August 4, 2008
21 Days of Wii Fit
Okay, so 21 days ago, I got my belated birthday gift of a Wii Fit.
I still so love it.
And folks asked whether it was worth the $600 for the "bundle" of Wii plus Wii Fit.
I seriously love it.
You tell me.
21 Days of Wii Fit
- weight: down 4.5 pounds
- BMI: down 0.73
- bust: down 2"
- waist: down 2"
- lower abs: down 1.5"
- hips: down .5"
- calf: down 1"
- ankle: down .5"
I'm so in love with Wii Fit!
Seriously, y'all. With absolutely NO change in my diet AT ALL, these are my results after 21 days of daily Wii Fit action. I do anywhere from 60 to 120 minutes per day, usually hitting the 60 to 75 minute area. My worst "Wii Fit Age" (on the day I started) was 49 (11 years older than I actually am) and my best was 23. Today's was 28. I tend to hover between 24 and 32.
I LOVE my Wii Fit!
So. Is it worth it?
Uh... yeah. ;) Definitely.
Posted by bonnie at 11:45 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
June 19, 2008
Phew!
I am 100% healthy!
What a fucking month!
Note to all: When they tell you that you might have cancer and subject you to a litany of tests, just ask everyone you know to send good, healthy vibes your way. Do everything you can to stay positive even though you want to cry and cry and cry all the time. Heck, go ahead and cry and then choose a better emotion, even for a moment. That COUNTS. That HELPS.
And then show up with your bestest friend and trust that you're going to hear good news because it's the only thing your spirit will allow.
And then accept it and celebrate because, dammit, you're NOT goin' out like that!!!!
Hallelujah!
Thank you, everyone! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Posted by bonnie at 9:19 PM | Comments (14) | TrackBack
June 8, 2008
Well, hello! :)
So, hi there. :) And thanks for all of the great and awesome vibes. The not un-scary thing from Thursday morning is done and now we wait. So, if you want to point the prayers, white light, candles, good vibes, and positivity in the direction of the afternoon of the 19th when test results are in, that would be most appreciated.
As for the wonderful, well-meaning folks who chose to "try and figure out what's going on" rather than simply sending the vibes along as requested, well, I guess I can at least say that I was entertained when I turned on my computer today for the first time since Wednesday night to learn:
- I'm pregnant
- Keith is leaving me
- I'm pregnant and Keith is leaving me
- we're suing producers who owe us money
- we've been subpoenaed in a case between feuding producers
- we're buying a small company
- a large company is buying ours
- I'm going into rehab
- Keith's going to jail
- we're moving to another country
- we're buying a house down the street
- I'm getting my boobs done
PERISH THE THOUGHT! My rack is flawless, thank you very much!
Anyway, that was mildly entertaining as annoyances go. ;) So, I guess... thanks.
And please know--as public a person as I am, as OUT about my life as I am--when I choose to play something a little close to the vest, there is a reason for it and I would appreciate that you respect that choice. :) THANK YOU.
So, I'm part-time back at "work" and I'm glad I cleared off as many days as I did. Yes, this was a medical thing and I have to tell you I have learned that there are two kinds of medical experiences and I prefer one FAR above the other.
- You feel like crap. You go in. You tell them about the problem. They do stuff. You go home. You feel better soon.
- You feel fine. You go in. They tell you about a problem. They do stuff. You go home. You feel like you've been hit by a bus for three days.
Bleh. And then, bonus!! You get to wait for a couple of weeks to find out "what's wrong." Yay! :)
(I am soooooo pelting positivity around this room with every sarcastic eyebrow raise and mouth squinch I give myself as I write this post!!! Hee!)
Okay, on to work. I have a column to turn in and a home to prep for an awesome nine year old who will be here in just a matter of days, helping me stay distracted and blissed out and in a constant state of PLAY, which sounds great to me! Hee!
Again, thanks everyone for the love and vibes. Means the world to me. As do y'all. :) Keep 'em comin' and we'll beat this thing into a non-thing with loads of goodness, baby! Yeah! :) Rock on!!!!!
XO
-Bon.
Posted by bonnie at 3:50 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
February 25, 2008
My life since 1am Thursday.
Sleep. Blow nose. Cough. NyQuil. Sleep. Blow nose. Dry heaves. Cry. NyQuil. Sleep. Blow nose. Hack up something really ugly. NyQuil. Sleep. Check email. Ignore phone ringing off hook. NyQuil. Sleep. Update showcase website. Check email. Have Keith handle as much of my job as he possibly can. NyQuil. Sleep. Blow nose. Hack up something really ugly. Moan. Cry. NyQuil. Sleep. Lose all sense of humor. Try to take a shower. Cry. NyQuil. Sleep. Cry. Try to eat. Bad idea. NyQuil. Sleep.
And now I HAVE TO leave the house for the first time since Wednesday night, still ignoring the mountain of calls and emails that have come in about casting gigs, producing issues, and even the bad-ass web series for the showcase; still relying on Keith to do most of the heavy lifting (even as he's back to work at CSI: Miami and running all over town for me and himself); and still saying NO to everything else I'm being asked to deal with tomorrow because I have TWO speaking engagements on Wednesday and no way to get out of those.
Conserving energy.
So, any of you who own stock in Puffs Plus with Aloe or NyQuil, be happy. I've gone through so much of your product in the past four and a half days that you are certainly very rich because of me.
I am the worst patient on the planet!!!!!!!!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Hollywood Crud, be gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[Edited to add:]
Bonus! On endless loop in my head: "Boys in the Hood" by Dynamite Hack in a mash-up with "Buy Me a Rainbow" from that episode of The Family Guy in which Meg gets a makeover and the family starts up a singing-in-prisons tour. Niiiiice.
Posted by bonnie at 3:51 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
December 21, 2007
I just have to say...
...that I would rather have LASIK surgery again than get three teeth bonded.
Any day.
(PS--Thankee Uku, for the most awesome dentist. He's perfect for me.)
Posted by bonnie at 1:37 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
December 20, 2007
Son of a...!
So, I've been nursing a mildly annoying toothache for... um... like 18 months now. Mildly annoying, I can put up with for, apparently, a really long time.
Until it becomes a pain of the excruciating (i.e.: squirreled away Vicodin) variety.
That means, now, instead of trying to go to the "girly doctor" during early drop-in hours tomorrow, I get to try and go to the dentist.
Either way, tomorrow looks like F-U-N, huh?
So, please send good-health, pain-free vibes in a beachward direction.
And don't bother trying to call.
Turns out the phoneline will start working again, randomly, at some point after we call to cancel the technician they're gonna send out to inspect it (y'know, because we don't want to spend the $90 to bring 'em out here if the phoneline is working, nor waste anyone's time, so we'll cancel the guy), and then it will stop working again. (Could this setup ever produce a short during the rain? Nah!)
And now that we've cancelled the guy, it's gonna be MONDAY before he can come out.
Any thoughts on how I can:
1. not be in pain
2. be productive
3. stay motivated
4. get through the "dark days"
will be muchly appreciated.
("Dark Days," somehow, don't get easier each year, even though I think they should. This is the anniversary of the period of time between the last time I ever heard my mother's voice (before the morphine took away her ability to speak) and the day I flew back to be with her 'til she died... only she passed away before I got home.)
(Yes, I know I did the right thing. My mother encouraged me to go back to LA after having been with her during the first--only--parts of her treatment, so I could get my life in order--after having left town so quickly upon her diagnosis--and then stay with her for the estimated six weeks left in her life. Who knew she'd die so quickly? (Twenty days after diagnosis.) Maybe she did. And maybe that's why she took care of me by sending me to LA to take care of MY life instead of hers.)
*sigh*
Least favorite part of the year.
And bonus no phone.
And bonus toothache.
And bonus girly doctor plans.
And bonus lack of motivation to do anything other than whine and play computer solitaire.
Bleh.
I don't even like posting this blog entry. Bad hoo-doo.
Maybe it'll get me off my ass to do some work, just having this "out there."
Vicodin makes work a little more interesting, at least.
But right now I'm totally distracted by the very odd for-TV-edits they've done on Big.
*sigh*
Posted by bonnie at 9:09 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
May 6, 2007
Stop the bleeding!
Ugh! This is so annoying.
I've been dealing with some weird eye-twitch stuff for a few weeks now (not new to me, but new recently, as it's been a few years since this has persisted to this degree). Stress-related, blah blah blah.
Okay, so this morning, let's add a nosebleed, shall we?
And as it ends (finally), I hop in the shower to "start over" and reboot my day. Cool. Cut to ten minutes later. I'm going to eat a bite of food. Suddenly, there's blood everywhere. Again. Son of a FUCK, I am sooooooo over this!
Ugh! Okay, I get it! I'm overstressed! OKAY! I'm going to try and take some downtime. OKAY!!!!!!! Stop the bleeding! Sheeeeeeesh!
PS--Why hasn't anyone told me about the greatness that is Shear Genius on Bravo? What fun!
Posted by bonnie at 12:57 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
April 8, 2007
"I could eat about a million and a half of these."
Wasn't that a line from Forrest Gump? About his box of chocolates or somesuch?
Yeah.
I've found mine. It's pumpkin tortellini from Planet Raw.
Now, this isn't news--seeing as I raved about it (and the whole experience, really) when Shon and Jodi took me to lunch there last year--but lately I've become full-on addicted to these things. I could eat them non-stop.
And the best part of everything at Planet Raw is that *nothing* can make me "get glutened" in that place. Nothing. It's a very liberating feeling to know you're "eating safe," even when you didn't oversee food prep or whatever.
Oh, and another new favorite thing--which our rockstar El Cholo waitress recommended last week when I wistfully spoke about my love for the (seasonal) green corn tamales that "aren't ready" yet--is the shrimp tamale with an amazingly decadent sauce THAT HAS NO GLUTEN in it, either. Holy hell, that food is the YUMMMMMMM (and, even it is only available as a "special" certain nights of the week).
*sigh*
I could eat that non-stop too.
So, apparently one of the side-effects to this detox tea crap is MAJOR hungries. This did *not* happen with the other brand of detox tea (during which I ate nothing but soup and juices and teas and pickled ginger for two weeks). I was not at all ravenous. And now I am. Totally. And my head hurts.
Maybe this tea works better? Stronger? Faster? Eh... whatevs. I just really really really really really want to eat another hundred pumpkin tortellini and/or a pound or ten of shrimp tamale in cream sauce.
Damn. Cravings are WEIRD.
(No, I'm NOT pregnant. Get your minds out of the gutter, people. That's gross.)
Ooh... maybe soup is a good idea. With a ginger electrolyte smoothie. Yes. Let's have that.
Posted by bonnie at 3:57 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 11, 2007
I can't sleep.
And it's not the kind of "not sleeping thing" that I'm used to. It's that really annoying cycle of sleeplessness that I hit once a year or so, where I'm fatigued, mentally exhausted, physically worn down, and READY for sleep... and I can't get any sleep.
Yes, I've tried knocking myself out. I can get about 90 minutes of sleep if I dose up on NyQuil or muscle relaxers or gimlets. But it's not good sleep (and it's not enough sleep), so I figure WHY BOTHER?!? and get up to try and work some more.
But I'm too out of it to get any work done.
*sigh*
It's just annoying.
So, if I come off a little "off," please know that it's the fault of the lack of Zzz at this point. Keith tells me this happens every year or so and lasts a few days, until I just finally hit a wall and sleep for about 20 hours straight.
It has been awhile since I've done that, so hopefully it'll happen soon. Got a few meetings and TO DO stuffs for which I'd like to be past this weirdness. Ah, well... it's not up to me. My bod just DOES THIS sometimes. *sigh*
Posted by bonnie at 6:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 30, 2007
Kitchen Victories
Brace yourself. This is going to be a shocking blog entry for those of you who know my level of kitchen aptitude. But one of the things I wanted to start doing a couple of months ago was BRAVE THE KITCHEN in a bold way.
I already have the challenge of living a gluten-free life (which is really not a challenge AT ALL when you consider the alternative. There simply will be NO gluten ingested. Illness I can opt out of, I'm gonna. Piece of cake, as decisions go) and on top of that I am kitchenphobic.
I'm also trying to eat low-carb again, as that was some of the healthiest living I did a few years back (and I was smokin' hot) and low-carb and gluten-free intersect at quite a few places. Win-win!
Okay, so I found this really fantastic website for low-carb recipes (many, many of which are also gluten-free). Now, I can't have Splenda (migraines), so that cuts out a few things, but I have to say that EVERYTHING I have made from Linda's site is OUTSTANDINGLY YUMMY and SUPER EASY!! This is hugely important for me!
The photos for this entry are from Linda's site (thank you) and I've listed what they are (and linked to the recipes for each) below. These are listed pretty much in the order I tried 'em out.
I didn't want to post about my (perhaps overly-ambitious) Bon-kitchen-challenge too early, because I usually get excited and then burn something (most often, myself) and call off the whole kitchen experience again for another year or so.
But now it's safe to post about this. I've definitely had some kitchen successes and that is AWESOME to me! (And FOR me, dangit!)
So, this is me being really proud and happy--and wholeheartedly recommending Linda's recipes to all members of the BonBlogs readership.
Woo hoo!
1. Bacon Swiss Quiche. This is one of the first things I made. Perhaps THE first. So easy and so yummy. Also keeps really well for little squares of breakfast every day. (Keith fried the bacon. No way in heck I'm attempting THAT!)
2. Chicken Caesar Salad. I know it seems really BASIC, but I'm still really proud of how this turned out (Keith had to grill the chicken for me--I'm still not gonna do that... probably ever).
3. Helen's "Potato" Salad. This was when I KNEW I'd found a great website filled with things I could make AND love to eat. Holy cow, this was JUST like my aunt's potato salad at a family reunion. I swear!
4. White Castle Hamburger Pie. I guess White Castle is the Krystal equivalent (for this ATL girl) and OMG, it tasted JUST like a cute little Krystal burger. Amazing! Another one that keeps well in little squares to pop in the microwave to reheat. (Keith had to brown the beef for me.)
5. CABLT Salad. Holy bejeebus, this one is so yummy. Again, you'd think I could just TOSS a salad together, but NO. I need a recipe. And this is another awesome one. (Keith had to fry up the bacon, natch.)
6. Green Bean Hamburger Casserole. I know this one doesn't look as pretty as the others (and I made it without mushrooms because mushrooms are icky), but it's actually quite tasty. Very much like a green bean casserole, but with some beef. Gotta love beef (that Keith browned, of course)!
7. Egg and Chicken Salad. This one is listed as TUNA on Linda's site, but I substituted canned chicken breast, as I get a weird mercury reaction from canned tuna. Totally and completely AWESOME. (Also, I used non-Splenda pickle chips, which certainly increased the carb count, but not by nearly enough per serving for me to whine about it. NOTE: This is when Keith says kitchen confidence emerges--when you modify recipes with reckless abandon. Yay, me!)
8. Green Enchilada Chicken Casserole. This is the one that inspired me to do this blog entry. Keith and I went for our walk, hit the market, bought some supplies, then we came home and he cooked up the chicken for me and went to bed. HOURS later, I'm hungry enough (and brave enough) to go try this recipe, which HOLY FUCK turned out OUTSTANDING! I went back for seconds! Soooooooooo good!
And now I shall celebrate with a Ciroc Gimlet, thankyouverymuch. CHEERS!!
Posted by bonnie at 3:49 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
January 15, 2007
Wrenched Neck
Ow.
Woke up yesterday with a pinched nerve/wrenched neck thingy. So much pain that I went into shock, apparently. Chills and tremors you don't remember aren't cool. Dry heaves you do remember are not much fun either.
Luckily, my friends have leftover "good drugs" (and my husband is awesome enough to go get them) and my wonderful chiropractor was in the office today. His line: "I honor Dr. King by doing good work today. Now, if I were a bomb-maker, I would take the day off to honor him." *snork*
Anyway, if today's column is "off," blame the pain. It took a LOT of effort to get it done yesterday. (I'm receiving emailed feedback that it's a good one, though, so I guess I got it done just fine.) Oh, and I know The Actors Voice: POV is late. It will continue to be delayed until I can see straight. And you can forget about the amazing Golden Globes party we were going to attend.
*grumble* *kicks rocks and pouts* *grumble*
PS--Big thanks to everyone who weighed in on the Cricket Feet "vision" and who commented on 12 of 12 of course! Love it all!
Posted by bonnie at 1:01 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 19, 2006
Living Gluten-Free
On 12/16/06 11:44 AM, Claude wrote:
> Dawn told me that you have been on a gluten free diet and that it's
> prevented migraines. I have a chronic problem with migraines and would like
> to ask you about this. Would it be okay to call you over the weekend? If so,
> what # should I call?
Hi Claude,
I suffered from migraines (about four a year or so) from the age of 17 to the age of 32. At age 33 and 34, I started having ten or more debilitating migraines per year. I was bed-ridden and in a really bad way, by the end of 2004. Clearly, they were getting worse and my work was suffering.
I also have OCD and it was getting worse, which is odd, as it usually improves with age. Additionally, I had gained a LOT of weight in 2004. No change in diet or exercise, just a big weight gain in a very short period of time.
What led me to the gluten-free way of life was the fact that, coming off a very bad week-long migraine in early November 2004, my joints were in excruciating pain. I was trying to transcribe the interviews for my third book, and my hands were cramping up, wrists were terribly inflamed, and I was just in a lot of pain. I posted to a private message board online (membership of actors whom I advise on their careers), asking if anyone had any advice for how I could get my joints to stop aching long enough to finish the book.
An actor friend of mine started asking me questions: "Bon, you just came off a migraine didn't you?" "Yes." "And you've put on weight." "Yes." "Have you been checked for celiac disease? Or at least a gluten intolerance?" "What?!?" I had never heard of any of that, so it seemed very odd. But I was in a lot of pain, so I began to do some research.
Sure enough, wheat gluten has been linked to everything from OCD to migraines to drastic change in weight to autism. It's actually VERY common to have a gluten intolerance, but in the American diet, it's not something that the FDA would ever want explored or widely tested. See, we live on GRAINS and to tell 15% of the population to stop eating wheat gluten would cause a major blow to the industry. But in other countries, they actually TEST for celiac disease in childhood, and the availability of gluten-free foods is VASTLY superior to what we have access to here.
Okay, so in December of 2004, I decided I had nothing to lose, so I went off wheat gluten (the non-medical way to "test" for a gluten intolerance is to take yourself OFF wheat gluten for two weeks and then have a very high-gluten meal to see if you have a severe reaction). For two weeks, I was incredibly healthy. Lots of energy, no joint pain, no migraines, nada. When I had gluten two weeks later, I not only got sick to my stomach (loads of abdominal distress), but I broke out in a rash around my lips and got very swimmy-headed. I decided that cutting out wheat gluten would be an easy thing to do, especially if it would solve my joint pain, migraines, and maybe even correct the sudden weight gain I'd experienced in 2004.
So, now that I've been off gluten for nearly two years, I can tell you the following:
I have not had a single migraine in two years (after having had a dozen in each of the years 2003 and 2004), my fingernails and hair have grown long and strong (healthier than ever), my skin looks great, my joints are fine, and my weight is beginning to stabilize (takes a lot of time, though, when you put on that much in such a short time). Point is, I am healthier now than I have ever been, and I credit that ALL to having cut out wheat gluten.
Here's the theory behind it:
The human digestive system has been around for three million years. Wheat gluten was introduced to the human diet about ten thousand years ago. We are not all so easily adaptive as to have the means to break down "new" foods (some human digestive systems do better than others). It's the same way that processed foods don't work for some people or that alcohol doesn't work within certain cultures who had alcohol introduced late into their evolution.
Since I now know my body does not process the protein of wheat gluten efficiently (and it may have done so, for the first 30 years of my life, but then reached a tolerance level of something it couldn't break down well and then shut off, causing the symptoms described above), I have to look at gluten as a poison to my system.
Yes, I *can* have gluten, but it's a choice that could make me very sick. Especially now that gluten has been out of my system for so long, even a little bit of it can really send me into a day of severe illness (like an allergic reaction).
It took a few months for me to really get the hang of it. Gluten is in EVERYTHING, it seems (since wheat is a common thickener in most processed foods), but if you start out going "all natural," that helps a great deal, as foods that aren't processed pretty much CAN'T have gluten in them. Eventually, I got brave about going to restaurants and asking for what I needed. Amazingly, most restaurants are educating their staff about gluten allergies and everyone has been very good about making sure I don't get sick. Some restaurants even pride themselves on their gluten-free menus!
I have a TON of websites to send you to. One of them has a printable allergy card that you can take with you to restaurants, so that they'll know exactly what you can and cannot have. Some celiacs are very sensitive to cross contamination (like, if your wife were to make a sandwich on the counter and leave crumbs and you were to later cut up an apple on that area of the counter, you could get "glutened") and some are not (like, if you order a salad with dressing that happened to be thickened with gluten, you can tell within the first bite or two that you're not going to be able to eat it, but you won't get violently ill or anything, so it doesn't have to keep you from enjoying the rest of your meal out--you just don't finish the salad).
I'm a member of a few discussion groups online that have been very helpful. They have regular gatherings of gluten-free folks both online and in person, to share ideas for good places to eat, ways to make your own kitchen "safe," and doctor referrals, etc. I think we're very lucky to be in a community where food allergies are understood and there are many options for us to still live normally. Middle America is still just learning about this stuff.
I mentioned restaurants with gluten-free menus. Well, PF Chang's is one of the best. Its gluten-free menu has MANY items on it! It's great! I also love going to Planet RAW because there is not a single thing on their menu that I could EVER eat that would cause me to get glutened.
There were some labeling laws passed in late 2005 so now everything that has wheat gluten in it must say so on the label. That's very helpful! (Because before that, "modified food starch" could be listed as an ingredient, and unless you knew for sure that it was corn starch vs. processed wheat gluten, you couldn't safely eat it. Now they *have to* spell it out.)
Whole Foods is a good store. They have pamphlets at the entrance with guides to gluten free items. Even better is Wild Oats, as they put big stickers right on the shelves next to the price of each item that say GLUTEN FREE. Very easy. Trader Joes also takes good care of its gluten-free customers.
Okay, that's enough to get you started. Now I'll share a whole bunch of web links with you, for your year-end reading. Please let me know if you have any questions. I was very nervous but excited two years ago this month, as I hoped we had found the cure to my most debilitating chronic illness. And, I'm here to tell you two years later that we DID. And it continues to be very exciting. I love being migraine free!!
Good luck!
Great articles:
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~coeliac/sprue.html
http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/cgi-bin/chapter.pl?isbn=9780471773832
Eating guides/food lists/lots of links within each page:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/specialdiets/overviews/gluten-free.html
http://www.wildoats.com/u/health100071
http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/mb/list.asp?webtag=celiac&ctx=1048576&cacheTag=x34-39 (also support forums)
Support forums:
http://www.celiacforums.com
http://www.glutenfreeforum.com/index.php?act=idx
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SillyYaks
Local information:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Los_Angeles_Celiac
My favorite magazine:
http://livingwithout.com
Have fun!
--
Bon
http://cricketfeet.com
Showfax.com Column! http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice
"Any time I see someone succeed I am happy, for it affirms my belief that I live in a world where success is possible." -- 20 August 2004
Posted by bonnie at 2:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 21, 2006
Ever have
one of those days in which you consume a bottle of NyQuil, sleep sleep sleep, watch a little 90210, eat some ice cream, cry and moan, miss out on dinner with one of your favorite managers, feel too sick to hit a showcase, blow through half a box of Kleenex, have your deepest thought idle somewhere around "all of this year's ANTM contestants look like previous years' ANTM contestants," but still have to handle major negotiations on a contract for an actor whose shoot begins in 24 hours?
No? Just me?
Ugh.
Posted by bonnie at 7:23 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
September 20, 2006
Weird Timing
Okay, so I went looking for an image (from a previous blog entry) of a bottle of NyQuil (turns out, all I had was a bottle of DayQuil, which isn't what I'm taking so it's not a useful image right this moment) and realized that almost exactly one year ago, I was sick like this.
What is UP with that weird timing?
So odd! I'm just pounding the NyQuil hard and staying cuddled up under my favorite wedding gift (the blanket the Tooles made for us) and hoping to get past this pretty quickly. Seems my over-zealous celebrating on Monday night took my resistance level down enough to get me all-out sick. Bleh. Oh well... life is good otherwise.
Posted by bonnie at 3:24 PM | Comments (11) | TrackBack
September 10, 2006
Classes
For any of you who have gym memberships...
What are the best classes? ("Best" for me means "not crowded" and "good for larger people" and "fun".)
I think it's time to take advantage of my membership beyond the treadmills and bikes. Where to start? Suggestions?
Posted by bonnie at 9:48 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
September 3, 2006
Taking a Break
I've been bitching too much lately. I've been complaining. A lot. I've been seeing the negative in the world and that's seriously not like me 90% of the time. So, it's getting annoying (and I'm sure not just to me).
I've also been craving drinks. Not just drinking socially. Not just overindulging. Craving. And I can't tell if it's a temporary physical need that comes from an emotional desire to escape or if it's the beginning of a problem.
But let me state for the record: I love drinking. Love it. I think it's fun and social and cool and one of the best parts of being a responsible adult who works freelance. I'm not like a college kid who can't wait for the weekend to go out and par-tay. I like the celebration of the every day. And I like being able to shut my brain off sometimes too.
But I'm tired of complaining. I'm tired of needing a drink to escape from the things that make me want to complain. And I'd like to give my diet and exercise regimen a chance to have some results. I remember noticing how great a friend looked after a few months of diet and exercise (I won't out him, here) and having him counter with, "I had to take a break from drinking to really get the results I wanted." I admired his self-discipline.
So, with just over 100 days left in the year (and remembering how I completely changed my body and my spirit in as much time eight years ago), I'm considering doing a major self-improvement campaign. I already exercise every day. I eat gluten-free and drink tons of water. I don't drink sodas or coffee or any of those things that tend to derail people. I'm currently the healthiest I have ever been, despite being a good 50 pounds overweight. My heart, my lungs, my knees, my endurance... all outstanding. Hair and nails strong and long. Skin flawless. And I am blessed with a kick-ass hourglass figure, even though it needs to reduce by about 20%. I don't have "problem areas." I'm just a big girl.
Here's the thing though. I can't tell if I need to do a T-totaller "give up drinking for the rest of the year" thing or if I can do like I did eight years ago and give myself "reward days" every now and then (days on which I can be less strict in all areas--food, drink, exercise requirements). I kind of like the idea of forcing myself to be 100% for 100 days, but I also can't imagine that it's a practical expectation. What I DON'T want to do is decide to be "perfect" then choose to have a night off and turn that into an excuse (ala: "I failed. I suck. Screw it. It's all over").
Man! I just feel so good even imagining doing 100 perfect days. It was such an amazing thing, watching my body change when I did a 100-day campaign in '98 (note: I did not do 100 "perfect" days back then... but I also had a very different lifestyle, being a full-time PhD student at the time).
What to do, what to do? Hmm. I guess I'll just start with one day and see how that feels. I guess I'm blogging about this as a way of holding my feet to the fire (although I can already tell I'll get annoyed by questions of, "Hey, how's that 100-day thing going?" if things AREN'T going well... so, I'm not sure what my plan is. Maybe I don't have a plan. Maybe I'm looking for suggestions? Hell... I'm just glad I'm not bitching in this entry. I am sooooooo over the complaining. That is a BAD habit, for sure).
Posted by bonnie at 12:55 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
August 20, 2006
Hmm...
I just ate five rice cakes.
Do I have an eating disorder?
Posted by bonnie at 2:41 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
July 23, 2006
seriously.
too. damn. hot. to. breathe.
(It's still 79 degrees in my living room.)
soooooooo over this and ready to lie naked in the street until cooler weather comes
and of course it's cliché to complain about the weather. I DON'T CARE. IT'S TOO HOT FOR ME TO GET ANYTHING DONE AND < snakes on a plane mode > THERE'S NOT A GAWTDAMN THING I CAN DO ABOUT IT! < / snakes >
Posted by bonnie at 2:09 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 18, 2006
Sleep = Happy
It's funny. When I was writing the first item in my FAQ last month, I was thinking about how easy-going I've become over my odd sleeping habits. I used to really resist the sleep cycles and try to force some sort of "normal" sleeping, which only made me more frustrated and cranky.
But even though I'm cool with sleeping three hours for every 30 awake (on average), there are times when I suffer from insomnia, and when it gets bad, I become someone else. Seriously. I am NOT me, when I really really really don't sleep.
Like the past five days or so.
Thursday was fine. Friday, I started getting overly emotional. Saturday, I was really annoyed with life. Sunday, I could no longer formulate complete thoughts without a supreme amount of concentration. And Monday morning, I worried I would step in front of a bus, as I was teetering as I walked across the street (seeing double).
The few moments I did sleep between Wednesday night and Monday morning (calculated at about 45 minutes, total), I was grinding my teeth or waking myself up with my breathing, in a panic. Believe me, it was easy to get way pissed off after a few days of this.
So, Monday morning, when I visited my doctor, I couldn't really articulate what was happening to me. Luckily, he is brilliant and he put ice packs all over me and suggested that I needed some quality sleep.
Yes. Sleep. Please.
As my body temp dropped (and he's right: ice packs on pulse points do a much more efficient job of cooling a body down than 12,000 BTUs of Happy ever could), I began making a bit more sense (still not much, though), and agreed when he offered to put me on a concentrated valerian root, passiflora, magnesium carbonate blend so that I would actually sleep for more than a couple of minutes at a time.
This was at 10am Monday.
Cut to 2pm Monday, when I awake for the first time in days, feeling as though I have, in fact, slept. And suddenly, I am me again. Praises be!
From 2pm 'til 8pm, I was able to wheel and deal with agents and managers, confirm appointments for actors' auditions, detail the finer points of nudity riders and SAG contracts with two different producers, make a formal casting offer, and--most importantly--make sense like a Bonnie should!
And then, from 10pm 'til 3am, I slept some more.
Holy crap, do I feel GREAT! I'm my-freakin'-self again!
I finally GET why it is that people react the way they do, to hearing that I sleep so very little. It is eventually impossible to function without sleep. Wow! I totally get it now.
Posted by bonnie at 3:54 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
July 16, 2006
Fun With I-Rons
I was just about to change the "headline" on my MySpace profile to say: Potato-free since June 26th when I realized that's not entirely true.
Yes, I decided to go off potatoes while we were at our spa vacation, and I've been very very good. But the combination of the facts that I cannot have alcohol made from grain, my favorite cocktail is the vodka gimlet, and Tana's Michael loves me led to delicious potato vodka beverages for my birthday.
But I'm still officially off potatoes. I'm calling that "good," dammit. Irony is fun like that.
PS--New favorite summer show: World Series of Pop Culture. Good stuff!
Posted by bonnie at 12:42 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
April 28, 2006
How Whole Foods lost us to Wild Oats:
Dear Whole Foods (specifically Whole Foods at 2201 Wilshire),
I'm a special-needs eater (read: I cannot eat wheat or wheat gluten). And that means that grocery shopping can be a high-maintenance activity, any time I'm branching out beyond fruits, veggies, meats, and dairy. Beyond the very serious allergy issues, there are also picky-eater-type issues of taste. There are things I enjoy more than others, flavor-wise, and when I find something really wonderful that doesn't send me into migraine hell WHILE TASTING YUMMY, I'm going to be your best customer for it. Count on that.
But on Wednesday, April 26th, you lost me. I didn't know you had been replaced until Thursday, April 27th, but I did know for sure on Wednesday that I would not be back to Whole Foods for my gluten-free shopping needs.
See, on that day, my wonderful husband (who is also the head chef around here) went to your store with a fairly typical list of gluten-free goodies with which he was to return home. But when he asked your bakery department clerk, Diego, to help him obtain some Kinnikinnick pizza crust, he was dismissed.
Let me get specific.
You don't actually carry Kinnikinnick pizza crust. You never have, in the four months since I discovered that it exists (and that it is wonderful). But after having called, having been assured it DID exist, and then having driven to three of your other locations--none of them nearby--only to find that it did NOT exist, back in January of 2006, my husband finally decided to ask someone at your store--the one closest to our home--to place an order for the product. And some wonderful employee, back in January, actually did order a case for us, which we bought at a 100% markup from the list price as advertised by the company, because at least you went to the trouble to get it for us.
Past tense.
When my husband asked Diego to please place an order for us again on April 26th, he was scoffed at. "We don't do that," Diego said. My husband replied, "Oh? Well, you've done it for us before. Is there someone I could speak with about placing an order again?" The response was, "We stopped doing that. How long ago did you do it? We don't do it anymore." And then Diego walked away. He was finished engaging in customer service.
My husband called me from the store to ask what the name of the other product was that I'd been looking for. That'd be the Sahale snack blends (for which I've been jonesin' since a week ago, when one of the blends was in a gift basket I'd received). I told him the name of the product and he informed me those weren't at your store either.
Now, this is particularly odd since, on the website for the product, your exact location is listed as one of THREE stores in our area that regularly stocks Sahale Snacks. After my husband's encounter with Diego, however, he chose not to inquire further about any "special requests" (even though this wouldn't be considered "special," since it's allegedly a product you regularly carry).
I knew I wanted to be sure to share my displeasure with you over the way in which my husband was treated in his attempt to purchase something from your store--something we had been able to purchase from you previously (and pay quite a lot for, seeing as it was a CASE of the product, priced at single-serving markup levels)--but it wasn't until April 27th that I learned what my real "problem" was with this whole thing.
See, on the 27th, my husband and I went to Wild Oats (specifically Wild Oats at 1425 Montana) to see if they had some of the items we were unable to find at your store the day before. Now, we didn't find either Kinnikinnick or Sahale Snacks at Wild Oats (and neither product is listed as available at Wild Oats locations, on their respective websites), but what we did find was EXCELLENT customer service in the form of our cashier, Courtney.
As we began our interaction, I asked Courtney whether Wild Oats might be able to order a product for us. She asked what it was and I told her about the Kinnikinnick frozen pizza crusts. She paused and then said, "Oh, yeah! I've heard of that! It's good, right?" When the light bounced off her nose-ring, I smiled, as she was so perky and eager to discuss a PRODUCT (How novel! Right?) with a CUSTOMER. She then proceeded to find out what shift the manager was working the following day (after explaining that the current manager on duty was visiting from another store and probably wouldn't be able to assure the order would go through without a hitch) and suggested that we phone in the morning in order to place any special order we might have.
Now, before you start thinking that she's a "Susie Policy" kind of gal (the teenager who is the Future Business Leader of America type and not just some kid working an after school job), I can tell you that I certainly didn't get that vibe from her. She simply seemed like someone who enjoyed her job enough to interact with those she came into contact with over the course of her shift--and even if she couldn't help us, didn't mind getting information to us on locating someone who might be able to do so.
Perhaps this is as simple as someone in your store (Diego) not caring enough about his job or the customers who shop there to step up and make a difference. Perhaps your corporation is "health food oriented" but not "co-op vibe" in nature and that filters down to your employees. I don't know. And it doesn't really matter to me. What matters is, I'd rather do business with a company that--through its EMPLOYEES--respects its customers, whether they have a debilitating food allergy for which they need special items or not.
Oh, and speaking of which, I noticed little tags ALL OVER the shelves at the Wild Oats store, highlighting "GLUTEN-FREE" products in an easy-to-spot manner. My husband mentioned that the other nearby Wild Oats location doesn't have such tags. Another point in the favor of this particular store. (Don't worry, their letter to the customer service department is on its way--and it's a little lovey-dovey, as we special-needs customers like to be treated with such concern and empathy. So, I'll be letting them know that's WAY appreciated.)
Finally, as we were leaving Wild Oats, I mentioned to Courtney that I had picked up a sample of the cucumber body butter, in case she wondered what was in my hand as I was heading out. She said, "Oh! Those are great! Go back and get the shampoo and body wash too!" So, now I have one each of the lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash samples from Giovanni. Wow! Good customer service is so easy. And it means so much. (And, as we all know... people love free stuff!)
We bought far more than we should have, considering the fact that we were walking home (having only planned to pop in and buy a couple of things), but it was totally worth it and I can't wait to go back to the Wild Oats on Montana again. Oh, and tomorrow we shall call manager Alex and place a very large, very expensive special order. And if it's not expensive? We'll order double. As a thank you. (And as a little bit of an F-U to Whole Foods.)
Thanks,
-Bon.
Posted by bonnie at 12:40 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
April 22, 2006
Yum...
I know Babes McPhee is going to kick my ass for blogging about something in that damned gift basket, but I had to mention the yummiest thing in it.
That's the Soledad Blend. But from the looks of the website, Sahale Snacks sells a bunch of stuff I'd love to eat. Oh... and what's that? RIGHT DOWN THE STREET at the Whole Foods on Wilshire? Yeah, baby! Yum!
I've been really really really busy (I swear) uploading demo reels to the Cricket Feet server for producers to see (re: casting HILMMAKS) so it's not JUST my weird mood that's kept me from blogging today.
Maybe there will be an entry of interest later. I'll try. I promise. ;) At LEAST a quiz. That's easy enough.
Oh, and thanks JoJo for the head's up that Keith's CSI: Miami airs May 8th, not the 1st.
Happy Earth Day! Go hug the yard.
Posted by bonnie at 6:18 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
April 16, 2006
Craving
I have a craving.
It's for something I haven't had in YEARS.
And considering I gave up fast food for 2006 (yes, it's true... not even a case of the hangover hungries can send me to the drive-thru this year), this craving is pretty intense.
If I don't blog again today, you can safely assume the black and white shake (86 the whipped cream--that's nasty) and chili cheese fries with diced onions from Johnny Rockets have, in fact, killed me.
Posted by bonnie at 2:42 PM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
March 18, 2006
"It's White Smoke. It's healthy!"
That's what our waiter and restaurant owner/master chef Juliano told us just before we took our first bites of the desserts we'd happily ordered, after having feasted on a delicious appetizer and three very differently delicious entrees.
He told us that just as he waved a burning bunch of sage in our faces.
The funny thing is, we had just finished a conversation about how no one we know smokes anymore and how great the new, super-strict smoking ban in Calabasas is.
So, we couldn't help but laugh at Juliano's stop at our table, even though we'd managed to not laugh the three other times he came by, shirt buttoned in only ONE place, pants AND button-up boxers not buttoned AT ALL. *giggle* I guess you can do that sort of thing when your name's on the restaurant. *heeeeee*
Okay, so this was the day of dates with couples, really. Even though I started off with JLD and the Chandler Hall (yes, my name was misspelled in the credits) world premiere (oh, and the screening of a very clever, fun, outstanding short called Apocalypse Oz), it was the fun time before and after the screening, hanging out at his pad with the lovely costar/girlfriend Shanna that was the most delightful. (And OMG how precious is their dog Theodore? So precious!) After that, I caught up with Shon and Jodi in another of our famous "we didn't plan it but it worked out" moments. And, wow! Was Juliano's YUMMY!!!! I could eat RAW forever! Y'know, if it didn't cost so freakin' much. Wow. Good thing for that tax refund, eh Shodi?
Our shared menu:
PUMPKIN TORTELLINI $9.24 Pockets of cheese slightly warm & drizzled with oil & herb or marinara.
GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH $15.70 Thick pine nut cheese between flax and buck crackers w/ guacamole, tomato, & cilantro. Rich.
GREEN CURRY PASTA (THAI) $22.18 Zucchini and mango pasta mixed with an amazing thai nut curry cream topped with coconut noodles.
SUN BURGER BURRITO $12.47 Not as serious as the western bacon double but still quite intriguing… Salad, mustard, ketchup, mayo, pickles, meat, avo or wrapped in a collard green.
APPLE PIE $9.24 Spiced apples & vanilla cream.
CHOCOLATE PARFAIT $9.24 Will definitely do the trick.
BEST EVER CHEESE CAKE $9.24 Ask for the flavor of the day. (It was coconut today. Yum!)
Oh, and KiKi, you are famous in my real life. Shodi asked whether I'd be suggesting that you do a "new thing" and eat at Juliano's. *giggle*
PS--Is Rachel McAdams a cross between Eliza Dushku and Jennifer Garner or is it just me?
Posted by bonnie at 11:23 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 3, 2006
Interesting
Why is it, that when I have a desire to sleep I stay up all night, and when I need to stay awake (just for another 90 minutes, even), I am suddenly exhausted?
Weird.
Oh, and why do I have to stay up? Because Keith is SURE that Liz told him she was flying it at 8:35pm. Of course, she emailed me her itinerary, which says she's flying in at 8:35am. So, either:
a. Keith heard wrong and Liz will be waiting for him at the airport 12 hours earlier than Keith had planned to be there,
b. Keith didn't hear wrong and Liz doesn't realize she needs to be on an airplane in just under three hours,
c.
d. Keith didn't hear wrong and Liz has changed her flight since having emailed me the itinerary,
e. Keith didn't hear wrong but Liz has since figured it out and, in sending me her itinerary was hoping I'd make sure Keith had it right too,
f. or something else entirely.
I'm too exhausted to try and figure it out.
Point is, it is now my job to call Liz at 5:15am and make sure she's headed to the airport. And, if she has another 12 hours before she's due at the aiport, I get to hope she can fall asleep easier than Keith can, if he is ever woken up too early.
Happy birthday, my love. You get to sleep and I'm going to deal with this terribly typical Johnson family miscommunication, even though I really really really want to come to bed. You also get eleven new audition shirts. And a yummy cake. *giggle*
Posted by bonnie at 3:46 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
February 26, 2006
My Wish for You
Is that you will, at some time in your life, know the joy that is coming up on a movie theatre and seeing the title of a film you helped create "up in lights."
I also wish that you will see your book in the window at the biggest bookstore in Manhattan. And that you will sing, speak, and/or anything else you really love to do and be met with standing ovations, even flowers. If it's the kind of thing that gets you off, I also wish for you to be stopped in the street by fans asking for an autograph.
And I hope that, like me, you realize that all of these things are really cool while you're still young enough to enjoy them all--and you're not at all bitter about any of the road you walked (or people you encountered or risks you took or choices you made) to get those things to come true for you.
And if you've not had a dream come true for you yet in your life, get to it. From the greatness of 90210, remember what Val said to David on the cliff at the Santa Monica bluffs (yes, where we got married), "Either get busy living, or get busy dying."
I have some personal goals for the rest of age 35. My professional goals continue to be met, and bettered, and met again. I'm gonna work on me for a bit more right now. And that excites the hell out of me.
Two more things, before I sign off and get some sleep for a bit (jeebus I scared myself, thinking it was MONDAY 3am instead of SUNDAY 3am just then... phew! I still have a day! Phew! Okay, anyway):
1. Do you like great music? Do you like great music by British guys who write great witty blogs and help edit books about actors written by online friends on other continents? Yeah. Me too. Go listen to "Boathouse Row" and learn the greatness that is Cliff.
2. That was some way long blog entry I wrote a few days ago, no? Eesh! Anyone finish reading it yet? Keith said it was "too scary." Pff. Actors!
EDITED TO ADD: OMG! Have you seen this blog entry about a guy who lost out on a job b/c of his blog/hobby? OMG! That's a HOOT! And sad. Thanks for posting that, Chip. I find that just FUNNY! And sad. And FUNNY! Poor guy. *giggle*
Posted by bonnie at 2:50 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
February 14, 2006
Bleh
Woke up at 3am unable to swallow. My throat is on fire! Bleh.
Sent Keith to Toi to pick up some Tom Kha Kai, which was way yummy. Now I shall take some NyQuil and go back to bed. Cats are happy with that. Bleh.
Posted by bonnie at 12:44 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
January 21, 2006
Another Adventure in Cooking
Okay, so we bought corn meal for the gluten-free corn dogs we made the other day. Problem is, they don't sell corn meal in one-cup packages. Good news: there are recipes for other things made with corn meal RIGHT ON THE BOX. Who knew?!?
Last night: tamale pie with fresh guacamole! Yum! I'm soooo proud of myself (and Keith helped a BUNCH, of course, but he always cooks really well. Me? I burn water). Only one casualty: I burned the eff out of my right thumb/wrist joint area. Click "Continue reading" to see the recipe for both the tamale pie and the guacamole.
In other news: I have a new beverage obsession. Brace yourself, people. I'm drinking like four big glasses a day. Ready? MILK. Who'dathunkit?
Tamale Pie (adapted from the corn meal box, since I don't like all the stuffs they like)
FILLING
1.5 lbs. ground beef (or shredded chicken or whatever)
1 sm. onion, chopped (we used 1/2 a medium red onion, since Vidalia onions aren't around here)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
16 oz. gluten-free enchilada sauce
1 c. whole-kernel corn
1 tsp. salt
CRUST
2.25 c. yellow corn meal
2 c. water
12 fl. oz. evaporated milk
1 tsp. salt
4 oz. diced green chiles
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
3 oz. sliced jalapeños
PREP
FILLING: cook beef, onion, and garlic in large skillet until beef is browned; drain. Stir in enchilada sauce, corn, and salt (next time, I'll put the corn in the crust, not in the filling).
CRUST: preheat oven to 425F. Grease 12x8 baking dish (we used butter, since PAM is *not* gluten-free). Combine corn meal, water, evaporated milk, and salt in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chiles. Reserve 2 c. corn meal mixture; cover with plastic wrap. Spread remaining corn meal mixture on bottom and up sides of prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 min. Cool in dish on wire rack. Spoon beef filling into corn meal crust. Spread reserved corn meal mixture over beef filling. Bake for 20 min. Sprinkle with cheese. Turn off oven, but pop the dish back in the oven to melt the cheese. Garnish with jalapeños.
Bon's Guacamole
2 fresh avocados
juice of one lemon
.25 c. diced red onion
1 Tbs. sour cream
1 Tbs. prepared salsa
salt & pepper to taste
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch chili powder
1 oz. sliced jalapeños
Yum!
Seriously, this made so much food, I've had to freeze it for many meals to come! Hope it reheats from frozen well. It does reheat from refrigerated well.
Posted by bonnie at 8:22 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 20, 2006
Rant. Rave.
First the rant. I get the need for the whole word verification thing on blog comments. I really do. But for the love of all that is holy, shouldn't the word (read: the jumble of letters put together and somehow *called* a "word") be, oh, I don't know... readable?
WTF was that supposed to be? Believe me, I tried several things... none of 'em allowed me to comment.
Now the rave. I have a new favorite thing (man, lots of new favorites so far this year). Our Pavillions is selling a new brand of foods called "O Organics." Um... yum. We always have to go to stores not-so-convenient as the right-up-the-alley open-24-hours Pavillions when we're buying my gluten-free goodies (other than produce and basic meats and such). Forget buying any yummy snacks or processed things. Until now.
Okay, way way way yummy: "O Organics Cheese Curls" (white cheddar). Yeah. Good stuffs. Yum.
And with that, I'm to bed.
PS--Sis, want another casting job? I think I have one more for you.
Posted by bonnie at 2:01 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
January 17, 2006
Another Kitchen Adventure
We tried out the Gluten-Free Pantry recipe for mini-corndogs today.
Much more like a hot-pocket and less like a corndog, but still tasty. I think we'll create the "dough" again in the future and fill it with veggies and meats and cheeses and such. That might be the best use of it. Still... fun to use two things we didn't own until this weekend: rolling pin and cookie cutter.
3:06pm addition: Could it be bad for an eight-pound kitten to eat a quarter of an uncooked hotdog? It sure was fun watching her drag it out from the kitchen, pouncing on it and playing with it as she took bites from it, while it rolled about on the area rug. I swear, she'd be a GREAT barn cat.
Posted by bonnie at 1:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 14, 2006
Opposite of Grace
What's the opposite of grace?
I put spiritual grace above most things. I like to endure hardships (if I must) with grace and an open heart. So why is it that, physically, I am the opposite of grace-filled?
My body has been taking a beating so far in this short year. A couple of weeks ago, I slammed into a railing in the courtyard, putting an enormous, deep, long-lasting bruise on my upper arm. Last night, I not only arrived late for the screening (something that already had me unhappy, seeing as being late is about the rudest thing I can think of), but I slammed my wrist into a column on the wall. Hard. Talk about making an entrance!
So, I'm already feeling self-conscious and too fat to go out in public among the cute Hollywood people and I arrive late and make everyone in the room look at me as soon as I walk in, by hitting the wall so hard. Fine. Breathe. Enjoy the movie. Love the performances. Soak in the happy feelings of having put together another amazing cast. So, the movie's over and I walk out of our row and into the aisle. I'm hugging a couple of the actors, thanking them for making me look good, and then I step back to introduce Keith. As I step back, my heel goes off the step and down I go, backwards, all the way down the stairs and flat on my ass, then shoulder, then head. I land and squeal, "Wheeee!" It's the only thing I could think of.
Now, my mom had what she called an "embarrassment karma" issue. She would muster up all of the courage it took to go out in public and then find a way to embarrass herself once there. I thought about that, as I remained on the floor, gathering up the shards of my pride before attempting to stand again. Ugh. Nothing so humiliating as an ego smackdown.
But I'm human, and accidents happen, and I moved forward with grace (I hope) to make up for the lack of grace I have, physically.
But I'm left thinking about Mom and her issues. I'm left wondering why I'm beating myself up so much right now and whether I'm simply externalizing the self-loathing that exists within or I'm attempting to break myself down to slow the progress I'm facing on other levels. Like maybe I don't deserve my career success? Or the amazing relationships I've developed? What on Earth could this be about?
Hell, maybe I'm just a klutz. But I like to look at life a little more deeply than that. Blame Charlsie. Mom could analyze a freckle on a flea. *sigh* I don't know. I'm conflicted. And I'm dressing in bubble wrap from here on out.
Posted by bonnie at 7:59 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
January 7, 2006
Thank Gawd!
Twelve hours ago, it was 88 degrees with 10% humidity. Now, 58 degrees with 44% humidity. Now, I can clean up after all of the nosebleeds and finally get some work done.
Phew! Biggest thank gawd comes from having avoided migraine hell. Man, that's impressive.
Posted by bonnie at 3:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 4, 2006
Adventures in Kitchening
Okay, so I braved the kitchen, filled with bowls and knives and things and emerged victorious.
My Pasta Mexicana with Salsa was way yummy, though I'll cut the jicama and cucumbers smaller next time (I think Keith may have miscommunicated "julienned" to me). Recipe is below, if you want the details.
Tonight, I made Stuffed Spinach Pesto. Way yummy. I realized, upon making it as described below, that it looked a lot like tabouleh, so I added a couple more of my own favorite things (tomato, cucumber, balsamic vinaigrette) and ate it with corn chips.
Keith says that's a sure sign I'm becoming more confident in the kitchen: modifying recipes. I did that with my artichoke spinach dip for Christmas too. Hmm. Maybe so. I'll still make him do things that involve appliances.
I'm now enjoying another goodie prescribed by the Living in the Raw book: ginger lemon water. Yum!
Reggie Bush can fly, yo.
Oh, and my next entry will be #1000 at the ol' SpyNotebook. I hope it is worthy.
Pasta Mexicana with Salsa
1-1/2 C. tomatoes, diced
1 C. fresh corn
1 C. cucumbers, julienned
1 C. jicama, julienned
1 med. avocado, thinly sliced crosswise
1 C. salsa (recipe below)
1 T. virgin olive oil
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. chili powder
dash of cayenne
1/4 C. cilantro, minced
Combine tomatoes, corn, cucumber, jicama, and avocado in a medium bowl. Add salsa, oil, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and a dash of cayenne. Mix well, then pour over vegetables. Add cilantro and toss gentley to distribute vegetables evenly.
Salsa
3/4 C. tomatoes, chopped
1/4 C. red bell peppers, minced
1/4 C. yellow bell peppers, minced
1/4 C. red onion, minced
1-1/2 T. cilantro, minced
1-1/2 T. virgin olive oil
2 t. chili powder
1 clove garlic, pressed
dash cayenne
Combine the tomatoes, peppers, onion, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Stir in olive oil, chili powder, garlic, and cayenne.
Stuffed Spinach Pesto
2 C. spinach
1/2 C. sunflower seeds, soaked six to eight hours and rinsed
2 ears corn, removed from cob
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1/4 t. salt
In a food processor with the "s" blade, pulse chop spinach and sunflower seeds. Mix in corn, red bell pepper, garlic, and salt.
Posted by bonnie at 8:44 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 16, 2005
Synchronicity
There is something so beautiful about the way life works sometimes.
We make a casting decision late today on Still of the Night and I call the actor's agent. The voicemail has already been switched on, indicating the agency (one of the biggies) is closed until 4 January 2006. I don't HAVE to have this guy's contract locked today, but I sure as hell need him to know the offer has been made, get at least a verbal yes, and move forward in good faith with letting the non-cast actors' representatives know status.
I go to IMDB-Pro to look up this actor's manager info. Nope. Wrong info. Call the management company, whose employees have never heard of him... obviously outdated info. Fine. Call the attorney of record (for no reason other than to be SURE that someone, somewhere knows an offer is coming over). Leave a message with assistant.
Exhale. This may be as far as I can get with this deal this year.
Couple of hours later, phone rings... it's the attorney. I give him all of the info about the project, he says he'll do his best to get the info to his client, just so that we can know if he's even going to be available to do it (he's a series regular on a hot new show right now), we joke about how we're still busy at work at dark on the day when everyone in Hollywood left town at noon for the rest of the year. Hee hee, ho ho, good convo. Six minutes, tops.
One of the things he says, at the end of the conversation, is that he's very well-versed (surprisingly) in indie film deals, seeing as he reps a few producers and has built more than a few distribution deals, writer packaging, blah blah blah, and maybe we should get to know each other better.
Yes.
Let's do that. I tell him I'm just about to hit my three-year mark with casting, the next film I've got on my plate is a $2M feature film that I'm just really excited about, I'm movin' on up, yada yada, and it might be a good time for me to take a meeting at this level.
Why NOT have someone who is PAID (commission) to read scripts and negotiate my casting deals for me? Why NOT?!?
I'm sooooo in.
Oh, and a footnote... the owner of the big-deal agency that had been closed a few hours earlier just called me on his cell to give me a verbal yes on the deal, let me know how much his client loved auditioning for me and specifically for this project, and that we'll do the paperwork in the new year, "Tell Gary Marsh that I love him when you have dinner with him next week," and so on.
Life... she is goooooooooooooooood.
AND--Keith is on his way home with well-reviewed gluten-free pizza crust so that I can have something I've been craving (but finding unsatisfactory) for the year I've been gluten-free. Yippee! I just LOVE it when it all comes together! Thanks, universe! You rock!
Posted by bonnie at 5:59 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 8, 2005
Can't Sleep
That's what I get for commenting on how soundly I've been sleeping since going on the thyroid supplements.
| Your Birthdate: July 11 |
 You're very sensitive to what's going on around you, yet you remain calm. Although you are brilliant, it may take you a while to find your niche. Your creativity is supreme, but it sometimes makes it hard for you to get things done. Your strength: Your inner peace Your weakness: You get stuck in the clouds Your power color: Emerald Your power symbol: Leaf Your power month: November |
Now I'm all up... and buzzy. Good thing I have a bunch of casting stuff to do. Damn the shiny object that is the quiz (this one, from Ames, who is having a really great week already)!
Posted by bonnie at 3:05 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 7, 2005
I Do Not Recommend...
Rufies.
From WiKi:
Flunitrazepam use causes several adverse effects in the user, including drowsiness, dizziness, loss of motor control, lack of coordination, slurred speech, confusion, and gastrointestinal disturbances, lasting 12 or more hours. Flunitrazepam impairs cognitive and psychomotor functions affecting reaction time and driving skill. The use of this drug in combination with alcohol is a particular concern as both substances potentiate each other's toxicity.Seems the bartender thought he was thanking me (or maybe Keith) for the big tip on our night's tab by "buying my last drink" and slipping Rufies into it.
I've been drunk before (of course) and I know what that is like. I remember NOTHING that happened after the first few sips of that drink. Not. A. Thing. And apparently the night went on long, long, long after that and I scared Keith. Quite a bit.
Today, after hearing all about the night from Keith (and hearing *his* theory, that I had been slipped something by the bartender--I would never have thought of that), not ONE little glimmer of recollection happened. Nothing seemed familiar. Total, total, total blackout. And bizarre behavior. Very bizarre. And then after a day of (some) rest... vomit. Of course, there was nothing to throw up... just water... and then blood. Lots of blood. Some from a severe nosebleed, some from my insides elsewhere.
Gotta tell ya, I don't understand how this stuff is considered recreational by ANYONE. It's scary, evil shit and I am NOT thrilled with the guy who thought it would be funny to put me through this.
Posted by bonnie at 6:27 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
October 30, 2005
My Liver!
Was it a Beavis and Butthead line? God, what a random memory. I don't even think I ever watched more than five minutes of that show, when it was on, but I seem to recall a faked accident and one of the guys clutching his chest, yelling, "My liver! My liver!" The other guy whispered, "Lower!" And he either--can't recall which--dropped his hand to his crotch and said, "My liver! My liver!" or lowered his voice and said it. Hm.
Either way...
I've started a liver cleanse. Have to do that before taking anything for my thyroid. Ugh. I had a few panic attacks, just going over it all. So much stress about mysterious issues of the bod. Very very very odd. Anyway, I'll keep y'all posted. Wish me luck.
While googling for that first image, I found this one, immediately above. It got me to thinking... how common is this practice of cutting out faces of exes in photos? I've never done it. I've never even torn a photo in half for drama. So odd to want to trash the photo to... what? Feel better? Perform a ritual, removing the person from your life more literally? Show the world you're more narcissistic than sentimental? What?
And finally, a quiz. Can YOU tell your programming language creators from your serial killers? Hee! Fun.
Posted by bonnie at 1:44 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 29, 2005
Hypothyroid?
Yeah. I think so. Sure explains a lot.
A. Lot. Hm.
Posted by bonnie at 3:37 PM | Comments (0)