~*~My Second California Trip (2002)~*~

My parents took me to the airport. Checked in at the front and got my boarding pass with no problems, this time. We had a couple hours to waste, so we sat where the only seats were....in the kiddy area. My mom and I sat in this toy plane and my dad took our picture. We sat there and ate a muffin, drank an orange juice, read the paper and did a puzzle in the comics section.

Eventually, it was time for me to go, so they stood at the metal detectors and watched me. I didn't beep! I turned around to wave all the way down the hallway. Only had a little time to wait for boarding, and I was one of the first people on, so I got my favourite seat. The one on the left (driver's side left), over the wing. I like that one because it was where William Shatner sat in that old Twilight Zone episode where there was a monster thingy on the wing, trying to crash the plane.

Some guy sat in the isle. I never went to the bathroom on the flight cos he was usually sleeping. I jammed to Nathan Lane tunes on the way there. That's all I took to listen to. After all, it was a Nathan trip!

Arrived, finally, and was horrible-feeling. The last couple hours made me sick. I had taken motion-sickness pills on the way there the last time I went, but on the way back, I didn't and was fine, so I didn't take any this time. Mistake. I love the take-off and the bumpy cloud turbulence, but that elevator feeling when the plane is getting the right altitude and speed is what bothered me. I didn't mind it until the landing. But I do love the landing part, just not when I'm sick.

I got off and went right to the bathroom to pee, but it was packed, so I went to the next one. I went outside and ended up donating 50 cents to some 9-11 cause and then had to wait forever for the shuttle. My bag slipped off the curvy bench and onto the ground. Finally got the shuttle, and we had to ride around the front of the airport for what seemed like an eternity until we finally left for the motel. Some surfer dude got on the shuttle and was talking to me but I barely spoke and then I apologized when I got off at my stop. I was so close to being sick. I was looking around for a bag or something, just in case. I didn't wanna barf in the guy's van. I figured I'd have to use my hat.

I checked in and had my phone turned on. As soon as I got in the room, my mom called. We talked for a while, and I laid down for a bit. I went out and got a little pizza because I hadn't eaten much. I didn't eat hardly anything while I was there. Didn't do much that day. Went to 7-11 and didn't buy anything. Went to the store and got some Doritos and a few things. Got a big bottle of Sprite. Got my pizza, and then went to the room, ate, watched TV and went to bed.

Show day! I woke up around 4am, Cali time. Never set my watch to Cali time, but I had my alarm clock that was set right. Not that it's too hard to figure out. Decided it was too early to go out, so I took a bath around 5am and then went out a little before 6am, with wet hair. The sun wasn't even up, yet. My plan was to go down to the bus info. place. Apparently, it's no longer there. I passed some guy who kept inviting me to his place for beer, smoking and sex. Finally gave up on me. Then I ran into another guy, who was much nicer, and his group of friends. He was waiting outside a building for a job. He started walking with me and went several blocks with me, just talking about this and that. Same thing happened on the way back until he headed back to his friends. He wanted to hang out, but I said I probably wouldn't have time. He was really polite and nice. It's so hard to tell if people are really nice or just trying to con you.

I went up to the Chinese Theatre and passed by some guy dressed as Superman. I ignored him. Went up the street to the end of the Walk of Fame and crossed over. Walked over Dudley Moore's star, and Sid Caesar's star was a couple passed that. So, I turned around and got the pictures then, instead of coming back later. Weird how they were right by each other, and they were the only two I had to get. I went down to McDonald's, from there. Got a large coke (which I thought was a bad idea if I'd be at a show all day) and two apple pies, which were cold, not hot. Sat there and wrote in my journal (I did that a lot) for about an hour. Got two more pies, which I brought home and haven't eaten. Stopped at the drugstore and got tweezers.

From there, I went back over to the Theatre and there were more tourists, by then, so I fit in. Superman was still there, and some woman that I didn't recognize. I got some photos of handprints while I was there. Anthony Hopkins, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Red Skelton, Mike & Kirk Douglas, etc.

Made my way down to some shops and got postcards and key chains for my parents. Also bought a little "Best Parents" trophy. They had some cool posters, there. I saw a Zorro one, one from The Edge, and Toys (with Robin Williams).

Went back to my room and called my mom. Chilled for a bit. I had asked the motel guy where the bus info. place was and he said he didn't know, but I could ask the checking place down at the corner. He gave me bus numbers to take to Venice Beach and the Beverly Centre, but he didn't have the one for the CBS one that I was going to (there's two). I went and asked and the guy there had no idea. He said the only bus info. place was far from there. So I walked, and shopped, and found another checking place. They gave me directions to the wrong studio.

I went to the motel and had the guy call a cab. It was supposed to get there at 1.30pm, and I was on the phone with my mom when it got there around 1pm, or so. I had to hurry up and get ready, even though he said whenever I was ready, and he hadn't started the meter or anything. He seemed nice, and didn't know where he was going, and had to use my little map that came with the show ticket. Then he found out we were going to the wrong one, and had to turn around and go back. He reset the fair when we passed the motel. It was already up to $10. So, we were on our way, finally, and it started to pour when we reached Studio City. Then it let up. I got out and asked where I go in at, and was told to walk a block down the road to the garage. So, I get there go in and ask the woman and she says to just hang around out on the sidewalk until 90 minutes before the show time. I ended up sitting on a dry spot, under a tree, and writing in my journal. Some other people showed up for different shows, and I spoke to these two girls who were really nice. Then this woman from North Carolina (and I thought I was shy) came up and got in front of me. I told her to trade places with me so I could still be first.

Now, two security people said I was first, but by the time we got to go in, up the elevator, down the side, etc., I ended up being 20th. We got in line behind this one girl, and then found iut the line was ahead of us! So we went up there. I was 7th by that time, and then all the special guest people got to be in front. It worked out well, though. I went to pee and my legs practically gave out when I was skipping steps. I was so exhausted and still sick. I came back and everyone else went for a last call bathroom break. Not long after that, we lined up and went up the hill. We were lead passed all these Bungalow buildings (one being UBU Productions....you know, that black dog that catches the Frisbee?) and it was raining a little. I was still writing in my journal as we walked. We passed the "Will & Grace" studio and a few others before finally reaching the "Charlie Lawrence" studio.

We had to stand outside for a few minutes, and then we got to go in. We went around a curve and up a couple steps where the seats were. Had to wait to be seated in the right spots. The first three rows were reserved for the special guests and friends of the staff, etc. I was seated in the 4th row, centre. Not bad, at all!

Finally, everyone was seated, and people were still coming in even after we were settled. The guy, Dave, who did all the entertaining during the in-between parts of the show was hilarious. He also does that for "Frasier" and he said he started out on "The Golden Girls" and slept with all of them, even though he didn't have too, hehe! I could see him having his own show because he had me laughing the whole time. He also kept everyone reminded about having to laugh as though we'd never heard the jokes in the show, every time they did the same scene over, again. By the end of the whole thing, we were all pretty tired and started slacking off a bit, but Dave reminded us to keep the laughter strong. He did a good job filling in the empty seats towards the front so the actors didn't look out and see a bunch of missing people.

After Dave entertained for a while, they showed the pilot episode. There were several monitors and speakers set up across the front of the audience stands. There was a few feet of walking space in front of the first row of seats, then a railing, and then the stage floor where all the cameras were and equipment. Lots of staff people walking around. The right side of the stage had curtain stands set up but you could manage to see between them enough to catch a glimpse behind them. People were walking around and whatnot. On the far right there was a make-up mirror thingy with those lights around it. Sorta irritating until I got used to it in the corner of my eye. The girl behind me said, "Oh, there's Nathan. In the mirror." Of course, I missed him. I was just looking over there right before she said that, too. The North Carolina woman was on my right and she was in my way, anyway.

In front of me, on the stage from right to left, was the hallway of the building where Nathan's character lives and the elevator set, then the front office, Nathan/Charlie's office and on the far left was the banquet set for the Queen's place. Around the left corner was the office room at the Queen's place, but you couldn't see back there. There was a bar set up on the end of the banquet room, next to Charlie's office, and in the far back there was the patio area from the banquet room. Kinda hard to see, but there were windows/doors you could catch a glimpse through when the cameras weren't in the way.

The people on the microphone things were in the way most of the time, too. But I spent most of the time looking around them, even if all I could see was a hand or a leg. If I wanted to watch the show on a monitor, I woulda stayed home and waited for the show to air on TV. Plus, when I looked at the monitors, it just didn't seem real enough to me. I still didn't feel 100% well, and I was exhausted, still, so most of the time it all felt like a dream. I remember watching Nathan off in the shadows and thinking how it didn't seem real.

Anyway, the cast was introduced one-by-one and everyone stood up and clapped. Nathan finally came out (dark suit) and the audience got much louder.

Episode: "If It's Not One Thing, It's Your Mother"

Note: The following contains spoilers.

The first scene had Ryan come into the front office, wearing a little hat which he explained was from the job he had just been fired from. He messed up and had to redo that part. Charlie came out and asked Suzette if she'd made the arrangements to have his mother picked up from the airport. She read off the list of things that the car was supposed to have, and she messed up numerous times. Nathan pointed out that all the things she was supposed to say were written right there on the pad of paper they had. He laughed at one point. Every time she messed up, he had to go back into his office and shut the door again. One time he turned to go in and hesitated, put his hand to his head and a hand on the door frame and acted like it was a big effort to go back in. Everyone laughed. The writers changed one of the lines so that Charlie would say he hoped the car wasn't one that smelled like "grilled monkey" and that got more laughs. Finally, they got it right. Nathan also messed up when he was supposed to say "mall," followed by another m-word (I forget what it was) and he said, "ma-ma-mall" and they cut to redo it. He repeated his mistake and the audience laughed. After that part, Sarah came out and Charlie commented on her hair. While they were talking, Charlie's mom (played by Anne Meara! You know, Ben Stiller's mom as she was referred to all night) came in and her and Charlie hugged. She made a comment about how a stranger picked her up and not Charlie himself, and then she was introduced to Sarah and Suzette. She made remarks about them not being married or having kids, and insulted them in her own way. She mentioned her other son, Jerry (everyone laughed) and how proud she was of him. Then she went on to talk about remembering when Charlie came back from summer stock with some guy named Thomas. Charlie tried rushing her along, into his office, but she pulled out a photo album from her purse and mentioned grandchildren.

Eventually, after a few re-shoots, Charlie forced her into his office and Sarah and Suzette talked Charlie's mom. Suzette said something like, "I usually like everyone, but she must die" and we all cracked up over that. They had to re-shoot it a few times. In the next scene, Charlie was in his office with his mom and she went on about Jerry, again. She kept saying what a wonderful son he is and Charlie got annoyed and invited her, to the Queen's banquet thing, just as Sarah walked in. His mom was grateful and Sarah was upset because Charlie had promised to take her. His mom left, and he came back in and was faced with an angry Sarah. He shut the door and leaned back against it with his hands in a folded-like position and said he was really sorry. They had a discussion about it and he made his way to the corner of his desk where he sat with his leg up on it. A couple re-shoots and a changed line which had him say, "Queens love me" and the audience went nuts over that one. Probably the best line in the episode. They did some re-shoots, and Anne kinda stuttered a line and had to redo it. Someone came at her to give her the line and she backed away cos he came at her pretty quickly. She acted scared and said she knew the line. Nathan was amused during that because of the way she was acting afraid of the guy.

Eventually, they changed clothes and were on the banquet set. Most of the guys were in tuxedos, so I was hoping Nathan would be, but he wasn't. He had on a nice black suit with a matching black tie. Woo! Most of this scene was hidden around the corner where you couldn't see anything. Once they met the Queen and moved up towards the centre of the banquet room, you could see Nathan, again. Ryan got a job as a caterer there, and he had a fake English accent. They asked him what he was doing there, and he said he had a friend who could only hire English caterers, hence the accent. After explaining that he'd been watching "Oliver" to get his accent right, he tried serving someone and ended up chasing them out of the room.

Charlie asked what Suzette was doing there and how she got in. She told him how girls can manage to blend in, looked over to a group of women and said, "Right girls?" and they all waved back at her. Charlie said, "So, that's what happened to the Go-Go's," and the line was changed to, "So, that's what happened to the Spice Girls," and it had a much better effect on the audience.

Charlie got word from Ryan that his mother had stolen a clock from the office, and Charlie said she had just gone back in there to get her camera. He'd told her not to take any photos. Ryan said she definitely stole a clock while she was in there. She came out and Charlie went over to her, sniffled and asked if she had a tissue in her purse. She said no. He asked if she had a number of other things and she kept saying no. He finally grabbed the purse and sternly said, "Gimme that lousy purse!" and he pulled out a clock. He asked what it was and she said it was a gift from his father (if I remember correctly). He made a comment about how she'd carry around a whatever-pound clock in her purse. She said a watch makes her wrist green. They had a few re-shoots and, during one of them, she said, "It makes my wrist green" and Nathan said, "WHAT does??" Everyone laughed.

Continuing the scene, Charlie insisted that the clock be returned, so he put it under his jacket and went over to the buffet table. He ran into Suzette and told her what was going on and how nobody noticed. Then the clock chimed and everyone looked at him. He said, "Time to take my pills" or whatever, and they redid it so the clock went off several times. Then he and Suzette went into the office and returned it, and were about to leave when a guard came in and asked what they were doing there. As he came in, Charlie and Suzette started kissing passionately (figures you couldn't SEE this around the corner of the set, so we had to watch on the monitors). Charlie said that he hopes the guard didn't tell anyone, and Suzette was ready to kiss him again and he said no because, "It's wrong. So very, very very wrong."

The guard said they'd have to leave the room. As they were leaving, Suzette said something like, "You're gonna start something you can't finish" and she was ready to kiss him again, but he made a face and pulled her along.

Sometime during the other banquet scenes, they had Graydon hitting on this woman and she told him her name and he got it wrong right after she told him what it was. She said she went out with him three times, and how he was supposed to go with her for her mother's funeral, but he never showed up. He said his mother died on the same day, and the funeral went on and on. She was disgusted and walked away. They did several re-shoots for that scene, too. When Nathan wasn't in those scenes, he was off to the side watching and chatting with the others on the set, and he was supposed to be on the banquet set for a re-shoot and wasn't. So, he made his way to the set and had to redo a scene with Anne. They were both standing there together and the director, or someone, said what was going on and Nathan and Anne both said, "What?" at the same time. Everyone laughed. It was either that scene, or on in Charlie's office, where Nathan was supposed to take Anne's hand and he was holding his hand out a little waiting for her to take it. I just thought that was cute.

One scene had Sarah, whom Charlie set up to go with Graydon, standing at the bar and the bartender said he liked her hair. She looked around before realizing he was talking to her. Graydon told her to stop flirting with other people because she was supposed to be his date. Everyone laughed because he was the one hitting on all the other women. He'd be in the middle of a sentence and go off to track down another one. He also introduced himself to someone who was friends with the other girl he was supposed to accompany to the funeral. Sarah told the bartender that Graydon was his beard (Dave had to explain that term to some people in the audience and then the re-shoot had a bigger impact after that). Several more reshoots, one of which called for Ted to come into the room again, and he said, "I'm always coming" and he made a face at the pun. Sarah told Graydon that he could leave with the band, and he had a line change where he asked the bartender, "What do you have, if say, I wanna go blind" or something, because the girl he was gonna hit on wasn't that great looking. The line, before it was changed, was something like, "What time's the band leave?"

At one point, Charlie dragged his mother through the crowd to get to the patio, and when Ryan asked if they wanted some food, Charlie said something or other, which was changed to, "Piss off!" He said it kind of quiet the first time so not too many people heard it, but he said it louder the second time. When they were out on the patio, he gave his mother a lecture and asked why she took the clock. She explained that she wanted a souvenir from such a great event or whatever. Charlie expressed his anger about her always concentrating on Jerry and never on him. He said he had learned tap, "the loudest of the entertainment profession" or whatever, and how he'd won an award for it, and she said she remembers because that's what Jerry had something or other and Charlie got mad about it because she was still putting Jerry first. It was a really serious and tense scene and excellent acting by Nathan. Charlie circled his mother as she sat on a bench, and then he went and sat on one across from her. He looked sad and she came over and sat by him and told her she was proud of him, etc. They sat side by side and leaned on each other, and the audience said, "aw" a few times, but Dave told us not to because it sounds too fake on camera.

Several more re-shoots of the banquet and the patio scenes. Nathan spent a lot of time on the right of the stage, on the front office set, where the lights were dim and the crew was standing. He was behind a little podium thing, at one point, and was drinking a tall cup/thermos of something. People were standing around and he was talking to them, and then he raised his hands up to shoulder height and shook them in this frantic, I-don't-know-kinda motion and I just about busted out laughing at that. It was totally an Albert (Nathan's character from "The Birdcage") gesture. Another time, he was sitting in a chair with some people standing around him and this girl was on his left, sitting, and she had her hand leaning on the arm of his chair. During some of the banquet scenes that he wasn't in, I was watching him, but every time he looked towards me, I got nervous and looked away because I didn't want him to notice I was watching him. He laughed a few times, talked to the director a couple times, and smiled at some of the jokes in the scenes. And since his very first scene in the front office, he did about a dozen "hair things" (for those not in the know, a "hair thing" is just when he uses his fingers to put his hair back into place). He did it several times on each side and I coulda melted just from seeing that! He was also drinking a bottle of water, at some point. While I was being kinda bored over the non-Nathan scenes, I didn't see him anywhere and then I spotted him and couldn't believe I didn't notice him on the set when I was looking for him. One time he made his way to the right of the stage and I didn't wanna look like a gopher popping my head up and around, so I didn't really notice what he was doing. I think it was right before he went to change clothes.

Shortly after they changed clothes, they were ready for the final scenes. People started to leave a while before that and Dave told people to move up and fill the seats. I got to move from the 4th row to the front and centre, which was great. Of course, this was long after Nathan had been right there by the rail.

The cast changed clothes and Nathan came out in a brown suit. He walked from the front of the stage and down the hallway/elevator set and some people yelled for him. He turned and was kinda wide-eyed and then kept going after he acknowledged his name being yelled. The next scene was in the front office. I don't even remember what happened, during that one. Something with Suzette and Charlie. The last scene had Sarah in Charlie's office and Charlie comes in, shuts the door, leans back against it and says, "Well" or something, in a give-me-the-details tone. He asked how it worked out with the bartender and she said, "When he said he liked my hair, he meant he liked my hair" or something. She said he turned out to be gay. She handed Charlie a piece of paper and told him that she promised the bartender that she'd give Charlie his number or whatever. They said a few more things and then she left. He looked at the paper, raised his arms in the air, did a snap thing and a slow dance/walk backwards in victory. He did a turn and went around behind his desk and they did a re-shoot. This time he did the same thing but threw the paper into the air before the snap and backwards walk. Then he turned and leaned back, on the front of his desk, in this proud know-it-all-ish pose with his hands back on the desk and his head tilted back. It was a scream and everybody loved it. The second take was so much better because it was more flamboyant.

Towards the end scenes, Jerry Stiller showed up and everyone applauded for him, and he and Anne hugged while we clapped. They looked so cute together. Not long after that, everyone came out, one-by-one, for a bow. I was sitting until one person before Nathan, and then I stood. He came out and was about ten feet in front of me. He looked like he usually does when he comes out for a bow or applause. Kinda shy and smiley. Everyone cheered when he came out and he went over to Anne and pulled her forward a bit, pointed at her and looked out at us and wanted us to applaud her. When he did that he looked right at me and I got nervous again and looked away, haha! But, at least we made direct eye contact. That made my trip.

By that time, people were getting up. I sat for a minute to avoid the crowd. Nathan was still right there, with the others, talking, but I didn't wanna sit there staring. I got up and made my way out.

Dave handed out chocolate candy to people who had talents to share with everyone, and this one girl sang part of a gospel song, and another girl sang opera and sounded so incredible! The gospel girl didn't wanna sing in front of everyone, because she was used to being with other singers, but she did and the whole row, including me, got candy. I got a Reese's cup, a mini Twix, a caramel candy and when I got up front, I got two peanut butter cups cos Dave was handing out the extra candy by then. We all got bottles of water, too. I saved mine after taking a couple sips. I had to pee really bad by the last couples hours and it sorta ruined the mood. I was thinking about going during the show, but I didn't wanna miss anything, and I hoped it wouldn't be too much longer until it was over, but then I thought how that's a stupid thing to thing. I imagined myself getting a kidney infection and pains or something and having everyone stop and stare at me, but that didn't happen, luckily.

When we left, I'm pretty sure the guy that played the bartender walked by me. It was some guy in a tux that looked like him from the corner of my eye, but I didn't wanna look right at him. I made my way to the bathroom and then to the spot where people were waiting for certain buses and all, and I asked where to get a cab. I was told to use the payphone there to call. Not like I knew who to call. The North Carolina woman was on the phone. I took the elevator up, then was in the wrong garage, so I went down the stairs and asked someone else where to get a cab. She said go out where I had come in and go down to some where or other and I could get one there. I went down the stairs and across the garage and ran into the North Carolina woman, again (plus she had moved up to the front row soon after I had, too) and I asked how we get out of there. We finally made it to where we'd entered earlier, and she went and got a cab and the security guard told me I could probably share with her, so I asked the cabbie and he was going that way, and I took that one since another wouldn't be coming.

The woman said she didn't think it'd be that long of a show. I guess she wasn't a big fan because I didn't want it to end, even though I had to pee and I wasn't feeling that great. I guess laughing at the same jokes over and over was tiring, but I coulda watched forever. She had told me when we first got lined up to go in that I must be a big fan of someone in the show for coming to CA from MD just to see it. I said I was a Nathan fan. I wore my Nathan button, that Merri (Nathan Lane Fan Forum) made for me, on my purse the entire trip, and put it on my coat when we got to the show.

I got home and was starving and gave my mom a call to let her know I got home, okay. It was like 2am where she was. I went to bed soon after.

Woke up and went out. I had forgot to rewind my film one time and exposed it, so I went back to get a few more spares of footprints at the Theatre, and back over to get some of the Sid and Dudley stars. Got a soda at McDonald's. Went to the drugstore to get some motion-sickness pills. Figured I had better get some since I was still ill when I rode to and from the show. Also bought my mom a stuffed cow that's really soft and it moo's. Gave this punk dude with tall spiky hair 75 cents for the bus because he needed some for him and his friends. He looked awesome, so I gave in. I said I had to save some for me so I couldn't give him much and he said not to dig into what I need. I gave him the 75 cents and he said that was enough and thanks.

Called my mom and then went to the bus and made my way to the Beverly Centre. On the way, the punk dude and his friends got on the bus and scrounged in their pockets for the fare. I had to transfer buses and I ended up not hearing the woman when she said my stop, so I missed it and had to go back to it. She was kinda cranky. I asked where the Beverly Centre was and she's all like, "Right there!" As if I knew! I wanted to make sure where so I didn't get off the bus and have to look all around.

I went to it and up all the escalators. Didn't seem like much. Went in the pet store and then left! Crossed over and found a huge bookstore. I ended up buying The Producers book for $43! Heavy! I waited for the bathroom key, went and then bought this cute cow bookmark for my mom.

Went back to the Beverly Centre and actually went up the next escalator and found....the mall! Duh! Three levels of that and I went to Claire's and got my ears pierced for a third time. Still sore and they're tiny silver balls that I can't seem to get a hold of to turn. From there, I went and sat in one of many comfy chairs throughout the mall. Wrote in my journal about the show. Spent at least an hour doing that. Asked the welcome booth about which bus to take. She didn't know. Told me where some place was that might know, but I just stood at the bus stop and asked the bus driver. Had to cross and, no more than I sat down, the bus came. Changed buses and made it back to my room.

Called my mom. Said I was going to the beach. It was about 4pm in CA. She said to get going and to call when I get back. I went and got dropped off by the boardwalk and had to walk a bit to get there. Realized it was nearly impossible to walk in sand with shoes on, so I took them off. Walked a bit and then sat on my jacket and wrote for a bit. Took some photos and on my last one, realized I forgot more film! I had on my bathing suit but it was too chilly, so I left my tank top on. I put some sand in a bag to take back. There were people over by the rocks fishing (ug!) and some people just standing there, and they'd run when huge waves splashed over the rocks. Funny. People were out jogging, and some couples were cuddling. A bunch of people there to watch the sun set. Clouds made it less of a sight. I took a couple photos to see if they'd turn out.

The beach was beautiful when it got dark. Purple and pink. The palm trees looked great with all the lights, from the boardwalk, behind them. There was a lit feriss wheel, and some roller coaster squiggle-shape, in the far distance, towards were my mom and I had sat when we came here in 1999. Reminded me of "The Lost Boys" movie with the carnival on the beach. Loud music coming from down there, and I was gonna walk down, but decided not to. Didn't have any money, anyway.

Went back to the bus stop but had to go to this little ramp street behind me and ask the bus driver which one to take to get back to Hollywood and she said to ask the bus driver that was behind her. So I did and she said she'd drop me at the Promenade (tons of people there and live music). I got that bus and still had to transfer once more, before getting to my street. I got off one street passed mine, and walked to a shop to get another key chain and some more postcards. Then I went and got another little pizza, and went and called my mom. It was about midnight, MD time.

I ate and packed my stuff, which was much more than I came with, and then went to bed. I had told the motel guy, earlier, that I wanted a shuttle to the airport, at 6am. They told him his motel wasn't on their list, but he'd been using them for 3 or 4 years and even had a reservation ticket sitting there where he had just made one. He had to give them the info. have a dozen times and they said they'd pick me up at 6.15a,. My flight was at 9.15am, so I wanted plenty of time.

Sunday morning, I got up at 4am to watch the news and make sure I had the right time on my alarm clock (my mom was gonna call, too) because clocks were set back that morning. Never saw the time, and couldn't fall back to sleep. My alarm went off and my mom called soon after. I got up and got ready and then got a call from the shuttle saying they'd be here at 7am! Tried to call my mom but my dad said she'd left to go to the store with my grandmother. I called her but she had already gone outside.

I made it in plenty of time, anyway, and sat on the floor. Some guy sat on the floor next to me and was talking on the phone about how high heels and something or other would be fun. I got my seat over the wing, and a woman sat in the isle, and then a younger girl in the middle. My left leg was so crampy and I couldn't get comfy. I was dead tired by the time my shuttle came because I took two pills. I fell asleep for about an hour or two and that was it, but we got in 30-45 minutes early. At one point, I remember closing my eyes and thinking how I forgot to look for those key chain necklaces and how I'd have to go down the the shops and look for those, and then I realized that I was on my way home and couldn't really do that. Those pills really zonked me out. I coulda swore I fell asleep, with my eyes open, for a split second.

I had told my parents to bring a sign to the airport. My mom had called and it said it was early, but the actual airport monitors had a later time, so they weren't at the gate when I got in. I found them by the shops, on their way, and my mom got out the sign, my dad held it up, and my mom held a Tweety, Halloween balloon. I had looked away until they got them out.

My mom even brought me a barf bucket, just in case. She left it in the truck, of course. I went to the bathroom. My least favourite Aunt (girls, you know what I mean) showed up, then. Better then, than while I was still in CA.

We got home and unpacked. I took a bath and my mom had made fruit salad and mashed potatoes and veggie gravy, for me, that day. Yum!

I think I got used to not eating. I can be starving and still not in the mood to eat. I haven't even eaten anything today, but I've been craving a veggie sub, and one is on the way, now.

I didn't have a chance to call my friend while I was out there. I never even thought about it until Sunday morning and that was too early by then. Also didn't get to Westwood Memorial Park while I was there. But I managed to do everything else and fit it in, just in time. Wish I had felt better that first day, though.

I'm proud to say that I only called my mom a few times (and she called me a few in return) and not every minute like I did last time. I was not homesick, just a little bored when I wasn't doing things. After the show, I wanted to come home, but the next day when I found things to do, I wanted to stay longer. I had a great time and the show was absolutely incredible. The whole trip was great, minus the ill-feelings and sitting in the rain on the cold sidewalk waiting to get into the show, haha! And then there was that moment when I thought it'd actually be a relief to crash when I was on my way there because I felt so horrible, but then I thought I wouldn't see the show if that happened. I read a flyer about skydiving while I was in my motel room, but figured I better not chance it without insurance, but I did consider it! Also, when I got in the room, there was a picture nailed above the bed. It was flowers with a gate and it was upside down. I told my mom about it and the next day, it was gone and there was this huge Elvis (young) picture on another wall, and the other one was gone! I thought I was in the wrong room, until I realized I wasn't because my stuff was in there.

I used my own sheet and little pillow on the bed, and covered up with my coat. I messed the bed up and jumped on it so it looked like I slept in it, haha! When I first arrived, I felt horrible, but had to wait until they cleaned the room. There was a bag or something under the bed (last time there was a soda bottle). The bed was facing the opposite way than the one I had before, and I was on the bottom floor this time. My right knee started bothering me, so it's good that I had no steps to go up and down. There was a fountain running outside, there. Heard that a lot. The heat kept turning to cool air and drove me nuts! Also the plug would click or zap once in a while. Never used the microwave or the refrigerator.

In conclusion, I had a great time! I'm glad I got to go with my mom before, but I'm also glad I got to go on my own so I could show myself that I can handle it. And I didn't freak out and wanna come home or have my mom fly out to rescue me. But most of all, I enjoyed the show. Nathan was adorable, not that I had any doubt about that, and I'll always remember that experience.

Nathan Lane: Tinny & Odd

Copyright © 2002-2004 Lisa. All Rights Reserved.
For comments, please eMail me.
Last Updated: 28 October 2002.

Email: OckGal@comcast.net