ENTRY #123
YouTube and Feedback links added 12.21.07
 
1:45 PM, Thursday, May 24th, 2001:
 
I'm not dead...and this long ass entry will prove it.
 
You all should know by now that if I go 20 days without an entry, that just means I'm busy. Because if bad shit was happening, I'd be telling you all my deepest most personal feelings because I'm a pussy like that. Go look at January of 2000 to get an idea of what I mean. 14 entries in one month...CRIMINEY.
 
So yes, I'm here, and no nothing has changed - except for the obvious delay of the Trinitrons. All I can say in that respect is that I want this thing to be right, and I'm not gonna rush it. As well, Charlotte is a perfectionist too and two perfectionists compromising takes a bit of time. I'm on the 2nd rewrite since my last entry, and it's all slowly winding down. We're down to a few lines being punched up and starting to go into "production mode". I've decided that I will get into this in a bit more detail in a few weeks when I present the very first: "Trinitron Chronicles". A series of entries devoted solely to "where we are" in the production schedule to that point. I'll only write one when we've actually accomplished something, and when the script is finalized - that will indeed be "Part One". The next parts should be a blast to read as you slowly get introduced to each character as I change my appearence during filming. On "The Trinitrons" website you'll begin seeing a "backstreet boysish" layout with bios about each member and histories and such. On that site, there will be absolutely NO hints that this is one person: A stranger to it will assume it's a new boy band, and that's completely what I want. That should be quite a fun site to build over the next couple of months.
 
As well I've almost completely grown back my beard (damn 2 weeks and it's there!), preparing for the first TV that we hope to shoot the first week in June. We honestly aren't THAT far off of my own expectations. I wanted to do it in late April, but 6-8 weeks of script refining will be completely worth it in the end. So be patient with the Trinitrons news, I assure you it is forthcoming.
 
On the weight side of my life, I must say I've had the greatest month of my life simply "maintaining" the weight loss. After the strict diet that I adhered to for 4 months, being able to splurge feels like eating for the first time. Honest to GOD, my first Super-size fries at McDonalds in almost 6 months tasted better than I could've possibly imagined. And all I did was go back to diet food the next day and didn't gain a thing. I actually like my diet food of rice, chicken, and veggies - so it's not a big deal. Now red meat on the other hand may be out of my diet for good. I love a juicy steak as much as the next guy, but my digestive system has been permanently reshaped. And red meat most certainly stands out as the greatest way to make my ass EXPLODE. I was able to eat some pizza with peperonni and was alright, but I think I was lucky if anything.
 
The great part is that I'm finally introducing "fun" food into my diet, and I'm not gaining weight. I'm very aware of my weight, and I fluctuate between 150-153 everyday. I also took a nice 2 week break from working out and was able to pick back up where I left off and still felt great. So I'm completely happy. At some point I know I need to add weights and start working my body fat % down to athlete levels (I'm at 12.5% now - would like to be 8-9%), but I'm just having too much fun right now "maintaining". I also don't have a clue how to work the right muscles for the body I want - so hopefully I meet someone who can give me a good regiment to follow.
 
The Boyles animated? I knew I'd get a few of you excited in the last entry about that - LOL. I haven't really "pitched" the idea of The Boyles to Greg as of yet. You all know I'm not into the whole "slimy LA scene" and am more interested in actually having a friend at this point. It's not like I could do anything with The Boyles now anyway... Of course everytime he talks about the personal cartoon pitches he's working on I get boner. Well, not really, but I know if done correctly, the relationship between Lester and Johnny could EASILY be turned into a great half-hour show. An old ornery guy getting his grandson into trouble just works with Lester & Johnny. My other problem with "pitching" the idea to Greg, is that I haven't the slightest idea HOW to do it. The Boyles humor was so slow in comparison to today's great cartoons. That doesn't mean it can't work, but I feel Greg would have to listen to EVERY FREAKIN' EPISODE to understand the potential. But again, I'm too busy right now, and having too much fun talking "videogames" with him to think about a working relationship. But in time I'll make him listen...
 
SPEAKING of videogames...or should I speak of "Family Guy" first? Yeah, I'll leave E3 for the end...
 
So Greg worked on "Family Guy" the past 8 months. Ironically enough it's gonna be paired up with "The Tick" on Fox this fall. Unfortunately, they decided to put it on Thursdays nights, so we just may see them for about 3 weeks. It's too bad too, because I got to see a screening of an episode next season at the studio, and it was truly one of the funnier 30 minute shows I've seen in a long time. It was pre-censors, and some of the best stuff will be gone, but the show is A LOT funnier than what I had seen a few years ago and I'm glad they're bringing it back. Too bad they've basically doomed it to fail by putting it against "Friends", but you never know. ANYWAY, guess who came to the screening? Sarah Gilbert who played "Darlene" on Roseanne. How obtruse is that? Apparently one of the animator's wives was a writer on Roseanne and Sarah came by to see one of the screenings. Greg and I even shared an elevator with her. Actually this story is a bit funny:
 
So we're leaving and end up sharing the elevator down with Sarah and whomever brought her. Sarah asks Greg and I if we have the time. I didn't have a watch, and said: "sorry" as Greg pulled his out. It was in his pocket for some reason. He sits there and stares at it. For a good while too. I look over and couldn't tell if it was upside down or not, but there was this uncomfortable silence. Sarah looks and says "11:30?" and Greg goes: "Yeah, sometimes I have trouble reading these..." ENTER ADAM THE DICK: "YOU CAN'T READ A FREAKIN' WATCH WITH HANDS? HAHAHAHA! What the hell is wrong with our generation!!??" I get a good kick out of it and as the elevator door closes behind Sarah and her friend Greg says: "Dude, I was nervous, that was Darlene man..." And I just felt like such a wanker. I thought he really couldn't read it, but he was probably all freakin' out because Darlene was staring at his crotch looking at his watch. HAHAHA. I of course felt it necessary to razz him a bit more, but still felt a bit bad. Either way - FREAKIN' DARLENE FROM ROSEANNE! Pretty cool.
 
Ok, so E3. The big Electronic Entertainment Expo featuring the newest videogames in the world. The big attraction this year? Nintendo's GameCube and Microsoft's Xbox. I won't turn this into a review of videogame consoles (though I'd REALLY like to), but Nintendo easily impressed. Whereas the Xbox games seemed very rushed and incomplete, Nintendo's polish SHINED. Even if you don't like the kiddie games (though at 25 they're still a blast for me) - their older gamer line-up is just jaw dropping. The new Star Wars game has to be seen to be believed. PS2 also had incredibly impressive titles (FINALLY) and will most likely own the 18+ crowd in the upcoming videogame wars. Nintendo will dent it a bit, but unfortunately people still see them as an "18 and under" console. And that's a demographic that Nintendo certainly owns. So where does Microsoft end up? Their deep pockets will draw out the inevitable failure of the system I'm afraid. I had hoped they could come in and stir up the competition but they just AREN'T. Everything gets launched in early November this year, so it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out.
 
That was a review of videogame consoles wasn't it. Sorry.
 
But at E3, I got to play Tekken with Gary Coleman. At least I tried to. They were having trouble with the PS2 freezing and we never got the chance. I did get a chance to see him be an annoying little brat to everyone involved. Heh.
 
First of all, lemme say that I LOVE Gary Coleman. I was the biggest Different Strokes fan in the world as a kid, and to meet him was REALLY cool. I immeditaely felt for him because some guy came up to him and said: "WHATCHOO TALKIN' 'BOUT WILLIS" and you could see the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It's as if he said to himself "Ugo.com is paying me to stand out here and talk about their product, I can't pummel this fuck..."
 
How you can't think that line wouldn't annoy Gary Coleman after 20 years of hearing it is beyond me. I sure hope in my life I'm not remembered by a catch phrase. Shoot my ass before that happens.
 
The problem was, Gary was just a dick to the people at UGO.COM who were trying to set-up this PS2 for us. Apparently it's tradition to play Gary Coleman at PS2 games at E3. Who knew. But they couldn't get it hooked up right, and Gary's like: "CAN'T YOU PUT IT ON CHANNEL 3!" "It's a monitor man, there's no tuner in it for channels" "HIT TV/VIDEO" "There is no tv/video...."
 
The cool part is that I got this on video. Once they got the system up and running, it kept freezing after we selected our fighters. I really thought Arnold Jackson was gonna kick some ASS. It was so funny. He's yellin' all these demands at people, and this thing was not working. Finally they reset it as we're both holding our controllers and he says: "Just let the graphics play" the SECOND I hit the start button and made it go to the menu screen. Arnold yells: "Awwww SHIT" and I just lose it laughing. I mean, it was just funny. No matter what, Gary Coleman still looks like a little kid and that coming out of his mouth was just classic. I apologized as we picked our players. It then froze up again and he said: "Aww to hell with this..." handed me the controller and walked away! I had waited for an hour to play his ass. I of course couldn't stop laughing, but it did suck. I wanted to BEAT HIS ASS in Tekken Tag Tournament.
 
Unfortunately the video didn't come out too well, as Gary looks like a silhouette, but I got some lighted footage of him earlier and edited it together. You can definitely hear him - his voice is SOOO unique. And of course to his credit, it was hot, the FREAKIN' THING WOULDN'T WORK, and we were all a bit frustrated. Who knows, when I've been catered to for 20 years, I may be the same whiny little brat he was - but I'll try my damndest not to be.
 
And the best E3 news of all: I've made a KILLING on EBAY. I mean, some serious jack. When it's all said and done it could very well be over $1000. They were giving these foam GameCubes away for various things, and I stocked up. I got like 29 of these little bitches. I sold 2 there for $5 a piece, and then put a couple on Ebay. Little did I know they'd be garnering $35 a PIECE. On top of that I picked up a bunch of prmotional DVD cases with a GameCube liner. The new GameCube games will be in DVD cases and they had them on display in their booth. Well, I don't think I was supposed to take so many, but they were really cool and I wanted to put them in my DVD collection and look al cool: Then I put them on Ebay and got $40 for one of them. AN EMPTY FREAKIN' DVD CASE FOLKS. What people will pay for is absoultely AMAZING. I will make more off Ebay this year, than I have for every 4TVS Productions project I've done. Amazing. And not a moment too soon - because the money is so freakin' tight right now I'm eating fuckin' ramen noodles again. (sigh) - it never ends man. This city is so expensive.
 
So there's my life. Jess's life has been pretty stressful too lately as her hours have increased substantially. I feel so freakin' guilty. I try and do as much as I can, but I never feel like I measure up. The truth is...right now I don't. But it's temporary and the tables will turn soon. I just can't tell you how much I love her for what she's sacrificing to better our future. An absolutely, amazing woman. The most caring, decdicated, commited person I know. She deserves the world, and will soon get it. The day I can tell her to "Breathe Deep" is gonna be the greatest day of my life.
 
:-)
 
The Trinitrons are coming...
 
Adam
 
original video file
 
MAY 2001
FEEDBACK