CARMAGGEDON!!!

So, for all those friends and family who are on the verge of enjoying yet another GORGEOUS summer weekend in the city of Chicago, I want to alert you to an unspeakable evil that is about to envelope Los Angeles tonight (no, not 'The Kardashians' they're.....they're always here).

No, the epic, frightening, "Katrina-esque" hardship coming our way is the event known as CARMAGGEDON.

Now, I don't know if this news has traveled all the way to Chicago, much less east of the 210 freeway, but one of L.A.'s biggest and most crucial freeways - the 405 - is being shut down for two whole days beginning at midnight tonight (midnight, of course, is the most epic deadline time to set, whether its getting home before the carriage turns into pumpkin or finding the deed for Toontown).

This complete shutdown is expected to create traffic havoc across all of Los Angeles as the cars who would be on the 405 fan out to alternative routes, further clogging L.A.'s already overcrowded streets. I mean, this thing is like a man in desperate need of a cholesterol reduction seeing how many Culver's Bacon-Butterburgers he can eat in an hour.

This trafficapocalypse has been Micheal Bay'd into the term CARMAGGEDON.

Cue appropriate music!

People all over L.A. have been freaking out and the city is doing its best to put the fear of God (or, whatever L.A.'s many atheists would be afraid of) into residents into staying home or leaving town to hopefully lessen the congestionopolis.

I have been getting a really big kick out of the whole thing because I've never felt closer to my fellow Los Angelinos. The thing is, for a city that barely shares the same air, let alone any kind of collective experience, CARMAGGEDON has really given everyone - from the slickest, coked-up agent to the lowliest background actor - a common topic of conversation. Nowhere is that more true than in my 'hood of Venice, because the whole of the Westside will be ground zero for the CAR-trastrophe.

Here's a map I found online that is very helpful for navigating the disturbances.

From 'A' to 'B' is what is going to be completely closed. Now, as you can see, Venice is right in the F*CKED zone. To make things trickier, I often travel from the F*CKED Zone to the area that is S.O.L. (Shit Outta Luck)...so you can see how this could disrupt my weekend plans.


But, how often does one get to be in a city going through such a massive crisis of transportation, infrastructure, AND identity?

I think that's what's really going on. L.A. is being forced to stare its Automotive Addiction right in its ugly smog-filled face. I mean, there is NO WAY to get from the Valley to the Westside other than driving. No trains or decent alternative routes are available and it's just a reminder of how messed up this city is. But, meh- that just the way things are out here.

I will attempt to flee the F*CKED Zone entirely by escaping today to the Eastside of L.A., where I will be taking a bit of a 'Staycation' in a friend's apartment who'll be out of town. I'll often go to the Eastside for a night every so often, but now I am taking my "casual sex" relationship with the Los Feliz/Silverlake area to a new level by spending a whole weekend together. Now, don't think this means I'm getting a divorce from Venice...just taking a little break....JFK used to do that all the time.

Confusing neighborhood-sexual metaphors notwithstanding, I'm hoping I don't feel too left out staying half a city away from the swamp of congestion. I do always enjoy these ridiculous "problems" that usually get way overblown (see my report on the Santa Monica Tsunami), but only because they provide such rich material to make funny things, and CARMAGGEDON is no exception.

Case in point, this rather brilliant video of Hilter raving about the 405 Closure... (The HITLER RANTS video from 'Downfall' has been used on everything from sports catastrophes to bad movies to...the actual rants themselves), but this one is really pretty good and painfully filled with local L.A. jokes.

This part about people living downtown LA is pretty on the money.

Keep tuned to the Twitter for all the CARMAGGEDON updates you don't care about because you'll probably be at  Cubs game or a cool street festival or on a boat on Lake Michigan instead of a stupid burnt-out city desperately trying to fix its infrastructure that will probably be destroyed by an giant earthquake in the next five years anyway!

Eyewitness Report: TSUNAMI in Tsanta Monica!

(for best effect, read report in loud, British accent with intermittent static)

Santa Monica, CA - 8:15 AM

As I made my way to the cliffs near the Santa Monica Pier the sense of panic and casual interest was thick in the air. I had traveled to this precarious spot with nothing but myself, my mobile reporting unit (aka my iPhone) a large, black coffee, and La Grand Orange's "Muffin of the Day" - Apple Cinnamon Raisin.

The crowds: gathering. The anticipation: building. The muffin: absolutely delicious.

As I delicately picked at the muffin, taking delight in the fact that it was still warm from the oven, I could not help but notice the anarchy and chaos that was escalating around me. People, driven from their homes by a faint level of interest and an inexplicable lack of a real job that necessitated being in the office on a Friday morning, had gathered along the cliffs - staying a safe distance from what I like to call "THE KILL ZONE".

As more and more presumably unemployed refugees made their way to fence-line that separated safety from certain death, the situation turned from life-threatening to extremely life-threatening. The air became a cacophonous symphony, a veritable violent assault on the ears made up of distant news helicopters, quiet conversation, and the incessant iPhone ringtone "Marimba" as those along the fence received calls from loved ones and friends who actually worked for a living.

As I finished my delectable breakfast treat, I could not help but take stock of the picture perfect day - 70 degrees, sunshine, and a ever so gentle breeze - that made me question how God could bring such an unstoppable wall of water racing towards this idyllic and overwhelmingly white community. Suddenly, a helicopter raced overhead causing some people to briefly look up from their conversations.

I snapped into action and recorded the incident on my mobile reporting unit - 

As the copter sped away, I was briefly distracted by a palm tree, and then overcome with fear and a faint dryness in my mouth from finishing the muffin, I quickly took a sip of coffee. It was still warm, and I was still alive. It was well past 8:30 and the tsunami's effects had begun. A slightly-larger-than-average wave began to crash against the defenseless shore. Our nightmare was becoming real.

Realizing that potentially dozens of uninformed individuals back in the smug safety of the Midwest may be depending on me for a window to the destruction, I made a decision that took unbelievable courage and unspeakable selflessness and headed down..... into "the KILL ZONE".

As I strolled down the hill, each "fwap fwap" of my sandals made me realize I was taking another casual step towards the shore and, perhaps, journalistic immortality.

I staked out a spot beyond the edge of Pico Boulevard, where a drainage ditch emptied into the Pacific, and decided that there would be no better spot to bare witness to "the Rape of California", as I was now calling it. 

Before me, the tranquil waters far from the ocean's edge offered absolutely no insight into anything that could possibly be happening. At this point, I began to question my own abilities as a journalist, or, farther still, as a normal human being with the very basest level of common sense. The quiet pool, most likely calming to anyone else who had looked at it, became a humiliating monument to my own lack of rational intelligence. I decided I need to act fast to save face.

I quickly accessed the 'Hipstamatic' Application on my iPhone and took TWO MORE PICTURES, this time, using the digital effects of the app to make the images look more interesting than they had been with just the regular camera.

THE RESULTS WERE SHOCKING

On the second photo, I even managed to capture a lifeguard's truck driving slowly across the small bridge - known by me as "SATAN'S DEATH BRIDGE".

These two images with their manufactured "look" replicating the work of an actual professional photographer gave me an inflated sense of superiority over other, less artistically curious individuals,  who used "regular" camera phones. It seemed my reputation and ego were safely rescued from the metaphorical tsunami wave of self-doubt, self-pity, and humiliation.

At this time, I realized I had strayed from my original mission and - worse still - the fast drinking of coffee and light walking had given my feeble stomach a slight cramp. Time was running out. I made what was no doubt the bravest, most heroic and sexiest decision yet - I would face "the Rape of California" head on and go between 20 to 30 ft from the water's edge. I was going so far into the KILL ZONE that I was now entering the REALLY EXTREME AND DANGEROUS AND VERY ATTRACTIVE TO THE OPPOSITE SEX IF YOU GO ZONE.

I wept briefly, overcome by my own selfless heroism.

As I inched closer and closer to the waves, crashing with nearly five to ten....MILLION times the force of regular waves, I willed my body to press on, despite the threat to life and limb and my still present coffee-guzzling induced cramp, which had not abated as I continued to sip it because it was kind of expensive.

As I reached the area where the quiet pool almost met the crashing waves - HELL'S SATAN'S DEATH ZONE OF ANGELS - I almost felt the awesome power of the moment, and then realized that the actual change in water level would be barely noticeable along the wide beach and that I, like the other sixty or so irresponsible onlookers, was probably just wasting my time.

This moment required documentation, and so I snapped another iconic picture.

The picture gave no in insight at all and I immediately regretted it.

Ashamed, I felt a need to to relate to the common people who had witnessed the possibly-still-ongoing-but-difficult-to-see event. I struck up a conversation with two guys and a girl nearby who were visiting L.A., which went fine until I realized that the girl, who was kinda cute, was probably with one of the other two guys. Plus, she wasn't really that cute. I said my goodbyes to them and wished them well in their attempt to pick up the pieces from this tragedy, which they implied they would do by "probably checking out the boardwalk later".

So, having stared Death in the face, then flicking it off, then having sex with Death's mother right in front of Death, I decided my epic journey had finally come to its completely fulfilling and not in any way faked climax. It was getting late, my coffee was empty, and I was kinda bored.

I trudged back to the cliffs of safety, now referred to as "THE TSUNAMI-PUSSY ZONE", and looked out at the skyline of downtown Santa Monica and wondered if the people in those buildings knew how close they came to absolute and total annihilation, which is to say, not very close at all. 

I snapped a picture to commemorate another of my brilliant insights.

Upon reaching the sweet relief of the cliffs, I realized my brush with danger was not yet finished, as I saw a member of the Santa Monica Police Department Traffic Services Team about to ticket my car for being at an expired meter, the mindless enforcer not knowing of the valiant crusade that had stolen my attention. I had to use my great skills of reasoning and oratory but was finally able to convince the man that, since I had gotten there before he wrote me the ticket, that he should not actually write me a ticket.

He understood and was moved.

Again, I wept.

And so I left the scene, knowing that there may be more to cover and that all the real insight would be available at home, where actual reporters using helicopters and "experts" would break down the effect of the tsunami on the California coast, mostly not noticeable to the average person standing along the shore line.

Looking back, I am blown away by the tremendous ordeal I went through. What really shakes me to the core, however, is the ever growing realization than the past few hours have been little more than an incredible self-aggrandizing, uninformed, and ultimately unfunny waste of time.

And so...I weep,

This is Mark Kosin, Santa Monica, California.....reporting.

-MK

In 'Code' We Trust

Well, the Packers are Superbowl Champions and I'm not too broken up about it...unlike the Packers themselves, most of whom are physically broken, injured, or waiting at death's door.

Actually, that's just Brett Favre.

No, I'm not too bummed about those Green and Yellow, Lambau-leaping Cheesebrains to the north winning it all because tonight is an event I've eagerly anticipated for months--the premiere of "The Chicago Code" on FOX.

Many who know me are aware that I've been pimping this show like a 1950's cigarette advertiser for the last couple of months, but I just want to lay down again why I'm more excited than Ben Roethlisberger after hearing the words "dropping the charges" about the debut tonight. It's a change of pace for me, because I usually run away from any show that is about doctors, cops, lawyers or Jim Belushi.

I'd actually heard about it a while ago when some friends at USC had seen the pilot in a class back when it was called "Ride-Along". They said A) that it was pretty good and B) that I'd like it because "its about Chicago cops and there's this one scene when this cop gives a guy shit for being a White Sox fan".

$OLD.

Then, I found out that it was written/show-run by Shawn Ryan, creator of "The Shield", who is also a native of the lovely town of ROCKFORD, IL.

Back when the fam used to take trips to Galena like it was going out of style, the Rockford oasis McDonald's was just that--the ultimate oasis of greasy food and a bleach-blasted bathroom--that helped split up the 2 1/2 hour drive.

Not to mention, the guy is a huge Chicago sports fan and obviously has passion for the city of Big Shoulders....so, yeah, we'd get along. Plus, he is one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter, especially during big Chi-town sports events (my favorite was his keeping a close eye on the Miami Heat's "Race to 72 wins" long after ESPN mysteriously dropped the story).

So, good show, good showrunner- but now the best and most obvious reason I'm excited about this show:

It's filmed entirely in Chicago.


It's filmed entirely in Chicago! 


It's filmed entirely in Chicago!!! 


Now, why is this so great? Well, its more than me just getting my own John Hancock every time I see a shot of said tower on TV...no, this is great because its a quality show that is shot on location in CHI.

After trying to get interested and excited for years on mediocre comedies set in in the Windy City but shot in weatherless Burbank (here's looking at you, My Boys, According to Jim, and newcomer Mike and Molly), there's finally a show I can actually be proud of.

(Oh, and lets not forget the absolute abortion of a Chicago-set sitcom known as CURSED.)

But, better still, "The Chicago Code" spurns the blank slate of Hollywood backlots and green screens and actually shoots on location in Chi-town...in its neighborhoods and 3-flats and decades-old L tracks that you really can't get anywhere else....sorry WB Lot.

And its ABOUT the city. They're not just setting something here because it'd fit the "feeling" of the show then slapping a postcard image of the city at the top of each scene and putting a Bears poster on the bar set (Again: here's looking at you, My Boys, According to Jim..etc),

Its about the City of Chicago and its biggest problem: corruption. Its about the cops who work in a gritty, violent city that is also their hometown. Its about real pride about where you're from and who you root for. Its about "he pulls a knife; you pull a gun. He puts one of yours in the hospital; you put one of his in the morgue. THAT's the CHICAGO way."

Whoops, got a little excited and slipped into Jimmy Malone for a sec. But you get the idea.

Anyway, I'm just saying that it speaks to one of the things I've really come to realize recently, which is that despite the relative wealth of production that has come to the Second City, there are very few--none, really--that do a good job capturing what Chicago is really about. Its people, its attitude, its undefinable qualities that only come from standing at the corner of Washington and Dearborn and feeling a cold breeze from the Lake.

I mean, very few have ever captured the soul of our city the way Woody Allen and Scorcese got NYC or Michael Mann taps into L.A. or even now how Affleck just masterBostonates all over the screen.

Tapping into the sweet home Chgicago-ness in film is definitely something I hope to do one day, once I finish USC and start convincing people to give me money to make things.

But, in the meantime, I think "Chicago Code" has the chance to be the best insight into the true character of this city that we've seen on any screen in a long time.

At least I hope so.

PLUS, if the show's a hit, that means the entire film industry in Chicago will have a consistent job going that can grow our production capabilities even more, perhaps getting some new shows...

DOUBLE PLUS, if the shows' a hit, and I can somehow weasel my way into the writers' room as an assistant and -- gasp! --maybe even write for the show someday....I may actually be able to live out my dream of making movies by day and drinking 312s and Old Styles with friends and family by night.

But that might just be getting ahead of myself a LITTLE bit. Show's not even on the air yet.

It will be tonight though! So watch it! Monday nights are now officially clear of Bears' primetime failures for at LEAST 8 months (not counting pre-season) so you don't have anything else planned!

THE CHICAGO CODE on FOX: 8pm CST/ 9pm in Venice and the rest of PST.

I'll be watching.




*Oh, and here's the PROMO if you've lived in a shame-cave next to John Edwards and Christine O'Donell the past 5 months.

BEST PART - "You think you can change how things get done in CHI-CAH-GO?!"


From a film position....yeah; hopefully.



-MK

Run, Kosin, Run!

It's been an unusually busy week on this sleepy little blog--and that may not be such a bad thing.

Yes, like the dust-covered box of porn you pull from the closet when you finally get the place to yourself for a few days, this blog has been in some pretty regular usage this Jan-Feb of 2011.

Of course much of that had to do with the AMAZING FROSTATRONIC BLIZZTASTIC SNOWPOCAL-okay, I'll stop... the amazing snowstorm that pounded Chitown and cried out for commentary.

Its also the fact that after TWENTYTEN being a year of almost non-stop production on films, I am recommitting myself to writing this year. That also means I finally have a little bit more free time now that I'm not driving up to Valley Glen for a side-car bicycle or schlepping down to Gardena to get a hockey goal from Play-It-Again Sports. Nothing beats the glamor of producing!

Anyway, its all for the best because today, this shameless and often hypocritical display of self-promotion will be used for the forces of GOOD. And JUSTICE. And the AMERICAN WAY. It is forum for me to announce that I am going to run the San Diego Rock n' Roll Half-Marathon on June 5th in order to raise money for the mission to wipe out blood cancer.

Oh yeah, IT'S ON.

It's ON like motherf****n JAMES CAAN.

Short version of why/how: last summer when I was doing all that producing/schlepping I became friends with someone on the crew who was a huge marathoner*.

*Now, I don't know if its because I'm older and my friends are older or its just some new cultural thing, but running is really popular right now. Running has got to be like, #3 on the list of what's really "in" (#1 is the iPad and #2 is the phrase just sayin'). I'm already locked into one race this May with the Del Priores, who like to harass me constantly with their training updates. I look forward to doing the same soon enough.

Anyway, this friend told me that she has been involved with this organization called TEAM IN TRAINING which is a group that raises money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, while also training you to run a race. They meet on the weekends and you run as a group and there's coaches who know important things like how to stretch and what brand of scotch is best before a big race (none, it turns out).

So I looked it up, checked it out, and it all seemed pretty great--do something active and healthy while raising money for a really good cause. Its a win-win. Which is really EASY for me to say now since I haven't started the training/fund-raising yet. Still, how hard can it be to prepare to run 10 miles when I've never run more than a 4K while also trying to convince people to give up money in the middle of a recession? How hard is all that?!!!?

Oh, and a half-marathon is actually 13.1 miles??!?!!?!

No problem!!! Hahahaha!


*hyperventilates*

...

..

*passes out*

..

....

*soils self*

....

..

Seriously, though. I know its not going to be easy, especially while I'm also getting ready to WORK and graduate and enter the real world. But, I feel like its just the right time to do this. And I think it will force me to become more disciplined and focused with my time. Which can be an issue for guy who usually thinks something will take just two minutes, then discovers it actually takes five......days....and still isn't done.

But that is the challenge ahead. In order to keep me motivated I'm employing YOU, my friends and family back home and random autobots posting refinancing ads in the comments section, to help KEEP ME HONEST.

There is a new feature to the blog ------>      (up a bit from here ^)

Just below the @mkosin Twitter feed, my own little fund-raising bar and 'DONATE' button.

Click and you will be taken to my TEAM IN TRAINING page which is sort of a blog like this, except the goal will be to make and raise money (unlike this one, which flushes money down the toilet).

There I'll keep a running/fund-raising journal and will also try and spread some awareness about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Aaaand that's it. And how about it? Bet you didn't see that coming!

Unless I told you about it already. But whatever. Now its official. Now its on the INTERNET. So you know its true.

All right, I have to go to bed now because I gotta wake up tomorrow to start training for this crazy thing. Just need a little motivation since I haven't officially started the Team in Training program yet.

Something...simple.

Something....direct.

Something....obvious.
 
Like....

Sprint, Kosin, sprint?  OR..... Jog, Kosin, jog? OR..... Make haste, Kosin, make haste!?

Bob Zemeckis, got anything?

Oh, yeah, of course......



RUN, KOSIN, RUN!




-MK

SNOWPOCALYPSE II: THE SNOW-EQUEL!!!

SNOWMAGEDDON: DAY 2

The snow-madness doesn't stop just because the snow has let up!


Either because people wanted my sympathy (they have it) or wanted to make me really jealous (they succeeded), I was sent a number of pictures and videos of the SNOWTASTROPHE.

Here's a pretty epic clip on Lake Shore Drive that looks like its something out of The Day After Tomorrow, minus the overblown budget and oddly preachy message....

Sweet Frosty's Ghost! Lake Shore is one of the most traversed roads in Chicago and they're strolling around like its rush hour in rural Canada. Its like I Am Legend meets Nanook of the North or something.

And what exactly happened with everyone driving around in the BLIZZATHALON in the first place?

I'm pretty curious to hear some stories from someone who was out driving and their dramatic (but not really dramatic) escape. Something like...

"Oh, it was just not moving at all! We were starting to run low on gas so we just left the car! We had to walk through all this snow and my feet were really cold and I thought we might not make it. I feared for my LIFE! Then we went to Arby's."


And then here's a pic of the ol' homestead care of dad-

 That is just a laughable amount of snow. Its like they were pouring out fake snow for a movie but then the "snow-dump" guy fell asleep or was tweeting and dumped just way too much. Or something like that.

Then there's a picture of buddy Nick, who is apparently trying to take credit away from the hardworking plow-drivers by letting us believe that he is responsible for the massive snow heap.

VERY IMPRESSIVE. But I'd wager dollars to donuts that you most likely spent 90% of the SNOWNADO in your apartment--pantsless--eating pasta and watching some movie on cable starring Nic Cage and/or John Travolta.

Am I wrong?

For the record, that is exactly what I would have done, so kudos to you, sir.

Well, I'm not going to share any more lame pictures of me being mopey in L.A. because I can't partake in any of the SNOTORIOUS B.I.G. That one from the internship was sad enough all ready.

To make things worse: we're having our own little cold spell in La-La.

Tomorrow: high of 64, low of 44.

That low is just 12 degrees away from freezing people!!!

I'm going to have to wear a light jacket or sweater or something. But it will be sunny so I may get hot...just sayin: we all got problems.


Enjoy the rest of SNOWPEARLHARBOR!


-MK

SNOWPOCALYPSE!

It is known by many names - SNOWPOCALYPSE, SNOWMAGEDDON, BLIZZNADO, BLIZZATHON, SNOWLOCAUST, SNOWTORIOUS B.I.G., KAYSER SNOWZE, SNOW-M-G, SNOWNAMI, and SNOWPEARLHARBOR just to name a few - but the bottom line is that in the past 24 hours boatloads of snow pummeled the streets of Chicago causing Lake Shore Drive to freeze up, parts of Wrigley to fly off, and the entire city to shut down for at least a day.

Sweeeeeet!

Of course, I have to enjoy all the snowmania vicariously, the same way I experience nearly everything cool that happens in CHI these days.

But I think I did okay, keeping a close eye on live feeds from local news and zooming around the Twitterverse and Facebookland for eyewitness reports and opinions.

Man, if I were in CHI right now I'd be chilling inside, a roaring fire next to me, watching Groundhog Day over and over and maybe even partake in some video game action. It's been a while since I've "answered the Call".

But instead, I'm keeping up on the biz at my internship while doing a little bit o' writing. Figure I should take one nostaligic look out the window and pretend that there's blowing snow whipping at the window instead of a light breeze, sun, and 70 degree temps....

Nope. Still sunny.

Oh well, I'll probably rifle through a few more pics online. Some great photos on Trib online. Have gotten a couple of gems txt'd to me. Anyone else got any good ones? I wonder if you can post them in the 'comments' section?

Maybe if I went for a jog on the beach I won't feel so bad about missing BLIZZARD '11, also known as BLIZZSNOWATHONMAGEDDONSTORMPOCALYPSEBOOMEXPLOSION.

Honestly, it didn't look THAT bad. Only the 3rd worst blizzard in Chicago's history.


Or, as weatherman Phil Connors says -

"What blizzard?.....It's a couple of flakes!"

DAMN, that's a great movie. Stupid snowless weather. What's gotta happen for a guy to get a day off out here?


Oh, right....


Earthquake.


I guess I'm fine.




-MK

Mark's Top 5 USC Film School Experiences

Now that da Bears are de-funct, can get back to film school and stuff.

Its funny (not the above joke, of course: that was terrible), but you may have noticed a bit of nostalgia and retrospectiveness permeating the blog recently. Okay, I may have even been crazy enough to be wanting to replay parts of the last three years in my head like a TV show. Well, its been a wild ride and this chapter is coming to a close, so of course I'm going to look back.

And I'm not the only one. The past month has been riddled with phrases like "Can you believe its been three years?", "Man, that was fast" and "Mark, you can't drink beer in class!"

Now, I'm 100% looking forward and focused on building myself a career for the future. Except, well, I'm like 99% looking forward and at least 1% looking back. Maybe 1.5%....

Film school is a pretty crazy, intense time. The stakes are higher than high school or college. A lot of my classmates gave up lucrative careers in something else, moved across the country or the world, and we've all gone into to nice bit of debt. So it has been a real hurricane of events, people and emotions. And it deserves at least a bit of retrospecticus.

So, I've decided--in the grand HIGH FIDELITY tradition--to look back and determine my TOP 5 moments from USC film school.

Now, two "rules": 1) A lot has happened in the last 3 years of me just moving out and living in L.A. and I'm focused on listing things that are specifically tied to my attendance at USC. Granted MOST of my life in L.A. is specifically tied to USC but whatever. Seeing Hurley from LOST at Best Buy doesn't count for that reason. 2) Looking at Top 5 moments, meaning a specific moment in time. There are tons of great things, classes... traditions.. general experiences..., that were awesome but happened over a few weeks or months. So, things like my class at CAA or producing a film were great but I'm trying to lock into very specific moments/events.

As you can see, I take my ridiculous and time-wasting unnecessary lists very seriously.

So that's it. The plan is to roll out my top five moments during the next few months, interspersed with regular bullsh*t posts about traffic, smog and my love/hate relationship with the ridiculous weather here, all while counting down 5-1 and finishing right around graduation. Gotta build suspense, right?

See, I've learned a thing or two at this money pit of an institution!

Hopefully roll out #5 pretty soon and go from there. Its going to be interesting, I don't even know what the top 5 moments would be...or do I?

Or, more importantly, does anybody care?


All these questions will be answered.....in due time.


-MK