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Tuesday – Disney Studio & FlashForward sets
Mar 10th
Today was one of those days were if something could go wrong, it pretty much did. The plan was to leave nice and early to have plenty of time to get to the Disney Studios at Burbank so Quinton to take us on a studio tour and show us the sets of FlashForward.
Things started off according to plan. We were out of the house and on our way by 8am. We got caught in a bit of traffic which was to be expected. We were making steady progress when we got caught out a highway closure. It looked like there had been an accident which had been cleared but the road hadn’t been reopened. This meant we got sent off in a different direction that was packed full of traffic.
It started to get closer and closer to our appointed meeting time and we were still a little distance away from where we need to be so Jackie suggested I call Quinton to tell him were were going to be late. That’s when I realised I didn’t have my phone in my pocket. That worried me slightly so I searched my bag the best I could. We pulled off the freeway so I could properly search my bag by tipping the contents all over the seat. No phone! Turns out I’d left it behind on the coffee table. Feeling monumentally stupid, I called Quinton to say we couldn’t make it because we had to go back and get it. It didn’t cross my mind to simply buy another phone until Di called up to say just that. Yup, monumentally stupid – that’s me!
We continued on our way towards Burbank but got tricked by confusing signage and missed our exit. We decided it would be better to turn around and simply drive back towards Burbank and turn off when we thought it was about right and at worse, ask for directions. We eventually made it to the lot, about two hours after we should’ve arrived. LA is such a confusing place to drive, even for those who grew up there.
The studio tour was kept short and sweet. There are some fabulous examples of art deco buildings on the lot but the only one I managed to take a successful photo of was the theatre that they re-did for the first screening of The Princess and the Frog
A tiny snippet of the front doors.
Quinton took us through one of the production buildings that started out life as the animation building. It acts as a small gallery and they had some wonderful pieces of animation art up – background drawing, character development sketches, costume designs and preliminary drawings.
After this, Quinton took us to Stages Two and Four, where FlashForward is shot. I’ve never been on a tv set before and it was pretty cool to see how much work goes into building a set.
Loved this sign. But it meant we couldn’t go into the Bedfords’ house.
The cityscapes which look so realistic when they shot inside people’s houses are simply a backdrop. Amazing how good something can look if it’s slightly blurred and not in focus 100%.
They were filming in the hospital set that’s on stage two but we were allowed inside the FBI set that shares the stage. While we were waiting to see if we could go inside, Di snapped this photo of me. Been awhile since someone took one of me that I actually didn’t mind.
The level of detail in the FBI set was incredible.
An agent’s desk
Special Agent Mark Benford mosaic board. They’d added to it since I last saw it.
FBI’s ten most wanted. Apparently there have been photos of crew members, show and studio executives on the board.
It’s amazing how real and unreal the set looked. It was strange to walk out a door and be outside again. There was a guy getting about in a hospital gown who was a special guest for the episode but I had no idea who he was. Turns out he’s an actor on Battlestar Galactica. So there you go.
After our tour, we had lunch in the commissary. Turns out FlashForward crew had broken for lunch because Jack Davenport (Lloyd Simcoe) and Sonya Walger (Dr. Olivia Benford) wandered past with their lunch. And then as we were leaving, Stan Lee walked pasted. He’s much shorter than I thought he was. Maybe he just seems tall because every time I’ve seen him he projects such a big personality.
Di did a brilliant job of getting me to LAX on time, even with a stop at a Best Buys to get a new cell phone. The flight was packed and when we first got on it was like a sauna. I think the A/C wasn’t working properly because a maintenance guy came on board as I was waiting to get down the aisle.
So, right now I’m lying on Steve’s bed with his cat curled up next to me. I seem to be a cat whisperer. Last night, one of Jackie’s and Jake’s cats sleep on the bed with me as well. Apparently Steve’s cat hasn’t sleep on the bed in ages. Tomorrow I’m heading into San Francisco. I’m going to check out the Cartoon Art Gallery on Mission St and have a walk around looking for bike shops. Thursday night, Lisa and I are going to see Princess Mononoke.
Monday – visiting with Jackie, Jake and Daniel
Mar 9th
I had a great day hanging out with Jackie and Daniel. Jake had to go to work unfortunately. I had a slow start to the day after not being able to get to sleep last night. Stopped by Target to pick up some peanut butter M&Ms where I discovered I had left my wallet behind. At least we were close to home so it wasn’t a hassle to go back and get it. Lunch was In ‘n’ Out. Yum!!!
We then visited Downtown Disney so I could hit the Lego store in the hope of finally getting a Batman keyring to go with my Catwoman one. Sigh. I discovered the Batman line of key rings has been discontinued. So I bought a Darth Vader one instead. My first choice was Boba Fett but I wasn’t surprised when I was told they didn’t have any. I imagine he’s hugely popular.
It’s a Lego store. Of course I took photos.
To scale Darth Vader.
To scale (!!!!) giraffe.
Can’t decide if it’s meant to be a T-Rex or a robot.
An absolutely not to scale Lego Indiana Jones. Loved it!!!
We wandered around a little and I saw the most gorgeous shirt featuring Snow White and the Witch Queen. So I bought it. Never in a million years did I think that a) I’d buy something so obviously Disney and b) it’d be a cream coloured top. But it reminded me so much of James Jean’s covers for Fables I had to buy it. There was a t-shirt version of it but I decided to get the more stylised top. Need to get cream coloured singlet to wear underneath it. I’m not sure the style actually suits me but I’ve decided I don’t care.
The photo doesn’t do it justice. It’s the most delicate cream colour with branch detailing all over it.
Close up of Snow White and the Witch Queen.
We ended the day by going to Jake’s parents’ restaurant. His parents do southern style cooking, which means loads of spicy sauces and smoked – or pulled – meat. I had an extremely yummy sandwich with pulled beef, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado and mayo. I’m sure it had something else in it but I can’t remember what. Doesn’t matter, it was delicious. I’m definitely a fan of southern style cooking but I can’t imagine it’s terribly good for you. But aren’t holidays meant to be about indulging yourself to a degree?
And speaking of indulging myself…
My red Sidi bike shoes:
Batgirl tee:
Catwoman tee:
Sunday – sleep is proving illusive
Mar 8th
So I figure I might as well blog about today.
First port of call was a trip to the art store so I could buy some new Itoyla folios so I’ve got somewhere to keep my comic book pages/art. I also picked up a Bristol sketch pad. Art shops are dangerous places for me. There are always so many thing I could buy but I managed to make it out of there with just what I’d gone in for.
Next stop was a spur of the moment visit to a bike store, Cynergy Cycles so I could check out bike shoes. They had an amazing range of Specialized bikes but that’s not surprising seeing their water bottles state they were the number one dealer in 2008. Somehow I managed to come out of the store with a pair of Sidi bike shoes, even though I told myself I wouldn’t buy any bike shoes unlike the end of my trip. I spent more than I should’ve but I did learn one very valuable thing – I’m a 39 in Sidi shoes, not a 38 like I am in Shimanos. Having bought the shoes, I now understand why they’re so popular. They’re a dream to wear and my feet felt supported and comfortable even walking around in the shop. Can’t wait to get them home and try them out!
After spending ages in the bike shop, we went down to Santa Monica pier. It was so windy I think I’m still pulling knots out of my hair even now. But it was really amazing. The pier was packed so I could people-watch to my heart’s content. I really like Santa Monica. There are loads of cyclists around and people are out with their families. It has a great community feel to it that I think is missing from a lot of LA.
We eventually wandered back to the car and to Hi He Ho Comics. I bought myself two t-shirts; a lilac retro Catwoman tee and a grey Barb Gordon Batgirl one. Lilac not a colour choice I’d usually make but Haley assured me that it looked good. I have to get over this thing of only feeling comfortable in mostly black clothing. If I can get about in skin-tight lyrca, I should be able to wear a pale lilac t-shirt!!
Anyhoo… after the trip to the comic book shop, we headed to Quinton and Trisha’s house for dinner. But of course, I didn’t take a single photo. I never seem to manage photos in social settings like this so you’ll just have to take my word that it happened. There weren’t too many of us but that just made it easier to converse and catch up. Much good food was consumed and the mint slices I bought were a hit (think I’m going to be sending a few packets of those over when I get home). I don’t usually eat pork but the pulled pork Jackie and Jake brought with them was so delicious I went back for seconds.
I am so fortunate to have the friends I do here. They’re all so unfaltering in their generosity. When I’m here I feel like I’m the centre of attention and it’s a nice way to feel. Maybe I’m a better version of myself here, a more likable one that encourages people to be good to me. I don’t know. Maybe they do it at home too but I’ve gotten used to it so I don’t notice.
Right now I’m crashed out on a fold out couch at Jackie and Jake’s house, sharing space with a kitten. I don’t know what Jackie, Daniel and I will get up to tomorrow (or rather today when the sun is up) but I’m sure it’ll be fun no matter what. Daniel is such an adorable kid and he actually remembers me from the first visit. Maybe tomorrow will be a trip to Target to stock up on peanut butter M&Ms and other chocolate treats.
Tuesday is going to be a cracker, with a tour of the FlashForward lot. I’m really looking forward to that. Never been on a studio lot before so it’ll be exciting to see all the sets and be able to walk around. Maybe I’ll get to see filming.
Sunday – Santa Monica and the Palisades
Mar 8th
I’ve had a great day today but it’s quite late and I should be asleep so perhaps a photo blog entry is in order.
Haley and I at the end of a very windy Santa Monica pier.
Muscle Beach. Yes, really. It’s a bunch of (mostly) guys parading around without their shirts on.
These two gentlemen were sitting on a bench near Muscle Beach.
Little bit of chop in the Pacific Ocean today.
Sail away, sail away, sail away!
The rides at Santa Monica pier from the water side.
A memorial has been set up near the pier for the soldiers who have been either killed or injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
One of the memorial crosses for a solider who died in Iraq.
Carousels are creepy. Nuff said.
There are bunch of rings set up on the beach that you can swing to and from. This girl was extremely graceful but every time I tried to get a shot of her holding a position she moved!
And some views of the beach.
Looking towards Malibu.
Looking towards Santa Monica/Venice Beach
Isn’t the sun always supposed to shine in California?
Mar 7th
But it’s raining! Meh. What can you do? It has to rain eventually.
It’s been a very long day. My body clock is totally out of whack right now but I’m hoping it’s better tomorrow. I did get an empty row on the flight which was awesome. So much easier to sleep on a plane when you can lie down. But I paid for my luxury of being able to lie down. The kid behind me fidgeted the whole time except for when he was asleep which wasn’t for very long. A few rows back, there was a toddler whose parents seemed completely incapable of managing her. She was so annoying. Every time the seat belt light came on, she’d start squawking when they tried to belt her in – which she should’ve been in the first place. Still, I have my fingers crossed for another empty row on the way back. Being able to lie down was excellent, even if I couldn’t fully stretch out.
I was pretty pleased with V Australia. The seat did seem a little wider and the food was pretty good. I skipped breakfast this time though. Long haul breakfasts are always so disgusting and this time the smell was enough to persuade me not to eat it. But it seemed to concern the hostie a good deal who asked me twice if I was okay, which I thought was a nice touch. The lunch earlier in the flight more than made up for it though. Cheese and spinach ravioli with a salad and a yummy cake for dessert. They also give out bottles of water that you’re encouraged to refill which is a great idea.
I really liked having a row to myself. I could get up whenever I wanted, stretch out even when I wasn’t lying down. I had three pillows and two blankets. Booyah!
All I could get was the tail of the plane.
Still getting my butt kicked with the change in time zone. My body is wonder what’s going on. I’m not as nauseous as I was last time but the only sugary thing I had on the plane was the cake with lunch. That seems to have helped. I also drank a lot more water, something Qantas doesn’t seem to encourage at all.
I’m staying with Haley in Pacific Palisades. I’m so lucky I have people in my life who are willing to open up their homes to me. Without them I wouldn’t be able to do trips like this because I wouldn’t be able to afford the accommodation. It’s great to be somewhere that I feel secure and know that I’ll have people looking out for me.
I think I’ve found a bit of Los Angeles I really like. The Palisades and Santa Monica are gorgeous. A trip out to get me a cell phone gave me a chance to have a look around and it’s just lovely. We headed towards Santa Monica pier (yes, the Santa Monica pier) and were going to have a look but it started to rain so we headed back to the car to get out of the weather.
I did manage to get two photos I liked quite a lot.
The ferris wheel at Santa Monica pier.
Then I turned around at took this photo. It was meant to be a shot of the clouds rolling in (amazingly quickly) but it ended up being a photo of the fence. But I like it anyway.
Hopefully the weather will improve tomorrow and so we can actually go to the pier. It’s been in so many movies so it’ll be cool to see it up close.
How very remiss of me!
Mar 4th
Two days until I head overseas and there’s been nary a peep about my trip on my blog.
So yes… two days until I fly off to America for the third time. Whoo! I’m visiting the same places as I did last year (LA, San Fran and Seattle) but that’s because I loved them so much I had to go again. Part of me hopes it’ll snow but part of me also knows it’ll be a huge hassle if it does because I’m totally unprepared for it. It’s going to be really weird to go from very mild, warm weather to the cold. And it’s going to be cold in Seattle, probably in San Francisco too.
I called V Australia about seats on my flights and managed to get window seats on empty rows. Everyone must cross their fingers for me that it stays this way as that would be totally awesome. I love, love, luuuuuuuuuuurve the idea of having an entire row to myself. Being able to lie down would be blissful. On my first trip, I slept much better on the way home because I had an empty seat next to me and was able to sprawl a lot more. So, wish me empty rows ‘kay?
I’m heading off with my usual minimal plans and waiting to see what happens once I arrive. A few things have been arranged but mostly I’ll be deciding what I want to do once I’m there. I’ll definitely be seeking out some bike shops as I have a hankering for some new bike shoes and have been taken aback at how insanely expensive they are in Australia. Plus I want to see what jerseys I can get my hands on. And some new gloves wouldn’t go astray either. Hhmm… at this rate, I’m going to be spending all my money in bike shops and not on comic book art!
Speaking of comic book art, there’s only a few artists I’m actually interested in getting pieces from. In order of wantedness:
1. Phil Hester
2. Skottie Young
3. Dean Trippe
4. Joelle Jones
5. Joe Kelly
6. Dustin Nguyen/Derek Fridolfs
7. Francesco Francavilla
I have my fingers really crossed for Phil Hester and Skottie Young. Hester was my favourite artist on Green Arrow and I’m hoping I can get a GA sketch from him. I don’t have that many hopes of getting anything from Skottie Young but I figured I’d try my luck anyway. If I can’t get something, I just hope he’s got a a print of the awesome Amazing Spider-Man cover he did that features Deadpool. Every time I see it, I chuckle. Hopefully Mr Sale will have finished inking the page I bought last year and that’s the only thing I want from him. I got my 10 minute ink wash last year so I’m set there. Plus Tim has been extraordinarily generous with me and I have more pieces from him than I thought I ever would.
I am slightly worried about how I’m going to go on the flights with torn rib tendons. 14 hours in a seat is a long time. But my doctor did give me drugs that will knock me out so if nothing else I’ll take some mersyndol and pray I venture off into the land of nod.
My ribs are healing nicely and sometimes I actually forget they’re anything wrong with them. Until I stretch and then it’s a world of weird pain. It doesn’t exactly hurt, it feels really tight and constricted – like I’ve reached the maximum amount of flex they have. I am looking forward to the day when I can stretch my arms above my head without it hurting.
Ten days off the bike has really affected my riding. I’m at least five ks slower than I was a few weeks ago and I feel like I’ve lost a huge amount of power. I think my fitness levels have crashed too. I feel slower and heavier on the bike. But at least I’m back on it. I’m riding far more cautiously at the moment and I’ve noticed I’m taking far, far fewer risks than I was. This isn’t to say I took that many risks beforehand but I’m definitely backing off whereas before I wouldn’t have. Maybe that’s a good thing though. I’m sure I’ll live a longer life if I ride with more caution.
And finally, two stories from The Age website that caught my eye: Number of peak-hour cyclists soar and 14 cyclists injured in spate of accidents.
Back in the saddle
Feb 27th
Took Lisa out for a spin today and it felt really good. I was definitely slower than normal but it just felt good to ride again.
Unfortunately it looks like I’ve busted the bike computer I was given. The display still works but there’s no data being received so I think I’ve damaged the cable which means it’s ka-put. I’m just glad I didn’t have my accident on my new bike. That would’ve really sucked if I’d damaged my bike and Garmin!
I need to get new handle-bar tape because what’s on there now is ripped right where my fingers rest. It doesn’t look that bad but I know it’ll annoy me. Not sure how I managed to do it on both sides!!
My ribs don’t hurt quite so much these days. They’re still painful and I need to be careful but it’s nowhere near as bad as what it was. My bruises are fading too. The one on my knee has spread out and it looks really ugly but at least it’s stopped bleeding. Still hurts though so I have to be very careful to not whack it into anything otherwise it’ll tear again.
I know I was extremely lucky. I’ve been thinking about it a lot and I realised that if I stayed in the bike path on the inside, the other car would’ve definitely hit me and I’d be in much worse shape than I am. Going on the outside probably saved me from serious injuries, including a broken leg. It’s not much consolation but torn rib tendons and bruises are a much better outcome than a broken leg.
I’m such a baby
Feb 21st
I don’t do well with injuries. Not well at all. It feels like someone has taken to the left side of my chest with a hammer. I’m really feeling it today. Every time I take a deep breath or move, a sharp stabbing pain radiates out from my chest. Lying down and getting up is excruciating. I have no idea if this is normal or how long I’m going to feel like this. The doctor at the hospital probably told me but I was so whacked out of my head on morphine, I can’t remember. (A quick google search says it’ll hurt for at least six weeks and the pain is normal.) I suppose what’s worrying me slightly is that I have pain in my back but it’s probably referred pain from the rib. It’s in line with the injury site so it would seem normal for the pain to be spreading out.
The bruises are coming out now. My left knee isn’t swollen any more which indicates the bleeding has finally stopped but the whole side of my knee is one giant and painful bruise. Yay for hematomas! I have a spectacular bruise on my right arm which I’m not 100% sure how I got. I don’t remember putting my arms out in an effort to break my fall (sure fire way to break your collar bone!) but I probably did it anyway.
Hospitals are not fun places to be on your own. It’s not fun to be in pain and surrounded by strangers. Admittedly those strangers were there to help me but mostly I wanted someone I knew to hold my hand and tell me it was going to be okay. I have no concept of how long I was by myself but it felt like forever. Being in a totally unfamiliar place that smells funny, unable to move because of a neck brace is actually really scary. It wasn’t helped by the fact that somewhere nearby there was a guy who would yell in pain about every ten minutes. Turns out he had a dislocated knee but he was resisting treatment. People do weird things when they’re in pain.
Familiar voices make such a huge difference. Even in my morphine induced blur, I felt better when I had people I knew nearby. After I panicked when I though I was going to throw up but couldn’t move, having my friend take my hand and rub my arm was hugely comforting.
It’s funny, I find this whole thing really hard to write about. I don’t cope well with being injured. It was scary being carted off in an ambulance. It was really scary after I’d hit the ground and recovered from the initial shock that my ribs started hurting and wouldn’t stop. I know I’m lucky that I wasn’t seriously injured and I know I’m lucky that I’m not hospital. But why do I feel so… traumatised by it? Is it because I’m just a big baby who needs to harden up?
I have to find a way to deal with the pain in my ribs because it’s going to be there for awhile. They can’t be instantly fixed.
Really wasn’t on my list of things to do last night
Feb 19th
Today I’m sporting a likely cracked rib, a bruised and slightly swollen left knee and I’ve got a few bruises popping up. The chest x-rays didn’t show an obviously broken a rib but the doctor was fairly certain I have a hairline fracture which won’t show up.
Hitting a car on the way home from work last night really wasn’t on my list of things to do. What was getting some takeaway from the local Japanese place and sitting on the couch. There may have also been time set aside for eating what’s left of the open bag of peanut butter m&ms. (I was having a bad day okay!)
So yes… I hit a car. It’s kinda hard to explain. I think it was at the intersection of Canning and Richardson St. Two cars. One next to me who was turning left and one crossing Canning on Richardson. The guy on Canning had stopped and left space for me to get by. I think he edged forward or took his foot off the brake and I decided it would be better to go around him on the outside. But the car driver on Richardson thought the one on Canning had stopped for him so he went. I saw this, tried to brake but was going too fast and ended up rapidly decelerating by slamming into the back of the car. My bike kinda jack-knifed and I went over the frame instead of the handlebars. Ended up a crumpled mess on the road, coming down on my left side which I’d just rammed into the car.
First time in my life I’ve had morphine. Not sure I like it that much. It’s great at deadening the pain but it made me feel sick. I’m also really not keen on the neck collar. It just hurt my jaw and I was so glad to have it taken off when they finally removed it. The time at the hospital is actually a bit of a blur. Mostly I just felt sick until they gave me some really good anti-nausea drugs after I had my x-rays.
I did discover that my resting heart rate is actually quite low. While I was lying in the hospital, it got down into the low 40s. That’s probably lower than normal for me as I was doped up on morphine but it never really got above 50. I had the doctor come in and start checking my head and neck but as soon as she touched my head, my body temperature shot up and I was certain I was going to vomit. But I still had the neck brace on so they had to page a bunch of people to come in and roll me on my side. And then I didn’t vomit. All that effort for nothing. I was hooked up a heart monitor during this ordeal (panicking whilst wearing a neck brace and unable to move on your own is freaken scary) but my friend who was with me said my heart only got up to 56. So, obviously I’m fitter than I thought I was. Not exactly comforting but kinda good to know.
I’ve never hurt my ribs before. It’s not something I’d recommend to anyone. It hurts to take a deep breath, it hurts to laugh, cough and even burp. Sitting upright is more comfortable than lying down but it still hurts.
The risks we take
Feb 16th
I knew when I started riding in Melbourne that it would be risky at times. Everyone who rides has at least a dozen stories of near misses. I’ve got my own fair share. It’s just part of the experience.
But last night’s near miss really rattled me.
I was waiting at the lights at the corner of St George’s Road and Holden St, heading home down St George’s Road. The lights went green and I pushed off. I put new cletes on my shoes last week and I’ve been having a little trouble with them as they’re much harder to clip in at the moment. I couldn’t work out which way the pedal was so I quickly looked down to check. When I looked up, there was a car turning – illegally – in front of me. It was going way too fast and I didn’t have time to brake, turn away or do anything except make a tiny squeaking noise as I was 100% certain I was about to be hit.
Obviously, I got lucky otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this right now. But it was close and I mean really close. Closest call I’ve had in a long time. Being the big whimpy girl I am, I totally freaked out. I started shaking and wobbled the rest of the way home with tears leaking out of my eyes. I don’t know why it scared me so much. Maybe it’s because I’ve had this happen before except that time I did get hit. Got really lucky that day – the road was wet and I somehow managed to stay upright after the initial contact and slid into the side of the car. Well, it was more like a slamming into the car followed by a desperate grab of the roof instead of going down like a sack of spuds. Of course, I was yelling a string of profanities at the top of my voice and was being watched by a captive audience. I wasn’t seriously hurt and was able to walk away – after giving the car driver a piece of my mind.
Last night was genuinely scary but I can’t tell you why. I’ve had four wheel drives get within centimetres of me and it’s given a me a nasty surprise but not affected me like that. On Sunday morning, I had a bus nearly launch out in front of me. Maybe it’s because I’m partially to blame. I looked down when I shouldn’t have. I took my eyes off the traffic even if it was for a second. The person in the car was doing something incredibly stupid and dangerous but I should’ve been watching. I should’ve been looking out for myself. I know there are car drivers out there who really do think cyclists are the scourge of road and would run us all down if they could get away with it and I ride with the knowledge in my head. Last night I dropped the ball and nearly got myself seriously injured or killed.
I have to stop thinking about it though. Nothing bad happened to me except I got a huge fright. Wasn’t hurt, injured or maimed in any way, shape or form. It’s nothing but a moment in time. The lesson is that I must be more careful all the time. It’s crap that we have to be so defensive all the time and ride like car drivers are out to kill us but it’s a choice between that or not riding at all.