Tis The Season

Whirlwind of wonderful things! Where to begin?

Let's start with writing projects:

The script is going in an awesome direction. Brett finally had time to work on it and he turned the whole story around. And he wonders why I fight for his time. I guess I'm competing with paying jobs, so be it. Anyway, things are looking good! Definitely on track and moving forward.

The adaptation is getting closer. The co-writier I'm working with (author of the novel we're adapting) has a game plan in place and some strategies on who to give it to and all the politics involved. Very happy.

On the job front:

Yes, I've been waiting tables. And yes, it's leading to better things. I'm now being worked into a marketing position for the catering dept. I'm very happy about this and excited- I love being out in public talking to people and let's be honest; it's much easier to sell people a slab of ribs or a glass of wine than a car or a mortgage. And if the customer is unhappy? Free dessert always makes people happy.

Brett's been busy- so busy he can't go back to school next term. He's even managed to book me on one of his bigger shoots in January, in addition to a shoot I'm helping out on that's coming up in a couple weeks.

And on a vacation front, I leave for Mexico on the 22nd. Where do you buy a bikini in December? I should've paid attention when all the summer clothes were on clearance. CANNOT WAIT. Photos and video to follow.

We had a visitor a few days ago that wouldn't leave- a fluffy "older" kitten that insisted on making itself at home in our home. Didn't hesitate to run inside when the garage door was open or slip in behind us though the front door. We did the good samaritan thing and posted "found cat" signs. Turns out "Fudgestripe" was really "Chanel" who belongs to the kid a few houses down. She's been returned but he told me that if for any reason he had to give the cat away he'd let us keep her if we wanted. Good. Chanel will regain her new name Fudgestripe and all will be well in teh neighborhood of Pinot Ridge.

Well, I've got to start putting all the food together for the game. Civil War thing. Whatever. I'll report back when I return from Canada.

Post-Thanksgiving Day

This blog title came too easy- it's the title of one of my favorite songs by Rebecca Sanborn. Funny. Post-Thanksgiving here at out house is one big food hangover. We didn't eat that much- relatively speaking. We don't eat like that that often. So when we do, it takes a day or two to recover.

I did eat turkey to keep the peace. It's easier that way. I'm back on the vegetarian diet- the turkey tasted great, I just felt weird eating it. Turkeys are my friends and I don't eat friends. Sigh. Plus, I've got 25 days until I go to Mexico and I tried to fit into my shorts and bikini. When did I puff up so much? Puff is too kind a word. I'm fat. Looks like I'm going on a detox and raw diet. I could use it- I've been drinking so much coffee and consuming way too much sugar. Blech!

Brett's decided not to go back to school Winter term- thank God. He has some big projects for work coming up Jan-March and he is focusing on making his feature. The wheels are in motion! We're finishing up our big rewrites this weekend. At least we're making a list of all the big edits that need to happen which is huge considering he never has time for anything.

It's been awhile since I've made a film. Will be nice to be back on set, not getting sleep, developing ulcers... gotta love indie filmmaking ; )

Time is Flying

It feels like I was just in Austin a week ago- what gives? Way too much going on + the usual life chaos + buried in rewrites = no concept of time. People talk about how fast time goes by when you have kids. Try script rewrites. Yikes.

Long story short, Austin was awesome. The Calvin Marshall premiere was great- it's definitely a feel-good film and Steve Zahn gave a great performance. It's funny- Brett and I were ready to move to Austin sight unseen about 5 years ago when we were out in DC. It would have been fun for a couple years but the novelty would have worn off fast. Brett needs mountains, oceans, and all that stuff. It's so flat there- I would have gone crazy. Oh well, scratch that one off the list.

Meanwhile, we are really trying to get our script finished with the goal of filming it next year. As we get closer, I'll probably go on a real long hiatus from this blog and start one dedicated to film updates and development. TBD...

I'm going into work early today, this sacred Thanksgiving Eve. The manager wants me to help out in doing catering sales for the restaurant. Never done it before but that hasn't stopped me from jumping in head first in other areas of my life.

Happy Thanksgiving, gobble gobble, and here's to a great holiday season!

NetFlix

Get Into Wine is now available on NetFlix! Took long enough...

Leave for the hotel tomorrow night after work. Fly out at crack of dawn to Austin. Can't wait!

Script is ready to show people, adaptation is getting closer...

Life is good. Now if only I could lose 5 more pounds...

When Determination and Inspiration Meet Halfway

Isn't that compromise? I've got to get this first draft of the adaptation gone but I keep going in circles. Everything is there, just can't pull it together. I think I let too much time lapse while writing.

Ugh.

Small Steps

Now that I've taken a deep breath... Sigh. I'm much better.

I finished the 2nd draft of the script (untitled camping story) that we are aiming to film in the Spring 2010. Booked flight and bought pass to Austin Film Festival, and plan to have the 1st draft of the adaptation done by end of month...

Busy? Yes. Stressed about everything else going on in life- work, finances, relationships? Always.

Off The Radar

I'll be checking out of life for a little bit. I'll catch up with my blog when I have a better grasp on my life and what's going on around me.

Nice weather we've been having, eh?

Autumn...

but it feels like July! Best night ever- warm, starry night, and an avocado Gouda sandwich. Life is good...

No Guac!

Brett bought me an amazing book titled, "No Guac." It's all about guacamole recipes and preparation to go head-to-head in any guacamole/avocado fueled competition. Did you know that the avocado is in constant competition with the mango for the title of world's sexiest food? I can put away 2-3 avocados in a sitting. Now that I know this sexy food-thing has like 30 grams of fat each I'll curb my enthusiasm.

Today was interesting. I went in for more training this morning and this afternoon. Go back in the morning to finish up... I didn't remember there being so much training the first time I worked at this restaurant. It's good, though. My training was pretty crappy when I originally started. Brett on the other hand took off for a commercial shoot for a bottled water company. Tomorrow his short film "The Cowboy Way" screens in Baker City for the town's fall festival. Let's be honest though, the only real item of importance is tonight's season premiere of "The Office."

Did I mention I didn't get any sleep last night and ended up sleeping all day? Minor detail.

I have follow-up emails to send out tomorrow on some projects I've been working on and some things coming up on this horizon. I'm excited about what the future holds, just not sure when and where it will play out.

My friend Tanya, called me today and left a message that she wants to meet tomorrow morning- she has some wine-related idea she wants to talk to me about. I'm game.

A New Day

When I woke up this morning I decided I was going to accomplish something, make some progress on a project, have something to feel good about at the end of the day. I narrowed my focus down to Brett's script and fully developing the backstory. Mission accomplished! We might be able to implement these ideas sooner than I thought. Bodies in motion stay in motion.

Twitter Whore

Um, yeah, so... Okay, it's not so bad as it sounds...

I've got 2 Twitter accounts: jillremensnyder and getintowine. I'm trying to merge everyone into a happy family and have been adding all my Get Into Wine peeps to JillRemensnyder twitter-world... is that incestuous or what? I'm the same person living 2 identities... Jill Remensnyder the writer who paces all day acting out dialogue and (now) waiting tables in her off time... Then there's Get Into Wine, the education wine dvd entity that most people think is masculine (sigh) and I talk food and wine. Can I be both people? Can I be Jill GetIntoWine Remensnyder?

I'm 3/4's of a way thru a bottle right now... that counts for something, right?

24/7

I'll admit- watching Dateline and 48 Hours (any court tv show, to be honest) makes me feel so much better about my life. I've never stolen millions, killed for insurance money, stolen identities and other newsworthy atrocities. These shows keep me grounded, I guess. But if I ever go off the deep-end I'll sure know how to do it...

Today has been bittersweet. It's the 2 year anniversary of my friend losing her husband in a mining accident. I logged onto Facebook to see if she'd posted anything or updates her status to clue her friends in on how she was coping. In the process I learned (via FB) that one of my former classmates lost her husband today- still not sure what happened but there was enough information posted through other people's sympathies to draw conclusions. Very sad.

I'm trying to rethink one of my stories and I'm hung up on my heroine's voice. The original drafts reflected a darker humor, more tongue in cheek but rather unlikeable characters- the latter drafts were a more honest, dramatic portrait of a family going thru a major life change. I'd like to merge the dark humor into the latter draft. I'm toying around with the idea of my character being portrayed in the more honest light with an inner dialogue that is more pessimistic and we see her change more on the inside vs. the outer. BUT- I don't know which narrative style is going to serve the story best- First person is easy. Third person would allow me a lot more flexibility to explore all the characters... I'd like my first person narrative to also explain and tell the stories of the other characters- almost like the story is being told in hindsight. Oh, I don't know what I want. I just need to make it work.

Moving along to other items... I'll start my draft of Brett's script soon. I need to take a look at the story we have and how we're going to weave the backstory in. The adaptation is moving along slowly, the webisodes are on hold until I get feedback/direction..., and who knows what else. Thursday I'm back to waiting tables "full-time" and still on-call with the casting company. Now I just need a winning lotto ticket. That would solve everything.

I did go to Portland State today to drop some papers off for Brett. That campus has come along way. When I went there (94-99) it was the most uninviting pitstop set amidst a beautiful park. Now the trolly runs through campus, the campus is expanded- takes up half of downtown it seems, and the student age is younger. Sigh. I wanted to go back to school this Fall and pursue a more user-friendly degree. Business Admin, Computer Science, you get the picture. Unfortunately, it's $50 admission fee- $50 that I don't have and need for things like fuel, water bills, life in general... Maybe another time, right?

All The Leaves are Brown. Like Dirt.

Why is it that whenever I really put my mind to something I end up creating more obstacles for myself. And when I'm not focused on my goals I'm more on top of things and I'm achieving my goals and living my dreams at maximum capacity? Why?

Now that I'm totally focused on what I need to do, nothing is coming together and I'm officially "the pudgy girl"- with a great personality. Ugh. WHY?

It's bad enough Patrick Swayze died today, but now I'm faced with the reality my size 4 seat is going more in the direction of a size 6 vs the size 2 I have my eyes on. Like I wasn't going to console my Dirty Dancing loss with maple bars, Sun Chips, and a lot of other crap. WHY?

Damn, I'm good at making up excuses. I guess I need to shut up, pull up my bootstraps, and get to work. Seriously.

The Summer Wind... Blows

The leaves are changing color, the days are getting longer, and there's a distinct feel of "change" in the air. I'm looking forward to the change. Summer wasn't especially fulfilling- a lot of great projects have been started but nothing to really show for as of yet. Meanwhile, lack of work and cash-flow has put a choke-hold on the household. Hopefully everything will be resolved within the next month.

We ventured out into wine country last night and after a couple stops in Carlton we landed in McMinnville at the Hotel Oregon on the Roof Top Bar. The most annoying group of people sat at the table next to us- reminded me of those happy groups featured in the Olive Garden commercials. The best quote from the table was a girl ordering a White Russian and her friend announcing, "But you're lactose intolerant. Is that a good idea?"

My healthy eating habits are long gone and I need to get back into the swing of things. Sigh. And exercise. Sigh. Blah. Moving on.

Brett is going to continue writing throughout the next week- see how far he can get and then hand it off to me. Not so willingly, but because of time constraints. We have very different writing styles and we have trouble explaining and seeing eye to eye on story elements. Hopefully I can jump in and work out some of the kinks and problems... We'd like to start filming next Spring.

And on that note, I need to clean house.

Back In The Saddle

Last night Becca joined me for a couple bottles of wine, lots of bread, cheese, and hummus. We were surprisingly not as drunk as you'd think. We actually got a lot of work done on the creative front. The timing was perfect as I needed a pick-me-up from my pseudo-mid-life-crisis. Over a year ago- maybe closer to 2- Becca and I started recording two of my projects as audio books. We had false starts and stopped work. She's offered to record both stories in her free time in her home-recording studio. Nice! It's in her hands- if she wants to add music, vocals, etc it's all her call and I can't wait to hear what she does. We also devised a plan to film little scenes on a weekly basis just to keep our creative edge sharp and stabby. Should be interesting.

I'm going to try and do a lot more journaling. Then I can regurgitate it all in blog form.

The garage door just went up and Brett's home. Gotta go.

A Quandary

What constitutes a mid-lfe crisis? Technically I'm 33 and since 50 is like the new 40 maybe I'm still too young to worry about this. I took a mental inventory of my life- the good, the bad, victories, defeats and everything in between. Needless to say I didn't get much sleep. My bad characteristics outweigh all my good, my failures trump my successes, my skills and experience don't match what I earn... When I really boiled everything down the only real solid thing I could come up with is that I can make an amazing grilled cheese sandwich. Right now the biggest competition in my life is that $100 panini maker my mother-in-law gave us last Christmas.

I've spent the last 12 years focusing on film production and writing and am still struggling to get a break. I get close but never seem to pull things together. Maybe I set my goals too high? Maybe I'd rather work toward lofty goals that I have little chance of reaching vs. setting low standards followed by goals that a slug could attain. I started to think I was being too hard on myself but I've settled with being brutally honest.

Every so often I require a small break-down that includes tearing myself apart. It makes me take better stock of myself when I put the pieces back together, I guess. Lost some sleep, shed some tears, but surprisingly gained some insight and a clearer vision of the big picture.

Still writing, still creating, still focused on my dreams. Oh yeah, and that DVD I purchased, the fitness one? Yeah, I'm doing that, too. Back to the grind...

Back To Work

Finally! Employment! And you know what the frustrating part about all this is? The job was there all along- I just ignored it. I've gone back to waiting tables at the restaurant I used to work at prior to selling cars. Hopefully now there will be some balance in my life. Granted- I loved being able to work on my writing and focus on other projects this summer, but I found I take my free time for granted.

Speaking of taking things for granted and misusing free time- I've really packed on the pounds. Yes- did the master cleanse and lost 9 pounds when all was said and done... but most of it was water weight. I don't think I was as toxic as most people. As it stands now I've put 4 of the 9 pounds back on. I'm still wanting to take off about ten pounds that has taken up residence on my ass and hips. (Never a good sign when your baggy jeans that you normally can't wear because they fall off your hips fit like a glove.) What I can't figure out- and if you're a nutritionist or fitness expert I welcome your thoughts- how is it that I managed to add 2 inches on my waist and 2 inches on my hips but lost on inch in my chest? Seriously? Did it just go south for the winter or is this normal? Please advise...

So the solution to this summer weight gain (besides crying and stuffing more ice-cream in my face) was the purchase of some fitness DVD last night at Target. I have the NYC Ballet Workout, Yoga, Pilates DVDS and they look very impressive on display with the other DVDS. I swear I'm going to do this one- I swear. Ultimately Id like to get back into shape so I can go back to dance. In college I took bellydance and was going to transition back into ballet and tap (tap being my ultimate favorite thing) but that was put on hold when Brett and I started dating. He had issues with it to say the least. Now, ten years later, he's okay with me getting back into dance and all that flexible stuff. Thanks. So, the idea is to get in good enough shape where I can show up at the dance studio and not feel completely foolish. We'll see how that turns out...

I'm still working on some writing projects. Things are a lot more streamlined and simplified now. I don't feel like I'm having to grasp at so many things. Everything will fall into place as needed. I think. I hope. We'll see.

I'm off to work. I'm definitely going to need some flair.

Cleanse this, sucka.

Update: Detox brings out all the chemicals and the bitchier side of one's self. I haven't been the "master cleanser" and I admit to consuming a couple of oranges, some beer, a piece of toast, tomatoes, watermelon and a snickerdoodle cookie from a rest area. God bless those church volunteers with their coffee and cookies. Whatever- everything in moderation. I've lost 6 pounds. And developed a bad attitude.

We were in Seattle last couple days filming. Now I need to mastermind costumes for the John Hughes breakfast brunch tribute/Happy Birthday Dayn party. Brett and I plan on going as Clark and Ellen Griswold.

Back to my lemon/maple/cayenne gruel. It's really growing on me in a sick gum-burning-rot-your-stomach-lining sort of way.

Master Cleansing (of the soul)

Today is Day 1 of the Master Cleanse. A couple reasons why I chose to do this... 1. It's good to clear the toxins and get a clean start every so often, and 2. No one has had the heart to tell me how much weight I've gained over the summer (10 pounds to be exact) and I'm hoping this jump starts my weight loss.

What's especially troubling is that I eat relatively healthy and get exercise. And the fact that I'm unemployed, I have more than enough time on my hands to work out. Also troubling is that a lot of this is brought on by writer's block. I've already organized my shoes, wardrobe and office several times all summer. Here is yet another distraction to keep me from sitting down and facing the blank page.

Back to the cleanse- so, Day 1. I'm drinking the lemon/maple syrup/cayenne concoction for the next 10 days. I'll continue to exercise at night- I refuse to be one of those half-assed runners gasping for air you see as you drive to work. No one wants to see that. At least I can hide my pained and tortured looks and sweat-soaked clothes in the dark. So far the most important thing I've learned about this fast is this: WHEN MEASURING CAYENNE PEPPER DO NOT EYEBALL OR GUESSTIMATE THE QUANTITY. They invented measuring spoons for a reason. I'm breathing fire as we speak- but I kinda like it.

I've got my favorite pair of jeans hanging up in my office staring me down, a reminder of days gone by (that would be June of this year) and I also have a picture of a chocolate bunny on the refrigerator with the quote "The enemy will often disguise himself as a friend." Weight loss and detox is definitely comparable to The Art of War.

Meanwhile, I do have some reading to do, phone calls to make... and then writing. Wait- I have some cleaning to do and some errands to run as well. Stay tuned for Day 2...

My So-Called Subjective Reality

I'm able to see things for what they are. Some call me a pessimist or Little Miss Bad Attitude- I prefer to introduce myself as a realist. I knew the job search would be tough, would take awhile, but expected to land a job within a couple weeks. Hmm. Maybe the correct statement would be: I see things the way I want to see them. I see myself as employable. I am a delightful person everyone wants to spend time with but I'm always too busy to make time... See where I'm going with this? Get the idea what type of day I'm having? Grrrr.

Yes, unemployment has become a burden. Love the idea of all this "extra" time on my hands to tackle my writing projects. Got to get a jump-start on some projects we've been trying to develop for some time now. Played housewife- that was fun for awhile, too. But reality always pulls the trump card. Money talks. That and a little structure goes a long way.

Here's what's been going on the past two months in no particular order: Still working on the script adaptation, still working on the web series although I'm in a little bit of a holding pattern. Brett and I've grown our stock photography library by too many files to count. Go figure the moment we really focus on this our downloads almost come to a complete stop along with the cash-flow. We've got our next project figured out and have been chipping away on the story all summer. Three of Brett's films aired on OPB (Oregon Public Broadcasting) last night. Included were "The Leeward Tide", "The Cowboy Way", and "Mood:Reflective". We had friends over for a little party- can't get too wild on a Monday night. (Actually, I don't have a job to get up for so I guess I can.) There's always discussion about picking up and moving away, staying here, traveling here and there. These plans are always TBD. Went to McKee's Story Seminar in July, almost caught on fire 4th of July and the AC went out in my Cabrio when the temps hit 107 here in Portland.

That's the recap. Here are links to watch "The Cowboy Way" and "Mood:Reflective" and "The Leeward Tide."

What would I like to figure out before the end of summer? Learn Flash, figure out whether or not I'm going back to school, finish what I've started. Sounds easy. We'll see.

The Birthday Girl

Today is my birthday- 33 years and counting.

First and foremost, I have a camping report to detail... Secondly, I have birthday extravaganzanessism to share. That's right, extravagenessismismism.

But that will come tomorrow. Today has been way too much for me. I can't remember ever having a birthday with such beautiful weather (sunny, 80 F, blue skies yielding to a warm evening...) and so many e-mails and phone calls to wish me a happy birthday. Thank you, everyone! And thank you, Facebook, for being my connection to everyone in the cyber world.

Good nite, I'll get you caught up tomorrow...

Here comes summer...

I've been absolutely buried in work- yet I love what I do so it's kinda like drowning in chocolate. My dark comedy has taken a very dramatic turn, the web series on working on is gaining momentum, the author I'm co-writing the adaptation with is really on track and going awesome... and I've been back in the casting office more which I love- I'm a people person and love getting to chat with the actors as they come and go.

Our trip to western land was amazing- granted we didn't get all the interviews we wanted (mainly because I had limited- that means "no" internet access) but it worked out.

In no particular order here are a few photos from the trip. They include me and the turtle I saved from the highway that was about to become a pancake via semi-truck and me and a yellow bellied marmot...




Brett did finish his cowboy movie- for the time being... It's a short as of now buy still fun and effective. He also made a little movie about making a sandwich last night. Here they are:



And The Cowboy Way...

Last but not least here's my new haircut. I cut off ten inches and donated it...



On a side note, I'm still eating vegetarian-style. I haven't tried the full vegan diet yet only because I'm still exploring all my food options. And I love cheese too much! I've been caffeine-free just as long and had my first cup of (decaf) coffee today- I definitely miss the taste, that's for sure.

The only other thing I'm thinking about is applying to NBC's writer's program but the deadline is the end of the month and I'd need a spec script to submit and I don't have anything handy. I'd really have to get my butt in gear to pursue that one but I'm game... the worst that can happen is get rejected.

On the Road Again

Catching a plane to Denver this afternoon. I'm excited- the itinerary includes Rocky Mt. National Park, on to Cheyenne for the Mrs. Wyoming pageant, out to Western Nebraska and then back to Denver. Brett's cowboy documentary is in full swing- Not quite sure what we'll come upon but we'll have a camera there to document it!

I'll blog and upload pictures, etc when I'm back in Portland- I know better than to think I'll do it on the road. Besides, I've got some other writing projects going on that need my full attention.

In the meantime, I've got to finish packing and head out to Ponzi Wine Bar to pick up some NW Bounty DVDs. Cheers!

Fry Daddy Knows No Boundaries

Brett insisted on busting out the Fry Daddy to make french fries. It's a big one, too. Big Fry Daddy = lots of oil and me having to clean up the mess. I ran around the kitchen trying to come up with additional things to fry. Mozzarella sticks (hand breaded in Italian breadcrumbs) was the only thing I could come up with. Critical info, right?

I want to assemble all my favorite recipes into an easy access computer file- or at least catalog the ones I like in the cookbooks. I'm notorious for finding a recipe I like but then forgetting I have it. There's got to be a better way...

I'm going to start contacting all my twitter contacts who are food/wine people to ask them for recipe ideas they can stand behind and suggest. My only goal is one thing- to find proven recipes that I can serve/consume/etc.

If you have a recipe you'd like to share, I'm all ears. Thanks!

Weekend Plans

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us and the weather is suspiciously perfect- makes me think a late season blizzard will descend in June. Mid 70's rock! I'm talking temperature, not music.

Brett spent the last week in Baker City working on his cowboy documentary. He's pretty stoked about it. We're going to Denver next weekend (along with Cheyenne and Western Nebraska) in search of more cowboy stuff. Specifically cowboy poets and any sort of chuckwagon cook-off competitions. The footage looks great. I've only seen a few clips but I like what I see!

I usually have too many plates spinning, not sure which ones are going to fall and break. I'm finally in a situation where I can focus my energies on a few specific plates so to speak. The treatment for the adaptation is coming along- tomorrow I'm knocking out my revisions to email back to the author. I'm working on my own rewrites- or should I say overhaul- of my script. It's coming together. All in good time, right? I've also been involved in the early stages of a web series- it's in very early stages but I'm really excited about it- it's the kind of content I've been wanting to do but didn't know where to even start.

My friend, Vu, approached me with a short script he wrote looking for some feedback and producing notes/ideas. It's really a beautiful story and I have some ideas for him- there might be some resistance, though. I'd really like to help produce on it but it's not ready yet. Coincidentally, he's in the new Harrison Ford movie shooting in town, Crowley/The Untitled Crowley Project. He plays one of the research scientists helping Brendan Fraser find a cure for his kids. He plays Wu Chow and has major screen time. Know what else is cool? Now on his resume, right after "Crowley" my film "Breach of Etiquette" will be listed. Hee hee.

So far the vegan/vegetarian thing is going smoothly. I've had some parmesan cheese but other than that I've not really had any animal product. It's funny- I really don't miss or crave it- same with the caffeine. I do have the occasional salt craving which is an easy fix of tomato sprinkled with sea salt. I've been on a watermelon binge this weekend. That and hummus. And spinach. And those wicked crazy whole grain energy bars from Costco- the ones they sell in the round tubs. Dee-lish.

Brett just put the movie Milk on so I need to watch. By the way- check out the movie Eagle vs Shark. It's New Zealand's answer to Napoleon Dynamite.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. I have no children, just a rabbit, so I'm not on the receiving end of this holiday. I'm a giver, not a taker. After a painful church service Brett and I went out for Chinese with his mother, sister, and grandmother. I ate broccoli and brown rice. Exciting, huh?

I've recently jumped into a vegan lifestyle- or at least I'm trying to. I read in detail about what goes on in slaughterhouses, chemicals fed to animals and on and on and on. I've heard this stuff before but it really resonated this time. Ugh- what it really comes down to is I love animals and I don't want to eat fuzzy friends. I've also cut out caffeine, dairy, focused on eating fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of water... I'm not trying to preachy or on a soapbox- it's a personal decision and that's that.

I'm still feeding Brett meat- that's fine. We had a dinner party Friday and I served homemade Italian meatballs (veal/ground sirloin) and pasta with all the extra stuff... This will take some adjusting as I used to be a major carnivore. I welcome and appreciate any advice on meatless/animal product food recipes and where to shop, etc.

Meanwhile, writing has commenced. I'm getting ready for the rewrite on my script. While I feel I took the feedback well and will be able to use it in the best interest of my story, there was only one bit of feedback I didn't handle well. We'll see how that plays out. I can't get upset over good intentions but... I did.

Last week I entered into an agreement regarding the novel that's being adapted into a screenplay. I will be co-writing the script with the novel's original author. Right now we're just getting started on combing thru the working treatment, making adjustments and story strengthening. I need to get all my notes out in an email- I'll tackle that tomorrow. I feel really good about this project- can't wait to see where this journey takes me.

Brett's been busy too- between school and work he's been putting in 12+ hour days. He flies out tomorrow to film an interview with Bo Jackson in Atlanta on Tuesday then right back. I can't keep track of what he's working on- lots of editing. He just shot and is editing a TV pilot, finished a mini-doc on the local zamboni driver, and editing on a Nike spec spot. There's a bunch more but I forget.

Things to come this month- trip to Denver, Cheyenne to attend the Mrs. Wyoming pageant (his cousin's wife is competing) and beginning of June back to BC. I'll update as things develop.

Don't forget to call your mom...

5/5

Happy Cinco de Mayo. I got lunch at Baja Fresh to celebrate. Good times. I'll be back with more information. Things are shifting and changing hour to hour around here.

Signing off!

Bodies In Motion Stay in Motion

Garden Update:

8 tomato plants in the ground, 10 stalks of corn planted, roses growing with reckless abandon, pinot noir vines blooming in need of proper support, strawberries exploding everywhere, blueberry plant covered in white blossoms, olive tree being all olivey and stuff, and a mowed lawn... it looks like it's under control now but I guarantee it will be pure chaos in about 2 months. My apologies to the neighbors whose walkway is adjoined to my backyard. They quit talking to me a long time ago so I'm not going to sweat it.

I got my first round of feedback on my script- it was much better than I expected. I didn't cry like I usually do. Nor did I go on a hate jog- the anger fueled runs I occasionally take around the neighborhood ripping myself apart on how the world hates me. (I could use one, I've gotten a little on the puffy side). I need to restructure my story, amplify my turning points, make my characters more likable (identified as too selfish), knock off about 20-25 pages, and then some. Little changes.

I'm okay with that. First drafts don't count, right?

Meanwhile, I'm refocusing on wine related projects. Promoting the Get Into Wine DVD, networking with other wine contacts to work with, and still trying to get my affairs in order to produce video podcasts on local winemakers and vineyards. This is fun and I almost feel guilty working on these projects. Oh, wait... work CAN be fun. I forgot.

I'm about to start work on an adaptation of a book that's reached bestseller status- it's an amazing story and I feel very blessed to be approached to write the screenplay. I can't wait to get all the i's dotted and t's crossed with agreements and contracts- then I can start writing. I'm hesitant about doing anything without some sort of agreement in writing. It protects anyone and I was taught at an early age that you should put everything in writing- honest people have nothing to hide. Even if it's to the sum of "be fair, have fun" something in writing is better than nothing.

Two other plates spinning with film projects... updates to follow as things come together.

Right now I have to hunt down dinner for my husband. Frozen dinner, probably. Later...

May Day

Garden Update: I bought 5 corn stalks last night. I have no idea where I'm going to put all this stuff...

May Flowers?

I wish I could say the April showers are behind us but I know better. All I know is May is less than 24 hours away and the flowers are about to hit full force. Bring on the sunshine, flowers, pollen and allergy meds.

Last night marked the first major overhaul on my script- changed up a couple minor things that have huge effect on the protagonist and the overall feel of the story- but in a good way. Obviously. The story seems to click now and is a lot more approachable. From a producing standpoint it's a lot easier to swallow as well. This project is very "do-able" and I feel even better presenting it as a low-budget project. My main concern is getting Brett's film going- we've discussed the story in and out, visuals, characters, arcs, music, everything. Now we just need to hunker down and get a solid treatment as a blueprint for the first draft.

We are also embarking on a large scale international project that is just starting to pick up momentum. We're at the stage of lacing up the running shoes and stretching out- if you want to take an athletic approach to where we stand. Until emails start getting returned, research completed, and a solid game plan comes into effect I'm in a holding pattern.

I've got some other things cooking- better to have multiple plates spinning. Bodies in motion stay in motion.

After a year+ of neglecting the back yard I weed-whacked and mowed my way thru close to 2 feet of grass. It still has some trouble spots but is a major improvement compared to what it was before. Now to figure out the best strategy for the 6 tomato plants I bought at Costco. A bit of a disappointment- supposed to be an organic salsa kit but I grabbed one that didn't contain peppers. However I do have 6 extremely varied tom plants that should yield a bounty of veggies this summer.

Preparing for the Blazer game tonight. I don't think Brett can handle a loss. I don't think the neighbors can handle the swearing and yelling coming from the upstairs TV room. Oy.

And, per Brett's request, I have to mention Oliver, my rabbit. Ver.

Blazed

4 point game with 4.3 seconds left on the clock, Houston's lead. Very tense times here in front of the television. We raced home from Seattle to watch the game. Saturday morning we drove up to Vancouver BC via Whidbey Island and then over to La Conner to see the tulips. Usually I don't care for stuff like that and can get enough satisfaction looking at a postcard or hearing someone else tell me about their experience. The colors were amazing- over saturated fields of red and yellow.

And the Blazers just lost. Hopefully the neighbors will disregard the swearing and sound of walls being punched. Sigh.

As I was saying, Vancouver BC is always a nice place to visit. The warm weather really surprised me- it really felt like a vacation! We stayed at the Pan Pacific Hotel down at the waterfront. The Saturday Nite Opera Buffet was an added bonus! We had a great view of the water and spent a majority of our time in the room watching seaplanes taxi and take off from the water down below.

One of my guilty pleasures when in Canada is the Tim Horton Honey Cruller. I gorged on these and will need at least a month in the gym to undo the damage. Not to mention all the other food I plowed thru during the weekend. The duty free shop on the border provided us with great discounts on hard cider (apple and peach) and lots of vodka.

From there Brett dropped me off at Lucy's baby shower in Seattle. She's due in July but looked like she could go in to labor any given moment. She's from Brazil (as were half the people in attendance at the party- and it was a party!) and it was an endless parade of Brazilian food and lots of cake and candies. It was hard to leave but we needed to get home for the game.

Back to work tomorrow morning.

I've got my work cut out for me with editing and uploading footage. Brett has to review all the footage and do some color correction but after that I've got enough to keep me glued to my computer all week. Meanwhile, we're trying to get this international project up and running, carving time out for Brett to write, me waiting for word on the writing project I was approached on... and who knows what else.

Bodies in motion stay in motion, they say.

Back On Track

So, I had been blogging under an iWeb page I set up but it was just one more thing to deal with... so I'm back. Some of you may have noticed I deleted my older blogger posts. Yes, it's true. Don't worry- it was fluffy stuff. Nothing important.

I'm back to freelance film production and things are busy. Still on call at the casting company, but at least now I know I can focus on creating my own work, work for others, and a bit of freedom vs. the 9-5. I don't do well in 9-5 situations. I get nervous, antsy, and usually end up shelving my dreams and hopes... My God, just like a circus elephant beaten down by being chained up and contained in a little cage. Sigh...

Brett's in Vegas at NAB. I committed to going too late- no time to register and have a solid game plan. Luckily Brett and his cousin have a plan and I'm left at home to defend the homestead. That and edit footage and plan upcoming shoots.

Still waiting for feedback on one of my scripts. Yes, that's directed at the people who haven't gotten back to me. A little help? Brett has an amazing story that I totally want to see filmed- just need to create time for him to focus on it. No pressure. Yet another hint for all the time-eaters to back off and let us work. (Insert big smiley face... here.)

Need to get to sleep now, start early in the morning. Good night and good luck.

Six Years & Counting

(From Sunday, April 12, 2009)

Easter is my favorite time of year- I love Spring! Today is also my 6 year wedding anniversary. I can’t believe how fast time has flown by. And I’ve accomplished so little.

Big changes are in the works that I will write about later. I’m going to enjoy the rest of my holiday and marital bliss. I do this by eating Easter candy. I’ll be back later...

Limbo

(From Wednesday, April 8, 2009)

It’s cold again. I mean, winter cold. I mean, like, I should unpack my winter clothes kind of cold. Damn. Thank God my convertible has awesome heat that blasts turbo-high.

I’ve taken an inventory of all the little things I have going on. I combed through my emails and discovered a couple people I need to send DVDs out to which is always good, I’ve got weird little inquiries coming in via twitter on the “jill” side as well as “Get Into Wine.” The ball is starting to roll and gather some speed on the new writing project, waiting for first round of feedback on the first draft of my comedy, and I’ve got lines out on a few other projects. I’ve learned to be patient and to wait with a smile.

I feel like if need be, I can let go of my current position at the casting company. I’m like a hamster in a wheel there and I don’t foresee any growth on the horizon. Sigh.

Brett and I shot some test footage for a new camera apparatus type dealy-bobber he added to his collection. Joy! We’re looking to use this set-up this summer on his feature. More to come as that develops. Last night I started brainstorming resources as far as those who can contribute in crew/in-kind goods as well as those who are good at fundraising. I’m not- hands down, not shy about it.

Let’ see how it goes- everything on all levels.

Foreshadowing

(From Monday, April 6, 2009)

I have to start by saying it is absolutely beautiful outside. These are the kind of Spring mornings I live for! It’s supposed to be in the mid-70’s today and yesterday was like a mild summer day. Bring on the short shorts and tank tops!

Brett and I had an amazing day snowboarding at Timberline Saturday. Until you crash into a foot or more of powder you haven’t lived! The perfect day for Brett to celebrate his 10 week anniversary of breaking his collarbone.

I had an unusual email waiting for me this morning. I signed up for these motivational quotes to be emailed daily- this was like a few years ago. They’re usually waxing poetic on fortune cookies and the like- just a little dose of wisdom to start the day. Today’s was odd- instead of the small font and three quotes semi-imbedded into a newsletter it was one quote in big bold print with nothing else attached:

“Nothing changes until something moves.”
Wow. Hit me like a ton of bricks. Lately I’ve been at a crossroad. My job has the potential to turn into something awesome but so far it has not hit the mark. There’s been too much drama, too little of management holding up their end of the deal. Do I wait it out and hope things get better? Suffering in the meantime?
Or do I move and create change? I have several opportunities waiting for me but until I do something, stir the pot a bit, nothing will change.
Today will be interesting... I’m coming out ahead of this one. Guaranteed.

Spring This!

(From Tuesday, March 31, 2009)

April. Ugh. We’re a third into the year and I’ve got nothing to show for. Time to rally, huh?

Last night I put together a notebook for all my current projects. (They’ve been cluttering the house in neat little piles screaming for a new home in the form of a three ring binder.) I have 7 projects floating around... This includes a some things down the road that won’t take shape for another couple months or so but still need attention- in addition to a few things already in various stages of taking form.

There have been some rather unfavorable turn of events as of late. So much so I’m revisiting the idea of moving to a new location. My love affair with Portland is over for now and I feel an adventure coming on...

Until then, I need to push ahead with my projects and hope for the best. Amen!

New Day, New Attitude...

(From Tuesday, March 24, 2009)

I’m troubled by the news. Unemployment, AIG, plane crashes... starving elk near Mt. St. Helens. Not too long ago I was advised to quit watching the news because it was too negative. This just left me completely uniformed and looking like a complete idiot when conversation would turn to current events.

I’m not going to get down, though. For what it’s worth. Keep on trucking, right?

My weekend in Baker City was amazing- highlights include good food, amazing wines and the opportunity to meet even more amazing and fascinating people. Brett and I’ve often discussed moving out there but then it comes back to employment... followed by AIG, plane crashes and starving wild life. A great place to visit, even better place to live if you have means to support yourself out there or find work in the region.

I’ve been dreading returning to work. After a picture/file naming snafu last week that spiraled out of control and ate up everyone’s time- let’s just say I bought a generous amount of lotto tickets looking for the easy way out. I’ve no problem with taking ownership for my mistakes, it’s the dissection and careful analysis of my mistakes and faults that I struggle with. I’m notorious for having to have the last word and I’ve become better at biting my tongue. New day, new attitude- not going to let it bother me...

I’m pretty excited over some of the projects materializing as of late... fingers crossed things fall into place. I’m on page 97 of my script- the last 10 pages though have been a mess. I knew I was going to struggle with these scenes- looked great on paper in outline/treatment form and talking the scenes through out loud but now I’m not so sure I made the best decisions. I know there’s an answer- an easy solution 10x better than what I have I just don’t see it right now. Thank God for rewrites.

Meanwhile, I’m hassling Brett over the story he came up with. The story is so simple, execution of the project fairly easy, two great roles... now all we need is time. And money.

Which leads to the last little piece for today that goes with my “turn that frown upside down” attitude adjustment pep talk. A year or two ago on some news show they interviewed a young woman- the inventor of Spanks- about how it all came to be.

She used to sell copy machines business to business, sometimes kicked out/escorted out by security. Some people would really get down by this. But everyday her father would ask her, “How did you fail today?” This wasn’t about dwelling on the negative, it was a chance to reflect on what didn’t work and try a different approach. It was more of an opportunity to figure out how to succeed.

Take it or leave it.

Business As Usual

(From Saturday, March 21, 2009)

We’re in Baker City killing many birds with one stone and maiming a few squirrels and raccoons along the way. We have some business to tend to with clients. The timing couldn’t be better- it’s Wine Weekend at the Geiser Grand Hotel. Great networking and relation building opportunities. I also came out here to seek refuge and finish the last 20 or so pages of my script without interruptions...

On the way Brett and I started brainstorming ideas, kicking around thoughts on story ideas and Brett came up with a great story that took over the dinner conversation, only to be fueled by all the martinis and wine we drank along the way. I woke up at 4AM still thinking about it and couldn’t get back to sleep for a few hours. I wanted to get out of bed and “get to work” but knew Brett would kill me. At breakfast the discussion picked up right where it left off the night before.

Maybe it’s because Spring is officially here, the days are longer, warmer weather- I could go on and on- but I am suddenly so energized and refreshed ready to get back to working on a film. Life is good.

On a tangent- next weekend is Ghost Hunting weekend at the hotel. After all it is haunted so it only makes sense to have TAPS investigators come out and lead investigations. We’ve had a few “spooky” encounters here but nothing as of late (personally). I’ll throw this out- take it or leave it- our house is haunted. That’s another blog for another day. And would make for some great video footage... Anyway, it’s out in the open now.

***

We got some great footage today in Haines, Oregon. A thunderstorm is passing overhead and dumping rain as I write this. The Blazer game is at half-time, I’m on page 90 of my script- which is an understatement since the last back up to idisk can’t be opened so there’s a page and a half missing/floating around in cyber-land. On tap this evening is a 4 course dinner paired with a variety of wine.

Post-St. Patrick’s Day

(From Wednesday, March 18, 2009)

I’ve been procrastinating starting this blog- let alone this website- for over a year. My goal is to streamline all the social networks I’ve joined down to one spot. I became addicted to joining every sort of group available- and if it was for a specialized networking group that I didn’t quite fit into... I’d create a false identity to join. I also found that I’d spread myself so thin I could barely manage my updates and emails. Not to mention all the unique usernames and passwords that go with the territory. I actually started to log all this info in a notebook for easy reference.

Back to the whole “getting back to basics” spiel... Instead of keeping separate blogs on film, writing, wine and my pseudo-obsessive compulsive disorder (it sounds nicer than referring to oneself as neurotic) I’m going to throw it all down and see what sticks. Like spaghetti on the wall...

Currently I’m keeping busy finishing up a script, our wine DVD, trying to find a cost-effective plan for producing a series of video podcasts, planning for some film projects later this year and a bunch of other little things that aren’t worth mentioning.

I work at a casting company in Portland and it’s about to get very busy this Spring so I’m in sort of a limbo for the next week or two.

My husband, Brett, is a filmmaker and I’m usually tagging along with him. More often than not, dragged.

That’s enough for now.