TAKING STOCK

It's the eve of the beginning of a brand new year. It's time to look back, to take stock, to give life a good self-evaluation.

There's a lot about myself and my life that I love... and there's a lot that I'd like to improve upon.

What perfect timing, a fresh start, a brand new year. It's time to make resolutions, to aspire to be a better person and to make the world I/we inhabit a better place.

Every New Year, since junior high school, I have written a letter addressed to my Guardian Angel. (I cringe in embarrassment having admitted that.. but I was eleven when I started this tradition. Mock if you feel compelled to do so, but remember, you are mocking a wide-eyed, optimistic, innocent, effervescent eleven year old girl... which would make you a cold-hearted, callous, grim human being.) These letters would include my hopes, dreams and desires for the New Year. It would principally be a selfish list of endeavours, but on occasion the list would include dreams, hopes and desires for others whom I felt needed assistance. The letter would be sealed, kept unopened and safe until the following year.

A past year's letter opening required a new year's letter sealing.

This has been my twenty-one year discreet tradition. Divulged to no one, not even my husband... and now exposed to all my readers. (Blogging sure has a way of eliciting secrets.)

Question: Why, share this information?

Answer: To inspire others.

1) I think that it's a great undertaking, a cathartic release of pent up desires, hopes and fears about an undefined future.

2) It's also a great method for self-evaluation, to compare your old list to the year that you've lived. Do items that you once thought important a year ago still hold the same significance? Have you achieved what you had hoped for in the past year?

3) It's fun.

I'm not going to share my 2007 Dreams, Hopes and Desire List with you, (that would be breaking tradition) but I do hope that you start your own.

CHEERS!
Happy New Year Everyone!
Here's to a joyous and promising New Year!

ROMAN KNEE HIGHS

RE: My choice for the must have shoe (a reply to Alice)

I'm startng a new trend. I will endeavour to make these the shoe staple in every woman's closet. Pair these with a fab (Chanel) shift dress and you'll be set for spring 2007.

Quite apropos for S.B., unlike the regulation standard Uggs.
*

INFLUENCED BY GREATNESS

I read a lot. When I'm in between shows, I spend hundreds of dollars on books. Like my father, my library over flows with reading material: Political Theory, Philosophy and Behavioural Psychology and Historical texts; books on writing, script analysis and directing, Plays, Scripts, Poetry and a few Classic Lit. There's not enough shelf space for all the books that I have acquired over the years, most remain in piles on my office floor. It's an addiction; (like shoes and purses) I buy a lot of books.

Recently, I've spent most of my money and most of my literary endeavours on Chick Lit. Books that often require only a day investment and not a lot of brain power. However, I've currently been feeling the need for greater mental stimulation.

Hence, my first New Year's resolution: Resolution #1: Spend more time reading/rereading Classic Literature

It's been quite a while since I've invested time and effort into reading the Classics. I need to revisit and reimmerse myself in literature from authors who are the benchmark for all writers who aspire towards greatness. I need to be influenced by greatness.

Here’s my 2007 reading list:

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
Civil Disobedience And Other Essays by Henry David Thoreau
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Light In August by William Faulkner
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
The Children's Corner by Jackson Tippett McCrae
East of Eden by Steinbeck
The Idiot by Dostoyevsky
Poetics by Aristotle,
Leaves of Grass (poetry) by Walt Whitman
The Bark Of The Dogwood by Jackson Tippett McCrae
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
I, Lucifer: Finally, the Other Side of the Story by Glen Duncan
The Odyssey by Homer
Franny and Zooey by J.D Salinger
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Paradise Lost And Paradise Regained by John Milton
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
1984 by George Orwell
Ulysses by James Joyce

UPDATE: Additions, courtesy of my beloved blog reader (s)

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared M. Diamond
The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin
Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet
The Misanthrope by Molière

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGGS

UGG [ugh] n.
1. A type of sheepskin boot, which has been made in Australia and New Zealand for nearly 200 years.

Etymology: originally called "ug boots", which is short for ugly.

I have openly denounced UGGS as one of the most deplorable fashion footwear of this or any other century. I have preached to anyone who would listen about the ridiculousness of these boots. I have sworn that I would never don those shoes on these feet (along with clear heeled stilettos).

I stand here, head down with my tail between my legs, wearing Christmas presented Uggs on my feet.

Yes, they are still ugly and ridiculous, but they are SO COZY and COMFY. (You should know. I'm a sucker for cozy and comfy.)

Head still down. However, this time not from shame, but from marveling at my new UGGS.

At least these are more "shoe" defined than the classic Uggs, which are still hideous. (I know, excuse making and straw gasping... back to shameful head hanging.)

THE NOIR SIDE

I have recruited new members into the VERONICA MARS fan club. Yesterday while spending quality time baking cookies with my brother, his fiancée and my two cousins, I coerced everyone into watching the first season of Veronica Mars.

By episode two, they were hooked.

As a filmmaker and a writer I love this series. The writing is clever and powerful. The characters have such depth and complexity, such human strengths and weaknesses. I admire how the character arc (for all characters) reveals itself episode by episode, allowing the characters believability in their development. The neo-noir style is perfect for the teen detective genre. The actors are marvelous at their craft (less one, but I will not point fingers. You can judge for yourself - reference to actor only applicable to season 1&2).

As a regular TV watcher, I love the plotlines. It combines the greatest of TV narratives: the trendy serial story arc and the TV touchstone of stand alone episodes. It makes for great syndication possibilities and great "choice" episode rewatching. It's not just one of those teen dramas that quickly become dated *sneeze-90210-sneeze*. It's more like Colombo (cult classic) or Seinfeld, a good "any era" type of TV watching.

I endeavour to share good filmmaking/television making with others. I love great story telling, and I must admit VM is by far one of the best TV story telling of the past three decades. I can say this with immense conviction because I am a TV whore. I've watched a lot of TV in my lifetime; my show knowledge is vast... I even regularly watch shows that are prior to my TV viewing era, and beyond my target demographic. I am the TV trivia champion (David would be the only other person who would come close to taking my title, but it would be a hard fought battle), so trust me on this one.

I hope I have enticed you to give this show a chance.

Tuesday 9pm SunTv - in the GTA only, check you local listing elsewhere.

See you on the Noir side.

ON THE EVE

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach."
- A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

BE HAPPY, BE GRATEFUL, BE GOOD - OLD SAINT NICK IS COMING TONIGHT!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

HE DOES EXIST!

Dearest Mr. Claus,

I hope all is well up there in the North Pole. I know it’s your busiest time of year and billions of other little girls and boys are writing to you, demanding gifts and such, so I will make this brief.

It is with much delight that I write to you. I would like to start by thanking you for granting a pre-Christmas wish that has been on my list since October. Thanks for ending my detention sentence a day and a half early! (Although I did ask for an earlier date than this… I’m not complaining, I’m just pointing out our miscommunication issue.) To aid in your endeavour in fulfilling the remaining portion of my wish list this year (without further mishaps) I will recap and include pictures for your reference.

I hereby tender my newly revised wish list:

1) A White Fendi Selleria handbagNOTE: An authentic one MADE IN ITALY, not a replica like last year’s Balenciaga Handbag MADE IN THE NORTH POLE. I know the elves make quality handbags, but it’s just not the same.

2) An Hermes Kelly bagNOTE: I know spending at this fiscal quarter for North Pole Inc. is at it’s maximum, but $6500.00 for a Kelly is not an unreasonable request.

3) A Gucci violet calf 'Bouvier' hoboNOTE: Yes, another handbag. There are 365 days in the year after all, and I only have a month’s worth of purses. That’s only 8.2% of what I should have.

4) Snow in Ski Resort Areas Only
NOTE: My paid lessons are going to waste without snow in the Snow Belt. Otherwise I’m very happy with the plus 7°C for winter in Toronto.

5) A Pony (the Andalusian variety... if we are being breed specific)

NOTE: I know we’ve talk about this before. But I’m much older now and I can take better care of a Pony. I won’t forget to feed it, like I forgot to feed Muffy the goldfish. I’ve been practicing my pet caring skills with a dog for two years now… and trust me, that dog has never missed a meal.

6) An open Roundtrip Business Class Plane Ticket to Fiji.
NOTE: Or any other Polynesian country.

7) Spending Money (must be given in combination with above wishes)
Note: To keep wishes 1, 2, 3 and 5 from being empty and to use as a bartering tool for wishes 4 and 6.

AND FINALLY… I wish for:

Peace on Earth, an end to world hunger and all that intangible warm hearted stuff that is on the list of all good girls and ALL Beauty Pageant contestants.

Sincerely Yours,

G.I.M.S

TREE TRIMMING

Spending tonight decoration our tree. David picked it out... it's a smaller than previous years' Evergreen. But at least it's not a Charlie Brown Christmas tree (that would have made me teary).

Pine Needles everywhere. But house smeels great.

The dog is very scared. She stares at it from a distance and sniffs the pine scented air. She's not sure what to make of this coniferous creation.

THE QUEEN CITY

Tomorrow, I'm going Christmas shopping in Buffalo. I'm definitely going to exceed the maximum allowance for my personal exemptions. I'll have to be creative with my purchases.

Shhhhhh! Don't tell the Canadian custom's officers.

COUNT IT DOWN!

After tomorrow, I have one more week to endure... then it's over! I say my farewells and leave the misery behind me.

Ten things I have taken from this experience:

10) A year supply of Xerox paper
9) Pretty colourful Post-Its and Highlighters
8) A cold, the flu and another cold (currently battling)
7) A bottle of non-alcohol Buckley's cough suppressant (Looks like arsenic, tastes like death, DOES NOT WORK and I can't even get a buzz off it!)
6) The Director’s parking spot
5) Production swag up the Wazoo (How many Production t-shirts can a girl wear?)
4) Coal miner's lung
3) An acquired taste for foot-in-mouth
2) A sharpening of my acerbic wit
1) The delicious feeling of vindication

AN EXTREME CHRISTMAS

Company Christmas parties and Gay men. These are today's topics.

Last Sunday David and I attended his company's Christmas celebration. In previous years, the company hosted a formal dinner at a lovely poshy place du jour. This year, having recently been bought out by American investors, the company decided to forsake the conventional sit down dinner and opted for a contemporary nightery finger food affair.

BIG MISTAKE!

A) Too few waiters carrying too few h'orderves.
B) One bar, three bartenders and thirty people in line for drinks.
C) Standing room only.
D) All this mayhem taking place on a Sunday night.

D MINUS!

The only glittery silver lining of the whole night was cabaret drag-travaganza, a variety of accomplished female impersonators lip syncing and dancing to lively songs. (Did I fail to mention that one of the new owners is gay?) I had my fill of eye candy with shirtless gay elves dancing around a drag Mariah Carey. It's the company's version of "The Nutcracker" with Sugar Plumb Fairies dancing about.

LOVED IT!

I love flamboyantly gay men, they appeal to my fun loving don't take yourself too seriously sensibility; and gay men adore me, clearly because I'm spunky, fiery and down right fabulous! (It's true! I've been told this on several occasions, and I believe every word of it.)

Have an EXTREME CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

Dear Diary... He asked me out!

Today David and I celebrate our 13th year anniversary. On December 11th, 1993 we went on our first date… dessert and a movie.

Thursday, December 9th, 1993 - G.S.H. Academy

HE ASKED ME OUT!!! He said, "Do you want to go check out a movie on Friday or Saturday?" When I got off the phone, I danced around my room. I'm so happy!

Saturday, December 11th, 1993 - G.S.H. Academy

David took me out for dessert before the movie (My Life). I had to make the first move with the handholding. He’s really shy.

When he drove me home, he didn’t even try to kiss me. I had to be aggressive and make the first move. I was determined to get a goodnight kiss out of him...

Yes, I am one of those girls, the ones who marry their high school sweetheart. Who would have predicted the outcome of a simple high school romance? Not me. At eighteen I thought, “What an antiquated notion, marrying your high school boyfriend.”

These lips wanted to kiss a number of frogs before finding price charming.

There are a lot of things that I would do differently, in retrospect, but marrying David is not one of them.

Happy “First Date” Anniversary to us!

PIXIE OR ELFIN?

Last Wednesday, on a whim, I made and appointment to get my hair cut. I was in desperate need of a new style.

A month ago I volunteered myself for a free haircut, given by my brother's girlfriend (an apprentice hair stylist at FIORIO, my salon of choice). It was trimmed from shoulder length to the nape of my neck.

Now, with the holiday season upon us, I wanted my hair to be more coiffed. So off to the salon I went.

I'm very secure with my hair and I'm definitely not a timid hair client, after all it is just hair. I sat in the chair and said, “Do what you think is best.”

Well, my security and hair sensibility were tested. I came out of the salon with the shortest hair I've ever permitted (I should rethink giving stylist free reign to my hair). It's short, it's very, very short, boy cut short. It's what one would call a "Pixie Cut". Although, I do love and appreciate that my “high fashion” hair is very low maintenance, the haircut is definitely going to take some getting use to.

I'm continually surprised at my own reflection.

Now, having five days to absorb the hair, or lack there of, I'm over the initial shock… or so I thought.

On my way home from work, I stopped by a Café to buy myself a gingerbread cookie ('Tis the season). The man behind the counter asked, "Boy or Girl?" For a split second I thought he was referring to me. But common sense prevailed and I quickly realized he was asking if I wanted a boy or girl gingerbread person.

I guess I still am a little sensitive about the new style.

SCENES FROM: The Subway

I have a stranger crush on "Joe". It's unrequited love, he doesn't even know I exist... BUT, I was made well aware of his existence today on the TTC.

My crush for him is not a physical one, he is not, by any stretch of imagination, beautiful. He is however, absolutely beatific and this crush is a pure metaphysical attraction. Here's why...

INT. SUBWAY CAR - MORNING RUSH HOUR

A dense throng of commuter charge into the subway car, each forced to circumvent a lone rider, JANE, who stands steadfast in the middle of the doorway.

JOE, mid-twenties. An over sized hooded sweatshirt, in lieu of a winter coat, covers his lean frame. Slouch fit jeans and heavy black boots finish off his hardened, aggressive image.

He stands among the morning commuters, watching the uncompromising Jane.

He takes two decisive steps toward her. Leaning forward, he stops his mouth a hair’s breadth away from her ear and utters sotto voce.

JOE
It’s not very helpful with you
standing there, is it?

Jane sucks in a nearly audible breath, but remains immovable.

She shifts her head to look at Joe, shooting daggers at him with her eyes. She turns away and proceeds to ignore him hovering behind her.

Joe stares at her for a moment, then returns to his FRIEND and begins whispering loudly.

JOE

It takes a certain level of conceit
and prerogative to obstruct the
doorway during rush hour.

Friend nods in agreement.

These hushed tones prick up the ears and shift the eyes of surrounding commuters, who witnessed Joe’s comment to Jane.

JOE (CONT’D)
Anyways, it’s not like I’m
insulting her for no reason.

I mean if you are not going to
remember your manners, you
shouldn’t even bother leaving
the house.

FRIEND
What if she’s on her way
to meet up with her manners.
Then she has to leave the house.

Joe and Friend laugh. Surrounding commuters smirk.

A scowl of humiliation crosses Jane’s face, but she pretends not to hear Joe and Friend.

She pulls her expensive cashmere coat tighter around herself and prepares to exit the train.

Joe, looks in her direction, determined to make a concerted effort to instill manners into Jane.

JOE
Maybe next time, you’ll remember
your manners like a big girl.

Jane exits the train, stands on the platform facing Joe and flips him “the bird”.

Joe and Friend laugh.

FADE TO BLACK.

No portion of this script may be performed or reporoduced by any means, or quoted or published in any medium without the prior consent of NEWIN FILMS INC.

I'm a stickler for manners, I grew up having it instilled in me. It's one of my finer qualities. It's also one of the qualities I find most attractive in men (once you get passed all the physical attributes, afterall, I'm not blind).

My "Joe crush" is because of this very reason, he said all the things that I was thinking and so much more. An articulate, manner-filled hard core rocker willing to disrespect the ill-mannered.

A great paradox wrapped in a boy for Christmas. Wishes do come true!

Disclaimer: The names have been changed to protect the innocent.... and the guilty... and because I never really heard any names mentioned. All dialogue remains unaltered, some actions may have been embellished for the sake of the story.

CHOOSE WISE WORDS

I am a word snob, English and foreign languages alike.

I like knowing the etymology and semantics of words, its origin, interpretation and relationship to other language form. This comprehension of words makes learning new languages manageable (I'm in the process of learning Spanish, understanding the relation of Spanish words to French, Latin or English makes it easier for me to remember).

The more I write, the more I find myself in a greater search for more succinct and precise usage of words. An endless search for the absolute perfect words to convey my thoughts or images flawlessly.

"Choose your words wisely", advice taken to heart in my writing and in my conversation.

Conversation, however, is always subjective, what you mean and what is interpreted are not always one in the same. Therefore, even in speech I often choose words that leave little room for misinterpretation. I mean what I say, and I say what I mean (but this doesn't mean that I always say what I think, for THAT would definitely get me into trouble).

"What do you mean?" and "Do you know what I mean?" are questions that are often heard in my dialogue with others. Regardless of my constant usage of these phrases, dimwits, who discard my query of comprehension, have often misinterpreted me.

Speech should not be an attempt to string some random words together in hopes of being understood. Recognize what you're saying and what others say to you. If you don't "get it", for god sakes, ask for clarification.

Long blog short: I'm tired of dealing with Idiots. I give up. You try; see if you can get any further than me.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

ON THE 1st DAY...

I've been waiting for this day with great anticipation. It's been circled on my calendar for months. (Well, not physically... I would have, if I had an actual calendar. BUT I've mentally circled it, in my cranium calendar.)

Why?

Beginning today, I can officially start telling everyone who crosses my path to have a HAPPY HOLIDAY and a MERRY CHRISTMAS! Starting today, I'm allowed to sing Christmas carols at the loudest volume my voice and neighbours will allow.

Any sooner than today, people give me funny looks and refuse to reciprocate the Christmas sentiment (this is not an assumption, it is a tried and tested certainty).

I’ve already begun reacquainting myself with that warm-merry Christmas feeling via downloaded Christmas music.

Christmas, it's everything I love all rolled into one holiday. Gift giving, Friends n' Family time, gingerbread and sugar cookies, cooking (Rumours to the contrary aside, I am a VERY GOOD COOK, I just don't do it very often), over indulging, TV specials, group singing, home decorating, Holiday parties, dressing pretty and SHOPPING!

Malls are over loaded with shoppers, but I don't care. No one in my family is fanatical about getting the latest gadgets or any must have item... so I'm free of gift giving restrictions. To some, this would be an annoyance; to me this is a great challenge, an annual treasure hunt with my own lyrical accompaniment.

Dashing through the Mall
In a rush to find a gift
Through the stores we go
Spending money swift.

Loved ones on your mind
Making spirits bright
Oh, What fun it is to seek and find
A perfect gift tonight! Aaay!

HAPPY SHOPPING, ONE AND ALL!