Playing Frisbee With Him

While we are young the idea of death or failure is intolerable to us; even the possibility of ridicule we cannot bear.   But we have also an unconquerable faith in our own stars, and in the impossibility of anything venturing to go against us.   As we grow old we slowly come to believe that everything will turn out badly for us, and that failure is in the nature of things; but then we do not much mind what happens to us one way or the other.  In this way a balance is obtained.--Isak Dinesen, SEVEN GOTHIC TALES:  The Deluge at Norderney
I’m doing so much driving in my Mustang Convertible from West Hollywood to my job at the Advertising Agency in Encino, then on to the Pasadena/Eagle Rock area after work for my Graphic Arts class from 6pm-10pm Monday thru Friday at PLATT COLLEGE that I’m afraid my car will break down soon.  I am seriously considering a trade-in for a car that requires less service maintenance.   Yes, I am pondering the idea of a TOYOTA.  The TOYOTA Celica is rather sporty so I may go with that choice.  It will ease my mind and be less fuel costly.
My free time (what is barely left of it) is spent with Alan to see movies and/or other events that look appealing.  My new favorite thing besides bike riding along the beach is playing Frisbee with him.   It forces us to run and have fun in the sun.
I received another cool card from Dorothy Rua of a rainbow in the sky with nebulous clouds scattered about which reminds me of the song ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’…
10-12-90Dear Michael,I don’t know if you have any idea how surprised I was to find your letter in my mailbox yesterday.  It’s a wonderful surprise, I might add!   With your current schedule I believe just finding a few minutes to write would be close to impossible for you.    Then I received this letter in my mailbox.   I barely looked at it and put it in my purse.  I was half-way to my car when something clicked.  I pulled it back out of my purse and realized it was from you and NOT promotional mail from an ad company in Encino.  I should have recognized right away that with ‘An Officer and A Gentleman’ sticker it was definitely from YOU!

What does the picture story tell me?   A WEEKEND IN THE LIFE OF MICHAEL J ARMIJOHow close am I?Tell me.   SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF MICHAEL J ARMIJOTo be honest I wouldn’t mind being a part of any of those pictures.   They each look inviting…especially the sailing trip.
What exactly do you do with INTER/MEDIA ADVERTISING?  And what will you be discussing in San Antonio, TX and points beyond?  Is this the company that was going to have you working on telephone book advertising and layouts?  It may not be as exciting as a job in Graphic Design but it sure as heck must be better than Account Collections!  The evening class you are taking sounds GREAT.  It must be if you’ve given up most of your evenings for it.   It will probably be difficult to make a choice between the two careers but isn’t it wonderful to have a choice…especially two good ones?
I haven’t seen any of the movies you mentioned.  It gives me something to look forward to.   It sounds like GOOD FELLAS is one I should see!
Frisbee in the park, then an Art Show in Santa Monica…what a perfect way to spend your limited free time!  I don’t know Alan but I don’t imagine he’d make that statement about trading his JOAN MIRO painting for one of yours if he wasn’t at least half serious.  I’d take it as a real compliment!  I still remember how surprised I was when I looked at the pictures of your creations.  In my opinion (for whatever it’s worth) you do have talent.
There’s a job I may go after but it’s going to be tough.  It’s a Marketing Position in an industry I have no background in but I know I can do it.  I have to find some way to at least get an interview.  I guess I’ll spend part of my weekend working on my resume and a hot cover letter.  I spoke to my friend, Dick, recently (he’s the one in advertising).  He’s been so busy working for this big Advertising Company in San Jose that he hasn’t had time to develop his own business which is something he’d liked to do.   Somehow he’s making time to get on with his third book.   The first two he had published.  One is called COLD SEA RISING and the other is DALLAS DOWN (by Richard Moran).   He finds (or makes) time by getting up at 4AM!  
He said something similar about the job in San Jose (that you said about yours), “It pays the bills and money talks.”
Do you recognize the picture on this card?  It feels like you are close enough to touch your rainbow, doesn’t it?   It seems that way with all that you are doing.   Do remember that this rainbow reach is probably only a couple of years away!  Now where the heck is that pot of gold?Love, Dorothy I check my mail every so often at my condo in West Hollywood but I am spending more and more nights in Santa Monica (with Alan).  He took a photo of me on a recent Saturday.   I seemed happy while holding a jar of multi-vitamins before our early morning bike ride excursion.
My evening Graphic Design classes are quite calming.   There are deadlines on projects but I’m right on top of it.  Some of the intricate details with layout and design are a pain in the ass.  Our teacher is knit-picky about getting every detail right.  Now they’re trying to push COMPUTER GRAPHIC DESIGN after this course but I’m not about to dish out more cash just yet.   Right now it allows me to think things through while I’m in this class.   Let's see how it goes. There’s a guy who sits near me named Miguel.  He is friends with actress, Jane Russell, and with the boy, who played in FAMILY AFFAIR (Jody), named Johnny Whitaker.   I’m not sure how he met Johnny but he said he does ‘odd jobs’ for Jane Russell.   That impressed me.  Miguel is a kind soul.  I think he’s gay—not that there’s anything wrong with that.  Smiles.   As we do our art we chat about nonsense like this.  I guess it’s better to be studying something than just sitting on one’s ass.
The radio keeps playing that MADONNA song that came out around my Birthday this year.   It’s called VOGUE.   It has a slow beat at first…I love hearing it when I ride my bike.  I go slowly and then I speed up.  It seems that way in real life with me, too.   How funny is that?   There’s something more rewarding in just being random and happy by just ‘playing Frisbee with him’ though.
“It’s better to study chemistry and learn something than to spend your life talking like a fool!”--END AS A MAN by Calder Willingham