The new adventures of old Los Angeles

I like change. Every few years, I need a major shake-up; job change, move, career change, name change. Something like that. I'm due for one and Nebraska made me realize that.Not that I want to go live in Nebraska. The pace is too slow for me.

Now I've got to decide what that'll be. I had hoped that I'd be publishing my novel this fall, but that got waylayed. It'll happen, just later than I hoped. I'm going to make a big push to finish both novels by Christmas. The second novel will take less time. The first is near the end, but will still need a lot of editing. I did work a bit on it during my trip, but we were pretty busy. I didn't have as much down time as I had expected.

So, the news about the Nebraska trip is that I'm not going back for another week. It's a good decision, a perfectly amicable split, and we found a fantastic director/actress to take over the project who is local and will probably do a much better job than I would have anyway (because she is local). I am so glad I got to go and help get things started! We made a great deal of progress in a very short period of time, I got to hang with Cecilia a LOT, I met some truly fantastic and amazing people who really understand what it means to live life to its fullest, and I gained a lot of professional experience, especially about "thinking outside the box". I know, and overused, cheesey phrase, but it's really what it is. Adaptations were made to facilitate the play that I have never needed before and caused endless fruitful possibilities. It was an experience I wouldn't trade for anything!

So, according to the title of this post, The New Adventures of old Los Angeles, I am going to attempt to have some new adventures in this city. There are certainly possibilities to do so. I am too inactive here, and I've grown too complacent instead of growing wiser, which is what I prefer:

I need to get out more and not be afraid of people.

I need to expand my career into something more adventurous than what it is - more workshops for the kids, more training for me, coaching ensembles; something like that.

I need to get more involved back in the theatre process.

I need to finish and publish my first book.

I welcome suggestions! Bring it on!

Beautiful new picture of Matthew Macfadyen surfaced this week, and I just have to share it.

Good things

Linda Knox and Kit Boesch, my "roomies" in Lincoln.


This week in Nebraska has been quite cathartic for me. I have learned a great deal about the appreciation of life, not taking our blessings for granted, perseverance, patience and determination. I have met some truly spectacular people who are not just living with M.S., but LIVING with M.S. I am inspired, awed, warmed and I feel really blessed to have this opportunity.





I do have concerns about the play itself, because although progress has been made, great progress, in fact, on the scale of readiness, we are not nearly where we should be. However, we have hired an amazing actress/assistant director in whom I have complete confidence. I am coming back in a week and I expect that she and Cecilia will have rocketed the progress by leaps and bounds.





I have put the rest of my life on the back burner. Whatever issues were occuring in my life in Los Angeles seem like distant echoes of what was last week. It will be necessary to re-address them when I return, but for now, I need not consider them. It's very nice to have this release and see my "regular" life with new perspective.





I am especially excited that I feel like I'm going to have a new approach and fresh perspective on the book. I have a feeling it's going to make the difference I have been looking for with not being satisfied about its progress. I'm anxious to re-immerse myself in that universe when I return.



Oddly, I also learned that I have lost 23 pounds since February. Weird.

Nebraska Blog #1

I am here, in Lincoln, Nebraska, where it is quite chilly compared to what I'm used to, but I am happy to miss the 100 degree temps in LA right now. On the way here, I was to have a layover in Dallas for an hour, but Dallas had a severe lightning storm, so we got there 2 hours late and I had to stay overnight as the next flight to Omaha wasn't until Tuesday morning. So I finally got in at 10am Tuesday, 11 hours late. Since then everything is going very smoothly!

The project is getting off the ground quite well. I have now met most of the people with the diagnosis of MS who have contributed their stories to our play. Dates have been set, and logistics are coming along and today we were able to start rehearsing. We need to hire an emcee and two other actors for the evening, and have left lots of messages and e-mails for key people, but have received no responses, so I'm quite concerned about that so far. I am meeting a lot of fascinating people with wonderful and inspiring stories to share and reconnecting with a dear old friend whom I realize I have missed very much! I am also staying with two very nice ladies who I like a LOT, and who are so generous to share their home with me and be far beyond accommodating! I'm very lucky about that!

My family finally closed on their home and were able to move in this weekend! And my 11-year old nephew is joining the school band on either Trumpet or Trombone (he seems to like Trombone better), so I'm very happy that he is finally venturing into music studies a little. I hope he likes it! I think he will have more fun with Trombone.

I am learning a lot of new things this week about human nature, coping strategies, organizing strategies and this type of interaction with people is very good for all. Stay tuned for further posts from Lincoln!

Nebraska here I come

Been gearing up for the trip to Lincoln, Nebraska. I leave tomorrow afternoon. I now have all the vignettes (the whole script) and Friday night did a reading with my besties, Aileen and Colby. Made lots of discoveries and now have some definite ideas about how this is all going to work. The script needs major cutting - it's far too wordy, but I have confidence that will happen as we get into the nitty gritty. Lovely lady named Linda offered her spare bedroom to me for the week and am very grateful to have a place to stay now.

My family is finally closing on their house tomorrow after 13 months of hassles! I am extremely happy for them, that the wait is finally over and they can be settled and no longer homeless.

Got more news that prompts me to make some major changes in my current work situation. This would all have gone so much smoother and be much more bearable if a certain party would stop trying to lie to me and would play fair.

The wonderful, fantastic, amazing Julie Valencia sent me 2 more students tonight, who will start after I get back to town. I owe that woman and her family so much!

Gotta go to bed at some point. Lots to do tomorrow; haven't even started packing. Am hoping to spend some of the time in Nebraska working on my book. Granted, the project is this play, but I think I will have some down time.

Here's a snippet from the book that will probably end up getting cut:

Elizabeth felt the car bump when Arden maneuvered it onto Asbury Close, and she woke up and fondled Jack’s hand a little. He opened his eyes, took in his surroundings and pointed across her torso out the window at the grand 250 year-old stone mansion crested on the hill ¼ mile to their right. “That’s it?” she asked, duly impressed.
“Welcome to Berkshire, Miss,” Arden told her, regarding her in the rear-view mirror with a twinkle in his eye.
She stared at it as it came closer into view and Arden slowed the car, turning right again into the drive. There was a fountain as big as a house in the center of the drive, adorned with marble horses and a garden surrounding it. The drive was paved in stone and the house was massive. It was bigger than most of the houses in Beverly Hills and there weren’t any other houses in sight, implying that the grounds must stretch for miles.
Jack was watching her awe with amusement. He pecked her on the cheek as the car gently rolled up to the front of the house.
Inappropriate questions came to her mind such as, “How much is it worth?”, “How many bedrooms are there?”, “How many square feet?”, “How many acres?” But she didn’t voice any of them and trusted that if she was allowed to know any of that, Jack would tell her.
Arden opened the car door for her and she stepped out. The bitter December cold hadn’t improved since Heathrow and she longed for a coat. Jack emerged behind her and said, “Go in the house. I’ll help Arden with the bags.”
She felt a bit uncomfortable walking in the front door without Jack, but she was freezing, so she obliged. The two-story double door creaked as she pushed it open. She stepped into a grand foyer with its marble black and white checkered floor and crème-colored paneled walls, which upon further inspection, revealed they were made of marble. The grand staircase, also marble, was centered in front of her and above her hung a four-tiered ancient chandelier with candelabras dotting it. She was certain she could fit six replicas of her tiny campus apartment in this foyer alone.
Jack and Arden bustled through the door behind her and she gave them room to maneuver, as she was still standing in the doorway. “Where would you like the bags, Jack?” Arden asked him.
“In my room,” he replied, as if that settled where Elizabeth would sleep.
Arden nodded and took two of the bags upstairs.
A woman in a yellow robe and slippers appeared the top of the steps, smiled at Jack, and made her way down to him. Jack flung his arms open and met her halfway, embracing her warmly and kissing her both cheeks. As always, upon sight of his big sister, he felt an enormous rush of family bond he received nowhere else. When he was away, he rarely thought about how much he missed his sister, but when he saw her, he was always flooded with relief and contentment. “I miss you so much!” he half-whispered.
“I miss you too, brother,” she told him, smiling.

Writing, writing, writing

Despite the simmerings of several projects, I have actually been writing more. Here's the opening of a sweet little scene:

Jack had been awake only a few minutes. He slept all day long, waking only to relieve himself and his back ached from laying down too long. He felt better, but still not awake enough to go downstairs in search of sustenance. When his front door buzzed, he realized he’d have to go down. He wondered who it could possibly be, because nobody ever visited him without calling first in the three years he had lived here. He pulled on his robe and slowly made his way downstairs, while the door buzzed two more times. He pressed the intercom and his voice croaked, “Hello?” He had to clear his throat and say it again.
“Jack?”
Elizabeth? Jack held his breath. “Yes?”
“It’s Lizzie. Can I come in?”
“Yes,” he said again, pressing the door release. He opened his door and there she stood. He stared at her.
“Hi,” she smiled. “Are you all right? We’ve been trying to call you.”
“I’ve been sleeping.”
“I’m sorry I woke you up.”
“No, I woke up a few minutes before you buzzed.” He stared at her a moment longer and snapped out of it, stepping aside for her. “Come in.”
She smiled again. Jack looked like a little boy; his hair tousled, in his bright blue terry robe and bare feet. She peeked at his big feet, which she had never seen before. There was something about seeing the object of your affection with bare feet that made him seem more accessible. “Maggie and Chris and I were worried about you. You weren’t answering the phone, so we decided one of us should come and check on you. Chris had to work and Maggie was rehearsing, so I got the job.”
Jack was elated that Maggie and Chris had been busy. “Wow,” he said, shutting the door. “Thanks.” He was also grateful his friends had been concerned about him enough to come and check up on him, even if he didn’t really need it.

Nebraska is soon approaching and I'm feeling ill-prepared. I still don't have all the scenes (I have 8 of 12) and there are so many unknowns about casting and facilities. I will be very busy next week.

I am very stoked about the production of Ken Follett's book "The Pillars of the Earth". It's about the building of a 12th century cathedral and Matthew Macfadyen is playing one of the leads, Prior Philip. It's a brilliant book, whether Matthew is attached or not. It also stars Rufus Sewell, Donald Sutherland and Ian McShane and a large cast of others. Anyway, check out the book if you can (warning: it's pretty violent), and its sequel "World Without End" which is nearly as good as the first. And for some eye-candy, here's a brand new piccie of Matthew as the Prior. And a link to the website: http://www.the-pillars-of-the-earth.tv

Ch-ch-changes

This week brought ponderings about making some changes in my business. I have a desire to be independently owned and operated, like I was in Minneapolis 10 years ago. I will make more money and my own decisions, but it involves money, of course, and a great deal has been discussed this week with my 2 besties as to how to achieve this.

So the book is simmering in the distance. I have picked at it a little, but not as much as I'd like. Still not sure about the direction I'm taking in splitting it in two, but Colby reminded me last night that the performances we like the least are often the most highly regarded by others. Of course I have had this experience in my own performance, but not in a while, as I've become older and a better judge of my own work, but I wonder if it applies to writing as well? Still, it's difficult to keep motivated when at one point I was overjoyed to be "finished".

My first Nebraska trip comes in about a week and I've gotten about 2/3 of the material; the other 1/3 was promised on Wednesday night and has not yet arrived, so that concerns me a bit. Many decisions about the shape and form and personnel of the production cannot be decided until I get there and meet with the potential performers and crew. I hope they realize that we need to marathon this in the two separate weeks I'm there and that they need to be working very diligently while I'm not there. It's difficult to convey this to non-theatre people, which many of them are. I do find myself very excited about the project! This is a very unique production - different to anything I've directed or produced before, and has its own set of challenges that will be new to me and to everyone involved. I think it is always good for us to need to adapt. It expands our boundaries and makes the "traditional" work we do stand out more.

Long weekend

I've been woefully neglectful since I came back from Minneapolis. My apartment is a tip and I haven't done any writing, save for about 30 minutes, when I decided I wasn't in the mood. I'm vowing to get my shit together this weekend. Of course, the House-a-thon on USA isn't helping. I love Hugh Laurie and I'm so stoked that the US has finally caught on to what a genius he is!

I booked my flight for my first week in Nebraska. Will be there Sept 21-27. I'm getting excited about the project and seeing and working with Cecilia again, but I still don't have a script. That worries me a bunch. It's been "near completion" for several weeks now. Cecilia has read me a few of the scenes (she is calling them vignettes), and I like what I'm hearing so far. But in order to process the show properly and effectively, I need a completed script, like, yesterday.

Need more students! About 5 would be nice, but realistically, about 10 would make me comfortable!

Just realized I have about 6 weeks to get my 2008 taxes done with 2 of those weeks out of town. I really wish taxes would just go away. They're such a chore when you're self-employed.

It's a beautiful day in LA today. The sun is shining, the smoke from the fires is virtually gone (at least where I am), I have an enhanced healthy respect for firefighters because the danger came close to several people I know, and today, I let someone cut in front of me at the grocery store because I had half a cart and she only had 3 things and it was busy. It feels good to do stuff like that. And my massive caffiene-withdrawal headache is subsiding now that I have coke in my system again. I lasted 1 whole day this time. It's bad.

Going to watch something with Matthew Macfadyen in it tonight. In My Father's Den or Pride & Prejudice? Probably IMFD. I've seen P&P about 100 times now. Okay, I'm exaggerating. Only 98 times.

In a Six-degrees related post, Matthew Macfadyen and Hugh Laurie worked together in "Maybe Baby" and on two episodes of "Spooks" or "MI-5" (as it's known in the US).