OH. HELL. NO.

This pool is on the 42nd floor of a Houston, Texas apartment building, 500-600 feet above the street below. Prepare to barf.

More info about the Sky Pool here.

Would you?

How not to fly the friendly skies

Add United Airlines to the list of companies that don't know how to customer service.

United overbooked a flight, then asked for volunteers to give up their seats (for a premium, of course) because they had four employees who needed to be "repositioned" for another flight. Unfortunately they didn't get enough volunteers, so chose some poor schmuck at random to be "deplaned". Turns out the poor schmuck didn't want to leave, so he was forcibly removed...and roughed up in the process. And of course there's a video.

The situation was only worsened when United released their official announcement about the fracas, and of course, Twitter got into the act.

With the recent Pepsi Cola fail, the inevitable "hold my drink" tweets started popping up.

#BoycottUnited promptly went into overdrive. Not only is this event going to cost United potential future customers, it's also costing them long-time flyers:

More fun:

Hopefully United can look for the silver lining...

This is really bad. UA is not only going to probably have to pay that guy millions, but it could really impact their business for months if not years to come.

And I agree with the guy who suggested Oscar Munoz update his resume. He should have promptly owned up to how awful this was. Instead he released an anemic PR statement that only exacerbated the fallout.

At LAst!!!

The release date isn't until April 17th, but Amazon is already shipping LAst Resort. I had preordered and Mom and I received our copies on Thursday. So I'm officially in print for the first time! 

You can (if you're so inclined) order it here.

It's so weird seeing my name in a book. It's also weird seeing the story (Crime Drama/Do Not Cross) in a book as well - I've only seen it printed out on 8x10 paper. It's just so surreal. It's also something I could get very used to.

LAst Resort editors and contributors will be doing author panels at The Last Bookstore in Downtown L.A. on June 17 and at Vroman's in Pasadena on July 8. In addition, Sisters in Crime L.A. always has a booth at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (April 22-23 this year). My editor, Matt Coyle, will be signing at the SinC LA booth, but I'll probably miss him as I'll be standing in line to get my copy of LAst Resort signed by Michael Connelly during the period Matt is scheduled.

Big thanks to everyone at Sisters in Crime Los Angeles for the opportunity, and to Matt for being such a kickass editor.

Update: Shortly after I posted this, I got an email from SinC LA asking if I would like to participate in an author panel at Santa Monica Public Library in Ocean Park on June 24. Of course, the answer is yes. Other authors on the panel are Craig Faustus Buck, Vanessa A. Ryan and Laurie Stevens. It will be at 2pm. Drop by if you get a chance!

Wrap-up: UCLA Extension TV writing class #1

So I ended up getting an A+ in my first UCLA TV writing class, thanks to my outline for a Better Call Saul spec that everyone in the class, including the instructor, seemed to really like. We get a couple weeks off, then in the next quarter we'll turn our outlines into actual scripts, now that we've got out stories worked out.

I have to admit that I am really pleased with the way the script turned out, especially when you consider the clusterfuck that the class seemed like at the beginning.

The system they use is fantastic. I'll used it for all future TV specs. I wish I'd gotten into this program years ago. I really do recommend it highly.

March Words of Wisdom

If anyone ever dismisses you for being too sensitive, ask yourself this: Who is more fragile? The person who is brave enough to say when something hurts? Or the person who cannot apologize or admit to having caused pain? Sensitivity, empathy, compassion - these are badass superpowers. --Nanea Hoffman

Nothing can take the sting out of the world's economic problems like watching millionaires give each other gold statues. --Billy Crystal

Acting should be bigger than life. Scripts should be bigger than life. It should ALL be bigger than life. --Bette Davis

The weak are the most treacherous of us all. They come to the strong and drain them. They are bottomless. They are insatiable. They are always parched and always bitter. They are everyone's concern and like vampires they suck our life's blood. --Bette Davis

The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed. --Ernest Hemingway

Make a concentrated effort to surround yourself with positive, nourishing, uplifting people - people who believe in you, encourage you to go after your dreams, and applaud your victories. --Jack Canfield

Even now, as we live in the trenches of this world, we are assured that God is in control and He is good. --Sarah Young

Be whoever you want to be. People are going to judge you no matter what you do. --Unknown

Don't let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out. --Robert Tew

Don't ever mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance, or my kindness for weakness. --Unknown

Give the gift of your absence to those who do not appreciate your presence. --Unknown

May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go. --Irish Proverb

If you find yourself asking yourself, "Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?" chances are you are. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death. --Steven Pressfield ("The War of Art")

Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it. --Unknown

Be the person that makes others feel special. Be known for your kindness and grace. --Unknown

I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet. --Mahatma Gandhi

The mind is like water. When it's agitated, it's difficult to see. But if you allow it to settle and get calm, everything becomes clear. --Unknown

To many, the words love, hope and dreams are synonymous with horses. --Unknown

Champagne for my real friends and real pain for my sham friends. --Tom Waits

Well, I found the one thing that can close down Bourbon Street

Torrential rains in New Orleans right now. Via Earthcam:

I relate to enough of these that I thought it was worth posting

20 Things Only Highly Creative People Understand.

A few that hit home:

They cannot multi-task effectively...

True.

Often, this requires solitude for periods of time...

Most of the time, actually.

...highly creative people often can quickly shift from joy to sadness or even depression. Their sensitive heart, while the source of their brilliance, is also the source of their suffering.

I know it sounds pretentious as hell, but it's true. I envy people who are emotionally tough.

Creatives are notorious procrastinators because many do their best work under pressure. 

Oh good, it's not just me. Actually, this is how I just got through my first UCLA Extension TV writing class, and came out with an A and a hell of an outline for a Better Call Saul spec. All assignments were due online by Friday at midnight, and each and every one was submitted on Friday evening, except for the one that didn't get done until Saturday. Nothing about this story existed when this class started; this wasn't the show I was planning on speccing. But when I had to come up with something, I did. The rest of the week was mainly spent thinking about it. But nothing actually got done until the deadline was looming.

Although I do wish I didn't procrastinate. It's a personal failure IMO.

They have difficulty finishing projects.

Again, oh good, it's not just me.

Check out the whole article and see what you think.

Camels of Monrovia

Last Friday, after running some errands and doing some shopping, Mom and I headed over to the Monrovia Farmer's Market. If you've never been there, it's very family-oriented, heavily attended and really fantastic.

For diehard foodies it might be a bit light on produce, but I still managed to score a huge bunch of celery, some big beautiful strawberries, kumquats, dandelion greens and a lovely bouquet of lavender. It also has some really talented jewelry vendors. I ended up with two necklaces, plus my Mom bought the matching ring and earrings to one of them for my birthday. Very pretty stuff.

There's also a ton of food vendors, plus plenty of places to eat on Myrtle Avenue, where the market is located.

There's also really incredible stuff for the kids. There were three or four of these giant inflatable slides, and the petting zoo included not just pony rides, but camel rides as well. Seriously.

Mom and I had dinner at Jake's Roadhouse.

Monrovia is a beautiful town with a lot of local history, and its farmer's market is huge and highly recommended.

Another Z-lister keeping it klassy

Uh, actually, it's "genes". Babies aren't born with jeans. Speaking of people who probably shouldn't be reproducing...

One job you couldn't pay me to do these days: PR for celebrities. They say the dumbest, most inane things. It would be a thankless, 24/7 job.

Last Remaining Seats 2017 schedule announced

The Los Angeles Conservancy has announced the schedule for this year's Last Remaining Seats, which features classic films screened at restored Downtown L.A. and San Pedro theaters. Ticket for members go on sale March 29 and to the general public on April 5.

L.A. Confidential (1997)
Saturday, June 3, 8pm
Orpheum Theatre (DTLA)

Laura (1944)
Wednesday, June 7, 8pm
Million Dollar Theatre (DTLA)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
Saturday, June 10, 2pm
Warner Grand Theatre (San Pedro)

On the Waterfront (1954)
Saturday, June 10, 8pm
Warner Grand Theatre (San Pedro)

La muerte de un burocrata (Death of a Bureaucrat) (1966)
Wednesday, June 14, 8pm
Palace Theatre (DTLA)

Easter Parade (1948)
Saturday, June 17, 8pm
Los Angeles Theatre (DTLA)

Wings (1927)
Wednesday, June 21, 8pm
The Theatre at Ace Hotel (DTLA)

E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Saturday, June 24, 2pm
Orpheum Theatre (DTLA)

Jaws (1975)
Saturday, June 24, 8pm
Orpheum Theatre (DTLA)

Jaws on my birthday! Yes please!

I am Rene Descartes

Or, at least, that's how my mind works according to an online quiz.

Yeah, a lot of it makes sense.

You can take the quiz here.

The latest addition to my little salt & pepper shakers collection

Mom and I went to the Wistaria Festival in Sierra Madre Sunday and had a blast. We scored some great stuff from the vendors there and capped it off with a birthday dinner at North Woods Inn with The Brother.

At one point we wandered into this little shop called The Goody Bags, on Sierra Madre Boulevard. It was mostly retro candy and gift baskets. But when we poked around a bit, we found they had some really hilarious gifts.

And then I saw the shark attack salt & pepper shakers. And yes, I bought them.

A little magnet keeps the leg in the shark's mouth. Genius!