I think blogging was started by my childhood friend. When she passed away, her daughters were left a shelf full of bulging three-ring binders of her life. She had kept every memory alive by journaling -- ribbons, invitations, pictures, and commentary, were all preserved for them, as they occurred. At leisure, her daughters could watch her become a woman -- and then their mother and their own lives -- through the pages...
We were both eleven when my best friend moved clear across the country. Little did we know that we would be best friends until her death at age 58. We were heartbroken at being separated and promised to write each other every day! And we did write, not every day but weekly, from that moment on. We literally sent the same Christmas card back and forth to each other for more than 20 years, until it became too worn to survive the journeys.
In the first few years, we wrote at least three times a week and then, as we became more involved with... well, boys!... the writing was reduced to just once a week, but the letters were thick and full of girl talk. We shared dreams, thoughts, activities, love interests, family life, disappointments, joys -- as I said, we knew each other and were best friends. It was a safe way to share because we lived so far apart from each other. There was little chance of running into the people in each other's lives, so secrets were safe. As we grew up, we began to truly treasure the other being there for venting or helping to work through problems and important decisions.
We could count on each other because we shared the truth, although we weren't as brutal as today's young people. We didn't sugar-coat but we found supportive ways of helping each other through our problems. It would never have occurred to either one of us to share that privileged privacy with the world. That would be a true betrayal and not something you would do to a real friend. And hand writing everything down helped clarify problems. Sometimes, the mountains really were only molehills. It's said but I think the Internet has just about done away with young people being able to trust a friend. How sad. Everyone needs someone they can confide in without fear of being exposed to ridicule. We stumble. It happens. A friend gets you through it. The Internet has taken that freedom away from our children, it seems.
Our families met only once during that lifetime and our children couldn't understand that our bond was still so strong -- stronger than anything I have shared with my own sisters. She was a dancer instructor who spent ten years trying to figure out why she was eating so much but not putting on weight. One day, when she asked her doctor if he had ever given her a blood-sugar test, he said no and promptly administered one. She was a Class III Diabetic. Diabetes lead to other problems. She lost her battle to Lupus in '93 and her letters were put away with all the memories.
I can only imagine what my beautiful lifelong friend would have done as a blogger! Upon her death, her daughters inherited their mother's history and journaling. Every special event had its own page with mementos and their story written by her hand. When not attending something special, she would simply share her days and life with her daughters, along with any pictures taken on that day. The beauty of it all is that there were no computer crashes or lost files because it was all done by hand on hard copy.
There were 33 binders filled with this remarkable woman's life. A beautiful legacy from a woman who worked tirelessly for her family, church and community, and never complained -- not once. I know she was in pain but she only saw the beauty in her world. She humbled me. She was happily married and adored her family -- especially, the grandchildren -- and it hurts that she was taken from them -- from me -- so early. I hate that. This was a lady who would be the reigning queen of Bloggerville, Facebook, and Skype. It's hard to believe she never got the chance. Today is simply the anniversary of her passing but I've never stopped thinking of my very special childhood friend.
Do you have one, too?
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
VICPs Are Like Digital Two-Year-Olds
What is a VICP?
A VICP is a Very Important Cellphone Person. They are on their cell phones almost nonstop. It doesn't matter that they're having dinner with friends, on a vacation tour bus, or walking down the street. They are almost never with the people they are with because they're on the cell phone with anyone else.
Now, those who really know me know that I'm not a phone person. Never was. Even as a teenager. Couldn't stand to be on the phone longer than it took to give or receive information. Don't know why, but there it is... so, you can just imagine how excited I was when cell phones took over the world.
Everyone walking around like a homeless person, talking to themselves... wait, no, they're talking to someone else, but now you can hear everything on their end of the line. Stuff you don't want to hear, don't want to know about -- but, can't get away from. TMI at its peak.
It seems there are people, today, who literally can't get from point A to point B without talking to someone else about what their next step should be. What is wrong with them, I wonder. Are they so insecure that they can't make their own decisions, or, more frightening, are they so controlled by someone else that they are not allowed to make a decision for fear of serious repercussions. People terrified of having an independent thought. And, we're raising our children to think they can't function without group think -- a very scary thought, indeed.
We are not discussing teenagers. I know that's how they get oxygen. They did it with land lines. They do it with cell phones. They'll do it with implants. And it is kind of funny to watch them walking down the street together -- each of them talking to someone else on their cell phone.
It's Not All About You VICPs; We're Here, Too
But, there is a point when it has to stop.
So, you're in the line at __________, and the VICP is second in line ahead of you and six to eight people behind. The cellphone will play its merry tune, the VICP takes the call, and everyone gets to listen as they circle in and out of their place in line. No one closes the gap because they have manners and don't want to make a scene. But, people are irritated -- no question about that -- because this side of the call does not reflect that the caller needs instruction on how to apply a tourniquet or where to dispose of a body just run over with a lawnmower -- they're just chatting because they have the time.
The clerk signals that they're ready to take the VICP next, but, no, the VICP just keeps talking, while the rest of the line begins that subtle ominous low grumbling... Finally, the frustrated clerk calls on the next person in line -- and the VICP gets mad! They're not hanging up, they're not ready to conduct their business, but they're not willing to give up what they thought was their place in line, either. WTF! No one owns a place in line and, if you're not ready when it's your turn, it's the next one in line's turn.
The sad truth is VICPs do not:
Two-year-olds are taught not to interrupt us without a good reason, why are callers -- who happen to be free to make the call -- allowed to demand immediate attention? Is it really asking too much for common courtesy?
And, texting... aargh...
A VICP is a Very Important Cellphone Person. They are on their cell phones almost nonstop. It doesn't matter that they're having dinner with friends, on a vacation tour bus, or walking down the street. They are almost never with the people they are with because they're on the cell phone with anyone else.
Now, those who really know me know that I'm not a phone person. Never was. Even as a teenager. Couldn't stand to be on the phone longer than it took to give or receive information. Don't know why, but there it is... so, you can just imagine how excited I was when cell phones took over the world.
Everyone walking around like a homeless person, talking to themselves... wait, no, they're talking to someone else, but now you can hear everything on their end of the line. Stuff you don't want to hear, don't want to know about -- but, can't get away from. TMI at its peak.
It seems there are people, today, who literally can't get from point A to point B without talking to someone else about what their next step should be. What is wrong with them, I wonder. Are they so insecure that they can't make their own decisions, or, more frightening, are they so controlled by someone else that they are not allowed to make a decision for fear of serious repercussions. People terrified of having an independent thought. And, we're raising our children to think they can't function without group think -- a very scary thought, indeed.
We are not discussing teenagers. I know that's how they get oxygen. They did it with land lines. They do it with cell phones. They'll do it with implants. And it is kind of funny to watch them walking down the street together -- each of them talking to someone else on their cell phone.
It's Not All About You VICPs; We're Here, Too
But, there is a point when it has to stop.
- I can understand parents and children checking in with each other.
- I can understand getting a clarification on something you might be doing for someone else.
- I can understand calling for more specific directions when lost.
So, you're in the line at __________, and the VICP is second in line ahead of you and six to eight people behind. The cellphone will play its merry tune, the VICP takes the call, and everyone gets to listen as they circle in and out of their place in line. No one closes the gap because they have manners and don't want to make a scene. But, people are irritated -- no question about that -- because this side of the call does not reflect that the caller needs instruction on how to apply a tourniquet or where to dispose of a body just run over with a lawnmower -- they're just chatting because they have the time.
The clerk signals that they're ready to take the VICP next, but, no, the VICP just keeps talking, while the rest of the line begins that subtle ominous low grumbling... Finally, the frustrated clerk calls on the next person in line -- and the VICP gets mad! They're not hanging up, they're not ready to conduct their business, but they're not willing to give up what they thought was their place in line, either. WTF! No one owns a place in line and, if you're not ready when it's your turn, it's the next one in line's turn.
The sad truth is VICPs do not:
- give the impression world events need their intervention
- need all the hours in a day to keep up with all their friends
- have businesses that can't function without ongoing instruction
- brighten up your life by letting you in on theirs
- give the impression that they are rude
- suggest they couldn't care less about the rights of other people
- care more for the person on the phone than the person having a meal with them
Two-year-olds are taught not to interrupt us without a good reason, why are callers -- who happen to be free to make the call -- allowed to demand immediate attention? Is it really asking too much for common courtesy?
And, texting... aargh...
Monday, September 13, 2010
When A Devil's Advocate Becomes Just Plain Mule-Headed
I raised my children to always consider the source of any information they are given. Why? Because so many people will simply give an opinion whether they have knowledge about the subject, or not, and it's usually negative. When, "I'm playing the devil's advocate," is overused, this is where you have to draw the line with that person. It may be that they simply cannot accept a new idea.
What is a Devil's Advocate?
From Wikipedia:
Playing the devil's advocate is similar to using counter-arguments in theses or debates. It's really quite neutral and meant to help complete or modify the idea to a workable conclusion. The first logical argument for the dog's tree house is that dogs can't climb. This is too obvious and practically impossible to say without either raising one's voice or smirking. So, the approach is more supportive and you may ask your friend in a soft, low tone --
Now, if, when your friend is able to blow holes through your arguments with breathtaking clarification as regards his particular Fido's deep love for climbing trees and napping on broad limbs, you continue to press your case, you could be guilty of being just plain mule-headed. You could become a naysayer!
Naysayers Can Really Bring You Down
Naysayers deny or take a pessimistic view of anything, regardless of how much information is given to support the idea they are opposing. They could be either afraid or jealous of your new idea and, in either case, you cannot let them bring you down. It isn't that you just want people who support your idea and let you make a major mistake; but, when someone consistently puts down your ideas without any positive feedback that will help you work to correct a problem, it's time to reevaluate how often you seek the opinion of this person.
New ideas are fragile and must be nurtured or they die under too much negative feedback. Your best sources for honest feedback are those people familiar with your subject. Their arguments will be focused on what generally works in that area and they can be trusted to help you. The less they know, the higher the probability that their arguments will be less effective and far more personal.
It's hard to monitor ourselves but we can watch other's reactions to our words. Are you one of those people above? If you keep attacking the ideas and projects of your friends or family, you may find that you are left out of the loop because it's the easiest thing to do to avoid being crushed by your naysaying.
It's not your job to tear someone else down simply because they asked you for an opinion. It doesn't mean you have to tear them apart so that you will sound as if you know what you're talking about. The old rule still holds true:
What is a Devil's Advocate?
From Wikipedia:
In common parlance, a devil's advocate is someone who, given a certain argument, takes a position he or she does not necessarily agree with, just for the sake of argument. In taking such position,the individual taking on the devil's advocate role seeks to engage others in an argumentative discussion process. The purpose of such process is typically to test the quality of the original argument and identify weaknesses in its structure, and to use such information to either improve or abandon the original, opposing position.You see? It's something used to help clear up any problems with the original idea or project. As an example, your friend has decided to build Fido a tree house next to Billie's tree house. It would be inconceivable to almost anyone that this would work -- but, not to your friend holding the hammer and saw! Someone (that's you) has to act as the devil's advocate. To protect the dog, if nothing else!
Playing the devil's advocate is similar to using counter-arguments in theses or debates. It's really quite neutral and meant to help complete or modify the idea to a workable conclusion. The first logical argument for the dog's tree house is that dogs can't climb. This is too obvious and practically impossible to say without either raising one's voice or smirking. So, the approach is more supportive and you may ask your friend in a soft, low tone --
- Is that apple tree going to be low enough for Fido to see his house at the top of the crossbars?
- Will that slide be highly-polished so Fido doesn't get splinters in his paws?
- Is that window frame strong enough for the 5000 BTU a/c?
- Where can you get Fido trained to raise and lower that food basket?
Now, if, when your friend is able to blow holes through your arguments with breathtaking clarification as regards his particular Fido's deep love for climbing trees and napping on broad limbs, you continue to press your case, you could be guilty of being just plain mule-headed. You could become a naysayer!
Naysayers Can Really Bring You Down
Naysayers deny or take a pessimistic view of anything, regardless of how much information is given to support the idea they are opposing. They could be either afraid or jealous of your new idea and, in either case, you cannot let them bring you down. It isn't that you just want people who support your idea and let you make a major mistake; but, when someone consistently puts down your ideas without any positive feedback that will help you work to correct a problem, it's time to reevaluate how often you seek the opinion of this person.
New ideas are fragile and must be nurtured or they die under too much negative feedback. Your best sources for honest feedback are those people familiar with your subject. Their arguments will be focused on what generally works in that area and they can be trusted to help you. The less they know, the higher the probability that their arguments will be less effective and far more personal.
- What makes you think you can do that?
- Are you out of your mind?
- What a stupid idea!
- Oh, no, not another one.
It's hard to monitor ourselves but we can watch other's reactions to our words. Are you one of those people above? If you keep attacking the ideas and projects of your friends or family, you may find that you are left out of the loop because it's the easiest thing to do to avoid being crushed by your naysaying.
It's not your job to tear someone else down simply because they asked you for an opinion. It doesn't mean you have to tear them apart so that you will sound as if you know what you're talking about. The old rule still holds true:
For every negative thing you say, you have to say three positive things. It's best to start with two positive things, slip in one negative, and end with a positive.Especially, if you are not an expert in the field.
- You have one smart dog.
- This is a perfect location for Fido's tree house.
- Can Fido climb crossbars?
- I love the paint color -- it's so Frank Lloyd Wright.
Monday, September 06, 2010
My Name Spelled Any Other Way is Disrespecting Me
What's in a Name? My name is Jane Doe. That has been my name since birth. It's the name I answer to when called. It's the name I put on
- applications
- badges
- hello tags
- legal documents,
- raffle tickets,
- paintings,
- and, so on
But, when I have taken the time to print out my name, there is no excuse for you not to take it down as written. I don't care how busy you are, this is just an affront. Even more irritating is when I have given you my name on my own printed cards, pictures and/or on banners, only to find out later that you have decided it's wrong and changed the spelling. I don't care if you have a cousin or a friend with the same name and that they spell it different from the way I spell mine -- it is not your cousin or friend who is going on your list.
If I try to correct you, I'm the one that gets treated as if I'm a petulant child, stamping my foot because the name isn't right in your publication. If it's a one-time thing, I'm probably not going to do anything more than mention it, once -- and, of course, every time I meet someone new at the event! But, if it has been misspelled in a publication, for the rest of the life of that publication, my name is misspelled. The end result of that is, somewhere down the line, I'll be involved in another situation that requires my name being shown and someone will decide that the way my name is spelled must be as it is in that erroneous publication they have kept – because, that is how it was printed!
A Mountain Out of a Molehill - Or, Can You Prove It
Imagine this scenario: You or your child has won an award and it includes a beautiful printed certificate or ribbon for the winner. It's a memento, something to cherish for the rest of your life and put in a scrapbook for the next generation. Would you want to have to add an explanation that the award is real, even though the name is wrong? Of course not. It takes away from what the award is and turns it into a misspelled name story. This is simply a matter of giving credit where credit is due and you would want the same for yourself or your child. It only takes a second to check a name, but a lifetime to correct the mistake.
By the same token, if you are in charge of displaying awards to the public, please see to it that the winners' names are visible so that they can be recognized. There is nothing more disheartening than watching the light go out of your child's eye because no one will know they won an award for all their hard work because the tag has been turned, covered, or crumpled, and no one has taken the few seconds it takes to make it right. This is all a part of the event coordinator's job and the crafter should not be made to feel bad because they point out that their name can't be seen. Simply saying, "Well, you know you won the award," doesn't cut it, here. That doesn't make it go away and it is usually said by someone who didn't get an award.
My Name Spelled Any Other Way is Disrespecting Me
My name is Jane Doe – it is spelled J-a-n-e -- not J-a-y-n-e, J-a-i-n-e, J-e-h-n-e, J-a-n, or, any other combination you can imagine, my name is spelled exactly the way I have written it down for you. To look on the bright side, at least, I have finally found a purpose for the one word I loathe in common usage today, 'disrespecting.' Please stop disrespecting me and allow me the dignity to go through my life with the one thing that totally belongs to me – my name – and I will do the same for you.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Some Drivers Seem to Have a Death Wish
You see your turn coming up, your turn signal is flashing, you slow down and begin to apply the brakes. Wait! The car behind doesn't slow down and appears oblivious to your upcoming turn. As you enter the narrow driveway, the vehicle whooshes by, simultaneously, which means they didn't slow down, at all.
What is wrong with these people? Do they think I am perfect? What if I didn't slow down enough? They could have hit me. Did they care?
I find it just as difficult to understand people who insist on turning into my lane of traffic within 10 feet of my reaching their intersection. Bear in mind, there is no one behind me, for miles, – probably, all the way to Key West – but that doesn't seem to matter one whit. They wait for me to get closer, then zip out as if there was no other alternative -- like, waiting until I pass. There is no one behind me! Why can't they wait until I've passed and it's safer for everyone?
I used to think this type of driving only happened in the country, but that line is being crossed closer and closer to the urban environment. What are they gaining? Eight seconds? A clear view line? Grrrrr.
While I'm on a roll, let's talk about the lines being crossed - the double-yellow lines. Does anyone read the manual, anymore? I've lived, at one time or another, in several different states and I have never seen in their driving manuals that it is okay to cross the double-yellow lines. And, yet, it happens over and over again here in NC. It isn't that I am going too slow – oh, no, I'm doing the speed limit - and, probably, just a little bit more – and it is still not fast enough for them. Are they crazy? Isn't crossing the double-yellow line universally illegal in this country? What did I miss? Do they have a death wish? Well, let me go on record to say it scares the beejeebies out of me and I want it to stop.
It happened at least three times to me, last week, but, I can tell you that, as sure as I'm writing this and the sun rises every morning, if I had crossed that double-yellow line, the car I'd be passing would be carrying an undercover trooper. Not that I would do that, but, I'm just sayin'... there oughta be a law!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
One Man's Trash is Another Man's -- Well, Trash
Sometimes, It Really is Trash
Why is it so hard to see when one's treasure becomes real trash? I think, because everything starts out so desired, our eyes see the flaws as merely imperfections. Keeping things maintained or refurbished for another use is a trait many prudent people share. That's not a bad thing; it's a rather healthy way of using things.
And, we've all been guilty of having to purchase a new item when the original one is lost midst all our other treasures,too! You know you have it -- somewhere; but, you need it -- now. Of course, you have to get another and, knowing you're double-paying for anything is just plain, well, infuriating. I'm sure that's how spring cleaning got its start. Too small a cabin and too many squirrel skins not being used.
And, if it's not spring, holiday preparation and/or moving is the perfect time for cleaning and gleaning. Sorting can almost be done at one's leisure -- as long as that leisure doesn't span decades! Select a box a week and go through the items, throwing duplicates on one pile, broken items in another and those that you plan to keep in still another pile. If you haven't used it in the past 18 months, the chances are you won't be using it, at all. (I know the experts say a year, but there are seasonal things we use and rotate, so adding another six months on SOME items isn't the end of the world.)
While one man's trash is another man's treasure, there is a time when it's all trash. Don't call Goodwill, AmVets, or any other charity to come get broken items or those with missing parts. Let a trash hauler take care of it.
Working with several organizations over the years, it was appalling to see the number of toys and small items drift in that were in such horrid condition, there was no way to re-use them. Each handed over with some form of the phrase, "Well, I know you have folks that can work miracles with these things before finding them a good home, so I've included them." It doesn't work that way. Not every volunteer is a miracle worker and there's just so much time each can donate. Not to mention the funds to pay for spare parts, paints, etc.
With the holidays coming up, why not go through all your treasures, clean them up, and bring them to your favorite charity for distribution. If it's filthy, broken, with missing parts from another generation, throw it away. That's all you have to do, recognize that your treasure has now become, well, trash, and just throw it away.
Why is it so hard to see when one's treasure becomes real trash? I think, because everything starts out so desired, our eyes see the flaws as merely imperfections. Keeping things maintained or refurbished for another use is a trait many prudent people share. That's not a bad thing; it's a rather healthy way of using things.
And, we've all been guilty of having to purchase a new item when the original one is lost midst all our other treasures,too! You know you have it -- somewhere; but, you need it -- now. Of course, you have to get another and, knowing you're double-paying for anything is just plain, well, infuriating. I'm sure that's how spring cleaning got its start. Too small a cabin and too many squirrel skins not being used.
And, if it's not spring, holiday preparation and/or moving is the perfect time for cleaning and gleaning. Sorting can almost be done at one's leisure -- as long as that leisure doesn't span decades! Select a box a week and go through the items, throwing duplicates on one pile, broken items in another and those that you plan to keep in still another pile. If you haven't used it in the past 18 months, the chances are you won't be using it, at all. (I know the experts say a year, but there are seasonal things we use and rotate, so adding another six months on SOME items isn't the end of the world.)
While one man's trash is another man's treasure, there is a time when it's all trash. Don't call Goodwill, AmVets, or any other charity to come get broken items or those with missing parts. Let a trash hauler take care of it.
Working with several organizations over the years, it was appalling to see the number of toys and small items drift in that were in such horrid condition, there was no way to re-use them. Each handed over with some form of the phrase, "Well, I know you have folks that can work miracles with these things before finding them a good home, so I've included them." It doesn't work that way. Not every volunteer is a miracle worker and there's just so much time each can donate. Not to mention the funds to pay for spare parts, paints, etc.
With the holidays coming up, why not go through all your treasures, clean them up, and bring them to your favorite charity for distribution. If it's filthy, broken, with missing parts from another generation, throw it away. That's all you have to do, recognize that your treasure has now become, well, trash, and just throw it away.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Bowling is Done - Long Live the Bowling!
Bowling in the daytime is my way of getting exercise and keeping in touch with folks who have no other agenda than getting together for fun. I've been on a Senior league for the past few years and it's wonderful. Gone are the days of nasty competition and always having to be perfect.
Now, I'm not a bad bowler but I won't be going on tour anytime soon. In my younger years, I maintained an average of 155, but now I seem to be stuck around 140. I've lost my four-step delivery and, as a result of back surgery, have created a nine-step-stop-aim-ball-and-throw-at-the-foul-line approach. I work on placement, not speed, and that, apparently, is still the tricky part. I need Post-It notes on my wrist to remember everything to do before releasing the ball!
We just finished summer bowling and my teams placed first on one league and fourth on the other. It's all in perspective. First place was in a league of 14 teams; fourth place on a league of seven teams. On the larger league, I won Most Improved; on the smaller league, I was Most Unimproved.
These are both daytime leagues and don't have anywhere near the stress that you can find on nighttime leagues, when the almost professional bowlers come out to play. I just want to do my best and have fun.
The great thing about daytime bowling is that you can still do evening meetings etc., without always having to line up a substitute. But, the best thing about bowling, for me, is that you can do it at any age and it just makes you feel good. Our oldest bowler just celebrated her 86th birthday. I can only hope that I'll still be doing my share of bowling at that age. What do you do for your own personal fun and exercise?
Now, I'm not a bad bowler but I won't be going on tour anytime soon. In my younger years, I maintained an average of 155, but now I seem to be stuck around 140. I've lost my four-step delivery and, as a result of back surgery, have created a nine-step-stop-aim-ball-and-throw-at-the-foul-line approach. I work on placement, not speed, and that, apparently, is still the tricky part. I need Post-It notes on my wrist to remember everything to do before releasing the ball!
We just finished summer bowling and my teams placed first on one league and fourth on the other. It's all in perspective. First place was in a league of 14 teams; fourth place on a league of seven teams. On the larger league, I won Most Improved; on the smaller league, I was Most Unimproved.
These are both daytime leagues and don't have anywhere near the stress that you can find on nighttime leagues, when the almost professional bowlers come out to play. I just want to do my best and have fun.
The great thing about daytime bowling is that you can still do evening meetings etc., without always having to line up a substitute. But, the best thing about bowling, for me, is that you can do it at any age and it just makes you feel good. Our oldest bowler just celebrated her 86th birthday. I can only hope that I'll still be doing my share of bowling at that age. What do you do for your own personal fun and exercise?
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Hello, Again!
Hello, Again!
After several computer crashes and a move, I was finally able to locate my information on how to access this blog. Truth is, you cannot put your information in a folder on your computer -- you have to record it on a separate document like a file card to be able to remember all your sign-up information to so many web sites. Then, of course, you have to remember where you put THAT!
Since I have a solar cooking blog that limits my posting to that niche, I decided to awaken The Rockin' Chair Reflections Blog for when I'm in the mood to attack a different subject. Sometimes, you just have to vent. Feel free to browse the older articles and make a comment, or two. I may or may not add pictures; it just depends on how I feel about the posting subject.
After several computer crashes and a move, I was finally able to locate my information on how to access this blog. Truth is, you cannot put your information in a folder on your computer -- you have to record it on a separate document like a file card to be able to remember all your sign-up information to so many web sites. Then, of course, you have to remember where you put THAT!
Since I have a solar cooking blog that limits my posting to that niche, I decided to awaken The Rockin' Chair Reflections Blog for when I'm in the mood to attack a different subject. Sometimes, you just have to vent. Feel free to browse the older articles and make a comment, or two. I may or may not add pictures; it just depends on how I feel about the posting subject.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Leatherheads - It Ain't Over Till It's Over - Day Seven
This day was the biggest surprise of all. It all started with a phone call while I was in the car with my daughter's fiance and his mother on the way to celebrating an early Mother's Day. Since everyone was moving in on Mother's Day, my daughter suggested we celebrate early and asked if it would be all right for her fiance's family to join us because they were all so excited about my being in the movie. It would be great, I told her.
Well, the teenagers wanted to listen to their music on the way to the restaurant, they went in my daughter's car and I went with her fiance and his mother. His mother was so excited, after seeing the pictures, that I didn't think we'd be able to contain her in the car. Try to imagine her excitement when my phone rang and it turned out to be the assistant A.D. for Leatherheads, asking if I would be available in the upcoming week to return for some editing work on the film. I thought the woman would have a heart attack because she thought it was actually George Clooney, himself, making the call.
I let the A.D. know that I had to be in Lewisville on Monday afternoon but that I was available anytime after that. He said he'd get back to me with all the information after everyone had checked in with their available dates. When we got to the restaurant, they couldn't wait to tell my daughter about the phone call. The expression on all their faces was priceless.
I have to admit to being a little nervous, initially, because I thought that I had done something wrong and now they would have to redo the scenes because of my ineptness. In less than a heartbeat, I realized what an incredibly arrogant and self-indulgent thought that was, since the easiest thing on earth would be to simply edit me out of any of the scenes; right? So, I just relaxed and spent the weekend looking forward to seeing everyone, again. (poor me)
I was given reservations at the Hampton Inn, again, but one floor up. This was an easy entry back into the process because my pickup call was 11:25 in the morning and I could catch my beauty sleep. (Something I desperately need!) Everyone was so nice when I returned to the set and welcomed me with big smiles and open arms. Jonathan Pryce came into the makeup trailer, he greeted me with a hearty hello and a hug and then we settled down to be transformed.
Poor Jack Thompson is the one that had the biggest turnaround. His plane had just landed in Sydney, Australia, when he got the call from George, so he simply walked to the other end of the terminal to get onto a return flight. Just one way to Australia is a 26-hour journey so when he walked into the makeup trailer he had just flown a round trip of 52 hours and, of course, still had the return flight to Australia to look forward to. George arrived and immediately went over to Jack and apologized profusely. It was fortunate that everyone had the same thought, you do everything you can to make a film come out exactly the way you want it. While returning to redo some filming can be difficult, it reduces the problems once editing is finished. Films last forever and there are only too many people willing to point out mistakes. I will be eternally grateful for being part of a filming process where there was enough money to make it the best it can be.
There was a lot of readjusting throughout the day so RZ and I had a chance to visit and get to know each other a little bit better. I was able to give everyone a copy of the pictures that were taken last week and, when I told RZ about the way the pictures, I inadvertently said website rather than the webpage and I thought she was going to faint. So I quickly let her know that I had not, in fact, put the pictures up on the web but had simply placed them on a private webpage so that some members of my family would be able to see them.
Jack Thompson told me he expected to be seeing more of me in the future because GC likes to use the same people whatever he can in films. I hope I haven't let him down and that I do hear from him again sometime in the future. When it was finally time to go, RZ gave me a big hug and told me how much she enjoyed my work. She said, "believe me, I looked at your close-ups during the filming and it was really great, in the professional sense," and I should be proud of what I did. I hope she was being more than kind because I really didn't want to let them down.
The day was fairly long and there was a hot meal waiting downstairs. Imagine my surprise to discover that it was after four o'clock and almost time to go home. This was such a wonderful experience, and would love to repeat; but if that doesn't happen, I have great memories.
Then next time you see Leatherheads, look for the gray-haired Commissioner's secretary (Don't check your popcorn!) -- that's me.
Well, the teenagers wanted to listen to their music on the way to the restaurant, they went in my daughter's car and I went with her fiance and his mother. His mother was so excited, after seeing the pictures, that I didn't think we'd be able to contain her in the car. Try to imagine her excitement when my phone rang and it turned out to be the assistant A.D. for Leatherheads, asking if I would be available in the upcoming week to return for some editing work on the film. I thought the woman would have a heart attack because she thought it was actually George Clooney, himself, making the call.
I let the A.D. know that I had to be in Lewisville on Monday afternoon but that I was available anytime after that. He said he'd get back to me with all the information after everyone had checked in with their available dates. When we got to the restaurant, they couldn't wait to tell my daughter about the phone call. The expression on all their faces was priceless.
I have to admit to being a little nervous, initially, because I thought that I had done something wrong and now they would have to redo the scenes because of my ineptness. In less than a heartbeat, I realized what an incredibly arrogant and self-indulgent thought that was, since the easiest thing on earth would be to simply edit me out of any of the scenes; right? So, I just relaxed and spent the weekend looking forward to seeing everyone, again. (poor me)
I was given reservations at the Hampton Inn, again, but one floor up. This was an easy entry back into the process because my pickup call was 11:25 in the morning and I could catch my beauty sleep. (Something I desperately need!) Everyone was so nice when I returned to the set and welcomed me with big smiles and open arms. Jonathan Pryce came into the makeup trailer, he greeted me with a hearty hello and a hug and then we settled down to be transformed.
Poor Jack Thompson is the one that had the biggest turnaround. His plane had just landed in Sydney, Australia, when he got the call from George, so he simply walked to the other end of the terminal to get onto a return flight. Just one way to Australia is a 26-hour journey so when he walked into the makeup trailer he had just flown a round trip of 52 hours and, of course, still had the return flight to Australia to look forward to. George arrived and immediately went over to Jack and apologized profusely. It was fortunate that everyone had the same thought, you do everything you can to make a film come out exactly the way you want it. While returning to redo some filming can be difficult, it reduces the problems once editing is finished. Films last forever and there are only too many people willing to point out mistakes. I will be eternally grateful for being part of a filming process where there was enough money to make it the best it can be.
There was a lot of readjusting throughout the day so RZ and I had a chance to visit and get to know each other a little bit better. I was able to give everyone a copy of the pictures that were taken last week and, when I told RZ about the way the pictures, I inadvertently said website rather than the webpage and I thought she was going to faint. So I quickly let her know that I had not, in fact, put the pictures up on the web but had simply placed them on a private webpage so that some members of my family would be able to see them.
Jack Thompson told me he expected to be seeing more of me in the future because GC likes to use the same people whatever he can in films. I hope I haven't let him down and that I do hear from him again sometime in the future. When it was finally time to go, RZ gave me a big hug and told me how much she enjoyed my work. She said, "believe me, I looked at your close-ups during the filming and it was really great, in the professional sense," and I should be proud of what I did. I hope she was being more than kind because I really didn't want to let them down.
The day was fairly long and there was a hot meal waiting downstairs. Imagine my surprise to discover that it was after four o'clock and almost time to go home. This was such a wonderful experience, and would love to repeat; but if that doesn't happen, I have great memories.
Then next time you see Leatherheads, look for the gray-haired Commissioner's secretary (Don't check your popcorn!) -- that's me.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Leatherheads - The End is Near - Day Six
This is a day that is met with both excitement and sadness, since it is my last day filming. That's probably the best thing for the dress, since it could become quite rank after a few more hot days.
Breakfast was on time and I was able to meet my driver without incident. Immediately went to make up upon arrival, dressed in costume, returned to hairdressing to complete my 1920s look and returned to my trailer. According to my call sheet, I was supposed to be on set at 8 a.m. instead, I was able to relax for several hours, waiting for my turn. At approximately 10:30, I was called on to set and they had completely transformed the hallway. The only thing visible at the secretarial end now was my desk and chair and the beautifully appointed antique desk. This was my scene with just the simple one line. It was a lot of fun because, once my line was finished, I was able to be used as background for the balance of the scene where the soldiers come up the stairs.
My balloon-making friend was there to meet me and gave me the two CDs he had on balloon making, with a reminder to say hello to Dave Bartlett, clown extraordinaire, for him. It's an absolute dream to be working on a George Clooney set. Everything is run with precision, quiet, and thorough professionalism. The days are for work and the nights are for rest and relaxation. There is no question in my mind that Mr. Clooney knows exactly what he is doing, at all times.
Having been an actor, himself, as well as acting in this movie, he is very much aware of the feelings of the performers and treats them with as much dignity and respect as the technical professionals expect to be treated. I was told that when the movie started George told his entire crew that there would only be one person hollering on the set, and that would be him. There was no excuse for anyone else hollering or making scenes during his movies. I never once heard him lose his temper and he always had a smile for everyone, regardless of position or function on the set. A gracious man towards everyone.
In fact, everyone displayed courtesy, friendliness, and respect towards each other. There were no outbursts of foul language, fighting, or temper tantrums, that I could observe during my three days with the film, and this was toward the end of an arduous and grueling filming period. Tomorrow, I go to the real world again and working with independence, lower salary, and who knows what. I tried to catch everyone that I had worked with to thank them for their attention to my comfort and hope to see them again.
After lunch, I returned to the set just in case there was something else for me to do. I learned a long time ago to not leave a live set until I had been formally dismissed. I really couldn't see any need for my services, since everything that had to do with anything I was doing in the film had long since been removed. But, I was not going to leave without permission. George had command and I knew he saw me, albeit, he didn't greet me but continued directing his following scenes. After about three hours, I decided it didn't matter whether or not I got his picture, I was simply going to let the executive producer know that I would be leaving the set. Well, once I told the executive producer that I couldn't see any reason for me to stay and that I would be leaving he told me to not leave the set, if I didn't mind, until they actually were ready for me to go, since they weren't sure. I had no problem with that.
Within the hour, George called a wrap to the day and I decided I would try to catch him and see if I could get a picture. But, I wasn't going to make a big deal of it. He was coming down the stairwell as I came around the corner and I took advantage. I simply told him that I was grateful for the opportunity he had given me and, if possible, would he be willing to let me have a picture of us in our costumes. He asked if I had a camera and I told him I did. He immediately asked the executive producer to take our picture, put his arm on my shoulder and -- I had my souvenir. I decided to treat myself to a final dinner at the Outback. I wanted a great meal to support a great memory.
Breakfast was on time and I was able to meet my driver without incident. Immediately went to make up upon arrival, dressed in costume, returned to hairdressing to complete my 1920s look and returned to my trailer. According to my call sheet, I was supposed to be on set at 8 a.m. instead, I was able to relax for several hours, waiting for my turn. At approximately 10:30, I was called on to set and they had completely transformed the hallway. The only thing visible at the secretarial end now was my desk and chair and the beautifully appointed antique desk. This was my scene with just the simple one line. It was a lot of fun because, once my line was finished, I was able to be used as background for the balance of the scene where the soldiers come up the stairs.
My balloon-making friend was there to meet me and gave me the two CDs he had on balloon making, with a reminder to say hello to Dave Bartlett, clown extraordinaire, for him. It's an absolute dream to be working on a George Clooney set. Everything is run with precision, quiet, and thorough professionalism. The days are for work and the nights are for rest and relaxation. There is no question in my mind that Mr. Clooney knows exactly what he is doing, at all times.
Having been an actor, himself, as well as acting in this movie, he is very much aware of the feelings of the performers and treats them with as much dignity and respect as the technical professionals expect to be treated. I was told that when the movie started George told his entire crew that there would only be one person hollering on the set, and that would be him. There was no excuse for anyone else hollering or making scenes during his movies. I never once heard him lose his temper and he always had a smile for everyone, regardless of position or function on the set. A gracious man towards everyone.
In fact, everyone displayed courtesy, friendliness, and respect towards each other. There were no outbursts of foul language, fighting, or temper tantrums, that I could observe during my three days with the film, and this was toward the end of an arduous and grueling filming period. Tomorrow, I go to the real world again and working with independence, lower salary, and who knows what. I tried to catch everyone that I had worked with to thank them for their attention to my comfort and hope to see them again.
After lunch, I returned to the set just in case there was something else for me to do. I learned a long time ago to not leave a live set until I had been formally dismissed. I really couldn't see any need for my services, since everything that had to do with anything I was doing in the film had long since been removed. But, I was not going to leave without permission. George had command and I knew he saw me, albeit, he didn't greet me but continued directing his following scenes. After about three hours, I decided it didn't matter whether or not I got his picture, I was simply going to let the executive producer know that I would be leaving the set. Well, once I told the executive producer that I couldn't see any reason for me to stay and that I would be leaving he told me to not leave the set, if I didn't mind, until they actually were ready for me to go, since they weren't sure. I had no problem with that.
Within the hour, George called a wrap to the day and I decided I would try to catch him and see if I could get a picture. But, I wasn't going to make a big deal of it. He was coming down the stairwell as I came around the corner and I took advantage. I simply told him that I was grateful for the opportunity he had given me and, if possible, would he be willing to let me have a picture of us in our costumes. He asked if I had a camera and I told him I did. He immediately asked the executive producer to take our picture, put his arm on my shoulder and -- I had my souvenir. I decided to treat myself to a final dinner at the Outback. I wanted a great meal to support a great memory.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Leatherheads - No Biz Like Show Biz - Day Five
This turned out to be a long and interesting day. Renée Z. arrived and we went over some of the scenes from yesterday that had been set up with her stand-in.
Renée is a very gracious, sweet, woman. She immediately came over to me, introduced herself, and made me feel very comfortable. (As an aside, bear in mind, I'm a minor player working with a top-notch cast of players. Very nerve-wracking trying not to screw up!) She loved my dress as much as I did and, when I jokingly said I'd love to keep it, offered to hold down one of the crew members while I made a bolt for the door! It truly is a beautiful dress and one of the few costumes I'm going to miss when this is over.
Pictures for My Scrapbook, Not for Wide Distribution
Renée is a very gracious, sweet, woman. She immediately came over to me, introduced herself, and made me feel very comfortable. (As an aside, bear in mind, I'm a minor player working with a top-notch cast of players. Very nerve-wracking trying not to screw up!) She loved my dress as much as I did and, when I jokingly said I'd love to keep it, offered to hold down one of the crew members while I made a bolt for the door! It truly is a beautiful dress and one of the few costumes I'm going to miss when this is over.
Pictures for My Scrapbook, Not for Wide Distribution
First of all, what I didn't know was that folks had been told that they couldn't have any cameras on set. I have always taken pictures of fellow cast mates, during productions, and didn't give having my camera with me a second thought.
With only one more day (I thought) of filming my scene, it was a day to collect pictures. What I didn't do was hassle the actors, merely let them know I was interested in having a photo when, and if, there was some free time. They not only graciously agreed but I told them to choose their most convenient time, and let them come after me. So, today, I got everyone but GC's, and will get one, for sure, before I leave, tomorrow. Thank the Lord, because my camera ran out of memory and I needed to upload some of the pictures before I could do it.
It's Only Make Believe, Or, Is It?
The neatest thing to watch was the imitation rain. If you didn't know it was done with a machine, you would have thought it was pouring outside, complete with darkened sky at a full downpour. But, just by peeking right at the edge of the window you could look a little further beyond the rain and see the blue sky, white, puffy, clouds and sunshine.
George is a meticulous director and has been very kind and supportive of me. I seriously doubt that he'd been told what that crew member said to me on my first day but he took the time to tell me that I did exactly what he wanted in my scene. A great way to finish the day! Tomorrow is supposed to be the day for shooting my scene on the secretarial side of the door, so that should be fun.
While waiting around, I ran into an actor I've seen many times at auditions in North Carolina and discovered she is the stand-in for Renée Zellweger. Since she didn't make it through the auditions for a part, she decided to try for the stand-in role, and has been on set for the whole run of the film, making some very nice change.
Hidden Talents of Cast and Crew
One of the extras on set makes a living as the Balloon Man! He can create almost anything with those long, thin, balloons and was filling his time with sharing his craft. And, my driver to and from the Hampton Inn is a young woman with a wonderful photographic gift. Her name is Christie Chaplin and she shared her award-winning photos of wild birds with me. A hobby she picked up after the death of her mother, two years ago, she discovered she had an exquisite eye for getting just the right pose.
She gave me a packet of her notecards and I told her she needed to get these out to the public. Told her about Cafepress.com and hope she follows through with getting her work online. So, if you find them, you heard it here, first.
I've been amusing myself with frame knitting and managed to get a good stiff neck from staying too close to the a/c. Renee was really taken with the craft and thought it was a great time-filler. Since you can't drop stitches, it's very easy to put down, as soon as you're needed. And, it's very compact to carry around.
Well, they ended up calling the medic over and he gave me some Ibuprofen. Once he left, a crew member came over and gave me a pressure massage that immediately alleviated the problem. The folks in make-up gave me a small jar of Tiger Balm, something very close to the old-fashioned Heet lotion. The combination worked, very well. When it was time for my scene, I was totally relaxed. I couldn't even feel my feet -- but, that's another problem.
I'm sure, if I had done a survey, there would have been all types of fascinating interests that filled the lives of the crew.
Had a very nice dinner with some folks from wardrobe, who were also staying at the Hamilton Inn, and then decided to make it an early night to feel fresh for the 6:15 morning pick-up.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Call to Action! - Leatherheads - Day Four
What an exciting day. Long and exhausting, but lots of fun. Met the morning van on time and was delivered to the Leatherhead hairdressing trailer within twenty minutes. Before they had a chance to complete my hairstyle, we were given a rehearsal call to the set. No make-up, hair in rollers, and housecoat to cover up the lack of costume. Aaaarrrggghhh!
I was walked over to the set and then sat at the secretary's desk, waiting to be called. A gentleman came out of the meeting room and I was struck with how familiar he was to me. I knew that face, but I just couldn't put a name to it. (It was too early. Everyone was in character preparation and trying to wake up.) It wasn't until I was back with the hairdresser and he came in and took the chair next to me that I realized it was my all time favorite stage actor, Jonathan Pryce! Omigod, this was going to be an exciting movie to be a part of -- that is, if I didn't make a complete fool of myself. Turns out, I wasn't needed for the rehearsal and, at 8:40, I met George for the briefest moment, as I was leaving. There went the grand entrance.
Where is the Speech-Checker When You Need It?
While waiting for the rehearsal, one of the crew members came over to chat. He asked if I had seen George's latest movie about Edward R. Murrow, and I said not yet. He said that was too bad because the secretary who played in that movie was extraordinary. This statement was followed with an explanation that almost every secretary in every movie that George Clooney directs was incredible and that I had some really big boots to fill, and, oh, yeah, he hoped I was up to it.
Is this what he does to each new actor? How very strange, to say something like that to an actor before they go onstage. I could only stammer, "Well, George must have seen something he liked with my audition, so I'll just go with my instincts."
I spent most of the morning waiting for my scene, and, when it was over, George went out of his way to tell me that it was exactly what he was wanted, and more. Then began the multiple takes from different points of view. I'm actually in a scene with three major actors -- George Clooney, Renee Zellweger (won't be on site until tomorrow), Jonathan Pryce, and John Krazinski. I can't believe it. Everyone was so busy, I had to pinch myself!
Foods Fit for a King, Queen, and Commissioner's Secretary
They had an incredible amount of food for the midmorning break, and when I mentioned it, I was told to just wait to see what lunch was going to be. Of course, most of the crew had been on the set since seven o'clock and had worked up quite an appetite. In fact, there were trays of fresh fruit and vegetables available on set throughout the day's shooting, with another hot meal brought in around four'clock for a tired and hungry crew.
Oh, wow, lunch was incredible. A wonderful variety of hot entrées to choose from, in addition to four different cold plates, fruit trays, and six desserts. But, for lunch, I chose the fresh salmon as my entrée. Mmmmmm, cooked to perfection. These delightful repasts were available for everyone involved with the film, not just primary actors.
Pretty Heels Hurt Just as Much as Ugly Shoes
The afternoon was spent repeating the morning scene from everyone's point of view. Renée Zellweger, herself, won't be in until tomorrow. Today's scenes have been done with her stand-in and it will all be done, again, in the morning, albeit, much faster, After that, we will be filming my other one liner and then I get to go home.
By the end of the day, I couldn't wait to get to my trailer and take off my character's heels. It had been a long time since I'd spent the day in heels and my poor little toes were screaming at me. What lightened the burden is that I was able to get a picture of me with Jonathan Pryce in costume and can look forward to getting others, tomorrow.
I was walked over to the set and then sat at the secretary's desk, waiting to be called. A gentleman came out of the meeting room and I was struck with how familiar he was to me. I knew that face, but I just couldn't put a name to it. (It was too early. Everyone was in character preparation and trying to wake up.) It wasn't until I was back with the hairdresser and he came in and took the chair next to me that I realized it was my all time favorite stage actor, Jonathan Pryce! Omigod, this was going to be an exciting movie to be a part of -- that is, if I didn't make a complete fool of myself. Turns out, I wasn't needed for the rehearsal and, at 8:40, I met George for the briefest moment, as I was leaving. There went the grand entrance.
Where is the Speech-Checker When You Need It?
While waiting for the rehearsal, one of the crew members came over to chat. He asked if I had seen George's latest movie about Edward R. Murrow, and I said not yet. He said that was too bad because the secretary who played in that movie was extraordinary. This statement was followed with an explanation that almost every secretary in every movie that George Clooney directs was incredible and that I had some really big boots to fill, and, oh, yeah, he hoped I was up to it.
Is this what he does to each new actor? How very strange, to say something like that to an actor before they go onstage. I could only stammer, "Well, George must have seen something he liked with my audition, so I'll just go with my instincts."
I spent most of the morning waiting for my scene, and, when it was over, George went out of his way to tell me that it was exactly what he was wanted, and more. Then began the multiple takes from different points of view. I'm actually in a scene with three major actors -- George Clooney, Renee Zellweger (won't be on site until tomorrow), Jonathan Pryce, and John Krazinski. I can't believe it. Everyone was so busy, I had to pinch myself!
Foods Fit for a King, Queen, and Commissioner's Secretary
They had an incredible amount of food for the midmorning break, and when I mentioned it, I was told to just wait to see what lunch was going to be. Of course, most of the crew had been on the set since seven o'clock and had worked up quite an appetite. In fact, there were trays of fresh fruit and vegetables available on set throughout the day's shooting, with another hot meal brought in around four'clock for a tired and hungry crew.
Oh, wow, lunch was incredible. A wonderful variety of hot entrées to choose from, in addition to four different cold plates, fruit trays, and six desserts. But, for lunch, I chose the fresh salmon as my entrée. Mmmmmm, cooked to perfection. These delightful repasts were available for everyone involved with the film, not just primary actors.
Pretty Heels Hurt Just as Much as Ugly Shoes
The afternoon was spent repeating the morning scene from everyone's point of view. Renée Zellweger, herself, won't be in until tomorrow. Today's scenes have been done with her stand-in and it will all be done, again, in the morning, albeit, much faster, After that, we will be filming my other one liner and then I get to go home.
By the end of the day, I couldn't wait to get to my trailer and take off my character's heels. It had been a long time since I'd spent the day in heels and my poor little toes were screaming at me. What lightened the burden is that I was able to get a picture of me with Jonathan Pryce in costume and can look forward to getting others, tomorrow.
Sunday, Sushi, and Early to Bed
Sunday was a day of rest and that's what I did. After catching up on all the news, decided to go out and take advantage of the fresh air and beautiful weather. After touring the streets of Statesville, I found the K-Mart and bought different screws and washers for my knitting board to make the action smoother. Lo! Right there, in the same center was what turned out to be a great little Chinese restaurant.
Along with some sensational sushi, for a quiet little North Carolina town, the buffet they offered was filled with all my favorite things, each one cooked to perfection. I took advantage. When the bill came, imagine my surprise to find that the whole thing only came to $5.75! Had I entered a time warp!?! Some rip in the fabric of the universe? If only there were a way to transfer that price back to my world and time! If only we could steal the chef! If only one could eat Chinese food, every day! I know. I know. There are some of you that do, but I can't let go of other favorites, either. It's always something.
Decided to go to bed early (early for me, anyway) since my ride to the location was arriving at 6:55 in the morning. I really am getting excited about meeting George Clooney and the rest of the cast, and I must look my best.
Along with some sensational sushi, for a quiet little North Carolina town, the buffet they offered was filled with all my favorite things, each one cooked to perfection. I took advantage. When the bill came, imagine my surprise to find that the whole thing only came to $5.75! Had I entered a time warp!?! Some rip in the fabric of the universe? If only there were a way to transfer that price back to my world and time! If only we could steal the chef! If only one could eat Chinese food, every day! I know. I know. There are some of you that do, but I can't let go of other favorites, either. It's always something.
Decided to go to bed early (early for me, anyway) since my ride to the location was arriving at 6:55 in the morning. I really am getting excited about meeting George Clooney and the rest of the cast, and I must look my best.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Leatherheads - Weekend Breather - Day Two
This was an easy day. Nothing to do but amuse myself. After a great night's sleep, I wandered down to the lounge area for the free breakfast. While it was very filling, I decided that tomorrow morning I would actually take myself off to either the IHOP or some other restaurant to have my eggs cooked the way I prefer. The hotel eggs were baked and thoroughly cooked. Great for feeding hordes of hungry folk but no way to get anything prepared individually. This is not a Hampton Inn fault. I simply prefer my eggs done differently, so I need to take myself out.
Wandering up and down the halls looking for the ice machine, I notice that each and every door has a unique rural picture placed just above the room number. Every other room on my floor has an inanimate object; mine, however, has a cow over the Liberty Bell. I choose to believe management was not sending a subliminal message to me.
I decided to stretch out my day. Returned to my room and caught up on articles that had to be submitted to Bella Online. Spent an hour, or so, going over my lines for different interpretations. Reread the script and clarified my notes. This kind of hard work deserves a reward. Time to treat myself to an early matinee before coming back to watch the Kentucky Derby at the Outback.
The movie I decided to see was Blades of Glory with Jim Ferrel. Since the rest of the world was watching Spiderman 3, two other couples and I shared a private showing. It turned out to be a really funny movie with some great ice skating by Ferrel. I had read somewhere that Jim had done a lot of skating in his youth, so this was a great opportunity for him to display his gift.
An hour before the Kentucky Derby bugle call, I went to the Outback to enjoy a meal while watching the race. My choices were Street Sense followed by Nobizlikeshobiz. Was there any better sight than Street Sense feeding the rest of the field his dust?
There was only one sour moment, when I was ready to kill, and that was not two minutes before the race started. I had been dining in my booth for more than 45 minutes waiting for the race to start, when a group of four walked in and decided to stand right in front of me, blocking the television. I really had to bend my body for any kind of view. My server noticed, came over, and asked what was wrong. I asked why these new folks could stand right in front of me to watch the race, rather than sit in an available booth. Since I had paid approximately $40 for my meal and they bought $2.35 worth of beer, how come they were able to come in at the last minute and block my view. Since they were almost right on top of me, at least one of the women in the group heard me and she moved them back out of my line of sight.
She apologized and I accepted her apology, but it should have seemed obvious to almost anyone that you can't stand immediately in front of somebody watching a television without blocking their view. And, to walk into a place as if you own it, without regard to anyone else, is just plain rude.
But, all's well that ends well. My horse came in, the meal was fantastic, and this was a day to simply do a little of this and a little of that.
Wandering up and down the halls looking for the ice machine, I notice that each and every door has a unique rural picture placed just above the room number. Every other room on my floor has an inanimate object; mine, however, has a cow over the Liberty Bell. I choose to believe management was not sending a subliminal message to me.
I decided to stretch out my day. Returned to my room and caught up on articles that had to be submitted to Bella Online. Spent an hour, or so, going over my lines for different interpretations. Reread the script and clarified my notes. This kind of hard work deserves a reward. Time to treat myself to an early matinee before coming back to watch the Kentucky Derby at the Outback.
The movie I decided to see was Blades of Glory with Jim Ferrel. Since the rest of the world was watching Spiderman 3, two other couples and I shared a private showing. It turned out to be a really funny movie with some great ice skating by Ferrel. I had read somewhere that Jim had done a lot of skating in his youth, so this was a great opportunity for him to display his gift.
An hour before the Kentucky Derby bugle call, I went to the Outback to enjoy a meal while watching the race. My choices were Street Sense followed by Nobizlikeshobiz. Was there any better sight than Street Sense feeding the rest of the field his dust?
There was only one sour moment, when I was ready to kill, and that was not two minutes before the race started. I had been dining in my booth for more than 45 minutes waiting for the race to start, when a group of four walked in and decided to stand right in front of me, blocking the television. I really had to bend my body for any kind of view. My server noticed, came over, and asked what was wrong. I asked why these new folks could stand right in front of me to watch the race, rather than sit in an available booth. Since I had paid approximately $40 for my meal and they bought $2.35 worth of beer, how come they were able to come in at the last minute and block my view. Since they were almost right on top of me, at least one of the women in the group heard me and she moved them back out of my line of sight.
She apologized and I accepted her apology, but it should have seemed obvious to almost anyone that you can't stand immediately in front of somebody watching a television without blocking their view. And, to walk into a place as if you own it, without regard to anyone else, is just plain rude.
But, all's well that ends well. My horse came in, the meal was fantastic, and this was a day to simply do a little of this and a little of that.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Day One on Location
After making sure that everything was taken care of at home, I eagerly set off for my wardrobe fitting at Leatherheads' wardrobe department in Statesville. What a delightful experience. Everyone I met was warm and friendly and made me feel very much at home.
The accounting office was enormous, yet, quietly hummed with efficiency. It was obvious that everyone knew their job and knew how to do it well. Whatever else, Mr. Clooney knows how to run a business.
When Wardrobe took me down to the living room to show me the choice of costumes, I immediately fell in love with a black dress that had a pointed lace insert. "That's the one I want," I told them. "Oh, no. There are several you will have to try on and we can make a decision, after that," she said. Being a good little soldier, that's what I did.
Well, the gods that be were smiling down on me, this morning. The only dress that fit me properly and would require absolutely no adjustments was the very one I wanted with all my heart and soul. After the choice was made, they let me know that it was the only one that had been imported from London and was a special favorite of everyone in Wardrobe.
The newest thing I discovered about filming was the requirement for either a physical social security card or your passport to verify citizenship. I thought I would have to go back home to get my passport because I had long since swallowed my Social Security card. (In the old days, we were told to memorize our number and then hide our card in a very safe place so that no one else would ever see it. I couldn't think of any place safer than mother Earth.)
It was only after much commiseration between me and their payroll rep, along with my giving my best sad hound dog impression, that I remembered a little card I had been given when I last renewed my passport. It looks just like a little credit card, so that you can carry it in your wallet, but it has all the right information on it that you need to give over to the authorities if you happen to lose your real passport while visiting another country. I asked some of my friends if they also had the duplicate card and most of them said they did not. So, I suggested they write to the US passport office and get one.
Before I could finally settle down, there was one more glitch. Even though my name was on the master list for a room at the hotel, I was the only one who didn't have a room. I called my contact and they sent someone over within 10 minutes to take care of it. Accommodations are beautiful and I was right across the street from a new multiplex theater, so I was able to catch up on all the films I had missed in the last couple of weeks.
I decided that the best way to settle in for this experience was to start with a nice, hot, bubblebath, and catch up on some much needed sleep.
The accounting office was enormous, yet, quietly hummed with efficiency. It was obvious that everyone knew their job and knew how to do it well. Whatever else, Mr. Clooney knows how to run a business.
When Wardrobe took me down to the living room to show me the choice of costumes, I immediately fell in love with a black dress that had a pointed lace insert. "That's the one I want," I told them. "Oh, no. There are several you will have to try on and we can make a decision, after that," she said. Being a good little soldier, that's what I did.
Well, the gods that be were smiling down on me, this morning. The only dress that fit me properly and would require absolutely no adjustments was the very one I wanted with all my heart and soul. After the choice was made, they let me know that it was the only one that had been imported from London and was a special favorite of everyone in Wardrobe.
The newest thing I discovered about filming was the requirement for either a physical social security card or your passport to verify citizenship. I thought I would have to go back home to get my passport because I had long since swallowed my Social Security card. (In the old days, we were told to memorize our number and then hide our card in a very safe place so that no one else would ever see it. I couldn't think of any place safer than mother Earth.)
It was only after much commiseration between me and their payroll rep, along with my giving my best sad hound dog impression, that I remembered a little card I had been given when I last renewed my passport. It looks just like a little credit card, so that you can carry it in your wallet, but it has all the right information on it that you need to give over to the authorities if you happen to lose your real passport while visiting another country. I asked some of my friends if they also had the duplicate card and most of them said they did not. So, I suggested they write to the US passport office and get one.
Before I could finally settle down, there was one more glitch. Even though my name was on the master list for a room at the hotel, I was the only one who didn't have a room. I called my contact and they sent someone over within 10 minutes to take care of it. Accommodations are beautiful and I was right across the street from a new multiplex theater, so I was able to catch up on all the films I had missed in the last couple of weeks.
I decided that the best way to settle in for this experience was to start with a nice, hot, bubblebath, and catch up on some much needed sleep.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Murphy's Law When Film Fame Calls
I have been wondering what was wrong -- why haven't I heard from the Letterheads' wardrobe department. In fact, in my insecurity, I have decided that they don't really need me and don't know how to tell me. This is patently absurd. I can't imagine anyone more capable of telling someone they don't need them, then a movie company. This is a business of rejection.
So, it was with great delight that I got the call on Wednesday asking if I couldn't come down on Friday for a fitting because they had forgotten to schedule me a few weeks ago, and there were no fittings allowed on shooting days. I would be filming on the following Tuesday through Wednesday, but they would put me up starting Friday. Time to hustle, get packed, and pay some bills.
Everything went smoothly until I tried to pay my Nextel bill online. This is something I have done regularly for the past year, or so. Without a glitch. Without a snag. Done in a second. So, I should expect the same experience, right? Suffice to say, in a word, that didn't happen.
Like most of those secured sites, Nextel has a page where you submit your payment, only once, and wait for the screen to clear giving you a confirmation number. Of course, that didn't happen. I made my payment, clicked submit, and then -- waited, interminably. I was able to leave my computer and accomplished other tasks, returning occasionally to check, only to find that the screen was still static. Finally, I simply closed the window, cross my fingers that the payment went through and was delighted to find a confirmation page pop-up on my screen. It's a good thing I have a high tolerance for stress.
And, it's a good thing that was the only online bill I had to pay.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Changes of Seasons and Things to Do
Gardening - It's time to be thinking about what I'll be doing with the summer vegetables and how to work around those early spring vegetables still blooming and producing food. There is no question that I have enough gardening space set up. Now, I have to make a decision about where I want to put what -- and, that is not my strongest point.
My self-watering planters are happily waiting for the transplants and, because all of a sudden we have had some unseasonably cool weather decide to show its face, I'm going to wait until after I have finished filming before sending them out.
Bowling - It's getting down to the wire for the winter league bowling and I find that I'm an interesting position, this year. On both teams, we have managed to finish sixth. It's all in how you look at it. The first league has 26 teams and so sixth place is very good. The second league has six teams and maintaining sixth place took considerable effort. (See? That's how you make lemonade out of lemons!) These are both daytime leaks and don't have anywhere near the stress that you can find on nighttime leagues, when the almost professional bowlers come out to play.
The best thing about bowling in the daytime has been discovering that I can still do most of the things I want to do in the evening without having to worry about finding substitutes. The best thing about bowling, for me, is that you can do it at any age and it just makes the feel good. Our oldest bowler just celebrated her 86th birthday. I can only hope that I'll still be doing my share of bowling at that age.
Clutter -I'm still trying to sort out craft supplies from pottery supplies from woodshop supplies, and it looks as though it may take the better part of the summer for me to finish. Even though I've made a big dent in getting rid of the trash, I'm still involved in a lot of back-and-forth between the two buildings, trying to find a final home for everything.
My favorite thing is actually getting rid of a lot of the stuff that I have been wanting to get rid of for, lo, these many years. With an incinerator close by, there's little chance of having to take back the decision, once I've dropped it into the flames. This is good.
My self-watering planters are happily waiting for the transplants and, because all of a sudden we have had some unseasonably cool weather decide to show its face, I'm going to wait until after I have finished filming before sending them out.
Bowling - It's getting down to the wire for the winter league bowling and I find that I'm an interesting position, this year. On both teams, we have managed to finish sixth. It's all in how you look at it. The first league has 26 teams and so sixth place is very good. The second league has six teams and maintaining sixth place took considerable effort. (See? That's how you make lemonade out of lemons!) These are both daytime leaks and don't have anywhere near the stress that you can find on nighttime leagues, when the almost professional bowlers come out to play.
The best thing about bowling in the daytime has been discovering that I can still do most of the things I want to do in the evening without having to worry about finding substitutes. The best thing about bowling, for me, is that you can do it at any age and it just makes the feel good. Our oldest bowler just celebrated her 86th birthday. I can only hope that I'll still be doing my share of bowling at that age.
Clutter -I'm still trying to sort out craft supplies from pottery supplies from woodshop supplies, and it looks as though it may take the better part of the summer for me to finish. Even though I've made a big dent in getting rid of the trash, I'm still involved in a lot of back-and-forth between the two buildings, trying to find a final home for everything.
My favorite thing is actually getting rid of a lot of the stuff that I have been wanting to get rid of for, lo, these many years. With an incinerator close by, there's little chance of having to take back the decision, once I've dropped it into the flames. This is good.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Broccoli In; Brussel Sprouts Out!
The gardens have been really great, this year. Unfortunately, we've been having some very unseasonably hot days and this has really been stressing my broccoli. Out of eight very big plants, only one has really shaped up to looking like when you might buy at the grocery store.
Although the rest of the plants are very healthy, they would never be chosen for anyone's photo shoot. I have been in a constant battle against Mother Nature, deflowering my broccoli by pinching off the center heads, thereby causing any number of side shoots. Since the entire plant is edible, this has not bothered me, albeit, it's the last place I bring people to view the garden.
It really is a happy little garden, even though the broccoli, spinach, and lettuce keep trying to complete their lifecycle. We have been having absolutely delicious fresh garden salads almost every night, which is all that one can ask for. The garden peas have finally began to develop their stronger stalks and spread out their feelers though the nearest trellis string. Some have even chosen to use nearby onion stems. It doesn't matter. Everyone's happy.
Although I'm delighted with the growth of the brussels sprouts, I will be planted them in the same garden bed, next year. They offer a lot of shade to the lettuce and spinach but take up way too much room that I would rather give to more prolific plants. Gardening, like bowling, is nothing more than a series of adjustments.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Tax Time Means Take a Break
It's been a hectic time and I've been spending most of the previous few weeks gathering together all of my tax information. I discovered the joy of filing my taxes online a few years ago and have been trying to get friends and family to do the same. But, they're a hard sell.
The biggest glitch, this year, because the 15th is on a weekend and, although the deadline has been extended to Monday night for the federal return, my state actually gives us until midnight on Tuesday. In either case, my only problem is seeing to it that my taxes are filed on time and then let my online tax service to forward them. Within seconds, I should get my confirmation numbers for both federal and state taxes, and then go back to the business of gardening and getting myself ready for Leatherheads and George Clooney.
If I had a brain in my head, I would have filed shortly after being sent my reminder to file my taxes by my service back in January. Of course, like so many, I'm right under the wire.
For those of you who plan to use an extension of time, this would be a good time to get it already and surprise both federal and state governments with an early filing of your extension. Happy taxes.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
George Clooney Time is at a Countdown
One of the nice things about being cast in a movie, months before you actually have to be there, is that you can spend so much time anticipating your actual shooting dates.
And, of course, with someone like George Clooney, you can always go online and keep up-to-date on sightings by the residents of the different locations he is using. It is amazing how many of my female friends want to be my helper, on location. I am only a little suspicious of their motivation and doubt seriously if my well-being is foremost in their minds.
Be that as it may, I am scheduled for sometime in May and I doubt seriously that I will have lost all the weight that I want to have lost by that time. Wardrobe has chosen to disregard my promise of a more svelte self. Alas, they know their business well.
I, however, shall continue to choose primarily vegetarian meals and surprise them all.
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