Art in the Wasteland

Time to go home. Just how many book stores, gardens, art galleries, massages, yoga, and pilates does one person need? I guess I need a lot. The trick will be to find a way to keep doing these things when I get home. Now that I am a Stay Around Mom I have e few extra hours a day and I hope I don't fill them playing games on my IPad.

The truth is it is very difficult for me to be creative and feel good about myself in Los Angeles. When I am away from the City of Cranky Angels I don't spend hours of every day thinking about how old and fat I am. Sometimes I even feel good about myself. LA is tough man. It is a young woman's game and those who aren't so young anymore are desperately trying to hold on to their size 2 jeans- myself included. It is so fricking exhausting and it takes up all the space that any creative energy or even dare I say, happiness, might creep in. Not to mention that with very few exceptions Los Angeles is a cultural wasteland. It is hard to create in a fear based atmosphere and people in LA are very afraid. This is why most television and films suck. Fear from the top of the industry down. No trust in the artist whose idea it was in the first place. I have watched it happen a million times (not really a million but a few times a year) a really good idea gets thrown like a stuffed animal to a pack of dogs and if it survives at all it is handed back to the writer barely resembling the cute little bunny it started out as with the declaration, "Now that's a show!" When it becomes apparent that America does not want to watch a torn up stuffed animal the pack of dogs slink off to their master and say, "Must be the writer's fault."

I just got really distracted there. This isn't about me at all! This is what my husband goes through every year. He's even learned a few tricks to handling the pack of dogs. Some of them aren't very smart so if you throw them a cookie first they might leave your stuffed animal alone. I don't know how he does it. He has extreme discipline, does't drink or do drugs and he still creates scripts that are wonderfully funny and deep. Art in the wasteland.

Now back to me. This is not the Don Todd blog. Can't think of a thing. See you in LA. I'll be the woman with the newly auburn hair, henna tattoo, wearing her glasses. I will still be wearing makeup- let's not go overboard. Thanks Portland, I needed that.

Later: I want to add that while I consider Los Angeles to be a cultural wasteland I know many talented artist that work and thrive here. They are way cool,too.

In Fellowship

I am in Portland. I arrived yesterday, ate from a food truck, went to Powell's book store, a three story block long stuffed with books haven (where I would like to have my ashes spread) and saw a foreign film in a theater that uses real dishes. Fabulous. I was planning on taking a vacation at the end of September, but I got a job that starts September 9, so I took it now.

I was offered a Fall Fellowship from Obama For America. Basically, I will be organizing my hometown, La Canada, land of the Republicans. I think I was offered the position because I was the only one in the San Gabriel Valley who applied. There is just one teensy problem. Besides the obvious issue of not having even one viable alternative candidate, I am not real sure why we should reelect Obama. Now, I realize this attitude is not going to send people running to the poles voting Obama, but I don't think I am alone in my feelings. If I, DeAnne Todd, the person who stood screaming from the roof top of the Mirage in Las Vegas," Hope! Change!", is reluctant imagine how the less enthusiastic people in the middle who voted for him must feel. So, I am hoping to learn the reasons why I should be excited again at the training next week. I had two phone interviews for the job with people I am pretty sure were around Andrew's age, 23. I get why they are excited, they are not as tired. But, tell me why I, a fabulously young looking married 50 year old with children and more pets than animal shelter should get excited about Obama. Can you believe they hired me? Don't get me wrong, he is still my guy. I have faith, but even the faithful need to see the water turned into wine once in a while. At least now I won't drink it all.

I am off now to explore Portland, but first I am going to do some yoga with the the yoga kit they gave me when I checked in and then I am going to get some coffee. I hope I can find a coffee shop in this town.