Clothes Swap

Interesting smart women, laughing/sharing stories, yummy homemade pizza and scrumptious desserts, no agendas, no posturing, no "So, what do you do for a living?" or worse "What does your husband do?"

Just hangin’ out type fun!

O.K. so the agenda was a clothes swap. But what’s not to love about that? And I did bitch a little bit about this one person who took my money, but everyone was good with it. Even supportive. And laughter, lot’s of wonderful silly laughter.

To get away and be a little bit of who I used to be. That evening was a gift.

tag I'm it....
I'm new to this tagging game, but the idea is that the blogger who has been tagged, needs to reveal eight facts about themselves. They also need to post and obey the following rules:
1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged write their own blog post about their eight things and include these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
p.s. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and that they should read your blog.

My 8 random things:
1. When I was in high school, I sang in a pool hall and my guitarist was always tripping on acid.

2. I can control what happens in my dreams.

3. My nose has been broken and/or cracked three times. Each time I see stars and it hurts like hell.

4. I fantasize about winning the lottery, but I don't play it.

5. I am the product of a Russian Jew, and a Baptist preacher.

6. In times of extreme danger, I become very calm, in a surreal way and it freaks people out. When the crises is over, I lose my shit.

7. When I was really young, my parents took my three siblings and me, to see the movie Blazing Saddles. I think back then, it was rated R and everyone was giving my folks dirty looks for taking kids to this film. The adult humor was lost on me, but the scene where the cowboys are eating beans around the campfire and farting, was so incredible funny to my brothers, sister and me, that we were falling out of our chairs and screaming with laughter.

8. Until I moved into this house 9 years ago, I never lived in one place longer than two years. Even while growing up. I force myself to stay here.

Now for the tagging part - Everyone I know that I could tag, has already been tagged. I know that sounds pathetic, but it's true. So, I'm going to start cultivating more blogging friends and when I find some, I'll post them. But for now how about this really cool blogger Aaron. I found him via a link from Stacy's blog.

Holy Moly, I've been Tagged!!!!

SHORT FILM - MINE!

A short. I made a real honest to goodness short film. Last time I did one, was about 6 years ago, when I was taking Film 1 with Steve Mims. Back then, my film buddy left me hanging, and to make the film, I recruited a neighbor kid to hold the boom, while I used my own kids as actors. I did it on my own. And even though it’s flawed, I still love it.

This short I just finished is also very flawed , but I love it to pieces. It’s abstract, weird and funny. Funny to me that is, I don’t know if anyone else is going to get it, like it, hate it or what, but I laugh every time I see it. I’m proud of it.

It’s taken me a long time to do another. There has been a lot of “doing for others.”

But through Kat’s film class and her “Damn it Leslie, do it!” I was able to get back to it.

This is a good thing!

Least Happy Mom

Forget the program! Music is greater than one kid, one mom, one program, one town, one country. It is greater than Bach, Schumann, and Mozart. It is an art of expression and more, so much MORE.

I going to make sure my kid understands this and we’ll find new ways to experience the gift of music!.

Least Happy Kid

“You are only as happy as your least happy kid.”

I have lived by this saying ever since I figured it out. When my kids are happy, then I’m happy and when they’re unhappy, my life is down right miserable. Of course I’m not talking about doing everything for them, or that I should manipulate their lives, in such a way, that they don’t experience obstacles, challenges and even failure. For kids (or anyone for that matter) to not experience and overcome difficulties in their lives, would produce unsatisfied, insecure, unhappy adults.

What I’m talking about though, is when your kids face things which are insurmountable. When their developing egos and self esteem take such a hit, that their outlook become dark and hopeless. If I see that, I feel as a parent, it’s my duty to step in. Happy kids, come from secure, supportive, loving homes. My kids have strength, knowing that someone is in their corner.

Obviously, I’m on this rant, because one of my kids is really struggling. I put him into a fancy summer music program, thinking that it would be fun, that he’d meet like minded kids and find interesting ways to experience and play music. Unfortunately, this program has very little of that, it’s very intense, beyond his musical ability, and very confusing. It seems to be extremely performance oriented.

Now, I believe in letting my kids make their own decisions about a lot of things, and I may caution them, but it’s ultimately their choices and they have to live with the consequences (this doesn’t apply to anything dangerous, I totally have total rule on that one, at least for now). But this is a program that I put him into and I know he’ll force himself to stay in it, because he doesn’t want to disappoint me.

Damn, I’m such a shmuck. I have an unhappy kid and it’s all my doing. If he stays in the program will the joy of music be ground out of him? If I pull him out, will he feel like a failure? Nothing like seeing your kid, force a smile through his tears and walk away as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders.

I just sent out the first 36 pages of my screenplay, to my writers group, and I feel like “what the hell have a just done.”

Worked it to death and left it writhing without direction, is probably what I’ve just done. Actually, I’m glad to get it sent off. It’s gotten to the point that I’m sick of looking at it and I’m glad for a few days of not having it stare at me every time I turn on the computer. Now is the time to let it rest. Get some perspective.

…I just hope it still makes sense.

Now on to that short I’m making for class (eek)…

Going over footage for my little short. Not good, not good, NOT GOOD!

Eyes looking at the camera when they’re not supposed to, light bleaching out features, etc.

Argh!.

There is little workable footage, so I’m rethinking options.

Option 1-Reshoot it all.

Option 2 - Make it an experimental.

Option 3 - Turn it into a micro short.

Think, think, think!