Monday, November 20, 2006

Trying to Be Patient

I didn't realize it had been a week since my last post. I didn't do much this week at all. So, all I have to talk about is a crazy, I need to vent on one thing, and then the movie I did this week.

First off, the work week. Last Tuesday I was on ER again, but that of course was boring. Thursday and Friday, however, I was on the new Die Hard 4: Live Free or Die Hard movie with Bruce Willis. We shot on location downtown, and it was pretty fun except for the fact that we had to be on the set at 4 am!!! Bruce is actually really cool, and he just got his star on the Walk of Fame here in Hollywood a few weeks ago. He talked to us and joked with us. It was a fun 2 days. The scene we were shooting took place in Washington, D.C. and there wass an anthrax scare. So, all the FBI, SWAT and army people were called in of course. I played a National Guard as you can see from the two pictures. A lady that I met a few weeks ago told me I shoukd take pictures when I'm on a set in costume. I don't know why I never thought about that before. Well, I thought I had more to say about these 2 days, but I guess I don't.

Now, the crazy. I was in the grocery store last week, minding my own business, looking at some cheese or something, when this person comes around the corner. Actually, I heard them before I saw them. They were singing.......loudly. This person comes around the corner, and it is a flamboyantly gay, fat black guy. He has headphones on, is carrying a walkman in one hand and pushing his cart with his other hand. He is singing at the top of his lungs AND dancing as he is grocery shopping. I was clearly agitated, but I was laughing at the same time (is that even possible?) No one else in the store so much as batted an eyelash. I guess that means I'm still pretty new here. Anyways, this guy is singing and carrying on, hitting high notes and everything, doing dance moves as he drops stuff into his cart. I go on about my business as he skips off down an isle. So I'm in the checkout line and here he comes. And when I say he is singing loud, I'm talking about the way someone would sing at a concert. Gosh, I was so annoyed, because it's not like he sounded good or anything. I actually thought my right eardrum was malfunctioning, because nobody could sound this bad. In any case, he did not care what people thought. Then it made start thinking. As annoying as this guy was, maybe more of us should actually start being ourselves more and not care so much what other people think. I mean, I do the whole singing and dancing thing in front of the mirror in my room, just like we ALL do. But then, most of us put on a mask as we step outside of our homes and enter society. I'm not saying we should all go out acting like this guy, because after so long I'd probably end up punching someone, but we should not layer on the mask so thick.

Now, a brief venting process. I hope this doesn't make Andy G. mad because I swore I wouldn't really do this on my blog, but I just need to say this. I HATE SMOKERS! I was so glad to hear that Ohio went Smoke Free after the elections. Can anyone tell me one, just one benefit of smoking?? Can anyone tell me how smokers benefit society?? Let me explain why I brought this up. I was on the set the other day, and it seemed like every smoker in L.A. was there that day. I was highly agitated by them. Here's why I hate them (yes, I'm using the word hate, get over it!). 1). They are rude. It just baffles me that there is a group of us standing there talking, NOT smoking, and one of THEM decides to light up right next to us, filling the surrounding area with that toxic smoke. Did they ever even think that just because they want to smoke, not everyone else does? I was ready to cuss this one guy out for doing it, but someone beat me to it. Someone needs to make the law more specific, and make it so that there is a designated area for smokers on every street block. It should be something like a 12' by 12' box in a back alley somewhere. 2). They stink, simple as that. 3). All they are going to do with the butt when they are done is throw it on the ground, step on it, and leave it there. Is that much of a freaking hassle to just walk over to an ash tray or garbage can? 4). They are STUPID! There are so many people in this world who try to be healthy and take care of themselves, and unfortunately fall ill to some kind of cancer, whether it be a brain tumor, pancreatic cancer, etc. The smokers, however, are deliberately doing this to themselves. I wish every type of cancer could just somehow be transferred to the smokers of the world, because they're literally asking for it anyway. Lung cancer is the #1 most preventable type of cancer, period! Meaning, if you don't smoke, you probably won't get it, but if you do, you most likely will. Not only that, lung cancer is a slow and painful death! Why on God's green Earth would anyone do that to themselves?!!? I want to ask the smokers, would you purposely have unprotected sex with a person infected with HIV? I'm sure most people would say "No". So, why smoke??? Sorry to be so blunt, but everyone knows that's how I am, especially when I feel strongly about something.

I think that the fact that a few states are smoke free now, more people are getting the picture. I'd appreciate comments on this topic from anyone who reads this. I want to know other people's opinions.

4 comments:

Nichole said...

Kris, I'm so excited for you and all the progress you're making in your career! Playing a National Guardsman is especially exciting, and you look authentic in the pictures!

I feel the same way about smokers, myself. It's difficult for me because a few members of my family smoke and I want them to quit and be healthy for their own good so much. And at the same time I despise their total lack of will power. My grandmother has been smoking for over 50 years and simply cannot quit. And it's killing her.

Several states are smoke free, and several states are becoming so slowly, county by county. Massachusetts is smoke free and I love it here. Going home (to WV) was so hard last year because Mercer county wasn't smoke free. They are now, and I was actually able to enjoy meals in restaurants without suffocating from smoke.

The thing I hate the most is the fact that smokers choose to smoke directly outside entrances to places like restaurants and shopping malls. When I walk inside holding my 15-month-old daughter and I have to walk through a cloud of toxicity, I cringe and wish Eleana knew how to hold her breath.

Anonymous said...

My son looks so handsome!

Andy said...

Gaymo -- I'm honored to have been mentioned in your blog - and am not mad at all! On the contrary, I will simultaneously agree with everything in RED (I would highlight it so but I can't) and then proceed to dismantle the crux of your argument. As quickly as possible, too, cause I'm lying on the floor in my room in Toledo, and when this happens I get tired QUICKLY.

So: Smokers are rude. I agree. Your rights end where another's nose begins. I would also argue that the fat flamboyant gay guy was rude, too. I don't know if this is rhetorical or not: how much do the long-term health effects of those two contrasting situations bring to bear on how we react to them? I mean -- whiffing some smoke has some small, imperceptible effect (but it has one!). It is a nuisance, to be sure. Listening to yelling or loud music or another annoyance is probably less physically damaging. Or we think. So - it's allowed... right? For me - I'd rather sit next to a smoker than a child, anytime.

They stink. Good god do they ever. I mean who kisses these people, honestly. I actually went on date with an absolutely beautiful girl several weeks ago, but before making my move had to be entirely certain that I wasn't going to be met with fetid ciggy breath (it turned out not to matter because this woman ended up dropping me like a bad habit soon thereafter)- yet no reasonable person can argue that smoking is sexy.

We agree so far. And lastly - oh wait there are two more - they are going to litter. To true. Littering is littering. And truly lastly - they are stupid. Sooo true.

But.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news man, but you are going to die. And in all likelihood, it will be from the aggregate toxicity of the food that you eat. Playing the odds. If that doesn't happen, it's interesting to note that the atmosphere we breath is full of an insane amount of toxicity and, to be fair, there should be commensurate indignation from you over Hummers and Escalades and any other sulfurous, civilization-ending machine. I am more emotionally charged over the human effect of cars on planet Earth, but let's pretend my concerns were more proximate - like driving down the 5 with my windows open -- this will do as much to accelerate my death as the fag that some fag is sparking up. The smoke you can breathe and see and that reflects rays of light in a bar -- it's much easier to hate that. But if you're being intellectually honest you cannot exalt it as somehow more harmful. Because it isn't. And that's all that matters - the facts. Irrespective of gross-ness.

In conslusion - smoking is terrible and you are a retard if you smoke. But you're also a retard if you partake of a lot of things. No smoking in public places; on this we agree - everyone has the right to "clean" air, of a kind. Private establishments (restaurants, bars, clubs, whatever) - that's the owner's call. Anything less is unconscionable.

Unknown said...

Man Kris...i love you for the smoking comments! Lawd knows I THINKS SMOKING IS DEPLOREABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!to the Nth POWER!!!
I shouted to the Lord after the "Smoke Free Ohio" issue passed! THANK U JESUS!!! Smokers make me wanna vomik..yes VOMIK! (i just like the way it sounds better with the "k" sound)
And Kris dude everytime i read one of ur blogs, i get more and more inspired to move out there. No, $100 a day aint shit but...its a step toward the goal u are tryna reach! I think Im just limiting myself by staying in this hellhole deemed "the midwest". It sucks tailbone man! When can i come visit??? When will you have me???