First Things First

Welcome.  Because of some stupidity on my part I forgot to renew my domain name this past year.  So, instead of heaven2me being my URL, now it's American-Ecstasy.org.  If you somehow found me please make the appropriate bookmark changes.

Taking advantage of the move, I spent some extra time creating some new mastheads to make the site look a little nicer.  I've wanted to do some things with certain parts of the site, but I haven't had the time.  I've wanted to add more buildings to Art Deco L.A., but haven't found the time to go to these great buildings.

This month there are more pictures added to Vista Drive.  Not just that, the American Bliss section was updated September 23rd.  I've two new journals.  One to Thoughts called Unrequited.  The other was added to American Bliss, and is called Windmills.  Enjoy.

Afterthoughts : New Digs, New Start

Normally I would be recalling some event in my life in this space on the newsletter.  But, since my old domain is now gone, and most of you will be seeing this site for the first time, I felt the need to recap what the different parts of my site contain.

Elsewhere, where you are right now, is my monthly newsletter.  I separate the newsletter into a few sections.  The first is Afterthoughts, where I recount a story from my youth.  Then comes Man About Town, a sporadic view of some of the sights around Los Angeles.  Then comes an Editorial, which is self explanatory.  Anything else I think of I put in Etcetera.

The Journal page is just that, my personal online journal.  I write about pretty much everything, feelings, thoughts, you name it.  I've kept this online journal for nearly three years now.  There are nearly 200 entries.

Thoughts is a page that extends on the journal theme.  It contains pages dedicated to me, movies, and some of the crushes I've had on girls over the years.  There is also another journal dedicated to unrequited love.

17 is a look at this city called Los Angeles, seen through my eyes.  I've lived here all my life, and if it's one thing that I know it's where all the great greasy spoons are.

Vista Drive is devoted to my photography.  I have been interested in photography since the age of 15.  So, at this point I have spent more than half my lifetime taking pictures of things I find interesting, beautiful, and just neat.

American Bliss is a section devoted to my writing.  There is a lot of reading to be done on this section of the site.  I have a quarterly newsletter dedicated to the lighter side of some serious issues.  I also have some of my short stories, as well as an online series.  Last but not least, since I have an opinion on nearly everything, is another journal dedicated to some quick opinions.

I hope you find the site, or at least parts of it, enjoyable enough that you will come back, and maybe even tell your friends to visit.

Etcetera : My So-Called Life

The TV show My So-Called Life is one of my favorite TV shows of all time.  The show could be described as the coming of age story of one Angela Chase, played by Claire Danes.  The show aired from fall 1994 until January 1995.  It found much critical praise, but small ratings, and so was never renewed for a second season.  Nevertheless, My So-Called Life is one of those rare shows that make it to TV that is actually too well done, and too much like a mirror, to succeed in the environment of television.  I have read some people call it a novel for TV.  And yes, the individual episodes don't just feel like stories unrelated to each other.  They flow like chapters in a book.  The writing is crisp, and never dumbs things down for the audience.  This is completely rare in television, and only happens once in a blue moon.

I find that there are moments in the show that I wish would last forever.  Little moments of insight, questions, that hit me square in the heart.  Very few shows have ever done that to me.  Now, all these years later, I have been able to look at the entire series as a whole, thanks to DVD.  I had seen the repeats, but out of sequence, and sometimes only half episodes here and there.  But, like I said, now that the entire series, 19 episodes, is on DVD, I can truly have those moments forever.  I invite anyone that has had an unrequited love, a relationship in which things seem to click, but not quite, or just anyone, to watch this show.  It is a rare thing in the history of TV.  A little jewel you find in you pocket.  For more information on the show I invite you to visit a great My So-Called life website at www.MSCL.com.