May 12, 2009: My 10 Years In Los Angeles

Wow. Today marks 10 years since I rolled into Los Angeles in my beat up white 1990 Pontiac Sunbird. And let me tell you, the air conditioning gave out on that four-day cross-country drive from Pennsylvania, and Arizona in May is a real fucker with no air.

As I look back on where I was in May 1999 and where I am in May 2009, it makes me want to chew on a grenade wistfully think about how much life—and pop culture in general—has changed.

For instance, FOX's iconic nighttime soap Melrose Place ended its seven season run just as I moved to L.A. Meanwhile, this fall, the CW will boldly premiere an innovative new series tentatively called... Melrose Place 2.o.

In spring 1999, an controversial rapper named Eminem burst onto the music scene. And in 2009, yep—same douche, more botox.

And who could ever forget the Latin explosion? J. Lo, such vocal range.

Anyway, here are some some interesting tidbits from this week in 1999...a few of which don't really seem like it's been 10 years since:

* The #1 U.S. single: Ricky Martin, "Livin' La Vida Loca"
* The #1 U.S. album: TLC, Fanmail
* The #1 U.K. single: Backstreet Boys, "I Want It That Way"
* The #1 U.K. album: ABBA, Gold: Greatest Hits
* The #1 movie at the U.S. box office: The Mummy
* Number of albums sold in the U.S. in 1999: 938 million
* Albums so far this year: 124 million (and 2009 is almost half over)
* My favorite TV show in May 1999: Felicity, which ended its first season.
* Felicity cut her hair: That fall, in season 2.
* Felecity was co-created by: J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek)
* The first CD I bought as an Angeleno: Backstreet Boys, Millenium
* The second CD I bought as an Angeleno: The Felicity soundtrack
* My first job in L.A.: Exec assistant at Summit Entertainment
* Summit Entertainment is now known for: The Twilight films
* Speaking of Melrose, my first apartment was on: Melrose Ave.
* Books I read in 1999: Wonder Boys, The Mysteries Of Pittsburgh, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, The Catcher In The Rye
* Concerts I saw in 1999: Saint Etienne, Pet Shop Boys, Backstreet Boys

Sigh. Sometimes you really do blink and a whole decade goes by. And, just for the hell of it: