Ben Bartley is My Adopted Little Brother

Today, I made Ben Bartley eat dirt (in this picture though, he is eating something far nastier). I also slapped him about the head and face, threw rocks, sticks and dirt at him, choked, strangled and screamed at him, twisted his arm and made him cry mercy. He in turn, taunted me unmercifully, wrestled me into the dirt, flipped me over (in the dirt!), and threw rocks at me. And because this was for a short we were filming, it was often very hard not to laugh ourselves silly. It was Ben’s story idea, Kat was directing and Brian was on the boom. Then Brian did some directing which was cool. It was a collaboration of sorts, and the most fun I have had in a long time. There is definitely something rejuvenating about loading up the minivan and shooting a short on the fly. Oh, and did I mention it was in a cemetery?
Anyway, with all that sibling type fighting and all, I’ve decided to adopt Ben as my little brother. He’s sweet, and funny and most importantly, I won’t have to wait to be filming, to make him eat dirt!

Relations

Holy Moly, I didn't know Roger Daltry and Robert Redford were related!

When They Were Young...And NOT", Part 1

o.k. now this is going to be fun.


For your viewing pleasure...
here are some - "When They Were Young and Not" Part 1:


ROGER DALTRY










Dang, Roger, still lookin' goood! (considering everything and all...)

Alice

Speaking of Alice Cooper. Wow! Take a look at his before and after.
Personally, I'll take the hagged out, shock rocker. You know, a face like that has seen it all, been around the block and still ready to rock it out.
Just keeping it real and all.

SUMMER = ROCK AND ROLL

Which of course leads to Alice Cooper's rock classic:

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER!!!

Woo Hoo

SCHOOLS OUT !!

My kid, Big Little Guy, studied his brains out, burned the midnight oil, scrambled to get notes, had sleepless nights and fretful days and is now, finished with his first year of high school finals. Hallelujah!, school is out and Summer is officially here!!!!

I’m not sure about him, but I’m exhausted! Whew!

To be honest, his school is a seriously academic school. But he loves that place and is willing to work to stay in it. Which I guess is a good thing, because it’s so hard, I couldn't make him go.

YEA for Summer!!!

Screenplay

Funny how ideas can strike when you least expect them.
I had been thinking about an unfinished screenplay off and on for the last few days. It's been bothering me that I haven't worked it out and I've been disappointed that instead of tackling it, I've sidetracked to other stories and ideas.
I really love my characters, but the story kept going in circles or just nowhere.
Then the other day, as I'm staring blankly out the window (in my usual fog), a wonderful, rich layering for that story flooded into my head. I love the ideas and I can't wait to put it down.

(now to just ignore the fluff and Go!)

Fluff and Stuff

Been super busy filling my days with Fluff, dealing with Stuff that can't be ignore, and ignoring the big picture.
Fluff is = Making meals, cleaning, laundry, food shopping, running errands, running errand, run, run, run...
Stuff is = Finishing up the excruciatingly boring defensive driving course I have to take for going 9 miles over the speed limit (note hint of irritation), Cleaning out my office, cleaning out the garage, organizing everyone's schedules, continual postponement of personal goals and dreams, and always catching up, yet never moving forward.
Big Picture = Even with all the Fluff and Stuff, my life is pretty darn good!


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This is one of my favorites!

Cow Abduction

I know you're thinking "Wow, that cow is actually floating up into that space craft! Look there are real aliens in the windows!"

HOLY COW!

Sea Cow!

The very rare and endangered Sea Cow.

MOOre cow lovin"

Moo MOO MOooooo !!

cow love

I love cows. I guess that's why I can't bring myself to eat them. I think their cute and funny and sweet. Or at least the cows that I have known. On the ranch where I had my horse, the cows were more like pets than livestock. I mean sure, if you get a lot of them together, they can become the dumbest animals, prone to do the stupidest thing. But the same thing can be said for humans. Take a rock concert for example. Or a football game. Lot's of people doing really stupid things. Maybe it has more to do with group mentality. The more living creatures you put together in one place, the lower their IQ drops. Then again, a person can be smart and become stupid in a crowd. A cow is pretty much dumb all on its own (this applies to most live stock and certain people).

But who really expects animals to be smart or do we eat them because they are dumb. Uncle Goober is often referred to as dumb as a cow. But nobody would consider eating him (But that could because he doesn't bathe). And let's not forget pigs. Pigs are supposed to be smarter than dogs. And we don't eat dogs. Well, not in this country.

I don't begrudge folks who eats cows. Heck, I serve it too my kids and spouse. Which is kinda weird if you think about it. I don't eat it, yet I'm serving it up. humm...

Honestly, I would be kicked out of any vegetarian society. Sometimes I eat chicken and fish and foods made with animal shortening (Ritz crackers!) and I won't deny that on occasion the smell of a steak sizzling on the grill can send me into spasms of gustatory desire.

But, darn it, they are so cute!

In honor of the lowly cow, I have found these to share.

Another odd one just for you.

So we have cow jumping in to river after running man and storm trooper getting arrested by real trooper. Humm... Where is this all going?

WHA ???

What the heck is going on here?!!

Oh me, oh my, This online driving course is so interesting!

Guess who's going back to school!!!

O.K., I'll slow down!!!

Argh!!

Argh! Got a speeding ticket!! Of course I was hurrying to get one of my kids to a school competition and I was flustered and kid was getting ready in the car because we were running late. Kid and I were probably snapping at each other. Me at him for not being ready, him at me for giving him a hard time in the first place. It was in a curvy and hilly area of my neighborhood and I was coming down a hill. It was a beautiful clear Saturday morning. Not a soul in site, but the police officer and his speed gun. Argh! A ticket for going 39 in a 30 mile an hour zone. Did I mention I was going down hill. Argh!!!

hike and bike trail

Been walking/running the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail these past few weeks. I don't know if it's my new running shoes, or that the trial is softer than the road, but my bum knee hasn't been acting up (too much). This is really encouraging! Hopefully it won't be much longer before I get into better shape and can catch up to those seniors!

(Hey those seniors kick butt!)

Kid Actor - Jackie Coogan

Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan in "The Kid" (1921)

The very first really big kid actor, even before Shirley Temple, was Jackie Coogan (October 26, 1914 - March 1 1984) He started out at as an infant in Vaudeville and in film. Charlie Chaplin was impressed with him and cast him in The Kid (1921). Needless to say, he became a huge star. But as is the case with child actors, as he got older he became less popular. He earned about $4 million, but unfortunately, his mother and stepfather wouldn't let him near his money. Remember, back then, there weren't any laws to protect child actors and in the end, all he got from them was 126K.

There are two things I should mention about Jackie Coogan. One is that because his mom and stepdad riped him off so badly, the California Child Actor's Bill was enacted, which makes it mandatory that 15% of the child actor earnings be put in in a trust for the child (etc).

The second thing is that Jackie Coogan later played our beloved Uncle Fester on the Addams Family!!!

Goonies and Lord of the Rings

Saw Goonies with the kids. It was silly, fun and a blast to watch. Kid movies back in the 1980's seem so innocent.

Anyway, in the 1985 film, the lead character, a 12 year old named Mickey Walsh was played by the actor Sean Astin, who in 2001 plays Sam Gamgee in Lord of the Rings.

Well, when I pointed this out to my kids, they went berserk. Totally crazy. So naturally, we then had to watch Lord of the Rings (the first one).

(Trivia - Sean Astin's mom is Patty Duke).

The Lusty Month of May

Happy MAY DAY!

Heard this song on the radio today and laughed out loud. I've heard it before, but never really listened to the words. It's a hoot!

The Lusty Month of May

From Camelot the musical

Tra la, it's May, the lusty Month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
Tra la, it's here, that shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear

It's May, It's May, that gorgeous holiday
When every maiden prays that her lad will be a cad
It's mad, it's gay, alive, a lust display
Those dreary vows that everyone takes, everyone breaks
Everyone makes divine mistakes
The Lusty Month of May

Whence this fragrance wafting through the air?
What sweet feelings does it's scent transmute?
Whence this perfume floating everywhere?
Don't you know, it's that dear forbidden fruit

It's May, the lusty month of May
That darling month when everyone throws self-control away
It's time to do a wretched thing or two
And try to make each precious day one you'll always rue

It's May, it's May, the month of "Yes, you may"
The time for every frivolous whim, proper or im-
It's wild, it's gay, depraved in every way
The birds and bees with all of their vast amorous past
Gaze at the human race aghast
The Lusty Month of May

Tra la, it's May, the lusty Month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
Tra la, it's here, that shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear

It's May, it's may, the month of great dismay
when all the world is brimming with fun, wholesome or un-
It's mad, it's gay, alive a lust display
Those dreary vows that everyone takes, everyone breaks
Everyone makes divine mistakes
The Lusty Month of May