FIRE IN ALIZIA CANYON!

Thursday, March 29, 2007, approx. 2:30 pm: A fire broke out in Alizia Canyon directly across the street from our driveway.

I was working from home and annoyed by all the noise outside in our usually serene neighborhood. It was the chopper overhead that clued me in -- something was wrong. I looked out our downstairs window just in time to see a helicopter dump a load of water right on the hills in front of our home! About that same time, my housekeeper (who had been there at the time) came running down the stairs asking if I saw the fire. She had seen the flames from the upstairs window.

I ran outside to see how bad it was and found 9 fire engines and 2 sheriffs cars. Not really sure why I paid no attention until the chopper; you'd have thought the sirens would offer a decent clue ... Anyway, I asked my neighbors what had happened, hoping perhaps it was a controlled burn. Not so. They said that a couple kids lit a firecracker on the hill and up it went.

Here are some pics I took with my camera phone (our regular camera had a dead battery, darn it), so they are a little fuzzy. These were taken once the flames were put out, which - thank the Lord - was very soon after it began. You can see the forest ranger firefighters in orange and our community firefighters in yellow.

Well, guess what?! Sarah and I actually took advantage of living in Los Angeles and DID SOMETHING! Not just go to a restaurant, not just go see a movie, we went to an EVENT in Hollywood!

I entered this drawing online and ended up getting tickets to it. (I think there were about 250 people who won and each could bring a guest.) The event was to be the first audience to see the new trailer to the 3rd Pirates movie and to watch the classic Curse of the Black Pearl on the big screen again at Disney's El Capitan theater on Hollywood Blvd.

Well, we got down there about 2:30, knowing they would start checking in names on a list about 3:30. There are some "very interesting" people there to say the least. About 85% of the people dressed up in some sort of pirate outfit. A number of them just seemed to be into anything "pirate" or should I say "renaissance faire". Then there were a number of people who seemed to just genuinely like the movies. There were also some people that I think ended up there randomly.

When we checked in, they gave us a lanyard with a cool pass to the event (We felt official) and a bag with "stuff" in it. Inside was a replica bandana like Jack Sparrow's - the pattern is pretty close - and a promo for the new Pirates Online video game.

Around 3:50 a Disney woman approached me and asked if I liked to play video games. I told them I did and they asked if I wanted to come with them to demo a game. I told them I had my wife with me and they said they would only keep me for 5 minutes. (Liars.) They took me to a side door where I got to be the first of the day to play the demo for this new game. It was taking a little longer than I thought, so after a while of a programmer showing me how to play and then playing for a few minutes, I said I should probably get a back to my wife (who was standing in an alley in Hollywood with weirdos dressed like pirates). Oh yeah, they were filming me on and off while I was playing the game. They said they wanted to ask me questions in front of the camera, which I thought would be cool. So, they asked me what I liked best about the game. How similar is the game to the movies? What were your favorite parts of the first two movies? Who is your favorite pirate? What are you looking forward to in the 3rd movie? . . and probably another 3 similar questions. They wanted me to include the questions in my answers. "My favorite parts in the first two movies were. . ." After I got done, they guy told me I was a natural at doing that and that I did a great job. (Basically they picked a guy that looked "normal" and who knew how to follow directions in front of a camera and give good descriptive answers.) For my time they gave me a hat with the skull and swords logo on it and a flashdrive as well. (Later I went back and asked for a t-shirt with the logo and got one!)

After waiting for over two hours outside, they finally let the line in. We grabbed seats on the first row of the balcony - perfect. We got some snacks and waited to see how the event would kick off. They had an MC come out and do some give-aways. No luck for us there. He then said they had two of the actors from the movies! . . . it was Jack the Monkey, and the dog with the keys. Kind of funny. Then after giving away a few more items, he said they had a big surprise. ORLANDO BLOOM was there!!! It was a great surprise. He said thanks for being fans and then introduced the movie. Another celebrity to add to our list!

So, we had originally hoped the trailer would be first and then we could jet out during the movie at some point. Well, no. They had it all set up with intros from Bruckheimer, Geoffery Rush, and Orlando Bloom to show the MOVIE FIRST and then the trailer afterwards. Sarah looked at me with a look of "the things I do for you." So, we watched the movie - which we love. And FINALLY we got to see the trailer. . .twice. It looks amazing! It will be a very well done film and should be a grand finale to the trilogy.

We finally headed home about 8:15. A long day. I guess you could say we waited 5 and half hours to see a movie trailer. But, the event was done very well by the Disney people. Sarah and I had fun, wished it was a little shorter, but fun. If it ends up being the last Pirates movie, then it was the last chance to this sort of thing. Now if only we could get tickets to the Premiere of the movie. (We're about to admit the daughter of a VP of Disney Films. . .hmmm.)

As of 30 minutes ago, I read my last application for the season! Over the past few weeks there have been many nights when I brought work home and left Sarah downstairs with the tv. This past weekend, all I did was read about 170 applications. This weekend will be the first weekend in months that I have not done something work related. (Next weekend, i'll go back to my old habits for 45 minutes.)



But, now I start catching up on the class work I neglected. I have a few weeks to crank out a paper on the "body" in Pauline literature. I can take the word "body" in any direction I want: theology of the human body, sexuality, the church as the body of Christ, physical resurrection, etc. I haven't quite decided which one i'll do, but I'm leaning towards the body as community or physical resurrection.



I'll be traveling a bit again in the month of April. San Francisco, Houston, Dallas, (Alabama for family), then back up to Nor Cal for a week of college fairs. Then in May, Sarah and I finally will be embarking on the long awaited trip to Hawaii. We've been talking about this trip for 6 years! It was supposed to happen last year, but buying a condo put it on the backburner. We realized the other day, this will be the first weeklong vacation we have taken just the two of us since our honeymoon! We've had a couple weekend trips, or trip to TN or OR, but never a week away just the two of us.



Ok, so my secret to getting up and working out everyday . . .

http://www.mri-performance.com/no2-enter.html
This stuff does WONDERS to your workout. Yes, it is safe, it is not steroids. It actually makes you look forward to working out again. I've found out a few friends are on similar products (different brands) and love it just as much as I do.

Ok, that is all for now from me.
-Allen

So today, I (Sarah) was driving back from San Diego after visiting a client. It was a typical Southern CA day -- sunny, beautiful and about 75 degrees. As I was driving back up the coast heading home, sun roof open, ocean sparkling to my left, a truck drove past with a decal on the back window that said "Cali Style". I decided that phrase encompasses my current chapter in life. I am living "Cali Style". Though originally a Northern CA girl, I must admit that SoCal does have a certain draw. The longer I am here, the more I like it.