Pinocchio got a nose job in LA, but he didn't make up the reputation. Yes, stereotypes exist for a reason and that's because on some level they are true. Though if explored deeply enough, a stereotype’s accuracy in summing up an entire city, gender, culture or race inevitably disintegrates. In other words, the more educated we become, the less stereotypes apply. At some point we discover life to be an accurate and malleable reflection of ourSelves.
Which is why it disturbed me today, rolling on Sunset Blvd, windows down to let pavement breeze radiate in, when I noticed myself hypnotized by another skyscraper sized billboard shoving a frail label wearing woman with poor choice in glitter eye shadow, looking like the starving African child I saved by not spending $1.70 on Starbucks every morning, yea, the one I am keeping alive by stuffing bags of white rice in like the targeted pigeons of urban decay - lookin like this model. She was staring down at me a mile high from these hollow, ill eyes and I thought to myself a thought I do not even entertain in any other American city: "is my stomach flat enough?"
Disturbing.
At least I know I can leave at any time. And I intend to soonly. Countless complex human beings become paper doll drones in this city ("I could have looked that way so much better"), forgetting that nowhere else in the world functions so blatantly at this degree. It is only here. And you can always leave if someday you find yourself rolling down Sunset Blvd thinking thoughts that are not authentic expressions of yourSelf.
L...A.... The world capitol of Ego Magick - conscious reality forming - using other people's perceptions to create your identity. You gotta love it for what it is. It's fun and it's a game and people pay a lot of money to play and you make a lot of money when you're good. Sunshine everyday. Smiles and quick pecks a plenty. The reason you can't sign up for the budget calling plan.
“I could have looked like that so much better.”
The reason I love Los Angeles is mostly because it is where I landed after tour, certainly intentionally, if even subconsciously. I shot a commercial the first week here - dancing like a raving amphibian in the basement of a vacant downtown ghost town forgotten city warehouse. Foam, 140 hot dancers, and a live d.j. defined the day of “work” I did last month. And now more than ever (post-STOMP / pre-?!) I am clear that this is my moment. Now is my time to invest in my dreams, my creativity, my passion. So right…now I define my future. And right…now I choose again. And right…
Now I am filming a project of my own creation. I dreamt it up 6 months ago during a frighteningly dark period in the desert on tour. Manic-depressives are stereotyped as uncontrollably creative people and it ain't because of their tendency to populate the 9 to 5 alarm clock to do list can I take a vacation lifestyle. It is because during the 5th nite without sleep, they crack and draw up spaceship blueprints and then finally 6 months later off of tour, when the moment is....now, they actually build them.
In Los Angeles now I just finished filming my project yesterday. And we, Robert of (get this) Chaos Productions, and I celebrated our filming finale at no other than Good Mood Food Raw Cafe in Huntington Beach. After dinner, a mother and two teenagers stopped me politely with polite attentive eyes; "do you eat raw food?" Now, I am not one to Think I Know, especially when it comes to other people. But when I am asked, respectfully and straight forwardly, I will gab your brain bonkers about subjects I am passionate about - raw food being almost #1 on the list.
First the mother complimented my figure. Then one of the teens voluntarily guessed my age at 21. The other teen, also unprompted, offered compliments on my “beautiful skin”, which is when I pulled up a chair. "You know, Ladies," I said feeling alive and thankful for their words of affirmation - and I proceeded to tell them how at their age I hated my own reflection because my complexion was so awful. How I had been 20 years vegetarian and 10 years vegan, but after only 3 months raw, my skin metamorphisized to this. How it was so bad, I took antibiotics for 7 years. And how every day now I look in the mirror and am genuinely and humbly grateful for the way I look. It is a miracle and it is completely new.
Teenagers are hungry for role models and they don't care if they are gun toting hip gangsta wanna bes or chop stick carrying crazy artist raw foodists. They just want someone to look up to and identify with. Don't we all? Why not be the parent who makes exercise a joyous priority? Why not be the athlete who eats avocados? Why not be the pop star who shops resale? These are not rhetoric questions. You can hang around Los Angeles forever trying to look like that better, or you could laugh in the face of the hollow eyed white rice larger label than life surfacly shallow icon and find a real life hero instead. I’ll be your role model if you’ll be mine.
In fact, why not role model yourSelf? Why not be your own example? Why not show yourself how to live? These are not rhetoric questions.
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