THE LAND OF INTRICATE CEILINGS AND ELEGANT CARPETING

yes, i'm back. i know it's been awhile. what can i say? i didn't feel like talking much... i'm sure you can appreciate the feeling. i suppose i should sum up the last couple of months for you. right.

1. i saw all of my old friends and met a bunch of new ones. it was emotional. i wish geography didn't dictate who we see on a daily basis.
2. i've begun working for ign, rather than gamespy. before you call me a traitor -- like everybody else -- realize that the alternative was moving back to orange county. while i would've loved the chance to visit my oc friends more often -- alex, ryan, song... i'm looking at you -- i'm just not ready to leave the city yet. san francisco is my home for the time being.

i'm currently sitting in a hotel room somewhere just outside las vegas. i'm out covering the d.i.c.e. summit as my last official duty for the 'spy. it's all going down at this resort called green valley ranch (not where i'm staying, unfortunately); if you can imagine a typical vegas theme casino after being infected by whatever it is that makes irvine irvine, (bay area friends can replace the word irvine with emeryville) then you have a pretty good idea what this joint looks like. that said, i find walking around it rather pleasant. it's quiet... especially for a casino. i was really concerned about that sound as i was walking through the airport earlier today... it's so abrasive, so loud. but at green valley, a trip into the casino is aurally on par with entering a magical fantasy land... what an interesting bunch of sounds to hear! i feel like peter pan. that is, at first anyway. once your deep enough in, it sounds like any other casino, only... quieter. bonus! another bonus: the attached food court has a fatburger. i haven't seen one since my oc days. it was a fond reunion.

raymond and i were informed that we wouldn't be allowed to film in the hotel... pretty much anywhere. all public areas, including pools, lobbies, and of course, the casino, are off limits. this fact made planning the second episode of the cliff show that much more difficult. how do you follow-up an off the cuff, somewhat vile, poolside interview with a "game god" in los cabos when you can't film anywhere? you take it to the bedroom. look for the results soon. those are some wacky boys, i assure you.

funny thing: young cliff's room number was somewhat familiar. i couldn't tell if i was coming or going. then again, nobody really knows what it's like to leave 2046, do they ;)

everybody's out partying tonight at a club called "the whiskey," which is not affliated with the la bar, i gather. i'd probably have joined if i wasn't staying at this other random hotel... but then again, partying has never really been my thing. instead i bought a pack of cigarettes and decided to kick it in my room solo. this led to a television viewing session -- something that only happens in lonely hotel rooms. i watched an episode of the bachelorette, a show my friend dawn shoots. i fucking hate reality tv. it's not the reality that bothers me... but rather, the unreality. they put real people through fake-ass nonesense in effort to slam people into relationships. beyond being nothing like real-life, these shows end up making me feel worse about myself. how is that possible! f television. the cinematography was fine though. so good work, dawn. i wish i had something more fulfilling for you to work on.

"instead i bought a pack of cigarettes and decided to kick it in my room solo"

something about vegas always compels me to smoke -- probably the fact that you can do it indoors, here. that said, the pack sits on this desk, unsmoked. maybe it'll be my first and last pack. it's not calling to me... asking me to smoke it... it's just sitting there. i think i'll go to bed.

tomorrow's another day. i'll spend it staring at the sky. staring at my feet. again.
oh and alex, thanks for the cut. it makes me wanna cry. Posted by ryan at January 31, 2005 10:06 PM | TrackBack