It seems like I've been too busy to even blog lately. I'm learning that being a stay-at-home mom most days isn't as easy as people think it is. Sure I'm lucky to not have to go to work most days, but taking care of a 3 1/2 year old is much harder than cleaning three houses in a day. Boy, do I miss the days of napping. Today we went out to Williamson and to lunch with my brother, Charlie. Joey and I had chocolate chip pancakes (with sugar free syrup). They were loaded with chocolate chips. Way too many for someone who doesn't eat sugar. I'm used to the ones I make where there are about ten chips in the entire batter. Even Joey wouldn't eat them.
After lunch we went to Charlie's shop where he builds customs kitchens and he showed Joey around. Joey was very impressed with the piles of sawdust scattered around, and we spent quite a bit of time kicking it at each other. Then we went to the Dollar General with my dad because I was looking for a hose for Joey's Ghostbuster's costume. Before we even went to Williamson today, Joey and I stopped in Webster at the Kmart, Dollar store and Bj's (because he had to pee). In Kmart we took turns putting on Halloween masks and scaring each other. We were very loud.
I made a great dinner of chili with macaroni in it, gave Joey and bath, watched some funny videos with him, read some books and put him to bed. Now it's time to write and I'm whipped.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Cabin Fever No More
I finally made it out of the house after being stuck here for three days with a sicky. I ventured a whole eighth of a mile to Wegmans for bread and muffins. I felt like I hadn't been in public in years. I wanted to ask people what's happened in the past few days. What did I miss? It felt so great to be free for a few minutes that I even bought Mike a fish fry and stuffed clam as a surprise for dinner. I figured he was sick of having jambalaya three days in a row. See how wifely I am when I'm left to be alone for a few mintues?
After dinner we decided to go for a walk to tire Joey out. We walked to the townhouses across the street to show Joey a "spooky house." This lady had more Halloween crap in front of her house. As we were standing there I said to Mike, "Can you imagine what the inside of her house looks like? It has to be filled with crap." Just then she came to the door and asked if we wanted to come in and see what she had. Well, of course we did. I bolted for the front door leaving Joey and Mike behind. Never mind that I'd never met or even seen her before. I motioned for Mike to hurry up and dig his iPhone out for pictures. This was going to be good. And it was. There was not an inch of space in this house that wasn't covered with a pumpkin, dancing ghost, witch or skeleton. Her walls literally had no available space for hanging anything. Her living room was teeny tiny and had a large dog and two cats. The only open space was the couch (the old family room kind with the wood) that had a book on it. She must have been reading and saw us through the window. Mike took a bunch of pictures as I distracted her with small talk. In eight years of cleaning houses we've never been in one like this. I'm constantly amazed at how people keep their house. The people that you see out every day, the ones that are nice looking, nicely dressed, clean...they're houses can be the filthiest. I just don't get it.
Now for the important part. Let's see if I can load the pictures.
After dinner we decided to go for a walk to tire Joey out. We walked to the townhouses across the street to show Joey a "spooky house." This lady had more Halloween crap in front of her house. As we were standing there I said to Mike, "Can you imagine what the inside of her house looks like? It has to be filled with crap." Just then she came to the door and asked if we wanted to come in and see what she had. Well, of course we did. I bolted for the front door leaving Joey and Mike behind. Never mind that I'd never met or even seen her before. I motioned for Mike to hurry up and dig his iPhone out for pictures. This was going to be good. And it was. There was not an inch of space in this house that wasn't covered with a pumpkin, dancing ghost, witch or skeleton. Her walls literally had no available space for hanging anything. Her living room was teeny tiny and had a large dog and two cats. The only open space was the couch (the old family room kind with the wood) that had a book on it. She must have been reading and saw us through the window. Mike took a bunch of pictures as I distracted her with small talk. In eight years of cleaning houses we've never been in one like this. I'm constantly amazed at how people keep their house. The people that you see out every day, the ones that are nice looking, nicely dressed, clean...they're houses can be the filthiest. I just don't get it.
Now for the important part. Let's see if I can load the pictures.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Film Festivals and Movie Premiers
Last Sunday the film I co-wrote, Thanksgiving, was shown at the Image Out Film Festival. I honestly wasn't looking forward to going. I've only seen the finished film on my laptop (about fifteen times). But nothing compares to seeing something you wrote up on a big screen. It was shown at the Dryden Theater at the Eastman House. My dad and his wife and Mike were there, plus my girlfriend that I wrote the film with. It brought tears to my eyes to see my name on the screen as a writer. To have a gay audience laugh at gay jokes that I wrote was unforgettable.
Unfortunately after ours was a documentary over an hour long about gays, trans genders, etc. It took everything in me to sit through the entire thing. It was all over the place and didn't focus on anything in particular. I hated it, and I feel bad saying that because I realize how much other people loved it. If it had been about twenty minutes it would have been OK. But over an hour...yikes.
After we left, Mike realized he didn't have his iPhone with him. He blamed me saying I rushed him out of there after the documentary. Which is true. After two trips back to the Dryden, someone had found it and gave it back.
Tuesday night about eight films from the Summer Shorts Challenge through Rochester Movie Makers was shown at Water Street Music Hall. I was really excited to have The Drug Dealer play in front of an audience. Thanksgiving played again also. It meant so much to me that our friends, Zach and Lisa, came that night. I invited a lot of people and they're the only ones who came. Next time I have a film play, I'm not inviting anyone. I'm not trying to sound over dramatic like anyone would really care that I made a film, but it meant a lot to me. A year ago at this time I was ready to give up writing (not really, just threatening to) because I wasn't getting anywhere. Since January when I decided to take every writing opportunity that came my way, I co-wrote a film that played at a festival and wrote and directed another. That's a huge deal to me. But I do understand that it isn't a huge deal to anyone else. But, honestly, if someone I loved did something they were proud of, I'd be right there with them to celebrate. That's all I'm going to say about that.
Tuesday night was a sell-out at WSMH. We didn't think we'd make enough to pay for the bartender, bouncer, etc. but we made more than enough so the filmmakers didn't have to put in. I was a little disappointed by the Drug Dealer. The sound was horrible and a lot of the jokes didn't get laughs even though they did during script reads. There was a loud humming from the restaurant's air conditioner and the score (music) was way too loud. I was actually prouder of Thanksgiving. That got a lot of laughs, though as my gay friend/director pointed out, the gays laughed harder.
All in all it was an unforgettable week in my writing career.
Unfortunately after ours was a documentary over an hour long about gays, trans genders, etc. It took everything in me to sit through the entire thing. It was all over the place and didn't focus on anything in particular. I hated it, and I feel bad saying that because I realize how much other people loved it. If it had been about twenty minutes it would have been OK. But over an hour...yikes.
After we left, Mike realized he didn't have his iPhone with him. He blamed me saying I rushed him out of there after the documentary. Which is true. After two trips back to the Dryden, someone had found it and gave it back.
Tuesday night about eight films from the Summer Shorts Challenge through Rochester Movie Makers was shown at Water Street Music Hall. I was really excited to have The Drug Dealer play in front of an audience. Thanksgiving played again also. It meant so much to me that our friends, Zach and Lisa, came that night. I invited a lot of people and they're the only ones who came. Next time I have a film play, I'm not inviting anyone. I'm not trying to sound over dramatic like anyone would really care that I made a film, but it meant a lot to me. A year ago at this time I was ready to give up writing (not really, just threatening to) because I wasn't getting anywhere. Since January when I decided to take every writing opportunity that came my way, I co-wrote a film that played at a festival and wrote and directed another. That's a huge deal to me. But I do understand that it isn't a huge deal to anyone else. But, honestly, if someone I loved did something they were proud of, I'd be right there with them to celebrate. That's all I'm going to say about that.
Tuesday night was a sell-out at WSMH. We didn't think we'd make enough to pay for the bartender, bouncer, etc. but we made more than enough so the filmmakers didn't have to put in. I was a little disappointed by the Drug Dealer. The sound was horrible and a lot of the jokes didn't get laughs even though they did during script reads. There was a loud humming from the restaurant's air conditioner and the score (music) was way too loud. I was actually prouder of Thanksgiving. That got a lot of laughs, though as my gay friend/director pointed out, the gays laughed harder.
All in all it was an unforgettable week in my writing career.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Lighting a Fire
I am truly learning the benefits of a deadline. I've never really had one with writing before. But now, with less than three weeks to finish (and start) a screenplay, I'm suddenly very productive. I spent a few hours at the library today and wrote outline for my script. It was going to be a brief summery of the story for my writing friend I'm meeting tomorrow, but it ended up being four pages long. I wish I could have stayed at the library for a few more hours, but I can't abandon the family all weekend. Maybe I can squeeze in some more writing time tonight.
I'm at that fun stage where I zone out thinking about my characters, dialogue and scenes. I caught myself going over dialogue and talking out loud as I was walking out of the library. I also don't remember how I got home. I know I left the library, but I was so into "writing" the first scene in my head, I magically appeared home. Plotting while driving can be dangerous.
I'm at that fun stage where I zone out thinking about my characters, dialogue and scenes. I caught myself going over dialogue and talking out loud as I was walking out of the library. I also don't remember how I got home. I know I left the library, but I was so into "writing" the first scene in my head, I magically appeared home. Plotting while driving can be dangerous.
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