March 20, 2009

Charger Plate

Okay, so the first time I ever heard the words "charger plate" was somewhere in the neighborhood of November 2008 when Fawnda was rambling about her woodland creature napkin holders and other stuffs she'd bought from the Pottery Barn for Thanksgiving dinner.

So, tonight, Keith and I are out for a wonderful date at a favorite place and it's nice and quiet as non-trendy places that serve amazing food should be on a hot Friday night.

Well, around 8:30pm, the hostess lady came around and started picking up all of the salad forks from the unoccupied tables. She placed them on a silver platter covered with cloth napkins. It was a very formal experience.

Around 8:45pm, the hostess lady came back around and started picking up all of the charger plates (hence the whole conversation about WTF a charger plate is and why it's necessary and whether we're out of the loop for not needing nor caring whether we ever have such a thing under any plate--or removed before the introduction of our plate--at any time).

And around 9pm, the hostess lady came back through and out went all of the wine glasses.

Huh?

So is the rate of theft of extraneous silverware, charger plates, and wine glasses exponentially higher as we reach 9pm on a Friday in Santa Monica?

Does the likelihood that anyone will order a meal requiring a salad fork or wine glass plummet after 9pm? (Does it matter that the restaurant is open 24/7?)

And that charger plate. Do we just--as a society--require less-formal arrival conditions in fancy restaurants at a certain hour?

(Seeing as I have never had an interest in--nor knowledge of--a charger plate prior to five months ago, I guess that whole last part is lost on me. But I thank the Wiki for schooling me a bit.)

So, huh?

I really kinda wanted to ax the hostess lady about it, but was too much in love with my dinner. And my hubs.

Holy crap.

Sometimes there is nothing a bottle of Ferrari-Carano, kisses from the beloved, a lobster tail, a slab o' meat, and a big-ass potato can't fix.

(Note: Nothing needed fixing. I had another sentence there, but it ended in a preposition. And I blog so infrequently now that I figure I might as well be more grammatically correct. Hence my use of "ax" for "ask.")

What?

This is why I don't blog much anymore. Twitter better. Shorter. Ahh...

Posted by bonnie at 10:28 PM | Comments (2)

October 30, 2008

I am SO excited!

I know! I must be! If I'm blogging instead of Twittering or Facebooking about it, I must be really excited. :)

So, what's the excitement about?

1. FINALLY received my vote-by-mail ballot (and JUST in time for the deadline too) after Keith requested both online and received his the next day... like two weeks ago. I was so pissed. Like, "I'm the one who didn't want to wait in line and have to make nice with crazy neighbor lady who volunteers for ALL SHIFTS in EVERY ELECTION--bless her heart for doing that. I think that rocks and it's the kind of thing I would like to do. But she's effin' crazy and making nice with her is VERY tedious when the lines are long and we're around each other for longer than a, 'Good morning' in passing--and YOU'RE the one who gets your ballot and mine is nowhere to be seen?" Dude! So not cool. But now it's here and I can vote tonight when we get back from dinner and mail it in the morning and be done with it all. Now... does that mean the ads will stop?

2. Fun dinner tonight at favorite place with super-cool people and I'm really in need of a little play time. Haven't had much of that that hasn't been actual WORK masquerading as play time lately. Woo!

3. Super-dang-cool proposition that I got yesterday about an opportunity for some showcasers has come together and it actually is happening tomorrow and I'm just really, really pleased at the "residual effects" of having decided to produce a showcase a couple of years ago. More later. Wee bit superstitious on the "big stuff" as I'm sure any actors reading this know all about. ;)

4. Amazing phone meeting this morning with a producer on two films I'm casting starting next month. Revised deal memo in his hot little hands. Should start work tomorrow, technically. On contract for several months. LOVE IT!

5. Last week's amazing phone meeting with two producers on another film I'm *hopefully* casting had its follow-up phone meeting (scheduled for 10/28) postponed 'til next week, but I'm still optimistic. It's a great script, so hopefully it will come together. And if not, no biggie, because...

6. Last week's spoken word series attendance yielded a huge chunk of news from a favorite filmmaker whose next script I was always going to be casting (but we were looking at mid-to-late 2009 to start, last time we talked). Now it looks like I'll start work on THIS one before the year ends and I have to say, as much as I like making new relationships with new filmmakers and producers, there's something really wonderful about working with people who've hired me before. We have shorthand. And there's no negotiating on the deal memo. It's just DONE. They know I'm worth it. ;)

7. I've lost 45 pounds this year, plus 6" from my waist. This isn't "news" but it's the kind of thing people LOVE to read about for some reason, so there it is. :) Still have more to do, but DAMN it feels good to have done such good work over such a long stretch of time--so consistently--and have folks say, when they see me now, "Damn, girl! Where did you GO?!" while looking at my ass. ;) Or what's left of it. ;)

8. Had a great time speaking at UC Irvine yesterday. I seriously love getting paid to go speak to actors and it's happened more times in the month of October than in any previous month this year. I'm REALLY liking this trend and hoping to head out of town to do more and more of it. :) There, I've put it out there. Let's make it so!

9. The book is now accurately-depicted on Amazon.com... AND it's in the hands of the Yale Drama Department, thanks to a showcaser who bought (discounted--of course) copies for the grad division and the library! Wow! That's badass. THANK YOU! (Bonus that he's one of my all-time favorite actors and I'm so happy he's showcasing with us, as I'm such a fan of his work!) Will spend the bulk of the days after the showcase packaging and mailing a few hundred copies out to other schools, plus to all of the contributors and proofers who aren't based in LA (or who couldn't make it to our little "thank you" party last week).

10. Showcase is next week and RSVPs are coming in steadily, though lighter than last time out. Eh... it's election season. I have a very good feeling that everyone will be READY for a party, come Wednesday and Thursday. And we're gonna throw 'em one. With HILARIOUS original scenes and brilliantly talented actors directed by one of the most gifted men I know. Can't wait! (Hope you'll join us! Free everything!! :) Just the way we like it.)

And that's it. I love my life, I love my husband, I love my kitties, I love where I live, I love what I KNOW is going to happen next week, and I love love love that I'm just moments away from a frosty margarita and side-splitting laughter that will last for hours I'm sure. See y'all later! :)

Posted by bonnie at 6:16 PM | Comments (0)

September 14, 2008

I don't care about your politics.

Seriously.

Stop subjecting me to it.

Let me clarify.

Stop subjecting me to it in places I don't expect to find it, places I don't visit to find it. If you're politically passionate and I know that about you, I'm probably not visiting your blog (or MySpace page or Twitter stream or whatever) right now because I really just don't give a shit how you feel about anything political and since that's all you can seem to talk about right now, I'll just avoid places where that's gonna happen. No prob.

We can live in peace while you go on and on and on about the importance of whatever issue and I ignore your incessant ramblings. We'll reconnect when you've gotten it out of your system. Great.

But when you come in to my email world and blast me with "sign this petition" and "forward this email" and "raise money for this cause" and "boycott this product" and on and on and on, I am seriously ready to warn you: I've reached a breaking point and am considering doing bodily harm to you. Or at least making a voodoo doll of you and poking it. A lot.

BONUS: When you blast these emails to everyone in your address book and don't bother to BCC the list. This means that every flippin' one of the sometimes 1000+ people you've emailed all at once now has 1000+ new email addresses in front of 'em, and while I'm sure your friends are all very nice people, I get enough fucking email every day as it is. I do NOT want some fuckwit in Wisconsin hitting "reply to all" on your gawtdam email about your political passion, continuing the debate "in public."

Look, I don't mind debates.
I don't mind passionate people.
And if I see you in person and we want to talk politics, you bet, I'll have at it.

But I never provided my email address to anyone (not a family member, not a friend, not a co-worker, not an actor, not ANYONE) in order to receive BLASTS about how YOU FEEL about politics. Nope. Didn't sign up for it. I'm opting out of all your bullshit emails. All of them. Yep. You send me bullcrap about your political agenda--even if I agree with it 100%--and you're done sending me email. Period. New mail rule: Straight to trash, unread.

I can avoid blogs and MySpace pages and Twitter streams when I don't want to be subjected to political whatnot. But when you come into MY SPACE and blast your agenda, uninvited, it's the same thing as if you called me on the phone and read from a script about the damn issue. I'd hang up on you and block your number. So, I'm doing that online now.

I remember thinking others should absolutely care about my political opinions. The very first election in which I was old enough to vote, I got so involved that I wrote up a 14-page bullet-point list of why I was voting the way I was voting and actually sent it to my "other party" best friend and to my "other party" cousin. I thought it was awesome that I was so passionate and informed and involved at such a young age. And shouldn't they want to see that?

Nope. I'm surprised they bothered to speak with me after that.

Look, wear your campaign button. Put your campaign bumper sticker on your car. Put your campaign sign up in your front yard. Go to rallies where you can gather with others who want to yell and stand together and debate and cheer and whatever else. And when I want to do those things, I will do them too.

YES, I am very, very, very passionate about issues I feel strongly about and YES, I am very, very, very opinionated about how I'm gonna vote and why.

Here's the difference between me and all of these simps who keep blasting the emails: I don't give a CRAP how you vote or how you feel about the issues that are important to you. Now, let me qualify that.

I absolutely, sometimes, give a very big crap about how you feel and will engage you in conversation about that when so inspired. I may even visit your blog or MySpace page or Twitter stream now and then--when I'm in the mood to consume such stuff--to see how you're feeling about any one particular political issue.

But I'm not likely to engage in debate with you unless we're out together in person, sipping cocktails and having an intelligent, inspired, passionate conversation about our positions.

I do not log in to my email accounts to read a BLAST of your opinions. I don't fucking care. I didn't sign up for your "opinion emails." And I'm certainly not going to change my political views just because you're obsessed with blasting me about yours.

Just like none of the 50,000 weekly readers of my column visit to find out what I think about the upcoming elections (and duh, could you possibly know me and have read anything I've ever written ever and not figure my political leanings out? Duh), I didn't share my email address with you so that you could cram your political opinions down my throat.

I don't care about your politics.

One person actually asked me what extreme thing (from a list of things) she should do in the name of raising funds for her favorite issue.

My response?

"I'll donate money to your cause if you promise to shut the fuck up about it forever and ever."

That's more extreme than any tattoo-getting, head-shaving, or Peace Corps-joining any day.

(And I know it's futile to rant about how forward people want to be about sharing their political opinions. They're gonna keep doing it. They can't help it. And it's their right to do so. But dammit, now I have a link to send the assholes who think I invited their bullshit into my inbox, the next time it happens. Which I anticipate to be any minute now. The stream is endless, it seems. *sigh* So, you got an email from me in reply to an issue-laden email blast I never signed up for in which there was a link to this blog post? Great. Now you know. I'll never see any of your emails again. The "straight to trash" rule has been applied to your email address. Congrats!)

Posted by bonnie at 12:17 PM | Comments (4)

August 21, 2008

Long Overdue Long Update

Phew! Okay, so.

I have been working on the edits for the 3rd edition of Self-Management for Actors since August began. I got my first seven chapters to proofers on August 4th. The book has 46 chapters. I continued to get chapters to my awesome proofers daily through the 15th and had all of their feedback by the 18th.

I've been entering changes and trying to cut content (the book was originally going to be 368 pages but looked like it would be 630+ pages as of the 15th) since then and--today--the 520-page *near-final* manuscript was FedExed to the final team of proofers who do the cover-to-cover read and get notes to me by the 29th.

And then this lovely book hits the printer on September 1st. And will be in stores everywhere by Thanksgiving (if not sooner).

Our international distributor tells us we've already sold 800 copies. Yay! But also: Oops. The book is now 150 pages longer than originally listed (and it's now also eight bucks more per book). Wow.

It was the last couple of days that were the most intense. I woke up at 6am Wednesday and said, "Today is the day I call failure on my SMFA3 goals." I just knew there was no way I would have everything ready in time. No way. But when I went to bed at 5am Thursday, I had logged in 22 hours of work on the book, 45 minutes nap time, and 10 minutes on Wii Fit.

I slept for four hours this morning and then finished up everything to have Keith take the manuscript to Kinko's to copy and then FedEx out. I was back in bed at 4pm and up at 7pm. So, my sleep patterns are wonky (and the heat works well with that... bleh) and now I'm feeling all buzzed and antsy. I've found that opening three weeks' worth of mail and paying a few bills has helped calm me down. Soon, I will listen to at least a week's worth of voicemails, as I've not even had the phone volume UP for at least that long. Book mode is serious focus, y'all.

In other news, the breakdown for the November 2008 Cricket Feet Showcase went out on Monday. Submission deadline is the 25th. Auditions will be held on September 8th. I'm so looking forward to meeting our new cast!! And to working with Chil and Eitan and Tamika and Keith again, as always.

I can't believe what a great couple of years it's been, doing this showcase. Just awesome.

I'm being interviewed by Spun Gold TV next week. This will mark my third televised UK interview in 18 months. First was for BBC Breakfast. Second was for UTV in Ireland. This is another London-based outfit and they're sending an actor to Hollywood and following her as she meets with people. Apparently, it is now known in the UK that I give good, "cheeky" TV in a very fun, biz-savvy manner. Cool. That'll help when we're ready to take the roadshow abroad.

News on that: We're going to try and do some LA-adjacent tours and speaking engagements in the last two months of 2008, and then we'll head to other cities and states (and countries?) in 2009. Very much looking forward to this. Haven't been on the road in a long time.

Saturday is my 20th high school reunion. I will not be there. Two main reasons: 1. August. 2. Atlanta.

I mean, c'mon! October, I could do. But Atlanta in August? Dunwoody Country Club in August? In formalwear? Really? Nah. I'll have more fun hearing the stories, I'm sure.

Let's see... what else?

The four-week class I was supposed to teach at the Hayworth got pushed to November.

I've lost 40 pounds since Christmas. (And five inches off my waist, thankyouverymuch.)

I get to hang out with the director of Another Harvest Moon next week and catch up on all the tales from the set and plans from here.

I can only imagine the tales will be outstanding (the ones I've already heard are hilarious and touching and inspiring).

And that the plans for this film are... big. I got chills looking through the photos at the website just now. Dear GAWD, this film is going to be amazing.

I still need to read a script that's been sent to me for a casting bid. It's a $2M thriller and looks good from quick skim of a couple of pages. (Honestly, I've been so busy with the book, there's been no time to do other stuff.)

I've learned I'm really good at compartmentalizing. (I mean, I knew that already, but it's become VERY clear with all of this work on the book this month.) When I go into book mode, I'm a machine. It has been nearly three years since I've had this experience, but it really is like riding a bike. It all comes back to you and hopefully you've given yourself enough empty road to not bump into anything at first.

As with the 2nd edition, I have both the HUGE worry that I've messed up whatever was good about the book by making changes to it AND the certainty that it might possibly be the best book for actors ever written.

This "sure you suck" and "sure you rock" simultaneous opinion is pretty tough to maintain, but somehow I find a way. ;)

Okay. Not sure what's next. So much got set aside in the past three weeks that I just need to start on something... but I also need to just CHILL. Perhaps I'll play computer solitaire for about five hours straight. That'll be fun. And maybe a walk to the beach when Keith gets home, just to remember what that's like. Oooh! Or a midnight trip to the gym. A good sweat in an over-air-conditioned facility might feel REALLY good right about now.

Or maybe I need to just sit here for a minute. :) Just be.

OH!!!!! HUGE thanks to the actor who sent me free passes to the Magic Castle (I've never been!!) and also to the actor who sent me half-off passes to Glen Ivy Hot Springs (I've definitely been!!) as encouragement for working so hard on the book. :) I love you guys. Also love my friends who made me take playdate breaks once a week or so while all of this was going on.

Man, I've got it so damn good it's just ridiculous.

I hope you can say the same, everyone. I've missed keeping up with you all. Catch me up! What's going on in your world?

XO

Posted by bonnie at 10:46 PM | Comments (7)

August 7, 2008

Two Things

Taking a very quick (2/3 of the day's work done) break from edits on SMFA3 to post two things.

One, I've found if I approach my writing/editing work with the same mindset I approach Wii Fit and iTunes playlists, I get a LOT done. I look at a master list of tasks and see where I'm under-performing and start there, build up, beat my last score, play what's not been played enough, and then go back to the master list to see what needs to be done next. Only when I've gotten two hard things done am I given a treat of an easy thing.

(No, that does not mean that I only value success unless it's part of a struggle, like I wrote about in this week's column. Although, I appreciate your concern. ;) Believe me, I'm much healthier now. In many ways.)

It's just an interesting pattern of my process. I tackle the hard stuff. Hit it hard. Work it over. Get it looking manageable. And then I get to PLAY with an easy one, with one I'm good at, with one I OWN. ;)

(Keith mentioned last night that it makes him sad to see me get frustrated when something doesn't work the way my brain thinks it should. For instance, we were playing this ridiculous bull-run game on Wii and the way you have to turn the controller in order to steer your... well, steer... is just beyond the way my brain can comprehend moving a game controller. I am sooo Atari 2600 generation, y'all. Anyway, I told him not to be too sad, seeing that, as it's my DRIVE. It's the same way I learned to play the piano as a child. I'd mess up my fingering, slam my fists on the keys, and then take a breath and start again until I got it exactly right. Which I always, eventually, would. Same approach, decades later. I don't mind it.)

ANYWAY...

So, I'm enjoying seeing the similarity in the way I approach my work-work *and* my play-work, as well as my workouts. Very interesting and revealing.

And, it would seem, efficient.

20 chapters in the hands of proofers already (and the first ones only went over on Monday). I am right on schedule with this book (assuming no days off between now and the 15th, when the last three chapters go to the proofer patrol and I begin entering changes based on their feedback).

Woo!

(Oh, and the bull-run game left me in a pool of TEARS from laughing so hard, last night. It really is silly and fun and stupid and hilarious. Especially when I body-check Keith's bull with my bull's butt.)

Okay, so now for the second thing.

HOW CUTE ARE WE?!?

This is me with Rockstar Intern Julie at Showcaser Karaoke on July 27th. CLEARLY, we are up to something and someone doesn't want us caught at it. (But Kimberly caught us anyway. She's good like that.)

HOWL!

This photo just says SO MUCH and I love it all! :)

Okay, back to work!

Posted by bonnie at 4:17 PM | Comments (1)

July 18, 2008

Catching Up

I keep feeling like I'm trying to catch up.

On so much.

Not in the hectic, running, omigod I'm crazy kind of way. Just in that, "Wow! There is a LOT going on and I keep NOT blogging about it," kind of way. I blame Twitter.

Today is the day I officially dove into production on the third edition of Self-Management for Actors. I have six weeks to work on it, then it's off to the printer just after Labor Day in order to hit stores and Amazon.com in October (on schedule. Well... on NEW schedule. Already blew the first deadline, as y'all may recall). Bless my Proofer Patrol!

I'm really excited about this new edition and all of the fabulous new essays contributed from working actors, demo reel editors, managers, agents, fellow casting directors, directors, and producers. It's gonna be awesome. That whole new section on "Advanced SMFA" is going to rock. Just have to get the dang thing written! ;) Okay, so I'm on it.

Also changing my daily schedule quite a bit by adding so much Wii Fit to the day. It's wonderful. I love it. I'm so sore in so many great places and I just feel amazing. I'll share "results" in a week or so, but I can already tell this is a great idea. ;) I'm not saying midnight visits to the gym don't work, but I'm a heck of a lot more motivated to sweat with these challenges than with the silly machines at the gym.

Gonna play with the July showcasers this weekend and next. I love this group! They're so warm and passionate and wonderful. :) All showcase alumni are welcome, but both weekends' events are probably going to be most heavily populated by the most recent showcasers. That's always the way. ;)

I'll be hosting an event for the SAG Foundation with Minnie Driver and Jeremy Renner next week. That should be fun. Also taking meetings with some "corporate future planner type people" next week regarding the next couple of years in the Cricket Feet, Inc., gameplan. Probably not going to cast something I thought I would like to cast (because I'd simply rather not. Weird), and I'm happy for the time to devote to the book.

No spa vacation next week as planned. Used half the spa money for the Wii Fit/Wii bundle and general life stuff. (No. Not a new iPhone. Nancy is doing just fine, thank you).

I'm sleepy.

This has been a boring blog entry. It's summertime. What can I say?

Posted by bonnie at 7:25 PM | Comments (0)

April 22, 2008

Welcome to my world.

Occasionally (okay, I'll be honest: FREQUENTLY) Keith has to stop me from writing any given week's column about the ridiculousity that is my collective inbox.

Y'see, I cast these cool indie films. And, while I get that most casting directors do the "very inaccessible" thing, it's because I *also* happen to produce showcases and write the aforementioned columns, plus the books, and do the speaking engagements that I pretty much cannot be inaccessible. My *other* jobs rely on knowing what's going on with actors, being reachable, being *gulp* willing to read such stuffs.

So, tonight, while enjoying a glass of wine and wondering if I did the world a disservice by cleaning up the atrocious spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors in this week's column's email, I toodled upon this post, by a fella whose book is being cast as a movie these days (Go, Joseph Middleton, with your bad-ass self! And congrats to the writer!), and my eyes glazed over, much in the way they do DAILY at several given points.

And then I realized, it wouldn't matter if I were to write a column about this sort of email. I'll continue to get dozens of them a day. DOZENS. Among the hundreds of emails I get per day--many of which are just fine and dandy, and some of which I actually find time to answer--there are these emails that make me wonder why I don't have unlisted contact information.

In fact, I spoke with a manager today who was pitching three actors on one of the films I'm casting and she said, "I think I called your cell first."

When I told her, "I don't have a cell," she was SHOCKED.

"I have an iPhone, but I don't have the phone set up. I use it for email," I told her.

"What?!?" she asked. "What if someone needs you?!?"

"Someone always needs me," I replied. "And I check email hourly, so if they really need me--and I believe them--I'll call them back after I see their email about the emergency. But the problem is, everyone thinks their BS is an emergency. And have you seen how many projects I'm working on? Do you realize how many producers, directors, writers, agents, managers, publicists, and actors are certain that they have an emergency situation happening? Believe me. The ONLY way I get *any* down time--and I don't get a lot--is because I have no cell phone. The number you called was my husband's. Because 70% of the time, I'm with him. So if someone is SURE they need me, they have to weather the Keith to get to me. And that's about as good as my having no cell phone at all, frankly."

She laughed like crazy.

But, whether I had a cell phone or made my home phone unlisted or whatever, what would it matter? It's all gonna keep comin', no matter what I try to do to stop it.

So, when I want to write a column about the actors who call me, email me, fax me, FedEx me, anything me to try and find out "how to submit on my projects" when I FLIPPIN' PUT THE DAMN THINGS OUT ON ACTORS ACCESS, WHERE EVERYONE ON THE PLANET CAN SUBMIT, DUDE, I guess it's nice to have someone in my life who reminds me that THAT is not a column. It's a rant. It's, at best, a blog post.

Because--just like the idiot who takes up two parking spaces out in front of my house, when he could just as easily pull up two feet to allow another car to park behind him--there will always be people who JUST DON'T GET IT. And they wouldn't think you were giving THEM a tip, no matter how much you made it all about them, anyway.

*sigh*

(For what it's worth, I got about three sentences farther in to the post than Tucker Max did. I'm patient like that.)

Posted by bonnie at 11:21 PM | Comments (6)

January 18, 2008

Is It True?

Do we set out on a path for "who we are" in high school and determine our own fate when we're too young to even decide on a haircolor or an elective or a boyfriend and then that's just who we are?

I ask this both because this is the theme of one of the films I'm currently casting and because I recently reconnected with someone who totally remembered me from high school (who I, sadly, have to admit, I don't *really* remember, although she totally looks familiar to me) and she said, "I always knew you'd make it in Hollywood. But I really thought you'd be an actor."

And I remember an encounter with my high school best friend (after our ten-year reunion) in which he said every time he sees Julia Roberts on screen, he screams because he knows I could do it better if I would just get my shit together and do it.

(It's good that he said this, as it caused me to drop out of grad school and move to LA to give acting one more shot, at which point I became very sure acting was not my dream anymore, but dangit, wouldn't you know I'd grow up to become a writer and casting director of all things. Oh, and be really happy with all that.)

But my point in posting this is that I'm remembering this guy from high school. His name is Steve. In our senior yearbook (no, Alex, I'm not telling "that story" yet. Heh heh) he listed, in the "clubs and activities" section, one thing.

"420."

And at our ten-year reunion, in that little, "What have you been doing since graduation?" booklet (the one in which I wrote about traveling the world, going to grad school, working in the recording industry in Hollywood and in college radio in Athens, and having the Barbra-Streisand-turned-Oprah-Winfrey pipe dream), Steve wrote one thing.

"420."

So, we're coming up on our 20-year reunion. (And I say "we" knowing full well that I won't be going anywhere near Fulton County or North Springs High School in 2008 without having dropped a good 50 pounds and having scored a much better StarMeter ranking.)

Just wondering. What do you think Steve will say in his update this time around?

Are we THAT close to "who we will always be" in high school?

Posted by bonnie at 11:42 PM | Comments (9)

January 10, 2008

Random

So I'm watching the episode of Seinfeld in which James Spader comes 'round and gets all "step nine" on everyone, apologizing for the wrongs, as he works his 12-step program. And I'm reminded of a time a couple of years ago when someone (once) very close to me came 'round and got all "step nine" with me, apologizing for all sorts of things that I just thought were parts of our fractured relationship. Turns out he was an addict and I had no idea to what degree.

That was really meaningful. Still is. I didn't need an apology. I thought we had a pretty dang good relationship for the kids that we were. But it's nice to know the power of, "I know that I hurt you. And for that, I am sorry."

* * *

Next up... I joined the Twitter. Not sure I'm loving the straight-to-the-BonBlogs updates just yet, as a few of those in a row and my pretty, graphics-included blog posts are bumped off the main page, making the BonBlogs' landing pad not look so lovely. But does anyone visit the BonBlogs "proper" anymore? Is this all just read via RSS nowadays? So the Twittering is welcome?

Here's a cute Twitter-related graphic I found. Just goes to show that I'm generally a year or two behind everyone, on these tech trends. That makes me old, right? Remember when I used to be an early adopter? Damn late-30s.

* * *

Have I mentioned that I am totally overwhelmed and humbled by the resumés we've received from AMAZING directors for the 2008 Cricket Feet Showcase season? I mean, WOW.

* * *

I am feeling ridiculously self-righteous over how many "Common Errors in English Usage" in the page-a-day calendar I treated myself to for Christmas I "win" on. It's a movie premiere, idjits! Not a premier. The "t" in often is not pronounced. A character cannot be one-dimensional. Oh, lordy, this is going to be a fun year! (Until I hit that run of a few pages in which I'm proven wrong about something grammatical. That'll suck. Heh.)

* * *

I am currently wearing a shirt that will be thrown away the next time I take it off. I bought it in 1990 when I worked at the GAP and sold all of those cool T-shirts to Michael Stipe before the MTV VMAs in which he took one off for each trip to the mic to pick up an award. It will make me sad to lose this shirt. But c'mon... an 18-year-old shirt? Really?

* * *

I am officially a crotchety old woman. I actually emailed the local news channel to tell them their lady news anchor needs to take off the jangly, bangly bracelets she's wearing while flailing her arms about, delivering the news. Sorry, kids, that's Microphone 101. But the fact that I have now emailed this exact comment to two different local news channels within three weeks is... well... disturbing. I think I'm turning into--not my mother--my grandmother. She once called up the local Toyota dealership because their mascot dog was sitting on the hood of a car and said, "I wouldn't buy one of your cars with that mangy ol' dog's clawmarks all over the paintjob."

Next week, that dog (Mr. Toyota) was sitting on a MAT on the hood of that car.

Go, Cleo.

* * *

That is all.

Posted by bonnie at 11:22 PM | Comments (11)

November 17, 2007

A Story I've Never Told

No... this isn't the "how I almost didn't graduate from high school" story. That's comin'. Not today. ;)

This is the "why Con Air is one of my favorite movies" story.

I know I know... WTF, right? I mean, it's Con Air. It starred Nicholas Cage doing the worst southern accent ever and--of course--the future Mr. Bonnie Gillespie, AKA John Cusack, as a sandal-wearing federal marshal. And, well, it was just BAD, as movies go.

Okay, I grant you all of that. It was a total dick flick. BUT... I happened to go see this movie at the dollar cinema on Alps in Athens after having had, well, the most non-boy day ever.

See, I have a cousin who is a midwife. (By the way, if I should ever choose to have a child, the midwife thing is about the coolest thing EVER. And I now know this for a fact.) And for a few years between Tracy's life in the ATL and Tracy's life in Hawaii, there was Tracy's life in Athens. And that was some of my favorite time, as a grad student at UGA.

(PS--Go, DAWGS!)

Anyway, Tracy used to come home from work and talk about the various issues she faced as a midwife at county. The phrase: "It was an exploding vagina day" rings in my memory. Egad!

But, I learned a lot, listening to my health-care-giver family member. A friend I trusted (and continue to trust). Someone who is adjacent to coochies every day. I mean, damn. Right?

Okay, so something I had never experienced, being "an only child" (who wasn't really an only child, but who was born a full 16 and 18 years, respectively, after her *planned* male siblings), was the whole "sister having a baby" thing. I mean, sure, each of my sisters-in-law had babies, but I wasn't invited in for that show (and why would I be, not even being old enough to babysit said kids, right?).

So, when my cousin Tracy invited me to shadow her for a day's work at Athens Regional Medical Center, I figured, "What the Hell!"

I put on scrubs. I signed in. I waited for hours and hours and hours. And nothing happened. Nothing.

Tracy assured me that there would be babies. There would be emergencies. But it was like life... you couldn't really predict when and what.

So, I hung out. Got to know the other midwives (girly-boys and girls). Began to understand these people who spent years of schooling--at great expense--only to basically give their time away at county and go home at the end of the day, needing hooch and good friends like me on the porch (another-another story to come later) to toast them for their thankless life-saving or--at bare minimum--coochie-healing.

And then, after ten hours of hanging out (and as a gal who don' sleep much, that's never an issue), I was called to emergency--thrice--and there were three "may not make it" babies delivered in 50 minutes. And I was there for all of 'em. One didn't make it. One made it just fine. Another made it with special help. And I learned something from all of it.

There was the 17-year-old with her boyfriend and his family. Balloons. A party.
There was the Hindi woman who would only allow me to be there because I was "a female teacher" and that was sacred to her.
There was the 40-something woman whose 13th child would be born prematurely. And dead.

I got to see an episiotomy. An epidural. A natural childbirth.

I got to experience all of the sounds and smells of this world. And I still own the scrubs I wore.

But the point of this blog post is this: I left the hospital, after having experienced more estrogen in 50 minutes than I've probably felt course through me before or since, and felt the need to reboot.

Not to have a drink.
Not to get laid.
Not to meet my posse at the Engine Room and throw darts 'til dawn.

I needed more testosterone than I had ever experienced.

And Con Air was showing at the dollar movie.

So, I paid my buck, sat there amongst the frat boys and their dutiful girlfriends, and--in my scrubs--watched Con Air and decided it was one of the best movies I had ever seen.

And tonight, I watch it rerunning on some local channel--even with the "bad words" edited out--and I love it exactly the same.

It reminds me that there is such a thing as hormonal balance in life. And isn't it weird that I still value that? I mean, aren't I knockin' around at the expiration date on my ability to have chillens?

Eh, it makes me ever-grateful that I married a man who has a son. Therefore, I have a stepson. And that kid loves me like crazy and I'm thrilled that that is true. Yeah, even Quinn wants me to be knocked up when he comes to live with us in a couple of years (a seed I'm sure his dad planted in him, but whatevz), but I'm just so very happy that I appreciate the reproduction that happens because it's s'posed'ta.

If it's gonna, it will.

And I'll get to any of mine when/if the time is right. Put the bunny back, the bad-southern-accented boy said. ;) Ah, the irony!

And that's the story of one of my favorite movies ever.

I know. Right?

Posted by bonnie at 4:30 AM | Comments (5)

October 10, 2007

My Mom's Tooth

I remember my brother being ridiculed by my mother for having stolen a car and getting in a head-on collision when he was a teenager, messing up the work those braces had done.

(When your parents are Depression-era, you're constantly reminded that it cost a hell of a lot to do things like fix your teeth.)

Sure, Mom was happy he lived through the crash (and Daddy was more mad about the car), but she was absolutely certain, from then on, that his "bad teeth" had everything to do with having wrecked his face.

My brother assured the family that genetics are a strong thing and that all he had was exactly his version of "Mom's tooth" that juts out and turns, just for fun. Of course, Mom was certain that it was the fault of teenage recklessness and that alone--as further evidenced by the fact that I had braces and, therefore, did NOT have that jutted out tooth. The end. Car wreck = messed up teeth. No car wreck = perfect teeth. Thank you, braces.

So, tonight I'm looking in the mirror and I see this tooth. It is my mother's tooth. Absolutely, positively, 100% my mother's tooth... right there on the right side of my mouth.

And I wore my braces and didn't total a car and even wore my retainer as directed by the orthodontist, well into my late teens.

But. I know this about my mother: If she were still alive right now, she would look at my mouth and say that I didn't treasure the gift that was the orthodontic experience she provided--as a single parent strapped for cash, grateful for the subsidized lunch program that allowed me to eat at least one full meal each day (even though it was usually a sloppy joe or fish sticks or overdone greenbeans with a slab of ham)--and that I clearly wasn't wearing my retainer for as many years as that damn thing would fit me.

And then my brother would enjoy being right.

I and then--and only then--I would say to my mom, "Y'know, you're right. If I had worn my retainer more, my teeth would still be straight."

That's what siblings are all about. Then, now, and forever.

Posted by bonnie at 12:05 AM | Comments (1)

September 28, 2007

Friend Shui (or "Why I Disabled Messaging at MySpace")

Okay, so I love The MySpace. Love it. I was very late to the party, but haven't ever regretted showing up for it.

Benefits have included nearly tripling readership of my weekly column, reconnecting with some of my longest-lost friends, landing on the radar of international media outlets, and being able to communicate directly with actors who are up for projects I'm casting without always having to go through their people.

But.

I already get hundreds of emails per day. Hundreds. They. Never. Stop.

And MySpace messaging has spiraled out of control for this chica. About 65% of the messages I receive are from actors looking for advice I've already spelled out--in great detail--at my column. And since it seems that few (very, very few) people actually consult my FAQ before reaching out, I am forced to either ignore the bulk of the messages or answer in the form of sending someone to read my FAQ or columns.

Think I'm being ungrateful for the love? Absolutely not! I am not at all having any kind of problem with the fact that people want to ask for my advice. It's the... other stuff... that gets me less excited to log in at my MySpace account.

Examples.

Hey Bon,
I know we've never met. I desperately need an agent. Please watch my reel and tell me to whom you'll be recommending me. This is urgent.

Hi,
Can you look at the 200 proofs from my recent photo shoot and help me choose a headshot? I've read your series of articles on headshots and find the advice good but useless for my particular situation. I need your help one-on-one.

Help me join SAG. You're my only hope!

Yo,
You haven't answered my messages. What the hell is wrong with you? You act all accessible but clearly it's all just an image you're trying to project. I've sent you five messages in two days and you haven't gotten back to me. You suck. I'm reporting you to the BBB as a fraud. Your book sucks.

All 100% true-story messages (but with better grammar and spelling, because I can't flippin' bring myself to recreate some of the more mind-numbingly bizarre elements of these messages).

Point is... 65% of the messages I get range from wholly inappropriate to flat-out presumptuous and rude.

So, I learned how to disable messaging for non-friends at MySpace. (As Brendan knows, this was a banner day for me. Cut way, way, WAY down on the volume of stuff. Awesome.)

But that's only taking care of the majority of the messages. There's still another bunch of stuff coming in that I'd rather have come through... well... anywhere else. Like, via email at my column, via comments at my MySpace page, via comments at the BonBlogs, or via email at any of the various accounts I have set up to deal with things like showcase-related correspondence, casting stuff, speaking engagements, or books I've written.

Dang, y'all, I'm OPEN. I'm WAY accessible. Especially when you consider the sheer volume of stuff coming my way.

(Someone recently asked why I don't do speaking engagements at such-and-such facility. I was stunned. I'm like, "Uh... is it not enough that I'm at SAG once a week most weeks? That I'm somewhere out there speaking to groups of actors all over town--usually at places where actors needn't spend a penny to be there--already? You just need me to be at this particular place because it's your favorite? Uh... no. Not looking to add places to the itinerary. Thanks.")

So, I guess this is like the same thing, but in terms of ones and zeroes. Friend Shui. Optimizing the accessibility. Working smarter. (We've covered this before.)

Thank you thank you thank you for your understanding.

And for those who want to turn this into anything other than what it is, well, I guess I just have to start getting okay with being misunderstood sometimes. It's certainly not going to get easier as we continue in this direction.

*sigh*

There's a reason I say: If I had known how popular going into casting would make me, I would've done it in high school. But getting used to this level of sought-outtedness in my 30s is okay too. ;) Thanks, y'all. LYMI!!

Posted by bonnie at 6:43 AM | Comments (3)

September 26, 2007

Oh, how I love Thursday!

I know, I know... Thursday isn't here yet... but I already love it. Why?

Well, for one, it's the first day in a dozen or so in which I don't HAVE TO leave the house. Woo! Yay! Yippee!!

AND! As much as I love my rockstar intern Julie, she will not be helping out tomorrow, and that means I also have a totally bra-free day!!!!!!!!

Yay, Thursday! Yay!

(I know. Sometimes it is the little things. No I'm not saying my boobs are little. Dear gawd no. You get my point.)

Posted by bonnie at 11:12 PM | Comments (2)

September 25, 2007

I Don't Like:

Bad dreams.
The new DirecTV TiVo craptastic device.
People with no sense of personal boundaries.

I Do Like:

Compliments from people I respect and admire.
The contents of my iPod.
Making up words.

The end.

Oh... wait... and I am endlessly amused by the house on the 101. Endlessly.

NOW the end.

Posted by bonnie at 11:24 PM | Comments (1)

September 21, 2007

Rain Is Here

They've been talking about rain coming for days now. And it is here. Yay!

Click for Pier Cam

Funny thing about having cats and living in a place where it never rains. They aren't like my kick-ass kitty from back in Georgia was (that'd be Muffy, who lived to be 18, y'all--my longest long-term relationship, for damn sure). He would deal with the thunderstorms, flood warnings, even tornado watch alerts. Tough cookie. He was like, "Oh, yeah. That's that stuff. Pff."

These kitties... these, princess-delicate California kitties (even though two of 'em *did* live in the North Georgia Mountains for a year or so before moving here)... well, they're clinging to me like we're enduring "the end of days." They don't understand why the sky is different. The sounds are different. The smells are different.

So cute, these princesses.

To celebrate the end of this crazy week, I shall pour myself a lovely pomegranate martini. Thank you to my lovely casting helper from a couple of weeks ago, Andrea, who brought me this Pama Liqueur when she learned I couldn't have gluten (I think she was originally planning on pastries of some sort).

Hee! Congrats, Keith, on your Clint Eastwood audition. That's a damn good day. Oh... and GO DAWGS! That is all. Happy weekend, everyone! XO

Posted by bonnie at 5:49 PM | Comments (1)

September 20, 2007

Blogging... I just ain't in the mood.

I keep thinking I'll get it up for a blog post but I've seriously got a whole lotta nuthin' to say right now.

What a useless blog post, huh?

Eh.

All is well. Just not in a bloggy place.

Oh, and why is it that the little MySpace face for "cold" looks so sad? Who are you to tell me that I'm sad about being cold? I like being cold. It's much better than being hot. Beach living rules and I love the "need an extra blanket" nights in September. I'm not sad.

PS--I love "premiere week" (weeks?) on TV. Goodness, this is fun!

PPS--New (excellent) book for gym reading is already a third finished in one session. Dangit. I really need to read slower.

Posted by bonnie at 9:43 PM | Comments (1)

September 4, 2007

Okay, so...

No news. Sorry.

However, I did grab some balls and call Mr. Superagent at 6:45pm (after having spent a good part of the day on the phone with a good many other superagent types--closing deals on The Kitty Landers Show pilot--which got me thinking, "Why am I so weirded out about this? I talk to these cats ALL the time. Call him. Yes, again. Just do it," right as an email from MCJ--HBTY, MCJ--came in, making me sure it was a sign I needed to make the call).

Highlights of the conversation:

• I want to get everybody on board.


• You need a team to get behind you.


• Everyone has been out with the holiday and I'm out tomorrow so...


• I was very impressed with you at our meeting.


• You have great energy.


• You've got a great shop set up already.


• We need to take you to the Debbie Zane level.


• Call me Thursday after I've talked to the whole team.

So. There it is. Whatevz.

Continued thanks for all of the lovely vibes y'all continue to send.

It's hot.

• TiVo has overheated and shut down.
• Can no longer upload things via Fetch (and can't get new 'puter 'til October due to the cool new stuff Apple's announcing tomorrow--but I do love my Mighty Mouse. A lot).
• I love, love, LOVE our A/C. (It is at its best when one foot away from me and pointed right down my shirt.)
• My neighbor smokes the most funky, skunk-like weed I have ever smelled (not that I know a lot about that stuff, but this seriously smells like skunkbutt. His parents must be so proud).
• My future Mr. Superagent is a UCLA fan. We almost came to blows when I gloated about the UGA game on the phone just now. C'mon! It's not like he's a *shudder* Gator or something vile like that! I think we'll be able to work it out.

(I know, that's a Ga. Tech Yellow Jacket... it's what I had local. Y'know.)

Woof!

PS--Visit Julia's site for a very cool "spied a funny T-shirt" post. PPS--Also came across this while looking for superagent-related images. Weird, huh?

Posted by bonnie at 7:43 PM | Comments (4)

August 25, 2007

Quickies

1. Balls of Fury is exactly the movie you expect it to be. The 14-year-old boy in me loved, loved, loved it. The guest of the Hong family in me really enjoyed how much camera time brilliant character actor James Hong got. The on-the-rise casting director was thrilled to be introduced to the film's director (Ben Garant) as, "a wonderful casting director and producer to watch."

(There will be more photos to come... including one in which James "approaches me" with a paddle. *tee hee*)

Anyway, it was a great honor to be their guest and spend the day at the red carpet thingy. Really fun. Brought home a pair of Balls of Fury tighty-whities for Keith. As it should be.

2. Still blushing from the Joseph Mailander review, I come across this. My NBF Kevin Charnas had this nice thing to say:

Bonnie Gillespie was adorable and hysterical. And I wanted to run up and hug her...and not in a pervie way. Although, if my peep accidentally rubbed up against her, it wouldn't have been a tragedy.

Heeeeeeeeee! Oh, how I LOVE these blogger friends I've made! Such *very* cool people (and not just because they adore ME, but c'mon, that's fun too)! Heeeeeeee!

3. Will spend most of Sunday writing Monday's column on the particular issues minority actors face (Thank goodness for the wonderful bounty of feedback last week's request begging yielded!) and scheduling actors' auditions for the November 2007 showcase.

4. My chest hurts. Sun poisoning is not cool.

5. If it's possible, I'm more excited about the November showcase than either of the other two, at this point (meaning, the pre-audition excitement is like WAY super-overwhelming right now, just based on who's coming in on this).

(Yeah, number five could've gone with number three, technically, but I'm tired and wanted five and couldn't come up with anything clever to say. Clearly. *yawn* I think I need some sleep. Yeah. I'll dream of ping-pong, I'm sure.)

Posted by bonnie at 11:32 PM | Comments (1)

August 9, 2007

Dear Middle-Aged Balding Entitled A-hole at El Cholo,

You don't know me.

If you're lucky, you'll never actually know me, because I will make your life hell. And it's not because I dislike you. It's because I find you to be just about the lowest form of being there is, and--sadly--because you're White and Gainfully Employed and living in the place that values your kind over all others--you're also valued by people who (if they really thought about it) would spit on you. Not because spitting is cool. But because you are the king of what is wrong with this place.

So, I have already had a big conversation with myself about what it means that I'm seeing this crap (because I believe that what we see is a reflection of our reality and that concept makes me sad because OMG, if this guy represents my reality I'm in big-ass trouble), but I figure my brain needed to entertain this foolishness and share it with y'all just to cleanse the palate for better things. Believe me, just about anything is gonna be better.

So, we're at El Cholo, finally using a gift card Keith received from a lovely friend of ours for having done computer work (which he so rocks at) to have a proper date, which is well deserved. It's Thursday. It's a little packed. We've been at our patio table for an hour or so and when another table clears out, an elderly man and woman head over from the bar area to the patio table. IMPORTANT NOTE: There is no wait list for the patio. It's the honor system. Only if you want a table inside do you put your name on a list and get one of those cute little red-blinky vibrating "your table is ready" indicators.

As Ma and Pa Kettle amble over to the now-vacant table, MABEA (Middle-Aged Balding Entitled A-hole) rushes over--cute little red-blinky vibrating "your table is ready" indicator (NOT GOING OFF) in hand--screaming, "Hey! We were first! We've been waiting! That table is OURS! You get up!" His two other MAB (maybe/maybe not EA) friends swarm nearby, and the octogenarians, looking appalled at this jaggoffery, get up and move back into the bar area, figuring they must've done something wrong.

Of course, I want to run over and say, "You're not doing anything wrong! He's an asshole!" And then I realize, in a life more than twice the length of mine, they've surely seen many an asshole and know that's what they're seeing. I don't need to point that mess out. I should just continue enjoying my date.

But then...

Dinner is over for the MABEA and his MAB friends. Keith and I are still enjoying our date. Yeah... we hang out a long time. We drink. We talk. We flirt. We work. It's good.

Anyway, MABEA and his friends head over to the valet and MABEA sees a very lovely young lady returning to her beau at another patio table. He stops and watches her ass. Like SERIOUSLY takes in her ass as if it exists for him and him alone. Because that's not enough assholery here in front of the patioful of observers, he collects the fellow MAB with a cheesy '70s mustache (as opposed to the fat one) and tells him to act as if he's saying something to him. No, no... he's not saying anything. He's giving him an over-the-shoulder view of the juicy ass (which is no longer in clear view, as the lovely lady has sat down with her beau to continue their date). Mustache MAB is less amused by this than MABEA seems to be, who heads back to valet tugging on his nutsack while talking loudly about how much he would "hit that shit" if not for the (certainly, happy) wife he's got waiting back home for his sloppy, drunken, middle-aged balding entitled a-hole kisses.

*shudder*

Anyway. My point is, hello. Yes. I saw you. I let your vibe interrupt a good ten minutes of my date tonight. And you suck. You can expect a character based upon you in a future script coming your way soon. This will not be a compliment, despite the fact that you might want to take it that way.

You are a special kind of broken. And sadly, your credit rating is better than mine. There is something seriously wrong with that.

That is all.

Posted by bonnie at 10:51 PM | Comments (3)

July 6, 2007

fun stuff (a BB exclusive)

I'm on the Oxy campus (sitting b/w the fountain + gym steps--where Brandon used to show up to flirt w/ Lucinda Nicholson or to tutor D'shon Hardell), way early for my speaking gig this morning.

I am endlessly amused by the 90210 exteriors + entertained by hummingbirds dive-bombing one another.

Drive to Eagle Rock was insanely speedy.

Quinn + his dad are out w/ "Aunt Liz" and Adam. Man, I wish that kid didn't have to go so soon. We have the BEST time.

Reporting from the still-unnamed BlackBerry, I'm days-away-from-37-Bon. ;)
--
Bonnie Gillespie (via BlackBerry)
http://cricketfeet.com
http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice

"If I had known how popular going into casting would make me, I would've done it in high school."

Posted by bonnie at 8:38 AM | Comments (3)

June 27, 2007

"Did you get what you wanted?"

My mother was a complicated woman. I mean, she was simple (like most Depression-era kids were), she saved everything, she always worried she was being abandoned or undervalued, and she was also really smart. And maybe that's where it got complicated.

It would've been so easy for her to have just been broken and country. But instead, she was also fiercely intelligent. And she did groundbreakingly cool stuff in the field of Esoteric Astrology. But being country, she was embarrassed when Oprah asked her to join John Gray and Iyanla Vanzant in the late '90s when she was doing the "honor your spirit" series. She was sure she'd be judged and called a fool.

Cut to a decade later and her simple-but-smart daughter feels all sorts of personal turmoil and wonders how much of it is inherited and how much of it is learned and--most importantly--how much of it has to stick around a moment more. Oh, how I love being in my "nine year." Those of you reading who don't know numerology, pardon the shorthand. But I'm actually thrilled, because the first half of 2007 has been all about seeing evidence of what I don't want to take with me into my next nine years. And the keepers headed forward with me... wow. I'm just thrilled. (And really eager to get going with the purging of the other stuff.)

Beautiful, brilliant, lovely, goddess-like Frances Uku reminded me yesterday that there is value to cutting off what isn't working. That it is hard to make the break, but that in the end our personal strength comes from our ability to show up and give (which means that sometimes we DON'T give).

So, I think back to a year ago, when I joined the MySpace (which turned out to be a great idea, since doing so--and then promoting stuffs there--more than tripled my column's readership) and ceased visiting all online forums whose moderator didn't send up a flare asking for my attention. (Believe me, I had been all over the 'net. So paring down to about nothing was a huge cut.)

But now, it seems that it's time for me to make another cut. I've had to bring on more helping hands than I ever thought I'd need. So, maybe I need to do another round of "gotta go's". Be less accessible. Yeah, the idea makes me shudder (and I'm not sure that I can actually do it), but perhaps self-preservation is the theme for the end of my 9 year.

Anyway, I think back to one of the last things my mom said to me before she passed away. I was in the kitchen with my stepdad and one of my brothers, crying over how I'd been--yet again--lied to and screwed over by another family member. Mom--fading in and out from a room away--asked what I was crying about and I said, "Momma, don't worry. It's the same old so-and-so bullshit it's always been." And she asked the same question she'd asked anytime I wanted to be upset about that family drama.

Did you get what you wanted?

And this is when I stopped crying and said, "Y'know what? I did. Thanks, Mom. You're right." I got past the emotion I was feeling and embraced the fact that--even though I got hurt along the way--I got what I wanted out of the encounter (in this case, a ride to the airport, after having commuted home to be with my dying mother; the fact that I had to deal with the bullshit baggage that had nothing to do with me meant nothing, in the final analysis).

All this to say, another round of cuts is coming. I love being accessible. I love answering questions and being available and building up my readership through my posts and creating "brand loyalty" through having such a transparent process in all things. But maybe I now understand that there are parts of the job that require inaccessibility. Maybe it's okay to be full-on out of touch.

Then, when I am in touch, it's a seriously big deal. And it's a choice made from where I'm supposed to be--not where I *think* I'm supposed to be, being all filled with perfectionism.

Hmm. Something to consider, as I move into the "taking better care of me" part of my nine year. And next year, when I ask myself, "Did you get what you wanted?" perhaps I'll be okay with the being called a snooty bitch, which has already started happening.

As Uku mentioned: "The best thing you can do is step out of the ring. It can be hard when you are a naturally helpful person. There are plenty people who appreciate your time and insights. Unfortunately they don't make as much noise!"

So... I'll come back around to answer the question: "Did you get what you wanted?" at some point. And today the want is this: HAPPY.

Posted by bonnie at 1:49 AM | Comments (8)

June 26, 2007

Am I a "Rules" girl?

No. I am not a "Rules" girl. I never did that whole "don't accept a date for Saturday if it's requested after Wednesday" or "no sleeping with him 'til after X amount of time" or whatever (seriously, I don't even know exactly what The Rules are, just that they all looked ridiculous when I skimmed them when the book came out years and years ago).

But I *am* a "Susie Policy" kind of girl.

I actually believe, when IMDB or MySpace has a system for fixing problems (see pages 2 and 6 of this thread and/or pages 4 and 5 of this thread for my take on 'em), that that's good enough. And getting worked up over how fair or unfair the system is just a waste of energy.

And when drama comes up, I'm one to remain solution-oriented and focused: "That's great. I hear you. Now how do we fix this so that we can get on with the work?" And what I have low tolerance for is folks who get in my way while I'm working.

I've never understood the need to wallow in the drama. I've never been one to have a conversation that didn't involve how to improve a condition. And people who look for ways to complain, bitch about unfairness, or vent instead of working on a solution to the problem simply baffle me.

Yes, I vent. And when I'm done letting off steam, I am GO for takeoff on fixing the situation, leaving it better than I found it. And if it's not fixable, I'm out. I'm not going to sit around complaining while trying to find workarounds when there are direct routes that get the job done just fine.

I guess I just don't understand creating "movements" to "right injustices" that don't seem to exist. I'm a by-the-books kind of gal and if I don't like the way some system works, I don't try to make sure everyone else sees the flaws... I channel that energy into creating a new system that works better for me (and maybe for everyone else).

When I speak to groups of actors, I hear things like, "So, you're saying I need to do this in order to book more work?" And that question just blows me away.

NO.

I am NEVER saying that doing ANY one thing is going to result in ANY other thing, as far as this business goes. It's an unpredictable, unfair, illogical, irrational, fickle, ridiculous business. And I love it. LOVE it.

If there were a pill you could take to make you book more work, I'd have developed it and I'd sell it and I could retire from doing the harder work I do every day.

I guess I just don't understand the mindset that has some folks ignoring the hard work they could be doing in order to get better results and instead looking for ways to fight the system over things they're never going to control (and which don't have anything to do with their success in life anyway).

*sigh*

What do I know?

Oh! I know what I know! This particular Mercury retrograde has been excessively ass-kicking to the highest order.

And our UPS lady has a crush on me.

That is all.

Posted by bonnie at 5:32 PM | Comments (0)

May 31, 2007

I'm all kinds of grateful.

AKA: "Why I love my life today" (without images; sorry).

In five days, I've been on the mic in front of hundreds of people (live; many thousands or more otherwise) both as host and guest of some very Whoprah-like speaking engagements, plus a pilot for The Hollywood Reporter (yes, it's true; the gig that's been in the works for a year now is finally lifting off... and making it an on-camera version is sooo much cooler than writing it up. And no, I can't say more than that just yet).

In 15 or so hours, I'll be in the midst of auditions for the next Cricket Feet Showcase, which I honestly could cast based on submissions alone at this point (seriously, we have some amazing actors in the mix and I cannot wait to get them up and working in front of my favorite industry friends).

I'm exhausted. I'm overworked. I'm sad to miss my hubby for a few weeks while he goes on location to shoot a film (but I'm excited for him and this cool new gig... also excited for all of the silliness I can get into with my friends while he's away... *hee*). I'm totally entertained by the fact that gender is a stronger factor than species, where Archie and Keith are concerned (yes, my boys of different species are exactly alike). My cousin is in O Magazine (page 75, for June) and I'm so very proud of her. Gave copies of my books to my favorite maître d' tonight and blushed three shades of red when he asked me to inscribe them for him. My new best friends are Lee Garlington and JoBeth Williams. In that order. Our new logo for Cricket Feet, Inc., will roll out in time for our fifth anniversary as an entertainment corporation (July, 2007) and it's freakin' gorgeous (thank you, Communicatrix). I'm hoppin' up and down with excitement for rollin' that mess out. It's a load of greatness. You will all love it. I promise. It will touch you in that special way. (Not creepy... you perv!) ;) Hee!

Oh, my goodness! I'm just so very happy and grateful and pleased and filled with grace and happiness and love. It absolutely does not suck to be me right now. Not even a little bit.

PS--I look like a goddess in my new favorite blouse. Girls are lovely and well-represented. *sigh* I'm so freakin' easy to amuse. ;)

Posted by bonnie at 1:47 AM | Comments (5)

May 23, 2007

Okay, so now I'm pissed!

One of the things I do to try and limit my MySpace time (because, seriously, it can be a time-suck beyond all others) is log in around 11:35pm and force myself to log out before midnight.

I love it. Because I'm in, I'm out... I get it all done, and I'm logged out and no longer "online now" (well, I guess that doesn't really count, since those little indicators stay lit way beyond when you actually log out and I could turn those off in my preferences if I really wanted that to be the way I limited my MySpace time), and most importantly, my little "last logged on" thingy says I was last logged on the day before (since I tend to hit "logout" at 11:59pm and change).

It works for me. Keeps me on-task. Gives me just enough time to hit the MySpace, approve the friend requests (and enjoy watching the ever-increasingly amusing race between my friends and my comments for the big 3000 mark), change out a primary photo, and fire off quick answers to the many messages I receive. The *long* messages get bookmarked to be answered later.

And therein lies the point of this blog entry (well, the point that's between the point I already made and the point that goes with the title of the post).

I have learned that there is a really easy way to get me to answer emails, MySpace messages, blog comments, etc., ever.

And here's the way.

Be quick about it.

Have a quick question. I'll reply with a quick answer. If you ramp up for days to the point (even if that point boils down to a quick question after all), I'll bookmark that shit for answering later. Seriously, if you've sat with me when I've checked my BlackBerry for "messages since last check," you'd know that this is the ONLY chance you have of getting your email answered. It's not personal. It's just a matter of 1's and 0's and freakin' TIME.

[Unless you want your question to get an answer at "The Actors Voice," in which case you have to email me at the address that exists for no other purpose than to be an opt-in for that scenario or say yes when I fire back a quick, "Hey, can I use this?" in response to your long-ass message.]

So, if you want to hear from me and you're freaking out that you haven't yet, try being brief. Try shooting me a one-line comment to which I can reply with a one-line comment. That shit works nine times out of ten. And the emails that scroll for days? They get flagged to answer later.

How many emails are currently in my "flagged to answer later" folder? That'd be 3343 at ONE, primary email account as of this moment (and that includes messages that are getting pretty crucial, w/ regard to casting, speaking engagements, and friendships what will be OVER if I don't at least shoot back an "XO" soon). God forbid you want to know what's "starred" in my spam-catching gmail accounts.

Bless my bones for even being able to keep my head straight for a minute.

Okay, so what's the point of this entry?

Well, I signed off at 11:59pm and went back to sorting/marking the submissions on Another Harvest Moon. (I'm seriously trying to get to a point where my built-in analysis of value structure regarding which rep is the one who rates "highest" becomes a no-brainer, rather than having to review who said what and at what moment which photo was submitted and who included video and what pitch call was better and blah blah blah, but that's another story for another blog entry.) Then I got to a stopping point and received an email saying I had a new comment at my MySpace page, so I did the cool covert thing those of us who don't log in constantly seem to do... I visited my MySpace page "from afar."

Yeah, it said I was still online (but, as mentioned above, that happens... even after I've logged out... so I'm not worried about that), but the disturbing thing was that it said I had logged on most recently 5/23/07.

WTF?!?

I logged on 5/22/07 at 11:35pm as per usual... and I logged out at 11:59pm.

DAMMIT!

So, now I've fallen down the rabbit hole and I'm still on the MySpace way after midnight. That's the surest way to ensure I don't get work done! Bastids!

Ah, well, I'm definitely getting my money's worth. ;)

Posted by bonnie at 12:44 AM | Comments (1)

May 5, 2007

I blame FX.

So, I've been catching up on TiVo'ed TV and that means a lot of The Shield and The Riches (I tend to stay on top of things like America's Next Top Model and Heroes no matter how busy the week gets.

Well, after consuming several hours of both of these fine yet angst-filled FX shows, I've found I'm having *really* creepy dreams.

Lots of dead people. Lots of dying people. Lots of lying. Lots of covering up lies. Lots of suspicion and emotional turmoil.

This is NOT how a Bon gets her rest on.

Oooh, goodie! The Biggest Loser marathon on The Style Network. That oughtta cleanse the palate a bit! Phew!

Posted by bonnie at 2:11 PM | Comments (0)

March 28, 2007

Eff Off, Spam Faxers

So, every morning since Friday (usually starting around 6am), we've been receiving a half-dozen spam faxes (or rather, spam fax attempts, since I'm up and intercepting the calls to prevent waste of paper and ink) from...

Number Unknown (and yes, we have anonymous call block),
310.388.8002,
310.388.8021,
514.958.0000, and
514.958.0001.

Eff you, spam faxers. And eff you, state of California, for not offering the most intense level of nuisance call block available to consumers in other states.

PS--I am super busy, miss my regular blogging, and hate to roll out such a negative nellie blitz now that I'm taking a moment's break from Cricket Feet Showcase-based work to post at all. Meh. Spammers suck.

Posted by bonnie at 6:24 AM | Comments (4)

March 12, 2007

Today is 12 of 12

So, today is 12 of 12 and so far all of my photos have been of cats. And vodka. And expressions on my face that have to do with trying to get a column finished while wishing sleep would come.

*sigh*

At least I'll win the "most boring 12 of 12" contest this month.

Update: column finished (but I didn't do my usual promotional blast. Just NOT in the mood), Snickers bar eaten (chocolate does not put me to sleep, but it totally should), sun just now starting to show up. *yawn*

Blah.

Bored.

Ugh.

Whatevs.

Posted by bonnie at 6:52 AM | Comments (2)

March 8, 2007

Okay, so...

I was just a total a-hole to a guy in page five of this thread over at the Showfax message board.

And I feel both bummed that I stooped and proud that I didn't tell the dork to suck a fart out of my ass, which is what I really wanted to say.

Is that wrong?

Oh... and Keith wanted me to blog about elbow wrestling, which I will do... later. Got showcase stuffs to do.

Posted by bonnie at 1:28 AM | Comments (7)

February 14, 2007

Stuff I have to get done.

1. Showfax.com/The Actors Voice-related.
a. Choose which of the 120 headshots I received should be used in Monday's Bad Headshots, Good Headshots column.
b. Edit those headshots into the format that works for presentation in the column itself (half of this task is already done).
c. Write the column.

2. Showfax.com/The Actors Voice: POV-related.
a. Decide which of the half-dozen contributions from CDs in other markets (I know! I can't believe how many people came through at once!) gets to be tomorrow's piece.
b. Notify the others that their contributions will run in March, April, or May (and hope they aren't mad).
c. Edit the piece I choose and write the "framework" piece to go with it.
d. Update the Wiki to reflect above.

3. Broken Windows/San Diego local hire-related.
a. Decide how many of the actors who said they would work as San Diego local hires but who refuse to make it to San Diego for an audition actually even deserve a response (I'm thinking: none).
b. Decide whether we should schedule new people into the slots left open by those who somehow can't make it to San Diego or leave the schedule a little "open" so as not to over-exert the production team during auditions (I'm thinking the latter).
c. Field the seemingly non-stop calls from people pitching themselves or their clients for these roles (some of which have already been cast by now).

4. Broken Windows/Los Angeles callbacks-related.
a. Confirm all callback appointments that were given out yesterday (in progress).
b. Find receipts from December prereads' production meal we covered, plus parking, and the callback space rental, so that I can get reimbursed.
c. Get a casting intern confirmed to run sign-in, since Keith will be OOT.

5. Broken Windows/name actor offer-related.
a. Follow up on outstanding offers.
b. Decide on next round of offers, if these all lapse without being accepted.
c. Arrange for meetings between name actors already attached and our director (half of these have already happened).

6. SAG CAP casting director/agent event-related.
a. Review list of actors (30--mostly kids) registered for the event.
b. Choose sides for each pair of actors and prep some back-up sides in case there are changes to the group after selecting the sides.
c. Find an intern who wants to help out on Saturday.

7. Cricket Feet Casting Actors Showcase-related.
a. Save and upload demo reel footage on newly-submitted actors so that the rest of the team can review them.
b. Review the venue contract.
c. Book and pay for space for auditions (verify dates with production team).
d. Find the scenes I have listed/contact comedy writers to ask for exclusive material.
e. Contact HHH sponsors to see if they'd like to be showcase sponsors.
f. Contact potential crew/tech/usher/music pros to check rates/availability.

8. Potential casting job-related.
a. Read Porndogs and watch trailer.
b. Follow up with Another Harvest Moon producer and re-read script.
c. Provide bid to Scab director.
d. Check in on How I Lost My Mind and Killed Someone financing status/timeline.
e. Find out of we're too late to work with Paul and Chris, both of whom sent scripts in the past few months when I was too busy to even return their emails, much less read the material. (KEITH! IF YOU HAVE DONE THIS, LET ME KNOW.)

9. Consulting-related.
a. Answer emails from actors who want private consulting.
b. Follow-up with kids' acting camp in Montana.
c. Establish rate for video series services, should THR deal come through.
d. Prep for BBC interview.

10. Other-related.
a. Decide whether I'm going to file for unemployment on the survival job thingy (doubtful... just not my style).
b. Prep 2006 financial records for meeting with tax preparer (I only ever got those four hours done... then stopped).
c. Do initial research on organizational needs/office flow issues bartered out.

*sigh*

Any advice?

Posted by bonnie at 11:58 AM | Comments (6)

February 11, 2007

A Question I'm Asking Myself Right Now:

(and I asked myself this same question when I attempted to do "the headshot columns" last year too).

Why, why, why, why, WHY do I attempt this column?!? Why?!?

Seriously, it is so so so so so so so much work. I can only hope it is also totally worth it, to those who read it. But, after having done so much work all week long on this AND now having put in four straight hours with another 14 or so stretched out in front of me, I'm just totally spent.

And no closer to being finished with it.

*sigh*

Not looking for wisdom (though, feel free to share any), just venting. And giving myself something to read the NEXT time I think attempting this type of column is a good idea, down the line.

Posted by bonnie at 6:23 AM | Comments (1)

January 25, 2007

Words That Are Designed To Hurt

There's a lot of theorizing going on lately, what with Michael Richards calling black men "niggers" and Isaiah Washington calling a gay man "faggot," but I have to say that I don't think of these recent outbursts as acts of racism or homophobia.

Remember when you were a child and you would yell at your parents, "I hate you! I wish you were dead!" before slamming the door to your room in a clever adolescent temper tantrum? You didn't say these words because you hated your parents or wished they were dead. You said these words to inflict pain.

The only difference here is that these folks are adults, not clever adolescents in the clutches of a major temper tantrum. Does that mean the rules are different for them? Yes and no.

We all have moments in which we feel completely backed against a wall. We, at those most primal moments, can choose to be filled with grace OR to lash out in whatever way will get us OUT of those situations, based on animal instinct. And in these cases, I'd say we witnessed public displays of the NON-grace-filled choice.

Hell, isn't war a public display of the non-grace-filled choice?

So, I don't see any point to getting riled up about "hate speech" as if it's the WORDS that were used that are the problem. Words have no power beyond what power we give them. And when the words are used only to inflict pain on another (when the grace-filled choice doesn't get made), the focus needs to be on how we can all make better choices.

It's always fine to open dialogue about racism and homophobia and closed-mindedness of all kinds, but far more important (I believe) is a conversation about choosing grace, even when all you can think about doing is hurling the heaviest weight you can lift at someone--for whatever reason.

But, as for "what the words mean," I think it's simple. Just like rape isn't about sex (it's about violence), these words aren't about race or sexual orientation. They're about inflicting pain.

Posted by bonnie at 2:22 AM | Comments (5)

January 14, 2007

Hmm. Okay.

So, I have a meeting next week for which I need to have a vision of the Cricket Feet "corporate identity." I know. *shudder*

But the truth is, we're coming up on the fifth anniversary of Cricket Feet, Inc., and I haven't got a damn clue what we're about, in terms of branding.

We cast. We publish. We do really geeky computer junk. We support my addiction to writing for and speaking to actors.

But what are we about? What's our business plan? What's our identity?

Use the comments section to give me a word or two, if you have a thought. If you want to read my casting philosophy, FAQ, or way-too-damn-long bio, have at it. Every producer and actor says working with me is exactly like they thought it would be, after having read my casting philosophy. But casting is soooooooo only a sliver of what Cricket Feet, Inc., is about, right?

Posted by bonnie at 3:24 AM | Comments (4)

January 8, 2007

Dear Santa Ana Winds,

Go away. I do not like you. It is currently 88 degrees in my home and you are creating very unpleasant pressure sensations in my sinuses.

I trust that you will take this note in the spirit it is meant: GO AWAY. I mean it.

Love,
BloodynoseBon.

Posted by bonnie at 3:13 PM | Comments (4)

December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas

Looking forward to our annual orphans' Christmas celebration. I can't believe this is our sixth year doing it. I guess you *can* build a family in Los Angeles after all. ;)

From 2004. From 2003 (click to enlarge). From 2002 (click to enlarge). From 2001.

I guess I never uploaded my photos from 2005. Or did I take no photos at the 2005 event? I know I got glutened while there, so perhaps I took no photos. This year, I'll be fine for photography (since I got glutened at the movies yesterday afternoon and spent the evening in bed sick, sick, sick. Glad I got that out of the way (*sheesh*). I'd really like to not get glutened anymore. That'd be nice).

Anyway, Merry Christmas, everyone! Stay grateful! I'm off the the kitchen to make my famous dip (hey, it's one of a few things I CAN make, so that makes it famous).

Posted by bonnie at 6:18 AM | Comments (1)

December 20, 2006

Foreign Money

When I was six years old, my brother married my sister-in-law. I was the flower girl. My sister-in-law had been in my life since I was six months old and I had just assumed that she would join my brother in living at our house after they got married. I hadn't even considered that the two would go live elsewhere. I was cute and sweet like that.

When they returned from their honeymoon, they brought me foreign money. I had never seen it before. It had lovely colors, shapes, and textures. The bills were different sizes. There were holes in the coins. And there was such artistry in them! I treasured these pieces of foreign money. And a collector was born.

Quickly I learned that every other place in the world had money that was more beautiful than ours. And every time anyone I knew visited another place, their souvenir for me was whatever they had left over, when emptying their pockets (after exchanging the "big" money for American bills). I began to treasure this collection, because it was not only made up of money from places I would likely never visit, but of gifts brought to me by people I knew and loved. It wasn't like I went to a bank and exchanged money so that I could *have* a collection. I *had* a collection because people who loved me brought me back little bits here and there.

By the time I was an adult, this collection was pretty dang impressive. I actually bought one of those collectors' exchange rate books to find out what the money was worth. But putting coins into sleeves and labeling them, like collectors do, somehow took the fun out of it all. What I loved about my collection was taking it out and handling it, comparing the designs from different parts of the world. Nothing was "mint" except by accident, so what did I care if someone on eBay would pay top dollar for something that I happened to have? I never intended to collect something that was worth something... only something that was worth something to ME.

Cut to July 2006. I'm auditioning actors for Three Poems and a gorgeous young man comes in for the role in which we will cast, well, a most gorgeous young man. It was a fun day of casting, let's just say that (we had a lot of eye candy to enjoy). So, this young man comes in and says, between takes (we're going to exchange out his scene partner and do a little redirect, so there's some chitchat), "I was actually reading your book in Afghanistan last year." Huh?!? That's random. "You were? Um, how?" "I knew I wanted to be an actor and I was living in Norway, so I signed up for a term of service in Afghanistan that would then allow me to come to the US to pursue acting. I ordered your book from Amazon.com and had it with me while I served in Afghanistan. It was essential to my ability to put my plans together for coming here. And now here I am, auditioning for you!"

I was in a state of shock. I mean, sure, I GET that my book is "out there." I've had the thrill of walking past the largest bookstore in Manhattan and seeing my own book displayed in the window, facing millions of people who pass by every day. I've received the emails that say, "Your book changed my life," and "I'll thank you when I win my Oscar because I never would've thought I could do this career without you." But something about having this amazingly talented, naturally MEANT for acting kid in front of me, telling me that he had been in a few different continents in the past couple of years, all the while reading my book and planning for this moment... I don't know... it just felt like one of those WONDERFUL punches in the gut. The kind where you GET that there's a ripple in the water a world away, just because you toss in a pebble.

Sure, I remember the very first days of putting Self-Management for Actors together. I remember the binders upon binders of information on the foot of our bed in our apartment in the Hollywood Hills. Only the bedroom had air conditioning and I was on migraine watch. I had to stay cool and quiet... perfect environment for doing my book. But I was scared. What if SMFA *wasn't* really a book? What if it was just a bunch of ramblings from a kid actor who could never really cut it as an adult? What if it was all anecdotal and not at all practical to actors working today? What if--even worse--it was all wrong? I could actually MESS UP someone's career with this load of hooey.

Keith assured me it was GOOD information. My friends on the BackStage.com message boards assured me it was GOOD information. My mentor Judy Kerr assured me it was GOOD information. My friends at higher tiers in the industry assured me it was GOOD information. So, onward I went. Six weeks in my bedroom from start to finish... then the book was off to the printers. I couldn't believe it was done.

So, why am I thinking about all of this today? Well today I received a little package from Thor Knai, the talented (and, oh yeah, really gorgeous) actor who spoke with me about my book this summer. See, he's back in Norway right now and we had been sending comments back and forth on MySpace. I mentioned that I collect foreign money. He mentioned that he liked reading my books. We each sent packages across the world and here I am fondling my kroner bills and coins with glee. I hope he's enjoying Acting Qs as much!

Posted by bonnie at 10:45 PM | Comments (3)

December 9, 2006

Hi. I'm an idiot.

So, I pull out my Jury Duty summons to call the "on call" line today. It's very clear, on the paperwork, that you may call in at any time on the weekend before your first proposed service date (mine is Monday), as long as you are already registered.

Well, duh. Of course I'm registered. How else would I get a jury summons unless I had registered to vote? Duh.

So I call in, expecting to be told to either show up on Monday or call again Monday afternoon to check in about Tuesday, blah blah blah.

The system tells me, instead, that I'm not yet registered. I need to push another series of buttons in order to GET registered... so I do that, and of course the system tells me I am LATE in registering (you're supposed to register within five days of receiving the summons, apparently) and therefore I cannot serve as scheduled. I HAVE TO REQUEST A DEFERMENT.

"I don't WANT a deferment," I say to myself. But then I think, "Oh, wait. That actually would be good, as this week is already insane in the extreme, schedule-wise." So, I hit the buttons that allow me to postpone service 'til NEXT Monday, since that's when the industry will be GONE and even if I am the only one in town and therefore HAVE to serve, so what? I'll get a lot of writing done.

I hang up and say to Keith, "Wouldn't you think they would put somewhere ON this summons that you have to call twice? Once to register and once again to report? I mean, I'm an intelligent person. How could I miss that?"

I reread the first line of my summons: Do not appear without registering. No problem! I'm registered. Otherwise, how would I have received this notice?

A few lines down, I see: You are required to register using the telephone within five days of receipt of this summons. Oops. Missed that.

"Maybe they should've put that in bold," Keith says.

Yeah. It's pretty bold.

I'm an idiot.

Oh well... jury duty next week. Fair enough. I deserve to get put on a really long, boring trial after having been that stupid.

Posted by bonnie at 1:00 PM | Comments (3)

November 25, 2006

Broken Windows and Blue Men

So, if you've been keeping up with the numbers for Broken Windows submissions, you'll like this update.

As of Saturday the 25th at 7:30pm:
UNVIEWED.....VIEWED.....SELECTED.....SCHEDULED.....CALLBACK.....ROLE
12.....509.....279.....0.....0.....SARA
3.....70.....118.....0.....0.....TEDDY
4.....199.....105.....0.....0.....KATIE
15.....430.....263.....0.....0.....NATE
7.....202.....177.....0.....0.....BETH
10.....414.....201.....0.....0.....AMY
13.....428.....274.....0.....0.....WALT
3.....223.....107.....0.....0.....DJ
2.....1.....57.....0.....0.....BRIAN
11.....540.....244.....0.....0.....JOEY
7.....211.....150.....0.....0.....STEVE
1.....33.....54.....0.....0.....MARY
4.....93.....112.....0.....0.....DORI
0.....97.....89.....0.....0.....BENNIE
9.....895.....289.....0.....0.....WAITRESS
2.....14.....16.....0.....0.....WOMAN HIT BY CAR
0.....52.....39.....0.....0.....TEENAGED BOY

All of the numbers added together equal the total submissions. (I'll let y'all do the math.) Hee!

Anyway, that's submissions after one week and one day. Including days like Thanksgiving and "everyone is out of town" weekends. Pretty impressive. This is a big project. We have formal offers out to "name" actors on a couple of role. The pitches have been really dang cool. I'm excited.

I am LOVING the PBS special on Blue Man Group (Inside the Tube). I saw them in their original venue off-off Broadway in 1996 and I still can't imagine what their show must be like in such a large presentation (the theatre I went to had about 75 seats).

Anyway, migraine hell seems to be about over. I've done a lot of sleeping to try and recover from it. Still feel like I've been hit by a bus, but I guess I've felt much worse many times before. But coming that close to a "real" migraine for the first time in two years is scary stuff. Hate hate HATE that I had to miss Thanksgiving, but what'r'ya'gonna'do? When a migraine starts up, you hit the cold, dark, quiet room and stay put.

*sigh*

Back to work! Ooh! COPS is on! Yippee!

Posted by bonnie at 7:51 PM | Comments (2)

November 17, 2006

Happy birthday to my favorite ex-boyfriend!

Hope you have a delicious birthday celebration, rockstar weekend, and the best new year of Chip EVER!

Much love to ya, Chipper! XXOO

PS--New breakdown going out this morning for a feature film with 50 (!) roles. Yippee!

Posted by bonnie at 10:57 AM | Comments (2)

November 11, 2006

12 of 12 is Sunday

I'm actually really tired, so I'm going to bed (also, the Frankenputer that Keith has been building is making a really loud whirring sound, so I'm annoyed at being in the same room with it. I'm also hungry. Overly hungry. Like where you're so hungry that you aren't hungry anymore, so go with it? Yeah. Like that. Sleep is like that too. Sometimes I get so sleepy that I wrap back around to not sleepy--or incapable of sleeping, probably--and just stay right on not sleeping. So, here I am, still not eating, but going to bed earlier than usual. Yes, I am aware that it is like 3:30am. What?).

ANYWAY!

12 of 12 is Sunday and if you've never done 12 of 12 then you definitely should do it this month because:
a. it's a Sunday, which means you won't be taking boring photos while you're at work (except for me... Sunday is the day I write my column)
b. the bonus photo is THANKSGIVING or whatever you're grateful for or whatever (that's always a good practice)
c.
d. if you don't do 12 of 12 either this month or next (or both, I guess), then you can't say you've been doing it since its first year (and when it's as big as PostSecret or effin' YouTube and Chad makes $1.6 billion off it, you'll just be some sad Johnny Come Lately who started up in 2007 and everyone will say, "Oh, you are SO a year late," and you will cry).

Holly Cow, is this a post written in the style of Erik KiKi Patterson or what?!? Jeebus!

Anyway, charge your camera batteries, clear off your memory card, and get ready for a fun 12 of 12 on Sunday. Deal? Okay, now I'm to bed. XXOO

Posted by bonnie at 3:38 AM | Comments (3)

October 31, 2006

Things To STOP Saying

Okay, so I catch myself saying "DUDE" a lot. Not out loud as much as in my head. I know that's weird, but it's like I use the word "DUDE" as a substitute for "dang" and "c'mon" and "are you kidding me" and "boy, please" and "seriously" (among other things).

So, while I was thinking about the many ways in which I can use the word DUDE, I noticed a phrase that has LONG been a least favorite of mine (see item number six in the list of The Top 17.4 Ways To Piss Me Off) coming out of the mouth of a local morning show host ABOUT EVERY 20 SECONDS. Seriously.

Watch channel 5 (the KTLA Morning Show) and listen to the chick--Michaela Pereira--during her entertainment news segment (the only time the guys on the crew will let her talk for more than a minute at a time) and COUNT how many times she asks, "Do you know what I mean?" She uses it as an effin' punctuation mark to her EVERY sentence. Seriously, people, if someone doesn't know what you mean, you can bet that same someone will ask you to clarify. Stop it. Dude.

Well, I've also noticed that people have started saying "all of the sudden" instead of "all of a sudden" and I totally blame shows like Next and Parental Control and other MTV type programming for melting the brains right off kids and teaching them that however the hell they WANT to say it WORKS. (I mean, if the non-word alright can make its way into the dictionary, anything is possible. I actually heard a Real Worlder say, "Mark and I's relationship is complicated.") Yes, part of what I love about the (American) English language is how very OPEN to change it is. It's also part of what makes me effin' batshit crazy. *shudder*

So, then I listened to myself to see if there is anything other than the internal DUDE that I'm saying too much. Something that I'm saying AS A FORM OF PUNCTUATION instead of as the words themselves. And I found it. I absolutely have a phrase that must be just as annoying to others as "Do you know what I mean?" is to me.

"Here's the thing."

I start out about a third of my sentences with that. It's basically a, "Here. Listen now. This is the important part." And seriously, if you're listening to me, it's all important. You know that.

So, here it goes: I pledge to attempt to curtail my use of "here's the thing" as a means of underscoring my most important points.

Dude.

Posted by bonnie at 9:14 AM | Comments (11)

October 28, 2006

Boo!

I know I haven't blogged in awhile.

As I said in an email earlier today...

Eh, no. Way busy. (As usual.) A new column I pitched to my boss at Showfax rolls out on Wednesday (and I'm its managing editor), so I've been working like nuts with casting directors in New York and Canada all week. Also trying to nail a place down for Hollywood Happy Hour so that we can do a year-end event (which means a place has to be secured by Tuesday pretty much). And just got a new deadline for HILMMAKS casting stuff, so life is pretty busy 'round here. Quality problem, of course. ;) Lovin' it! Lovin' you! XXOO

Just the same, wanted to stop by and say HAPPY HALLOWEEKEND! Have fun, be safe, and remember to set your clocks back and all that good stuffs.

And goooooooo DAWGS... and KEEP VOTING FOR TIFFANY! Thanks!

Posted by bonnie at 9:26 AM | Comments (2)

October 22, 2006

Do you like the funny?

If so, then you should go buy shirts, mugs, and hats from one of my oldest-ago friends on the planet (er... we met in Quo Vadis Dixon's English class at North Springs High School in 1983).

Bonus: He's really talented and smart and funny and creative and even Mr. Wonderfulest.

To answer your questions about what I must've done wrong to shower my husband with public bloggy love, I did nothing wrong. He's just a good. And sometimes a good needs to be told he's a good. And in front of people. Nothing wrong with that.

Don't forget that you can keep voting for my niece Tiffany up 'til November 3rd. I'm convinced that she will always be in the smack-dab middle (as that's where she is every time I go vote, except for that one time when she was LAST and I spent the entire day voting until she was up to the middle... and yes that was the day that she led California to the tune of like 93%). Huge thanks to the other passionate sources of many votes. ;) Y'all rock.

What else? Um. I thought I had more updates, but I guess I don't. I've been spending the weekend updating the Casting Wiki like there is no tomorrow (sorry, Rockstar Intern Julie, that means more work for you... ready and waiting) and I think that'll be the topic of my next column, as working on the Casting Wiki has totally changed how I feel about keeping hardcopy headshots. And maybe I should say so.

Can you believe that I've only been casting for three years and eight months? FREAKY. Thank you to Parry Shen and Chad Darnell for recent really cool shoutouts. I really appreciate the love.

Oh, and hey, Santa Ana winds... could you GO AWAY please? Thanks.

Posted by bonnie at 2:03 AM | Comments (3)

October 11, 2006

MCJ at Dan Tana's

MCJ (my cousin Joni) is in town for a day. On Thursday, we're taking her to Dan Tana's for the first time. No, she's not Paris. No, we're not Nicole. She's not coming to LA to experience what she's seen on Entertainment Tonight. She missed the Thirty Silly celebration and hopes to meet the Dan Tana's regulars on her li'l trip to town. Come play! (It's 12 of 12 AND our Nonaversary too. So many reasons to celebrate!)

PS--I love my NBF Milissa. We had a blast tonight at the Running with Scissors premiere. I encourage everyone to find his or her dozen-years-younger version to hang out with from time to time. It's fun!

Posted by bonnie at 3:10 AM | Comments (2)

October 5, 2006

Hi

I haven't blogged in awhile, have I? Hmm. I also haven't read blogs in awhile. I'm so behind. Spending a lot of time on the Casting Wiki and also gearing up for this weekend's read-thru.

Busy, busy, busy. As soon as I'm sure I couldn't get busier... well... whooooosh! There's another boost. I actually now have a subfolder in my email inbox of "stuff to read" because if the email is too long to skim, I'm not even reading it lately. Ack! And I never have time to get to the flagged messages. Quality problem, of course. It's just a dang good thing the gym is open 24 hours or we'd never go.

Look at me with Deb and Eitan last week (this was after the panel discussion at Samuel French). Aren't we cute? Okay, break over. I'll try to blog again soon. But seriously, I'm not even sure when I'm going to get my column done with this busy casting week. (I know, I know... quality problem. Shut up. Blah blah blah.)

Oh! It's almost 12 of 12 time! Are you ready? I will spend our fourth nonaversary away from my loving husband... as he will be on set. Again... quality problem. ;) Yay!

Posted by bonnie at 12:38 PM | Comments (6)

September 22, 2006

Car vs. House

Oh man. This is rich. Y'know those news stories about cars flying into homes and barreling through? Well, welcome to our 'hood today.

Just before 7:15am, there's a huge jolt to our building. It can't be an earthquake, though it feels like it might be. No... something has hit US. WTF, right?

Keith, who was sleeping in the bedroom, launched into the livingroom and to the front window, where I'm seeing a Volvo far, far "forward" of the other cars parked out front (including the TicTac).

I say, "Oh my GAWD! She hit the building!" (And I know she hit the frame because it was too big a jolt to have just been the garage door.) And then I watched her get back into her car and begin to back out. I asked Keith, "Is it okay for her to just leave?" And he, looking carefully at who this bird is, said, "Sure. It's her building."

Yup. The lady we make our rent check out to each month just creamed Bob's garage (and if you know Bob, you know he keeps his LIFE in there, so this should be interesting). Her son (our landlord) is now down there, inspecting the damage. So far, in the game of Russian Senior Citizen in Volvo vs. 1963 eight-family brick two-story dwelling, the score is 1-zip.

Posted by bonnie at 7:44 AM | Comments (6)

When Andy Dick Arrives, It's Time To Go

Maybe everyone else in Hollywood knows this, but I'm pretty new to The Big Hollywood Private Party thing. So, you have to understand, when Keith and I arrived at the Stone Rose and my name was *actually* on the list, I was already thrilled and amazed. (No, it's not that I thought Jessica was "just being nice" -- heck, she'd invited me even before I'd interviewed her -- it's just the usual nervous doing something new for the first time thing.) But there are pretty much always random famous people at industry parties.

First up, Greg Grunberg. We'd been at the party for about an hour. We'd done the cool schmooze with most of the film's stars and crew members, plus a few of Jessica's best friends (all of whom were really thrilled with the article I had written) and a couple of actors she's hoping to have "break out" with my help (hey... if I can help, GREAT! I'll try). We'd had a couple of cocktails and a few nibbles of the yummy food they kept putting out, and found a great little spot to sit on the awesome patio. Soon, another couple leaned over, introduced themselves (I think we all joked about the shrimp or something), and when Greg came over to join them, he was introduced to us as well. Shake hands, all cool, blah blah blah. So, he's not really involved with this project but he knows the people. Same as me at this point, right? Right. No weirdness.



And then there's Kevin Sorbo. Kevin Sorbo? Really? Hmm. Well, that's kind of cool. I can't figure what his attachment to this group might be (nor is it any of my business to do so, really), but he's enjoying himself and people are enjoying him, so I figure maybe there's some other project in the works and that's just how this town works. Or, heck, maybe people are just friends with famous people and invite them like anyone else. It's just that it's a little odd somehow. And it shouldn't be (and it isn't, when I know the celeb... but it's weird when I don't).



So when Alfonso Ribeiro shows up, it's getting a little late. We've now had more than a few cocktails, Keith has told "the luckiest man in the world" story, my DVD cover has been autographed by a half-dozen members of the cast (and Jessica, of course), and I've been pegged as "and guest" in a handful of photos by random photographers. Fair enough. Alfonso is working the room. Keith approaches him to remind him that we know people in common (Alfonso directed an episode of a TV show our friend starred in, and we went to a taping, blah blah blah) and it's clear the man has women on his mind (and Keith's in his way). Very funny watching someone who shouldn't have to work at it having to REALLY work at it (it's like being at a college bar at last call and seeing the BMOC doing whatever it takes to go home with someone... even though he should be able to go home with anyone anytime anyway, right?).



Enter Andy Dick. Now something happens. Most of the crowd has gone by now. The servers are clearing off the tables to make room for these enormous cotton candy platters and other yummy dessert items. Everyone is hugging Jessica and her publicist goodnight and saying thank you and congrats. Most importantly: The tab has been closed. It's like Andy Dick walks in and The National Anthem plays on an old-timey TV station (sign-off 'til morning). But it gets louder, more frenetic, and bizarrely more "Hollywood" all of a sudden. I feel like I'm at a rave. Still, I head over to Andy to ask whether his recent emails to the director of a film I'm casting are actually coming from him (and I should be approaching him about doing the project) or not. "Yeah, I don't really DO the online thing. If she's hearing from 'me' through MySpace or something, it's my web guy, not me." (Note to self: Never have someone think they're hearing from "me" when it's really "my people" doing the correspondence. At least be true in that respect.)

So, maybe the rest of the world knows that when Andy Dick arrives, it's time to go. I learned it for myself on Monday. So, we left the Stick It DVD party and went to Dan Tana's, where I spent the rest of the night groping my friends, slamming too many free drinks, and talking about Oliver Freaking Stone.

(And, apparently, where I lowered my tolerance to the point that, come Wednesday morning, I was laid out with some sort of flu that I'm still fighting. Bleh. Oh well... well-earned, I s'pose.)

Posted by bonnie at 4:21 AM | Comments (5)

September 10, 2006

12 of 12 is Tuesday

Here's your 30-hour warning that 12 of 12 is coming.

Get your cameras ready. And on Tuesday, start snappin'. Woo!

Posted by bonnie at 8:46 PM | Comments (0)

August 19, 2006

I believe

that homes should come with as many dishwashers as there are residents. That way, we could all just get along in our chosen methods of loading up the damn things.

That is all.

Posted by bonnie at 7:02 AM | Comments (7)

August 6, 2006

I Love Gimlet Night.

In addition to teaching one another the meaning of cray cray and discussing hard-hitting issues like the marketing strategy behind Snakes on a Plane (and whether John Cusack needs to be traded in for Seth Green on our "must" lists, seeing as the over-40 thing is not as cool), we do things like...

...deconstruct the job of the publicist who reps someone like Mel Gibson or Star Jones, play live CLIFF and realize the EASIEST thing to do is decide who goes off the cliff (and that we actually will choose a live-in partner with whom we'd like to have sex--since maybe that could happen down the line--and, when one of the choices is someone who is dead, we'll choose that person as a roommate, since, y'know, he'll be gone in a minute and we'll have the place to ourselves), talk about serious effin' career moves that have made strong women out of us all, realize we're all a little bit Charlotte and a little bit Samantha, AND...

...most importantly, decide that being named an onomatopoeia is a really good idea (see: Thwok) because if all people were named by the sounds they made (use your imagination), we could always choose our exact right partners. *ahem*

Loves me some Gimlet Night.

G'nite!

Posted by bonnie at 5:46 AM | Comments (1)

August 2, 2006

Musings after 3am.

There are friends you love.
There are friends who love you.
And there are friends with whom you engage in mutual worship.
And that last one is the best kind of friendship there is.
For reals.

Posted by bonnie at 3:22 AM | Comments (2)

July 23, 2006

bleh

bored
too hot to think
therefore
no work is getting done
can't don't need to don't want to sleep
and tv is silly
silly
silly
brain too fried to even do sudoku
so
sprinkle catnip on the floor and
watch the animals play
resoak everything in ice-cold water
go online
and
bitch
bitch
bitch

bleh

Posted by bonnie at 3:45 AM | Comments (4)

July 22, 2006

Long, Rambling Post

I got flowers today. (Of course, I mean Friday, but y'know how my timelines work.)

The amazing Mister Trevor Murphy sent me flowers (and I'm not entirely sure why), and the funny thing about getting flowers from cute boys is that Keith, who is rarely jealous, gets his fur up a bit over this kind of thing. (Boys are so adorable like that.) Maybe it's just for show. Still funny.

Thank you, Trevs. You're precious.

Ready for some great news (and something encouraging for every friend who's ever shot a pilot that didn't get picked up)?

Nobody's Watching, the pilot Bob Clendenin did last year, has found a new life on YouTube (seriously... watch the whole three-part episode. It rocks) and now (according to tomorrow's article in The Hollywood Reporter) is going back into production.

No idea what this means for Bob and the show he's in that DID get picked up this season, but MAN what a great problem to have!

My tooth hurts.

My fingernails are longer than they've been in like... ever. Being healthy is fun.

There's a WAY pimped out orange Corvette that's been parked on our street for a few weeks. I finally saw the guy who owns it and said to Keith (who was in the other room), "Describe the guy who owns the orange Corvette." "I've never seen the guy who owns the orange Corvette." "I know. Describe him anyway." "Um... white, 55, pot-bellied, bald?" "Yup. Cute little ring of silver hair. No comb-over, though."

Don't you just love stuff that's a wee bit predictable?

Oh, and am I the only one who almost always confuses the words etymology and entomology? I guess it's because of the whole Spelling BEE thing. *snork*

Okay... back to work.

Posted by bonnie at 3:40 AM | Comments (3)

July 8, 2006

I am...

...too stupid to edit audio.

The amazing David Lawrence sent me the audio file of our radio show and told me I could feel free to edit out commercials and put clips up on my site with a link back to his.

And here I am with thousands of dollars of editing software and I can't for the life of me figure out how to edit audio.

My FCC license should be revoked, I tell ya.

All this to prove that I am, in fact, about to turn thirty-silly and that's code for I'M OLD.

*grumble grumble*

Posted by bonnie at 1:43 AM | Comments (8)

June 18, 2006

Keith and Mini-Keith

Of course, Quinn is less "mini" with every visit, but I swear this kid behaves EXACTLY like his father, even though he lives 2200 miles away 49 weeks of the year. That *has* to be a pain in the ass to the ex. I mean... Keith's "quirks" are a pain in the ass to ME and I love the guy! Imagine having parted ways and still having a daily reminder of the power of genetics! Phew. Bless Quinn's daily parentals. They're doing a kick-ass job. This is a very good kid.

Click to enlarge.

Keith was at Nelson's overnight (babysitting Lois while Nelson hung out with Meryl Streep in Manhattan) and Quinn asked to stay here with me. No problemo, except the kid was up at five ayem... and I went to bed at four. *yawn* Methinks I shall sleep a bit tonight! Tomorrow is a big day.

Anyway, I spoke with each of the dad-types, and Quinn said hello to each too. Nice thing about a kid in a non-traditional family unit... he doesn't question the fact that we call two dads for me on Father's Day. When Keith returned from Nelson's, the boys played soccer for hours in the park while I finished my column and finalized casting decisions on the two shorts I'm casting. We then walked "forEVER," (says Quinn) to get to Color Me Mine to paint a dragon for Quinn and a cooking spoon holder for Dad.

We always celebrate Quinn's half-birthday during his visits, so we made that event today. It was a big celebration with way too much walking for Quinn's liking, although he did enjoy seeing the Chicken Car parked up on Lincoln. You know the one. It's like an Angelyne or a Dennis Woodruff sighting, but for the 310 exclusively. Gotta love LA.

Thankee, everyone, for the love re: Pissy Little Mood. She's gone. Gotta love the water sign gals! As soon as I get a real understanding of how a negative statement can resonate through us like a pinball locked between bumpers while a positive statement can be forgotten the instant it's said, I'll share the meaning of life with everyone. I promise.

And now that the boys have gone to bed and I have another few hours of work to finish, the eternal question: Do I open that bottle of wine?

Posted by bonnie at 11:34 PM | Comments (4)

Pissy Little Mood

I've had an ego-bruising day (seems I have those every now and then, especially after a few weeks of "highs"), so I tried to distract myself by creating my FAQ page.

Whatevs. Still pissy. Bleh.

Posted by bonnie at 1:11 AM | Comments (6)

June 17, 2006

Debrief

Okay, so it's time to officially say that I did not complete the task of finishing my screenplay during the 14-Day Screenplay Challenge.

Here are my thoughts on that: What I learned during these 14 days is that I like to do things I'm very good at doing. No... I like to do things I'm sincerely excellent at doing. This is why I don't cook. I'd far prefer to pay someone who is much better at cooking to do so for me. And, while I love love love writing and I adore reading a good screenplay and I am passionate about casting a great screenplay, I think I will always prefer to enjoy the talents of existing brilliant screenwriters.

During the 14-Day Screenplay Challenge, I cast a short film, made offers to actors on two other films, moderated a panel at the HBFF, wrote two columns (plus "Your Turn" pieces), had about a half-dozen power meetings and/or industry relationship-building dinners, and welcomed Quinn for his annual visit. AND I created an outline for a screenplay and put just over 18 really decent pages into Final Draft.

It is what it is. And I am not a screenwriter. Not now at least.

Congratulations to my friends and colleagues who completed their screenplays (or who will in the coming days)! I am inspired by your creative output and will look forward to reading your work (and maybe even casting it) someday soon.

Just got back from seeing Cars with the kiddo (and his son). *giggle* It's cute. Too long, but cute. I have a rant coming about parents with unruly or crying children... but it'll have to wait. Seriously, I want to rage, but I worry I'll get the whole, "You don't know how it IS," thing, from parents. Let me just say that I think a pretty basic rule of courtesy should be: If your child is wailing, screaming, or otherwise howling, YOU NEED TO TAKE SAID CHILD OUT OF THE SCREENING AREA. Why do parents think that standing in the BACK of the space (y'know, so said parents miss none of the on-screen action) is "good enough"? Consider acoustics. Please.

Oh, if you go see Cars, be sure to stay for the closing credits. Very clever stuff. Typical Pixar fun.

Babes and I had a rockstar time on our gal-pal date last night. Most of the bloggers were outstandingly good at doing spoken word stuffs, dinner with "Buk" and his awesome producer was fantastic, and Bukowsical! is possibly one of the best plays I've seen in Los Angeles in years. Seriously. It was phenomenal. Babes and I laughed about a zillion laughs, resolved at least a dozen tangents, and said, "KiKi would love this," about five times.

All in all, an exceptionally fine first wedding anniversary!

Oh, and what's up with the 30 or so recent Google searches for "teach my ass" leading to the BonBlogs? Huh?!?

Posted by bonnie at 6:11 PM | Comments (6)

June 16, 2006

Ow-oooooooot Tonight!

Singing like Mimi:
I've had a knack from way back / Breaking the rules once I learned the games / Get up / life's too quick / I know someplace sick / Where this chick'll dance in the flames / We don't need any money / I always get in for free / You can get in too if you get in with me / Let's go out tonight / I have to go out tonight / You wanna play? Let's run away / We won't be back / Before it's New Year's Day / Take me out tonight! Meow! / So let's find a bar / So dark we forget who we are / Where all the scars from the / Nevers and maybes die
Hee! *happy dance* Very soon, I'll hit the town with the lovely Miss Babes McPhee for some theatre and booze and more theatre.

We'll start off at Subject Line Here (and our ticket price goes to a good cause, so that's a great first event of the night--get all warm and fuzzy feeling, plus see the lovely CoCo doin' her thang).

Then, after drinks and snacks nearby, we'll head to Sacred Fools' critically-acclaimed late night show, Bukowsical! (starring several Friends of Bon; including two actors I've cast before--Kathi Copeland and David Lawrence). Very excited!

Do say hello, if you happen to spot us two silly girls catting about the 'wood on my first anniversary. *hee*

Re: Earthlink's shenanigans, I guess they either finished early or scrapped the plan only to screw us another day. After 10 hours offline, we're back. I hope for good. Man, wireless DSL can spoil a girl.

For those who were eagerly awaiting a review of the 12,000 BTU portable A/C, the review is in: IT'S A RAVE. Holy jeebus, my living room is an icebox! Yippee!

*basking while making casting phone calls*

Life remains the good.

Posted by bonnie at 11:34 AM | Comments (9)

June 12, 2006

Happy 12 of 12!

This month's 12 of 12 was much more exciting than last month's 12 of 12 for me. (Visit Chad for all of this month's participants. He was shooting for 75.) PARDON THE NAME-DROPPING LINKAGE AND RANDOM STORY-TELLING. I figured it was a good time to get everyone up to speed a bit.

Oh, and click any of these photos to see the larger version.

Started the day with the assigned "bonus photo" (one taken at 7am PDT). Keith heard my alarm going off, grabbed a cat, and came in to show me his phone reading "7am," which I made my first photo. (Back to sleep, since I went to bed at 5am. Keith, however, was on his way to the Funk Bros. with his ailing auto.) A couple of hours later, I was up and scheduling callbacks for Salvation, Texas. Happily, I also got to CAST two actors today. Yippee! Congrats to Mark and Alison! Y'all rock! (I'll start building the cast webpage soon.) Also, I got a call from Dee (with whom the HILMMAKS producers met last week--while I was meeting with Chris--both of whom it seems will be offered roles in that film; plus Chris looks like he's in for The Masquerade) asking me to sub her acting class one day later this month. Of course, I said yes! I love her students. They're awesome! Then, Keith and I headed off in the TicTac for Los Feliz. By way of Koreatown. Cool sign, eh? Keith did the photographic goodness, here. I was the art director. Hee! Love the Wiltern. It's such a cool color. After our lunch, I snapped this photo of the TicTac with the House of Pies sign. First time I'd been to the House of Pies since October, 2001 (after a brilliant play at the Company of Angels). Our date, my buddy Richard, to whom I was able to offer a role in How I Lost My Mind and Killed Someone last week. He accepted. I'm so freakin' excited about how this film is taking shape! Since he bought lunch today, Keith and I will take him to Tana's as a thank you after Quinn leaves town. I never thought I would spend $30 filling up my gas tank. It only holds 11 gallons, for cryin' out loud! But, I do have to say that the ARCO on Franklin at Gower has always been the cheapest gas I've ever seen... even when I lived at the Hollywood Tower in '93 and Melissa and Chick found a kitten (which they named Arco) there. I wasn't going to use this photo (I have many others from the day's events), but I really like the distorted image. The accordian bus is one of my favorite funny-looking things in LA traffic. And how gorgeous are the jacaranda this time of year! Wow! Apparently they've slipped a condom over the 360 Building. Somehow I missed the news that it was on fire a year ago. I blame TiVo. Tip from the former Improv Comedy Traffic School instructor: if the meter is blinking "FAIL," you don't have to put money into it. You do, however, have to put a note on it, if you plan to do more than run in and out of the Hollywood Post Office like I did (after dropping Keith off to get his car from the shop). Cricket Feet World Headquarters. Did you know our official offices were so small? We have pixies working for us in there. They are very happy. It was such a lovely day that instead of coming right home, I drove the extra seven blocks and did a lap by the spot where Keith and I got married 361 days ago. Wouldn't you get married there too? It's just so gorgeous here! Back home, back to work. Answering machine is all but full of messages from agents confirming actors' callbacks for Wednesday, casting directors with questions about our panel at the Hollywood Black Film Festival on Thursday, and news that Dennehy officially has our script now. Had to make some changes to our vacation schedule due to OUR building being tented (sheesh!), but it looks like that all worked out just great too. Hee!

Y'know... I think I might just have the most kick-ass life available for a dollar. So glad I bought it. Totally worth it. Hope your 12 of 12 was as much fun. Yippee!

Posted by bonnie at 8:54 PM | Comments (14)

May 21, 2006

Sometimes I wish

I were motivated entirely by money and nothing else.

It would make the decision-making process (in the whole Option Overload arena)

much

much

easier.

Just sayin'.

Posted by bonnie at 3:19 PM | Comments (8)

May 16, 2006

Being a Kid = Therapy

As I was gearing up to watch a TiVo'd 90210, I saw a commercial for a line of Crayola Outdoor products.

Quite sophisticated looking stuff, I'd say.

I remember being quite happy with a big hunk of sidewalk chalk and a patch of asphalt on which I could doodle, draw, create a hopscotch grid, or make MY star on the local Walk of Fame.

But I also remember being in my mid-20s and getting my hands on some sidewalk chalk, heading down to the parking area behind my apartment, and spending hours just being a kid, avoiding some thesis outline deadline or the heartbreak that the bouncer to whom I'd given my number hadn't called.

I also recall being 18 and coming out of the Drama Department after Honors Drama 101 (I never read so many Greek plays before or since) with my classmate Melissa. It was October and an enormous pile of leaves had been raked up while we'd been inside. Without saying a word, we both stopped in our tracks, looked at each other mischievously, dropped our backpacks right there, clasped hands, and took a running-flying leap into the leaves. We didn't even notice the bus stop area packed full of other students--some looking at us with disapproval, some aching to join in our fun--until after we'd frolicked for a good three minutes.

One of my favorite things to do when Quinn comes to town each year is PLAY. I just wish I didn't have to wait to do it. WAIT... I don't. While I don't have any sidewalk chalk handy and there certainly are no piles of leaves in this part of town, I've decided I'm going to find a way to play today. Where did I put those Shrinky Dinks?

Posted by bonnie at 3:46 PM | Comments (9)

May 15, 2006

My Yellow Home

So, yesterday as Keith and I were headed out for a walk-and-shop, our neighbors asked, "So, didja hear we're being tented and bombed Tuesday?"

Now, I've never done more than drive past a tented building, but I do understand that it means there are unwanted critters and they need to be poisoned. I giggled with glee over getting to be so close to such a thing (as Steve hauled firewood out of his $1.3M condo, rolling his eyes over the nuisance).

Clickee for biggee.

But then I gasped, "Oh no! What if all of the things they bomb come running over here and set up camp in *our* building?!?" To which Keith oh-so-patiently replied, "Honey, that's WHY they tent the place FIRST." "Oh. Okay," I said.

So, I woke up this morning and the whole living room, dining room, kitchen, entry area was YELLOW. Hell, even Thwok was yellow!! (Or have my eyes just started seeing all things yellow and she's normal? You tell me!) And now I'm wondering if I'll start to see "normal" tomorrow... or if the poison will kick in just in time for yellow to feel like the new clear. Wheeeeeee!

Posted by bonnie at 7:55 PM | Comments (2)

April 28, 2006

Best Movie EVER

Okay, actually this was more than the best movie ever. It was like the best late morning/early afternoon date ever. But first the important part: THE BEST MOVIE EVER! (That'd be Stick It! Duh.) NOTE: SPOILER-FILLED POST (you've been warned).

Now, you know I've been looking forward to this movie for a while now. Def Jam Becca MC, KiKi Longpost, and Babes McPhee and I have all been talking about the greatness that we knew this movie would be. And being the best movie ever, it did not disappoint. Like a Christian kid on December 24th, I went to bed early (read: 6am) so that I could get up at the earliest possible moment after Santa had delivered my goodies (read: 10am, to get goin' for the 11:10am showing at the Promenade) and begin tearing through the wrapping paper.

Keith said, "Wake up! Time for your movie." I replied, "This is not just a movie. This is the beginning of my professional teenage gymnastics career." But wait... first there were previews (and really cool commercials).

Did you know that TLC is running a brilliant series of ads that depict life lessons such as the importance of NOT becoming the Crazy Cat Lady, why you should read instructions before using power tools, and how merlot and email don't mix? (Note: I've just realized that movie theatres are like the only place to see commercials anymore, what with TiVo and all. Hmm.) You can even order these figurines (like the one above) or customize them online like I did, below (seriously. That little one below. Click it. Read it. It's so me). Coolest part, in the Crazy Cat Lady PSA they screened before the movie, is that she leaves to go on a date and says, "Okay, you're in charge," to one of the cats. I so totally do that to whichever cat I see last, as we leave the house. Heh.

Okay, so there was also a really great commercial for Coca-Cola (woo) that must've cost a bazillion dollars. This kid is riding his bike through the city streets during an incredibly intense and beautiful parade of many eras and worlds. It's a gorgeous fantasy world that exists as long as he's drinking his Coke. Rockstar. Up my stock, kids. Thanks.

Oh, and before we go into the review of THE BEST MOVIE EVER (Are you totally feeling like you're sitting through trailers for this review? I am.), let me just say that in addition to the must-see Wordplay about which I blogged yesterday, now there's The Heart of the Game. Yup. It's now the documentary time of year for my moviegoing pleasure. I'm in. Totally.

Now, for greatness.

You've been to the movie's site, so you know the story. Hell, you've seen Bring It On, so you know the story. Well, sort of. Seems the film's writer/director (Jessica Bendinger--love that name, like she's a bending-er, like all of these flippy kids she writes about) is also making a political statement about the arcane rules of judging in the sport of elite gymnastics. She does it quite effectively, too.

But not as effectively as she writes coolass lingo. Holy hell, that's some great stuffs. My favorites:

*Dude! Why you always gotta bite my moment? It tastes good?--Poot, when Frank marshes his mellow or kills his buzz
*Well if it isn't Pariah Carey.--Joanne, upon seeing Haley's unwelcome return to the gym (BTW, I totally think we need to just refer to Mimi as Pariah from here on out.)
*Come here, rebel without applause.--Coach Vick to Haley, on one of many of her walk-off-in-disgust attempts
*I'm so sure I'm practically deodorant.--Haley about how positive she is she'll nail a particular trick
*(Q): What's a corsage? (A): It's the universal symbol for "whipped."--exchange between Poot and Frank, when facing a prom purchase (No, we don't get to go to prom in this movie, but we do brilliantly, gorgeously, gloriously shop for it.)
*(Insult): Diva! (Comeback): Dee-vil!--our heroes upon entering the gym before Nationals

Oh, but it's not just the quips I love!

No ma'am! It's also the New Miss Malaprop on the block! Rock it. This girl has the most lazily written character (she's so NOT the juicy wonderful villain we got to know and love in Bring It On or any other decent movie of its ilk), but it's totally worth falling in love with her just for the malaprops. Wow! Greatness. Just a sampling:

*If you do that, I will have a cardio-vasectomy!
*Can we get rid of the long-sleeved leos? We have a constitutional right to bare arms.
*I earned my spots. I'm practically a Dalmatian!
*I don't appreciate your instimulation.
*You got a GED? What does drunk driving have to do with school?

I mean, COME! ON! That shit is OUTSTANDING!

I predict lots of happy fun drugged-up movie-goers really enjoying the phenomenal prescription drug dream sequence and super-imposed bodies flipping and tricking simultaneously. The fun soundtrack includes a song entitled "I Slept With Someone in Fall Out Boy and All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me." The sense of humor throughout this whole film is just rockstar. It never takes itself seriously, even when it has its "O Captain, My Captain" moment featuring my favorite flipper: Tarah Paige.

I cast Tarah as Cupid in Still of the Night last year. She's amazing. Her brastrap moment is only one of a few really unforgettable, scene-stealing offerings. That so rocks. Well done, cutie! You GO!

Other favorite items include Polly Holiday (I feel shame that I was certain she had died not too long ago) delivering a great line: "There are a lot of great people who had jerks for parents. We've gotta stick together;" and the Buttahara, probably my new favorite trick.

In the "we're going to nail the point of this movie home" line, Coach says, "Floor it." Keith leans over to me and says, "I thought the movie was called 'Stick it,'" to which I reply, "This movie is all about the subtlety." Keith then snorked. Luckily, there were only a dozen of us in the theatre, so I don't think many people heard.

As we left the theatre, glowing with delight (okay, maybe that was just me), we crossed paths with the "noted" Nolé Marin from ANTM, sans puppydog-on-princess-pillow.

And then we were given free samples of the new Dr Pepper Berries & Cream flavor. My review of that? The creamy stuff is really amazing... and the berry stuff is probably just kind of normal for the nectar-of-the-gods that is Dr Pepper... but there's some little aftertaste. Or perhaps it's just that I don't drink soda, so it's always a big trip for my tastebuds. Not sure.

Finally, after a quick stop into the bookstore for two books that should prep me very well for my big meeting next week (bought on a gift card I'm FINALLY redeeming, even though it was given to me almost a year ago as a thank you for a casting gig), we crossed Wilshire in front of the great Robert LaSardo, whom I wanted to cast in the above-mentioned Tarah Paige movie last year (but he was too busy with a soap opera gig). Anyway, big fan (me). And a great guy (he).

I'm still basking in the afterglow that was my morning with Stick It. I am certain that I will remain inspired to be the best professional teenage gymnast I can possibly be. Training began today. My rips have rips!

Posted by bonnie at 7:47 PM | Comments (7)

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)

April 27, 2006

Ramblings

Best Quote Ever

Just saw this at WWdN and I love it. I had to share it. I can't wait to use it about me.

I hung up the phone and ran around the house like a hummingbird being chased by a dog that shoots bees from its mouth.

Awesome.

Not Quite Geeky, But Trying

I set up a BlogRoll thingy and I have no idea whether I did it right. I did it because I'm OVER Rojo not telling me when feeds are failing and I also want a backup of my feeds for when Rojo isn't accessible. But I'm so seriously NOT tech-savvy about feeds that I'm predicting failure.

Avoiding the Crazies

Day one of operating as a shut-in (which I declared I would become over on Somesuch after dealing with all of the batshit crazy people coming out of the woodwork so far this week) was a huge success, in that I was visited by the greatness that is FWA. I so love my cousin!

Owie

I've been having issues with my neck for over a month now. Well, that's not true. A month ago, I had major neck pain (all muscle, all on one side). And now I have it again. So, some women have a menstrual cycle. I have a muscular cycle. And I've been taking Midol to try and ease the muscle pain because I figure, well, the drugs know where I'm cramping, right? Ugh.

When I DO Sleep

I keep having these recurring dreams that take place at school and involve things like forgetting my locker combination, showing up for final exams in classes I've skipped all semester long, not being able to find the classroom because they've renovated the school decades after I've been in it, etc. Does that ever stop? Will we still have school-anxiety dreams at 60? Just wonderin'.

So you LIKE the crazies?

Thank you, everyone, for the comments on the Decisions, Decisions post. (Hell, on all posts, really... because, like CoCo says, everybody loves comments!) I will do my best to craft an exotic, grippingly exciting tale that weaves the best of the most brilliant wonderful actors I encountered and the worst of the most bizarre freakshow actors who tried to "encounter" me this week and make sure that everyone is unidentifiable so that I don't get in (more) trouble. Hmm. Maybe if I make them all real estate brokers or midwives or grocery baggers or something....

But then, really... you have to know they're actors to just hit the BASELINE of what makes them so very... VERY.

Loves Me Some Office Supplies

Okay, so does everyone get as excited as I do about a new, real-wood, freshly sharpened, super-pointy number two pencil? No? Just me? Damn.

Countdown to GREATNESS

I am sooo freakin' excited!!! T-minus 31 hours 'til Stick It!

Posted by bonnie at 4:10 AM | Comments (13)

April 23, 2006

Happy Birthday, Pamela!

Since I only a few hours ago learned it is the dear sweet Pamela Jansen's birthday today, I HAD to make sure and post about it.

Pamela, you are an inspiring, amazing woman. Thank you for being my friend!

PS--You share your birthday with the lovely Kathryn Johnston (featured in SMFA) and the WildOgre himself, Bill Tarling. How cool that such great actors and FANTASTIC people were all born today?!? Love that!

Posted by bonnie at 4:29 PM | Comments (5)

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)

April 19, 2006

Abundance!

Oh, how I love this universe! Abundance is a beautiful thing!

Received yesterday a cute little teacup filled with precious flowers from a dear, sweet person: Deb Cresswell. PS--She's amazingly talented and brilliantly business-savvy. I adore her, and somehow she thought I deserved flowers. Yay! THANK YOU, Deb!

And last night, we won the lottery! No, not the $265,000,000 big prize... but that's okay. We had our best ticket so far this year: $7. Woo hoo! Yay!

Life, she is good! Argentum Fireside Chat tonight. Hope to see you local actor types there. Fun!

Hey, Jodi... we didn't show up on Wire Image, but the event did. ;) Still awesome fun. Thanks!! (And especially for the producer hook up. Woo!)

Oh... and Keith has now named TWO of our baby shrimps: Leon (the big one) and Shallow Hal (the tiny one that recently lost its red "shell" and is now clear). Hee!

Posted by bonnie at 1:42 PM | Comments (3)

April 14, 2006

So in love with you am I.

I've only been using it for two days but I way love ToRead. Way.

Lifehacker told me about it by way of my Rojo (which Beffers turned me on to).

ToRead sends you the text of a website you want to read later... sends it to your email. So that you can have it with you offline or in your handheld or wherever the heck you want it whenever the heck you want it and you don't have to do that stupid trick that never works very well (for me) which is commonly known as bookmark-a-bunch-of-tabs and (maybe) come back to read them later... oh, but wait, now the page is archived or for paid members only or some other such nonsense. This solves all of that. So effin' cool.

Headed to the season four wrap party for CSI: Miami with my husband the co-star later today. Woo! Excited to support him and meet some of his people. ;) And it's nearby. Again, woo!

I've been spending most of my time finishing my updates to contributions to Judy Kerr's awesome book, Acting Is Everything, fielding pitch calls on HILMMAKS (now that pilot season is over, everyone is getting way antsy on how casting might be progressing--which is slowly, but they don't want to believe that. Agents are all afraid we're missing their people during sessions we're not yet having), working up a column that is perhaps the most business-minded of any I've ever written (way ambitious too), and gearing up for a meeting lunch with a major player (and I'm about to start calling producer friends to figure out what the heck to expect from this encounter--while Keith begs me to just go in "open," which I will, but dangit I just want to get some idea. SOME).

Signing off with HAPPY BIRTHDAY wishes to the lovely Faith Salie, the amazing Bob Clendenin, and the spunky Belinda Berdes. What a great day for talented people to be born!

Posted by bonnie at 4:42 PM | Comments (2)

April 6, 2006

Didja Know

...that there is speculation as to whether Katie is even pregnant?

I really don't pay enough attention to this type of stuff. Or is that a good thing?

Neat story: Why it pays to be nice to the casting director.

Much cooler... this guy's website. Context here.

Not cool: my blog right now. I'm bored. Yawn.

Sources say Keith's CSI: Miami episode airs May 1st. And that he's been in promos airing on CBS already this week. Woo! (Thanks for the tip, Liz!)

Posted by bonnie at 6:59 AM | Comments (3)

April 4, 2006

Is It Just Me?

Or does everyone still do the "A-B-C-D-E-F-G..." twist of the stem before biting into a yummy apple, using the letter of "break off" as an indicator of the initial of future spouse? I mean, I've been married for ten months now (almost) and I still twist the stem off to find out who I'll marry. This morning: G is the magic letter. Sorry, Keith.

Okay, so this is going to be a way catchupy post. There is so much going on.

Apparently, my talk at SAG was pretty rockstar. Now, I've done a lot of talks at a lot of places for a lot of actors. They're always good. (That's not me being obnoxiously over-confident, it's just true. I'm a generally fantastic public speaker.) But this one was just pegged-to-the-wall perfect on about every level. No idea why, but the group assembled (170 RSVPs, plus waitlist) was just READY to laugh. READY to learn. READY to be inspired by something I said at some point. It was really awesome.

I started my time on Miracle Mile with a lovely solo dinner at Marie Callender's: a tuna melt 86 all bread-type stuff and a glass of Ferrari-Carano. Yum! My waiter saw me reading (and annotating) a script and asked about it. Natch, he's an actor and will be submitting on the film I'm currently casting (which is not the script I was reading at dinner). That's always fun. That's twice in two nights I've chatted up a waiter type about coming in for something I'm casting. It's LA, right?

Well, one of the items on my plate at dinner that I didn't eat AT dinner was a lovely little red apple. I just had it for a wee-hours snack. Yum!

Okay, so... I didn't want to scoop KiKi about our IRL meeting (and dinner with Keith and KiKi's PAM), but he's blogged about it now so I can say: WHEEEEEEEEEEEE! It was so cool! And he TOTALLY wore one of the red shirts (still not sure which one). We really were all over each other with giggles and comments and crosstalk and tangents. He's right, it'll be even better when we meet up again and have a little more focused energy on... well... just about anything. ;) Focus was just NOT our priority. What fun!

Y'know what else is fun? Receiving an email from the director of one film I cast, who was in Florida for the film festival screening and Q&A for said film. She also happened to catch screenings of other films at the festival, including another film I cast. She didn't know it was a film I cast until my name came up in the final credits, at which point she said, "Of course. Another great Bonnie Gillespie cast." And she emailed me to say so. What fun! Maybe I'm competent as a casting director after all. Yay!

Okay, back to work. Oh, but first, a comment I made over at an actors' web board that was met with much love and applause:

If you play the odds, there's no reason to attempt this career.
If you live your dreams, there's no reason NOT to give it a shot.
If you like to analyze your chances... well... that's actor mind taffy, plain and simple.

< Ali >Word.< / Ali >

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Posted by bonnie at 6:14 AM | Comments (7)

April 3, 2006

Linky

Too busy to actually post (speaking to like 175 actors at SAG in a couple of hours, dealing with drama--real and imagined--from others, all while doing the actual job I have to do... y'know... casting a movie), so here are some links and non-linked update stuffs.

Darwin Funny: flat-screen TV scam.
More Internet Survival: Geek to Live, which reminds me of a quote Keith found on one of his gaming sites (something about arguing on the Internet being like competing in the Special Olympics... sure, you can win, but you're still "special").
Writing for TV: when staffing season begins.
Pitching: details on a pitch.
Activism: seriously, go sign this petition to get headshots off eBay. *shudder* (See my post at HHH for gory-gories.)

Haven't done the rounds at the blogs yet today... did get a call from Argentum, which has booked me for an upcoming Fireside Chat. "Queen of Cactus Cove" is at Method Fest tomorrow (woo!) and the Atlanta Workshop Players will be here for a talk with me and a favorite agent (Robin Spitzer of Origin) and a favorite manager (Kathy Colorado of Unique Artists) on Wednesday. Way cool fun... I'm just too busy to write about it all, lately.

BTW, how am I supposed to get from the Westside to SAG without encountering UCLA traffic? Ugh. I need a nap.

Oh, and Lydia, you get to the site that does the fake movie posters by clicking on the linked text below the one poster I included in that blog post. ;) Have fun!

Posted by bonnie at 2:11 PM | Comments (4)

March 27, 2006

Dirt

Note: I put the "framework" of a "future blog post" into the "unpublished" mode at 8:15pm on Sunday. It is now 2:48am Monday and I finally have time to finish this blog post (read: make it make sense, add images, and create links to relevant stuffs) and publish it for reals. But I'm thinking I may like it BETTER this way. It's sort of haiku-ish, no? Hmm.
==========
Origin's Spice Odyssey

Like Dirt

Which is from a show I've never seen, but I watch enough

Best
Soup
Ever (David Spade)

to know that the Bangin' Weepin' Hetero is selling something called Dirt.

Anyway, it's really good. Smells nice. And although it's weird to use, I enjoy adventures in bathtime.

Big week ahead. What do you think of The PodCASTing Report by Bonnie Gillespie? Would you subscribe to that? Hmm.
===========
Yeah. That may be my new blog style. Well, for now that's how this post will stand, anyway. I must get some sleep. Gotta sub for Cujo's mom in a few hours. 'Nite!

Posted by bonnie at 2:48 AM | Comments (4)

March 23, 2006

Deep Thoughts

Why is "Jack" short for "John"?
Why is "Hank" short for "Henry"?

I mean, I get "Dick" for "Richard" (even though "Rich" makes more sense) and "Liz" for "Elizabeth".

But "Bitsy" from "Elizabeth"? And "Peggy" from "Margaret"?
How?

Posted by bonnie at 12:19 PM | Comments (8)

March 20, 2006

Monday Morning Search Party

Realizing we haven't had a Search Party in awhile... (and in honor of "erik patterson is a gay google" showing up in the searches that lead folks to KiK*'s site, it must be time)!

*Didja notice how I shortened your nickname? Does that mean MAP calls you Iki now? Didja also notice I totally fudged the placement of this "resolved asterisk" in order to not leave you hangin'?

Please pretend I'm a fraction of the funny that is CoCo, when she does her searches.

bonnie's bookstore activation code: Wow! I have NO idea what that means, but I really like it. I WISH I had some secret activation code that would lay out a store full of books ala me. Ooh! Like a secret room in the Batcave or something at Q's headquarters! What a fantasy! I'm more literary than I thought I was. Mom would be so proud! (I wonder if journalist momass punk is proud, just for good measure.)

invalid sibling link: I'm sure this search has to do with the computer hell that I faced a couple of months ago (jeez--not even), but I like the idea that it has more to do with brothers of unusual relations (Rodents of Unusual Size?) and non-existent connections. No?

"do not eat" poem poetry: Girl, please! If I could "do not eat" more, I'd be back at my fighting weight (whatever that is). Of course, I've written many an ode to the size of my ass and my addictive behavior regarding food and drink. I still believe that someday I'll be one of those freakshow women who gains only 10 pounds when she's pregnant but then drops like 60 pounds after giving birth. It's the "knocked up" diet. If it didn't involve a major change in my daily schedule, I'd so do that diet right now!

bonnie sex free: Sadly, that's sometimes true. Damn. Is it normal to get laid less in your 30s than you did in your 20s? Oh, wait. "Sex-free" wasn't hyphenated. So, it actually is a search of "sex... free," right? Oh. Well. No. Never free. I mean, duh. I am a female. There is always a price. Oh, and it may be of interest that this particular search came from Pakistan. No. Comment.

bonnie young girls 8 to 10: Okay, stop that! NO pedophile pornographers here! NO! (Is anyone else hearing Peter Griffin telling the TV "No! You HAD yours!" while trying to feed Magnum PI through the screen after the Y2K end of days? No? Just me? Hmm.)

copy right 2005 drunk org: Wow. Did you define my year or what? KIDDING! Or AM I?

should Isaac Mizrahi work Oscars red carpet: I think any of us who saw him do it would weigh in with a big fat NO. But, what do we know? Stupid Ryan Seacrest is earning millions of dollars to Botox up his face and make life hell for all other E! folk. Right, Chairman? Oh, I've never been so proud to share an ATL radio background with someone. PSYCHE!

Hollywood insider blog: Well... of course. ;) I sure as hell love that! It falls in line with my secret truth that I'm feeding into search engines everywhere. Ready?

"Is it true that Erik Patterson and Bonnie Gillespie secretly run Hollywood?"

Bring it, searchers.

BTW--NO RUG IS SAFE in the Gillespie-Johnson household. Blame Thwok. But for reals. NO RUG... NO! Photos to follow. Keith is on a rampage.

PS--You now have 11.5 hours to comment. I think. Good luck!

Posted by bonnie at 3:35 AM | Comments (9)

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)

March 17, 2006

Dates With Men Who Aren't My Husband

Okay, so I have a goodly number of dates coming up with boys/men who aren't the boy/man I'm married to. And suddenly the former Marine is bristling and marking his territory.

Now, I love the guy, but I'm wondering if perhaps I shouldn't have given him my blog address. Not because I don't love him and all... but because, MAN do boys get all territorial. I mean, I'm talking about something that happened 20 years ago (see IkIk's comments--AKA my secret blog entry pages--for details), planning a morning movie with a future superstar I cast in a film (yes, he's wonderful--he's like one of the few actors on the planet who GETS that the coolest date you can ever take to your film's world premiere is the casting director who put you in that movie), eagerly hopping up and down about my future date with IkIk and his MAP (hellooooo, Keith... just because I met YOU online does not mean that I'm going to marry EVERY boy I meet online EVER), and simply enjoying my job which involves finding actors of BOTH GENDERS very attractive and castable. And how is that threatening?

Ah, well... I guess I'll get it right back in my face when he books the gig on a series in which he must kiss some vapid see-you-next-Tuesday on camera and I get to not only hear about it but watch it on infinite reruns. Lucky, lucky me.

Jodi, are you happy now? See! We DO have the issues! ;)

Oh! BTW, I believe the comments are broken... like the first morning.

I keep getting emails from folks telling me they're trying to comment. So, well... I've tried (again) to adjust the settings and I hope I'm making it easier for y'all to comment (but not making it so that I'm spammed relentlessly through fake comments and trackbacks). *sigh* Yo, Texas Sarah, I am soooooo ready to hire you as my assistant. For reals. Maybe you could fix the comment thing. Or at least field the ones that come through to about ten different email addresses. OH! BTW, I recently deleted EIGHT different email addresses I used to have. That's deep.

PS--Biggest piss-in-my-pants laugh I've had today (other than during My Name Is Earl, which was simply brilliant tonight) came from reading the recent exchange between Def Jam Becca MC, PAM, Urp, Erik, and me at KiKi's/IkIk's blog. I swear, I'd love to get through a whole post without talking about my NBF(F) Erik, but I just can't. Damn. Coco hooked me up but good. Again.

Yes, this post is light on the links (and has no photo). That happens when you have a job-job to finish before sunrise. God bless the survival job! No matter how Hollywood you get. ;)

PPS--I think I'm going to start doing what EriK does (dammit! I mentioned him again!! I must be soooo in love!!!!!!) and reply to comments IN the comments. Not only will that make my comment count rise, but it'll make my replies more public and perhaps more (egad) interesting.

Aw, hell... what do I know? Maybe comments will be broken for me too and that'll just suck beyond all. But at least I'll know the comments are broken earlier. Maybe.

PPPS--Am I the only one on the planet who believes having a MySpace account is completely unnecessary? Or am I missing something?

PPPPS--OMG, I tried so hard to make a comment to the post below about KiKi's foot. I reset the settings and nothing worked. Dammit!!!!!!!!!! So, here's what I said, since I really tried to comment in comments and now no one can comment in comments, it seems.
----------
Okay, here's my first shot at posting replies within my own comments. Wish me luck!

Nini--so so so so glad the book finally arrived. Do you really think it's sexier than the book you received layst year? Oooooh, I'm just so happy! Miss you. Love you. Please move to elay soon.

Ed, I would never tattoo my foot, but I am a big fan of writing on myself with a Sharpie, so be ready to see photos of that nature after KiKi and I meet in person and write on each other.

Since I'm big ol' gluten free, there's very little of the Outback foods I can have, but they did take care of me, somehow. It was yummy.

KiKi, I had to crop. I HAD to. I simply had to assume that some of my readers wouldn't clink to your blog in order to see your comments about your own Brit-Spears-grocery-store-feet experience, and, well, I had to cover, just to be sure.

And, yes, we have a very specific-earlier-than-your-PAM-shows-up meeting time. Yay! We shall have a time. No doubt!

This was my first time commenting on my own comments. I hope it works.
----------

Ha ha, punkassbon. It didn't work.

Back to the post.

Anyway...

Please pretend this post was interesting.

Posted by bonnie at 1:38 AM | Comments (21)

March 11, 2006

¡Hasta!

Keith says I'm NOT allowed to cross the border and smuggle drugs back home.

Dangit! He NEVER lets me do any of the cool things the kids from 90210 got to do. *stomp* *pout*

PS--While I'm gone, here's a big BIG happy birthday to Brody and Ali, two of my favorite people on the planet! Love y'all! Bye.

Posted by bonnie at 5:42 AM | Comments (4)

March 10, 2006

Howdy!

Oh my, my, my, my, my. Busy gal. But I did want to come by and say HOWDY!

Taxes got pushed back 'til I return from San Diego next week (subbing Billy Cowart's classes there) and I'm seriously grateful for that. Even after a couple dozen non-stop hours of working on our financials, I still had/have work to do. Should finish it all up today. Phew.

Made offers to two name actors for HILMMAKS today. That is seriously so much fun! Yippee! The other feature film I'm casting is on hold while producers get some legal stuff together (they weren't as ready to begin casting as they'd thought at our meeting earlier this week), which is good b/c it gives me a bit of breathing room to (hopefully) get some deals made on HILMMAKS before issuing the next breakdown.

Spoke to Billy DaMota's class at the Strasberg Institute last night. That's always such fun! Really talented kids over there. And catching up with Billy is a blast. He has a new book that we may publish through Cricket Feet. Stay tuned on that.

Keith is at an audition, then off to CSI Miami casting for his intern gig. I'm hoping to get our financial statements to a good "finishing point" before he gets home, so that I can then get my column written (early) and do some Roxbury work before leaving town. I'm very much looking forward to being entirely offline for a few days. There's something very comforting about that sort of break from the daily noise.

Let's see... other things to catch y'all up on...

Books are selling remarkably well. I'm so very pleased with how happy folks are with Self-Management for Actors. In fact, it's in stores now, so the numbers should continue to increase this month. Yippee! More important than sales, to me, is that people like the revisions. That's a big ol' happy. Otherwise, as long as we don't lose money on the printings, I'm just fine and dandy.

When I went to update the Cricket Feet site with some more screenings for Queen of Cactus Cove, I did a little poking around to see what's up with some of the other films I've cast. Holy crap, y'all! Hombre Kabuki also got into a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards, which means it is entirely possible (though certainly not probable, but a girl can dream, right?) that TWO FILMS I cast will be up for Best Live Action Short Film on Oscar night, 2007. HOLY CRAP, RIGHT?

Also, I learned that Chandler Hall will have its world premiere next weekend at The Other Venice Film Festival. I don't know anything about the fest, but I'm so freakin' excited to get to see how the film turned out. The film's website has a trailer and stills. Looks great! And honestly, I've been so busy that I haven't even had a chance to add a link to that site from the Cricket Feet site--nor have I edited together MY casting demo reel, which includes clips from all of these films that are (all at once it seems) starting to become available.

Hmm. Maybe I'll do some of that here, and y'all can go see the trailers on the sites where they currently live, and I'll use this post as a reminder to myself to come back and do all of this linking from the Cricket Feet site when I have a chance.

Ha!

I haven't even gone blog-reading all week for the most part. Eesh! I am one busy Bon! Okay, I'm going to go ahead and post this entry even though it's really boring and then I'll try to come back before I head south in order to link up some trailers. Man, I need an assistant.

===========

BACK: Okay, here are some links to trailers, if you'd like to see some of what I do for a living (outside of writing, which you can see every week).

Queen of Cactus Cove trailer.
Chandler Hall trailer is available here.
Hombre Kabuki trailer. (Hombre Kabuki came out of casting for Each To Each which is in post right now.)
The Moor trailer is up at the Cricket Feet site.

Posted by bonnie at 3:10 PM | Comments (4)

March 9, 2006

T-Minus 10 Hours

'til our appointment with the CPA.

I do not think I will have our corporate taxes finished in time.

What a craptastic day! Seriously, doing nothing but prepping financial statements for 15 hours after having been woken up at 7:10am (after having gone to bed at 4:50am) by an anxious producer makes for a crabby Bon. No sleep in sight for this gal. I think I'll have a shower to see if I can feel as though I have a fresh set of eyes for this mountain of paperwork.

AUGH! Why are taxes such a HUGE pain in the ass?!?!?

So much for giving up complaining for Lent, eh?

Posted by bonnie at 2:48 AM | Comments (3)

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)

March 2, 2006

How To Make Me Happy for Three Bucks

Buy me something way geeky, way useful, and way cheap. You'll have my heart forever.

See, people love their iPods. They even dress like them for Halloween. So cool.

Well, I got my first iPod (a Shuffle) as a present when we had the whole Zed's Dead fiasco last month. While Keith was at the Apple Store wiping clean my computer's brain, he saw Shuffles on sale for under a hundred bucks and, well, there ya go. My first iPod. I'm late to the party, but I always manage to show up.

Click to enlarge.

Now, most folks already know about this. Apple's lawyers feel the need to warn you against eating the iPod. Some people even write poetry about it. So, of course, when the time came to name the iPod, I chose the only logical name I could think of. DO NOT EAT IPOD.

So, where does the "three dollar gift can make me so happy" thing come in? Well, Keith bought a three dollar cable that does two things. It allows me to plug my iPod into my car stereo's auxilary jack. Awesome. Good. Commercial free music... all of my favorites. Makes for good driving. We love that.

But here's the best thing this cable will do for me. Stand back technophobes, we're goin' analog here. This cable will allow me to take my mix-tapes from decades ago (and since then) and IMPORT THE MUSIC INTO MY IPOD! I will be able to take music that was originally on a 45 or LP record and then put on a cassette tape (and played in my car stereo [tape deck version] no fewer than three thousand times, I'm sure) and DIGITIZE IT so that I can have it in my iPod and then in my car stereo [CD version] all over again!

As I told my dear online friend and iPod lover KiKi in a recent comment exchange, there is plenty of room for failure (inconsistent levels, bad sound, pops, hisses, and crackled tape), but I DON'T CARE! I'm so excited to get some of my mix-tapes back into my "system."

It's been so long since I've put a cassette into a tape deck (stupid Keith replaced my car stereo [when it died in 2003] with one that has a CD player instead of a cassette deck. HELLOOOOO! I DRIVE A SIXTEEN-AND-A-HALF-YEAR-OLD TWO-SEATER ROADSTER THAT HOPS AT EVERY PEBBLE IN THE ROAD. WHAT DO I WANT WITH A CD PLAYER? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH ALL OF THESE BOOKS ON TAPE?!? Ugh! Men!) that I don't even know if those lonely mix-tapes will even still roll. But man, we're gonna try to make it happen. And I may just even scan in all of the hand-written-with-love liner notes from those homemade-with-love cassettes. Oh, I am sooooo looking forward to this project.

Suddenly, I am absolutely positively aware of how I will successfully avoid doing our corporate taxes on time. Yup. I have a much more important project stretched out before me.

Posted by bonnie at 4:27 AM | Comments (4)

February 27, 2006

Two Days of Driving

Well, actually it's two days of guest-speaking, but there's also the driving to get there.

That's from mi casa to Moorpark College. It's way far. Way. But it's not the far I dislike. It's the traffic. I'm going super early and taking my iPod and a script I'm supposed to have read by now, in case I'm so ahead of traffic that I have to park and chill 'til showtime.

And that's from mi casa to UCLA. Dude. I could walk in as much time as it'll take for me to drive to Moorpark. Oh don't worry... I WON'T... but I could. ;)

If you want to receive emails about when I'm out and speaking and such, sign up for the Cricket Feet mailing list and you'll be all set. OH! By the way... WOW! Am I getting a buttload of email about this (and last) week's column! Woo! Controversy, baby! Woo! LOVE IT! BRING IT ON, BITCHCAKES!

Finally, had to share this (from a blog that scooped this info off another blog):

Avoid message boards unless you have a major dilemma. A lot of the people on message boards have serious complications and they will inevitably scare you to death.

*giggle* Totally out of context, I really like that. I've been limiting my message board time lately and I'm definitely healthier for it.

Enjoy the rain! Be safe! Rainy days and Mondays always get me off (no, that is not a typo). I LOVE 'EM!

Posted by bonnie at 6:45 PM | Comments (3)

February 23, 2006

Embracing Inefficiency

Before I really get into the meat of this post, let me begin by saying this: I am giving myself three gifts, as a part of composing this apologia.^1 I will take a long time to compose this post. It's too important to rush through. After that, I will finish a long overdue email to the greatness that is Nate (who is giving and caring, and who has a HAWT wife). Finally, I will post a similarly long overdue series of comments about 90210 and other important issues of our day to my NBF's blog. These are my gifts to me and I deserve them. If it should come to pass that I am too exhausted after writing this to do those other things, those things will come FIRST after sleep. Yes, that's before work. Period.

Now, on to the post wherein I describe how embracing inefficiency has vastly improved my life. Warning: This shall be a long read, should you dare to read it all, yo.

Zed's Dead, Baby. Zed's Dead.

Well, y'know my computer crashed not too long ago. I see this experience as the forcing of a hard reset on MY operating system. Sure, I had the recent backup of many of my active files, but things I would never think about backing up became "new issues," as I rebuilt. As I began only loading software onto my computer AS I NEEDED IT, I realized that I was keeping around a whole mess of software I never used. Why? Did I think I might, someday, go back to something that only launches on OS9 when I've been using OSX exclusively for several years now? Much as I hung onto that AuthorWare Manual for years beyond its relevance or Charlsie kept a set of encyclopedias from when the solar system didn't include Pluto, I had become a packrat for relics in the software realm. And not just software! My goodness, there were all manner of things living on my computer that, when forced to reassemble the damn thing, I realized were not at all necessary.

Am I crushed that my dozens of bookmarks to handy lists on gluten-free foods are suddenly gone? Crushed? No. Bummed. Mildly. And it's a big Internets. I'm sure I'll finds 'em all again. Or not.

What about all of those posts I had bookmarked? Things I was going to reply to "someday" on message boards or at Yahoo groups? Man, maybe it's like that sweater at the back of your closet. You haven't worn it in three years? You ain't gonna start wearing it this season, sister!

So, just as I packed up bags and bags and bags of clothes for clothes-swaps with dear friends (and off to Goodwill with the rest of them) at the time of our move to Santa Monica, I see my computer's crash as a bit of closet-cleaning.

Is it inefficient to begin paying the bills and then to suddenly realize that I no longer have the bookmarks, logins, or passwords to any of my accounts? Sure. But y'know what? None of that stuff "went away." It's still out there. I just have to find it. And until I have the time to bother with that, I'll pull out the good ol' fashioned checkbook and pretend I'm a husband from the '50s, in the den chewing on my pipe with my brandy after dinner, telling my wife to scamper off, as I'm doing "men's business" and taking care of the family.

Lost phone numbers? So what! Y'know, I couldn't find a phone number for a producer who wants to hire me to cast a film (and who has been trying to reach me for days). BIG EFFIN' DEAL. Y'know what I finally did, after *almost* panicking that this guy's number could NOT be Googled, figured out from our Caller ID, or found in any stored email exchange (much less on any scrap of paper somewhere in the house)? I called the people who referred him and THEY gave me his number. Holy cow! There are ways to do things that have roots in very sensible, old-school behaviors. Totally inefficient to spend ten minutes on the phone with someone to whom I otherwise have little business to relay (And in the middle of a work day!) just to get a phone number that AN EFFICIENT BONNIE WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND, right? Sure. But we had a great chat and may have advanced ANOTHER project in the process. Pff! Bless my inefficiency and the rebuilding of the computer's brain.

"Getting to Empty" Isn't for Everyone. Especially me.

Now, my lovely friend and mentor CoCo has written about GTD and this bizarrely elusive "getting to empty" concept. This reminds me of a book I bought when I was beginning recovery for my decade-long prescription drug addiction. It was called "Step Zero" or something like that (and no, I'm not looking it up and linking to it because I don't remember that that's what it was called and I don't think I ever really read the whole thing anyway). I seem to recall something about the theory that you cannot even begin your recovery (at Step One, ala so many 12-step programs) until you've completed Step Zero. This isn't the same as reaching Rock Bottom, though they do seem to happen within moments of one another.

Every time I read posts on GTD and 43 Folders and all of those other things that would normally make an organizational nut like me as happy as being given a bottomless shopping cart in an office supply store, I get frustrated that I'm not more excited about it all. I think I've figured out why: I've not reached Rock Bottom with my GTD-related issues. And why would I? I am amazingly skilled at getting things done when left to my own devices. Why would I rebel against a system that already works (and quite well, thank you) just so that I could begin again, using a system created for those who find their "order" more in "chaos" than my "chaos" even ever becomes?

So, in honor of the fact that I have no plan to reach Step Zero on this issue, I embrace the inefficiency of MY system. It may not be so very quantifiable and definable as to spawn its own cult (although some would say that ONE of my "systems" has, in fact, done exactly that), but I am not here to inspire anyone on how to be as organized as I am. Nor do I need to aspire to be as organized as someone else, if it means I have to "get to empty" in order to do that. Why throw out what works in order to start over with something that may or may not work as well for me? Embracing the inefficiency of my "system" is a better step, anyway.

So Long, Multitasking, You Unhealthy Bitch.

Another way in which I am embracing inefficiency is in working against my Cancer-the-crab-like tendencies. As any good astrologer will tell you, Cancers not only love love love LOVE their own space, their cozy little homes, and their creature-comforts, they also carry everything around with them in their very efficient all-in-one shell suitcase. Yup. Totally me. But I wasn't always like this. My family loves to tell the story of my fascination with bath time (not mine, my brother's). When I, a toddler, would hear the water running in our one full bathroom's bathtub, I'd stop whatever I was doing, runrunrunrunrun into my bedroom, throw open the toy box, grab a favorite doll or stuffed animal in each hand, and then runrunrunrunrun into the bathroom, tossing each into the tub. My brother (an adult home from college for the weekend) would have started the water running and gone back upstairs to gather his clothes, shaving kit, etc. Meanwhile, as the water inched up in the tub, I would runrunrunrunrun back and forth, back and forth, two little hands clutching Lambie Pie or Bearie, legs going runrunrunrunrun, eventually filling the tub with a population of dozens of animals and toys, which would result in my brother's cry, "MUH-THURRRRR!!! She did it again!" At which point, I would plop down on the floor of the bathroom and laughlaughlaughlaughlaugh until I was forced to leave the room so that he could drain the tub, scoop out the toys, and begin his process again.

Nowadays, I couldn't imagine making so many trips. Not for any amount of laughter or silliness or (gasp!) even productivity. I am efficient, dammit! I make ONE trip, and I always make sure I've planned it just so. When I run errands, I have my route mapped out so that I am using the best roads at the best times, getting parking at the best spots, moving with the flow of activity rather than against it, and making as few left turns as possible. If I have three loads of bags to carry up from the car, I will--oh yes, I will, and don't you think I won't do it--manage to get ALL three loads of bags attached to my body SOMEHOW and all of the "stuff" WILL get inside at the same time. This makes Keith crazy. He totally doesn't understand it.

Well, in having a VERY willing-to-make-many-trips partner, I've developed a "queen of all that I survey" personality. I spend my days high atop the Couch Catalina and when I need a refilled water bottle, my Keith goes and gets it for me. When I am hungry, my Keith brings me food that he has lovingly prepared for me, the certified kitchenphobe. When I am finished eating, my Keith takes my plate away. "Hand me the phone, honey." "Can you get that fax for me?" I've even taught him to do the things that I always did for my mother, growing up (anyone who was raised southern will know this one). As you get up to get yourself something, you ask, "Do you need anything?" Yup. My Royal Subjects serve me quite well. Never do I need to cross a room to get a drink at the bar. I have become a total Queen of Sloth, only rising from my throne when my bladder or bowels require I visit the other one.

No more! I realized that I could DOUBLE, no, even TRIPLE my in-house level of activity and break this sedentary lifestyle up a bit simply by filling up my own damn water bottle, "bussing my own table," and otherwise doing a very childlike-glee-inducing thing from my own life: one hand = one item, as many trips as possible, and runrunrunrunrun. I AM LOVING THIS INEFFICIENCY! Oh my, there is so much movement to be HAD, if we just think of ONE thing we need to do at a time.

Who the HELL knew that multitasking, combined with very seriously-busy-ness and a live-in enabler, could make a person UNHEALTHY?!?

Streamlining Email.

Another bit of progress in my campaign to embrace inefficiency has to do with something I read, well, over at 43 Folders, b'gosh! Now, I'll say that many of the tips suggested in more comprehensive intimidating articles on the subject have LONG been in place in my Entourage. Comes with having so many email addresses and so many different clients, projects, and 7500 contacts in my address book. So, items like system rules I've created for email routing and in-box traffic control, color coding for easy reference, messages automatically linked to contacts for retrieval after they've been archived, and a hard-archive system for older-than-a-year stuff were already in place. In the past year (when my inbox went from 1000 un-dealt-with-but-replies-are-due messages to 2000, and now, to 4801 [and yes, that's an inbox that has several subdirectories whose messages I'm NOT counting AND one which gets archived and deleted from REGULARLY]), I began using the flag (and "flagged" folder) for certain messages, immediately filing messages that didn't require a reply but that needed to exist locally for potential future reference, and deleting ANYTHING I printed out or saved to a project file elsewhere on my system.

It's only since reading this quick article and surviving my Zed's Dead computer fiasco that I changed the interval of auto-check from eight minutes to 28 minutes (and I'm toying with the idea of going to 68 minutes next). I also began deleting with more reckless (and non-OCD/fairness-based) criteria. I used to think, if I deleted an email that came in today that met X criteria, I should also apply that "filter" to yesterday's mail.^2 That sort of thinking forced me to keep emails I otherwise KNEW I should just toss, seeing as: "It's not fair to the email I kept from yesterday for me to toss this one today. Who am I to decide whose email is of more value than another's?" Who? I'M THE ONE RUNNING THIS G4, BABY, THAT'S WHO!

Delete. Delete. Delete.

Woo!

AND... Merlin Mann is right. There is very little that I miss in the 20 extra minutes of focused time I get, while my system is not sending me emails that interrupt me faster than I can even get started on another task.

When I really want to be productive, I quit out of email altogether or "work offline" so that I can get many replies written without the constant influx of replies to those replies which force me to get further behind on my older, flagged emails. (Remember those days? Before the high-speed Internet connection? When your email life was budgeted by the amount of hours you had left before you reached your account's dial-up limits? More productive, otherwise, right? Thought so!)

I no longer write my column each week with the regular interruption of the email "mail's in" sound. I write my column with my headphones on, iTunes churning happily away, getting up to refill water as needed, and staying mindful of my column's topic, rather than constantly having to stop and get refocused after fielding an email about a casting gig, showcase, or any other non-column-writing issue. Oh, and since doing that, I've been told SEVERAL TIMES that my columns are GREAT. Now, I'm not talking about the standard, "Hey, love your columns," stuff that happens. I'm getting really specific feedback about the quality of my work. And this couldn't be more important right now. If "the deal" goes through, we're talking major syndication, baby. EFFIN' RIGHT! No email is going to interrupt THIS writer today. Oh, hells no!

As for other rules of the email variety, here's one for people who send emails to all of their friends at once without using BCC. These Darwin Award Winners have a special "rule" to which their emails adhere. Those are routed directly into the "Addresses" subfolder. Yup. You have a friend who sends out email without masking the addresses of all recipients? If that email gets to me, I'm keeping your address. Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but it'll either go on MY mailing list or someday, if I'm looking for extra money to buy something really silly, instead of rolling pennies, I'll sell email addresses to Spammers. For whatever reason, I'm keeping these addresses--some people save string--and disregarding whatever the email was about. Ha!

Imperfection Is Gorgeous.

Okay, so another aspect of embracing inefficiency has to do with embracing imperfections. I remember writing a poem in high school called "Perfection." The first two lines were:

"Perfection. My best friend.
Perfection. My worst enemy."

Yeah, I was way tortured (in a Cure song--not a Smiths song--kind of way). Point is, I've always known that perfection both drives me and tortures me. Part of why I do so many things so very well is because I expect perfection and come pretty dang close to achieving it pretty much most of the time. And... that'd be why I am so very demanding and unforgiving (mostly of myself, but also of others). I have a very low tolerance for imperfection. And that can't be healthy. Life IS imperfect. Humanity IS imperfect. An absolutely lovely reminder of that came to me in the mail this week.

The amazing, beautiful, wise, and courageous Pamela Jansen is someone I met online, then met in person, then cast in a film. She is featured in the book Fearless Women: Midlife Portraits, which I talked about receiving in a post over at TalentPIMP.com.^3 A few weeks ago, she called to let me know that a special envelope was on its way to me, please look for it. It took awhile, but it finally showed up last week, while I was so sick. It had been a bit damaged in the mail (which I totally understand, lately^4), but I believe the item inside was no worse for the wear. It was (it is) a stunning blue and silver beaded bracelet. Absolutely breathtaking. Perfect for me. In Pamela's letter, she said:

"Don't look too close, 'cause you'll see a few flaws, but then again, you wouldn't know for sure that it's an original."

Right on. Inefficiency is imperfect. And, it too, is beautiful.

More Music, Less TV.

Having to start over on my computer (in many aspects, though certainly not entirely, thank the mighty backup drive), I found myself having to re-import all of my CDs into my iTunes. Now, this certainly isn't as important as rediscovering old bookmarks to bank accounts and casting logins, right? Well, maybe it is. See, I had (before the crash) decided to turn off the TV and listen to music. So, that meant getting the music back into my computer for the times when Keith needed to have the TV on or when doing the XML through the TV was otherwise impractical. Of course, I had done a lot of customizing, rating, and artwork/lyrics importing in the years since first setting up my iTunes. This time? Had to start from scratch and there's something really nice about that. I had no time to pick and choose which tracks to import, so I just tossed all of our CDs onto my iTunes and now, as I listen to each song, I go in and give it a rating AS WE GO and, if I don't like that song, I delete it. Totally inefficient to have imported it in the first place, right? Pff! Whatever! I am loving a project that should seem ridiculously tedious. What does that tell ya?

Okay, so what does any of that have to do with the "less TV" part? Well, working from home provides many opportunities to have the TV on simply as background "noise" for the day's events. But y'know, there's a LOT of bad news out there. Even if you keep your TV tuned to "silly" stations and don't tune into local or national or international news, you're still going to get the teasers and previews and headlines that are the most shocking, gruesome, and soul-spiking (Because, of course, that makes the average viewer want to tune in for the whole story, right?) and that, somehow, must seep into your psyche and pollute you. Somewhere.

When I was in college, I was a part of a leadership honor society that was comprised basically of the "movers and the shakers" of UGA's senior class. Now, that's a lot of effin' people, so I get that it's a huge big deal that I was one of the top 40. Well, we first went on a retreat to build as a team, and then we spent the rest of the quarter attending leadership conferences and events all over the state. It was awesome.^5 One of those events was a talk put on by an expert in dealing with "Option Overload." Many of that day's college graduates were facing too many options from which to choose easily and this guy's talk was about the fact we (Americans) bombard ourselves with information and then we try to find someone to blame for our ADD, lack of focus, apathy, and lack of commitment to anything meaningful.

He's the first person I heard advise against watching the evening news. Specifically, he insisted that we NEVER watch the LATE news. His advice went something like this: "Whatever you do right before bed is with you in your early sleep. You fill your head with the thoughts you will work on overnight and these images and issues populate your dreams and impact your depth of rest and your waking state the next day. The LAST thing you need to put yourself through at the end of what may have been a fulfilling day is a 15-minute barrage of negative images, sounds, and up-to-the-second interviews about the impact of those horrific things on the people who experienced them (followed by a bit of weather and sports)." That did it for me! All I've done this time around is up the ante on that philosophy. Awesome.

Manual Correction.

And, finally, I have turned off auto-correct in my software. Yup. I no longer want my software to smarten me up. If I don't know how to spell a word, I want the little squiggly lines underneath to tell me, so that I can LEARN. Rather than having Word or Entourage automatically switch the letters that I transpose, I want to see those flaws, right there in the finished product, so that I can choose to edit (because I see what I did wrong), ask for a suggestion (because I doubt what I meant to type), or show me how it's spelled (because I simply don't know how to spell it). I think this stems from having comment-based dialogue with my NBF KiKi and his PAM (punkass mom). She praises us when we leave our typos in. There is something to be said for that kind of parenting. And as Keith has recently shared, at some point, we get to reparent ourselves to make up for where parenting was well-meaning but misguided (or worse). Inefficient to have to go through and (somewhat) "manually" correct misspellings? Sure. And I love it!

In Closing.

The overall effect of these changes is this: I no longer feel that I have to get it ALL done in order to get ANY of it done. Before, I wouldn't even START on a project unless I knew I could COMPLETE it (or a pre-determined, significant CHUNK of it) within the amount of time I had stretched out before me. Somehow now it's okay to be inefficient: to pull out a stack of headshots for HILMMAKS and not get through it before I have to stop, switch gears, and do something else (perhaps something else more important--gasp!) for a moment. I can put that stack aside (partially sorted) and pick it back up an hour later. Sure, that's inefficient. Sure, I wouldn't have to spend that, oh, 30 seconds reorienting myself before I plunge back in, but so what?!? The fact is, dialogue now goes like this in the Gillespie-Johnson household:

K: C'mon. Let's go for a walk.
B: Okay.

It used to go like this:

K: C'mon. Let's go for a walk.
B: Not now. Gotta finish this breakdown.
*30 minutes later*
K: Finished yet?
B: Yeah, but I need to find out what National Public Television AFTRA Scale is for a one-day shoot when it follows a week of an AEA run of the same show.
K: So... when?
B: I'll letcha know.

Repeat, repeat, repeat. Until finally I'm so fried and/or Keith's so tired that it's just not gonna happen. Oh, and feel free to replace "go for a walk" with "have dinner," "watch this movie and eat popcorn," "fool around," etc.

I don't see how this embracing inefficiency can possibly be a bad idea for me. I am perhaps the MOST organized person on the planet who can still actually function in society with some manner of skill and charm. Usually people who are as organized and efficient as I am are also quite mad or antisocial, in the Rainman, Se7en, As Good As It Gets, "Is everything in here as it should be, Laura?" kind of way. To step away from some of the self-inflicted MUSTS to my daily routine is to provide a space for more flow, more sunshine, more kisses, more DISCOVERY.

If observing YotL has taught me one thing already, it's that there is nothing you can DO to MAKE the amazing, beautiful, wonderful things happen in your life. All there IS to DO is to SLOW DOWN and SEE THEM. Everything amazing, beautiful, and wonderful is already here: inefficient, flawed, imperfect, and simply gorgeous. All of it.

Notes.

^1. When I took Judith Ortiz Cofer's amazing creative writing master class in grad school (where, by the way, I shared many good times with fellow SpyNotebooker and literary genius, Courtney), one of my assignments was to write an apologia on my life as a writer. [Def: ap·o·lo·gi·a: n a formal, usually written, defense or justification of a belief, theory, or policy (formal).] Basically, this was, "Why I write the way I write and how it is I write at all," written up.

I remember my English 101 class at UGA, fall quarter 1988 (nearly a decade before the Cofer class). First assignment: "Write an essay answering the following question: 'Are you a writer?'" I began timidly. I didn't want to presume I was a writer, even though I had written my first stage play at the age of seven, my first published poem at the age of ten, and had spent the better part of high school writing with the Literary Club and for the paper, yearbook, etc. But I thought that maybe I was, indeed, a writer, so I began my essay: "I write, therefore I am... a writer."

By the time I approached my apologia, I had written a script for The Simpsons, been published in more than a few local and regional newspapers, and had seen quite a few of my poems and short stories make it into fairly well-respected literary journals. I was definitely a writer, by now. But I still approached the apologia with some timidity and I think that's what taught me a connotation for "apologia" that I find appropriate.

Yesterday, I had a phone conversation with my writing partner from my third (and his first) book. He said that he had finally (after having published that book with me, and having since written two screenplays and one pilot spec script) gotten up the nerve to say, "I am a writer," and that he was going to say so at Tuesdays@9 that very evening.

I chose to declare this post on embracing inefficiency an apologia for the same reasons Blake needed to ramp up to calling himself a writer (and for the same reasons that I was okay with calling my Cofer-assigned apologia an apologia): I've not yet mastered this. But I still want to tell you why I'm embracing inefficiency, the ways in which I'm embracing inefficiency, and how it is I'm embracing inefficiency at all. Perhaps someday, I will feel that I have mastered this as much as "they" tell me I should I feel that I have mastered writing.

^2. This is actually how my headshot files got so out of control last year. I believed, if I kept the headshot of an actor I met at a panel discussion in 2003, I had to keep the headshots of ALL of the actors I met at that panel discussion, even if I'd never seen their work, thought their credits sucked, felt they'd personally be too creepy to ever inflict on the population of a set, or knew they lived on another continent. I finally got over that, late last year. It was time to create a home office that would function like a casting office. This was when the wall of cubbies was born and, frankly, when tens of thousands of headshots went into the big bin in the alley. And no, I don't care if it's not fair that I kept ONE actor's headshot from an event but dumped the photos of all of the other actors I met at that event.

Oh, and that little part of me that always said, "But what if someday you NEED that one actor's headshot from 2003? What if you someday WISH you hadn't thrown out that ONE headshot? Doesn't that make it worth keeping them all?" Yeah, I beat that little part of me down in a fight outside, right in the alley next to the big bin with all of the dumped headshots. This was the same week we chose to toss our Yellow Pages. Why did we ever bring them off the stoop and into the house? I don't think I've consulted a paper-based copy of the Yellow Pages in nearly a decade. Yes, it's true, the Internet could go down or 411 might not understand my request for the listing... y'know what? Worth the risk. And if someone whose headshot I dumped suddenly wins an Emmy and I wasn't smart enough to hang onto that photo from years before that actor was discovered? Well, believe me, I have enough of a photographic memory (and sense of sass) that I'm sure I'll say, "Aww! How cool to see that actor getting all of that success. I used to have a headshot...." And then I will MOVE ON. I will NOT cry that I tossed it out. I'm almost sure of that.

^3. If you are not a member of TalentPIMP.com, you can follow this link and enter the promotional code HHH (that stands for Hollywood Happy Hour). You will then have free run of the place for six months. So, just do it. It's way cool. You're welcome.

^4. It seems we got some cruddy envelopes in our order. Y'know, those big, padded envelopes for mailing promo copies of Self-Management for Actors all over the place? Yeah. The number of books I sent out in padded envelopes that arrived empty has risen to NINE (that we know of). Now, someone wanted me to be pissed about this. But here's my theory: Let's imagine that the glue came unstuck and the copy of the book landed on a floor somewhere in a post office. Fine. Let's imagine that the postal worker who finds the book has been looking for a life change. And suddenly there's this book. And this postal worker has always been pretty charismatic and funny and kind of wants to try acting. He reads my book, decides to try out acting, makes his way through the process with some success, and prevents the world from losing any more people to random postal worker shooting rampages. OR! Better still! He goes on to huge successes and thanks me in his Oscar speech for having, without ever having known it, changed his life. Okay, okay, okay, so maybe he sells the book on eBay and someone else who always wanted to try acting ends up with the book at a deep discount since it's on eBay and it's out before you can buy it at Amazon.com or something. And the postal worker uses the money he earned from that sale of something he filched to buy ammo and he ends up being happy because he's living his dreams to own lots of ammo and I somehow helped that along.

It's all good karma, right? Don't you judge me, Earl!

^5. Somewhere, I have an essay that I wrote about one of the team-building experiences I had during the ropes course with Leadership UGA. I'll have to find it and share it, at some point (although I'm sure that would require finding the hard copy and retyping it, since God only knows where it is, electronically... much less whether it would even work on a computer from this lifetime). Anyway, I wrote about the fact that I froze during the ropes course and had to be "talked down" from the top of the first rope ladder, where I had taken one step out onto the high wire and then decided to "become one with the tree." Yes, I knew I could trust my harness, my belay partner, and my helmet. It wasn't rational fear. It was panic. And it gripped me hard. Of course, there were other team-building events that night, and I talked about my fear and others talked about theirs (which most of them had conquered better). The thing is, I didn't KNOW that I had a fear of heights until I was UP THERE. I had no idea!

The next morning, up with the sun, we're off to go rappelling. I am the first one off the mountain. My partner, Lance, looked stunned at my voluntary leap up, racing to get into the harness and start my trip down a 150-ft. vertical wall of granite. At the end of that day, when we did the rest of our team-building events, we were asked to share with the group what it was that we would be left with, after this weekend. Lance said something to the effect of: "Bonnie shocked me. I saw her on the ropes course. She was TERRIFIED. I knew she had unveiled a fear in herself she didn't even know existed and it scared the hell out of her. But the next day, she was the first one off the mountain, catching air like a pro. That taught me that not every fear of heights is the same. And maybe fears that I have about certain things aren't the same as the fears with which I associate them, since they SEEM the same." I laughed (through tears) and said, "Well, that little wire strung between those two trees, 50 feet up, was ITTY-BITTY. That mountain was HUGE! Of course they're different!" Yeah, I know. Leave it to me to make a joke, but in this essay I'm talking about (an essay contributed to a future issue of a short-lived Leadership UGA Alumni Magazine we called "Belay ON!"), I somehow brought it all back around to the fact that with the support of an amazing team, any fear (even one that looks like it should be the same as one that froze you) is conquerable.

Beyond the Notes.

PS--two post-footnotes notes regarding my family at Somesuch-Whatnot.
1. I know there is never a three. But this, being an apologia, follows those rules first, then somesuch's. I'm sure you understand.
2. The whole time I've been writing this, I've been imagining Norm coming over here and posting the first comment: "Nuh-huh." If it weren't so far past his bedtime by the time I finished this effin' thing, I bet he would! *giggle*

Posted by bonnie at 12:29 AM | Comments (8)

February 22, 2006

Wow

I had a whole big plan stretched out in front of me. Couldn't sleep after having attempted a civil bedtime with Keith just after midnight, so I got out of bed 'round 1:20am and began doing a bit of work (I know, I know) and the rounds at the blogs and such.

Then I made a gluten-free mini-pizza.

And while I worked on it (It's a three-stage process that requires a lot of back-and-forth to the kitchen.), I composed a brilliant entry on one of my new favorite things, which I can't wait to blog about, but which is also pretty involved, therefore composing the entry will take some time. Okay, fine. Fair enough. Let's do that tonight. What a great project!

So, I begin as I always do. I search the Internet for an appropriate image file to put up. That takes awhile. Then I find a few pages I want to be sure to include (link-wise) in the blog, in case readers have questions or want to know what has inspired me so. Fine. Somewhere in there, I finish the prep on the pizza, eat it up, and watch an episode of Sex and the City (Kiki, it is the "I Have Cancer" episode ["The 'Ick' Factor," for the purists among you] and I am crying like I did the first two times I saw it. Such a happy thing, TV.), all while mentally composing this amazing blog entry on how inspired I've become by my new favorite thing.

And then fullbellyitis sets in. A sleeping kitty to my right reminds me that it is really quite late and sleeping feels so nice, especially when you're all curled up to someone warm and loving. So, I miss my husband and our warm bed. I decide to bookmark all of the places I had open in tabs, all set for quick-link-making. I delete the watched episode from my TiVo, post this little nonsense post instead of posting nothing, and head off to brush my teeth and go back to bed.

And by doing this, I am exercising EXACTLY the art I have learned to embrace (and hope to master) and that I cannot wait to share with you all: THE BLISS OF INEFFICIENCY. It has changed my life. And I'm now addicted to inefficiency.

I simply cannot wait to tell you all about it.

G'nite!

Posted by bonnie at 3:16 AM | Comments (5)

February 20, 2006

YotL

Let me take a moment to tell you about the Year of the Leemer.

I have this friend. He's my musical soulmate. He's a somesucher. He's a GMF and all around cool person. His last name is Leemer and I call him Leemsy. He has declared 2006 the Year of the Leemer (that's YotL, yo).

At his blog, he explained it like this:

What started out as a little mantra to myself, to make me realize what I am truly capable of, took off with a life of its own. And I love that. I mean, I really love that. The original intent was to make me get off of my ass and follow my dream, whatever that may be. However, I have found myself to be content living through the triumphs of others that are close to me who have embraced the YotL concept.

And YotL is definitely embraceable.

While I've been sick in bed this past week, I've received three messages from producers wanting to hire me to cast a pilot, a play, and a film. Yup. I've also received calls about covering acting classes at several very cool studios, guest-speaking all over the place, and even a pitch for another book... from a financing writing partner type. Yup. That's on top of the super-terrific "new" (additional, not instead of; existing MAJOR publication, not new rag) venue for my weekly column that's in the works.

YotL, yo.

Best yet, while I'm catching up with what's going on in the lives of my friends and colleagues, I notice that many (perhaps MOST even) of them have seen very big advances in their professional lives already in this short year. Cooooool. Just like Leemsy, I'm thrilled to see others basking in success they've so well earned. There is nothing so exciting as celebrating successes with dear friends. To all of you, I want to explain that, without knowing it, you've embraced the spirit of the Year of the Leemer.

Congratulations.

It rocks hard.
And so do you.

In other news...

I am starting to feel better. Thankee for all of the good vibes and love. Keith made me take today off too, which I think was probably smart, but I'm still getting lots done. (Heeeeeee!) Drinking lots of water and trying to just flush out whatever might be left in my system. OUT!

I've gone and created a Cricket Feet Mailing List , since I've been told that a few of the wonderful members of the Hollywood Happy Hour Yahoo Group really only stay subscribed so that they can keep up with announcements I might have about the industry, notes about upcoming column topics at Showfax.com, information about upcoming networking events, details on screenings of films I've cast, book signings, and various speaking engagements around the country.

Volume of mail should be relatively light. I'm thinking a weekly blurb about my column (I've been asked to do that, as a reminder when new articles are posted) and periodic announcements about events that I would normally either post at HHH or forward to Judy Kerr for her awesome mailing list.

Remember, Queen of Cactus Cove screening FREE on Thursday. You're coming, right?

Let's see... what else?

I've taken some quizzes. I'll post those results later.

I'm going to do some organizing now. I have a cool teenage helper coming over later this week (she's in town from NY for Pilot Season) to help with my headshots, scripts, and demo reels. Before that stage, though, I have to get stuff to a manageable level.

Okay, I think that's it for now.

Oh, one more: last night was seriously intense on the celeb factor at dinner. Very bizarre to see such a high concentration of industry folk at one time on one night. Dress rehearsal for upcoming Oscar parties? Maybe. Anyway, champagne and lobster always makes me smile. It was a good date. The Saturday industry "underground" thing was amazingly good fun too. *giggle*

Time for a shower. Yay!

Remember, embrace the YotL, yo.

Posted by bonnie at 2:20 PM | Comments (7)

February 12, 2006

Quick Hit

*Phew*

So, I've been stressing out all weekend about how on Earth I'm going to get everything done for my meeting tomorrow, what with another meeting today--one that's going to take a big chunk out of my day and therefore my ability to get prepped for tomorrow's meeting--and a column due.

Then, in the style of something CoCo wrote about last month, this morning brought a cancellation for tonight's dinner meeting. Awesome.

Not that I didn't want the meeting to happen--we've actually been working to schedule this for MONTHS--but the timing will be better later. Today, I shall write my column and prep for tomorrow's casting meeting. Phew! That's plenty of work, believe me!

Posted by bonnie at 1:20 PM | Comments (1)

February 9, 2006

Y'know what makes me happy?

A last-minute "let's see if we could actually attempt to get together" get-together with two of my favorite people on the planet.

That'd be Shon and Jodi. *giggle* I'm so excited! We're going to plan the big "Every Boy Is Turning 40" party. Eeeeeee! Yay! And, heck, we're just going to hang out and catch up. Wheeeeeee! Yay!

Back to work.

Posted by bonnie at 5:07 PM | Comments (2)

February 7, 2006

Updatey

I'm taking a moment to get out of the sun that shines on my "work seat" during this time of day and, from the floor, share some long-overdue updates. It only makes me more giddy that the actor I want THE MOST for one of the roles in HILMMAKS is on TV right now! Hee! It's a sign!

Okay, so the updates.

First, Pamela Newlands (AKA Sassy McLassie, and a contributor to SMFA2) shared this goodie with me. It's an interview with her that ran in the East Kilbride News (and that was subsequently picked up by the wire and run throughout the UK) in which she pimped out my new book.

Click to see the way-large version.

And if that's too large for you, just click here to see the "all about Bon" part of the piece. *giggle*

Oh, and so it doesn't get buried in comments, I'll share a share from super proofer Julie-O (who has scored a righteous gig recently--ask her about it) a link to Swingline Tot50 staples, though you'd better buy in bulk, with that $8 flat shipping fee. Thanks, Julie-O! Happy stapling, proofers!

Okay, so, for the other giddy, giggle-filled info that I can't technically share with the world yet. Remember that post in which everyone tried to guess stuff about the starfucking namedropping I did? Okay, well, I can't say what, but I can add some names to the collection. Oh, but maybe that's too much. I know! I'll be a link-sharer instead of a name-dropper. How's that? Kiki, does that make me a starlinker instead? Hmm.

Okay, so the links for my *giggle* start here: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Yes, I've woven in non-names with names, plus earlier-posted names with new ones... just to make it fun. And because everyone loves a good
boost in the starmeter ratings, click this and this too. *giggle*

PS: the word of the day (per this post) is OKAY.

PPS: not telling, Ed. But it's not what you think it is. I'll tell you later. No one knows. Really. Honest.

~2 d, 23 h

Posted by bonnie at 4:52 PM | Comments (5)

January 31, 2006

Quick Hello

Hiya! Been awhile. Busy. Office is looking gorgeous (photos to come) especially thanks to a stunning new lampshade with crystals hanging from it (beautiful present from the Lindsays). New fax machine "system" is really cool. Next, we're going to put up a stunning curtain to divide the "office" and "living" spaces. Oh, and I'm going to finally get a desk. (Did you know that you can't buy a desk like I want anywhere in person in Southern California?? Yeah. Gotta go online. Drat.)

Meeting tomorrow with Gary about a new joint venture with a major trade publication. Eeeeee! I'm quite giddy. Also finally got paperwork done for another casting gig, which means I'll be releasing some info in an official capacity soon (on several projects at once). I'm just blown away that it's already almost February. Wow.

Oh, man, I haven't even mentioned the fact that the second edition of Self-Management for Actors reaches our warehouse TOMORROW! Ack! I so kept thinking I had more time to prep--and now it's almost here???? Ack! I had a dream that it was a huge bomb and no one bought it and I cried and cried. And then I went over to Deb's house and slept on a leather couch, took drugs in my sleep, and woke up with Christmas lights strung all over me. When I woke up, I was craving a Sloppy Joe. Do you think that's normal?

;)

More catch up later. I need a shower.

Posted by bonnie at 12:59 AM | Comments (4)

January 29, 2006

HB to MMSM

Yes, it's another birthday. But this one is extra-special. Today is the day my musical soulmate was born.

His name is John and we've never met in person, but he lets me call him Leemsy and we share excellent (near god-like) taste in music. He wrote about how "all of us" intersected in a recent blog entry, to which I'd add that it's also through this little online connection that I met my hubby, who endures and even enjoys how much love I have for my musical soulmate.

He is also glad Texas is not closer.

Happy birthday, Leemsy! You are greatness.

Posted by bonnie at 12:04 PM | Comments (4)

January 28, 2006

Happy Birthday, Everybody

There are two days of the year on which the MOST people I know were born. One of them is 1/28. The other is 9/11. Seriously. Eight of my good friends share today as a birthday. Six friends share 9/11 (with another five sharing 9/12). Wow. Lots of numerological karma, having this many friends with the same b'day, wouldn't you say?

Okay, so happy birthday to all of you! Wish I could play with everyone.

Now, on to the tagging I got from the greatness that is Nini.

While I have a list of "Little Known Facts at the bonsite (which was way fun to go back through, since I created the list in 1997 and have only updated it a few times since), I still am having trouble coming up with My Five Weirdest Habits, which is what Nini has challenged me to do. I mean, how many of my "things" are habits and how many are OCD rituals? Well... I'll do my best.

1. I am incapable of turning a volume that is measured in numbers up or down to any increment other than five or zero. If my car stereo's volume is on 38, I know Keith was driving last, as I can only have it on 35 or 40. Period.

2. I rewrite lists. This is actually how my OCD was first suspected (by a teacher in high school). I was rewriting a list in Spanish class and my teacher sat me down for a heart-to-heart about rituals and habits and phobias. It was quite revealing. I still rewrite my lists, but not as often as I used to, since the SixHundy takes care of most of my list-making anymore.

3.

4. I cannot make a list with item number three included. Blame somesuch. It is said the "There Is NEVER a Three" rule came from the mis-remembering of a Monty Python sketch, but I've never watched Monty Python, so I can't say for sure. Whether it was supposed to be number six or number three or whatever, it has stuck as number three with my group of online friends, and it is now something that I can't NOT do.

5. Doors must be left all the way open or all the way closed. Period. A door left "ajar" or open but not all the way up against the wall behind it is somehow offensive, out of order, going to cause me stress, or create chaos in my life in some way. Want to drive me crazy? Come over, open all of my cabinets, leave all doors half-open, and put your purse or backpack on the floor (bad feng shui). I will need a valium.

6. When I bowl (which I rarely do anymore), I sing (in my head), "Mary had a little lamb," as I approach the release line. I took bowling as a phys ed in college (woo hoo) and this was the tactic taught by our instructor. My average was around 120. I liked that class.

Next, a wonderful link that was shared by the greatness that is Tony on the 24th. Only wish I'd opened the email then. But how can you know there's brilliance in the inbox? It's like the time I let a phone message go unanswered and later learned I had been cast in the "Deadbeat Club" music video, but missed it, since I figured Eric was just calling to invite me to his party that weekend. Ugh. That's what you get, busy girl!

Posted by bonnie at 3:45 PM | Comments (5)

January 27, 2006

Bearded Lady

A recent comment-based exchange with my NBF Erik (who is doing a very My Name Is Earl-ish list-y thing that I totally love and about which I will blog later) reminded me of one of the jobs I was BEST at, in my teens and twenties.

I made a great beard.

It's kind of sad that straight gals growing up these days will no longer have the pleasure of being their gay best friends' prom date (or, if they DO have the pleasure, they won't be ever-hopeful, like we clueless '80s girls were, that perhaps somehow, someway, something romantic COULD come out of it all, if the DJ just played the EXACT RIGHT SONG as we danced on the shiny gym floor). Girls today will never get to be the "fake girlfriend" introduced to mom and dad, when the folks would come into town and want to meet their son's lady love. Today, everyone knows everyone is gay and there is just no need for the fake girlfriend anymore.

Sad, really. In the '80s, I was often faked out by my gay boyfriends. In the '90s, I was in on the fake-out of my gay boyfriends' families. In the 2000s, no one is being faked out and, in a way, that's just sad. There's a whole generation of creative, beautiful, wonderful young ladies out there who will never get to play make-believe at that level. I guess it's good that there's more good stuff on TV these days. But what on EARTH would I have done with all of that spare time, had I not been such a kick-ass beard for two decades? Man... I could've been president!

Ah, just as well. I treasure my memories of planning to have David's children while we were choreographing his dance number for the school cabaret, being sweetly serenaded by Gary on the ride home from drama/dance camp and believing that meant we were in love, helping John get dressed in drag while telling his girlfriend we were at a movie, and eventually being the opening act for the BoyButante Ball '95. Wouldn't trade having been a bearded lady for anything!

Posted by bonnie at 1:16 PM | Comments (1)

January 20, 2006

Okay, Levitz. It's ON!

Levitz sucks Levitz sucks Levitz sucks Levitz sucks and now they've taken all of the fun out of what was some of my most bliss-filled living of 2004: the whole Happy Sofa Day stuff.

How dare you tarnish Happy Sofa Day? I am traumatized.

Of course, it seems we're not the only ones burned by the corporate restructuring and lack of customer service provided by Levitz (sucks).

See, we bought the extended warranty on the sofa we bought in November 2004. In June 2005, we noticed a busted seam, in a location making it clear it was a weak seam to begin with, not a "we messed it up" thing, but either way, we bought the extended warranty for a reason, right? June 2005, we call out a service rep who inspects the damage, agrees it's under warranty, and tells us a replacement cushion cover will be shipped out that same day.

Fast forward to 20 January 2006. Keith has now called Levitz no less than five times in the past six months. He has spoken to CSRs, managers, shipping clerks, you name it. And they all have lied lied lied lied about the status of this cover. Today, finally, after Keith was lied to ("It shipped 12/31/05," [Funny, considering when he called on 1/3/06 he was told it hadn't shipped yet, due to a problem with the manufacturer--problem turns out to be the fact that LEVITZ HASN'T BEEN PAYING ITS BILLS and the manufacturer is not sending them a gawtdayum thing anymore.]), he asked to speak to a manager, who explained that, yes, that was a lie. It hadn't shipped. And it won't be shipping unless this new company that bought Levitz somehow gets back on good terms with the manufacturer--oh, and that's only if they REMEMBER to take care of those of us who've had open orders since June 2005.

Oh, quick question. Was the manufacturer shipping replacement covers for furniture under warranty in July? Yes. Where's ours? Oops. Okay, how about in August, when we called to find out where the cover, ordered in June, was? Oops. Okay, how about in October, when we called and were told the CSR was physically walking down to the shipping area to make sure the order was placed? Oops. How about in November, when we were told there'd been a shipping problem that had since been fixed and that our cover was on its way? Oops. How about in December when we were told it would ship on 1/2/06? Oops. How about on 1/3/06 when we were told it hadn't shipped? Oops. Y'all lie lie lie lie lie lie.

Can we come down to a showroom and take a cover off a floor model? No. The manufacturer has taken back its furniture at the few remaining Levitz (sucks) showrooms. Can we get our money back (even partial refund) on our furniture and the TOTALLY USELESS EXTENDED WARRANTY? No, don't be silly. Of course not. Can we request that we're notified if/when things work out, so that we'll know we have the replacement cover coming? Pff. Silly woman!

Is there anything we can do? Nope. We've filed a complaint with the BBB, but from the looks of the complaints at the My 3 Cents site, it won't do a bit of good. Seriously, our problem is NOTHING compared to some of the treatment others have received (and on furniture issues worth many more thousands of dollars than our little sofa) from Levitz sucks.

Welcome to doing business with bankrupt companies in the 2000s, people. It's the Wild West all over again. I'm going to start looting.

Posted by bonnie at 2:57 PM | Comments (5)

January 3, 2006

I'm Goin' In!

The amazing Christopher Grossett and the brilliant Laura Lock gave us a collection of cookbooks from our registry and I've decided to make a go of a lovely little recipe from Living In The Raw.

See, I don't cook. I burn water. So a raw recipe is much more likely to not suck (or at least more likely to not burn down the house) and I'm going to attempt Pasta Mexicana and Salsa. No pasta... that's just the name. I know. It's weird. Jicama = Pasta, in this case. But I've been wanting to eat raw for years and I'm pretty dang excited to try this.

If I don't post again for days, come rescue me. I'll be pinned beneath various green things, cutting boards, and mixing bowls... a wall filled with condiments heckling at my mangled body.

Posted by bonnie at 1:49 AM | Comments (1)

December 23, 2005

2005 in Questions

Another one that was such a hit layst year!

1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
Get married.
2. Did you keep your 2005 resolutions? Will you make more for 2006?
I make birthday resolutions, rather than Jan. 1 resolutions, so... n/a, really.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Bob and Erin.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sue Ozeran, Eric Gelman, Joseph Montana.
5. What countries did you visit?
Just this one.
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
Sense of peace with my physical existence. True forgiveness for having had my heart broken. Again.
7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory and why?
June 16th: Became a Mrs.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Goodness... all of it. Casting eight films and one play, writing two books, churning out a weekly column, building amazing new relationships, and (most importantly, probably), getting through it all... emotionally.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Holding onto any negativity for longer than a nanosecond, probably.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Blissfully, thrillingly migraine-free since going off gluten. Having my BIGGEST physical malady out of the way makes the little colds and being-slipped-drugs effects much less major. Still working on getting the panic attack/thyroid whatnot under control, but, as the title indicates, I am a work in progress.
11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine. Many times over. I'd love to be able to say I celebrated the behavior of many people during the various crises our world faced this year, but I simply don't think it needs to TAKE things getting THAT BAD for us to be our best selves. I, personally, faced one of the biggest challenges of my life thus far and managed to come through it alive (which is huge) and with GRACE (which is a bonus).
12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
W.
13. Where did most of your money go?
Printing two books.
14. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Copperwynd. Twice. Also my CSA application, but, eh... whatareyagonna do?
15. What song will always remind you of 2005?
"Seasons of Love" from RENT.
16. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
Same answer as last year. (And that's a quality problem, eh?) Far happier. And I was elated this time last year. Just keeps getting better and better.
b) thinner or fatter?
Same, methinks. While going off gluten IMMEDIATELY fixed my migraines and joint pain, the weight gain that came from 2004's reveal that gluten was killing me has not yet gone away. That said, I am WAY healthier than I was in 2004, and that's a huge YAY.
c) richer or poorer?
Far richer. And I was in good shape this time last year. See "A." Same answer as layst year, again.
17. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Get paid time off. I even worked on our honeymoon. Definitely would like some more paid time off (or better pay during the non-time off, which would allow for some (any) downtime).
18. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Stress out. Panic. Binge.
19. How will you be spending Christmas?
Same as always: Orphans' Christmas Dinner with tha gang. We rarely see each other outside of Christmas Dinner, but it's always a highlight of the year.
20. Did you fall in love in 2005?
I ALWAYS fall in love.
21. What was your favorite TV program?
Tie: Everybody Hates Chris and My Name Is Earl. Amazing rebirth of brilliant sitcom writing. Finally.
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Policy: I don't hate. I move on.
23. What was the best book you read?
Man, I read sooooo many books every year, it's always tough (unless it's a year like last year, when there's just a clear frontrunner), but I'd say this year's best was probably The Declaration of Independent Filmmaking by the Polish Brothers. I also loved/love the Postsecret book, of course!
24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
There is not one single song by ELO that doesn't fill me with glee. Seriously, try it. Follow that link and tell me if you don't smile.
25. What did you want and get?
More credibility as a casting director. Rewards for my good work, both monetarily and with repeat business.
26. What did you want and not get?
CSA membership. Physical peace.
27. What was your favorite film of this year?
That'd have to be Queen of Cactus Cove, of course, but I also really dug Rent, as feature films go.
28. What did you do on your birthday? How old were you?
Amazingly delicious lobster dinner with Keith and Brody at The Palm (where we discovered and fell in love with Ferrari Cerano Chardonnay) followed by zillions of drinks at Dan Tana's with (visiting) sister Deb and a whole mess of my dearest friends. Then a slumber party over here with same Deb, filled with laughter and catching up like only we can. 35.
29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Unconditional self-love.
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Jeans. Dusters. The old reliable black tank.
31. What kept you sane?
Writing, friends, kitties, booze, kisses.
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Javier Bardem, Idina Menzel.
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
See link in number 11.
34. Who did you miss?
My mother, as always.
35. Who was the best new person you met?
Brad Lemack, James Hong, Brenda Weiermair, Anna Christopher, Katharine McEwen, Jesse Luke Dunn, Shanna Collins, Joel Viertel, more I'm sure.
36. What valuable life lesson did you learn in 2005?
Learned through doing the photo/autobiography project "The Sum of All Years" (full postmortem in a week or so): Even the best times come with frustration and work. Even the worst times come with some of the most blissful, beautiful, hope-filled moments around.
37. What song lyrics sum up your year?
There is no future
There is no past
I live this moment as my last
There's only us
There's only this
Forget regret
Or life is yours to miss
No other road
No other way
No day but today.

Posted by bonnie at 5:17 PM | Comments (1)

The Year In Review

This was such a hit layst year, I'll be doing it again. Enjoy!

Take The First Line From The First Post Of Each Month Of 2004. That's Your Year In Review.

January 2005: Okay, so I was asleep by 11pm. Told Keith to wake me up at Midnight for a kiss, because they say whatever you're doing at the stroke of Midnight you'll be doing all year. That was fun, even though I was groggy.
February 2005: Extraordinarily Narcissistic. For the first time in what seems like YEARS, my fingernails are long and healthy.
March 2005: *contented sigh* Ever know for sure you made a GREAT decision the instant you (finally) made it?
April 2005: I turned off my computer 20 hours ago. I slept for six hours and here's what I did-slash-observed during the other 14. (Note: I did not get any phone calls returned. *sigh*)
May 2005: Freekin' Sweet! Unless you live under a rock, you've heard the news that Family Guy is back!
June 2005: Okay, so I've always had this theory (and it seems to pan out, according to most actors I've talked to) that if you get a parking ticket while you're at an audition, you will book the gig.
July 2005: Reasons I'm Sad/Reasons I'm Happy. 1. (Sad) Honestly, Luther (and one of the Tonies from Tony Toni Toné) was one of the best-smelling guys I ever worked for, back in my Left Bank Management days.
August 2005: So, a cool actor friend of mine came by today to drop off his taped audition for Teenage Dirtbag (he's in rehearsal tomorrow night and can't make it to the preread) and brought me a bag of organically grown goodies!
September 2005: Okay, so I did the big email inviting folks to the screening for The Moor and got replies back from the producers of several other films I've cast, sharing status updates. Yippee!
October 2005: And because you loved it... there's more.
November 2005: This is what happens when an HTML junkie begins to age... she can't fix code on a page she's been maintaining for over six years.
December 2005: Inked! A new casting gig. Woo hoo!

Posted by bonnie at 3:15 AM | Comments (0)

December 22, 2005

New Favorite Thing

It's actually not "new," seeing as I fell in love with it 16 May 2005 when we had a Breakdowns dinner at Il Moro and I had it for the first time. But, just the same, I am in love with the Insalata Garga del Moro. "I could eat about a million and a half of these," to quote Forrest Gump.

Ingredients: hearts of palm, tomato, avocado, watercress, pine nuts, and shaved parmesan cheese in a lemon and balsamic dressing. YUM! So happy to have it again tonight (at another Breakdowns dinner). Wish I'd had two.

Bracing myself for a packed social calendar (which started with tonight with Gary, Bob, Susan, Keith, and Mark, really): Bob & Erin's tomorrow for lunch, Kevan and Maria's for a party Friday, Adam & Deb's for a party Saturday, and Tracy & Dick's for the annual orphans' Christmas dinner. Hoping to drop by the open house gala(s) at Deb and Aleta's at some point, but no idea how we'll work that in. Note to self: buy wine to take everywhere, buy fixins for Keith's chocolate Dreamwhip pie, and prep kitties for lots of away time.

Posted by bonnie at 12:48 AM | Comments (0)

December 21, 2005

Perspective

From an email exchange w/ an actor friend who has taken Hollywood by storm in a very short period of time.

She: Love the new cricketfeet site by the way, this town's been *really* good to you in 2005 as well!
Me: Thanks for the feedback on the site. It's amazing what casting eight films in a year, having three of those go on the festival circuit, one of those win an award, and writing a couple of books will do. ;)

I shared that exchange with Keith this morning and he said, "And writing a weekly column. Don't forget about writing a weekly column." Yeah. So, lest we (feel tempted to) forget, it's a nice reminder that quite often it's kicking ass that yields a kick-ass year.

Just sayin'.

Posted by bonnie at 5:10 PM | Comments (0)

December 20, 2005

Stuff

I really like this quote:

It's a sad day when you realize that you judge a person's worth by the frequency of their updates.

Awesome.

Really like browsing through this site, although I think getting the magazine would be too cluttery. Really trying to declutter.

Tonight... we finally discover the identity of The Carver. I've never been so happy to have the east coast feed!

Thwok, hunter that she is, found the bacon Keith had fried up (and left on paper-towel-covered plates on the counter) and dragged a piece to the living room for proper cleaning and eating. I hated to take it from her, but I just couldn't imagine that the resulting digestional issues would be pleasant.

That is all.

Posted by bonnie at 6:07 PM | Comments (1)

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)

December 15, 2005

My Review of RENT

is here.

Posted by bonnie at 9:29 PM | Comments (0)

December 12, 2005

So, why?

Okay, so I've been asked about The Sum of All Years project and how it is I've decided to (over) share so much. Well, I look at it this way.

I'm a public person. I'm out about my damage (after having not been for so many years). And there are people who live everyday lives and have walked the same trail of tears I have, when younger, and never feel they'll be enough. And maybe I can help. Maybe I can prove that you can have everything go wrong and still make it. Or that you can appear as though you've done everything right and still have a shadow self (and that there's nothing wrong with that). Heck, maybe it's all about giving me an excuse for my mid-life damage, airing all of the "back then" BS. I don't know! And maybe I don't have to know.

What I like about this project is that it's about an autobiography. That's why I can't leave anything out. Yes, you could wait 'til I'm dead and dig up my unshared writings and learn whose fingerprints have been on my life... or I could own it now and say, "And y'know what? I'm STILL OKAY."

Nothing wrong with that.

It may be totally narcissistic, but it could also be liberating to others. I'm human. I'm broken. And I still happen to do just fine, thank you.

Posted by bonnie at 7:47 PM | Comments (3)

Happy Casting Director

So, y'know I love to brag about the amazing casts I bring together for such GREAT films, right? Well... this one is different. Last night, I attended the World Premiere of Queen of Cactus Cove with the cast, crew, and our families.

And I cried.

Yes, I always cry when I see a film I've cast (and that's been four that have actually had public screenings thus far--another four not yet filmed, the other nine still in post), but this film was BEAUTIFUL. I am in awe of the cinamatography, the brilliant direction, perfect writing, and natural acting. Hell, to single elements out is unfair to the whole film--which is PERFECT. I was so giddy after the screening. I hugged the actors who turned out for the screening and gushed about how they made me look brilliant for casting them. Man... this is EXACTLY why I do this job.

And today I spoke with a friend/filmmaker/writer/actor who told me he is paying his casting director $10K to cast his film. Yeah. Y'know what... I'm going to start getting paid better in 2006. Starting up with HILMMAKS is a good launchpad. Man, the feedback on this script is amazing. I'm so happy to be casting it.

In other news, MCJ was here for a visit and it rocked. We had friends over for fun, drinks, games, and loads of gossip. And some emotions... Yeah. Did you know that when I drink I'm emotional? Oh, wait... did you know that when I breathe I'm emotional? Damn Cancer-the-Crab stuff. Oh well, in the company of good friends, it's all okay.

Okay, so I wasn't able to make the final casting offers as scheduled for Still of the Night, so I'll do those tomorrow (I hope). The book is at the printer, and that's a big sigh of relief. Keith is averaging about six national commercial auditions (and one callback) per week lately. It's just a matter of time. Rock on!

Posted by bonnie at 6:59 PM | Comments (0)

December 10, 2005

Yippee!

MCJ is on her way to LAX. Keith is on his way to pick her up. We're having people over this late afternoon/early evening, so if you're interested, call or email or comment here and we'll tell you when, where, and what to bring, if you're so inclined on the latter. ALETA IS BRINGING FUDGE!

Oh, and I had a dream last night in which I was a prostitute (yes, we're still trying to cast the prostitute role in Still of the Night) and my second customer was Danny DeVito. I took one of his condoms with me to the upfronts with cousin Faith and disposed of it after I got off the boat that delivered us from the screening of Faith's new show back to the press lodge.

Um... okay.

Oh! If you come over tonight, be prepared--our next door neighbor moved after Thanksgiving, so they've been fixing up her place for the newbies, and that means lots and lots of PAINT FUMES 'round here! Woo hoo!

Posted by bonnie at 10:15 AM | Comments (3)

December 7, 2005

Highlights for Music Junkies

I've been working on this over at the blog of my musical soulmate, Leemsy. Don't read our answers there (in his comments section) until you've looked it over on your own and come up with a few of the bands depicted in the image below (click to enlarge significantly).

There are 75 bands. Which ones can you name? It's like that Highlights magazine that was always in the doctor's office waiting room... but cooler.

Okay, a couple more TSOAY (thanks for the acronym, Hal) folks these days. Yay! (See what you've started, Cliff?) And, like BrYan, I'll be doing a post-mortem, but I must say it's definitely easier, once you make it past the first scary entry. To wit, my second scary entry was a piece of cake to write when compared to the anxiety I felt over writing the first. Go say hi to Julie-O, who joins me, Chip, BrYan, Hal, and the original TSOAY-er, Cliff.

Anyone else planning to test the waters?

Posted by bonnie at 12:23 AM | Comments (3)

December 6, 2005

Strange Behavior

People are... strange.

Keith and I went for a walk and early dinner, then a walk back home. It was probably before 6pm and I'd guess it was around 58 degrees out (seeing as it's only NOW dipped to 50, and it's like 3am). I wore a sweater. Keith wore a pullover fleece hoodie thing. I wore sandals. We ate on the patio (they had heaters out).

Okay, but we watched these people coming into the restaurant through the patio for like an hour and a half, each dressed in suede coats with fur collars, wrapped in scarves, wearing gloves and hats... the works. It's like they KNOW this is the only chance they'll have to show off their cute winter clothes, so they pretend it's actually colder than it is.

When a former childstar (Chip, that link's for you, since you'll love this one) came in to meet with us last week, he was wearing a heavy suede jacket, wool scarf (which remained around his neck during the meeting), and a thick cable-knit turtle-neck sweater. I think the low that day was like 60.

I just don't get it. Do people in Wisconsin wear shorts when it hits 70 (or do they go around in their bikini tops)?

Odd.

Posted by bonnie at 3:04 AM | Comments (4)

November 29, 2005

Oh, and...

Happy birthday, Liz!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

Posted by bonnie at 10:23 PM | Comments (0)

One of these days...

I shall take some downtime.

No, really.

Posted by bonnie at 1:27 AM | Comments (1)

November 15, 2005

How To Fix a Sucky Mood

Step one: Go to bed way early and sleep as long as possible before you have to get up to start your exhaustingly long day.

Step two: Check email before dashing out the door and read all of the awesome, brilliant, loving, funny, and supportive comments left at your blog from when you bitched about being rubbed the wrong way so much you feel like a new hooker's practice dildo.

Step three:

Step four: Baby-talk kitties and have them show bellies off as if to say, "If you wanted to stay home all day and play with us, that would be okay too."

Step five: Ask hubby to print out directions to the two locations for the day's casting activities and don't notice 'til you're in the car that he used the little memo field that MapQuest provides to type love-notes.

Step six: Drive your kick-ass sixteen-year-old car really fast and zippy-like, showing all of the SUVs and Beemers how the twists and turns on Sunset west of The 405 are *really* done.

Step seven: Find a run of like five great songs in a row on various morning radio stations, all worth singing along to. Loudly.

Step eight: Have a good day of casting in which everything runs (mostly) without a hitch and after which your taste is praised and all of the BS that looked like it might go another way has washed down the RIGHT pipe after all.

Step nine: Stop by Whole Foods on the way home and pick up a salmon steak and grilled asparagus for $10.

Step ten: Blog it all up while digitizing and uploading video files of the day's sessions (and sipping a really neat little wine you found before leaving the store).

There you have it! Blood no longer boiling (for now... ). Gotta love those emotional roller coasters. Good thing to know they continue well into your 30s and sometimes it's just a matter of having a few big ol' sucky days.

Followed by a great one.

Cheers!

Posted by bonnie at 8:17 PM | Comments (4)

November 14, 2005

Um, hi... yeah.

Remember me?

Well, you're lucky. I sure as hell don't!

Didja ever notice there are certain people who just really rub you the wrong way?

Do you sometimes notice there are more-than-the-average-number of people rubbing you the wrong way for a bunch of days in a row?

And do you begin to wonder if maybe it's you who is turned the wrong way, which is why all of the rubbing FEELS like it's going on in the wrong direction?

And then do you think, "Hey! Who are you and why are you rubbing me?!?"

Dammit. I should really be liking all of this manhandling a LOT more.

Ugh.

Stop bothering me, people. And if it's ME and not YOU... then dangit, Bon, STOP BEING SO BOTHERED! Really. This is getting way old.

Posted by bonnie at 7:18 PM | Comments (6)

November 12, 2005

Here's What's Funny to Me

(and, yes, this has something to do with my upbringing and personal connection to numerology and astrology):

Personal Year 8: Attainment and capital gains
2006 is a number 8 personal year for you. This is your power year, a period when you can make important strides in you life. Coming after a very slow and introspective period (the personal year 7), you may start feeling some stirrings of ambitions. This is a year of big decisions and major achievements. Activity is your keynote now, and you will find yourself very much involved and occupied. Opportunities for advancement and recognition for past and current work is likely to come about during this year. You have things going for you so long as you take advantage and act. It is easy for you to branch out and expand in a businesslike manner. If you are at all inclined, this is the time to exude self-confidence and authority, because others will tend to be receptive to your leadership and control. Your power and status potential is at a peak of the nine years personal epicycle that concludes at the end of the next year.

So, what's the funny?

That'd be the idea that 2005 was "slow and introspective" for me. Certainly, I learned a buttload about who I am in 2005--but really, when do I NOT learn a buttload about who I am? And we're thinking 2006 will be when I have "advancement and recognition" for my work? Wow. That's just effin' rockstar launching upward, IMO.

I was emailing with someone recently and said (re: my value-added service of casting sessions being uploaded to the Cricket Feet server within 12 hours of preread sessions for producers in other cities to evaluate in near-real time), "I went from having cast 12 projects in two years to casting another six in four months, so it's definitely making me a more efficient casting director."

But man, it's a buttload of work. Point is, if we're launching into my POWER year, per numerology... well... should be interesting.

Okay, and... I've been casting my ass off this week. In case you didn't believe me when I mentioned I'd be scarce... well, I've been BUSY! And happily so. I have so many more favorite actors added to my short list.

Finally, I've been asked to "leak" the script for the next feature film I'm casting. This is a seriously wonderful script and the budget is over $2M, so I'm feeling pretty dang happy to be onboard. The goal, in the, "Hey, Bon, leak the script," idea is that folks will begin spreading the word and the pitches will begin before the breakdown goes out. Hey, have you ever doubted that Hollywood is a system? Just wonderin'. Heh heh.

BTW, there's something really really really rockstar fun about having a regular (regular = on a schedule, set your watch by it) call from the "big" agencies to check status. I swear, I don't want to be a star-f**ker and act like that stuff matters, but I've gotta say that level of interaction makes paying the bills a way innovative and different type of endeavor (puns intended).

Posted by bonnie at 1:50 AM | Comments (1)

November 2, 2005

So Proud of Myself

I'm seriously proud of myself. Starting at 6:30pm PST yesterday, I began my 24 hours of documentation of "A Day in the Life of Bon" per instructions at Chip's blog.

I remember the results of this challenge (which I did not take on) in February 2003 to be quite delightful and insightful. So, this time, I took it on. And I did gooooood. I took photos of my work, my kitties, my Keith, my phone calls, my headshot files, my cantaloupe-eating, and even my looking for grey hairs in the mirror-ing.

And now it's time to upload.

Guess what.

The card reader for my digital camera doesn't work on *any* version of OSX. Since I got the Chicklet in early 2003, we've been uploading photos using Keith's ancient ThinkPad and then FTPing them to me for sharing from there. That ThinkPad (Stinky) officially died a few weeks ago after a bout with chronic fried-insides-itis. Had I mentioned that? Yeah. So, Keith's on the Chicklet, I'm on the as-yet-unnamed gift from Joseph Montana, and no one can upload photos from the hand-me-down digital camera my dad and SM gave me in December of 2000.

Oh well. My photos were really good. I promise! And I was so damn proud to have finished the assignment, ready to upload, crop, and caption while watching ANTM. Grr. Suckola. Chip, I know you mentioned we could send you the photos for hosting. Does that mean I can snail mail you my 16mb media card for a six-year-old Olympus 1.3mpxl camera?

*snork*

I crack myself up.

Back to casting.

PS--Ask me to tell you all someday (in person, no papertrail) the things I've learned in casting this particular film re: submissions and pitch calls. Quite ethnographically titillating.

Posted by bonnie at 7:53 PM | Comments (0)

November 1, 2005

Losing My Touch

This is what happens when an HTML junkie begins to age...

She can't fix code on a page she's been maintaining for over six years. Yup. Something went wonky and I can't fix it. Can't. Don't even have the right headspace for the analysis. I usually can line up an old version of the code and a new version and find exactly where something went wrong and put it back in order. Or AT LEAST I can pull one of Keith's old Java Script books down and figure it out from there. This time? No way.

I'm officially getting too old to code.

Wow.

Meanwhile, still finishing edits on the book and still having a LOT more to do than I'd imagined I would, this close to Mercury going Retrograde. Looks like a new breakdown will go out this week for the first of three films to cast before year-end. And what I really need is some paid time off to get everything organized so that I can actually do all of the things stretched out before me and hire someone to help.

Oh, y'know what hurts? Microwave popcorn bag-induced papercut on the pinky. Yeah. Ow.

Happy November, all!

Posted by bonnie at 2:36 AM | Comments (3)

October 28, 2005

One of those days.

Y'ever have one of those days? You know the kind.

Birds are singing, sun is shining, you're well fed, in love, and have received so much praise for doing good work that you have the glow of happiness all around you--just ready to hug you with the realization that you truly have the most AMAZING life...

and you couldn't be more miserable?

Yeah. I'm having one of those days.

It sucks.

Click to enlarge.

Happily, though, I did receive the poster art for Queen of Cactus Cove, which is simply gorgeous. I'll share that, as maybe sharing something beautiful will improve my mood. I mean, if getting an offer to cast yet ANOTHER (yes, that's three) low/mid-budget feature film, learning I'm personally responsible for a talented Scotish actor's move to Hollywood to follow her dreams, and reaching the final-edits stage on the book isn't enough to make me happy, maybe at least the soothing blue poster will help.

Ugh.

Somedays, it's like you can't catch a break, what with having EVERYTHING going for you and all.

Yes, I'm really really really really really going to try and remember this: Even when life rocks, there's "down." It doesn't mean a damn thing and you might as well enjoy the low spots, since they come no matter how much life rocks. Blah blah blah blah blah. Self-indulgent bullshit. Blah blah blah blah blah.

Posted by bonnie at 5:18 PM | Comments (1)

October 20, 2005

Okay, so...

...because I love my sister* (and she says I don't blog enough lately), I am sharing this.

Click to see large.

*tsk* *tsk*

(Not sure where that came from. Email?)

*=she's not my sister, she's my heavy. Oh, wait... that's not right either. Well, either way... she said I don't blog enough... so, here!

Having been totally inspired by Rob's blog on the subject, I went old school and Gizoogled myself. Here's what came of it: long bio, short bio, imdbo (all PDFs, all funny).

Oh, and just b/c it's funny...

(That one came from the greatness that is BrYan.)

PS--SAG CAP rocked. Loved the actors. 95% amazing. Casting for Two Dogs Inside is rocking hard. Shrinks is doing a half-off weekend, if you use code 008 at this link (and you should). Finally, our top-secret wedding reception is Sunday, 2pm. We're in charge of the hooch, which means you will be well-plied. So come. ¡Por favor!

Posted by bonnie at 11:18 PM | Comments (2)

October 18, 2005

888

SpyNotebook's control panel tells me this is entry number 888. Cool.

I have so much to say but no time to blog, seeing as I am still behind my list of things that MUSTGETDONE before I can safely say I'm ready for my loooooooong day tomorrow.

Prereads for Two Dogs Inside tomorrow at waytooearly ayem. I'm so excited about this project!

After prereads, I'm off to SAG for the Casting Access Project. That'll be fun. I've spent the past couple of hours matching up headshots with appropriate sides for the cold read night.

Oh, and I'm crazy in love with TV lately. This is such a good Fall Season and I'm really happy to have so many shows I enjoy on while I finish the edits on the book.

Started watching Commander In Chief to support Jasmine Jessica Anthony, and I've stayed around, loving the whole dang show.

Watching Everybody Hates Chris and loving how much it's like my childhood (being the outcast in the school, being the poorest in the neighborhood, y'know... being voiced by Chris Rock as I go about my day). This is seriously the BEST new show of the year.

A very close second is My Name Is Earl, another for-a-friend tune-in for which I've stuck around. Good news is Deb Cresswell's character may be coming back soon. Woo hoo!

Started watching Surface for a back-home friend, Louanne Cooper, who's getting some great camera time lately. Again, fell in love with the show and there you have it (of course, I can't tell Keith about my secret crush on the brothers Pate).

Not a new show, but one I'm so addicted to that I could watch it non non non non stop: Nip/Tuck. That's another friend-involved-so-watch-it thing that turned into a love affair. I am so dang proud of Greer Shephard for having such amazing taste--oh and is Bruno Campos sooooo the Carver? Duh!

Okay, I'll come back later and put links together for this entry, so that the blog actually does its job, tracking back to the right places. No time for love, Dr. Jones. I'm still miles away from that shower and nap I've been promising myself. Oh, and I haven't read most blogs lately, so if anyone's doing anything exciting and I should know about it... well... I will. Later. Promise. Have I mentioned how much I love love love both of the scripts I've been sent by filmmakers I met at the LA International Short Film Festival? I seriously have some amazing projects coming up. Man, that's cool! Okay, for real... bye!

Posted by bonnie at 11:56 PM | Comments (1)

So Easily Amused

Thwok has a new favorite toy.

Packing peanuts.

See, Keith went to our distributor's warehouse today and picked up a box of "damaged returns" (which is silly, b/c they aren't really *damaged* as much as smudged or handled in some way that makes them no longer "sell as new" material), in case we'd like to use the books for giveaways or whatever.

Box has assorted packing peanuts in it, and just enough of a hole in the top for the silver munkey to snake her paw inside and pull out said peanuts and play, play, play, play, play.

I am amused at how she is amused. The elder kitties are just so glad the thunder has stopped. They did not like that. I, on the other hand, LOVED IT, especially when it was so loud (just before the rain began) that the entire schoolyard filled with children across the street erupted in high-pitched screams of terror and excitement. Hee hee hee.

So easily amused.

PS--next entry will be my 888th at SpyNotebook.org. Cool, eh?

Posted by bonnie at 3:35 AM | Comments (0)

October 17, 2005

Two Things

1. Email woes are over. Woo damn hoo! (PS--They're over b/c Keith talked the stupid tech guys THROUGH their system to find the problem. Sheesh!)

2. Happy birthday, Def Jam Becca MC! You rock, celebrity girl! So glad I know you! Remember, tell that hubby to turn OFF the Effin' Fox News and treat you right. ;)

Posted by bonnie at 6:43 PM | Comments (1)

September 28, 2005

I Must Be Feeling Better!

Because I'm doing the rounds (reading blogs) and stealing from brilliant people like London Cliff.

That's a good sign.

Five Things I Can And Can't Do (Cliff's answers are way better than mine.)

Five Things I Should Know How To Do And Can't
1. cook (I burn water)
2. play guitar
3.
4. whistle
5. speak the three foreign languages I learned in school
6. say "particularly" correctly

Five Things I Shouldn't Know How To Do But Can
1. write with both hands
2. advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry
3.
4. hit bullseye, every time
5. spot and name every actor I've ever auditioned, when I see him or her on TV in something else
6. full-on background check on anyone without any significant information (SS#, address history, etc.)

Fun, no? ;)

Fun poll results (yeah, I 86'd the poll after getting a whopping 22 votes).

BonBlogs Poll!
Why do you read BonBlogs?
To keep up with your whatnots. 45% 10
To see if you're casting something new. 5% 1
THERE IS NO THREE, EVER! 14% 3
Eh, it's bookmarked. What the Hell? 5% 1
I'm secretly stalking you. 18% 4
You're stalking me and I want to know why. 0% 0
Long-time reader, first-time interacter. 14% 3
Google led me here and I stuck around. No idea why! 0% 0

Reactions to come later. ;)

Posted by bonnie at 5:42 PM

September 27, 2005

Okay, so...

MCJ (aka... My Cousin Joni) is going to be in the El Lay for about 12 hours and I'm hoping to organize a social something.

Come to El Cholo (11th and Wilshire in Santa Monica) on Saturday, October 1st, between 4pm and 7pm to connect with me and MCJ before she has to head back out to the east coast.

It'll be fun and way low-key. Come with! Yeah!

Posted by bonnie at 11:54 PM

September 23, 2005

IGAR

I seriously have nothing to say.

Still sick. Trying to work on the book's revisions between big sleeps. Watching TV. Being bored.

Octoberfair is back (across the street) and that makes me smile.

Keith is auditioning for a "Disney Dad"-type role (heavy on the goofball). HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LISA! More more more DayQuil... and still, I got a rock!

Posted by bonnie at 1:14 PM

September 20, 2005

So Thrilled!

Seriously, I know it's odd, but I am THRILLED to be so so so sick.

Fever, sinus crud, can't swallow, throat on fire... THIS is stuff I can understand! AND I LOVE IT! Soooooo much better than the mystery that is baffling brain chemistry!

Oh, and in reviewing my post about us being hitched, I realize I shared some good details with friends elsewhere that readers of the BonBlogs might like to see. So, follow this link and weed through the congrats posts to get some of the inside info. ;)

Back to bed. Ahhhhh... it feels so good to be sick!

Posted by bonnie at 1:38 PM

September 4, 2005

Sunday Morning Search Party

Haven't done a search party in awhile, and I'm already ahead of myself in my To Do List this weekend (amazing), so let's have some fun and analyze the words and phrases that brought people here recently.

One on One: Camille Mana: of course! My friend Camille (from Wolfesden days and in Acting Qs) is a series regular now! Woo damn hoo!

Trashelle funny: yes, yes she is. Often in the way that Tara Reid funny or Anna Nicole Smith funny. Although, I must say that Katie out-Trashelled Trashelle last week on Kill Reality. Man, that show was such a great idea!

Bonnie pink: I like that one!

Blake Robbins: The OC: yes, my writing partner booked a recurring character on The OC but I can't tell you what he does. Just know, if you've seen him on everyothershowlately you know what his characters always do. *evil grin*

Tru-Fan Eliza: I think I got on their radar from casting the amazing Shawn Reaves as Kliner in Chandler Hall, but there has been so much turnover in that cast that I'm afraid to ask if he's been shooting lately.

Scout Taylor-Compton MISSING: yeah, a big spike in traffic over that one, as it seemed my blog was the only thing leading people to info, early on in her missing days, before the family went public. What's odd is that my blog drew the attention of (and led to phone calls from) the media... and lots of it. When the NY Daily News calls... well... it's just a little surreal.

girls upset tummy: aww. I have no advice for such. I got some advice for mine, but little of it was gluten-free, and I'd settle for an upset tummy over a migraine any day!

that hot dress: well, if it's one I've had on my bod, it MUST be this one. I mean... come ON! Hot, yo?

Kathy Griffin: ew! Don't look here for her (well, except above, I guess). Deb, I think I thought of someone who elicits in me the Renée Zellweger response you have. It's Kathy "Botox" Griffin. *shudder* (Oh, and upon looking over RZ's IMDB, I have actually seen FOUR movies she was in, but in two of them, she only had one forgettable scene each, so yeah, I guess I really only have seen two of HER movies. Ironic to see the most recent title, considering our Friday night experience.)

Definition: Work In Progress: that's me, baby. That's me.

PS--My nails are so long that I can't type without fat-fingering everything lately. Gluten-free eating has proven sooooo healthy for me. Love it!

PSS--My confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement with FOX is still in place from my Paradise Hotel days, so I can't say much, but OMG are the producers LYING in their interviews during Paradise Hotel Revealed on the FOX Reality Channel. Holy bejeebus, are they lying their arses off!! I'll tell you specifically where around May 2006, when I won't get sued for doing so.

Posted by bonnie at 1:52 AM

September 3, 2005

Others Say It Better

There is little to say about the state of natural disaster and speed of government response (vs. fictional WMDs and speed of government knee-jerk) that hasn't been said better* elsewhere. So, I'll just share some sillies.

Build your own church sign (thanks to CoCo, with whom I had an excellent tea date yesterday).

Visit a clever Cooking Monkey (hee hee... munkey), also thanks to CoCo (*she's also one of the ones saying it better).

And cast your votes in the Kitten War, which is simply a rockin' good waste of time, thanks to Ames' link to Cats In Sinks last week.

As for any tales about my brother's visit, those have been shared privately with those who experienced it and today is an official Day of Silence in the Gillespie-Johnson household in an attempt to recover. Thank you to those who joined in the Gas Light karaoke-fest last night. I think, when my brother screamed, "Bitch!" at the top of his lungs at me during my rendition of Piece of My Heart, he meant it as a compliment. *sigh* I am so less broken than I sometimes think I might be. Focusing on the positive, I will just say thank you to the universe for the reminder.

Glad August is over. Glad it's cooler. Glad we raised a buttload of money to send to the Red Cross last night. Glad my brother didn't pee in my wastebasket (thanks again, Keith... for everything).

Yes, the SpyNotebook's Google ads are broken.

Silence is good. Go click on kittens. I know I will.

Posted by bonnie at 6:35 PM

August 25, 2005

Forgiveness

For the latest on Scout Taylor-Compton, click the banner below.

In other news...

Something Keith is really good at is forgiveness. He's also an expert at the practice of unconditional love.

Me? I suck at both. I am very bad at forgiving (especially myself) and my love is almost always conditional. I demand perfection from myself and those around me, I am not a tolerant person, and I always feel as though I must punish myself for extended periods of time when I behave in any less-than-perfect way toward others.

I am pledging to learn from Keith (as he so frequently learns from me, with grace and gratitude) that the BEST gift for someone you've hurt is total forgiveness and that NO ONE is served by extended periods of self-loathing. He loves to say that what makes us BEAUTIFUL, as humans, is our imperfections. I say that we are sometimes beautiful DESPITE our imperfections.

I have a lot to learn. Hm. I guess that makes me one really beautiful human being then, eh?

*sigh*

I remain... a work in progress.

Posted by bonnie at 5:06 AM

August 22, 2005

Ow.

Latest Scout Taylor-Compton post linked here.

So, I've been sick (in bed sick) since Wednesday night. Finally started feeling better Saturday evening, but then my lower back started aching as though I'd pulled, pinched, or otherwise wrenched something.

How, when I've been in bed for days, I do not know.

I tried to "get a good night's sleep" by getting in bed before midnight, knowing I've a big, bad casting day ahead of me for Teenage Dirtbag with producers. Can't sleep. Up and down to the bathroom. Flip-flopping with back pain. Fever in my back. Am I having kidney issues? Am I so stressed out about Scout and casting and a zillion other things that I'm psychosomatizing stuff?

Whatever it is... I'm up. God help me get through seven hours of casting and meetings that follow. Seems so silly a wish compared to, "get Scout home safe."

*sigh*

Posted by bonnie at 3:44 AM

August 15, 2005

Hey. Busy.

Did I share this with y'all yet?

Click to see the Wal*Mart page.

And, it seems that my friend Brad sees this in my future:

Hee hee.

Still editing tape for Teenage Dirtbag producers to watch online in Idaho. Callbacks next week. I'm exhausted. Very busy week, here.

PS--Quite enjoying watching Paradise Hotel (and the post-show interviews) on Fox Reality Channel. What a flashback to my life of May 2003!

PPS--Oh, Greer, I tried to watch your new show but I just can't get past Kyra's bad accent.

Posted by bonnie at 7:31 PM

August 13, 2005

Me in 100 Things

Grabbed from Nini (and it really reminds me of the Go-Go's Girl of a Hundred Lists, which was always a favorite song even before I realized it was pretty much an ode to my OCD).

01 First grade teacher's name: N/A (never went to K, 1st, or 2nd grade--fun fact).

02 Last word you said: "G'nite."

03 Last song you sang: Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine.

04 Last person you hugged: Keith Johnson, of course!

05 Last thing you laughed at: Something on Will & Grace (a Jack line, I'm sure).

06 Last time you said "I don't remember:" Sheesh! I don't remember.

07 Last time you cried watching TV: Tonight at the gym, during the reairing of the World Trade Center towers falling as they did a news story on the release of the 9/11 tapes.

08 What color socks are you wearing? None.

09 What's under your bed? Nothing (it's bad feng shui).

10 What time did you wake up today? Hmm... something like 7am when the phone started ringing.

11 Current taste: Grapefruit juice.

12 Current hair: Red, long, in need of a rinse and trim, wet and piled on top of my head right now, post-shower.

13 Current annoyance: Lack of free time available to do stuff like purge old headshots, organize scripts, return demo reels, and begin work on my next book.

14 Current longing: Hm. Can't come up with anything.

15 Current desktop background: Cool red/yellow swirl thingy from the Mac OS abstract image files.

16 Current worry: That Thwok is not 100% healthy.

17 Current hate: No hate. Ever.

18 Current favorite article of clothing: The Gap shorts I've worn out (and the Tweeds sandals I've broken).

19 Favorite physical feature of the preferred sex: Eyes.

20 Last CD that you listened to: Mix CD from Mike at Roxbury (it's called "La Bonita's 31st Birthday Mix," I think).

21 Favorite place to be: Home.

22 Least favorite place: In traffic.

23 Time you wake up in the morning: Never the same time.

24 If you could play an instrument, what would it be? I'd love to be really good at piano.

25 Favorite color: Silver.

26 Do you believe in an afterlife? Absolutely! That question James Lipton asks about what you want God to say to you when you get to heaven... my answer is: "Welcome back! Ready to go again?"

27 How tall are you? 5'7" (but I'm often accused of being 5'9"--it's the boobs).

28 Current favorite word/saying: "My pleasure!" (I've been hearing myself say this on the phone to agents and managers all week long.)

29 Favorite book: Lovingly, Georgia (although Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting is right up there too.

30 Favorite season: Fall (and, really, it's October in Boston).

31 One person from your past you wish you could go back and talk to: Probably Mom.

32 Where do you want to go for university? Been... several times. If I go back to finish my PhD, it'll probably be at UCLA.

33 What is your career going to be like? Already is... flexible, creative, intense, social, and very fun.

34 How many kids do you want? Maybe one.

35 Said "I love you" and meant it? Every time.

36 Gotten in a fight with your dog/cat/bird/fish? No.

37 Been to New York? Of course!

38 Been to Florida? Of course!

39 Been to California? Present day!

40 Been to Hawaii? God, yes. LOVED it. Can't wait to go back.

41 Been to Mexico? Never.

42 Been to China? Nope.

43 Dreamed something really crazy and then it happened the next day? Of course!

44 Do you have a crush on someone? Of course!

45 What book are you reading now? Self-Management for Actors (for revision purposes... BTW... that's a REALLY good book).

46 Worst feeling in the world? Being misunderstood.

47 What is the last thing you think about when you go to bed at night? What all I have to do starting when I'm next awake.

48 What is the first thing you think about when you wake in the morning? Kisses.

49 How many rings before you answer? When I'm working and expecting calls, I'll pick up on the first ring. When I'm not in the "expecting calls" stage, I *never* pick up. Ever. Hate, hate, hate the phone (oh, so I guess there *is* something I hate, for that one above).

50 Future daughter's name: Grace.

51 Future son's name: Walker.

52 Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? Does Archie count?

53 If you could have any job you wanted what would it be? This is it! Except maybe I'd also be exec producing a show (still, that plan is in the works... takes time to build up to that).

54 Wish you were somewhere else? Nope.

55 College plans: Who knows if I'll go back to finish the PhD. Eh, I love school, so I probably will.

56 Piercings: Two.

57 Do you do drugs? Nope.

58 Do you drink? Yep.

59 What kind of Shampoo and Conditioner do you use? Three different kinds: Pantene, Finesse, and Be Long.

60 What are you most scared of? Heights (like on a ropes course--but NOT like rappelling down a mountain. Odd, isn't it?).

61 What clothes do you sleep in? Panties and a tank top.

62 Who is the last person that called you? An agent, making sure I got the tape of his clients he messengered over today.

63 Where do you want to get married? On the beach at sunset.

64 If you could change anything about yourself what would that be? I'd be forever a size 12. That's where my body is happy and that's a good healthy size for me to feel like the goddess I am. (Isn't it weird that, if I could change ANYTHING about myself, it would be my weight? Why not change that I'm obsessed with my body? Yeah... that would be a nice shift too.)

65 Who do you really hate? Oh, all right! If I must... how about high-maintenance people? But really, that's not hate. It's annoyance.

66 Been In Love? Constantly.

67 Are you timely or always late? Perpetually prompt.

68 Do you have a job? Yes. Several. Always.

69 Do you like being around people? I like being around myself the most (Mom taught me early in life to get comfortable with my own company, for which I'm grateful), but when I'm in a social place, I LOVE being a party girl. I'm very good in groups. I work a mean room.

70 Best feeling in the world? Satisfaction over a job well done. Any type of job.

71 Are you for world peace? Sure! In theory. It's just that it exists outside the theoretical that makes it hinky.

72 Are you a health freak? Yep.

73 Do you have a "type" of person you always go after? I used to. It was the artist, creative, tortured intellectual with passion and drive. Brilliant and funny and a bit cynical. Actually, y'know what? I think I still go for that type in all of my friendships and business dealings. Hm.

74 Do you want someone you don't have? Not really. I'm generally pretty satisfied in life.

75 Are you lonely right now? Nope.

76 Ever afraid you'll never get married? Nope. Keith says there are four types of marriage (spiritual, emotional, religious, and civil). Technically, we've been "married" for four years now, just not in all of the various ways recognized by society.

77 Do you want to get married? Not again! ;)

78 Do you want kids? Love having Quinn in my life. Hope to have a child when/if it's meant to be. Not really attached to it either way.

79 Cried today? Yes.

80 Bought something today? Dinner at Baja Fresh.

81 Gotten sick today? Nope.

82 Sang today? Yes.

83 Said I love you today? Of course!

84 Wanted to tell someone you loved them today? If I wanted to, I told them. I never hold back an "I love you."

85 Met someone today? No.

86 Moved on today? Oh, yes. I'm very proud of the way I've handled some issues with grace today.

87 Talked to someone today? Goodness, yes. Many someones, coordinating all of this casting stuff.

88 Had a serious talk today? Yes. Several.

89 Missed someone today? Yes.

90 Hugged someone today? Of course! Hugs are like oxygen!

91 Yelled at someone today? Only in a mock-yell, playing with Keith about his silliness.

92 Dreamed about someone you can't be with today? No.

93 Danced today? No.

94 I.M.ed someone today? Nope.

95 Watched TV today? Yes. And about a hundred demo reels and taped auditions on the computer's screen while editing for uploading.

96 Played dress up today? Only if you count wearing a sarong as "playing dress-up" (which Keith would, since I'm usually in shorts).

97 Left someone a comment today? Of course! I'm a very comment-y blog friend.

98 Sent someone more than five text messages today? I don't think I've sent someone more than five text messages *ever*.

99 Gone to the movies today? Nope. Just worked on casting one.

100 Completed another survey today? Just did, thanks. ;)

Okay... who's next? Ali? Kris? Deb? C'mon... y'know you want to!

Posted by bonnie at 12:08 AM

August 12, 2005

Oh, and...

...I can't find the "card" for the Spork Crab (which is brilliantly displayed in this month's Sea Scape), but just the same...

...I am inspired to heal the bay. Rock it!

Posted by bonnie at 4:10 AM

Well, finally!

Remember that wine from Sissa's wedding?

I finally opened it tonight!

It's one of those things where she told me to have it right away (like at the reception--where I had a migraine) but I honored it for three solid years, moved it to several different homes, etc.

And then finally, tonight, I had it. Which is fun b/c I'm both enjoying the hooch and honoring my Sissa, wherever she may be.

Oh, my Larry, life is good.

Posted by bonnie at 3:43 AM

August 10, 2005

Letter from the Cosmos

Dear Bon,

I'm sorry I've been such a ginormous pain in the arse for these past couple of weeks.

I know you've tried to remain calm (and keep others calm) in the face of my diva-demands and, usually, you are quite grace-filled when I come by (since you plan for the chaos I cause and always take extra time with everything, showing marvelous levels of patience), but I've just had to toy with you this time around.

Seeing you try to keep your cool when everything is going wrong at once, watching technology fail you, and noticing that communication simply never lands the way it was navigated has been a monkey-filled barrel of shits and giggles. Thanks for the laughs!

Love,
Mercury Retrograde

PS: At one point last week, you said this was the worst of me you could recall and Keith said he'd experienced worse. I must say I truly enjoyed the moment today when he finally said, "Yeah. I'm just hoping to live through this one. It's really bad." That was fun for me. Thank him, wouldja?

Posted by bonnie at 5:26 AM

August 9, 2005

Grr.

Because I'm having a grrrrrrrrr day (and Keith won't let me spray his ankles with compressed air), this is how I'm venting.

Meme snarked from Ames (and more of it below)...

LAYER ONE: ON THE OUTSIDE
Name: Bon
Birthdate: 07.11.70 (so cool and reflexive)
Birthplace: Hotlanta
Current Location: Hollywood (in spirit)
Hair Color: red, but in major need of a touch-up.
Righty or Lefty: lefty, except with scissors. It's weird.

LAYER TWO: ON THE INSIDE
Your heritage: Scotch-Irish, Cherokee, Dutch, and about a dozen other whatnots.
Shoes you wore today: the shoes I bought to replace the ones I really love, from Tweeds (RIP).
Your fears: rope courses, closed-off spaces, cotton balls (see standup comedy routine from Comedy Store 2000 for details).
Your perfect pizza: gluten-free (sadly, none exist).
Goal you'd like to achieve: absolute, unconditional self-love (same goal since Corey Allen's acting class at Margie Haber Studios, 1999).

LAYER THREE:
Since there is never a three, the rest of the meme is in the extended entry, should you be interested. ;)

LAYER FOUR: YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW
Your most overused phrase on IM: I don't IM. But when I chat at PARF on Fridays, it's probably LOL.
Your thoughts first waking up: Spoken: "Honey? Come be close!"
Your best physical feature: the rack. Always the rack.
Your bedtime: Huh?
Your most missed memory: plopping my head in my mom's lap, having her stroke my hair and baby-talk me, even at age 29.

LAYER FIVE: YOUR PICK
Pepsi or Coke: as a shareholder, it must be Coke, even though I'll have none of either.
McDonald's or Burger King: neither has good gluten-free choices, so... um... yeah, whatever.
Single or group dates: what's a DATE? Just kidding. Usually Dan Tana's and usually with whatever group of people has gathered. That means, sometimes group dates and sometimes it's just us and heavy-handed drink-pouring Mike.
Adidas or Nike: in honor of the great Mitchell Fink, it must be Adidas (swag is good).
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: rarely, so no opinion.
Chocolate or vanilla: chocolate.
Cappuccino or coffee: neither. I don't do the coffee.

LAYER SIX: DO YOU? or ARE YOU?
Smoke: not anymore.
Cuss: yup. Way too much.
Single: nope.
Have a crush: constantly.
Think you've been in love: perpetually.
Like high school: only sometimes.
Want to get married: in denial. ;)
Believe in yourself: absolutely.
Get motion sickness: yes. Especially in the back seat of a Towncar or in a plane with a hangover.
Think you're attractive: sometimes. Sometimes I'm a goddess like none other. Other times I'm slothzilla. It's part of having a childstar/teen-anorexic brain. Hard to fix.
Think you're a health freak: anytime I'm pegged to one extreme or another, I'm either alcoholic or obsessed with fitness. Depends on the day you catch me. Right now, I'm working out like a maniac and wish I could hit the gym several hours a day. *shrug*
Get along with your parents: who?
Like thunderstorms: miss 'em like crazy!
Play an instrument: probably can plunk out a few notes on just about anything and can read sheet music enough to get by.

LAYER SEVEN: IN THE PAST MONTH
Drank alcohol: yup.
Gone on a date: sure.
been on stage: constantly.
eaten an entire box of Oreos: never!
Eaten sushi: not since going gluten-free. :( Bummer, since I love/miss sushi.
Been dumped: only by the CSA.
Gone skating: no, but I read about it, at Chip's blog, plus others.
Gone skinny dipping: oh, man... it was a year ago, but we did that nightly while house-sitting and LOVED it. We sooooooo need a pool.
Stolen anything: no. I've gotten much better. ;)

LAYER EIGHT: HAVE YOU EVER
Played a game that required removal of clothing: of course.
Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: sure.
Been caught "doing something:" like... sex? Sure. I'm old. It happens. ;)
Been called a tease: just the other day by MCJ!!
Gotten beaten up: yeah, but I usually beat as well as I got beaten. Ask Scott Freeman or Jared Herbst, the boys I beat up back in my school days. ;)

LAYER NINE: GETTING OLDER
Age you hope to be married: 34.
Number of Children: well, there's Quinn, which counts. I'd like to have a girl, but I don't know... we have to be in a really secure financial situation before we bring more kids into the world. Quinn-support and OUR OWN support is plenty, right now.
Describe your dream wedding: I love that this is in "getting older." LOL
How do you want to die: in my sleep, without pain, like Mom did.
What do you want to be when you grow up: always living my dream, whatever that should become.
Where would you most like to visit: there's a major list there, really. Changes regularly. Almost always involves a passport.

LAYER TEN: IN A GAL/GUY
Best eye color: brown
Best hair color: dark brown
Short or long hair: longish
Height: 6'+
Best first date location: very public.
Best first kiss location: lips.

LAYER ELEVEN: IN THE NUMBERS
Number of people I could trust with my life: hm. A few. Hard to quantify. A few, certainly.
Number of CDs I own: ha! In the world of "CD as Casting Director," I'd say only me. ;) In the world of that musical disc... I'd say 300-400, maybe.
Number of piercings: two.
Number of tattoos: two.
Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: oh, goodness, too many. My RSiCopyright services indicate my name is in print pretty effin' regularly, which is kinda cool. Most of the time, it's actually me, and not the Red Cross admin or the Board of Regents member (much less the stripper).
Number of scars on my body: more than a few. I count tattooed-over scars as scars, moles I wish were gone as scars, and being a keloid kid, I'd say I have a goodly number of scars to count. I try not to count. Why quantify pain? I'd rather count the number of happy places.

Well, that was fun. Definitely improved my mood, even for a moment. Now the bed! ;)

Posted by bonnie at 4:01 AM

August 6, 2005

Weddings Are Fun

Today, Keith and I spent some wonderful time with old friends at the celebration of marriage between Tracy Eliott (AKA Tracy Hernandez) and Dick Tatum (AKA Richard Rosenblatt). We got lots of laughs out of the various combinations of names, plus enjoyed a brilliant toast from... who was that oh-so-funny guy? Richard? Robert? Augh... didn't catch it.

Barry Carver performed a beautiful wedding (that's him above, holding JA, for Tracy and Dick, several years ago--click for larger). Children played like children do. We made new friends. It was delightful.

I was worried about wearing jeans, but then I said, "LOOK. They want you there. They don't care what you're wearing." I'm so glad I talked myself into going despite my lack of suitable wardrobe options. That's just a constant battle for me, so it's nice to just get over it for a moment and go have fun with dear friends.

And, since this post is about wedded bliss (and yes, Dawn, it does seem that this wedding thing is in the air lately), I thought I'd share this gorgeous photo of Cousin Faith Salie and my new cousin-in-law Nick Holly. Again, click for a larger version of this princess photo. What lovely bliss! Cool tie-in: Faith's former castmate Brian Palermo went to college with Tracy, so he was at the wedding today, among all of the ARK friends, Wolfesden folks, and years of Orphans Christmas Dinners-buddies.

What's beautiful about celebrating unions like this is that we all benefit from the reminder that we do need one another. Keith and I talked on the way to the wedding about my upbringing (wherein survival and independence was championed above partnership and investment in others--since others can go away) and how every day that he is in my life is a triumph of human connection over going it alone.

Awesome.

Posted by bonnie at 7:35 PM

July 26, 2005

Longest Blog Entry EVER

Or, well, it *will* be, when I finish it. Right now, it's just a list of stuff I'm going to say, when I come back around to this. Right now, I still have way way way too much to do to get caught up. And it's only a few hours since I got home.

1. I'm home from the casting gig in Missouri.
a. Dayum it's HAWT there.
b. Stephens College: visiting professor offer.
c.
d. Feedback that I've inspired people to become CDs.
e. Cobras (and several other teams from the Junior Soccer League) staying in my hotel during their state-wide tourney.
f. Grinders?
g. I hate getting hangnails while traveling.
h. Mayo with fries?
i. Put ice in my bra on the heated tin can that was the Jetstream 41.
j. Pizza is $3.80 (yes, *a* pizza. No, I didn't have any, just noticed the price and remembered the good ol' college town days).
k. My bizarre sleeping style in hotel rooms.

2. I got several good column ideas from riding on the plane (conversations with strangers about what I do. Why do I always sit next to chatty people?) and speaking to filmmakers about actors (rather than speaking to actors about the casting process, which I usually do), and casting a film in ten hours.

3.

4. Our brilliant LAX parking scheme and how confused the parking attendant was, trying to figure out how we pulled it off.

5. Thwok has a fat lip.

6. I have a review of the first season of The Amazing Race.

7. I think Thirteen may be the most compelling film I've seen in a long, long time.

8. I have reports about Celebrity Fit Club 2 and other lies told in the media (such as: "Diane Lane is 35" and "Kirstie Alley is a size 12"). Plus, commentary on the imbalance that is the performers on this season of the trainwreck show. What fucknuts!

9. Acting Qs has been reviewed (PDF is on this page--July 2005 Hollywood How-To from Bob Fraser). Excerpt to come.

10. Friends I'm proud of:
a. Camille Mana (series regular on One on One).
b. Blake Robbins (recurring on The OC).
c.
d. Pamela Jansen (in Fearless Women, which was delivered to me with one of the best personal notes I've ever received from an actor).
e. Jasmine Jessica Anthony (series regular on Commander in Chief).
f. a dozen other actors in my life who are booking work these days. Dizzying to try and keep up (quality problem)!

11. Being okay with being imperfect. (This ties in with Pamela's letter. Esp. re: notation of BA instead of MA for my credit in the UGA book contribution.)

12. Searches. You're right, CoCo. They're starting to get funny.

13. Catching up:
a. Why the ATF came over.
b. The cat that meditates to the Stones (and the one that chills in the backpack).
c. Cool sofa repair guy.
d. Fantastic 4.

14. New favorite drink: ginger margarita.

15. Changing the clock on the SixHundy caused me to do something really odd tonight.

16. Grammar. STOP THIS: "Sam and I's relationship is over." Seriously. Stop it. You're killin' me with that crap.

17. Kill Reality redux (they KNOW it's more about charisma and being bold than nailing the read) and how funny it is to see Trashelle doing reality yet again after she swore NEVER after the second Surreal Life. Brilliant producers. Seriously.

Best quote?

I understand Toni's desire to dig a little deeper. I understand that many great actors want to get inside their character. But I'm pretty sure that none of those great actors were on Paradise Hotel.

HOWL!

18. Go look at this--Celebrities Eating--and be sad that there is an industry built around "catching" people with extraordinary jobs doing ordinary things. And then laugh, since some of the photos are way funny. Thanks to BrYan for that one. Oh, and for this one too. Tee hee! That's a different kind of quiz!

More later. It's good to be home.

Posted by bonnie at 1:21 AM

July 21, 2005

My New Favorite Wine

In case you're interested...

is Ferrari-Carano. This was introduced to me at the rockstar birthday dinner at The Palm (thank you, Bob Brody) and I really do love it.

Almost time to leave for Missouri.

Did I mention the stack of scripts in the "to read" pile? So so so much going on! Have a great weekend, everyone! I'll try to blog from the SixHundy. XXOO

Posted by bonnie at 11:46 PM

July 16, 2005

Definition of Friendship

What's a friend? I mean a true-blue, love-ya-forever, amazingly-good-people level friend.

That'd be friends like Shon and Jodi.

Why?

Well, here they are, guest-starring on That's So Raven, having graciously invited us to see them work (which rocked; they were both really amazing and very funny), watching a scene or two in playback between live scenes (at which time the pages were handing out slices of pizza to the members of the audience). Okay, so these great actors *should* be basking in the glow of their accomplishments, enjoying watching their own work on the monitors, gearing up for their next live scenes, or simply enjoying the downtime schmooze with Disney execs (who were all over the set, for damn sure). What are they doing instead?

Noticing that pizza is not gluten-free, and therefore their friend Bonnie will not be able to eat a snack during this break in taping. Not only did they NOTICE this, but they grabbed a bowl, visited the craft services table, loaded up mixed raw veggies and fruits, and snuck the bowl up to us in the audience!

If THAT is not the very basic underlying principle to friendship, I don't know what is!

Now, outside of that particular moment (which was sincerely touching), this was one of our favorite nights out in awhile (and that's among a whole bunch of seriously amazing nights out of late). Turns out tonight was Shon and Jodi's manager's birthday. So, there was celebration both on the set (Emmy nominations and the first live shoot back this season) and off (congrats to Jodi on the recurring role, to Shon on the guest-star gig, my birthday, John's birthday, and Keith's signing with Origin), which we took care of with champagne at the ArcLight (my first time there; very cool).

Great night. Great talent. Great friends. That's really the best part of it all.

Posted by bonnie at 1:17 AM

July 9, 2005

Where to begin...

Where do you begin when you have so so so so much going on that you can't even begin to STOP and organize thoughts into words (much less organize thoughts into words that accurately represent the non-stop goings-on)? Whew! I am spinning!! LOVE IT... but it's a LOT of swirl. I feel like I'm in the center of a kick-ass Spirograph design with lots of color. It's gorgeous, complex, and thrilling to behold. But, man, is it a lot to wrap my brain around!

We've finished up prereads for Shrinks. Wow. Some of the most amazing (and also some of the most baffling) actors I've seen, for this one. I'm thrilled with the actors we'll be bringing to callbacks (once we are able to cut down even further; we currently have too many actors on our short list). As for what was baffling... well... let's just say I actually WISH there were a Hollywood Blacklist so that I could make sure one actor is on it. *shudder* I have written (for the first time, ever): NEVER AGAIN across a headshot. I'll explain why over drinks somewhere, sometime... later.

Just got back from the Chandler Hall table read (I didn't stay for any of the read itself; just went at the start to get the last two actors to sign off on their SAG contracts and to get *my* final check for casting services). It is so very cool to see all of the actors cast in one place at the same time. Casting directors never really get to do that. We may see two or three together during chemistry checks at callbacks, but it's so neat to see a dozen confident, CAST, happy actors gathering, meeting, ready to begin the journey that will result in a feature film a year from now. Very gratifying.

Happily completing my essay (to go with my application) for joining the CSA. Received a copy of the letter Michael Donovan wrote on my behalf. It made me cry. What a wonderful man! And truly, he has been a mentor for me since the very beginning of this road (heck, even before I had any idea it was a path)! Wonderful letter. Wonderful man.

In fact, Michael was one of the first people Keith called with the good news. Yup. Keith Johnson, just three years after his first acting gig in Los Angeles, has signed with Origin Talent. That's right. THE Origin Talent. That's Origin Talent of JP Manoux, Katie Stuart, Patrick Malone, Susan Wood, Rodney Rowland, Kate Flannery, Christa Campbell, Suzanne Krull, Patrick Bristow, Jf Pryor, Will Wallace, Sean Bell, Rusty Joiner, Lindsay Hollister, Jake Hanover, Jessica Lancaster, and *ahem* Bob Clendenin fame. Awwwwww, yeah! That's a working actor agency, baby!

Fucking rockstar development. Abby Casey is the best manager on the planet and Keith Johnson now has a manager and TWO agents. Kathleen Schultz for print (signed earlier this week), and now Origin frickin' Talent. So so so so so amazing. Just unbelievable and delightful and perfect. Congratulations, my working actor baby. Oh, and break a leg at your THIRD producer callback session for Big Love. Nail it to the fucking wall!

*ahem* Sorry 'bout the f-word all over the place. I'm just really happy.

Okay, so in a week full of amazing developments, I get this email from someone who has read my advice in a new book published by the UGA Alumni Association.

Seems my advice to 2005 UGA grads is on page 35. You can download the whole PDF by clicking that phrase. If you just want to see my passage in If I Only Knew Then..., click here (also PDF, just smaller). I shared advice that was shared by my aunt Jean, back when I was in crisis over my decision to move back to Atlanta and go to grad school. I couldn't believe I was actually considering leaving Hollywood. It was my PLAN. She taught me about Plan A and Plan B... well... read the passage. You'll see. Cool to have already gotten email about it.

And, I sent a note to Aunt Jean to thank her for the advice and to show her the impact it obviously had on me. I'm guessing she doesn't even recall that particular conversation, but it certainly helped me, in those tough early-20s (when you're so sure you know how your life is going to turn out and think it's WRONG to not know (vs. how blissful it is to not know, which you eventually learn)).

I love living in Santa Monica. We're almost at our anniversary here. So blissful. Being so close to the beach, being able to walk everywhere, the cool weather, the friendly people. Ah, people laugh about, "Never wanting to go east of the 405," but Keith tells them I try not to go east of 26th Street! The temperature drops there, when you're coming back from "the rest of LA" to the Westside. It's not just that, though. It's also the vibe. My pulse actually slows at that point. I relax differently. It's awesome.

And while I love my digs... man, doesn't this place look cool?

It's almost that time! I'm really excited about this birthday. It's been an outstanding year.

That's Ash in last weekend's LA Times. (Click it to see the whole article/scan--very large.) Go, girl. You are definitely the breakout star of MTV's The '70s House. Win! Win big!

Okay. If you haven't already, shame on you. And go NOW. Read the brilliance that is (collectively) Colleen Wainwright's "Searches, We Get Searches" blogs. Of course, every bit of her blog is brilliant, but it's the SEARCH stuff that makes me *snork* (snort-laugh). So much, in fact, I asked her to teach me how to track searches to my blog so that I could try to be so funny.

So far... here's what I've got. In seven weeks of tracking, the most interesting searches that have come my way have been (and my lame attempt at comedy follows each):

Eva Longoria Golden Globes (Yes, yes she does. Mmmmmm.)
Greer Shephard dress (She does, too. Probably once or twice every day!)
Miata touch-up paint Miata (That's catchy! I could sing that.)
photo of Kevan Jenson (Hm. I don't have one, but I'll see if I can snap a pic on the SixHundy on Wednesday, if you'd like.)
star caps (Tooth-coverings for famous people? Headgear for celestial bodies? Five-point bullets? Nah... just a bright-orange, garlic-smelling herbal drug thingy.)

How'd I do, Coco? You say the searches will get better with time, right? ;) Hopefully the comedy will too.

Just transition artwork, above. It says my name. Cool, huh?

Okay, so we took a vote in the Gillespie-Johnson household. Best Hunter: Thwok. Sexiest Vixen: Salema. Sweetest Oaf: Archie (although Keith was close on that one... he's not as sweet).

Oh, and Lily, here's my blog!

'Til next time!

(reminders to self: blog about why a special agent from the ATF stopped by on Thursday, the cat that meditates to the Stones, Fantastic 4, and cool sofa repair guys. also look up the date's for Joni's vist, find out if the casting gig in MO and the trip to Tahoe are mutually exclusive, roll out a SMFA seminar press release, and consult the SixHundy for the rest of the scary to do list. that is all. back to work. stop with the blogging and trust that you'll remember all the other shyte you want to write about when the time is there to do so. seriously. go now. now.)

Posted by bonnie at 11:41 AM

July 5, 2005

Checkin' In

Ooh, just so so so so much going on. Truly baffling and mind-spinning. Non-stop.

And I love (almost) all of it. Heck, even the stuff I'm not loving, I'm learning from. And THAT I'm loving. So, that's dang cool.

Just wanted to check in, so the blog doesn't go too long without a HOWDY.

Howdy! ;) Laytahz.

Posted by bonnie at 2:48 AM

July 1, 2005

Reasons I'm Sad/Reasons I'm Happy

1. (Sad) . Honestly, Luther (and one of the Tonies from Tony Toni Toné) was one of the best-smelling guys I ever worked for, back in my Left Bank Management days. As much as I loved taking weed over to JT's house, catching Richard's stalker, making the world believe the '93 album was the second LP from Meat, making the last contract offer ever made to Nirvana, chilling with the brothers G, or helping Joey with his folks, I have to say that it was Luther Vandross who was loving, sweet, genunie, and just a big ball of love-to-hug. What a loss! Too soon. We'll miss you.

2. (Sad) . Are you kidding me? You couldn't wait an effin' three years to help us out? Ugh. I remember when you were brought onboard, Ms. Sandra Day O'Connor. I'm feeling as old as you must feel. I just feel mad at you for handing the keys of freedom over to that rat bastard W. Grr.

3.

4. (Happy) (click it to read it). Cool mail from Tom Fontana, who wrote our kick-ass foreword. It seems he enjoyed the gig too. Right on.

5. (Happy) . Did my application for the CSA and asked for reference letters from my favorite casting mentors. Very happy. *fingers crossed* for approval, seeing as the vote for new members takes place on my birthday (that can't possibly be a bad sign).

6. No pic. Just love. I'm a happy happy happy gal. Cast is near-locked for Chandler Hall (even received flowers from the actor we cast in the lead; a lovely note saying, "I didn't know what your favorite flowers were, so I sent you mine. Thanks for everything! Your Jimmy Bravo," (SUCH A CLASS ACT)), auditions are scheduled for Shrinks, and... best for last... Keith has signed with his first AGENT. Yup. My cute boy now has a PRINT AGENT in Los Angeles. It would seem "NFL-lovin' grill dad" is big biz in the sale circulars! Cool deal!

Big weekend. Big love. Woo damn hoo!

Posted by bonnie at 11:22 PM

June 21, 2005

Accomplishments

1. Got the prereads for Chandler Hall scheduled (sides out, top actors for each role scheduled, etc.).

2. Got A New Tomorrow final cast list handed off to production (just need to get the cast webpage updated now).

3.

4. Sent out MOST of the comp copies of Acting Qs. Got an amazing thank-you note from Tom Fontana, as well as super feedback from actors interviewed. I'll share soon.

5. Quinn had his playdate with Drake (that's Drake on set, above). They really enjoyed themselves. Turns out Puzzle Zoo is like the coolest store EVER. Will post photos from Quinn's visit when I can. I promise!

6. Got someone at SAG to agree to fax over the Limited Ex talent contract (even though it's only good for another couple of weeks--then we go to Ultra Low Budget contracts for SAG). Bless you, Paul Bales, for the fax!! (Will pick up a copy of the AEA 99-seat Code while in the building tonight, thanks to Nancy Daly.)

7. Got Quinn *mostly* packed, though he'll leave without his memory book completed this year, for the first time (bummer. I just could NOT get it together quickly. We'll mail it later). LOVE the drawings he's leaving behind. Perfect fridge material!

8. Confirmed that tonight's SAG LifeRaft event is over-booked with a waiting list--which means it will fly by (and we're taking 150 copies of Self-Management for Actors to give away). C'mon DayQuil! Hook me up!

9. Got Quinn's "LOVE QUINN" scrawled on all of our thank you notes from this week's 1/2-birthday gifts and treats. Seriously, Quinn had an amazing time! (I'll get 'em out in the mail later.)

10. Purged a few thousand pages of sides from previous projects' auditions, which felt good in a major way. Amazing the little things we can do when sick that happen to improve the general spirits, without taking too much out of us physically.

11. Slept. That was the biggie. Still not 100% (and Keith is worse), but enough to get the talk done tonight, get Keith and Quinn to the airport, and then get back home to write the breakdown for Shrinks, do Rox work, update the business-hours list for tomorrow, and get all of the email-based contact work possible done before Wednesday rolls around. Ack. Exhausted just looking at all of this.

So, I'll stop. Time to get on the road soon anyway. Thanks for all the good vibes, everyone! They feel GREAT!

Posted by bonnie at 2:25 PM

Q&A

Q: Where is Bonnie?

A: See old blog.

Ugh. Bleh. Zzzzzzz.

That is all.

Posted by bonnie at 12:55 AM

June 15, 2005

Oy, so...

I've crossed everything off my list, plus subbed to every RSS feed (of interest) I could find (though I'm not *quite* sure what that RSS thingy means), and I've sent all of the potential local hires on to the director of the feature film I'm MAINLY casting right now (not finished with everything just yet).

(Yes, I'm having to learn what it is to cast three projects simulatneously and how to decide which is the "leader" in every call I make. Oh, and... I'm reminded that people at this point hire ASSISTANTS, for cryin' out loud!!)

Whut?

View this, this, and... well... there is no three. Judge me now. It's not my fault! AND... if you're free, join us Thursday 7:30pm-ish for a little gathering. Hit me with a comment ASAP if you're free and want to head west for a glass-raising of some sort. SO much to celebrate! And... there's meeting the brilliant, beautiful Q-man!!

Oh, so, I get a call from Keith and learn that Quinn has taken a face-dive into the dock on the way to Catalina. My response, "Can you clean him up?" Answer, "I can clean HIM up better than *I* clean up!" Well, duh! I mean, I love ya, Keith, but we ALL admit that Quinn is parented better than we were! LOL

Such such SUCH a good kid! Kudos to the moms for taking such good care of him! I love how generous, loving, and affectionate that boy is!!

Photos will come! Hang in!

Posted by bonnie at 1:19 AM

June 13, 2005

Further Updates

And here are today's updates, as of this moment.

I have a script to read, offers to fax, feedback to provide [still dragging feet on this one], bills to pay, books to sign [ended up chatting, instead], books to pack [ditto], books to mail [yeah, yeah, yeah], headshots to open, headshots to sort [still in progress], headshots to purge [I think this one is a forever-in-progress deal], a screen to put back in a window [waits for Keith], three websites to update [ugh. dragging feet], a font to install [actually can no longer use Word. major problems since the Tiger upgrade. Ugh], and dayplayers to enter into the Breakdowns system to email to producers [not urgent].

Wow, and I also did about ten things that weren't on the list. That's fun. Still more to do (always)... but I'm super-intimidated by the items I saw in last month's Real Simple (just got to read it) called "This Clean House." I'll post that insane list later. No WAY I could keep up with THOSE standards. *shudder* I'm supposed to wash my lamp shades every six months?

PS--I love Fight for Fame. Is that wrong? Should I lie? (Ooh, it's probably due to the high number of people in each week's episode that I know. That would explain part of the appeal.)

Posted by bonnie at 5:19 PM

June 12, 2005

List Thus Far

Updates to the list thus far:

I have a script to read [read enough to know I'll accept the offer to cast it tomorrow], a column to write, offers to fax [got authorization for dollar amounts on three of them, holding on one more], feedback to provide [this is going to take forever and I always worry I miss something and end up just not doing any, which I hate, since I know it helps the actors to get feedback], bills to pay [that's the very next item, I promise], books to sign [can do that with wine, later], books to pack [ditto], books to mail [pack 'em up for Keith to take after he and Quinn return from NoCal], headshots to open [ugh, that's forever in the making], headshots to sort [this list is still way overwhelming], headshots to purge [I thought I'd gotten so much done today], a screen to put back in a window [waits for Keith], a shower to take, litter to scoop, dishes to wash, three websites to update [coming soon], a font to install [having some bugs with the Tiger upgrade... must research], and dayplayers to enter into the Breakdowns system to email to producers [later].

Holy bejeebus. I thought I'd gotten so much done already. Lists are evil. (No, they're not. I know that.)

PS--I cannot watch ten minutes of television without seeing an actor I know. That's kind of cool.

PPS--It seems I will get to officially make an offer to one of the most talented actors I know tomorrow (and someone I count as a friend) to star in one of the movies I'm casting. I'm so so so so so freakin' excited about this film. Can't wait to make it official!! Rockstar!

Posted by bonnie at 6:10 PM

Bored

So, why is it when I have a kazillion things to do (and I am not *even* kidding when I say "kazillion," I really do have THAT MUCH STUFF to do) that I end up bored?

It just makes like no sense. How can I be bored when I have sooooo much to do? And all of it causes me more than a little bit of stress. Hm. Maybe I'm chosing boredom over stress. I guess that makes sense.

The "S" key on my PowerBook has a patch worn through. So, I guess it *is* the most common letter. For me, at least.

See? Bored. And I have a script to read, a column to write, offers to fax, feedback to provide, bills to pay, books to sign, books to pack, books to mail, headshots to open, headshots to sort, headshots to purge, a screen to put back in a window, a shower to take, litter to scoop, dishes to wash, three websites to update, a font to install, and dayplayers to enter into the Breakdowns system to email to producers. All of that needs to happen before Monday morning.

Yeah. And I'm noticing the worn-out "S" key. And making lists of the things I'm not doing. Sunday should be interesting. Look at all of those S-es I typed! Esses? Oh... and I found the first typo in the new book. :\ Page 129. Transposed a period and a close-paren. I'll decide that's in homage to Frances. How 'bout that?

Posted by bonnie at 3:54 AM

June 8, 2005

Obsession

Have you ever been so totally and completely obsessed with something that you cannot fathom NOT thinking about it, even for a second?

Yeah. I've been obsessed with 1990 Mazda Miata touch-up paint.

*sigh*

Not well.

See, when you have a nearly 16-year-old car, you need to touch up the paint in places from time to time. And when you pack to MOVE, you put things like the touch-up paint you bought ON THE SAME DAY YOU BOUGHT THE CAR in one of several boxes that (after the move) may not get completely unpacked--or even ones that may get put deep into a closet for storage, since you haven't needed anything in the boxes for months--and God help you if you think you can begin to find said touch-up paint when you realize there's a little fleck-off going on after the TicTac had a visit to the carwash.

Worse, give up EVER thinking you could find the damn thing, if you just looked ONE MORE TIME inside EVERY FREAKIN' box, drawer, closet, storage unit of EVERY kind... but please do go ahead and LOOK one more time (scratch that... not ONE more time... try a dozen more times). But don't you DARE stop THINKING that you *could* possibly find it, if you just looked ONE more time.

Again.

*sigh*

I told you I was NOT WELL.

Yes. I finally broke down and spent the FIVE BUCKS plus shipping to order the dang thing from a Miata shop online. Do you think *maybe* I could stop obsessing about where the damn thing is now?

Place yer bets, folks!

PS--I realized that the producer callback Keith had today was for the same show he's gone to producers for once before during pilot season. Effin' rockstar!

PPS--Just got home from a great industry thingy hosted by the TMA, Breakdowns, Barefoot Wine, and the Hollywood Reporter for the CBS fall season roll-out (preview, keynote, and panel). Way cool. Awesome giftbags! Swag is goooood.

Posted by bonnie at 12:05 AM

May 22, 2005

Best Things on TV

Best things on TV tonight?

That'd be Tina Fey doing the Risky Business spoof on Saddam Hussein in his BVDs and Keegan Michael Key doing "Man Up" stomp on MadTV. God bless TV that doesn't get cancelled. Ever!

WB Shows Cancelled
NBC Shows Cancelled
Fox Shows Cancelled (What???? Life on a Stick? Cancelled? Noooooo!) *rolls eyes*
ABC Shows Cancelled
CBS Shows REMAINING
UPN Shows REMAINING

Huge bummer-meter on the Joan of Arcadia cancellation in our household. That was a Season Pass for Keith. :( And, bigger bummer that our friends' pilots didn't get picked up. Still... I believe it'll happen. There's really good material there... and SOMEWHERE, there is an audience for stuff THAT good. 'Til then... we watch the bad and wish network TV fed us better morsels. :\

Oh, and as if I needed an extraction team to get me out of the house on Thursday nights... there's Hit Me Baby, One More Time, which seriously must be worse than that ballroom dancing show on UPN ABC (thanks, Ames).

Posted by bonnie at 12:24 AM

May 7, 2005

Geography

Two quizzes from Maria. One from weeks ago that I kept forgetting to put on here. A funny T-shirt spied in NY. Plus a rant and a thank you.

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern. A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock. A unique woman like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well.
What City Do You Belong in?

Nope. Too cold. Too rainy. No London. But thanks.

American Cities That Best Fit You:

75% Los Angeles

65% Honolulu

65% Portland

55% Atlanta

55% Chicago

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

Yup. That's about right.

You scored as Chelsea.

Chelsea is an area in Lower Manhattan west of Park Avenue from about 30th Street to about 14th Street which includes the Flatiron District. It's well known as a gay friendly area. It's also really hip and upscale. It's great place to shop for things for the home. If there is some kind of new innovative soap dish out you're bound to find it here. There are a lot of good places to eat... but, the prices can be a little high. The bartenders in this area are some of the best in the city and they know how to make everything. When some new drink comes out you can bet it came from Chelsea! The only draw back is the entire place is crawling with yuppies. But if you're a yuppie that's probably Okay.

Chelsea 83%
Alphabet City 72%
SoHo/TriBeCa 67%
Upper West Side/Morningside Heights 67%
Hell's Kitchen/Theatre District 61%
Stuyvesant Town 61%
Inwood 56%
Harlem 50%
Kips Bay 50%
El Barrio 45%
China Town 28%
Upper East Side 22%
Financial District/Battery Park 17%
Washington Heights 11%

Which neighborhood in Manhattan is best for you?
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A note about TriBeCa: I was seriously embarrassed for the mess of people interviewed during the TriBeCa Film Festival who couldn't tell you what "TriBeCa" meant. Worse, even, was that the show doing the story (some Entertainment Tonight-type show) got it wrong, saying, "It's short for the Triangle shape the district makes!"

*thud*

Morons. That takes care of "Tri." You just need to look at your little map to come up with "Be" and "Ca." Sheesh!

Oh, and thanks for all the support and love on the panic attack stuff. I'm doing better. Need some more time. I'm taking it. Yay!

Posted by bonnie at 1:12 PM

May 5, 2005

Two Things

Go read about this adorable baby. I think it's way cool that he's doing so well--and has such great fashion sense!

Don't read about me. I'm still flying into panic attacks several times a day. I blame this chemical:

Keith says it could also be "seasonal stress" due to the double-whammy of Mom's birthday and Mother's Day, but I would hope, by now, I'm less crisis-level upset and more just normal-sad about that.

Ugh. I'm sick of all this up and down mood crap. I don't have time for it and it's making me really frustrated, agoraphobic, and manic.

Posted by bonnie at 12:09 PM

May 3, 2005

Many New Things

So... what up, G?

Buttloads. That's what.

Sheesh! I'm seriously blogging now.

Politically incorrect observation #1: There is much more traffic on surface streets these days. Why? Someone who wants less traffic on the freeways is shooting people to get the road to himself. Mission accomplished. We're all taking Wilshire now.

Politically incorrect observation #2: What kind of society do we live in where a fallen child star (Danny Bonaduce) can pull himself together, get clean, get a top-rated radio show, do voiceovers and guest spots on prime time TV regularly, often admit that he had his "major addict" days... and then manage to slide, publicly, back down off that wagon (and saying so, regularly), yet be supported in his work environment... and THEN get ridiculed when he puts himself back in rehab?

I mean, really... if you SAY you're slipping, if you OWN that you are boozing it up... how can ANYONE decide to judge your arse once you do the RIGHT deed, which is signing up for help? Fuck! If they're going to bitch about you, they should do so when you're boozing in front of them and trying to hide it. That's what I expect, when I'm off-wagon-falling. At the very least!

There is no politically incorrect observation number three, as there is never a three (which really should be some other number) based on the reality created by somesuch-whatnot and the good folks there.

Not politically incorrect, but amusing... Chip took this shot at the Twilight Criterium. Oh, how I remember the bliss that was our WUOG Sports Director living in the pace car for that in '95! Ah, memories.

Further not politically incorrect, but perhaps self-aggrandizing, is the observation that I no longer am capable of casting a "small project." It started when the first actor arrived at the audition location today. He said, "This must be some good production company with a healthy budget, to get you on board!" I laughed and said, "Oh, honey... I'm very affordable--I'm still at the beginning of my casting journey and that means I'm doing the same thing actors do, at the beginning of their careers: working cheap and choosing great projects with wonderful people."

Typically, one out of every ten actors says something about my books, my columns, previous casting visits, my online presence, speaking engagements, etc. This time? One out of every TWO.

And.

I can usually count on 30 no-shows out of 150 scheduled appointments. This time? NONE. Not ONE no-show. And I am so terribly sad that some people had to leave, after waiting for so long, and/or that people just waited and waited and waited so more. I ALWAYS HAVE ON-TIME SESSIONS! It really bummed me out to suddenly NOT. But then it occurred to me (and Keith said it out loud) that I'm suddenly not a CD who people think is casting one or two little projects here and there--but I'm someone who people know (in an: "if it's not this project, it's the next" type thing) will soon be casting something else they want to get on my radar for... and they show up. THEY SHOW UP! Even if they aren't confirmed, they show up.

Crap. I've just bumped up a tier. I've steadily increased my day rate for casting indies and I continue to get offers. WTF?? I increased my rate to cut down on the number of projects I got, and it's not happening. Sure enough, it's a sign that I'm right where I'm supposed to be and doing it right.

But now I have to schedule far fewer actors for auditions than I'd like to. That sucks. But, I guess it's a quality problem.

Looking forward to the day when I can hire MCJ (My Cousin Joni) to be my full-time assistant and get loads more work done with the sense of efficiency that only a Virgo can provide.

BTW--I love actors! Everyone rocked today. Amazing, how wonderful and confident so many actors are. I love that. I am such a fan of so many wonderful people!

Posted by bonnie at 8:39 PM

May 1, 2005

Saturation Point

I'm often overwhelmingly busy. Frequently, those who know me ask how it's possible that manage to get it all done (the flippant answer is always, "I don't sleep") and still maintain sanity (the flippant answer is, "What sanity?").

I think, though, today...

I reached a saturation point. I can't do it all. I've tried to be very smart about pacing myself all weekend so that I could somehow make it through everything that had to be done by Monday. I was methodical and clever and even asked for help (which is so unlike me). I knew, with good vibes and process, I could make it.

And I haven't.

And I won't.

Some things are just going to have to be NOT done.

It sucks and I hate it and feel like a failure (even when 95% of everything I had to do is at 85% completion or higher).

But.

I'm not going to do that to myself. I'm not a failure. I'm a workaholic perfectionist with OCD and sometimes it just doesn't all work out.

So there!

Much better.

Posted by bonnie at 7:23 PM

April 30, 2005

Some People!

Okay, I'm seriously over these people.

So, this Georgia chick is overwhelmed by the fact that she's getting married and has invited 600 people to the wedding. So, she runs away from home (leaving no note), and the world launches a search for this missing woman. Resources are used up, dogs are sniffing for her, posters are being put up, a reward for her safe return is created, her fiancé is questioned, the family is distrought.

Finally! She calls 911 from New Mexico. Woo hoo! She's alive! She's safe! She's going to be okay--despite the fact that she's been kidnapped and driven across the country in a van. Bless her heart, she sounds so emotional on the 911 call. What an ordeal she must've faced! Thank God she's alive!

Today, bitch comes clean about the whole effin' hoax. Cold feet.

Police say they won't charge her with any kind of criminal act.

PLEASE, though, could they BILL HER for the expense her little game surely cost "the system" (not to mention those who worried so)?

Reminds me of the dillhole who parked his SUV on the beach last summer. He drove right past all the signs that said NO DRIVING ON THE BEACH and parked, drank, watched the ocean. Watched 'til it came right up and swept his car out to sea.

He jumped out and used his cell to call 911. Tons of emergency workers poured out to the beach, but when they realized they were going to have to wrangle the SUV out of the clutches of the sea, they decided to simply wait for the tide to go out. It was really all they could do.

This bozo goes on the news talking about how he's going to sue the authorities for NOT doing anything to save his SUV from further damage. Look, fucknut, I want them to sue YOU for having needed rescue personnel at all that day, as you blew off the rules and took care of your needs to drink at the beach in your ride.

Pff.

Some people!

Anyway... when I need to call off a wedding, I say, "It's off." I don't concoct a story about being kidnapped and driven cross country. WhatEVER!

Posted by bonnie at 1:19 PM

April 29, 2005

Mr. Blue Sky

Something so wonderful about having signed off on the book, having *gulp* paid for the printing of the book, and waking up to a gorgeous, blue sky day.

Fun fact: my first concert was ELO at the Omni in 1980. I wore my (hand-me-down) red Gloria Vanderbilt jeans and a rainbow-metalic belt (on loan from my cousin). I was soooooo dang cool. And, man, what a GREAT show!

Now, what I'd love to do is go outside and enjoy this lovely day. What I must do, though, is schedule a hundred actors (out of 3500 actors who submitted on this film since the breakdown went out late Monday night) for auditions next week, meet with a magazine editor who wants me to do a piece for him, write next week's column for Showfax, finish my SAG Life Raft course proposal, send press releases to college and university drama professors for Self-Management for Actors, get early sales materials to SCB for both of our 2005 books, update Roxbury's website, read Blake's film script, contact the EIGHT actors waiting to hear back from me about career counseling (sheesh, I'm ashamed to have let that go so long while in Book Mode), figure out whether I can do anything social (Faith's bridal shower, rockstar karaoke, ARK benefit BINGO, Eric's LA memorial service, wrap party for the last film I cast, hanging with a friend who's in town for a graduate showcase, another friend's acting class visit), and maybe--just maybe--catch up on at-home admin stuff like paying bills and cleaning the kitchen.

Okay... now I'm depressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Can I just go outside and play? Pretty please?

Posted by bonnie at 10:53 AM

April 18, 2005

And... They're OFF!

Paul Revere had his Midnight Run. Mine was to Kinko's. And $109 (and 40 minutes) later, the typeset book was copied thrice for my Queens of Style (Courtney, Nini, and Robin), who will now give the book the once-over.

Meanwhile, I'll continue culling quotes for the What Others Are Saying section and busting ass to get the manuscript fully, accurately indexed (now that it's been put into the publishing software).

*contented sigh* (but a brief one, as I can't really stop work just yet)

I did take a break long enough to sleep for four hours and take this quiz. Seeing as I've never seen The OC, I have no idea what these results mean. But hey, the chick is hot, yo.

You scored as Julie. You are obsessed with status and prestige because you are invested in what other people think. Learn to find happiness by figuring out (and pursuing) your own internal desires instead of society's. What OC character are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

Huge big yay for Ali, who got the all-clear at the doctor today! Woo hoo! And, again, yay!

Finally, I really really really want a photo of me done up Comic Book ala PhotoShop style. That's just way effin' cool.

Pff. Like I need another project!

Did I mention I start casting two films next week? ACK!

Oh, one more thing. Is it weirder to encounter someone (who you KNOW reads your blog) who asks, "So, what's new?" or to encounter someone (who you are certain doesn't even know you have a blog) who quotes your blog to you?

Posted by bonnie at 11:59 AM

April 12, 2005

No Time To Blog

Until the book is in the printer's hands, I have no time to blog. So...

...'til I can steal another moment away, I'll tell yaz that you must read this stuff:

Courtney Spies (about her life as a copy editor)
This Is This (another brilliant haiku from Cliff)
Boom Boom Beautiful (about Def Jam Becca MC and her cute kids)

Enjoy!

Oh, and huge thanks to Julie for the photos of the hummingbird momma. This is exactly what it looked like! Thanks!

Back to work. Happy Mercury-Direct, y'all!

Oh, PS--I am still totally blissed out from the spa weekend and my skin is simply divine! So so so so so glad I went! Love these long-lasting after-effects of self-indulgence.

Posted by bonnie at 9:51 AM

April 5, 2005

I Love You, Pink Dot

I love you, Pink Dot. You take care of me. You come over and bring me things like a yummy salad with fresh avocado, boiled egg whites, crispy bacon, and ripe tomatoes. Yum!

I thank you for making me take a short break in the editing process for only a $3.50 delivery fee.

Watching these actors "take a moment" before shooting an emotional scene on The Starlet* makes me laugh, considering I have now transcribed a book full of interviews in which actors talk about how no one has time for that sort of thing, once you're on the set.

Oh, and while we're on the TV topic... there is nothing to make me miss Cowboy Hootie more than the return of the plastic-faced king on the BK commercials. *shudder* And, in the "God Bless America" files, there's a commercial in which an anti-depressant is touted as having "no sexual side-effects" about a dozen times. The speed-reader doing the "small print" info talks about one of the drug's side effects being attempts at suicide. Back to silky voiceover: NO SEXUAL SIDE-EFFECTS. *tsk* *tsk* What do we value, here? Don't worry, silly. You can still have sex. Right up 'til you off yourself! Eesh.

I've managed to get some irritant into each eye over the course of two days. Keith says the Santa Anas and the heat are what makes me more likely to feel such things. I, of course, am certain it's more fuel to derail my timeline for having the book to the printer. In fact, I'm brilliant. Tonight's eye irritant: Lady Speed Stick. How did I manage to get a fleck of deodorant into my eye? TALENT.

Oh, my. Just saw an OnStar commercial in which the kids make you feel like you're a PARENT WHO DOESN'T CARE ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM SAFE if you drive a car without OnStar.

Do you SEE why I never watch TV unless the show is TiVoed? Ugh.

Okay, break's over. Back to work.

* = Vivica... you should know what you just critiqued in that poor girl's scene is an EDITING issue of tightening up... NOT an actor issue. Faye... are you KIDDING me? Did you just tell that girl that she couldn't have had fun doing a dramatic scene? WTF?!? Ugh. No one who heard me on KROQ in 1993 doubts how I feel about you, Faye, but you're way off on this. Ugh. I'm glad I didn't follow this show.

Posted by bonnie at 9:10 PM

April 1, 2005

20 Hours Computer-Free

I turned off my computer 20 hours ago. I slept for six hours and here's what I did-slash-observed during the other 14. (Note: I did not get any phone calls returned. *sigh*)

1. Dined out for breakfast with my lover. His treat!

2. Did a casting workshop at AFTRA and saw 30 really great actors in just 90 minutes. Very cool!

3.

4. Bought gluten-free groceries, toiletries (also gluten-free, I guess), and pretty flowers (was charged twice for those... grr).

5. Bought clothing items, shoes, and handbags originally totalling $254 for a whopping $100.01. I'm a very good bargain shopper. I now have a very cute spa weekend wardrobe.

6. Spent about a half-hour in quiet contemplation about the book's contents and felt very, very proud. Also very grateful to my wonderful proofer patrol. What amazing friends I have!

7. Got a jumpstart on next-next week's column, as that one will be due while I'm at the spa! (Have I mentioned I'm excited that I'm going to have a spa weekend?)

8. Sang along with the cool new radio station, lauging at people driving in such a very hectic manner in these wonky Mercury-Retrograde days. *tsk* *tsk* Don't you know better? Just take your time.

9. Noticed my fingernails are amazingly healthy--proof that this gluten-free lifestyle is very good for me. Oh, and I haven't had a migraine since going gluten-free, despite enduring some very typically migraine-enducing conditions. Yay!

10. Reflected on my visit to LMU and how bizarre it was to have a student quote me (from my second book, which is their class' textbook).

11. Sent happy good vibes to Keith, who had his THIRD pilot season audition for Liberman/Patton today. Rockstar!

Posted by bonnie at 5:57 PM

March 21, 2005

Strange Dream

Keith said I was sleeping like he'd never seen when he left for his producer session this morning (CSI:NY). [Note: he also went in AGAIN for The Shield. Rockstar.]

The dream I must've been having had elements of standing in line at a foreign airport with my mother*, trying to get home to LA. [*]

From a cool site recommended by Ames:

To dream of a foreign place or country suggests that the realization of your heart's desire is closer than you imagine. Persevere and have patience! The general image of "mother" in a dream may symbolize a variety of feelings and ideas: caring, nurturing, love, acceptance, hard work, sacrifice, etc. The mother in your dream could also represent that force, or current, inside of you that nudges you on and inspires you. It is your intuition and the knowledge that lives deep within your soul. To dream that you are standing in line indicates your need for patience. You should be prepared to wait for something and not have it right away. If you spoke with someone who is dead, you will soon hear very good news.

Hm.

Posted by bonnie at 4:37 PM

March 15, 2005

Am I Blogging Every Day?

I think I am.

How much do I love that my friends are blogging with one another now? A lot!

You scored as atari 2600.
What rare toy classic are you?created with QuizFarm.com

I won't share my results from the What religion are you? quiz, but I will share that I scored 50% or above in Paganism, Judaism, Buddhism, Satanism, and Islam. Yeah. That seems about right.

Oh! Scheduled another speaking engagement. Dang, I'm a busy bee. 3/28: LMU, 4/1: AFTRA, 4/2: CAA, and of course 4/5 is HHH. Very cool! And... *beaming* Keith went to producers AGAIN with L/P (this time for Medium). I'm so dang proud of my actor baby!

Also proud of my Ladies of the Gimlet who have done very brave and wonderful, grownup things. Isn't it fun how the universe pretty much INSTANTLY rewards such courage? Yes!

Posted by bonnie at 1:39 AM

March 12, 2005

Listy Stuff

1. Gimlet Night rocks. We should do it more often. We planned this one at our last one and at this one we talked about another gathering coming up here soon... this could become a rich tradition. (BTW, all boys think we have Gimlet Night in sexy, girlie, pillow-fight attire. I can neither confirm nor deny.)

2. Cousin is wearing this in three months:

Yes, she is a goddess. Yes, she will rock this dress. Turns out, she is on someone's 50 Most Gorgeous People list. Indeed.

3.

4. Michelle had work drama happening. Bless her bones. I do believe that this week will launch her into greatness. It's just gonna take some deep breathing 'til then.

5. I've misquoted the above-mentioned Michelle in my random signature file thingy in Entourage. She's going to correct the quote about non-denominational services in the DWF airport soon. Yay!

6. We have successfully trained Thwok not to eat flowers. Oh, but she was totally antisocial tonight. Brat.

7. Faith thinks Archie is Angus.

8. It seems there is a perception that my home is clean. That makes me very happy. I like to have a clean home. Of course, when Faith asked, "What are all those NOTES over there?" we laughed. Those "notes" are headshots. Bins and bins of headshots. Yeah. We get those sometimes.

9. Everyone enjoyed the "What Were You THINKING" folder. That's all I can say about that. Watch for some random anonymous blog on the subject at some later date. Enough said.

10. Taxes are done. We came out of there spending less than a grand (thank goodness) and this year we didn't file extensions. It's fun to be done.

Oooooh... rhymie!

Posted by bonnie at 1:43 AM

March 10, 2005

It Takes a Village

For those with more energy than I seem to have...

...Chip is renovating his kitchen. Go read the entry linked to the image above (and at least the two more recent entries) and weigh in.

I personally voted for a 90210 theme, wherein each cabinet door is a different Bev-Niner's portrait, but I think I'm being voted down in favor of some pretty solids from the Martha Stewart Collection.

Posted by bonnie at 5:27 PM

Exhausted

I'm sooooooo wiped out. It's good though. I need a nap.

Click for big.

Like that. Yeah. Archie's got the right idea. What a day!

Posted by bonnie at 5:09 PM

March 9, 2005

Zoned Out

Okay, I'm seriously zoned out now.

I've just spent eight hours straight doing taxes. That's a lot of paper. I still have much to do. But sleep... that's the deduction I'm taking right now.

Posted by bonnie at 4:00 AM

March 7, 2005

Two Things

Based on this free weekend, if I actually subscribed to Showtime, I would overdose on decent-to-so-so movies and behind-the-scenes yummies.

We'll be buying Reefer Madness on DVD just based on the BTS yummy. (Ooh, or can we? It look like it may be a Showtime-only thingy. Damn! Is THIS how they get subscribers? Ack!)

Anyway... second thing... my head HOITS. Ow. Stop that!

Posted by bonnie at 1:54 AM

March 4, 2005

This and That

"Look at this. Look at that. Now it's time to sit and chat. About this. About that. It's This and That with Rusty!"

So, I still haven't taken Jodi's quizzes. Maybe when I've run out of ways to stall doing taxes. Did you know that corporate taxes are due a WHOLE MONTH earlier than normal-people taxes? Ugh. Much to do this weekend (and it all involves a calculator). Can I party or what?

Keith's birthday was delightful. He baked his yearly cake and frosted it with stuff that I'm allowed to stick my finger in [Gosh, that reads so dirty!!] (as it's the only gluten-free part of the cake). Took him out to dinner. Sang quietly. His presents should arrive tomorrow. :\ Dang "business days" for shipping counts online.

Just saw a commercial for Ice Princess. I bet Kris is in heaven! LOL Oh, safe travels, Kris! Hurry home safe.

Speaking of Kris, we just announced the lineup for the April 5th Hollywood Happy Hour. Visit the site, RSVP for the event, the usual. Yay!

I got soooooo much work done on the book today (all of the bios). Sheesh! It was amazing. I knew, once I hit a stride, I'd impress even myself with the amount I accomplished. Last night, I tackled site updates for the book, so that we can start presales. Woo hoo! Huge shout out to helper-types who received content today. Thank you in advance to ALL book helpers for rocking my world (I won't out you unless you want me to do so--you'll just get a non-specific major thank you in the credits of the book itself until I hear you prefer public praise)!

Keith has jury duty in the ayem. Hope he has at least as much fun as I did, back when I went a couple of years ago.

Had to cut my nails short tonight. :( So sad. They had grown so long and pretty. Well, 20 hours of typing 80 WPM will get you clear on priorities, that's all I've got to say.

I think I feel some sleepies coming on. Cool. We'll try that. It's always fun to crash a bit after so many hours of "this and that." Tee hee.

Posted by bonnie at 2:26 AM

March 3, 2005

Today's Lessons

There are people who only care about me to the extent that I can give them something. Once I have run out of what I've been giving them, I am no longer cared for and am, in fact, worthy of ridicule.

Learning this (and yes, I've learned it before, with different people) is a lovely "friendship clearinghouse" of sorts. There is something incredibly liberating about giving people the room to show me who they truly are.

...and then letting them go.

It is fascinating to me how the universe works. The INSTANT I let go of someone like this, I am contacted by someone "a tier above" (someone whose peer I aspire to be), inviting me further into that world.

There is something delicious about instant validation from the universe. It's a spiritual, "Right on, sister!" like no other.

I accept.

Posted by bonnie at 10:35 AM

March 1, 2005

Amazing, that darn RACE

I love this damn show.

The Amazing Race 7 kicked off tonight.

If I'm going to cry every time Uchena & Joyce talk about their aching need to have a baby and every time Ron talks about his experiences as a POW, this is going to be a long season for good ol' emotional me.

I'm also fascinated by the fluent-in-Portuguese-country-boy. Wow! Most folks I know who speak English like he does don't speak much of anything else. Completamente impressive, senhor!

Posted by bonnie at 11:38 PM

February 28, 2005

Okay, so...

...there were Oscars. I cried. The usual.

I'm such a pansy-ass where award shows are concerned. I seriously BAWL watching all of these people live their dreams. Fairy Godmother Syndrome or what?!?

Since I didn't do any of the ongoing catty-commentary stuff that I love so much, I'm sending folks to the home of the Couch Potato Corner for a really nice roundup of the awards.

Read Kris' number 23 and imagine me saying EXACTLY what she wrote. It's a little creepy.

What else?

Huge shoutout to Hamil, who is currently my Photoshop hero.

Kitties... they're all on crack. I blame the moon.

Lots of analysis about enjoying childhood well into adulthood today. I see no reason NOT to enjoy the silly things. The non-silly things are there, whether we focus on them or not. So why on Earth would I choose to focus on them for any longer than I must, in order to live as an adult?

Point is... some stuff is just funny. As it should be. Snort-laugh giggle fits are highly underrated.

Oh, and I have AGAIN adjusted comments on the site in an attempt to make commenting easier for my visitors. Please try 'em out. And spammers be damned! I love my commenters more than I hate spam. So be it!

Posted by bonnie at 12:12 AM

February 26, 2005

What a Beautiful Day!

It's just seriously gorgeous out. Wow. I love days like today. Windows open, kids playing, ocean breeze coming through and making me happy to be alive.

A full day of America's Next Top Model 3 on VH-1, a great new column to write (got lots of email on last week's column, which makes me happy), a ton of work to do on the book and a couple of egos to soothe (God, it's a delightful reminder of how far I've come when I'm the MOST sane one on the block sometimes), and Keith is currently auditioning at Lieberman/Patton for a pilot. Seriously, his new manager ROCKS. He's going out all the freeeekin' time. I love it!

Thwok has decided that all things plastic are also all things delicious. She keeps coming around the corner with little bits of plastic hanging from her mouth, a little grin (if that's possible). What a brat! I love her so!

Looks like no-go on the big Oscar party this year. Just way too much going on. How sad is that?!? Oh, well. I'm in my SEVEN year, which is very "inside." I'm feeling that. No doubt.

Okay... back to work! I remember (eventually) clicking into BOOK MODE for Self-Management for Actors and just FLYING through the writing process. It's time for that to happen with Acting Qs. I have so much to do... and TWO books coming out this year. Yeah. No more dilly-dally, silly-sally.

(I realize it can't be dilly-dallying when you've actually been casting a frickin' movie instead of writing a book for two weeks, but I've always felt that any time not spent working on something--even if it's due to the fact that I'm working on something ELSE--is time off somehow. Yes, I'm less sane at the end of this entry than I tried to come off at the start. Ugh. Where's the end of this parenthetical? Ah... here it is!)

Posted by bonnie at 1:39 PM

February 25, 2005

Many Things

1. There is such a thing as too much tequila. Ow.

2. Constance may have less of a hangover than I do. I know Keith and Liz are safe. Bob is definitely used to this sort of thing. It seems I do the Major Drunken Bender once a year or so. I think I'm set 'til about 2008.

3.

4. Took some quizzes.

You Are a Chihuahua Puppy

Small, high strung, and loyal. You do best in the city with adults. Young kids could crush you!

What Breed of Puppy Are You?

That one was from High Energy Jenny (I think that's what they call her).

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Third Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Very Low
Level 2 (Lustful)	High
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Very High
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Moderate
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Low
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	High
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Very High
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	High

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

And that one was from Chip.

5. I understand (via email) that some folks are having trouble with COMMENTS at the BonBlogs again. Grr. I thought I fixed things when I stopped requiring an email address at sign-in via TypeKey. Chip? Something in the settings? I don't want to make potential commenters sad.

6. And the last item... I think I finally found an iPod I'd actually buy. Thanks, Chip!

Posted by bonnie at 12:19 AM

February 14, 2005

It's Valentine's Day!

So, it's Valentine's Day, which is pretty ho-hum. Except that this year we're going to brave the wilds of the local trendiati and explore gluten-free vodkas at my favorite martini bar.

Voda is just under a mile from the homestead, which rocks. I love a good stagger home. Of course, can't go all out, seeing as we're interviewing TES on TuES. Also, since leaving gluten behind, I love booze a whole lot less. I have theories... but no time to blog about them. Must get back to scheduling auditions for the film.

Y'know what's fun? Asking for submissions to match a certain TYPE of actor (star name) and having that actor submitted on the project. "Oh, you want a so-and-so TYPE? How about so-and-so herself?!?" Um... yeah. Okay! Yay, us!

Posted by bonnie at 1:02 AM

February 13, 2005

TV, TiVo, and Thwok

Generally, Inside the Actors Studio is heavy on the pretention and that's something I don't prefer in my Hollywood breakfast cereal.

That said, Jamie Foxx keeps rocking my world, and his appearance on this show didn't disappoint. Seriously crazy about him. Wish he'd gone to the BAFTAs instead of to Clive Davis' Grammy party, but hey... he's gotta think about next year's career, I'm sure.

Also on the TiVo...

Bob... I love ya, man, but that Rodney show is dreck. Thank goodness my TiVo grabs you when you're schmacting on NYPD Blue and That '70s Show!

And finally... there's hope for me yet. Sure, I gave Thwok an email address (and later recalled that I'd already given Archie and Salema a Friendster account, so I'm NOT the bad mom I thought I was, favoring the animals differently), but it's sooooo cool to see Thwok getting fan mail! Tee hee.

Posted by bonnie at 7:09 PM

February 12, 2005

Cool Stuff from Across the Pond

So, I was going back through some COMMENTS links to see who has been commenting at the BonBlogs and what their sites look like and all of that and came across this guy named Cliff who posted a comment back in October from the UK.

I spend a little time at his site and find what might be one of the most brilliant short entries ever. It's about this place:

Oi! Bagel.

Here's what Cliff says on the subject:

There is a place open by me called "Oi Bagel".

This seems a little stereo typical, seeing as bagels are associated with Jewish communities and Jewish people are seen to say "oi" a lot as an exclamation of dismay. I got to thinking about "Yo Sushi" and wondered if it was so called because Japanese people said "yo" a lot.

What about:
Eh Pancakes
Right So Stews
*nonchalant shrug* Croissants
Cheers Fish and Chips

I think it's somewhere in the "Right So Stews"/"*nonchalant shrug* Croissants" area that I really fell in love with that list.

Oh, and he gave me a quiz to take! Yay!

You scored as Summer. You are SUMMER. Life is to be -lived-.. dance, sing, and make merry. Adversity is simply something to overcome. You embrace life with both arms, not only because you love it, but to squeeze out of it all that you can.

What Season Are You?
created with QuizFarm.com

Much fun! It's like I'm honoring the Hollywood-UK weekend (BAFTAs, y'know). Cool.

Posted by bonnie at 5:36 PM

February 11, 2005

Wrap-up

Today was good. I'm still on some sort of really whacked out sleep cycle (mostly due to avoidance-of-symptoms desires on my part as well as odd reactions to various attempts at self-medicating and whatnot) but I was able to tackle the first round of serious submissions for the film.

I'm lacking in the area of ACHAK (18-year-old Native American male character) submissions, but I spent about seven hours pouring through my master files and found a few guys who I know could book the role today, so I'm less nervous about specific submissions. I can call these guys in and even make straight offers, if we have to resort to that.

In other news, it was the second anniversary of Keith's mom's death, so that meant a lot of caretaking and checking in and other such stuff. I wouldn't have had a clue how to deal with this, had I not gone through it all myself. Definitely, passing the two-year mark seems to help. It's like this:

YEAR ONE: 1/2 numb, 1/2 zombie-coping
YEAR TWO: 1/4 numb, 1/4 zombie-coping, 1/4 back to normal, and 1/4 sad that anything so sad could ever begin feeling less sad
YEAR THREE: 1/2 back to normal, 1/8 angry, 1/8 ready to move on, 1/8 respectful of the hole that never goes away, 1/8 sad that there is a hole and that there once was not
YEAR FOUR: 3/4 back to a new kind of normal--one with a layer of sad and angry and lonely built in, 1/4 respectful of the hole that never goes away

It is my hope that, in year five, that respect for the hole that never goes away becomes a part of that new kind of normal. Right now, what is hardest for me is the beginning to forget-slash-the never having asked about things that weren't relevant to the gal in her 20s but that are absolutely important to me now... and I can't find out whether they were important to Mom.

Ugh. There comes some of that sad stuff again.

*sigh*

Okay, so in other, other news...

Thwok brings me joy every single day. She flops down, exposes her belly, tucks her chin under, and rolls rolls rolls. I babytalk to her the way my Mom would babytalk Archie and Salema and Muffy before them (and me before that, my brothers before me, etc.). And every time I see her little belly, I say, "I so love you!"

Then I think of my sis Deb who brought Thwok into my life and who is also facing an anniversary (her mother died while Deb and Ash were with me for Perfect auditions last year). I quietly send a prayer, a whisper, a vibe, an open-valve stream of energy to everyone who needs a spiritual hug and am happy that something weighing less than five pounds with a chirpy little purr can inspire me in such giving ways.

I then send all that love to fellow Motherless Daughters Ali, Dawn, and Faith, as well as others who float in and out of my head as I smile in the same way I smile at the sight of a hummingbird.

As much as I'd like to keep at all of this, I have audition appointments to schedule. Bless sweet little Shauna for being my casting assistant AGAIN. She's seriously good people--and VERY good at this job, should she ever care to pursue it.

OH! This just in: Aleta, wherever you bought that flourless pistachio cake has my business FOREVER. I'm STILL in heaven over that yummy goodie you brought over!!!!! WOW! Can't wait to try the flourless almond cake! You are so thoughtful! Thank you!

Posted by bonnie at 1:02 AM

February 5, 2005

Silliness Before I Get Back To Work

Nabbed from Chipperdoodle:

You are KERMIT!

Interesting, considering the layst time I took this test (nearly three years ago), I was Fozzie. So, is the quizaverse saying I've changed?

Oh, and in deep conversation with the greatness that is Shauna (while sorting headshots for the past two days--THANK YOU), I learned that one of the stars of Desperate Housewives will be coming out next week on the cover of The Advocate. No idea who, but I can just say, if it's Marcia Cross, she had better do some serious back-pedalling from all of the, "I sooooo want a man," she was spouting off on Oprah recently. And if it's Eva Longoria?

Sign. Me. Up.

Oh, BTW, still have never seen an episode. Heh.

Oooh, look... red carpet for the SAG Awards! Man, I loves me some E! Perfect for writing this week's column.

Note to Star Jones: tell the booth to keep you on a tighter shot. I can count the ribs in your corset and you clearly rode over in the limo in this dress. Can't they steam out those wrinkles before you hit the air? Dayum... catty much, Bon? Hee!

Posted by bonnie at 1:51 PM

January 21, 2005

Friday Night Items

Item One:

Awesome friend-for-21-years goes in for the lead in a pilot. Exec prod? Awesome other friend-for-19-years. What do they talk about? Me. How do I know? Phone call. "Just wanted to let you know how much you are loved in this town."

LOVE THAT.

Item Two:

Day one of Pilates feels like light yoga. Day two of Pilates feels like rack torture. And it's a delicious feeling! Thing is... it continues to feel like that ALL DAY LONG. Wow. Cool.

Item Three:

There is no three.

Item Four:

Aunt Cindy bought Thwok four of these when we moved to Santa Monica. They have all been hidden after hours and hours and hours of play. We're just so glad she loves them. Loves loves LOVES playing fetch with them. Tosses them up in the air for herself and bats them down with a paw, pounces on them, then carries them away in her mouth. Aww. Sweet. So... Keith bought her another five of these for Thanksgiving (or so). They have all been hidden after hours and hours and hours of play. We're glad she loves them... but where the hell have NINE of these things gone? Keith bought her ANOTHER set of these things (a dozen this time) before he left for NoCal. I'm NOT giving them ALL to her. Two so far. Where are they? With the other nine. Somewhere.

WHERE THE HELL IS SHE HIDING THESE THINGS?

And when on earth will we find them? Or will we?

Item Five:

Another rockstar interview for the book today. And the super-secret one we're not talking about until after it is DONE is really super-effin'-fantastic on sooooooo many levels.

I. Am. Loving. 2005.

Eeeeeeeeeeee!

Posted by bonnie at 11:46 PM

Brr.

Okay, so after a week of 80-degree-temps, I'm sitting in my apartment and suddenly (WAY suddenly), I'm FREEZING.

I look outside and what do I see? NOTHING. The fog has rolled in from the ocean down the way and--holy crap--it's just COLD.

Check out the Pier Cam to watch it roll on in!

Cool.

Posted by bonnie at 3:49 PM

January 20, 2005

Extra-Bloggy Today

So, I'm just writing it all up, eh?