On a day when LA holds its breath, waiting to hear “And the Oscar goes to…,” I, very much unlike an actress, spent the day tucked away in my office doing my taxes. I’m holding my breath wait to find out “And the refund goes to..!” But one biz-related bright point of this calculating, headachey day happened when I took a break to run to Blockbuster. There on the wall of new releases in the “B” section, I found two of my friends! Jen Nikolaisen starring in Bundy: An American Icon alongside Corin Nemec. She plays Stephanie, the girlfriend of the famous serial
killer. Go Jen! Then just to the left a bit, I saw America Olivo starring in Bitch Slap alongside Erin Cummings (another friend and amazing actress!) and Julia Voth. America plays the kick-ass Camero, willing to stop at nothing to steal 200 million in diamonds from an underworld kingpin. YAY for friends kicking ass in this crazy business! Made my Oscar weekend. That, and the fact that I don’t have to add up receipts again for another 12 months or so.
Short Film Making… Money?
I’ve been a comedy short film maker for four years now. I have REALLY enjoyed it! Not in My Family was the first, followed by the Korean drama acted by white people, Love Royale then there was the tumultuous production of what was supposed to be a pilot presentation, Represent, Part 1 and Represent, Part 2 which due to a long painful list of problems, turned into a 2-part web-series. Still pretty funny though! And most, recently a gem of a daytime soap opera parody, The Bold and The Fuel Efficient, currently still in post-production. My production company Hall of Shea Productions has operated under what you might generously label, a micro-budget. Leigh Hall and I have managed to bring our funny to film, even winning the Audience Award for Love Royale at the Faux Film Festival in 2009, with the help of great friends, actors, Henry Saine, and very little cash. So it’s been lots of fun, some good exposure, great demo reel material, but… is there more? Could there be money?? A friend and filmmaker recently shared with me that his short films are in fact raking in more cash than compliments these days. How? Some video host websites pay royalties per view. The catch? The viewer has to watch a commercial before the short film. But that doesn’t seem to be stopping the viewers at www.atom.com from clicking away. Atom.com has paid out million of dollars in royalties through their revenue sharing program by contributing Atom content everywhere — on the Web, mobile phones, iPods, Xboxes, etc. Does it really pay? Stay tuned!
Puppy Love
Most have agreed for years that pets make us happier. So, I don’t know if I have an extraordinary pet (yes, I do know actually), but I know for sure, that no matter the day I’m having, my golden retriever Bailey, always puts a smile on my face and gets me to start talking in high-pitched cartoon-ish tones about how very handsome and wonderful he is. I smile at just the fleeting thought of him. Maybe it’s because he just doesn’t do anything wrong and seems to always do everything perfectly. Or maybe that doesn’t matter. Regardless, I know for a tangible fact, that my life is happier because Bailey is in it and will be significantly less happy when Bailey is no longer with me. Although, among experts, there seems to be much more uncertainty with regards to children. Clearly you can’t compare the responsibility of a dog versus the responsibility of a child or children. The stresses of parenthood are enormous and unending. I want to have a child (insert series of gasps here). Two, in fact. Took me a long time to realize this, mostly because I keep asking myself, why? The human race is at no risk of extinction. And while I want two kids, there are a million things that come with that which I don’t want…stretch marks, diapers, paying for child care, etc. And several studies have come out over the past few years concluding that couples without children tend to be happier. I’m stressed just thinking about it! Well, if in fact I never have those two kids, I guess I’ll have to settle for golden retrievers. Far less fury, far more fur 
Through Their Eyes
Today I have something not so funny on my mind. I learned recently that a friend from college committed suicid
e earlier this week. A GREAT guy and ridiculously good-looking. Then I heard about Andrew Koenig from “Growing Pains.” Then Marie Osmond’s son, Michael Blosil. These incidents always leave people asking, “why?” At that age, how you could you possibly see so much hopelessness in life? I try not to ask these questions, because there’s no answer, of course. No matter how well you know another person, you can never really know what’s happening in someone else’s mind. You can’t possibly see another person’s life exactly the way he or she sees it, through their eyes. So I don’t know what we can learn from these events. I don’t know how they fit into the big picture. All I know, is I didn’t know a girl in college who didn’t have a crush on Spencer King or a person who didn’t have something nice to say about him.
And I’m so glad he and Andrew and Michael are now at peace. And we’ll just never know why they couldn’t find that here.
Working Bugs!
Everyone needs a good laugh, it just feels good! And if you read my post, “Attractive” http://wp.me/pKWUP-9x you might know that Abraham-Hick says it IS good to feel good. So, to achieve that right now, check out this very funny short film I’m in, Donation. It’s written and produced by the amazing Leyna Juliet Weber and Annie Lukowski of Working Bug Productions http://www.workingbug.com/donation.htm and if you’re a fan of Kym Whitley http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005552/, well if you’re not, you will be after this!
I play a flower lady, raising money for important rodent causes. Great cast, great writing, great execution. And it’s no surprise. You might have heard of Working Bug Productions last year when they launched the hit web-series, “Road to the Altar,” starring Jaleel White http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0924918/ (you probably remember him as Urkel from “Family Matters”) and the always fabulous Leyna Juliet Weber. It’s a hilarious mockumentary-style look at wedding planning and all that happens leading up to the big “I do!” I appear in episode one as Mary the wedding planner http://www.workingbug.com/road1.htm Check out all ten episodes, so well done! It’s no wonder “Road to the Altar” got attention and praise from EXTRA!, Entertainment Tonight, TV Guide, Huffington Post, and Access Hollywood, to name a few. I see GREAT things from Working Bug in the future, which is probably why I’m partnering with them on a web-series currently in development called “A Series of Unfortunate People.” Stay tuned!
In Pasadena, there used to be a city ordinance that required homes to be built with only detached garages. That meant you couldn’t go straight from the kitchen to the garage, you had to go outside. Outside where you’re subject to neighbors. And if you’re me, this can be a time-consuming experience. I have an extremely nice, intelligent neighbor who just can’t stop talking. Once he sees you eye him, he’s got you for a good 20-30 minute “stop and chat” (term coined by Larry David, not mine). And that was the whole point of the city ordinance; to get neighbors to be neighborly. Yes, we should have a good neighbor or two on the block we can turn to in a crisis, and goodness knows I’ve had some great neighbors who have helped me tremendously (Terri and Afia) who became some of my best friends. Of course, I’ve had psychotic, music-blasting, drug-addicted, ex-con, and all-around asshole neighbors too. But still, talking to others is mostly a good thing. Unless “the others” are customer service representatives. No, they’re not all bad, but when they’re bad, they can incite anger I didn’t know I had. This is why I am such a fan of ”Live Chat.” Brilliant! I get immediate help from a real person without having to speak to them! No chit-chat, no “how’s the weather out there?” , no need to sound super sweet and polite to get what I need, no wasted time. Type in the request, get an answer. LOVE IT!! Fine, maybe I’m not a people person after all. I worked in restaurants for 16 years, AND I work for the government where employees downtown can be as helpful as broken toothpicks. Can you blame me?
Attractive!
I want a big house. There! I’ve asked and it is given. Ok, it’s not here just yet. Yes, I’m speaking of the Law of Attraction. Ask and it is Given is the title of a book by Abraham-Hicks. What’s an Abraham-Hicks? Abraham has described themselves as “a group consciousness from the non-physical dimension” (which helps a lot!). They have also said, “We are that which you are. You are the leading edge of that which we are.” Wait, what? What they mean is, no matter who you are, you are getting what you think about. http://www.abraham-hicks.com/lawofattractionsource/index.php You might have heard about the Law of Attraction’s non-physical teachers, when the book and fairly lame movie, The Secret came out in 2006 (Oprah’s a huge fan). The Secret … in my book… gets high marks for the information, but not for the execution. The scene about the boy who wants a bicycle and manifests it by focusing on it, quickly became the subject of numerous jokes and parody sketches. Then there’s the little issue of one of the contributors to The Secret, James Arthur Ray, the self-help guru, recently arrested for three deaths at one of his sweat camp retreats for “The Spiritual Warrior.” http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20341429,00.html Not what he meant to attract, I’m sure. But despite the bad press, I do believe in the Law of Attraction. I do believe that we are the living the results of the vibrations our thoughts create. Sound weird? We attract through the thought and emotion we offer. What you’re focused on is the life you’re living. These teachings are dismissed by many because it’s hard to hear, harder to accept, particularly if you’re getting something you don’t want from life. But consider the sayings we’ve heard all our lives: “Like attracts like,” “Birds of a feather flock together,” “When it rains it pours,” “The rich get richer, the poor get poorer,” this isn’t new stuff. It’s as old as it gets! Hard to ignore when you see it everywhere and experience it ALWAYS. Whether you pay attention to it or not, the Law of Attraction is always at work. You don’t apply it. It applies itself to you. OK, I’m stepping away from the podium now. Well, buy it or not, that’s how the song goes. And if you do indeed buy it like I do, as Journey says, “Don’t stop believin’…” or wanting! And expecting!!
Pain in the Plushenko
If you’ve been in earshot of me recently you’ve certainly heard me say, “Ouch!” Yes, the pain in my lower back, down my right hip and front of my right quad has been the very annoying lead story in my life, reeking of ben-gay. Some people have told me (lovingly… maybe) that back pain is indicative of anger. Lots of people nodding their heads, I know, I know. Well, my own affinity for losing my temper aside, if that’s true, I guess Russian figure skater and asshole, Evgeni Plushenko, is in for a wheelchair. When NBC aired their “behind the athlete” piece on him last week, it began with Plushenko driving around in Russia saying, “Many people do not like me. Many people.” If his unsportsmanlike… and just weird comments following Evan Lysacek’s gold medal win didn’t convince you of why he’s unlikable, his website today said it all: http://evgeni-plushenko.com/ He’s refusing to admit he lost the gold medal… awarding himself a platinum medal. Huh? It reads, “Silver of Salt Lake, Gold of Torino, Platinum of Vancouver.” OK, I don’t have issues, this proves it. Back is feeling better already.
Eye have issues…
I was awoken at around 6:45 this morning with the distinct and awful feeling like there’s something in my eye. Found nothing, flushed it out and the feeling still has not gone away. This is on top of the lower back pain I’ve had for the last week and a half which is now traveling to my right hip and upper back. Lots of bitching? YES. I suppose the one thing I learn when such obstacles pop up (which is RARE) is how much I take for granted being able to jump up from a seated position, run, or comfortably see. Ok, clearly the universe is trying to tell me something here. You’ve got my attention already! I’m listening. What would Abraham-Hicks say? Hmm?? What can I do for you, universe? Or not do for you? Er, or me? Wow, this sucks, universe!
Great actor just doesn’t mean great movie. Unless you’re Leonardo DiCaprio. Ok, maybe you don’t have all his flicks on your top ten list, but I honestly couldn’t think of a DiCaprio film that sucked. That can’t be true, can it? All the legends and A-listers have made at lease one film we wish they hadn’t, right? Just to be sure, I checked his resume on IMDB for bombs: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000138/ OK, there was Critters 3, but I’d say at least since 1993, DiCaprio hasn’t made a film that most would agree wasn’t worth seeing. Why does he make great movies? Casting director extraordinaire and passionate man of many talents, Robby Martin Jr. of Digital Dogs Casting (who also does a GREAT commercial class!), put it this way, “DiCaprio just makes great moments.” True. All occurring in films that fall somewhere between good to really freakin’ great. Which brings me to Shutter Island. And I’m glad I went. Overall a really good film, that might have been missing one more twist at the end. Great story, great acting… great Leo moments. One thing that held me back from enjoying the film more was the trailers I’d seen for it. They pretty much give away the whole story. And because the release of the film was delayed so much, I saw those trailers too many times. When they cut to last shot of the film I thought, “Don’t end this way!” But, it did. Still, a good psychological thriller is far too hard to come by these days, so thank you Scorsese and DiCaprio. I will take all of this into account next time I visit a mental health facility. Which will be Monday. In Watts. To teach ESL. Oh, dear…
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