This is how disoriented I was this morning at 4:15 a.m.: I nearly left the house without glasses or contacts, simply assuming that my foggy vision was due to sleepiness rather than mildly astygmatic myopia. Fortunately, I remembered that I wear glasses before I got behind the wheel, and was able to enjoy the easiest drive to Burbank in memory.
I’d picketed WB [once before](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2007/strike-days-30-and-31), but at five in the morning, it’s obviously pretty different. We had big numbers, even at that early hour. My hope is that the turnout continues to be huge throughout the day, so that more of these everyone-in-one-place events occur.
After signing in at Gate 2, my Paramount crew was sent to Gate 4 (the big one, with the water tower). It’s a crosswalk gate like the main gate of Paramount, so one’s picketing consists of waiting for the light, crossing, then waiting for the light again. Dull? Yes. But with so many more people, there were a lot of different conversations and introductions to make. Time flew by.
The feature contingent of the Disney Writing Fellows came, with good spirits despite the fact they’ve been let go. ((Basically, sort of, for the most part. The circle of confusion around their employment status has always been sizable, with everyone from Disney to the WGA to Jane Espenson and me trying to get it to focus and resolve, to no avail.)) [Rob Thomas](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0859432/) told me the complicated saga of his two post-Veronica Mars gigs, in the process reminding me why I’ve steered away from television.
Reader Oliver was newly arrived from upstate New York, having cavalierly ignored my advice that this was a generally terrible time to arrive in Los Angeles. We discussed his [Hassidic zombie comedy](http://nightofthelivingjews.com/), and his work for Heeb. I implored him to look in earnest for a day job, because if the strike goes on much longer, venues of reasonable employment will get scarce.
Beyond that, the other conversations were mostly about preschools. I apologize to everyone walking near this contingent of toddler parents, because it must be maddening to hear the 19th parent exclaim, “The whole thing is just so crazy! It’s preschool, for godssake!” before that same parent explains in detail his hopes for gaming the system and getting his kid into Larchmont Charter School. (Or The Center, if rich.)
Tomorrow, I’m back at Paramount, my normal shift: 5:45 to 9 a.m. If you’re coming, dress warm.