FACTS about pet overpopulation

Two cats and all their kittens can number 429,00 in 7 years

Two dogs and all their puppies can number 67,000 within six years.

October 2003 to October 2004: out of 22,565 animals brought to the Austin Animal Shelter, 12,201 were killed. That's 53%

Spay or neuter your pet.

RESCUE ME documentary

Rescue Me

It’s a documentary by Stacy Schoolfield. It is a wonderful, honest film about pet overpopulation and what can be done about it. Every person who is about to get any type of pet, should watch this film!

back to routine- what ever that is

The mountains in West Virginia are so beautiful!

Right as we were leaving it started to snow. The kids ran outside and started twirling and catching snowflakes. It looked magical. We couldn’t stand to leave and I wasn’t sure we’d get the kids in the car in time to catch our flight out of Charleston.

My aunt and uncle in-law live there and are the most wonderful people. They have invited us to come back in the summer and we would love to take them up on it. There is a whole bunch of family over there that our kids don’t know and it would be good for them to feel connected.

Now we’re home and I’m looking at getting back to it all. What ever “all” is.

West Virginia

After the screening on Thursday, I grabbed the kids and left the next morning for a cabin in the woods in West Virginia.

I felt like I was going 110 mph at sxsw and now I’m completely still. Talk about shock!

It really is wonderful seeing family and having the calm of the mountains. Next time though, I’m going to work at a better transition!

The final screening of jumping off bridges, almost sold out the Paramount. It was crazy wonderful. The line reached around the block. It was absolutely thrilling. All of my friends and then some were there. I hope I get to work on a film that’s in sxsw next year. I hope I get to work on a project with these people again. It’s great vibe!!

Worth it!

I’ll admit it. Doing the festival was personally hard. I’ve discovered that I’m more of an introvert than I originally thought. But I’m grateful that I had the support of being in a good film to give me the strength to go into the parties and films alone. Being associated with Storie Productions was sometimes the only thing that pushed me to talk to strangers, hand out my business card, promote the film and force myself to go out and “mingle.” It was very hard for me, but overall, I’m so happy that I did it. That I overcame my horrid little insecurities to be able to walk into a venue with confidence and attitude. I met a lot of people and many people now know me.

As for Kat, Stacy, Tracy and Lorie? Sometimes we stumble upon goodness and if we carefully tend to it and keep it in a sunny spot on the mantle, it may shine upon all of those who stop to appreciate it.

Lost

I have completely lost track of time. One day it’s the Friday before the premier, and the next thing I know, it’s a Tuesday and I’m suffering exhaustion.

SXSW has totally kicked my ass. Over the last few months and especially more so during SXSW, I have been determined to get the word out that I’m an actress and that everyone should see this film, jumping off bridges. I believe in myself and this film and I wouldn’t have worked so hard otherwise.

But starting up conversations with people I don’t know, going alone to parties, attending films after film by myself, sitting in bars writing notes to myself and trying not to get picked up, and quickly walking to my car in deserted parking garages, has been scary, exhausting, awkward and nerve wracking. I am stressed out, stretch thin and miss my kids.

I don’t understand this drive I have to do this, but I do. Sometimes I think it’s going to kill me if I keep trying and sometimes I think I’ll just die if I stop.

Sold Out

The premiere sold out and 300 people had to be turned away. I think I messed up by promoting the film so much, but hopefully everyone that couldn't make it will come to the screening at the Paramount on Thursday at 1:30.

Had a really busy day yesterday and today. I feel I really must get myself out there and meet people and promote myself and the film.

Premiere DAY

The film is WONDERFUL!!!! Really wonderful!!!!! Kat and Stacy, and Lorie are amazing. I'm so proud of them. Everyone has to see it!! Hey you reading this blog What are you waiting for. The next showing of jumping off bridges, is March 16th, 1:30 at the Paramount Theater, Austin Texas. Get over here!

Congrats to everyone who worked on this film! And Tracy, the premiere party was perfect.

There is no way it could have been better.

More later....

Sometimes in life, we come across wonderful people. If we are lucky, we collect them and keep them for always.

Great hubby

He took the cub scouts camping, then took kids motorcrossing. All while I watched movies and went shopping. What’s not to love about a guy like that!

I feel diva written all over me!

Kids and premieres

These last few weeks have been this incredible tango of getting ready for the premiere and being mom to my kids. I'm sure it is similar to most people who have jobs that require them to chat business on the phone while hoping the kids don't come in, but this is new for me.

I've always been able to keep the mom and actress very separate. Acting stuff while the kids are in school. Mom when they get home. But with this festival right around the corner the two jobs are overlapping and becoming wonderfully tangled. I think it's great that the kids see me in another capacity other than mom (re: adult at their beck and call).

It's like a fun circus type thinking that I could get used to.

trying not to get in the way of myself!

I am lucky, in that I am learning all kinds of things about public relations in the effort to garner publicity for a film I am in, called jumping off bridges, which is premiering at SXSW. I have learned about press releases, I’ve gotten my voice back to talk without feeling nervous and I’m getting my head organized. I’m spending hours on the computer tapping out emails or yammering on the phone. It has been an education to say the least. (not to mention that my typing has gotten damn fast!).

It has been fun to throw myself into it and the girls are truly golden, wonderful filmmakers.

I want to do this so much, but it’s also so damn hard for me. Hard for the actress in me to shut up, sit still and let me learn and grow, without her trying to jump up an say “look at me!”