Tao of Pauly

Limbo

By Pauly
Hollyweird

I'm always up early and settled into the chair at the dining room table next to the window. As soon as I opened it up, the cool (yet polluted) Southern California air rushed inside the apartment. Sometimes I pluck a book off of Nicky's shelf and sit on the steps outside in the alleyway catching random rays of sunshine. But most of the time, I sit down and write for a while.

Eventually the neighbors upstairs wake up for work and I can hear their shower running. They finish their morning routine and shut the door before they rumble down the stairs and start the car for the morning rat race. I'm glad that I don't have a 9-5 job and I'm super happy that I don't have to fight an LA commute.

The extended time in LA threw me for a loop. I wasn't prepared to do nothing when I had pretty much planned out the remaining days of the year in NYC before I headed to Australia. Nicky was still sick, so we couldn't actually head out anywhere. Lucky for me, I can entertain myself. I caught up on reading and listening to a slew of new music that the Joker had linked up on our music blog, including some Bob Marley remixes and a bootleg recording of the Led Zeppelin reunion concert in London.

I wrote a lot and tried to patch up my weary bones after a five day bender in Las Vegas. I lost my voice at some point on Sunday and that has been slowly coming back to me. I also put on six of the 15 pounds I lost in NYC. I went for a few walks, which is odd in LA, since the only people who are walking... are walking to their cars. Definitely did some serious damage to my body during this trip. But I had a blast and it was totally worth it. But like the Key West trip, I figured it would take a week before my body returned to normal status.

Nicky felt good enough for brunch at O'Groats. We passed by striking writers picketing in front of the Fox lot. About 55% of them were yapping on their cellphones. We were stopped in front of a light and the picket line walked by us. Nicky honked in honor of her support and we drove on.

I played a lot of online poker since I got back from Vegas. I ran great in Vegas and won a few bucks. I hoped that winning streak would continue online, but that never happened. Was down $1,200 at one point inside of a 24 hour stretch. I wasn't playing very good and when I finally got my shit together and stopped the bleeding, the damage was done. Since that ugly point, I've won a little of it back.

A former Broadway actress stopped by the apartment along with her roommate during one of my sessions. She was friends with Showcase and helped him walk dogs, because when actors aren't working in Hollyweird, they are broke and need money. She noticed that I was playing online poker.

"Like, are you playing poker for money? Like real money?"

I had over $1,100 on the virtual table at the time. I was up $100. By the time the girls left, I was down $50. They were nice girls, but were unlucky.

We drove Swingers around 9pm for dinner last night and the place was overrun by hipsters, like always. The waitresses dress like slutty chicks and that's always a bonus. They're like rock and roll dirty and not plastic dirty. They look like the type of chick that will knock back a shot of tequila before they blow you in an alley while you smoke a joint.

With Nicky sick, I've had to entertain myself the last few days. I watched a lot of movies on cable. I finally watched Apocalypto from beginning to end. Kinda violent, but OK. I was super disappointed with The Last Kiss. I swoon over Rachel Bilson but I had to sit through a Zach Braf movie. That's what they make enemy combatants in secret CIA prisons watch in order to torture them. The only reason I endured that sort of abuse was Rachel Bilson. Nicky and I watched it on demand. As soon as I remembered that I could rewind and forward, I took advantage of that option. At one point, I skipped every single Zach Braf scene that he was in without Rachel Bilson. That was the only way I could watch it. Not one nipple shot from Bilson. Boooooooo. What a waste of my time.

Waiting... was a nice surprise. Lots of random funny moments in a quirky comedy about a dysfunctional crew that works in a chain restaurant. Plus I'll watch any flick with Luis Guzman in it. Dane Cook was in it too and didn't realize it was him until the end credits. I'm one of those people who think that Dane Cook is overrated as a comedian, but I thought he was good in the flick.

Nicky was fast asleep when I watched Cocaine Kings. Showcase had stumbled home drunk in the middle of the documentary about the Miami drug trade. When he saw what I was watching, he blurted out, "God, I wish I had some cocaine."

So did I. Especially after they kept showing cocaine non-stop during the documentary. Kilos and kilos of it. Man, all I wanted to do was get high! About ten minutes after Showcase passed out from drinking too much, he ran into the bathroom and puked a couple of times. Nice.

Last 5 Flicks I Watched on Cable...
1. Little Miss Sunshine
2. Waiting...
3. The Last Kiss
4. Cocaine Cowboys
5. Apocalypto