For the past few weeks, it’s been extremely hot and humid here in Los Angeles.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s always hot this time of year, but the wonderful thing about living in an arid climate is that it cools off at night so, for a few hours, there is some relief. The important hours – when one is trying to rest without sweating like the proverbial whore in church.
Not lately.
It’s been so awful at night that sleep has been impossible – and not just for me.
Everyone on the crew (maybe the cast, too, but they have makeup) have black circles under their eyes and are downing coffee (iced, of course) as fast as they can.
It’s not just us, though. Tempers are flaring all over the city, as the police cope with near-record cases of cranky pants.
Excessive horn-honking, overly aggressive shouts of “points” when one isn’t carrying anything, passive-aggressive latte ordering, crafty grabbing*, scuffles over shaded parking spaces, crowded beaches,
Today, I snarled at a man in the grocery store for breathing.
No, really. That’s all he was doing. Through his nose, making that goddamn high-pitched whistle from hell.
I’ll kill him.
Wait…
I mean it’s cooled off tonight and maybe I can get some sleep so I’ll feel less homicidal tomorrow.
Although I have a 4 pm call in northeast Bumfuck, so I doubt it.
*Those peanut butter cups are mine. Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.
Filed under: crack of dawn, cranky, distant location, life in LA, locations, long long drives, Los Angeles, Work, dammit, heat, humid, summer, Work
Totally Unauthorized 
I can relate.
What’s all this talk about the weather? Ahem.
What’s the ‘points” remark mean?
Peter
I see a new sideline business for Ms. Archer; A glossary of film crew terms and sayings!
It really has been fucking hot this year — whether the official statistics reflect it or not, this one feels like the longest and hottest summer since I came to LA back in 1977. Lately, I keep wishing for longer days working on the air-conditioned sound stage just so I won’t have to go back home to suffer in the Sweat Box…
New subject, Ms. Archer: The pneumonia-inducing temperature on most all cooled stages in town.
It’s fine (and necessary for talent) to cool a stage, but what is the logic in cooling to meat locker levels? Most people on such stages wear sweaters.
How does this fit into the positive, aware, and environmentally-conscious image that Hollywood likes to project? Poorly, I think.
No, I don’t think the new generation of HD video cameras must have 68º ambient temperature to perform properly.
Time to get on out there and start some online shaming, Ms. Archer!