Already?

Okay, so I've been a lazy blogger. It's unfathomable that Thanksgiving is next week. And do retailers really not hear EVERYONE complain about holiday music and items being in their stores so early. I don't know anybody who likes this before Thanksgiving, do you? It's so about the money to them - the longer the stuff is in their stores, the more we spend, I guess. (Well, not me. I have no money. ;-)

25 of my 31 students are having their recitals on Sunday, so I've been busy with that. I'm proud of these kids. Most are memorized and a few have really grown leaps and bounds since the last recital 6 months ago.

Honestly, I haven't written in a couple of weeks, but I sort of screwed it up. I had an idea about whose perspective the book should be written from, and I sorted it out for the first half, but it isn't working on the second half, so I have to rearrange the second half. I just haven't gotten to it yet.

Also, I read "The Lost Symbol" - Dan Brown's new book. Not as good as DaVinci Code, and not even close to as good as "Angels and Demons", but still good nonetheless. I love his writing. His plots are so complicated and take so much explanation, but it doesn't bog you down, nor does he talk down to you. It was a very fast read and I couldn't put it down.

Here's hoping you all have a happy, prosperous and warm holiday season!

Birthday Blog

38. Can't believe I'm 38. I had certain ideas about how life would be at this age, and life really doesn't turn out the way you expected, does it? I have other things to be grateful for, but those really strong core life wishes like having a family, being in a relationship, having a lucrative and successful career have slipped away from me. Having my own kids and being in a relationship are wishes I've given up, but my friends are my family and my career is about to get a big boost, especially if this book gets finished and published.

I've been in the midst of a rearrangement of my work situation which has been incredibly stressful. Today I got some very good news that should help this along brilliantly. Without going into details, I have to add that my mom is the greatest person on the planet and I love her with all my heart! Also, Colby has been a godsend to me in figuring all of this out. I wish he would go to law school! Aileen and Alison have been very helpful as well. I'm so grateful to have such fantastic, brilliant and generous people on my side!

The book is moving forward. It has become a great escape during this stressful time. I started over on Monday yet again, but I'm happy with what I've done. It has cut a lot of words off the book while maintaining the story just as effectively and it's going to work brilliantly. And the length of the book is an important consideration in getting it published, especially as a first-time writer.

I have a great desire to go to London next spring and see a revival of Private Lives with Matthew Macfadyen and Kim Cattrall in the lead roles. Financially, it isn't logical to even try to make it happen, but I could really use a vacation to somewhere other than Minneapolis and one of my deepest desires has always been a trip to London.

Now what do I do?

So I got the first draft of book 1 done. In the last 20 pages, things really took shape and a lot of doubt I had was removed. I'm 79 pages into the first edit. Yesterday, I was with Colby, and I described what the story is and he proceeded to go on for 15 minutes about what he didn't like. Bear in mind 2 things - I asked him for and very much value his opinion - he hasn't actually read any of it, I've just told him the story in detail. He had several things to say and I realized he had some very good points, and now I don't know what to do. I thought I had it figured it out, but he pointed out a lot of weaknesses in my ideas. Shit.

My most gifted student had to drop lessons this week. I was very bummed about it. She's been with me for 2 years and I really like her and her family. She's a brilliantly talented singer and she works hard. And I know from experience that they almost never come back. But I know I have taught her a lot and she will take that with her wherever she goes next. I will watch her rise. Someday, she will be on Broadway.

Watched the very disturbing and frustrating Criminal Justice II (BBC crime drama) all week. Was lovely to see some new Matthew Macfadyen material (even though he was doing some disturbing stuff); the acting was spectacular and I am fast becoming a fan of Sophie Okonedo. But the show itself was badly written.

Also, got to see Ricky Gervais on the season premiere of The Graham Norton Show. Ricky is hysterical, and there is no better laugh on the planet! When I was in Nebraska, I listened to the first season of the Ricky Gervais Show (the podcast) and it was quite funny. And I truly loved Extras.

Got my taxes done. Took me and Colby 7 hours yesterday, but I am getting a small refund (almost enough to cover the cost of TurboTax, woohoo). What a relief to have that out of the way.

Minneapolis got 2 inches of snow on Thurdsay. ROFL! They're all complaining - why do they live there if they hate snow? I don't get it.

My sis-in-law recently told my Mom, "I don't know how you were ever with that man," meaning my Dad. My friends who have met both my parents can't understand how they were ever a couple either! ROFL!

Almost there

I am happy to report that book 1 is almost a complete story at 127,000 words. That'll get edited down to about 115,000, I believe because I've decided to scrap a whole section. Then I can finally start submitting to agents and publishers, whoever they are and begin receiving the hundreds of rejection letters I will receive before being offered that magical YES with lots of $$ attached!

I am very grateful that I was part of the acting profession. I am OK with rejection. I understand because I have experienced that there is a time and a place and a "right vibe" for every professional relationship and that the right publisher/author relationship will come along for me too. "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" was rejected many times and look at it now.

My income is down $500 since July (and the summer months are already down). I lost 3 students for various reasons, and sent 4 guitar players to a brilliant new teacher where they will thrive and learn much more than I can teach them. I wasn't counting on losing 3 kids. Now I'm sweating. So if you know anybody who needs a teacher (Pasadena area), please send them my way. Not adult beginners though. I'd rather die.

Was going to go to a taping for the new Jeff Dunham Show tonight with Colby but I have a migraine. I tried to sleep it off, but it didn't work and now I'm not tired enough to sleep more. This beautiful sunlight is not helping. It's a gorgeous day! If my head wasn't splitting in 2, I'd be out in it. 80, sunny, clear, breezy. Perfect!

Taxes are calling. Anybody know somebody REALLY cheap?

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!