Carter Center!!!

“jumping off bridges”

is going to have two screenings

at the prestigious Carter Center

in Atlanta Georgia

for the Georgia Mental Health Forum.

The Carter Center!

Ya!

FOUND !

I am very happy to tell everyone that Mallorie Bustos has been found. She is safe and back home with her family. I don't know the details, but I wanted to tell everyone as soon as I found out. Thank you to everyone that searched for her in the woods, who knocked on door after door in apartment complexes and neighborhoods, put up hundreds of fliers, and prayed and hoped for the best.
This is wonderful news!

missing child

I spent part of this stunningly beautiful day searching for a missing 14 year old girl named Mallorie Bustos. She attends Murchison Middle School. She was last seen February 17^th @ The Broadstone Apts on Bluffstone road near 360 and Spicewood Springs Rd. She has black hair and was last seen wearing blue jeans, white tennis shoes and a white t-shirt. She is 5’1 and weighs 120 lbs. She also wears braces.

My search buddy and I hiked through wooded areas littered with trash, poked our poles in mounds of bushes and tree limbs, and searched in water drains caked with slime. We looked for clothing, shoes, even earrings, talked to construction workers, put up posters, and all the time thinking, what would a 14 year old girl have thought, what would she have done, where would she have gone. Where is she? I was one of about 80 people who searched, some of them the entire day, looking for anything that might help. I’m waiting to see if there is another search tomorrow. Her poor mom, I can’t imagine what she’s going through and I hope I never have to find out.

It was upsetting to search for a missing child today, but I’m so glad we didn’t find her in the woods. It leaves room for hope. Like, I hope she’s o.k and she’s coming home.

The Carter Center!!!!

I am more than happy and proud to announce that “jumping off bridges” is going to have two screenings at the prestigious Carter Center in Atlanta Georgia for the Georgia Mental Health Forum. Even though I was thrilled at the DC screening in conjunction with NIMH, I have to admit, this by far takes the cake. I’m not sure if I am able to go, but if it works out, I may get to meet First Lady Roselyn Carter.

I just gotta shout it out it - OMG!

That the film is going to the Carter Center, leaves me positively elated. Just think, I am a part of something that is reaching so many wonderful people. People that the film helps and people that see the potential in the film for helping others. Given that my late father directed his energies to helping others who were often unable to help themselves, the connection to me and this film boarders profound.

I helped make this happen. The Carter Center!

Our mouse died.

She was all white except for a bit of black fur around her back legs which made it look like she was wearing low-rider pants. She was very sweet and gentle. She’d nudge your fingers or shirt sleeve and this earned her the name of “Nudgie.” Her cage was next to my desk and out of respect for my need to work without interruption, she would quietly busy herself staying trim on the exercise wheel, or work on redecorating her living room. If there was a lull in my work though, or I just needed a break (or I had too much coffee) we would converse at length about screenplay ideas, what’s going on with the kids, different actors, or you know, girl talk.

She often liked to sit on the outside top of her cage, and watch me work or look out the window. It was just an understanding between us, without having to say anything, that she didn’t really want to go anywhere, but having a choice to stay or go, was in itself an act freedom. She was like that.

We have another mouse. A golden colored one named Sunny, who is equally as sweet natured. But for some reason, they didn’t get along. I would have thought they would have been best friends. Maybe they were jealous of each other or that one slighted the other and they never moved past it. Who knows with mice, or anyone else for that matter. The thing is, you would think Sunny would be happier to be the queen mouse around here now that Nudgie’s gone, but I have noticed she has been on the sullen side. Less wheel, not too interested in her favorite foods. That sort of thing.

I’m a little sad too.

Good day and great day

Today was a really good day, that was very close to being a really great day.

What started it off on the great side, is that I got to sleep late (8am). The weather was fantastic and I got to ride motocross and see my kids ride. Wonderful family time. What almost made it into a very bad day, was that I didn't realize there was a race today, which I wanted to go to, so I could cheer my friends. I really feel like shit on that one. But then I got to play some soccer with my friends and that bumped the day meter back up to great. Unfortunately, after 15 minutes, I was breathing like a 3 pack a day smoker and I don’t’ smoke! (O.K. back to the gym tomorrow!) One other thing about playing soccer, I’m way too competitive (at least when I can breath)! I was so worried that I would hurt or trample my sweet dear friends. Of course they are all film makers and therefore tough as nails, but still...

Sitting around the tree afterward, talking and spending time, was super good.

Came home and the kids were ready with hugs and kisses and of course that made everything right.

Valentine's Guilt Day

Valentine's Day.

Yet another commercialized, Hallmark card holiday. I think I dislike it so much because its very nature is one of manipulation: Get the cards, buy the flowers, don’t forget the chocolates. I think it should be called Guilt Day.

But here’s the problem. Secretly, I really love it. I love giving lovie cards to my hunny and giving the kids the chocolate covered strawberries. I love getting them too (and let’s not forget the flowers). At my kids school party, it was absolutely adorable to watch all these little kids open their valentine cards and carefully read them, as if each card had been hand made and written in gold ink. Then when I got home, the boys wouldn’t let me come into the other room for over an hour as they worked on my “surprise.” Finally, with great pomp and circumstance, they unfurled a banner proclaiming their love for their mom, in popsicle sticks and sparkles.

Leave it to your kids to totally sweep you off your feet!

So, yes Valentines Day is a manipulative, commercialized holiday. But what’s not to like about flowers, chocolates, and messages of life long love.

Twizzlers!

Of course my little guy is fine now. Only a couple day’s of cold/fever. Which means he missed a lot of school and was totally ready for the weekend. Figures…

So spouse takes the kids for the weekend and I have the house to myself for a whole 24 hours!

What do I do? Movies and Twizzlers!

Finally rented:

Devil Wears Prada – Fun film, made me wish I had more clothes and fashion sense.

Little Miss Sunshine – A very cute and quirky film. Didn’t feel like an “Indie” film though…humm...

Capote – I loved it. Fantastic film!.

Then, what with it being vey late and having stuffed myself with twizzlers (groan), my brain had completely stopped working, and at 1am, started channel surfing between Batman 3 and Taxi Driver. (bad, bad combo) Totally overdid it.

Overall though, a really great Saturday night!

stopping

My littlest one is sick, which means everything stops. No errands, no calls, no major work.

Only snuggling and reading stories and broth in fancy tea cups with toast cut into shapes. It means a sleepless night as I check on a fever and quiet a cough. It means reconnecting to the most important things in my life.

TXMPA

I was really glad to volunteer this evening for the Texas Motion Picture Alliance (TXMPA) event. If you don’t know about it, go to the link and sign up.

Texas Motion Picture Alliance.

It’s a very important organization that works to get film initiatives passed here in Texas. I don’t know how many people attended, may 600?, but everyone there donated money and participated in the very cool raffle. The event was a huge success and there were even a few celebrity sightings!

Now if only the Texas legislation can get firmly behind the incentives to bring more films/TV/gaming here to Texas, millions and millions will be pumped back into the community.

Simply put, Louisiana and New Mexico are getting the business that should be made in or should stay in Texas. It’s time to get action oriented.

feedback on FNL

Got great feedback on my work on Friday Night Lights. Got emails and calls from all over. Talk about positive reinforcement! Thanks!!

What was particularly neat was that my mom got to see it and was just thrilled.

I’m so glad it turned out well.

p.s. I love my agent! Heather Collier is AWESOME!!!

Friday Night Lights

I’m so thrilled with the scene!!

If you want to check out my character in Friday Night Lights, go to this link http://www.nbc.com/Video/rewind/full_episodes/friday_night_lights.shtml .

I’m in the episode “Upping the Ante” and you can see me as Anna the bowling alley waitress, towards the end of Part Three.

(Hopefully one of these days I’ll learn how to put video on my blog)