Ya ever notice that when you’re far away from your home town and you run into someone from your hometown you’re always like, “Hey! I’m from there too!” and it feels so good and happy and there might even be a pang of longing for that hometown even though in reality you may despise your home town?

And you may know and not like the person that you ran into who is from your home town, but when you’re a million miles away, you forget that you don’t like them and you’re even buddy-buddy with them?

And then when you go back to your hometown and you run into that person, you remember that you don’t like them. Or your hometown.

Well, being in Vegas sometimes is interesting because here I am in Starbucks and I’m watching two screenwriters work on a script, which in L.A. is such a normal occurrence that it’s impossible to walk two feet without bumping into a screenwriter working on a screenplay.

So it’s no big deal. Didn’t dislike it, but didn’t draw my attention.

But here in Vegas, watching these screenwriters, I feel a fondness for them. A familiarity with them. Yes, I’m in film, too, and I have that common bond with you… In a city with an economy that is based in tourism (entertainment… but tourism entertainment as opposed to film entertainment).

I think that’s why New York doesn’t have as much back-biting as L.A.

When you meet a fellow artist in a city like Chicago or New York, it’s a special occasion.

When you meet a fellow artist in L.A., it’s competition.

Which is probably why it never felt good to make stuff there. Because there were always people waiting in the wings to shoot you down because you might just get the attention that they want.

Making art, film, theater, etc is much more collaborative, supportive and trust-based in all the other cities (all cities other than L.A.) I have visited.

Hmmmm…

Interesting revelation for me.

(PS: I have to credit Kristin with the beginning of this “ya ever notice” message… She’s the one that first noted how oddly excited she got when she was in Atlanta and met someone from Jersey. Excellent observation!)