Amanda and I rode up with Lan and Bonny last weekend to beautiful Ojai for Super Happy Vlog House (Thanks to Markus and Alicia for being terrific host). It was actually a really, really great two days - a much needed get-away. Although Lan and I might have gotten our selfs into a bit of trouble... but that will have to wait till later.

All this week Amanda and I will be on Noodlescar Daily!! Which was so much to film. Thanks Lan & Bonny!!

Labels: Amanda, Bonny, Lan, Mike, Noodle Scar Daily, Super Happy Vlog House

Flash Version   |   'Save As'   |     |   03'59

Justin had some terrible, terrible news to break to Amanda and Me - he thought it would be wise to catch our reactions on tape. Let's just say... it was so upsetting... I almost had to throw a banana.

Labels: Amanda, Justin, Mike, Studio 60, Vlog

ok. so this is the first post i've done in some time... and also my first video post. i'm a little nervous.. but i guess i gotta do it some time. hopefully there will be more to come. some of you asked for an update on my friends involved in the terrible accident.. so here it is...



thanks to everyone who, commented, or emailed, or just said a little prayer. just want you to know i really appreciate it. you guys are the best!

Labels: Amanda, Vlog

Flash Version   |   'Save As'   |     |   '45

Labels: Amanda, Mike, Poster, Rasterbator, Vlog

We got the call today. Billy said he had gone into work this morning feeling 90 % [sure he was going], I don't know what made it final for him, maybe it was looking around and seeing the same routine, the same job, the same people he was used to seeing for the past four years... maybe he thought he would miss his friends... maybe it was something completely different.
Around two o'clock the phone rang, the caller ID read Target, we knew it was Billy - he simply said; "I'm 100 %".

He was handing in a list of Targets surrounding the Hollywood area to his TRL (Target slang for: team relations leader). He's hoping to transfer - Chuck, Amanda and I used to also work at Target but we all, in our own ways, kinda' burned that bridge. So, unfortunately, we won't be so lucky. But, its official: there's four of us.

These past few weeks Amanda has been busy emailing all of her 'connections' out in Hollywood. And they have been incredibly helpful in letting us know what areas are best to look for apartments in and so on. And up till today, all of the emails have been uplifting. And then Amanda gets one saying; "we might be dreaming about the price".

Needless to say, this email was kind of a bummer. And confusing - considering the apartments we have been looking at online run in our budget [$850 to $1200] and seem to have enough square footage [upwards of 950] to suite four people. So... are the online listings wrong? Are we somehow getting ghetto apartments in North Hollywood? Who knows.

Good news for me: Amanda has a car! Amanda's Dad paid for her brakes to get fixed. So for the first time in two months; Amanda can drive again. But really we hardly ever go places without each-other... so now she'll just drive me around. But really the best part of it is, that her Dad saved us $350... so we owe him big time for that.

Okay - my stomach is freaking out... time to eat.

Labels: Amanda, Billy, By Mike, Hollywood, Target

Amanda and I rented 'IMAX's Everest' from Hollywood Video (since I have unsuccessfully tried to downloaded a DVD rip of it for the past two weeks), I highly recommend it - I think its the first time a documentary has ever brought tears to my eyes.

But the reason I mention it is: the entire time I was watching these three strangers coming together to do something so amazing, it sparked a kind of hopeful confidence that had quietly faded in the past few (boring... suspenseful) weeks. I had lost ahold on that feeling of "this is an adventure/ journey/ challenge/ and I can't doubt myself already - or I'll never last".

But unfortunately Amanda is watching 'Thirteen' now, and the movie is kinda a buzz-kill as far as inspiration goes. Listening to two underage (bitches) teens... bitch,doesn't do alot of inspiring.
I'm only 45 minutes into it and I'm already convinced I never want to have a daughter.

Anyways, enough about that (terrible movie), we got our first comment the other day, by the one and only Mark Maynard from Crimewave USA... it's an honor.

Labels: Amanda, By Mike, Crimewave USA, IMAX, Mark Maynard

On our Pro's and Con's list when we were first discussing packing up and moving west, # two on the con's was: "Billy will still be here."

So, who is Billy - and why would we miss him so? Chuck and I moved to the Ann Arbor/ Ypsi' area in 2001, we both got jobs at Target (where I met my beautiful girlfriend: The Girl) here is where we also became friends with Billy, the kind of individual you meet where you think; what is this (talented, funny, smart-as-hell) person doing here at Target, when they could do so much more in so many other places, especially a place like Hollywood.

Today he told Amanda and I that he is planning on moving with us. I don't know if all our begging, or the coincidence that his lease ends the day we leave for CA, persuaded him to come with. But I hope he comes, it won't be for at least a month after we've left, but he will decide before the 29th of this month. It's coming so soon. Everything is only days away.
"...A chance to turn it all around..."

(anyone know where thats from?)

Labels: Amanda, Ann Arbor, Billy, By Mike, Ypsi

Driving is the worst. I don't get out much myself. I lead a very uneventful life ninety percent of the time, but, Amanda always has a mile long to-do list, and it being that her car is brake-less, and my car being a stick-shift (which she can't drive... actually she can... but thats a whole other story altogether) anyways: Her and I drive around a'lot doing errands, and its torture enough to count the days left here in "good old Michigan", but to be in my car, and driving around this slush covered state, constantly having to blare the de-frost, and scrap the windows, my feet slipping below on the sheet of ice that has formed on my floor mat... it's unbelievably tempting to just drive. And to keep driving... until I can turn off the heat in my car, until I can roll down the windows, until the roads are dry and ice free.

Labels: Amanda, By Mike, To-Do List, Warm Weather

Amanda was selling some CD's the other day for extra cash and she came up with an idea for a band name. So when we get to California, we're starting a garage band. The Wicked Pickles. I get to be lead vocals, Mike can be bass, and Amanda will be on lead guitar. Speaking of selling CD's, I couldn't believe people will still pay money for them, even if it is only $3 a piece. Unfortunately, I think $3 is looking pretty good for the California fund. She got about fifty total.

I finally sold the truck (a giant '89 F-150) and bought myself a '95 Escort LX. I like the car a lot. It's an automatic, so I won't have to shift in the worst traffic in America, and the body and interior are in great shape. I know nothing about cars, so I didn't really bother asking much about the engine and stuff, but the guy was a mechanic and said they put in a new engine with only 60,000 miles on it. I'm putting my faith in a guy with oil-soaked hands and clothing, but he seemed too dense to be putting one over on me. (I hope that comment never comes back to bite me in the ass)

The room I'm staying in at Jessica and Andrew's place flooded the other day. Fortunately my belongings were on the other side of the room. Actually, most of my stuff is already in the car. I don't have anything to do with it now, so my car sits wherever I park it, ready to drive 2,500 miles (god willing) with all my personal effects in tow. I have to get the car checked out today because the engine warning light keeps coming on, but I'm hoping it's nothing serious.

I had a dream last night and I actually convinced myself not to go in the dream. It was so strange to wake up and think you've done something like that. I had decided to stay here and go to school, because my parents came over and convinced me and brought my sister and lots of baked goods. I'm not sure if my subconscious is trying to tell me something, but the urge is still to leave.

If anyone reading this wants to send us money for the trip, I can send you our mailing address. We accept personal checks, money orders, or paypal. Or you can just ship us a big jar of pennies. In return, we'll send you a very nice postcard of a Japanese girl or guy in the latest Japanese fashions. thanks readers.

Labels: Amanda, By Chuck, By Mike, Chuck, PayPal, Wicked Pickles

Well I helped Chuck gather up the last of his things from his parent's house this morning. We filled the truck again... not expecting that one, out of all us; Chuck was the one thought to have the least by far. And I think he still does - but its becoming obvious that all of amanda and I's personal belongings is gonna be tricky to pill into two little escorts.

But the good news is that we found a bike rack that will attach to the trunk of my car, and easily hold three bikes. So 'whew' I can stop worrying about that :) Now just the t.v., and computers, the speakers, the cameras and their cases, the clothes, DVDs, the list goes on and on. How does someone with so little money manage to get so many things?

Okay, I have a question, I have two cars; one is a 'two-door Ford Escort' and the second is a Mercury Sable (rusty but trusty). Now the escort of course is the car of choice because its not held together solely by rust and dirt, it has working heat, and it doesn't squeek in the rear like the trunk is about to fall off while driving down the highway, but - the sable has four doors, a trunk (both desperately needed for all my crap), and cruise control (a very nice feature for long trips). So the question is posed: Which car should I take?

e-mail me your advice, and I'll post the good stuff on our blog.

Labels: Amanda, By Chuck, By Mike, Packing, The Girl