From East to West

Oops...

2008-12-08T04:10:00.004-05:00

If anyone is still checking this and wondering if I'm still alive. Yes, yes i am. And having a marvelous time. Sorry for not posting. Have been so busy starting my new life out here it has slipped my mind for the past few months!!

Call me so you and I can catch up. Later...

Lovin Summer!

2008-08-05T23:02:00.004-04:00

Looks like its been another full month between blog posts. Well, I do believe that's a better thing than you seeing me post everyday, because if that were the case, I probably wouldn't have much going on and would just be bitching about how poor and bored I was! Well I'm happy to report I'm only one of those things!

Just spent a wonderful weekend in Vegas. My cousin Tom Smith and his buddy Will are both getting married at the end of September, and I'm happy to report not to each other ;-) So we packed a house with 18 guys and had a great weekend. No picturess to post, not that they'd be appropriate for the web even if I had them...haha.

Happy to tell you things are going very well at Hit The Ground Running, we're finishing some summer projects and gearing up to go full tilt this winter with (what it looks like right now) SIX television shows we'll be working on! Add to it that this has been a great summer for movies and I'm pretty damn happy with my place in the working world!

Would love to hear from all of you!! Hit me up and let me know what's good in your world!!

L.A. PIC #2

So at this point I'm sure you're all wondering what that picture at the top of the posting is.
CLICK ON IT!!
Explanation: I didn't bring my digital camera with me to Vegas, so this picture from my phone is all I came back with. It's a picture of one of the doors in the bathroom stall at a casino. I definitely had a few drinks in me, but I think this definitely looks like a face...a thug of sorts...someone wearing a ski mask, maybe robbing a liquor store...facing to our left...you see it yet?....ok, maybe I shoulda just brought a camera and came back with something better than a picture of three holes in a bathroom stall :)

My jobs!

2008-07-08T03:09:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the long time in between posts! So much has been going on (in a good way!). Workin hard just to stay afloat of rent & bills, as well as putting in lots of hours building the cornerstone of a real career. It's tough, but it's what I came here for! So if any of you are wondering where I've been working, here are my 3 current jobs:

Hit The Ground Running
HTGR is an amazing music supervision company. Music supervisors help place music into TV shows, movies, documentaries, etc. They work with music editors, composers, the finance & legal departments of studios, soundtrack producers, artist management, record labels...basically, the liason putting together the music to the screen! We've got lots of new shows, pilots, documentaries & projects coming up, keeps me busy!
Check the website: HTGR.net . Also, our blog: @SEEN . Word .

Central Casting
I've been doing some extra work out here! To this point, I've been a "background player" on HBO's Entourage, USA's Monk, and a short film Daughter's Keeper. Long hours, not a lot of money, close brushes with stars, lots of networking, its a tough but sometimes very rewarding!

Outback Steakhouse
Yeah, gotta pay rent.

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cool LA pic #1
this was taken from my phone on the set of Entourage...it's the boys' Rolls Royce, E's Maserati & Ari's Lexus Hybrid

APARTMENT!!

2008-06-05T15:44:00.003-04:00

I've been out here a week and a half. I crashed at my cousin Steve's house for the first week, and after joining Westside Rentals, sorting through literally hundreds upon hundreds of places, my roommate Mike and I visited about 15 apartments. We were about to take an alright place in Van Nuys (not the best neighborhood around) when at the last minute, a PERFECT APARTMENT in Sherman Oaks (very nice area) popped up. We jumped on that as quick as we could. After the long, drawn out application/employment approval/credit check processes, we received word we got it! At a great price too (I'm not tell you what that price is though!).

Here are a few pics...

I MADE IT!!!

2008-06-05T15:05:00.003-04:00

FINAL STATS!!
MILES --> 3693.4
GALLONS OF GAS --> 127.95
MONEY ON GAS --> $483.66
EFFICIENCY --> 28.87 mpg
BREAKDOWNS --> 0!!!

License Plates I Saw!! (In order by day seen)

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maine, Florida, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, US Government, Maryland, South Carolina, Quebec, Iowa, Tennessee, Louisiana, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Utah, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Minnesota, Colorado

Road Trippin USA!!

2008-06-05T15:00:00.002-04:00

The Tiburon was packed to the brim with life belongings. I couldn't believe it myself, but the day had actually come. I was sad to leave all my close friends and family, but I'm happy we were all able to meet up once right before I set off :) Leaving Medford on Monday, May 19th at 8pm, the trip officially began!

I chose the southern route through the US. Thank god because there ended up being tornados and hailstorms in the midwest through the entire week I was driving! I am truly blessed I chose to go the way I did, not only for not getting crushed in a storm, but I was able to meet up with some fantastic people along the way! Here's a breakdown of the stops:

The first night, I arrived in Virginia at 4:30 AM. Had the pleasure of staying over with Aunt Ann & Uncle Jim (who was getting up for work when I was just arriving), and even saw Renee, Joe & the kids the next day!
Next night, I was able to stay over with Kathy and Paul Gilchrist at their Georgia lake house. Kathy is one of my mom's best friends from high school & college, and hopefully our meeting will inspire them to get together again soon (here's lookin at you, ma!...your move!).
By the third day, I had arrived in New Orleans! Met up with a few friends who were also making a cross country trip and split a hotel room. We hit a local seafood joint then wandered Bourbon St., grabbed a hand grenade, and ended up at a touristy blues club, where the main attraction was the 450 lb "Big Al" and his "Blues Masters" band. They really put on a great show but at one point I think Big Al fell asleep on stage for 15-30 seconds while the band was jammin!
The fourth action packed night was in Galveston, TX. Galveston is on the Gulf of Mexico and used to be a real hot spot, so much so when they were designing Bourbon St. in New Orleans, they modeled it after the center of town in Galveston. Galveston fell off a bit after the deadliest storm in history. Anyways, one of my good friends from college, Kurtis, is getting his PHD in some kind of biochemistry I can't even pronounce at UTMB. He's been in Galveston for about a year now and was able to show me some great spots and introduce me to some real cool heads. Any night hitting the town with Kurt is a late, crazy one, and this one was no exception! I didn't get on the road til 8pm the next day, but I wouldn't change a thing...

After Galveston, I said hello again to 8 to 10 hour days of driving...alone! Don't let me fool you though, I loved every second of it! I got to blast whatever music I wanted, sunroof open, windows down...I probably would have choked someone out if I had to be in the same car with them for 10 hours a day for a week!Irregardless, my next stop was at a little hole in the wall motel. About 2 miles off the freeway, with metal bars over the office window, you know, the type you see in movies...movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre! OK, OK so it wasn't that scary, but definitely not the safest thing I've ever done in my life. And to top it all off, they didn't even have a shower big enough for me! I mean, I know 6'2" is sorta tall, but what's up with a shower this height!? Definitely never trying to save 15 bucks for a cheap motel again...

The last legs of the journey were a little less exciting and spontaneous than the first half. I mean, I was on the same road for 1,900 miles. Yes, NINTEEN HUNDRED MILES. That wonderful road is Rt. 10, and in Texas alone, it has 890 exits!! (check out the exit number in this pic if you think I'm lying)Speaking of road signs, here are some of the other great ones I saw (yes, they were all taken by me while I was driving 75+....sorry ma)

This sign made me very happy :)
It is possible?
They may exist?
So much for 'STOP SNITCHIN'
How Texans feel about the war (they'd probably outfit all troops with shotguns if it was up to them)...
Not quite the same spelling, but hey, I had time on my hands, I took the pic anyways...
Only Hyundai manufacturing plant in the US. (It's in Alabama)
I'm sure this isn't the only Budweiser plant in the US!
So I'm confused...people are allowed to blow dust in certain areas of the state?
OK so this is a napikin, not a road sign, but how does this even happen!?
If anyone needed even more evidence that the US is the #1 obese country in the World, take a look....yes, KFC buffets do exist
Maybe this sign will serve as inspiration for Jenn to get off her lazy butt and get her license!
Stoughton in the house! Proof that god was with me on this trip...R.I.P. Grandma Mason
Just do it.

Like I said, I had long driving days through the southwest. After stops in San Antonio, El Paso, and Phoenix, AZ...I finally saw my first sign to really say I was close...

Next, was MILE ZERO! I had at least made it to the border! A quick trip through east California was all I was left!

I'm definitely looking forward to a new future in Cali, but definitely not forgetting where I've been and where I come from. I see this friendly reminder of Magnolia everyday!

I'm really here! It's nuts, but I have a good feeling about this...stay tuned for more...

My first race!

2008-04-14T12:49:00.006-04:00

Tom Doyle's 12th Annual Emerald Necklace 5 Mile Road Race
Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA
April 13, 2008

Team Medford Track (5 out of 6) (L-R)

Ann Morrissey
Darren Josey
Dave Clayton
Sarah Phillips
Michelle Colman
Jonathan Christiansen

Post-race
Free mini-burgers and Sam Adams!

My results:
from website

PLC    Time  Pace  PLC/Group  PLC/Sex Bib#   Name             Town, State     
463   40:26  8:05   75 20-29  349 M  1717 Jon Christiansen    Medford,MA

Reaffirmation makes me smile

2008-04-03T16:31:00.004-04:00

There's been a lot happening lately that is fortifying my decision (of moving west) as a sound one. Recently, I was brought in to audition for a speaking role in the future feature film 'The Surrogates' (starring my boy Mike Cognata's idol Bruce Willis). I was one of approximately 40-50 people from the open casting call of well over 500 people who got this shot (and most were professional actors). All this despite my ghetto-ass headshot! Don't know if I got the role yet, but it felt great to even go in and audition at the biggest casting agency in Boston. How many other people do you know who can say that!? What a great transition to the LA life!

Also, just earlier today Jay-Z announced he will be signing a HUGE 360 deal with Live Nation (following suit of mega stars Madonna and U2). He resigned a few months ago as President of Def Jam because they did not have the same vision of the future. I respect Jay-Z as one of the most open-eyed businessmen in hip-hop, he knows the future isn't album sales, its the total package, live shows, merchandising, fan clubs, etc. I mention this because its almost exactly why I am moving out to Los Angeles. My end goal at the end of this long (but awesome and exciting) journey is not to be a mogul rapper, rather a music supervisor, working either independently or for a major film/TV corporation, being an A&R of sorts, finding the hottest bands and giving them their shot, fitting them into the perfect scene in a new show or movie. After working at a few record labels, I realized this is the future of not only the TV/film industry, but the music industry as well. Indie bands can all but say goodbye to using open mic nights to be discovered...get your song on The Hills and you're on the right track!

Add to all of this that a close friend of mine's cousin is moving back to Boston around the same time and has place right off Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood he may be hooking me up with. Hell yeahhhhh!

Busy weekend of DJing ahead. Will post again soon! Peace -JMC

The first time's always the worst...

2008-03-26T02:40:00.000-04:00

Remember back to that awkward age where all you could think about was how good you'd be in the sack...that is, once you actually started having sex. Do you have sex with an ugly girl first just so when you land that perfect 10, she doesn't leave you cuz you're worse between the sheets than McLovin? Do you hold out and make your first time magical, with the person you really want to be with? Do you pay for someone to teach you? There's really no right or wrong answer, just strong opinions and bad memories. Let's just agree that a little practice before the main event is definitely a good thing.

Aaaaaaaand this is the exact reason I've started writing. I know I'm going to want to keep everyone updated once I've made the move to Los Angeles, but I've never blogged before. So like the young virgin we all once were, I'm going to ease into it, take my time, test the ground before gameday. So you (probably the only person who will ever read this blog) is going to get a few months worth of dirt before I leave.

The other reason I started writing is because 2:50am is way too early to go to bed and I needed something to keep myself occupied!

I was sent this picture from the lovely Krissy Spriggs the other night (it's from a [not-so-great] camera phone, hence the lowwww quality). All you need to know is that it's a pic of the Hollywood name-in-the-hills-thingy *self note - I really gotta figure out what that's called!* Anyways, this is where I will be calling home very soon (hint - Jack Johnson's birthday). And between Krissy and I's conversation and her vaca in the Hollywood Hills this week, I think she's about to move back there, too!

Got lots to do! Have a whole notebook full of pages of checklists of things to get done before I leave. And since it's just about 3am, I don't feel like doing any of them! I'm excited about this whole blog thingggg, so I'll cut it off here and write/post once I have some juicy pics/event details to let everyone know about! Til the next time...

JMC
::the:mix:mason::