May 1 – May 7 (2017) – Wally On The Web

RANDOM PIC OF THE WEEK

What a great shot this is! Compliments to the photographer!

I don’t even like this song…but yet it’s been stuck in my head all week. I heard it a few times on LA Oldies (laoldies.com) and it got jammed in my ear! Jay and the Americans with “Come A Little Bit Closer.” However it DOES share a place on the new “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2” soundtrack with my buddy Elliot’s song “Brandy.” So it can’t be all bad!

Monday the 1st – WIMPY WUVS WEENIES & CHEKOV CHECKS OUT! – The first order of business was to return the SUV I rented (a cool Chevy Equinox) to Enterprise. Then I walked back home and got my Gran Torino out to give it a spin. I delivered a letter to the scheduler in my ENT doctor’s office telling her I was ready for sinus surgery as soon as possible. After the pain-filled weekend I had I was ready to get this crud out of my skull! When I went to Wienerschnitzel to get some chili cheese dogs with kraut, I noticed actor Paul Dooley standing there waiting for his food. He’s probably most famous for playing Wimpy in the Robin Williams “Popeye” movie, though he’s played hundreds of characters in film and TV. I didn’t bother him for a selfie, but I mused to myself how funny it was that Wimpy was at a hot dog place…a little out of character! But then his order arrived…a hot dog AND a hamburger! I had forgotten Wienerschnitzel served hamburgers too. If ONLY I could have gotten a shot of him enjoying the hamburger! I stopped by my box to pick up the Fed Ex’d box I shipped myself from South Dakota. It was filled mostly with dirty clothes, some candy I had bought in Sioux Falls, and a few other odds and ends. I went to CVS to get a prescription filled and there I saw the great Walter Koenig at the checkout stand. What a star-filled day! I got a few grocery items (I was out of everything, having been gone for over a week!) and then went home to unload the groceries. I took the Torino back to my auxiliary garage and parked it until next week. I got back home and got caught up on Wally’s Week and all of the receipts I had accumulated during my vacation. I’ve got to turn in early for 3 (count ‘em…THREE!) sessions on Tuesday. It’s good to be back home and working! My sinus was definitely a lot better than it was the previous day because I’ve finally figured out the formula. When the Sudafed stops helping me, it’s time to switch back to Mucinex. And vice versa. Which is weird because the medicinal ingredients are virtually identical! But then my body has always perplexed me with vast mysteries of physiology.

Tuesday the 2nd – TRIFECTA FUN! – The alarm rang at 9am and I sprang from bed. I hadn’t slept that well because Roxy was dreaming and making noise all night. I got to Mattel in El Segundo by 11 for a voice-over session for a new toy. There was lots of traffic on the way, but I made it in about an hour. After the session it was another hour in traffic to make it up to Burbank and the Warner Brothers studios. I recorded a promo for their studio tour. It looks amazing! When the session was over I dropped by Togo’s for a sandwich. Next door to Togo’s is an embroidery place I’ve been taking projects to. So I dropped off some fabric and directions for a few more bowling shirts I’m working on. I went home to change and clean up, and then I walked to Studiopolis for a short session for a Texas power company called Direct Energy. I’ve been doing commercials for them as a talking thermostat. I walked home and napped on the couch. Tomorrow I’m expecting to talk to the scheduler at my ENT doctor’s office about scheduling the surgery. My surgeon said she’d be back on Wednesday and I’m going to plead to get the surgery asap. I’m tired of the constant ringing in my ears and the pain in my jaw and forehead. After a short nap I dropped by the embroidery place, as my order was done ALREADY! Then I drove to my seamstress Karyn’s shop to drop off some fabric as well as a re-design for a project we’re working on. It was a gorgeous evening and I put the top down and enjoyed the weather. I went home to relax. I did my nightly auditions and then made some food. I got to bed early to be up for an early dentist appointment.

Wednesday the 3rd – WEDNESDAZE! – At 10 I headed to my dentist’s office to have him fill the two openings my Endodontist made in the two back teeth in my upper left during the recent root canals. He thought he was going to prep them for crowns, but both he and the Endodontist agree that the teeth that are there are stable. My dentist said that whenever a tooth is drilled out it compromises the structural integrity of the tooth. What I didn’t think to ask him until later was…”What’s the difference between drilling a hole in a tooth with a cavity and filling it, versus drilling a hole in a tooth for a root canal and filling it? Why is one OK to just fill, and why does the other one need a crown?” I guess I’m not clear on the concept. I’ll probably entertain the idea of getting crowns put on someday, but I want to get through this sinus thing first. So he filled them much the same as he would have a tooth that had a cavity in it. Then I was on my way to the post office, and then lunch with my assistant Sara at Paty’s. It was a gorgeous day, but I had a lot on my mind with all of my health issues and work things going on this week. I went home to do a little work and grab a short nap on the couch. I got up to do some auditions and then called my ENT doctor’s scheduler. SHE’S NOT GOING TO BE BACK UNTIL MONDAY! ARRRGH! She was supposed to be back today, but she decided to stay out until next Monday! Oh well…I’ve lived with this sinus thing four months, another few weeks won’t matter. I hit Taco Bell for some dinner and then went to Bang Zoom for a three hour evening super secret session. I got out around 11 and headed home. I did my auditions and relaxed some more. I made a pizza and watched to more “Monkees” episodes on the Blu Ray set. The Christmas episode was pretty good, but the fairy tale episode was embarrassingly bad. I just don’t know why the second season episodes are generally so terrible! The first season episodes were great!

Thursday the 4th – I MAY STOP MONKEE-ING AROUND! – Just after noon I was back at Bang Zoom studios to do another three hour secret session. When we finished at 3:30 I stopped by a few of the vintage stores in Burbank to see if I could pick up any wardrobe items for my upcoming 70’s-themed birthday party. I picked up some supplies at the hardware store and then headed home to feed the pets. My pal Brittney Powell came over to do some work, and then she went with me to Karyn’s studio to pick-up the finished re-design project we’ve been working on. Brittney got to meet Karyn’s dog Jack (aka Mr. Ribs), a delightful doggie! Brittney and I stopped at the Coral Café to get some food and then I went home to grab a nap. When I got up I did a few auditions, made some spaghetti, and watched two more AWFUL “Monkees” episodes. These were so bad, I may not finish the rest of the set; which is rare for me because I’m generally a completionist.

Friday the 5th – I’M CROSS-EYED! – My maids came around noon to clean up Planet Wallywood, and while they cleaned I did some work. Then I took off for another three hour super secret session at Bang Zoom. But in the last hour I started losing it. My energy waned, my voice was getting tired, and I just couldn’t read any more. Understanding that I was worn out, the director was kind enough to end the session about 15 minutes early. Boy was I glad! I drove home to meet up with my pal Scott Sebring and his wife Vickie for dinner at Jerry’s Famous Deli. After that we were joined by my pal Brittney Powell at my house to shoot a video for a new secret project of my own I’m working on. After they all left, I crashed on the couch for a well-deserved nap. But that darned cat Spooky kept meowing loudly and waking me up! I kept throwing pillows at him, but he started thinking it was a game and kept it going. Ugh. I got up and fed both he and Roxy, and then took Roxy out for a walk. Since it was the eve of my birthday, I made myself a delicious Chef Boy Ardee pizza-in-a-box and got ready for two more “Monkees” episodes; fearing the worst. But these episodes were great! I was pleased!

Saturday the 6th – 56 ON 5/6! WEIRD! – As a birthday gift to myself, I slept until 3pm. I got up to do some work, and did a bunch of auditions that were due on Monday morning. I knew I had to be up early on Monday, so staying up late on Sunday night doing the auditions wasn’t a good idea. So I wanted to get them out of the way now, and I had the time. Then I got ready for the big joint birthday party at the Mayflower Club; the place that hosts the Laurel and Hardy Sons of the Desert meetings. My pal and special effects guy Jim Ojala has a birthday on the same day as mine, so we decided to go in together and throw a huge shindig. I wanted to throw a big 70’s party at the Mayflower Club (since the interior of the place looks like an old Elks or Moose club from the 70’s) but with my sinus thing I just didn’t have the energy to pull a bunch of stuff together. So when Jim said he wanted to throw a 70’s party at the Mayflower Club, I told him I’d go “halvies” with him! He did all the work, and I just paid half. What a deal! My outfit consisted of a vintage-looking Mello Yello (Coke’s Mountain Dew alternative) ringer t-shirt (which I had just bought two weeks earlier in South Dakota!), some bell bottom jeans with embroidery that I bought a few years ago at It’s a Wrap for $5, my Adidas 70’s-ish tennis shoes, a patchwork white denim jacket (I’ve actually owned this since 1977!), and a 70’s-ish “newsboy” hat, which Baretta helped make popular in the 70’s. For accessories I had on a peace symbol medallion, an authentic 70’s beaded choker, a thick black leather watchband, an ID bracelet that I got from my high school girlfriend Sondee for Christmas back in 1978, and my Class of ’79 high school ring. I was ready to partaaaay! I got to the party and it turned out to be a blast! Jim’s friends are great and we all had a great time. I think Jim and I may have just started a new tradition! We danced to 70’s music in a 70’s era setting, and enjoyed great food and good friends! My newboy hat is tipped to Jim and his wife Beth for doing such a great job setting it up! When I came out of the party at 12:30 it was raining. I went to get a few groceries and then headed home to relax. I put everything away and started making my traditional Saturday Night Super Salad. But I had forgotten the celery! But then I remembered that when my maids cleaned up, they threw out an old veggie tray from the refrigerator. Hmmm…celery takes a long time to get old. So I went to the trash, opened up the trash bag and there it was! I found a few pieces of celery that were in good shape and ran back inside to wash them off. I know it’s a bit obsessive (and perhaps a bit weird) but I’m a little obsessive/compulsive about my Saturday night salads! It was raining nicely all night and watching “Hee Haw” and eating was very enjoyable; particularly after such a great time with friends! I was too jazzed up to sleep right away!

Sunday the 7th – PAIN IN THE BRAIN! – When I got up at 3:30 I did some accounting work. Then I got ready for evening church. I was supposed to sing with the band, but with the sinus issue rearing its ugly head again, I told the bandleader we should postpone until they’re resolved. It was a breezy, overcast day – but it was very pleasant. Roxy and I walked to evening church and enjoyed a lesson about “Doubting Thomas.” My adopted grandma Shirley and I walked back to the house and we got in the car and headed to Jerry’s Famous Deli for dinner. My old pal Lindsey was in town so she met us there to catch up. I wasn’t feeling all that well, since the sinus issue was giving me problems again. I went home to nap on the couch, and then I got up to do one audition (I did the rest on Saturday, remember?) I ate a little bit and then hit the hay. I’ve got to be up for TWO three-hour sessions on Monday. Whew! But like my grandpa always used to say, “Make hay while the sun shines!” Indeed!

And how was YOUR week??!!

PIX FROM THE WEEK

In the first joint birthday party I’ve ever thrown, my pal (and special effects/make-up guru) Jim Ojala and I get ready to put on our boogie shoes for an awesome 70’s dance party!

Doing a poor impression of Brewer and Shipley are my buddies Kevin and James!

Mr. Awesome is surrounded by 70’s babes Athena and Valerie!

To celebrate the 40th anniversary year of “Star Wars,” Disco Darth makes his appearance.

Sara and Jim get ready to dive into the food!

My pal Ruben Procopio brought his wife and family along for the ride, and we’re joined by ORIGINAL 70’s-ERA AMERICAN BANDSTAND DANCER Sergio Lopez (who was there to give us dance tips)!