Taking The Risk

“I’m just another human-being you know, with frailties and faults.”--Calder Willingham, END AS A MAN
I found a Polaroid of Alan and me that I had shot in December 1989 while we were in Newport Beach.  It’s not the sharpest shot but it reminded me of what fun we had bike riding that day. I’ve been hanging out in his Unit #334 Sea Colony II apartment in Santa Monica lately.   I found a few cards I had sent him in May of this year (1990).   It was good documentation as I had forgotten already about some of the many things we’ve done together.  It was fun for me to reminisce while out on his balcony overlooking the Santa Monica beach.  We love the beach.

May 2, 1990I created a card of volley ball players.  I took coed Volleyball in college.  It’s a serious sport.  I remember wishing the course wasn’t so rigid about rules.  It wasn’t like I was in competition to do volleyball at the Olympics.  In hindsight now I like that I learned how to set the ball and serve it.  I was (and still am) a good server.  On this card I wrote some profound words about risk taking.  It encouraged me as I read what I wrote only three months ago.  I was feeling entrepreneurial when I wrote it:
Dear Alan,We only live once and opportunity is only achieved by taking the risk. Picture this…NOW:TEN WEST ASSOCIATES Properties:Baldwin Park – You have ethnic doctors that give you a bad time.Warner Creek – You often have the stress of hiring a good manager and/or leasing manager.Wilshire Plaza – You often stress over the expense of making it worth more…Kings Place – The flights back and forth to Seattle amidst rain and rednecks add more stress.
Picture this…TOMORROW:QAF Enterprises IncorporatedDivision 1 – Quality Motion Picture Production with effective filmmaking plans.Division 2 – Creative Communications, Distribution, Advertising, Promotion and Networking Contacts.Division 3 – Strategic Financial Group with keen Budget and Funds AnalysisDivision 4 – Armijo/Freiman Screenwriters Group, combing for new ideas and looking for the BEST quality story.Do you like my impromptu vision, Alan?   I do.  Oh hell…let’s take a vacation on the shore to watch and play volleyball to clear our minds.   Love, MJA
May 14, 1990I wrote Alan two cards on this day (while I was on a break at work with Pac Bell Directory) and I made both of the cards while I was at home the night before (May 13th, 1990).   One card depicted images of two films we’d seen:  MOMMIE DEAREST starring Faye Dunaway and THE HANDMAID’S TALE starring Natasha Richardson and Aidan Quinn.   The other card depicted European graphics in anticipation of our JULY trip to Europe.
Card 1, 8:25AM:Dear Alan, Here I am at the “rat hole” again.  I just glanced at an LA TIMES and read that James L Brooks was lured from FOX to COLOMBIA.   There are Corporate politics/changes everywhere.I had a great picnic outing last Friday in Beverly Hills with you.   I enjoyed THE LOST BOYS movie and the bike ride via all of the beaches from Newport to Laguna.   And of course the tea time at the RITZ-CARLTON was quite special.  Let’s not forget the turkey sandwich and the pizza!  Food, Food, Food!   We do love it, don’t we?  I am sorry you are sore from our longevity bike outings.  I think you will adjust.  Oh…look at this card.   Do you recognize the memories?  Ha-ha.  I had to make it for you.   I still like Faye Dunaway even if she was evil in that film.   Natasha and Aidan are good actors but THE HANDMAID’S TALE was a tad unusual—but still very good.Keep smiling.  The next eye-opener to come will be meeting ‘Art and Brett’.  Ha-ha.Later, Always, Love, Michael
Card 2, 9AMDear Alan,Here’s another “anticipation” card.   Do you like my creation?   I am sure you can read the message.Thanks for telling me I only had “9” days this morning.  Wow!   When you get this card it will even be fewer days until my Memorial Day Birthday week off from work.I really appreciate your concern during my stomach troubles.  You did make me feel better.  I am avoiding juice (that nasty citric acid).  I have not had any coffee this morning as you had advised.Someone just asked me, “Michael, did you get a new hairstyle?”Give me a break.  I’ve done nothing.  Where has this coworker been?I really meant it when I said I was glad that you’re my best-friend.  You’re also a great best-friend.I look forward to seeing you tonight.  Keep up the stretching.  It relieves the soreness.   Love, M. J. Armijo
August 21, 1990
Speaking of soreness from the bike rides I must practice what I preach and stretch myself.   I made another card (this time for Paloma) today.   I found a man doing sit-ups.  The image inspired me.  I wrote as follows:
8-21-90Dear Paloma,I understand you are being very busy right now.  I just accepted a new job last week as an outside Sales Representative, selling advertising space for two magazines known as THE BRENTWOOD BLA BLA and the BEVERLY HILLS MAGAZING.   Our magazines have no writing staff.   All of the articles are submitted by readers of the magazine.  It is too early to tell how it is going to go but I am giving it a shot—for now.  I made several phone calls today.  I am supposed to meet several potential buyers (of advertising for the magazine) tomorrow.    We shall see.It was great seeing the TOUR DE FRANCE in Paris.  I am still getting pictures developed.   There is a great one of us together.  I had a good time.My mom understands my wanting to quit my job at PAC BELL DIRECTORY.   She knew how much I hated it.  She says, “I’m just happy that you’re happier.”I am just not so sure I am all that much happier now that I have this Advertising Sales Job.   Time will tell.   That was good dirt about Jane Fonda.  I didn’t know that about her.The favorite parts about my trip were seeing you, the Paris restaurants, the Tossa de Mar, SPAIN beach area, Vevey, Switzerland and that little town in France called Ceret where most of the cherries come from for all of France.  Later, Love you, Michael
August 23, 1990I had much more time on my hands now that I wasn’t at my structured job at PAC BELL.   As an Advertising Sales Rep I can flex my own hours.   It has drawbacks…especially being on 100% commission.  I don’t want to request a draft that I will eventually have to pay back.  I wrote postcard from the Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa that found in a magazine for my mom.

Mom,I’m here at work right now at 9:50AM.  I am an Independent Contractor.   This means I pretty much make my own hours and do my own thing by making calls to get appointments and visit business places as I try to get them to advertise for the magazines.   Thus far I have not sold anything.  I’ve made about sixty phone calls.   Ten of them said it was okay for me to visit and drop the media kits by.  Another ten of them wanted the media kits mailed.  I still don’t have one sale though.  I have only been contacting Art Galleries.   Sometimes I am discouraged.   Sometimes I think I should forget this place and just do more artistic paintings at home.  Oh well, Tina Glover (an Employment Agent) is still keeping an eye out for me for other jobs because I don’t know about the money situation here (yet).   I miss you.  I will see you next weekend.  Hurrah!Love, Michael
A few days later I found another cool postcard that I had made.   I decided to use it to send to mom.  It is an image I found in a magazine of a New Yorker man in front of his storefront bakery called VESUVIO BAKERY.   I wrote:
8-25-90Hi Mom,I got a call from Tina Glover.  She’s the permanent personnel placement director.  There is a job in Glendale with Wald Disney as an Executive Assistant.  I think she wants to set me up for an interview for that.  I said, “It sounds good to me.”We’ll see.  If not…I am sure something else will come along.I made this card a long time ago from an article I found in LIFE MAGAZINE.
Did I tell you I saw Michelle Pfeiffer last Wednesday at the DAILY GRILL?   She’s the blond in the FABULOUS BAKER BOYS.  Later, Love, Michael
“…when I was a child I danced in ballet, and when I was thirteen years old I was taken up—because of being so extraordinarily graceful, and particularly because I had—to an unusual extent—what in the technique of the ballet is termed ballon, which means the capacity for soaring, for rising about the ground and the laws of gravitation…”--Isak Dinesen, SEVEN GOTHIC TALES, “The Deluge At Norderney”