Settlers of Catan!!

Every few days here at Boom, after a show or before some movie or something, a good group of us get together and play the board game “Settlers of Catan” (Or its sister game, Cities and Knights of Catan). It’s a wonderfully balanced board game that is equal parts skill and luck. And it changes every time you play it.

What does that have to do with today?

In light of Jordan leaving, Suzi and Pep built a real-world Catan scavenger hunt/puzzle game. Each part of the Catan world is realized at different Hubs in Amsterdam. For example, you place your settlement at the bakery, and you get wheat cards (hidden there the night before). Sound confusing? It is, but only if you don’t know the Catan game. For each Card you collect (again, collected from different hubs around Amsterdam), you get the opportunity to solve riddles. Each riddle solved leads to a location, where more cards are hidden. 10 points to win. 4 locations to settle, 6 points of riddles.

For example, after biking to The Hard Rock Cafe, Cafe Vertigo, and Crystal Pizza, we searched each location for an envelope with resource cards inside. Hard Rock had Brick cards, Vertigo had Wood cards. Trade in 2 Brick and 1 wood, and we got a clue inside of a bible.

The bible had written on it on one side a verse from the Book of Numbers. On a bookmark, inside Numbers, was written, “Mr Skywalker, at 5 minutes before half past twelve.” So I looked up Luke 12, verse 25. There, in Italics, was the word Single. And the Book of Numbers was an address: 446. So we biked to 446 SingleGracht and we found ourselves at a huge church. At the base of the church was an envelope worth one point. And that’s how the game was played.

Understand? Good. My team won after an hour and 10 minutes of playing. At 2 hours into the game, the other 3 teams have not yet gotten 10 points. Another victory for the Scavenger Hunt team of Andrew and Heather!

Pep wore a cape all day. He’s a 35 year old, intelligent, attractive man who has built a wonderful life for himself: he is on the Board of Boom Chicago, started one of the most influential improvisation theaters in the world, has a great apartment in Amsterdam and can ride around town all day in a black hat and cape, cackling.

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Reading, Haircut, Living in Europe

Some days I feel like this is all just an extension of Epcot center. Meaning, Amsterdam is some simulated Euro-town facade at Universal Studios or the Fox Lot. And then, there are some days (like today) where everything clicks and suddenly I know I’m living in The Netherlands.

I woke up before anyone else at Suzi’s house (I’ve been sleeping on a couch for the last 2 months; I have an apartment — the move is by choice) and ventured into the rain on my bike with my umbrella clutched in my left hand. Fifteen meters from the Magna Plaza (which I call the Manga Plaza out of habit), my tire popped on my bike. Lucky, ne? And I say that without sarcasm; if the tire had burst anywhere else on my 20 minute journey, I would have had to walk many minutes in the rain. Instead, I locked up and went into Tony and Guy to get my Haircut updated.

After an hour at the salon, the clouds had broken and the sun shone onto the cobblestone with romantic glee. Tourists swarmed before me like poncho bees, I listened to .Hack//Sign and walked my bike back to Boom. And somewhere along the way, the buildings just came into focus and everything was present and immediate.

There was an antique bookstore between the Herengracht and the Prinsengract, and I just stared at dutch books for an hour. The air was thick with paper dust. I’m happy. I live in Europe.

Summer Cleaning

During cleanup of the office, what should I come across but a copy of the script Board Game Model and a headshot of Luke Hatton from his audition in 2000!? Wow. Such a sudden shock to see a familiar face here — I almost considered keeping the photo just to have it. The only pictures I brought with me from home were two Mee-Ow cast pictures from 1998 and 2000 … everyone else brought shoeboxes of things from home to remind them of what they were missing. Perhaps it would have been nice to have a few pictures, but it just isn’t my thing. I’d much rather have actual memories.

Ok, that’s not entirely true; I’ve been taking pictures constantly while I’ve been here — something I’ve never really done before. I have more than 500 pictures on my hard drive now, all from Amsterdam. So I’ll have plenty of memories to sift through when I return to the states.

Christmas in July

What could be stranger than spending a hot vacation in Los Angeles only to return to Boom Chicago for Christmas in July? Not much. Being inside the Zaal (Theatre) and having a full 3 course dinner with Christmas music blaring and christmas trees and Santa and gift-giving … there were times that I was shocked into believing it was December. Hearing only christmas music can really do that to you. Also, we got Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes… it was the best meal I had since moving to the Netherlands. Our dessert was whip cream and fruit spread out over the naked body of one of the female elves. I declined. I like chocolate cake better than fruit, and there was a long line. But I took advantage of the free wine and food and gave a gift to the promoter Nathan and received a japanese tank top from Cassandra.

Back in Amsterdam

After an unfortunate 3 day trip (which brought me to Austin, Houston, New Jersey and finally Am’dam), I arrived here at Boom … and immediately reacquainted myself with Holland’s specific inconveniences. The lack of privacy. The lack of open restaurants after 7 pm. The lack of a home. And the lack of friends that I instantly and completely connect with. I almost cried relaying tales of Ultimate Improv’s shows … and then did cry when I realized just how far away I was from everyone all over again.

When this began, I hated it here. For two days, I cried constantly back in January. I missed Los Angeles more than anything in the world. And now, it’s like I have to go through all of that all over again. The best job in the world, right? Yeah. Boom Chicago. But no one to share it with.

Toodle-Pip, I’m going to go watch some Anime.

Tired of Stupid Movies

In the year 2000, I graduated from film school with two screenplays and a passion for movies. I watched John Woo’s Hard Boiled or Face/Off every week, and dreamed in Anime. I worshiped Neon Genesis Evangelion, which was still fairly new to video. I consumed James Cameron and even Jan de Bont. The four years I’d spent in college had been filled with brilliant action movies. And I wanted to write and someday direct a film worthy of the great action directors who had come before me. It was a lofty goal, of course, but all dreams should start big. I was in love with Movies, and who wouldn’t be in 2000?
Three years later, I’ve just gotten out of T3, and I’ve realized why I’m so sad when I’m at the video store: The thing that’s killing my passion is the very source itself. Terminator 3 is an awful movie. There’s no love or drive or reason for it to exist. There’s no poetry. And the script is awful. Just like Matrix Reloaded. Or X2. Or Star Wars II. Or any of the Movies I’ve looked forward to in the last 3 years.

Now, before I get lectured or emailed — you have to know that I’m not an independent film fan. I like Action Movies. And they used to be good. It’s possible that I’m the one that’s changing, but I really believe that action movies used to be amazing. What moment in Windtalkers can compare with Castor Troy spitting in his own face in fury and despair? What single second of T3 (more expensive than T2 — and, I know, not directed by Cameron) can match the joy of John Conner telling the Terminator to stand on one foot? Yeah, it’s neat that Neo can fly. But what ghost-bad-guy-twin-albino moment can hold a candle to Agent Smith fighting Neo in the subway circa 1999? What the hell happened to all the film directors? Was LA sprayed with some kind of lazy haze?

I’m pissed off. But I’m not going to complain anymore. I’ve got my copy of Final Draft again. And I’m going to fix this. Whether a rewrite of Revelation, Actioneers, or an entirely new action film, I’m going to take it upon myself to have the best possible screenplay when I come back to LA. To hell with T3. It sucked. And we’re all being dulled by mediocrity.

Ultimate Improv

Is an appropriate name. What an amazing time I had last night doing those shows. It’s nice to have a job doing improv, but sometimes it’s very easy to forget how much I really love doing *Improv*.

For those who don’t know what the hell I’m talking about, there’s a great little theatre in Westwood, CA that I worked at for 2 and a half years before moving to Amsterdam to do Boom Chicago. The theatre is full of some of the funniest people I’ve ever worked with. Funny. And it’s just this little undiscovered place where UCLA students hang out. Someday, that place is going to explode. They can’t keep doing shows at the speed and intensity that they do without someone taking notice. It’s been an honor to work with them, even if the atmosphere sometimes got a little … thick. The people there work from their souls and really respond to everyone and everything around them. Such a delight.

Now I’m in Anaheim again, and finishing up my last day of Anime Expo 2003. Good friends in tow (Josh and Jess) — I couldn’t ask for a more fulfilling vacation. I really am lucky.

Live from LA

What a strange place America is.

Or at least, that’s what I’m supposed to be experiencing. Everyone who comes back from Amsterdam says that, “It’s the hardest shock of your life.” But to be honest, I don’t think it’s strange at all here. It just feels like Los Angeles. The only thing that was remarkable at all was the shift in attitude on the airplane once I switched over in Houston. See, from Amdam to Texas, the flight was quiet and cordial. But as soon as I got on the plane in Texas, people were angry and threatening.

“Excuse me. I know you’re not sitting in my seat.”

“I am not going to take a chair without a pillow!”

“I want another water, now.”

Everyone had an air about them, like they deserved to be feared and privilaged at the same time. I’m not exaggerating. But once I got off the plane, it was the same old same old; just people being people … with more fat.

Now I’m at Anime Expo, with DSL service in my room, and I’m quite pleased. Hope to see some of you this weekend.

A long week, and goodbyes.

Last week, I went to Scotland and stayed on one of the most famous golf courses in the world. I ate Lobster and Asparagus, and did a show. The words don’t come pouring forth because … well, I’m thinking of goodbyes.

I spent the rest of last week with Sophie, Paige, Colton. I went to the Supper Club, a place where dinner is served to you while you sit on a giant bed, and DJs spin ultimate Trip-Hop tunes. There’s a giant golden door with engraved names, and an art gallery. It was the best food I had since I moved to Amsterdam. I ate Japanese food and played Zelda. And as happy as everything made me, as amazing as it was, I’m still down. I have the greatest girlfriend in the world. So why am I sad?

Because even though everything is amazing in Amsterdam, tomorrow one of the best comedians I’ve met in my life leaves for New York. Colton Dunn; a warm soul and playful spirit — taking off to seek fame and fortune in the Big Apple. He’s my muppet. And he’ll be missed very much.

The first night I was here, I climbed up onto the second story of the stage, and hung out with a bottle of white wine and pitied myself. And who joined me? Colton. He used to be the white wine boy, and the torch had been passed.

And it makes me aware, suddenly, of this whole process being a continuous set of goodbyes. Goodbyes to come here, goodbyes to stay … so many goodbyes. It’s the best thing in the world to have so many people worthwhile … and so terrible to have to watch them all leave. Or watch them stay when I take off.

I head home tomorrow, to say Hello, Goodbye to all of my Los Angeles friends and family. See you soon, and see you later to those leaving. I’ll miss you, Colton. Toodle-Pip.