While We're Young in the Funhouse Mirror

Hey Dude, the other night I watched the movie While We're Young with Marisol and it was like looking into a mirror...a funhouse mirror...the satire cut deep down into our marrow.

CHARACTERS: Sweet Leaf, Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried, Individual 1, Adam Horovitz, Peter Yarrow

LOCATIONS: Peru, Christmas Tree Lane, Altadena Library

MOVIES/TV/MUSIC: Twin Peaks, Girls, SNL, Beastie Boys

STUFF: USMC, Doc Martens, common-law marriage

SOUNDS: motorcycle, cars, cough, echo, mic pops

GENRE: storytelling, personal narrative, personal journal

PHOTO: "Zane's Funhouse Mirror" shot on my iPhone5

RECORDED: August 30, 2019 on the observation deck at the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, California

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised. (CHUNKY AUDIO)

Sweet Leaf's Last Sunset (Rough Cut)

A humble tribute to our beloved tuxedoed companion Sweet Leaf, who lived a life of rags to riches...and everything in-between.

(PLEASE NOTE: This piece was originally conceived for the KCRW's 24 Hour Radio Race for their Independent Producers Project. The theme was "Where the sun don't shine." My race crashed and burned, but I did salvage this 10 minute rough cut of the story. The finished, polished piece, was to be cut down to 4 minutes to qualify.)

SHOUT-OUTS: Vanessa Lowe, Nocturne Podcast, Paula Small

MUSIC: D.J. Bonebrake (the only Los Angeles native in the band X)

RECORDED: August 10, 2019 at the Zane Grey Estate in Beautiful Altadena, California.

EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS: Marisol Martinez

Mean Streets of Sherman Oaks

Hey Dude, my recent binge of The Sopranos wakes me up and reminds me of the time that Richie Aprile cut in front me at the Jamba Juice in Sherman Oaks.

CHARACTERS: Sweet Leaf, Michael Imperioli (Christopher), James Gandolfini (Tony Soprano), Lorraine Bracco (Dr. Melfi), Edie Falco (Carmela), Little Steven (Silvio), David Proval (Richie), Martin Scorsese

TV/FILMS: Goodfellas, The Americans, Mean Streets, Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese

LOCATIONS: Rose Bowl, Dodger Stadium, DTLA, Pacific Ocean, San Gabriel Mountains, San Fernando Valley

STUFF: HBO, sexism, racism, consciousness, mafia genre

SOUNDS: birds, cars, crows

GENRE: storytelling, personal narrative, personal journal

PHOTO: "Richie Googled" shot on my iPhone5

RECORDED: July 19, 2019 on the observation deck at the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, California

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised. (CHUNKY AUDIO)

20 Summers Ago

Hey Dude, a trip to Palm Springs takes me back to the summer of 1999 when I learned I had cancer on the same day The Phantom Menace was released. Also a cool online interaction with John Lurie ties the call together.

CHARACTERS: Doctor Dolittle, Garry Paskwietz, Lance Armstrong, John Lurie

LOCATIONS: Palm Springs, La Quinta, Blaze Pizza, Vista Theater, Los Feliz

FILM/TV/MUSIC: The Road Runner, Risky Business, Star Wars, The Phantom Menace, Lounge Lizards, Down by Law, Stranger Than Paradise, Fishing with John

STUFF: roadrunner, locust, Ray-Bans, Sanuk film-flops, Dodgers, Vanity Fair, St. Christopher charm, Tour de France

SOUNDS: birds, dogs, woodpecker

GENRE: storytelling, personal narrative, personal journal

PHOTO: "Secret Patio" shot on Marisol's iPhone5s

RECORDED: June 25, 2019 on the observation deck at the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, California

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised.

The Dude's Magic Sweater

Hey Dude, a bootleg photoshoot for a "podcast thing" leads me to wear my "Original Westerley" Pendleton sweater and tap intoThe Dude's mystical energy.

CHARACTERS: Sweet Leaf, Dracula, Dr. David Viscott, Frasier, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino, Rock Star

LOCATIONS: Descanso Gardens, Park Bench Deli, Macy's

STUFF: head shot, selfie, robe, cape, comic book crowd, vampire, People Magazine, L.A. Times, pop culture,

FILMS: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Cannes Film Festival, The Big Lebowski

SOUNDS: motorcycle, cars, echo, beard

GENRE: storytelling, personal narrative, personal journal

PHOTO: "The Dude's Magic Sweater" shot on Marisol's iPhone5s

RECORDED: June 7, 2019 on the observation deck at the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, California

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised.

Rosebud in S-Town

Hey Dude, I finally listened to S-Town as inspiration for my epic L.A. noir-style family history podcast. I also compare and contrast my rejection letters from American Public Media and This American Life.

CHARACTERS: "Tricky Dick" Nixon, "Wild Bill" Clinton, Red Tie Dude, Bertolt Brecht, Mickey Cohen, Howard Hughes, D.J. Bonebrake, Lenny Bruce, Ira Glass, Julie Snyder, Dan Klass

PODCASTS: Slow Burn, Serial, To Live and Die in L.A., Dirty John

LOCATIONS: Rose Bowl, Los Angeles, West Coast, Altadena Library

FILMS: Godfather II, L.A. Confidential, Citizen Kane

SONGS: Tangled Up in Blue, United States of Whatever

STUFF: fireworks, audio novel, Joan Anderson Letter, FBI, Red Scare, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, Beat Generation, analog, it

SOUNDS: birds, cars, fly, dogs, chickens, airplane, wind, palm trees

GENRE: storytelling, personal narrative, personal journal

PHOTO: "Zane's Spring Palms and Birdbath" shot on my iPhone5

RECORDED: May 27, 2019 on the observation deck at the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, California

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised.

Little Red VW Bug Tales: Tomboy and the Bombshell (Meltdown)

Hey Dude, the end of my relationship with the Tomboy sends me into dark tunnel of despair and ultimately to the edge of the cliff...literally.

LOCATIONS: Reseda, Laurel Canyon, Burbank, Yosemite, Tuolumne Meadows, Camp Curry, Happy Isles, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall,Half Dome, Mist Trail, Glendale, San Fernando Road, Millard Canyon Fall

STUFF: Garden of Eden, arm wrestle, bootie call, payphone, VW Bug, Jaguar, rebirth, podcasting, Podcasting Hall of Fame

SOUNDS: birds, cars, fly, dogs, chickens, airplane, wind, palm trees

GENRE: storytelling, personal narrative, personal journal

PHOTO: "Millard Canyon Mining Tunnel" shot on my iPhone5

RECORDED: May 24, 2019 on the observation deck at the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, California

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised.

Little Red VW Bug Tales: Tomboy and the Bombshell (Bombshell)

Anyways Dude, I riff on how I met the off the charts "Bombshell" at my church and the magic of the cabin up in Laurel Canyon, as the story chugs its way towards the final meltdown.

CHARACTERS: Joseph Campbell, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Debbie Harry, Michelle Pfeiffer, Marilyn Monroe, Jakob Dylan, Jackson Browne, John Hughes

LOCATIONS: Burbank, Van Nuys, Reseda, Ventura Blvd., West Valley, New York City

STUFF: booty call, UU Church, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Echo in the Canyon, hypnosis

SONGS: Blowin' in the Wind, Free Fallin', Tangled Up in Blue, Heart of Glass

SOUNDS: wind, palm trees, cars, birds, crows

GENRE: storytelling, personal narrative, personal journal

PHOTO: "Debbie and Michelle" shot on my iPhone5

RECORDED: May 16, 2019 on the observation deck at the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, California

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised.

Little Red VW Bug Tales: Tomboy and the Bombshell (Tomboy)

Hey Dude, on a moody day I remember my "Tomboy" girlfriend, who I worked with at a creepy cluster of used bookstores on the edge of Glendale. I also allude to the "Bombshell" and the crooked road to the impending meltdown.

CHARACTERS: Christopher Reeve

LOCATIONS: Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando Road, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Eagle Rock, West Valley, Laurel Canyon,

STUFF: Arroyo Seco, Ford F-150, 134 Freeway, Superman (1978), booty call, UU Church, LAX

SOUNDS: Birds

GENRE: storytelling, personal narrative, personal journal

PHOTO: "After a Spring Rain at Zane's" shot on my iPhone5

RECORDED: May 7, 2019 on the observation deck at the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, California

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised.

Little Red VW Bug Tales: Tomboy and the Bombshell (Locations)

Hey Dude, I get back on track by tripping on the story's main locations including the little rundown house, the cavernous used bookstore, the UU Church and the magical cabin in Laurel Canyon.

LOCATIONS: Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando Road, West Valley, Laurel Canyon, Sunset Strip

SOUNDS: wind, palm trees, planes, birds, muscle car

GENRE: storytelling, personal narrative, personal journal

PHOTO: "Zane's Palms and More Yellow Flowers" shot on my iPhone5

RECORDED: May 2, 2019 on the observation deck at the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, California

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised.