RAZZLE DAZZLE

They say there's no place like Hollywood. It's the land of beautiful people,
Malibu beach homes and never-ending bank accounts.
You too can be a star here. All you have to do, is jump on the first Greyhound
bus and arrive with fifty bucks in your pocket and dedication.
This is what they want you to believe, the illusion. You have the same chances
of becoming the next Julia Roberts as Bill Clinton does of being re-elected.
This is not the land of Mickey Mouse and "Pretty Woman." Oh no, it's more like
Stephen King's next novel.
Xanax is the new Vitamin C and cocaine has given new meaning to "powdering your
nose."
Teenage girls already look like they could replace Kathleen Turner in a remake
of "Body Heat" and every Beverly Hills mansion holds a dirty, little secret.
It's an orgy of champagne, false hope and blowjobs... but remember to smile.
Sunset Blvd. is the stairway to heaven thy say but it's more of a quick descent
into Hell.
So, want to be a movie star?

LONELY HEARTS

We're all born alone and we will all die alone. Fact. Plain and simple. There's nothing depressing or morbid about that. We're not pack animals, crayons or eggs. What we do in between life and death though, is a completely different matter. One of the biggest complaints I constantly hear is: "I'm so alone." Most of the time it's because you deserve to be. Sorry if I hurt your feelings but this isn't recess in kindergarden and crying and whining won't win you a goldfish. So stop feeling sorry for yourself and listen. Those of you who are thinking you haven't got all day are seriously delusional because how can you not have all day?! If the President has time to go to a Lakers game and enjoy a beer and a smoke then you have to time to do a little reading and self-reflection.

First of all, we have to stop lying to ourselves. Who you lie to is your business but you should NEVER convince yourself that everything is peachy and justify your troubles by blaming the world. I got fired because my boss is an asshole. Maybe you just didn't do your job very well and spent more time memorizing GQ's annual Hot 100 list. My girlfriend/boyfriend dumped me because they're crazy. Maybe you were a royal pain and fleeing was their only option. I gained twenty pounds because my schedule is hectic and I don't have time to cook healthy meals. Well you clearly have time to eat. These are just a few examples of how we lie to ourselves on a daily basis. I'm not pointing fingers or accusing anyone in particular so before you get all hot and bothered just remember this is my opinion and an overall generalization.

We seem to be so worried about our appearance, our jobs, our social lives and finances that we neglect our internal growth. We start things we don't finish, we jump to conclusions because of our ignorance and we end up living a life that lacks any depth. Look at your circle of friends. Who we surround ourselves with plays a huge role in our day to day mindset. People tend to have what I like to call the deadly combo: hypocrisy and cowardice. I can't tell you how many people I've met who are so blinded by their own bullshit that it becomes absolutely hopeless to even try and help. Lately, I've noticed that in the dating world people are so desperate that they'll date their worst nightmare. You can't change people. If you think that 40 year old has- been you met at a bar, who may have had a cute ass twenty years ago is going to give you foot massages and listen to your problems.... think again. They will use you, abuse you mentally and drain you of the last remaining fragments of sanity left floating around your head. Punishing ourselves because we think we can't do better goes hand in hand with lying to ourselves. Subconsciously, we know we're doing things that don't make us happy or not trying hard enough so like a good human being we reward ourselves with toxicity. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. If you don't like someone.. tell them!!! If a situation is making you uncomfortable... change it!!!!! Stop compromising for all the wrong reasons and try to get everyone to like you. It's a positive thing if you have some enemies. It means you've stood up for yourself. What are you so afraid of? People say they fear death but in fact... it's life they fear.

If only we'd be honest with ourselves and stop living a lie then maybe we wouldn't be so angry all the time. Stop blaming others. Most of the time it's your own damn fault and you know it. Be somebody. Open your heart before there's nothing left and open your mind. There's no big mystery to life. Stop living in fear and take a chance. That little "alone" problem will vanish before you know it because once you've faced your worst enemy ( YOU) then the rest won't seem like a Haunted House. Besides, who says headless horsemen and zombies are boring? ill next time...

EMPTY WORDS

I've recently realized that you can't trust people's words anymore. It seems that they will either tell you what you want to hear, lie to avoid confrontation, make you believe they're something they're not or sugarcoat everything to keep you around because in some bizarre way they want you around. These are just a few examples and I'm not saying everyone is like this but a good portion of people, whether they realize it or not, sadly are.
People have stopped saying what they mean and their actions only reinforce how dishonest they are being with themselves and with you. A man will tell a woman he loves her but treat her like an acquaintance or a friend will say I'll always help you and runaway when you need them. What are we supposed to believe when words seem to have no meaning anymore? We hide behind our computer screens and Iphones as if they were armor. Nobody is capable of making a phone call instead sending empty messages filled with empty words.
If you want to have valuable relationships with people don't define them by what they say but by their actions. We live in a difficult world that's constantly trying to change us and mold us into something we're not. All we truly have is each other. Phones will break and die, computers will come and go and instant messaging just makes you feel like a stranger.
You want to feel alive? You want to stop feeling like you're alone in a vast desert? Well... be old-fashioned... if you will.
Start by making the people you care for feel loved and important. Stop making them feel like an option instead of a priority.
In the end, when there's nothing left and you're sad, alone and filled with regret you'll wish you had tried a little harder, been a little nicer, opened your heart a little bit more and lived.
Till next time...

IT'S COMPLICATED... NOT REALLY

Why do we constantly put ourselves in situations that we regret later on? Why do we date people that are we know are toxic? Maybe it's a form of self-punishment or maybe we think this time will be different. It seems that although we know what turns us on and off, we ignore our instincts and hope for the best. Most women love to date the "bad boy" to make them feel alive or to have a more fiery connection with another person, but it usually ends in utter disaster. A bit of spice now and then is good for the soul but trying to make those moments usually instigated by a lover last a lifetime is wishful thinking. It's important that we remember that we alone can make ourselves feel that we are living as opposed to just floating through life. Don't look for another to make you feel complete. You have to make yourself feel worthy in order for another person to embellish what's already there. It takes two to tango but you've got to have the nerve to step onto the dance floor first.
Till next time...

NOTHING REAL ABOUT TELEVISION

Television is entertaining. It makes us forget about our troubles momentarily and we can zone out and pretend that our lives have been put on pause. I understand why we watch it and I do the exact same things as well. After a long, strenuous day there's nothing like putting your feet up and escaping to your favorite TV show, movie or documentary. Reality shows, though is where I draw the line. This concept infuriates me because the entire world is obsessed with it. They're practically drooling for more.
I cringe when I see the ratings for shows like The Hills or Jersey Shore. Why are these ridiculous people getting paid more than doctors and scientists to get wasted and have sex with as many people possible? Oh wait... that's right!!! It's all on camera. So now everybody is making sex tapes and exploiting their children for money and fifteen cheap minutes of fame. How classy!!! Today's generation is growing up to an endless stream of garbage and loss of self-worth by watching television. Is it really that interesting to watch people fools of themselves in front of the whole world? Who cares if rich girls from the OC are doing meth and sleeping with their best friend's boyfriend? This is brain damage people. Watching this probably kills as many brain cells as taking a handful of Vicodin. Even the Internet floods us with pictures of Lindsay Lohan drunk night after night after... blah, blah, blah.
Instead of living vicariously through these sad people why don't we just get off the couch and go live our own realities?
Till next time...

IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

There is something that has appealed to me since I was a child. Now, I know that I'm French and I do like good poetry and visiting cities like Venice or Barcelona but there is a side of me that remains hidden most of the time. I don't know whether it has to do with the fact that I grew up in South Florida or because I've watched too many David Lynch films but I will now admit that seedy bars and motels in the middle of nowhere fascinate me.
It seems that in these places that far away from " normal" city life, there is an undeniable air of mystery and a sprinkle of danger. I can just picture driving down a long highway surrounded by desert and mountains and seeing a blinking sign in the distance. It resembles a mirage but it is real. It could be a bar or a motel, alone in the vast abyss. I just imagine lost souls seeking false hope at the bar as they cling to a drunken illusion or a life changing phrase being said by an old man sitting in front of his motel room with his trust dog at his feet.
I'd rather not think about murderers or delinquents frequenting these places because it's a bit of cliche. I like to think that if you come across on of these haunted establishments you should stop and go in. See what happens. Maybe you'll experience your own version of "Lost Highway." That would be a night to remember.
Till next time...

DON'T LET THEM SLIP AWAY

Memories are important, well the good ones at least. I have a favorite one as I'm sure you all do. I'll let you in on it and then I'd like you to tell me yours.
I was born in Tunisia. For those of you who don't know it's the Northern most country in Africa next to Morocco. Every summer I'd go there and stay at my grandparents' house on the beach. One morning, I woke up as the sun began to rise. The sunrise there is pretty special. The sky is purple and orange and the sun's rays sparkle on the water like diamonds. I stood on the balcony and watched as a fisherman rowed his little wooden boat out to sea. The image reminded me of a Monet painting.
Later that day, I watched my grandmother dressed in a long skirt and heels have her afternoon drink. Although she was in her seventies she still had a glass of Johnny Walker in one hand and cigarette in the other. She had big Jackie O sunglasses on and makeup fit for a movie close up. She was a dramatic woman and it felt like she was starring in her own film at all times. She was looking out at the sea and when I called her name she turned abruptly. She was crying. I'll never know why. Maybe she was remembering her daughter that had died 15 years ago or because she'd never made it as an actress. I wish I could have take a picture. It was surreal. Later on, I was playing with the cats that inhabited the big garden. My grandfather was sick, we'd find out later that he had cancer. I guess I was making too much noise because all of a sudden I heard a terrifying howl come from his room. I had woken up the beast within and he was not pleased. He came out with the ferociousness of a lion and started swinging his cane in the air as obscenities emerged from his cries. My mother was there along with my cousin and brothers and we all hid in the fig tress too frightened to climb down. We were laughing so hard our sides hurt because the whole situation was comical. It felt like a Marx brothers movie. My grandmother who was on her fourth or fifth drink slammed her bedroom door and I could hear her yelling from within.
I don't know why but this memory is dear to my heart. My grandparents are dead today and the house on the beach has been sold. I still dream of it sometimes. I still dream of the times when we were all a family, a dysfunctional one but still a family. I long for those days of heavenly sunrises and hilarious outbursts due to too much whiskey or out of control egos. Maybe one day I will see that house on the beach again...
Till next time.