! As i walked around the block already the air quite warm just a half block from the sea, i thought to myself, how on earth can anyone ever be bored, only if u have absolutley nothing going on in ur head .. that is certainly not my case..

ah so onto finding the academy, i was actually early and if u are not early YOU ARE LATE.. and being i'd left at around 9am i was sure to make it on time, when i drove down La Cieniga, there was so much traffic i could hardly believe that there is 14% unemployment here.. where on earth are all these unemployed people going anyway!! bumper to bumper on I-10 west also.. and who works down there, they certainly couldn't be on there way to the beach that early, could they.. anyone with intelligence should have been.. so fucking hot.. anyway.. I was greated by nicole, who was a very informed, educated girl of 30.. we got on immediately.. i was the only one there and they unlocked the door to let me in, just think they weren't sitting there making me wait till exactly 10am to let me in..I always find that so annoying.. we talked about color, what would work and what wouldn't ultimately we came up with a color palet that would work for both me, and her creative juices. i brought my computer assuming i would have ample time to write, as this was going to be a long task.. as it turned out we never stopped talking about the product, how it works, which i am very informed, she was quiet surprised and then started teaching me even more.. i was engrossed.. i had said i could sell this, i can't understand why more solons don't use it.. i personally found it intriguing, and my sales brain was at work.. can't sell something u know nothing about, and i am in the academy, where THE top hair colorists from a round the world come for seminars, hair designs for 2010, 2011, are already in the bag and they are now shooting 2012.. right.. wow.. they work with a sister co. KMS which really handle the Hair styists.. and new hair cut designs.. this was truly fascinating.. The entire process.. these huge photos hung as a divider, with some of the most beautiful photographed girls faces, should have taken my camera, who knew.. they were imposed onto clear, light wieght plastic , that would remind u of frosted glass, dangeling from stainless steal cable.. Nicole showed me all around, surprisingly, we were still just us, and the receptionist, free to speak.. then we went out for a smoke in the alley, a huge pho pa in santa monica!! They're so over the top, green doesn't get greener!!! shit while these assholes are jogging down sunset bl. in extreme heat, at rush hour am, breathing carbon monoxide is good for u... shit

where was i? oh oh, our conversation continued as she showed me all around the empty facility, where they give their lectures, kitchen, where they use caters, for special events, the bathroom with special frosted glass stalls, And their main office of operations, and open door set up so everyone can chime in if they choose.

During our long conversation, we brought up the value of the shower and it's many benefits, as it turns out, this is her special place to escape, as it turns out her mom is not well, and when i asked what was wrong with her mom, she said Pancreatic cancer.., she could find her self in the bathroom, take a shower, cry her eyes out where no one could hear her there...for the mystery readers that are from nations around the world, may i mention it will be a year november 24th that my mom died of this same hideous disease, I knew in a moment exactly how she felt, as i had found myself many a times reeling on the kitchen floor, or bathroom or car, or anywhere no one was, to just cry..It brought back a flood of memories, of a year ago.. she lives with her folks, and so she , like i was, has her hands full, and is there for each moment, and all it is to take care of a sick parent, Her Mother, the meds, the vomiting, the works.. I so know..

With all of that there's still more, as it turns out they will be gathering local artists for a show case event, there at the academy and i do hope i will be one of those selected.. i would really enjoy the experience, and the opportunity to explore other avenues for my business, Up Your Ear .. as well as be a part of their event.. and contribute to the events success.

ah what a day brings when i step out my door, just goes to show anything is possible and opportunies are around every bend, lets just see where this leads.. down the road!!

to be con't

andrea and crew

Last year at this time i was here with mom, Madeline wanted to have a party and miss Root went balistic!!! so miss partier of all time decided dieing was of her top priority, and Bill stayed with mom while i went out to trick or treat with the crew.. it was a great night actually, and the homes here on the streets, we were on, were all decorated, to the 9's and everyone on the streets were all dressed up in costume. Kinda reminded me of east stroudsberg pa, so many years ago.. for about 3 years we spent halloween there, and thousands of residents came out in full costume, with their kids, and went from house to house.. the year of 9/11 i dressed as a patriot, in a heavy ecridorian wool itchy sweater, and jeans and carried a flag!!! a BIG flag.. that year madeline was a cat, and she was about 3, and everytime we went to the door she'd hiss at the person who was handing out the candy, it was hillarious.. in her black alfit and make shift tail, she had to carry!!

back to Hollywood.. i dressed up friday for the carnival at school and evidently i looked like a gypsy from another planet.. that's original!!! hahahaha.. look i had to wing it with what i had.. madeline was a hippy, and andres a cowboy.. all make shift.. but we pulled it off.. quite well i might add.. Saturday Madeline had a party with a few of her closest friends.. 22 of them, 4 or so showed up early around 3:30, and the kids went down to the pool, i said they could sit there but not to go in the pool..of course that was an opportunity for the first infraction.. right as i still had a few things to put together .. snacks and things.. by 5-5:30 the rest of the unexpected guests, on my part anyway.. arrived and the Wild Things began to party!!! consitering their were ultimately 22 12-14yr olds i think the party turned out ok, kids in costume, all laughing and acting their ages, but relatively good.. had to rhien them in a few times, the party was quite the hit.. glad it was because were not doing that again, ever.. too bad but it was too much evidently on the neighbor who has been busily complaining at just about everything.. and we surely wouldn't want to disturb him, god forbid.. the party was finished by 9pm and all the kids went home..

and if that were not enough, there was sunday, actual halloween, where tricker treating was on the agenda.. what, i have to dress up again.. oh no.. i decided to pull out another alfit in my closet and turned my self into a magicians assistant!! red top hat, long midnight blue gown and a cape in burgandy.. and hideous silver sparkly wedge shoes!!! and off the cowboy and the hippy, we went to madeline's friend house where we'd been the year before, sadly the adults evidently had plans and i was not invited with madeline's friends so.. there i was like a little kid left out, just Andres and i to fend for ourselves.. it's just more fun when ur in a group, walking down the street all together laughing .. well that was not to be, we also, andres and i, had been invited to stop at someones house that was having a little kid party but i had all these things to do sunday like laundry, that we ran a little late.. and didn't hit the party early enough.. so that was disappointment 2.. walked around the nieghborhood and at 7:30 called it quits.. time to go home.. pooped.. and my phone battery was dieing.. ugg..so home we went 2 disgruntled children and myself.. to tired to care.. off with the top hat, off with the cape, my magic has expired!!!

Monday.. an all new day, new week and the routine is getting to be one, in just a weeks time.. seems like i have been here a month.. It is truly amazing my mother lived with so many people.. i honestly do not know how she did it... I had a change of heart the other night and thought it might be ok with Mable and her daughter mj..staying on as i will be traveling to florida and wont be here mid dec-mid jan.. over the winter break.. so we only have to manage at the moment 6 weeks.. and i could use the $$ what can i say.. ah but no, more chaos would prevail..issues with Madeline came up which needed to be addressed then Mable had issues with MJ and on the day went.. not work wise productive.. but personally i think i have all my complaints and problems in order now and can address each one.. it is hard to solve problems u cant put ur finger on but the straight forward in ur face ones can be addressed!! is all i can conclude.. so i will write a list and see how each thing can be addressed, as their are too many people in a space to handle things as they r.. HOW DID MY MOTHER DO THIS.. well for one she didn't have kids .. and she loved many times the company.. i personally could do with out.. i have absolutely no problem being alone. in fact crave it..unlike last year when i really did need company after mom had passed.. Bill was kind enough to come by a few nights a week, and give me some adult time.. having been on the road for so many months in such a small space my only escape was the texting of friends, a great relief...The writing of this blog..another room to go to if u will, both by far better than the tv with ridiculous programing i could no more pay attention to than the man in the moon.. and i had the kids to take out when we got a chance.. That feels like plenty.. Now all this.. interruption after interruption.. complaints from neighbor(s) and a threat from the "manager" of the building.. just great.. A why did i move here? oh yeah mom was sick .. why did i stay? well, where else was i to go? back to florida? might be an option though i hate to say it, i wouldn't have a clue where there i'd like to live.. i just don't love it there.. and i don't want to be where it is cold, which begins to knock this state out as it has been chilly here, until today.. i'm at last in shorts and a t-shirt..sandals, This has reminded me over these last few days like the ride at the carnival that u stand against the wall, in a circle and the thing starts going round and round, and u get pushed up against the walls the floor drops out and centrifugal< (love the definition of this word) force holds u there, then when the friggin thing stops and the floor meets back up with ur feet, ur expected to get off and walk away, and ur so dizzy, and light headed u can't stand, much less walk..

but somehow not to long a stretch later, u gather urself up and the dizziness goes away and u find ur self like an ass standing in yet another line for another ride.. life goes on...

andrea d. and crew