(If you really love Bon-photos, I'm also participating in a Spynotebook-generated project called Snapshot a Day. Yup. 365 photos in 2010. Click here to check that out at Flickr.)

As always, please enjoy my 12 of 12. Click any photo to enlarge. :)

2:10am: Home from class. (I got my oxygen back.) It's been a great night, but I've got an early day, so it's time for sleep, like it or not!

6:28am: Hello, pretty kitty. Keith has left for Runyon and Salema has decided my hip is a good pillow. *Yawn!* Good morning, Friday!

9:57am: I'm leaving a little bit late for my ladydate, but I feel good about traffic and my awesome "Do Not Eat iPod" shuffle filled with traveling music. Time to head out from the driveway and into the world!

12pm: Ahh... Babycakes. AnnaVo went downtown yesterday and blew a C-Note on gluten-free, vegan deliciousness. We've eaten a lunch of leftovers (so delicious) and now it's the main event: CUPCAKES! Good news: In addition to being gluten-free and vegan, they're also only 100 calories apiece. (Note: There's one little ballpark estimate-slash-lie in that last statement. Humor me.)

12:10pm: And now, introducing: IZZY! That's Izzy Schmata Tarquinio. She's a four-month-old Italian Greyhound. She is precious and really sweet.

1:04pm: We spent most of the day in AnnaVo's lovely VO studio-slash-office, listening to podcasts, watching YouTube viral darlings, discussing marketing vs. advertising, renting vs. owning, relatives vs. family, setting limits, trust, and living our dreams. We also spent a lot of time petting and playing with a puppy and a kitty (Pilky. Never saw Biscuit on this visit).

1:06pm: Anna with the tongue bandit. Such sweetness!

2:13pm: This is how Izzy spent several hours: in my lap, sleeping. She is such a love! I can't wait to be a homeowner so we can have puppies!

3:15pm: Best! Magnet! Ever!

3:45pm: Heading back to the beach from the Valley along with a few hundred thousand of my closest friends.

4:04pm: Made really good time, even on a Friday afternoon! Crossing from Brentwood into Santa Monica and getting ready for some of my favorite views: the sexy strip of exercising beautiful people running along the divided and tree-lined San Vicente, all the way to the beach.

5:27pm: Sugar coma from the cupcakes. It's time for a nap. Keith's still working on my computer (it had a spa day, today), so I'm gonna go down for a sleep cycle and then get to work!

7:10pm: Sid the MacBook still has another few hours to go, before getting back from the spa, so I'm reading another script. Defragging has been going on for quite some time, at this point, but hopefully the directory restructuring and the few passes through this process will get all its blocks back in the right places and have Sid happily running efficiently again soon.

(Sure enough, here I am working on Sid at just after midnight. So far, so good! Very nice to catch problems before they become ridiculous issues of data loss.)

As always, thank you, Chad, for another lovely 12 of 12. :) Having a blast and ready for a blissful weekend! See y'all next month! Thanks for the comments, thanks for the visits, thanks for the love. <3

Our fourth stop on the GSFiSCC was Chef Marilyn's Soul Food Express, 5068 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, 90019.

Technically, Chef Marilyn's was supposed to be the third stop on the tour, but when we arrived at the restaurant for our dinner Tuesday night, we learned that Chef Marilyn's is NOT a restaurant.

Nope. It's a takeout joint.

Now, maybe I should've picked that up by "Express" in the name of the joint, but seriously, shouldn't "takeout only" be mentioned somewhere on the flippin' website? Crazy! I combed all through that site and saw no way I could've figured out we'd be entering an establishment with no chairs or tables. I just thought "Express" meant fast. Ah... lesson learned.

So, because of our discovery upon arrival--and not wanting to lose out on a tour stop--we wandered down Pico to Roscoe's, which became tour stop number three (see previous entry). And, not wanting to give up on Chef Marilyn--especially because that food looked and smelled so good--we each bought a little takeout and did our critiques of the cuisine from home via email the next day.

Joining me for the fourth stop on the GSFiSCC were Eric, Masasa, Ryan, and Susyn. We were all excited about our little styrofoam containers of southern cookin' and probably could've stood right there and eaten, if we had to. Luckily, the food travels and reheats well. :)

Here's Susyn's review of Chef Marilyn's food:

chicken legs: falling off the bone good

meatloaf: great

collard greens: yum, with a kick stronger than Roscoe's

yams: scrumptious

mac and cheese: yum

corned beef and cabbage: really good, with a nice kick

You may recall that I mentioned in the last post that Susyn told us about something called "chicken bog." Here's the scoop on that! "The official description is it's a conglomeration of rice, spices, and chicken, topped with bacon. It is a South Carolina delicacy cooked in a pot, which gives it that boggy, soggy name." Sounds awesome! Maybe our tour needs to include a good ol' fashioned home cookin' stop!

(Ooh, how I wish I had been hungry enough to order some fish. It looked sooo good.)

Here's Eric's review of Chef Marilyn's food:

Out of the microwave ('cept the banana pudding) at 12:36.

35 minutes later. Damn, that's gooooooooooooood mac and cheese! ♥

Oh, I probably would have finished off the chicken bones too, but i did need to make room for the banana pudding. :)

Hee! That did look good. Eric was so pleased to be able to get his CRISPY mac and cheese. He even asked for extra crispy edges and they scooped out more for him!

More, please!

Here's Masasa's review of Chef Marilyn's food:

I stand by my aversion to meat floating in juice, and my hot link experience did not sway me from that philosophy. As for the sides, I say "PLEASE, Chef Marilyn, can I have some more?" I got a plate of greens, yams, cabbage, and mac and cheese. Back in the day, Scoe's used to have my most favourite mac and cheese ever, but sadly in recent years, I have found theirs to be lacking in the cheese department. There's nothing worse than a "cheese tease," I always say, so I actually stopped ordering it from Scoe's all together. Having said that, Chef Marilyn has MASTERED the art of mac and cheese! And from now on, should I happen to have a craving, I know just where to go.

After having paid proper homage to the cheesy carbs, I moved on to the veggies, and I was not disappointed in the least. Each one was perfectly seasoned and had just the right amount of love. Although I prefer my cabbage to be a little more al dente, the seasoning and other veggies mixed in made up for that. I finished my feast with the candied yams and they were like a yummy little dessert, they were so good!

As for me, I ordered collard greens, black-eyed peas, and mashed potatoes. $4.50. And the helpings were huge. Seriously, two days of leftovers, here!

The collard greens were peppery and delicious. Black-eyed peas were exactly like Momma used to make, and I didn't think I would ever be able to say that about anybody's beans! They were awesome! The potatoes were fine. Nothing terribly special. Still, good eatin'.

Let's see how Chef Marilyn's measures up, in the criteria I set out when issuing this Challenge.

• Is the eatin' good?

Absolutely. Super yummy!

• Is the eatin' authentically southern?

For sure. No question about it, this is true southern food.

• Is the price right?

Absolutely! There's a whole section of 99-cent specials and it's a ton of food you're getting. Holy crap, what a great deal!

• Does the staff make you feel like you're sittin' at your grandma's table?

Well, no, because there is no table. But you're welcomed and joked around with and encouraged to call in orders for free delivery. (I asked, "How far will you deliver?" "Anywhere, if you order enough," was the reply.)

• Is the place worth visiting, if you grew up on the type of food they say they make?

Sure thing! Just be sure you have a next destination, as you will not be able to eat your food here. I imagine a catering situation would be pretty wonderful.

• How does it measure up to other stops on the GSFiSCC tour?

I actually stopped at Miss Peaches for a piece of butter cake last night and, yep, they're still in the lead for service, atmosphere, food, and best overall experience. And, yes, I told Connell that was the case. He wasn't surprised. In fact, he has invited us back for a Sunday book signing and "high-end food" event (coming soon). Everyone who is currently on the southern food mailing list (via Facebook) will be invited. Food will be free, but you'll have to buy a copy of Connell's brother's book. ;) Be ready! The items he's talking about fixing sound outrageously good.

Our third stop on the GSFiSCC was supposed to be Chef Marilyn's Soul Food Express (see next entry for why it was, instead, our fourth stop on the tour. Yes. Two stops in one night, technically). Instead, our third stop on the GSFiSCC was Roscoe's, 5006 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, 90019.

Now, Roscoe's is a Southern California institution, but I've never been sure why folks consider this place "southern," as there has never been a waffle served with chicken at any southern dinner I ever had. But it's a place that got mentioned several times when I first posted about seeking out some good, authentic, southern eats back on 1/1/10. It's also the place my first LA boss took me in 1993, when he promised my mother he'd be sure I ate good, southern food. I reported back to my mother that he was no judge of such things and not to be trusted.

Still, due to the technical difficulties that will be revealed in the next post, we ended up at Roscoe's for the third stop on our tour. Waffles and all.

As Eric said, if we had excluded Roscoe's, we'd have been asked about that choice, so it's fine that we ended up there. Heck, the food was very good, so let's say it was more than fine that we ended up there!

Now, there are a lot of rules at Roscoe's. I didn't even get to the credit card signs or the solicitation signs (yet, strangely, there were two very eager and friendly women roaming the restaurant offering tours, free drinks, and coupons of indeterminate value for a karaoke sports bar for the "luxury car set" -- Is that right, Ryan? -- across the street). But there are rules to visiting Roscoe's. Yes, one in our party was still bold enough to ask to make a substitution. No. No substitutions. Read the sign.

We passed the case of merch and went to table one, after making the staff aware that we'd likely have one or two joining us after they learned we were not down the street at Chef Marilyn's Soul Food Express. No worries, we were assured. A chair could pull up to our table with no issue. Cool. (That did turn out to be true, BTW.)

Now, I usually check out a menu before I visit a restaurant for the first time. That's mainly due to issues with wheat gluten, but also because I'm one of those annoying diners who needs to read the whole menu to decide what I want, rather than just magically spotting something hopping up and down at me from the page, begging to be ordered and eaten. Still, the menu at Roscoe's is not too long, so we were able to figure out what we wanted (yes, even me) by the time our drinks arrived. And I, for one, was hongray.

As for atmosphere, the signs are about it. (This one exists at every table.) Well, there's also art. There are flat-screen TVs (all turned off, from what I could tell). And while we strained to hear if there were any music playing, I still think--if we heard anything--it was someone's iPod. Eric says the Long Beach Roscoe's is the homey-est and this one is more like a diner. Ryan mentioned expansion at the Gower St. location (the only one I have visited, although that was nearly 20 years ago), which should mean it's a bit roomier than I recall.

Joining me for the third stop on the GSFiSCC were David, Eric, Ryan, Susyn and technically Masasa (more on that in the next post, I promise). Our time together included talk of (and quotes from) Bring It On, discussion of Light My Fire (a booth at the Grove specializing in hot sauce), and a domain check on BackYardPorn.com, which David will now not be able to snap up, as it's already taken (.org, however, is available, which Susyn says is a great option, since that could stand for "orgasm"). We also verified that the "Carolinian" in North Carolinian and South Carolinian are pronounced differently (the LIN in the latter is said with an EE sound) and Susyn told us about something called chicken bog, which I'll also cover in the next entry.

So... let's eat! My goal was to order the most traditionally southern meal available. I decided that was the #23, for $13.40 plus tax.

Collard greens (which I've decided I'm ordering at every stop on the tour, as that will be the great equalizer, when tabulating the votes at the end of this journey), candied yams (called "candy yams" on the menu, and, um, that's probably more appropriate, because I swear they tasted like dessert), a fried breast of chicken the size of my head, and cornbread served with a pat of butter (where "pat" is code for "tablespoon of fluffy goodness"). Yum! Good decision-making on the ordering, there, Bon.

Traditional Roscoe's fare: chicken'n waffles, add a side of mac and cheese. All three gents ordered exactly this, but Eric did request the most "baked brown" mac and cheese possible. No-go. This was as dark-brown as it got. Well, 'til David added hot sauce and pepper to his. That was pretty badass, actually. (Note: David refused a Birthday Biscuit Bottom when I offered it, once he realized it was the uneaten part of a biscuit with a fake candle mounted upon it. Pff. That's gratitude for ya!)

[NOTE: I'm going to leave this next bit in, even though I've since been corrected and will set the record straight after this little story. But the story is funny and well-written, so in it stays, just for fun.]

Now, I'm not sure whether my momma tried to save me from the harsh realities of what chitlins actually are, but my whole life I was led to believe that they were chicken necks. So, tonight I decided to finally try one when Susyn offered, thinking that it couldn't be that bad. And it wasn't. Tasted like deep-fried beef jerky. Fine. And then I came home and started to post this blog entry, which involved looking up chitlins (well, chitterlings), to be sure I was spelling everything right and, uh...

I ate pig intestines. Awesome. No regrets. But, I think I'm done with eating chitlins in my lifetime. Maybe. We'll see. Maybe I just need to let it all sink in.

[Okay, so those aren't chitlins at all. They're chicken giblets! As Susyn informed me just now over at the Facebook, "While I have eclectic food tastes, I don't think even I would eat chitlins! Giblets--I was always told--are the stomachs, hence the tough, chewy taste. After doing some research this morning, the official word is that giblets can be the heart, liver, and gizzard (secondary stomach). But, what I had was clearly the gizzard. And yummy it was! :) There you have it!" So, thank you Susyn for setting me straight! I ate chicken innards, not pig innards. Hee!]

Here are the chitlins chicken giblets with the rest of Susyn's dish: a biscuit, eggs, grits, and collard greens. Everybody shared everything (I sampled everything but biscuits, eggs, and waffles, I think) and everyone agreed that everything was tasty and plentiful. I actually said to Ryan, "Oh my god, I think this is the first time in a year of eating together that your plate got cleared before mine did." (He's a notoriously slow eater and likes to keep his food around even if he's not going to finish it, just in case.) His response, as I continued to pick at my food long after I was full: "I couldn't stop!"

We sat for a bit and talked and laughed while enjoying the wet-naps the waitress brought us and each other's company, then it was time to head out. Eric offered me a plastic bag as a souvenir, to which I replied, "No thank you; I'm de-cluttering." (Thank you, David, for capturing that, plus for telling us all about the Dragon Dictation app, which I must remember to download, seeing as I now recall you're the second cute boy to tell me about it in 2010 [I'm lookin' at you, Bill the DILF].)

As we left the restaurant and headed back west on Pico on foot toward our cars (still parked at Chef Marilyn's), we were greeted by the smell of a lovely incense burning in the bushes just under a Roscoe's window (let's just say something else was burning off the back of the parking lot, probably justifying the very large portion sizes provided at Roscoe's) and then spotted the sign offering us information about the scent. There was a table, but no one manning it. Perhaps we were too late to buy any incense. Oh well, we weren't too late to get back to Chef Marilyn's and experience our fourth stop on the GSFiSCC tour. But more on that, next post.

Meanwhile, let's see how Roscoe's measures up, in the criteria I set out when issuing this Challenge.

• Is the eatin' good?

Yup. If you like lots of food, come on by. Several locations to serve you. The chicken is almost "broasted" (roasted in a pressure cooker, according to Eric), but the waitress assured us it was deep fried in oil, and the reason it tasted so moist and flavorful was "a secret."

• Is the eatin' authentically southern?

What is on their menu that is southern is certainly authentic enough. The collard greens had a kick. The grits were buttery. I didn't try the sweet iced tea -- Did they offer any? -- but I think I got more than enough sugar for the day in my yams.

• Is the price right?

Looking at the menu, I thought the prices were high ($13.40 for one chicken breast and two sides, plus cornbread, for me), but when the food came it became clear that there was way more food on the plate--scratch that, it was a platter--than I had anticipated. Five were fed for around $87, plus tip. Not bad at all!

• Does the staff make you feel like you're sittin' at your grandma's table?

We decided no, mainly because your grandma would allow substitutions (says Susyn) and offer water without you having to request it. She wouldn't share the secret to the fried chicken flavor either, but she'd tell a joke or two to take the sting out of that.

• Is the place worth visiting, if you grew up on the type of food they say they make?

Hmm... well, I can't find where Roscoe's says they serve southern food. I think folks around here just made that up and decided to tell their southern friends that there's good southern eatin' there. So, since Roscoe's doesn't seem to want to be southern and is really just offering good, down-home soul food (which, naturally, happens to include a good number of authentic southern options), I'll say, sure! You can get your southern grub on here just fine.

• How does it measure up to other stops on the GSFiSCC tour?

Miss Peaches is still in the lead for service, atmosphere, food, and best overall experience. South is our only alcohol-serving contender at this point, but that'll change at stop five, later this month. All three stops have involved loads of fun and lots of laughs, plentiful food, and good times. And isn't that what southern eatin' is all about?

I really was going to blog more.

Especially after my trip to Atlanta. I even have photos!

Ah well. I'm beat. Overworked. Thrilled, but way overworked. Totally gratified. And tired.

So, here's my "I swear I was going to blog more in February" post.

More next month. It's a longer month. That means the odds are better, right?

Our second stop on the GSFiSCC was South, 3001 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, 90403.

South is the creation of four young guys who clearly enjoyed the frat hangouts of their college days (and beyond). A couple of 'em did time in the south, and that's what they've focused their menu upon. It covers a few states' favorites, rather than trying to stick to one specific southern cuisine, but really, South is a sportsbar, first and foremost. The fact that you can get a good southern dinner there is a bonus.

I arrived promptly at 4pm (their happy hour runs weekdays from 3pm to 8pm. Awesome, right?) and told the manager that we would be a party of... well... it was hard to know, as RSVPs were flipping back from YES to NO all through the day. I also told him we may have drop-ins over the next few hours. So, it could be me alone for an hour and then maybe a dozen folks by the time we were all assembled. But nothing formal. Nothing official.

The manager awesomely offered me the private room. Three flat-screen TVs mounted there, plus a very cool--huge--leather sofa, and two little coffee tables. Problem was, we were looking to eat meals, so I figured having a real table situation would be best. Otherwise, that's a badass room. So noted. Anyway, the manager happily put together a couple of tables and brought over a few extra chairs and our guests began arriving (and kept arriving through 9pm, when we called it a night).

Now, this was the "deadest" I've ever seen South. I've been there quite a few times and it's always loud and full and overflowing with high-spirited whoops and hollers at the various games on TV (or games of flip-cup and beer pong and team trivia going on). But I guess with this being a holiday (Presidents Day) and starting a little on the early side, we got the place to ourselves for a good part of the evening. The manager encouraged us to join him tonight (Fat Tuesday) for alligator meat and loads of fun. He was decorating the space with Mardi Gras colors and props. Looked like it'd be a blast.

Joining me for the second stop on the GSFiSCC were Cristina, Curt, David B., David M., Julie, Kathi, Masasa, Mason, Matthew, Mike, Ryan, and Shirley. Biggest difference between South and Miss Peaches (our first stop on the tour) is the presence of booze. Plenty of it.

Plenty of it.

But let's get to the food, since that's what this whole thing is about.

This was my order: creamed corn, collard greens, and jalapeño cornbread. The greens were amazing. I gave away 2/3 of my corn and 1/2 of my cornbread (but to be fair, these were really large portions, and I ordered a sharing plate of fried stuff, so I was plenty full). Everything was delicious and of very generous portion size.

The "plate o' fried" that I ordered. Okra, fried green tomatoes, and hush puppies. Dang, that was some good stuff. Glad folks shared this platter of gluten overload. (Well, the okra and fried green tomatoes--like the fried shrimp in Marc's shrimp po' boy--were breaded in corn meal, but still. I got more than my share of wheat gluten, for sure.)

That's Marc's fried shrimp po' boy with sweet potato fries. Um, yum.

Ryan's pulled-pork sandwich. (He said the bun was not good, so he ate it open-face. Quote: "I don't eat bad buns.") Note: When we had a conversation about vegetarianism, Marc was quick to quote his dad, saying, "Once the pig is in you, it's in you for life." Yeah, baby. That's good stuff.

I, of course, am a huge fan of the pulled-pork nachos at South. (This photo is from a visit last year, with fellow southerner Camille.) Since I get these every time I'm here, I opted out, but at least four people at our table did go for these, and they were not disappointed. "Thumbs up to the pulled-pork nachos," Mason said. Honestly, I think what makes me love 'em so much is that they're made with baked beans, not refried or black beans. Holy cats, that's good stuff!

As awesome as the food was, we also just had a good time. Lots of laughs, just like at our first stop on the tour, although this time we were the entertainment, rather than the restaurant staff providing the giggles (they, at best, were impolite--except for the very accommodating manager who greeted me upon arrival. One of the toughest elements was that there were several changes in servers in the five hours we were there. That's not unexpected, but it caused some mistaken charges on the night's bill, and inconsistency of experience).

Still, that was minor stuff. We had fun, dangit. And some folks even played a few games of pool...

...and posed in mirrored sunglasses. It's like they planned this or something! (Photo by Masasa Moyo.)

Masasa said, about her cheese grits, which she enjoyed along with collard greens and red beans and rice (and hot sauce, of course), "Best cheese grits I've ever had." Awesome!

Kathi got wings. And so many of 'em! Seriously, the portions at South are plentiful, y'all!

And the napkins were plentiful too. (Thank goodness!)

We really had a good time, despite ambiance that wasn't awesome, according to some. "It's a zero or negative five," Ryan said. "I feel like I'm stuck in an airport waiting for my next flight," Masasa contributed. Definitely we craved knickknacks on the walls and more southern music, and the fact that some glasses were glass while others were plastic was weirdly annoying, but, hey, in the end, this is a sportsbar. It's about what you'd expect in that respect.

Sadly, no one ordered dessert. No deep fried Twinkies. No deep fried Snickers. So, I can't even tell you what those things look like. I kind of want to see 'em! So, we'll go back. Also, no one ordered fried pickles, so I can't tell you about those either. What I can tell you is that eight items on the menu are half off during the five-hour-long weekday happy hour. And drinks are cheap then too. Very not bad!

So, let's see how South measures up, in the criteria I set out when issuing this Challenge.

• Is the eatin' good?

Definitely. Just like with Miss Peaches, it's good, it's plentiful, it's delish!

• Is the eatin' authentically southern?

Pretty much. I got my fried okra and fried green tomatoes (which I was missing at Miss Peaches), and if you're into New Orleans' southern food, they've got you covered. Into Texas' southern food, roger that. Into Georgia's southern food, that one's good too. I think they've done a good job offering a little bit of everything you might want, at least that seemed to be the case at our table.

• Is the price right?

Definitely. Especially during happy hour. Of course, I had told the manager that we'd settle up our check all together, but during the several change-overs of personnel while we were there (and because members of our party were arriving and leaving all throughout the five hours I was there), checks were separated out, so I don't have any clue what our overall bill was. Anyway, my three sides were $15 (and way too much to eat), plus the three fried sides were $13 (ditto). Drinks were five bucks each, due to happy hour. All good.

• Does the staff make you feel like you're sittin' at your grandma's table?

Only if your grandma is Bear Bryant.

• Is the place worth visiting, if you grew up on the type of food they say they make?

For sure! But be prepared: It is a sportsbar. If you're coming for dinner, just know there are many different sporting events on many different TVs, the music is blasting, and as the crowd thickens up the people get loud too. It's just that kind of place! So, for what it is, absolutely, it's a fun stop on the tour.

Since we've now made multiple stops on the GSFiSCC tour, I'm adding one more question to the mix:

• How does it measure up to other stops on the GSFiSCC tour?

Miss Peaches beats South, hands down, for service. Kitschy atmosphere at Miss Peaches beats the college-town frat bar feel of South, for my taste, but that's just a difference in style, and you really wouldn't choose South if you were in a Miss Peaches mood (or vice-versa). Both restaurants rate as tops, as far as food as concerned, and that's really the bottom line. Go to Miss Peaches for supper at grandma's. Go to South to snack, drink, and watch the game with the Pi Kappa Alphas.

(Note: I'm also participating in a Spynotebook-generated project called Snapshot a Day. Yup. 365 photos in 2010. Click here to check that out at Flickr. Woo hoo!)

Here we go! Click any photo to enlarge. :)

9:34am: Y'know, it's really hard to haul my ass out of bed when a 15-pound Maine Coon is on my hip. Yeah, my alarm went of a while ago. Sleep is feeling good, though. So...

10:51am: Time to select the Tweet of the Day for Self-Management for Actors. Ack! The book is still selling so well that we're having to supply more to our international distributor. Not complaining. But holy crap. The book usually slows down after its first few months out. Well, yippee!

11:41am: Awesome Intern Christina has arrived and we're already having lunch. Keith is off to his audition in San Diego (for America's Most Wanted, one of his all-time favorite shows) and he brought us yummy salads before he headed out. Mine is a warm goat cheese, pear, and walnut salad. YES!

1:01pm: Velveeta Jr. (AKA Awesome Intern Christina Blevins) is working on the casting wiki. This project is also happening in homes all over LA, as my contingent of interns who don't come into the home office are helping with data entry and disposal of headshots. Yup. We're going paper-free, here! THANK YOU, INTERNS!

3:35pm: Blevins brought us some Valentine's Day goodies, and took our Starbucks gift card as her present right back. No idea how much is on the card, but she said she'd use it even if it's only a buck. So, yay!

3:51pm: Thwok is such a good helper. She's holding down all of the headshots we have entered in to the casting wiki. These will now go to interns for more data entry. Awesome.

4:01pm: How I spend many minutes per day, thanks to KiKi (AKA Erik Patterson, who invited me to this evil game at the end of 2009). It's Words With Friends, a free iPhone app. And what I really love is that I can chat with people, without having my texting thingy set up on my iPhone. :) So, it's convenient and competitive. Love!

5:28pm: Hello, gorgeous! It's Cîroc, and it loves me.

5:42pm: Reviewing this week's calendar. Ah. It wasn't my imagination. This week was frickin' crazy busy.

6:52pm: Keith is headed to the market to buy me a potato for baking. Yup. That's what I want for dinner. Thank you.

7pm: Have to say, I'm pretty thrilled that PUPPY CAM is back. We were so into this in 2008 that we even bought the 2009 Shiba Inu Pups Calendar. :\ (Yes, we're geeks.) So, yay! A new litter. And they're so much fun to watch now that their little personalities are coming out. These are the best weeks, coming up! Right now, they're still all wobbling around like drunken frat boys. I love that.

8pm: Finally, it's time to pick a new publicity photo. Alex Petrovich of Holloway Pictures shot me (and Keith) earlier this month and sent some amazing proofs our way. Ah... it's been over a decade since I did a formal "sitting" for photos. I'm out of practice. But I hope we'll find a winner in here somewhere, as we relaunch Brand Bonnie Gillespie.

As always, thank you, Chad, for another lovely 12 of 12. :) Life is good, and keeps getting goodlier. :) Thanks, everyone, for the feedback and love! XO

(How cool is it that Archie can be a Mii now, rather than just being a lump on the floor at home while I train?)

Well, it's day three. And I'm obsessed.

Of course, I was obsessed with the Wii Fit (regular) too, so this shouldn't come as a surprise. I do loves me 1's and 0's that are put in order just to motivate me!

So, today I snapped some photos during my workout, and today was the first time I tried out the pre-programmed workouts that are designed to target certain areas.

One of the options--like Catherine mentioned to me on Facebook--is to combine some of these 12 groups of three exercises each, into a personalized workout that flows from one exercise to the next, without having to stop and prompt to move ahead (which was, truly, a time suck on the Wii Fit).

So, despite the caution by the Wii Fit Plus that I'd created "too long" a program (39 minutes), I went ahead and hit START (and then ended up adding another seven minutes onto my workout at the end, so I could do three more things I enjoy but that weren't offered in my combo program).

Time to train!

Checking my balance using the pressure bar during the warrior yoga pose.

OMG, this is so cute. I'm dressed up as a bird. I'm going to fly to a cruiseship. (I've decided it's our SMFA Seminars cruise!) I love the penguin costume I get to wear in the old fish-catching exercise. This one is crazy fun too.

I do love the advanced step class. I do this one every day, anyway. Usually several times in a row.

Time for a snowball fight! I love this one, even though I'm not very good at it. Yet. (You were right, Holly. It's a blast!)

Detailed instructions on how to do one of the new exercises added to the mix. (This one is hard!)

Okay, this is one of my new favorite exercises. It's Kung Fu Rhythm. I love this! I get to do punches and kicks along with my fellow Miis.

So pretty! Time for a rhythm parade. :)

Can't tell for sure, but it looks like my yoga trainer has been revamped to have a healthier-sized booty.

My programmed workout is over. I love that the Wii Fit Plus asks for feedback. (But my only answer option is the A button. Heh heh.)

After my programmed workout, I added some island cycling. I love this. It's like mountain biking, but with a lovely view! And Archie runs alongside me.

I'm nearing 100 total hours of working out with Wii Fit. That's so cool. If I click the piggy bank, it shows total calories burned too. Today? 161. Awesome.

One of the coolest parts of the Wii Fit Plus is this "switch" button that lets us trade off, if Keith and I both want to work out at the same time. We used to have back all the way out of the system to share workout time.

Now, we just switch to whomever wants to work out next.

This is Keith doing the "Perfect 10" workout. I love it. You have to hit the bumpers with your hips to add up to ten. (He also really loves the flapping bird exercise and, of course, golf. He's playing that one a lot. It analyzes his swing.)

After three days, I'm sore. Good sore. Reminiscent of when I first started the old Wii Fit (and then the Jillian Michaels' 2009 Wii Fit Ultimatum) sore.

That's fun. Because I had gotten a bit "over" my Wii Fit routine (and let it sleep, like above), but had begun using it daily again to try and rehab my ankle after having sprained it in Australia late last year.

And now, my arms are sore from flapping like a bird. My thighs are sore from steering a Segway. My calves are sore from mountain biking. My glutes are really feeling everything. This is kind of nice. I'm using different parts of my body again, and enjoying the feeling of that. Also totally motivated to cut way back on my daily caloric intake (I've already been counting calories for over a year now with the help of the Lose It app for my iPhone, but when I'm feeling good work happening, I'm somehow even more interested in keeping my calories low each day). At least so far. ;)

So, my review of results will be coming. (The above is from 2008, when I had just started.) I keep moving my weightloss goal down, so I keep not reaching it, but I'm thrilled with all I've been able to do in just over two years already. Hoping to be at my current goal weight by my 40th birthday (in five months). Looks like Wii Fit Plus will be a big help in getting me there.

Our first stop on the GSFiSCC was Miss Peaches, 5643 Lankershim Blvd., N. Hollywood, CA 91601.

Miss Peaches' grandson, Connell Moss, hails from Chesapeake Bay, VA, and learned how to cook from his momma's side of the family, while learning how to adapt recipes from his daddy's side of the family (although, his granddaddy took his BBQ sauce recipe to the grave, as his daddy says he'll be doing). So, while he admits his recipes aren't exactly the same as those his ancestors may have whipped up, he boasts a kitchen-eatin' experience just like his grandma used to do.

He's also adapted recipes to make 'em healthier. Yep. No meat in any of the side dishes. I cannot imagine how he got his greens to taste so good without a hamhock, but man, they're good.

Lemme back up.

We arrived right about 7pm to the kitchen-sized restaurant (let me clarify: It's a kitchen-like dining room. Tables are pulled around to accommodate how ever many folks happen to show up. There's a counter. A kitchen sink. Dishes drying in a rack. Knickknacks. And then the restaurant's actual kitchen is twice the size of the eating space. Turns out this used to be a Domino's Pizza. Then, it was a Miss Peaches for takeout only. But people stood around in the "waiting for your order" area and ate their fried chicken standing there. So, since his brother's restaurant--Angelena's, named after Connell's other grandmother--is a sit-down place, folks started coming in and expecting to sit there. "So, we put this table here," Connell said, gesturing to a two-top, and that's how it all began).

Joining me for the first stop on the GSFiSCC were Derek, Eric, Kathi, Marie, Ryan, Shirley, Tanya (and, briefly, Phoebe, whose visit was fodder for great comedic moments with Connell--who really could be a stand-up comedian--since Phoebe appreciated that the veggies were made without meat, but dared to ask Connell about the butter content--seeing as she's a vegan and all. Connell's response was a look that would chill your bones and make you laugh out loud at once). In fact, Phoebe and Tanya arrived a bit after we had placed our order. Connell asked, "Is you with them?"

They nodded, cheerily.

"Y'all's late!" he responded.

Okay, so before we ordered, Connell asked if any of us had been there before. Nope. So, he gave us a little overview. The first most popular dish is the fried chicken, closely followed by the fried catfish. "After that, you're on your own. It's all good, but it's up to you. We do serve Kool-Aid. Tonight, if you want to know what flavor it is, it's red."

I don't think we stopped laughing at all during our visit... except for when we were eating. But I'll get to that.

I had decided on the hot links, as my gluten-free guru Anna told me that would be the safest item on the menu for my gluten-free eating needs. But then I decided to ask Connell about the catfish. "How is your catfish battered?" I asked.

"Darlin', where you from?" was Connell's response.

"Atlanta," I said.

"Well you know I'm from Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, and we do it just like you do it: with corn meal."

"Excellent!"

That meant catfish for me! Along with black-eyed peas, string beans, and even some mashed potatoes.

"I like this woman," Connell told the table, after I ordered. Sweet iced-tea, of course, which I usually don't love, but how can you not get tea like your momma used to make when you're at a place like this?

When Ryan ordered unsweetened iced-tea, Connell took a step back and said, "We don't have unsweet tea." That's right. No booze (the wine on the "kitchen counter" is a knickknack), no unsweet tea, and no Coca-Cola products (which I find a bit offensive, but I'll overlook it). Of course, there was the Kool-aid, which Eric ordered. "I'm a 56-year-old man drinking Kool-aid," he marveled. They also had milk, which Derek ordered. From then on, he was known as "the milkman," according to Connell. We suspect he'll remember him by that name when Derek goes back (which he says he will). But, again, I'm getting ahead of myself.

After we ordered, Marie took a visit to the restroom, which has a keyboard and drumkit next to it. We'd learn why later. When she returned, she reported that the restroom had a "Tallahassee truckstop quality, with an obligatory touch of Hollywood: a poster from Stargate-1." Awesome.

Drinks started coming around. In mason jars. Of course. The tablecloths were exactly like my grandmother's (not in pattern, but in that they were plastic on one side, puffy cotton-like stuff on the other side). We ended up having a conversation with Connell about my grandmother keeping her newspaper articles and BINGO cards under that tablecloth (it was her vault; BINGO daubers lived in the windowsill) and it turns out his grandmother didn't have a gambling vice, but he sure thought she could've used it. "Because her vice was WWF. She thought it was real!" Connell told us all about her cheering and squealing and believing in it all. "BINGO would've been better," he said.

When the food started coming, no one waited for anyone else's food to get there. Just like no one did formal introductions upon arrival. I s'pose I could've been a good host and taken care of introductions, but it just felt so much like my grandmother's house that I went into another, safe, childhood world. And everyone just introduced themselves to one another. People shared food with one another. There was no more Hollywood. Only Miss Peaches' dinner table.

Considering we slammed the kitchen by putting in eight orders at once--and we weren't ordering light--they did great. Food was up quickly and what was forgotten was brought around to us also quickly, once recognized as forgotten (an extra side, a refill, more butter, extra napkins). If you wonder how eight people can slam a kitchen at 7pm on a Thursday, let me assure you, the entire restaurant seats no more than 15. A table of four was there when we arrived, and more people arrived after we did. Some stayed, some ordered takeout, some stood outside peering in, trying to figure out if there'd be room for them soon. There are additional tables outside, but no heatlamps, so that'd be for daytime use. Connell and Guillermo manned the kitchen. They sent their third guy home at 5pm, because it looked like it'd be a slow night.

Anyway, the food was awesome. Seriously. Things got quiet while we devoured our yummy goods off mismatched plates. "Mmm" and "ooh" and "aah" -- those were the only sounds. And they were good sounds. The first full sentence I heard came from Tanya: "I'm devouring this like I've never eaten before." Yeah. She wasn't the only one. I think I inhaled my string beans. Shared my black-eyed peas. Shared my potatoes. Shared a little catfish but brought half of it home for tomorrow. It was all sooo good. "I'll come back for the baked beans alone," Derek said. Since both Derek and Tanya live very close to Miss Peaches, I suspect they'll be back soon and often. I think I will be too!

When another table of guests finished up and settled their bill, Connell looked at their plates and said, "Y'all ate pretty good!" And then he said to us, "Everybody happy over here? Eat slow. Save room for dessert." I think our table ended up ordering two items, which I didn't sample, figuring there was no way they could be gluten-free (and I really was too full--and taking leftovers home--to have anything else). We asked about the sock-it-to-me cake and were quickly steered toward the gooey butter cake. Well... "steered toward" like a drug dealer offers up a sample before earning a customer for life.

"I'll warn you. It's crack. Don't call me in the middle of the night trying to get it," Connell cautioned.

So, that, plus some piping hot peach cobbler came to the table and got passed around. Tanya's first bite of the butter cake yielded the following, "That is STUPID!"

Raucous laughter poured through the restaurant at that point. And Connell and Tanya may be engaged. It was adorable. Turns out the butter cake recipe was adapted from a piece Connell had while in Savannah, Georgia, years ago. He wasn't sure anyone else would appreciate it, because it's lighter and fluffier than a cheesecake, but tastes like sweet butter.

Um, yeah. Sweet butter? Not a problem.

I finally did stick my finger into a bit of the smush left on the plate by the end of its third lap around the table. Reminded me of the Gillespie household classic: Karo Syrup drizzled on butter, whipped into a creamy dip for hot biscuits. Yeah. That is stupid good food.

So, let's see how Miss Peaches measures up, in the criteria I set out when issuing this Challenge.

• Is the eatin' good?

Um, yeah. It's good, it's plentiful, it's delish!

• Is the eatin' authentically southern?

Absolutely. I would've loved some fried okra and I think someone else mentioned fried green tomatoes, but even so, there was plenty of yumminess to choose from, and it all represented the food of my childhood very, very well.

• Is the price right?

Eight people ate dinner, had a few extra sides, had drinks with refills, and shared two desserts for just over $150 ($190 with tip). Marie way overpaid, so I'll make sure to keep her from doing that next time. Everyone brought small bills for check-splitting, which was very much appreciated. No one had a problem with the decision to overtip. The experience was so worth it. We really did get "dinner and a show." Fun fact: Connell is a musician. He used to write songs for Burt Bacharach!

• Does the staff make you feel like you're sittin' at your grandma's table?

Without a doubt. The whole place--with the exception of the music playing--was 100% authentically southern in vibe and style. But the music was still good! (Connell even replayed an Otis Redding song at a louder volume when he realized some of the patrons were really enjoying the tune, halfway through it.) Just not like home. Still, that's a tiny thing. Everything else was right on point.

• Is the place worth visiting, if you grew up on the type of food they say they make?

Oh, yes. Definitely. But come hungry! The portions are huge! There's plenty of street parking at Miss Peaches, but the place is small. Connell will admonish you for not calling before you came over to his house for dinner, but that's his "thing." It's very cute. You don't actually need reservations. They're closed on Sundays and on any day it's raining too hard, as the drainage on Lankershim Blvd. is so bad that you can't get from the curb into the restaurant. That means Miss Peaches was closed most of last week! Luckily, Connell gets a lot of catering gigs from TV series and film production going on in the area, and that keeps him afloat when he can't operate the restaurant for customers.

I have to tell you, if I showed up on a set and Miss Peaches was craft services, I don't know that I would get much work done. I'd have to eat all day instead.

Absolutely, this place gets my highest recommendation. Yeah, yeah, yeah it's the first stop on the tour, so there's nothing else in the running for first place, but when we told Connell what it was we were doing, coming into his place and experiencing it so fully, he listened to the list of other places we'd be trying out this year and nodded along with each one, then said, "You go to all of those, then you come back to Miss Peaches and tell me who's best."

He knows he's got that one in the bag. I have to say, the bar is set pretty dang high. Authentically southern, plentiful, delicious, affordable, and entertaining. Doesn't get much better than that!

Lemme back up.

So, I show up (early, as always) to the Clutter Busting workshop, immediately scrape my knuckles on a fast-slamming screen door (Ow!) and am greeted by the most wonderful Colleen, the brilliant Brooks, and a woman who refuses to shake hands (but likes to "touch elbows," so you have to kind of get even MORE into her personal space to do a weird greeting), and another who says by way of greeting, "You brought a shitload of clutter!"

Um... wasn't that the point?

See, the workshop included instructions that we bring a bin of clutter. So I did. And I didn't just go for the easy stuff--the stuff that even I wonder why I keep and know could easily be thrown out if I just took the time. I put some challenging things in the bin. I wanted to learn why I ever felt the need to hang on to any of this stuff.

Realizing I was already--just 30 seconds in--focusing on lots of "noise" of my environment to try and distract myself from the big work we were about to do, I moved across the room to pet our host's cat, I chose a seat, and I reached for my trusty journal, in which I write about all things I experience as I live my life.

Only... the journal wasn't in my purse. I totally forgot it. I was so excited about the Clutter Busting that I neglected to bring my journal and "right colored pen" (because each entry must happen in another ink color than the one before it, so it's always easy to tell where one meeting ends and another begins) and was stuck, journal-less.

"How am I going to take notes about this?" I asked myself. Suddenly, I remembered that one of the bits of clutter I put into that bin they told me to stash by the door (the same door that bit my hand) was paper-based! I went over, reached in, fished out a few pages from the clutter bin, and happily began scribbling notes about how this process was already feeling, right there on the best desk I've got: my thigh.

I laughed at myself for the ways I was trying to derail this experience already--laughed again as I found myself distracted by the professional "expert" who came (Why pay to take a workshop if you already know everything?), the unsolicited-advice-giver (We ain't here to hear you, lady.), the smoker, the latecomer, the noisy eater, and the woman who took notes so loudly I felt as though her aggressively darting pencil was a device meant to punish her ridiculously loud and crinkly paper.

Every time I felt myself focusing on any of this "noise," I reminded myself that it was okay to be scared about what breakthrough was on the other side of the good information I was about to receive. And these tactics to avoid feeling truly open to hear and experience and GET the lessons are just defense mechanisms.

"Be here, Gillespie," I told myself. And I--finally--tuned everything else out.

Brooks was brilliant. Let me just say that, now. I knew he would be, because of the impact I've seen him have on Colleen, who is also brilliant. She already has so much good stuff in place for navigating her life (and sharing it all) that if she felt great impact from Brooks' teachings, I knew I certainly could.

As I mentioned yesterday, I have lots of clutter!

More importantly, I have lots of justifications for keeping what I keep.

As we spent a half-hour on the first person, then five minutes on the next, and then twenty minutes on the third--always allowed to interject questions that each person's process brought up for us--I realized not everyone's bin would be dealt with, here. So, I began reviewing in my mind each of the pieces I knew I had put in my bin (which was still over by the door).

I had chosen each thing to represent a "theme" I seem to have. Like, this piece is here because it goes with an art project I never really finished, and I wanted to finish it and this would be how I could do that. And, this is in here because it's a placeholder, a to-do list item, and by having the thing in the way, it reminds me--more than a note on a list could remind me--that I have this thing to do. The three biggest themes represented by junk in my bin were these:

1. Gifts.
2. Empty boxes.
3. All-or-nothing items.

Let me elaborate.

Gifts. Well, that's easy. That's something that Brooks covered with a couple of the night's participants. And I asked a clarifying question to help me get at what kept me so bound to things that have been given to me.

We keep gifts that others give us because we have a need to please. We worry so that we will disappoint the gift-giver by not liking the thing they've given us that--in addition to not liking the thing (which is already the case)--we hang on to the thing we don't like because to let go of it would be somehow more insulting.

Got it.

That makes perfect sense. And if I consider the intention of the gift-giver, it gets very easy. "She gave me these earrings because she loves me and wants me to have these nice things. She hasn't been observant enough to realize that I don't--can't--wear earrings. I can either force myself to wear these earrings--causing horrible infection and great pain--or I can keep 'em in the box on a shelf and feel like shit for not wearing them every time I pass by the box. Or I can squirrel 'em away into a place where I never see 'em and they'll continue to fester at my psychic energy just by being here and keeping space occupied, preventing something that I would actually love, wear, use, and find great joy in from coming into my life. Or I can clutter-bust. I can say, 'Wow, thank you so much for the gift,' and then give the lovely earrings to someone who will treasure them. Because the giver did not give me the earrings in an attempt to make me feel like shit--which I do, every time I look at them and think about not wearing them, which is all I will EVER do, since I cannot wear them--it is my gift back to me and to the giver to be free of all that psychic--and physical--baggage."

Awesome.

Empty boxes. A little stickier, because the boxes I used as an example are the cute iPhone boxes (3) that I still have, years after having first purchased iPhones. They're cute. And fun. And well-crafted. And a piece of marketing genius. So, the lesson Brooks drew here was that I keep the empty box because it reminds me of the joy I got when I first brought home my new iPhone.

True.

He asked if I could get to that place of joy without the box.

Absolutely! Just holding my iPhone brings me that joy.

Okay, cool. Then the box can go, right?

Sure.

But.

(Ah, crap. A but. You knew that was coming.)

I also really think the box is cute and I could maybe store something little in it. It's such a well-made box and I have a lot of little things. Couldn't that be a good use of the box?

"If you use it like that."

Got it. And that brings me to the second half of the "empty boxes" item, because I also keep a fuckton of less-lovely empty boxes (like shoe boxes and the big boxes the printer paper comes in from Office Depot or Staples) and that way I always have a box when I need one.

Think about that.

I always have a box when I need one.

Who fucking cares?

Why do I take up a full eighth of a room with a Matryoshka Dolls-like configuration of boxes inside boxes inside boxes, just so I'll have one handy when I need one? When I need to store another mess of actor headshots or postcards--which I'm desperately trying to dispose of, with the help of casting interns working with me--I'll have another damn box, allowing me to KEEP stuff I'm trying to get rid of. Right? Oh boy...

Out they go. Got it.

Next.

All-or-nothing items. This one gets even stickier, and I didn't get a direct answer to this question, when I posed it early on in the session, as Brooks was going through Dyana's awesome bin. "What about self-imposed rules about 'all or nothing,' when it comes to getting rid of stuff?"

That's what I asked, and I didn't realize until the end of the workshop that the entire concept of Clutter Busting is the answer to that question.

See, I have this "all or nothing" issue. With lots of things. It's sometimes very difficult for me to do something that's only "a little" done. If I get rid of a headshot an actor tossed into a bin for me at a speaking event, I'm convinced I have to get rid of every headshot that actors tossed into that bin for me, at that event. And then all similar events come into question.

If I delete an email that's a part of a conversation that has six back-and-forths, I am convinced I must delete all emails from that conversation. Once I've deleted one, they all must go. And if I keep one, they all must stay.

If I throw away a holiday greeting card with a sweet, sentimental message scrawled inside, I must throw away all cards from that holiday. I can't keep any of 'em. Because once I hang on to one special card, I have to keep them all. It's only fair.

WTF?

Didn't I go through this exact issue when I Embraced Inefficiency four years ago? Yes. Yes, I did.

And I also do this with people--and Brooks tells us that clutter is defined as anything that's holding us back--by saying, "Well, I've invited showcase alumni to this party. I have to invite all of the alumni. Not just my favorite people." Why? Why invite people I don't enjoy to parties I'm paying to host? Why do I let this "fairness voice" overrule happiness? That's messed up.

But here's what was really fantastic about what Brooks taught me, through his every query of a participant in the hotseat, going through his or her bin of clutter: "Address one thing at a time."

And, hey, that takes care of the "all or nothing" issue, every time, because you're only ever considering one item.

"As you hold that one thing, ask yourself how it makes you feel. Ask, 'Do I need to hold on to this or can I let it go?' And if your answer gets long-winded, it's a piece you need to deal with."

More importantly, if your answer gets long-winded--like, "I have to keep this because it's an heirloom," or, "I can't get rid of this because it was a gift," or, "I've never liked this, but it meant so much to my mom," for example--you need to know that that very item is constantly pulsing at you with that energy. Even from its box, hidden in a closet! And far more importantly than even that, if you're holding on to that stuff, you're preventing new stuff from coming into your life! You're holding on to things that you think have the potential of making you feel great (like you felt when you first got 'em, for example), it's like chasing the dragon. You can never get that first high back, so you keep trying harsher drugs or weirder combinations. And it still falls short. But by keeping that "old drug" with "potential" to make you "feel good" hanging around, you're keeping away the NEW thing that has absolute ability to fill your life with joy in THIS moment.

You're basically telling your life--by holding on to stuff--that the old stuff, the old "you," the stuff that you collected as that person--is all more valuable than the you now, the stuff you could invite into your life now, the happiness you could create today.

Fucking awesome.

Now, I wanted to know why I keep the things I keep. Brooks says the WHY is not important. "Look at the effect it's having on you," he said. "The reason it's choking you doesn't matter. Just stop the choking." I love it. The why is less relevant because the why is that we're taught to attach meaning to things. We are not taught how to let go. And when we watch others go through their stuff--stuff to which WE have no attachment--it gets very simple. Just like producers selecting top actors for a role. There's no attachment other than "what's gonna work, right now." Brooks also suggested we ask, "Would I buy this today, if I had a gift card?" I like that! I also really loved his analogy about how these "treasures" are like a nail made of gold. We step on it, and instead of realizing we are being HURT by the nail, we focus on, "Oh, but it's made of gold! It's valuable."

Is it so valuable we'll let it keep us apart from the better stuff we have headed for us, as we've evolved and expanded our capacity for inviting goodness into our lives?

Never.

So, as I go around my house, I touch a thing. I ask, "How do I feel about you?" And if I feel thrilled to have it in my life, on display, out for the world to enjoy with me, it can stay. If I am embarrassed or worried or anxious or feeling like I will someday have a house in which this thing will be appreciated, I have two choices.

1. Toss it.

or

2. Put it out and on display to enjoy RIGHT NOW. Not someday.

And if I cannot enjoy it, if it causes me stress to look at it (perhaps because it is a reminder of how I don't yet have the space to showcase it the way I would like to), OUT it goes. Because holding on to it not only keeps that anxiety in my life--that "loss of clarity," as Brooks puts it--but it also prevents the very thing for which I'm hanging on to it (that future house) from coming into my life.

So, Keith and I had a big talk last night over dinner after the workshop. We agreed that even if we have to buy stuff all over again, if the keeping of the "stuff" is preventing us from getting the house that is where we want to showcase the "stuff," we would rather have the house and have to buy stuff all over again, than to have the "stuff" and no house.

We're ready to have a space into which we happily invite people. About which we don't apologize for the state of it. "Oh, we are storing that for when we get our house," is something we no longer want to say. We're ready to live here, now. And addressing each item all by itself, asking whether it makes my heart sing... that's a ONE THING I can--and will--do.

Because if it's not filling me with happy, right this second, what am I doing hanging on to it?

I got this sick before The Age 28 Epiphany. I got this sick before I came out about my damage that I had been keeping private for so long. I'm about to do something very scary and very wonderful and I didn't get this sick 'til the moment I knew I would be doing this.

What is "this"?

Clutter Busting.

I had read about my friend-and-mentor Colleen Wainwright's Clutter Busting back in October. I remember at the time being too overwhelmed by the contents of that post to comment, and instead of commenting, I took a screen-cap of the cute little frog photo and added it to my "smile file."

Of course, I'm a clutter-keeper. I'm not an out-and-out hoarder (the show by the same name has taught me I am sooo much healthier than I sometimes think I might be), but I keep stuff. Usually stuff well-meaning folks give me. "It's a gift! I can't get rid of it." (Some of that issue has softened with my decision to just start re-gifting stuff that may mean more to someone else than it could ever mean to me--especially when I'm in a place that doesn't allow me to afford what I'd like really to buy for someone.)

Usually, I move every couple of years. With the exception of my childhood years, I have changed residences at least every two years. Until now. Keith and I have lived in our beach pad for almost six years now. And moving every two years helps keep clutter down, as there's always that big, "I'd rather toss you out than move you," conversation with a lot of the stuff. So, now, we have a bunch more stuff than I even understand having.

Yes, even with the "Fixing a Hole" of 2007 and "The Great Headshot Purge" of 2008, there is plenty of STUFF. There always is.

So, when Colleen mentioned Wednesday that her Clutter Busting guru, Brooks Palmer, was going to be doing a Clutter Busting workshop in Los Angeles this weekend--and that as of that morning there was one spot left--I knew this was my breakthrough, on its way.

See, I played The Prosperity Game with AnnaVo last year. We each spent $5,565,000 in psychic money and worked through a fuckton of blocks about our relationship with money. It was awesome.

I keep getting emails from my nearest and dearest, telling me they see me so poised for the tier jump that's coming. I feel that too. I really do. But there's a block.

And I as I've gleefully--yes, even in my sick place--gone around the house and pulled things to take to Brooks (we each bring a bin of "stuff" for him to Clutter Bust for us--rather--to *teach* us why we hang onto the stuff, so we can go home and start removing the stuff ourselves), I've said, "Well, can't I just throw this out, now that I'm looking at it and knowing I don't need to keep it?" and I've answered to myself, "No. It's time to understand why you've ever felt the need to hang on to this. And fix that."

So, I'm off to fix that. I am so very, very, very excited for where I'll be the next time I sit down at this computer ("where" being an emotional, spiritual, mental place, more than physical, of course). I'm not expecting anything other than change and flow and the gift that is Clutter Busting.

Again, thank you Colleen, for bringing yet another gift into my life at the exact right moment.

This is a gift I will keep!

(Note: I'm also participating in a Spynotebook-generated project called Snapshot a Day. Yup. 365 photos in 2010. Click here to check that out at Flickr.)

Here we go! Click any photo to enlarge. :)

5:50am: Keith's alarm (not this old digital clock--a gift from Fulton Federal, when I opened an account with them in 1989--don't think we've used the alarm or radio function for a decade now; bless the PDAs) has gone off and he's headed to Runyon. I'm headed to another sleep cycle, thank you.

7:32am: Now, I'm up. Thwok is with me in the bathroom. She loves the sink. Monkey in a sink. Nothing cuter. Evil monkey!

10:51am: I'm addicted. I can't stop playing the free iPhone app called "Words with Friends." Kiki (Erik Patterson) turned me on to it over the holiday break and I've got about 22 games going right now. If you want to play me, my username is bonniegillespie. I really love this game!

11:50am: I've finished my body test on Wii Fit (I'm 24 years old, in Wii Fit years, today, and I'm down 3.2 pounds from yesterday, which is a bit ridiculous) and it's time to commence training. I've put in a LOT of hours, overall, huh?

12:25pm: Training is over. A half-hour is about all my bum ankle can take. But I'm thrilled my ankle can take it at all. I was missing the workouts. I'm so glad to be back at it. Ankle's getting stronger and stronger. Just wish the pain would stop!

1:14pm: My supercute Yôl T-shirt from Mason McCulley. I love it! I'll be putting it on after a quick shower and ankle soak.

1:46pm: Time to lube up and wrap my ankle. Using the last of the great anti-inflammatory gel my awesome ex-boyfriend got me in Australia, when I turned my ankle and fell down the stairs. The meds in Australia are awesome. I need to import some Nurofen+. The "plus" stands for codeine. Yes! Over the counter, baby. Ahh... that's long gone. Took most of it while in Sydney, natch. That's when the pain was its worst.

3:34pm: Time to walk to Third Street Promenade with my sweetheart. That place where the street looks like it ends, a couple of blocks down? Yeah, that's the beach. I know. I love where we live too. It's awesome.

3:58pm: Satisfying a craving. Johnny Rockets' chili cheese fries. A thousand calories of heaven. (I can only eat this about once every two years or so, but when I want it, I really really want it. That was today. Totally worth it.) Still can't figure out why the Bee Gees were in heavy rotation on the Johnny Rockets' jukebox. Something is... off... about that.

4:25pm: Pacific Coast sunset at Arizona and Third Street. Just lovely. I so love where we live!

5:34pm: We've spent time at the Apple Store, where a genius actually helped us fix a Mail settings issue we've been working on for months. No, I'm still not satisfied with Mail and Address Book and iCal as a replacement for Entourage, but this little bug fix certainly helps. Yay, Madison! Thank you! Anyway, now we're at Barnes and Noble, buying a couple of good ol' fashioned books. Have to visit our baby, Self-Management for Actors, while we're there.

6:20pm: The kitties were being inappropriately rambunctious, so we decided to calm 'em down by getting 'em stoned. A healthy dose of catnip always does the trick. This is Salema, baked. And now... they sleep. Ah. That's good parenting!

As always, thank you, Chad, for another lovely 12 of 12. :) Keep on rockin', good folks! LYMI!

Okay, so for one, I'm going to blog more. That was one of my (non-)resolutions ("non," since I don't really make resolutions; the other is "more face time" with people I care about) for 2010. So, as I'm working all of this out in my head today, I realize maybe I could get some clarity by writing about it.

So.

One of the things we did as a part of the showcase was a set of "Self-Management for Actors seminars" (sessions with the showcasers, to make sure their marketing materials were in their best possible shape, talk about best-matched agents and managers, strategize casting opportunities, and work on networking tactics). As some of the earlier showcasers went a few months or a year or so out of the experience, they craved a "tune up" and started asking me to offer the seminars to alumni.

What I did, instead, was offer up weekly classes, which we did for all of 2009. (That was awesome. Pretty much changed my life in some really profound ways. I love what we were able to accomplish and how we grew as a group of co-conspirators, ready to rock this town.) And that came to an end just before my trip to Australia, as we decided to transition into quarterly retreats (with the first one taking place 1/23/10; the next--one for kids and parents of kid actors--will be in April; and so on).

But I have this need to keep the good info flowing a little more frequently than quarterly, plus whatever bookings I have for speaking engagements around the world (which I love having; I want to invite more of that into my life in 2010, with loads of travel and seminars and book signings). I had been recording vids for my Facebook page and that's been fun, but now I'm saving up my recordings to premiere at Somebody's Basement, when we launch that this year.

I'm wondering if I should find a way to do a radio show or a regular podcast, or another outlet for writing about the industry (or even something broader than that). I mean, obviously, we're already working up a fuckton of stuff, between Somebody's Basement and the show I'm developing, and all of the roadshow stuff, and these quarterly retreats, and turning SMFA into an iPhone app and board game, and my weekly column, and then there's some casting coming back (woo hoo! Awesome projects that had some stalls over the past two years are finally greenlit and back on our slate), which means it's not like I'm looking for more work to do.

Yet, I am.

It's like I have so much that I want to do and I can't quite figure out which river to float down.

Of course, the truth is, I'll float and end up where I'm supposed to be, because that's what happens in life. There's no wrong turn except the one you force, and I'm not looking to force anything.

So, I guess I'm just inviting "whatever" into my life, and hoping by putting this out there, that'll bring it on into my world at the right and perfect moment, in the best possible conditions.

Yay.

(PS--It's my half-birthday. Six months 'til 40, y'all! Woo!)

(My ode to what the showcase started out to be, to what it became, and to what it might be is here. Read it. It's a good post.)

So, let me just put this here so it's clear (and I'll cross-post this at my fan page, over at Facebook, so folks can easily bump into the info).

For now, there's no more showcase. :) We reached our five-year goal for talent level, attendance level, and results in actors' careers level in just over two years. Unfortunately, we did not reach our five-year goal for getting corporate financing, and we went out of pocket $5K for the 2009 showcase. We can't afford to keep doing that, and our five-year goal was to have the showcase be free for actors.

Since we couldn't afford to lose another $5K in 2010 and because we were having to turn away industry because we were so full at our 2009 shows, we were going to have to add another show, and that meant printing more programs, renting and insuring the space for another night, hiring the tech crew for another night, paying for booze and catering for another night... and because we're not yet corporately financed (our five-year goal, again), that meant we were actually going to have to raise the price of the showcase to keep doing it at this level.

And that's the opposite direction we wanted to go, within five years.

So, rather than continue to produce the showcase--which we clearly have learned how to do at a rockstar level, having changed the game for what the industry expects of industry showcases--while losing money and raising the cost for the actors, we chose to go on hiatus and go back to producing showcases when we, as a corporation, can fully fund them ($30K) and invite our favorite actors to participate or when we get the corporate backing we had hoped to attract within five years.

So, bummer for those who were hoping to participate in 2010 or beyond, as there's no telling when we'll be back to producing showcases, but keep an eye on the showcase website for updates and of course, know I'll blast the word out at Facebook when we're in a position to do them again. Very hopeful that many of the projects we have brewing for 2010 will be such good money-earners that we are told by our tax guy that we, as a corporation, have to lose a bunch of money each year. :) Then we'll be set! :)

Much love to you fine folks who are into doing rockstar showcases. Please, produce your own! Rent some space, choose some original material by great writers (please, don't show folks the same old tired scenes we've seen a thousand times), hire a director, and make some noise! That's how we started out, and we grew to the biggest, highest-attendance, most critically-acclaimed, results-getting showcase in town... in just over two years. Awesome!

I posted a status update from my iPhone, as my champagne-sleepy head began to wind down in the wee hours of January 1st.

Bonnie Gillespie wants to know: Where can a good southern gal show up for black-eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread within the next 22.5 hours? Gotta get my ritual on!

(Now, of course, after receiving a few comments, it became clear that I really *meant* to say "cabbage," not "collard greens," as THAT is what this southern gal's momma made every year, but that's neither here nor there.)

Comments came flooding in. Suggestions of places to score a true southern meal in Los Angeles, comments that there just isn't any true southern eating in Los Angeles, invitations to home-cooked New Year's Day meals from friends and strangers alike... gawd I loves me the Facebook.

Anyway...

I started poking around. Poking hard. Poking a LOT.

And I found a good bunch of options within minutes--or hours--from home.

And I decided it's not enough to just go find a good place for a good meal. I'm gonna have to turn this into a "thing." So, here's one of my 2010 "things" (another being that I'm participating in a Snapshot a Day group at Flickr--YES! I finally joined the Flickr. I know! Hello, 2005--as well as the usual 12 of 12 monthly photo essay), and I'd like to invite y'all to join in.

I'm gonna check out some of these places.

At least one per month.

And I'm gonna take photos and blog at the Spynotebook about the eats, asking questions like:

1. Is the eatin' good?
2. Is the eatin' authentically southern?
3. Is the price right?
4. Does the staff make you feel like you're sittin' at your grandma's table?
5. Is the place worth visiting, if you grew up on the type of food they say they make?

And I'm inviting those of y'all who'd like to sample these goodies with me to join in. Just say "I'm in" and I'll be sure to include you on the Facebook "event" I'll create for each experience. Whether you can make it or not, I'll be there. :) It's gonna be a fun year of good eatin'!

Here are the places in consideration, for now. (Obviously, I'll cut this list way down, based on menu, prices, location, and kitch-factor probably. If you have any thoughts on any of these places, please share 'em, so I can weigh your words along with what my research is showing me about the places.)

Animal, 435 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, 90036 (nearby, organic, menu items include BBQ pork belly sandwiches, slaw, fried cornbread, collards, country ham, red peas, grits, chard, slab bacon, and a dessert called bacon chocolate crunch bar, which I must try)

Aunt Kizzy's, 523 Washington Blvd., Marina Del Rey, 90292 (nearby, closed Tuesdays, menu items include chicken fried steak, Miss Flossie's chicken & dumplings, spicy hot links with red beans & rice, Uncle Wade's oxtails, fried okra, hush puppies, cornbread muffins, Aunt Kizzy's sweet potato pie, Aunty Johnnies's peach cobbler pie; bonus points for Sunday brunch)

Aunt Rosa Lee's Mississippi Soul Food, 2781 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles, 90018 (not too far away, closes early, no official website and only one review--but it's a glowing one--no menu items mentioned beyond the obligatory black-eyed peas and collard greens)

Baby Blues BBQ, 7953 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hollywood (close to home, annoying website with no "off" button on the music, menu items include "Get Down Miss Brown" pulled pork plate, Marion County slow-smoked chicken, Memphis Queen smoked baby back ribs, smoked link sandwich with cotija cheese & hot peppers, coleslaw, fried okra, creamed spinach, collard greens, cornbread, chicken-smoked rice)

Beachwood BBQ, 131-1/2 Main St., Seal Beach, 90740 (far away, happy hour 3pm to 6pm Tuesday through Friday, menu items include Lena's famous fried pickles, BBQ chicken nachos, barbecue chicken salad with smoked chili buttermilk dressing, sauteed prawns in sharp cheddar cheese grits, brisket on a toasted potato roll, buffalo sloppy Joes, fried green tomatoes, pulled chicken, bleu cheese grits, tangy coleslaw, hush puppies)

Bertha's Soul Food, 1714 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, 90047 (close to home, gorgeous website, daily lunch specials, menu items include black-eyed peas, collard greens, cabbage, chitterlings, neckbones and hamhocks, beans and rice, peach cobbler, sweet potato pie)

Bud's Louisiana Café, 10425 Tierrasanta Blvd., San Diego, 92124 (far away, closed Sunday and Monday, happy hour and old-people dinner time discounts, menu items include seafood gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, jalapeno cornbread muffins, pulled pork po boys, crawfish étouffée, fried oysters, fried catfish, shrimp remoulade salad, bread pudding, creole pecan pie)

Chef Marilyn's Soul Food Express, 5068 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, 90019 (not far, love her photo on the website, 99-cent sides, menu items include cornbeef with cabbage, neckbones, southern style oxtails, salmon croquette, fried catfish, chicken links with BBQ sauce, cornbread, collard greens, black-eyed peas, lima beans, peach cobbler)

Cru, 1521 Griffith Park Blvd., Los Angeles, 90026 (not far, a raw-slash-vegan-slash-gluten-free-slash-organic place I actually have a gift certificate for, limited options for southern-style eating, menu items include southern-style black-eyed peas with mashed sweet potatoes served with collard greens and cranberry persimmon compote)

The Gumbo Pot, 6333 W. Third St., Los Angeles, 90036 (nearby, Farmer's Market location so there's lots of fun stuff to do there, menu items include gumbo ya ya, seafood gumbo, drunken shrimp, vegetarian red beans and rice, cajun meatloaf, crawfish tail po boy, alligator tail filet, soft shell crab po boy, French Quarter muffelata, green salad with peppered pecans, creole mustard potato salad)

Harold and Belle's, 2920 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, 90018 (not too far, really gorgeous food photos on the website, menu items include crawfish éttouffée, catfish po boy, spicy crawfish popcorn, fried crabcakes, homestyle meatloaf, clam chowder, fried red snapper, fried frog legs, lobster scampi, bread pudding, key lime pie)

Home, 1760 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, 90027 (not far, I've actually eaten here before--years ago--when a friend wanted to treat me to a "true, southern meal" and I can't recall whether it was a victory or not, menu items include Grandma Dee's southern fried chicken, mom's meatloaf, veggie meatloaf, BBQ baby back ribs, waffle fries, Tex-Mex burrito, southern chicken fried steak and eggs)

Honey's Kettle, 9537 Culver Blvd., Culver City, 90232 (nearby, recipe for their biscuits are right on the website--but the menu is not, so I assume that menu items include the main-page-mentioned hand-dipped chicken and fish, shucked corn, snapped green beans, biscuits, pies)

House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., W. Hollywood, 90069 (nearby, maybe too touristy or cliché, menu items include creole seafood jambalaya, cajun meatloaf, BBQ baby back ribs, crispy catfish nuggets, pan-seared voodoo shrimp, rosemary skillet cornbread, white chocolate banana bread pudding, key lime pie)

Industry Café and Jazz, 6039 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 90232 (nearby, live jazz 8pm to 11pm, a combination of East African Injera specialties and southern-style soul food, menu items include catfish, red snapper, collard greens, cornbread muffins, candied yams)

Jack-n-Jill's Too, 8738 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, 90048 (nearby, breakfast served 'til 5pm, the creole hangover omelet, the Texas crepe, smoked chix gumbo, sweet potato melts, Lafayette crepes, Nutella banana crepes, beer-battered onion rings, Camille's po boy, Gulf Coast arbiatta, the Grambling tater--OMG, I'm going for the potatoes alone)

Johnny Rebs', 4663 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, 90805 (not close, but may be worth the drive, menu items include BBQ hot link sandwich, smoked chicken wings, home fried potato chips with cool ranch, sampler plate of cajun sausage hot link sausage hush puppies onion rings and BBQ sauce for dippin', fried green tomatoes seasoned with bacon, cajun poppers, fried okra, chicken fried steak, southern fried chicken and Texas caviar over greens, drop biscuit peach cobbler, fried Mississippi mud pie)

Larkin's Joint, 1496 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, 90041 (not terribly close, looks a little "southern-style California cuisine fusion" action is going on here, menu items include Warm Okra & Heirloom Tomato Salad, gumbo, jambalaya, fried catfish, BBQ beef brisket, fried okra, portabello Fries, garlic-roasted corn on the cob, momma's meatloaf sandwich, deep-fried grilled cheese sandwich, Sistah Nelson's BBQ portabello sandwich)

Les Sisters', 21818 Devonshire St., Chatsworth, 91311 (not terribly close, menu items include Louisiana hot links, oyster po boys, jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, filé gumbo, hush puppies, Clara's peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, Dana's famous buttermilk pie, bourbon bread puddin')

Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ, 21420 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, 90503 (not too far, menu items include Pop's beloved fresh pan-blackened catfish, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and southern braised greens, southern-fried catfish and shrimp, Jambalaya, Louisiana pasta, New Orleans gumbo, Joe's meatloaf, homemade biscuits with apple butter)

Magnolia's, 342 Euclid Ave., San Diego, 92114 (super far but could be a fun trip, menu items include catfish fingers, crab cakes, crawfish bisque, fried oysters, liver and onions, jambalaya, chitterlings, crawfish éttouffée, hush puppies, candied yams, black-eyed peas, coleslaw, fried okra, sweet potato pie, bread pudding, peach cobbler)

Mattie's Southern Kitchen, food truck! (yep, we actually have to FIND it because it's a badass food truck!!! What an adventure! Menu items include fried chicken, Eastern Carolina pulled pork BBQ, shrimp and grits, collard greens, creamed corn, blackened catfish po boy, buttermilk biscuits)

Memphis at the Beach, 1142 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, 90266 (nearby, lovely location, a little high-end California-fusion looking, menu items include cornmeal fried chicken salad, crab cakes, steamed mussels and clams, popcorn shrimp tacos, pulled pork sliders, fried okra, hush puppies, potato pancakes, meatloaf stack, soul burger, bison burger, shellfish jambalaya with dirty rice, seared dayboat scallops with roasted green chile grits and asparagus succotash)

Miss Peaches, 5643 Lankershim Blvd., N. Hollywood, 91601 (not too far, closed Sundays, menu items include chicken and waffles, smothered pork chop, BBQ hot links, black-eyed peas, yams, cornbread, sweet potato pie, gooey butter cake, sock-it-to-me cake, Aunt Myrtle's lemon cake, peach cobbler)

Po Folks, 7701 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, 90620 (not close, of course I've been to Po Folks all through the Atlanta area so this is safe and chain-like, no bonus points for kreeyativ spellin', menu items include onion rangs, fried green t'maters, chicken livers, chicken gizzards, kuntry fried steak salad, chicken n' dumplings, fried okra, po-tater salad, sliced t'maters, baked apples, turnip greens)

Roscoe's, 1514 N. Gower St., Hollywood, 90028 (over where we used to live, a Hollywood institution, not sure why folks consider this "southern," as there has never been a waffle served with chicken at any southern dinner I ever had, menu items include, well, chickens and waffles)

The Serving Spoon, 1403 Centinela Ave., Inglewood, 90302 (not far away, gorgeous website, breakfast served all day, daily specials, menu items include pork links, salmon croquettes, chicken sausage, chitterlings, meatloaf, oxtails, beef short ribs, chicken dressing, Salisbury steak, peach cobbler)

South, 3001 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, 90403 (seriously one of my favorite places in town and not just because I can walk there from my house, their pulled-pork nachos are a regular item in my diet, happy hour 3pm to 8pm weekdays, menu items include gator wings, sweet potato fries, sausage bread, bayou chicken sandwich, collard greens, coleslaw, jalapeño cornbread, cheesy grits, bacon ranch potato salad, voodoo shrimp, Miss Gloria's bourbon pecan pie, a sweet tea martini that will rock your world, and of course the aforementioned pulled-pork nachos)

Spring Street Smokehouse, 640 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, 90012 (not super close, but going downtown is always fun, ordering style like Old Hickory House, menu items include cajun stuffed chicken, burnt ends, pork spare ribs, sliced beef brisket, Louisiana hot links, pulled pork sandwich, coleslaw, mashed sweet potato, hush puppies, pickled eggs, bourbon bread pudding, s'mores)

Tart, 115 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, 90036 (not too far, tattooed lady on the website intimidates me a bit but the menu looks great, California fusion menu items include fried green tomatoes, truffle mac and cheese, crawfish spring rolls, crispy alligator, southern fried chicken, creole paella, seafood boil for two, jambalaya pizza, crawfish mashed potatoes, crispy grit cakes)

Uncle Darrow's Cajun Restaurant, 2560 S. Lincoln Blvd., Marina Del Rey, 90292 (super close, breakfast on the weekends, menu items include red beans and rice, jambalaya, filé gumbo ya ya, buttermilk biscuits with mamma's gravy, salmon croquettes)

Vegisoul, 1436 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, 90007 (not too far, closed Mondays, take-out only which means we have to plan a spot to eat our goods, good for our vegan friends, menu items include "see food" gumbo, "fibbs," red beans, habe vegiburger, blackened tofu, vegan cornbread, vegan butter pecan ice cream)

Venni Mac's M&M Seafood, 5496 Centinela Ave., Los Angeles, 90045 (nearby, menu items include BBQ hot links, red beans and rice, smothered chicken, short ribs, liver and onions, oxtails, collard greens and yams, succotash, cabbage, cornbread dressing, chitterlings)

Zeke's BBQ Smokehouse, 7100 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hollywood, 90046 (nearby, menu items include hush puppies with honey butter, fresh made kettle chips with ranch, smokehouse hot wings, hot links, Carolina pulled-pork sandwich topped with slaw, cold meatloaf sandwich, southern fried catfish sandwich with remoulade sauce, Memphis baby back ribs, Kansas City spare ribs, Texas beef brisket, applesauce, root beer float, warm bread pudding with bourbon sauce, pecan pie)

Okay, I'm hungry just typing all of this up!

So, are you ready? Let's do this! It'll be fun, y'all! :) Thanks, my community, for turning a Facebook status update into a new "thing" for 2010. Yay!

I'm in awe of the good people I'm surrounded with, and I met (and surpassed) so many goals in 2009, professionally and personally. I never felt alone, I never felt lost, I never felt so down that a look or a word or a THOUGHT from a friend couldn't fix it.

I have NO complaints. :) I am SO excited about all that 2010 will bring.

And even if 2009 was a year you can't wait to see gone, why focus on THAT? I don't get it. It's like folks whose Twitter streams and Facebook pages are shrines to all the things they want to criticize. Dude? What's the POINT? How's about we focus on what we want and not what we don't want? I'm so filled with love and hope and excitement over where we're headed, I can't even remember what was "wrong" with 2009. It's like a fight with a loved one. The next day, who can even remember what seemed so important during that fight? It's just not worth it. (And even if you can remember vividly, why do you want to dwell on that?)

It's like one of my favorite new mantras of the year, "I can feel better or I can keep thinking about THAT."

So, let's feel better. Let's be so freakin' excited about what's ahead for 2010 that we can't even remember what might have been less-than-awesome about 2009. Cool? Well, whether it's cool with y'all or not, that's how I'm gonna do it.

I'm in love with my life and ain't nevah gonna apologize for that!

Welcome, 2010! I love ya' already. :)