Those of you who read this blog often enough know that I won't "dish and tell" about celebs in this state. There was a "sighting" today, however, that was pretty funny.

We were at the waterslides which are about 25 miles south of Glacier National Park. A lot of tourists who go into the park will spend some time at the waterslides because there really aren't that many "theme" attractions in the area.

We took the kids there today because it was the last day of summer vacation and what better way to spend it than at the waterpark. The place was packed (by Montana standards) and I noticed a group of teenage girls who were keeping pretty close tabs on a certain male swimmer with a nice pair of sunglasses on.

I didn't pay much attention (thinking it was just a high school thing) but then when I heard the word "autograph" I got curious. Not because I am an autograph seeker (see entry entitled May I have your autograph and do you have a pen?) but because I wanted to see if it was someone I knew.

Sure enough - as soon as this "celebrity" was noticed - his group packed up their things and left. Or so it seemed...perhaps it wasn't someone famous and it was just time to leave? Was it someone pretending to be famous or was it someone actually famous? If so, who was it?

You never can tell...

¶ 9:43 PM //

I am having a very, very hard time giving my five year old son the independance he is desperately craving. Because of his developmental delays, communicative disorders and "no fear" complex, I have been his eyes, ears and basically - watchdog ever since he was born.

But lately his therapists have said that he is making remarkable improvement and that I need to give him more room to grow. So, I have been trying to let go.

After a day at the waterslides, who wants to cook? Not me. So we decided to stop somewhere for dinner on the way home. (The fact that we can even take him in a restaurant now is a miracle in itself.)

After ordering, my son told me that he needed to go to the bathroom and that he wanted to go alone. Our table was close to the restrooms and the place was pretty vacant so I gave him the ok sign. He asked me which one it was and I told him "the one with four letters".

I was nervous the whole time he was gone and when he came back, he showed me that he washed his hands and told me that he used the one with FIVE letters.

It took me a bit to figure it out but five letters?

The signs said "Ladies" and "Gentlemen".

Not "Womens" and "Mens".

¶ 7:21 PM //

Is anyone else loving this show on HBO? Jeremy Piven is the best thing about it and I'm glad to see it got picked up for a second season. Val Kilmer was hilarious and I wouldn't be surprised to see a John Cusak cameo either. I see him playing a writer...

¶ 4:18 PM //

All of my posts are "time" themed today - wierd.

Anyways - tomorrow is the last day of the current Really Creative Ideas submission period. All of the entries are then going to be given to celebrity judge Paul Gross (Due South, Aspen Extreme). The winner will be announced mid September and will receive a prize of $2,000.

I have three "entries" submitted and am keeping my fingers crossed.

¶ 12:39 PM //

When I completed my script yesterday, Tad told me to go out and buy something to celebrate. So I did just that - I booked a trip for the hubby and I in October.

The hubby has been asked to be in a childhood friend's wedding in Minneapolis. We have never been further east than Rapid City, South Dakota so we are really excited. (I never even flew on an airplane until I was 28!)

October also happens to be the hubby and I's ten year wedding anniversary. In ten years, we have never taken a trip together without the kids. Not even a honeymoon. The in-laws have GRACIOUSLY offered to take the kids for us so the hubby and I are going to spend 6 whole days on our own.

We are going to party like rock stars...

¶ 11:54 AM //

Yeah like I'm going to blog about THAT! Sickos...I'll leave the X rated stuff to Pepito.

Ever since Final Draft arrived last week I have been working on my Bravo submission like a madwoman. And yesterday, for the first time, I printed out a complete script written entirely by me. As I was holding all of the pages in my hand - I thought "Wow. I actually wrote this." All I could do was stare at the title page and wonder where all of this is going to lead.

It's just a first draft and it needs some work but I really feel good about it. It's smart, funny and a little edgy but there's something in it that clicks. Maybe it won't be that way to the third party readers but I like knowing that I am taking this chance. Even if it doesn't make it - at least I can feel good knowing that I tried.

I'm putting it away for a few days to concentrate on getting the kids ready for school, which starts on Wednesday. Then I can go back to it with a fresh pair of eyes in order to rework some of the dialogue.

Many, many, many thanks to Tad - the god of screenwriting bloggers.

¶ 9:30 AM //

He's humorous, easy on the eyes and from personal experience I happen to know that he is a very generous man. He's also a very good filmmaker. I am intrigued by the new movie he has coming out called Papparazi.

I watched him on Sunday Morning Shootout today and I like how he defends his films. I was also very impressed when he said that he wouldn't give Passion of the Christ to a network unless they aired it as is - with no commercial interruptions.

Does anyone else see a new "Easter classic" coming to TNT?

¶ 10:15 AM //

A toy depicting the 9/11 terrorist attack? I hope they get the bastards that did this.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&e=1&u=/ap/9_11_toy

¶ 7:43 PM //

It's rained cats and dogs here this week. No one is complaining, especially since last time this year there was so much smoke stuck in the valley that people couldn't breathe and had to leave town.

But rain makes the grass grow and when it's wet like this, it's really hard to mow. The forecast calls for rain the rest of the week but everyone's yards are getting out of control. I figured I would wait until Saturday when it is supposed to warm up but then the neighbor got out his mower at 7:00am this morning.

So when your next door neighbor mows his yard and you don't, yours looks like crap next to it. Resigned, I decided to take his lead and do the same thing. Then it becomes a domino effect. Pretty soon you have the other neighbor next to you getting out their mower and so on and so on. It reminds me of that scene in She's Having a Baby where all the neighbors do their lawn mower dance. Pretty funny.

I like the look of a lawn that is mowed diagonally. I don't know why - it just looks nicer to me. We have a big piece of property but I don't mind mowing - it's good exercise.

Getting out the snowblower in a few months will, however, be another story.

¶ 2:11 PM //

Paging Jules Asner...I wonder what she is up to these days?

¶ 4:40 PM //

But my brother got caught. He told an off color joke at work today and it was overheard by another employee who was subsequently offended. She took it to management claiming harassment and since his company has a zero tolerance policy, he was escorted off the premises.

My brother is a hard worker and a valuable employee. Just two weeks ago he was given a huge promotion, a $10,000 per year raise and a company car. He was the "golden boy".

But policy is policy. Now he is without a job and in a word - devastated. He is the most kind, personable and helpful person you would ever want to meet. He did a lot of favors for people - not to get something out of it - but because he is a nice guy.

Well apparently nice guys finish last. The joke was not personal towards anyone and it was neither crude nor demeaning. He was simply repeating a joke he had heard from someone else. He didn't mean anything by it and when he told it in mixed company - they all laughed.

He is a computer genius so I'm sure he will find work elsewhere. I know him though and I know that this experience will make him less social, less personable and less likely to do anyone any favors.

And that is going to be a great loss...

¶ 10:12 PM //

Everyone else is linking or plugging this site so I guess I will too. Quentin Tarantino (or someone claiming to be him) has his own blog. It's a pretty good read so I am guessing that Quentin either did it himself as a joke or gave the ok to someone who knows him to "ghostblog".

Why do people find celebrities so fascinating? My theory is that the public sees them all the time, feels like they know the celebrity personally and wants what they can't have. A friendship with who they think that celebrity is.

Others are intrigued with them or impressed by their work. Something the celebrity has done touched the individual personally and they want to be a part of it.

And yet still there are those who identify celebrities with a certain time period in their lives and want what that celebrity represents.

Many are fixated and think that if a celebrity comes into their life - it will make it all better.

Others are envious - they want to live vicariously thru the celebrity.

And some are just sick and want to "own" the celebrity.

Whatever the reason - people will flock to QT's blog as fans, critics, stalkers, friends, colleagues and those that are just curious.

Me? Well my ghostblogging services are available!

¶ 9:25 AM //

To my 9 year old daughter and all her friends:

10. I don't know when Britney Spears is getting married.
9. I don't know why either.
8. I don't know why Ashlee Simpson dyed her hair.
7. No you may not dye yours the same color.
6. Yes Lindsay Lohan's boobs look bigger.
5. No, you may not wear a "belly shirt" to school. (You may not wear one EVER.)
4. It's not my fault Seventh Heaven is a rerun.
3. I don't know how people get their game show prizes home.
2. No I won't audition for Fear Factor.
1. No, you do NOT need a cell phone.

¶ 7:15 PM //

for kids who come to the door selling things. Many states have frowned upon this type of fundraising effort but Montana is still safe enough for kids to get away with it.

Stay away LDS Missionaries and Jehovah Witnesses. If you come to my door I'll make you come in and either a) have a beer, chocolate, caffeine, Halloween candy - whatever it is you are not supposed to be tempted with or b) make you watch both MTV and the kids while I get some housework done.

But give me a kid with a fundraiser and I'll whip out the cash. I remember those days of selling Girl Scout Cookies or candy bars for baseball. They sucked. Wasting an afternoon or (gasp) a whole Saturday going door to door with your little sheet of paper hoping that some nice lady would take pity on you instead of telling you to "go away" like the old man down the street.

Kids I sympathize with you and also with your parents. As a mom, I now know what it is like when my kid has to sell $50 worth of candybars and/or 30 boxes of cookies. Multiply that by three kids and you end up with a freezer full of sweets and a dentist who is thanking you for his new boat.

¶ 10:00 AM //

of the White Sox. Not the Chicago White Sox, their farm team in Great Falls, Montana. (He has spoken about it on his show so I don't feel as if I am invading his privacy.)

I was fortunate enough to be able to take in one of their games Sunday afternoon. It was family day so you could get 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 drinks for $10. When you combine that with the $1 beer batter and the in-between-innings children's entertainment, you have a pretty inexpensive but entertaining family outing.

I love baseball. So much so that I even married a former college baseball player. While dating we played on a softball team together. I will never forget the day when he was at the plate, I was on second and he got a hit. I ran to third and slid into what was supposed to be a breakaway base. It didn't break away - I heard a large pop and then couldn't move my left ankle. He left the game in order to carry me off the field and all the way to the car. I knew at that moment that I had to marry him.

Then the trouble came. He is a Dodgers fan and I am a Braves fan. When they play each other - we can't watch the game in the same room. If we do, as was the case this weekend, the Dodgers usually win and I can't have that. (Case in point - they were tied on Saturday and I sat down in the same living room for TWO minutes and then Beltre hit a home run.)

Speaking of the Dodgers, the hubby informed me this weekend that Pedro Martinez used to play for the Great Falls White Sox when they were called the Dodgers. (If you are not a baseball fan and don't know who Pedro is - he is the Red Sox pitcher who got in a fight with the "old guy" from the Yankees last season.) He used to see Pedro around town all the time and has followed his career (and many of the other major leaguers who started out in GF) ever since.

Baseball is the one sport that great movies have consistently been made about. My favorite is Bull Durham but I also recommend Stealing Home with Jodie Foster and Mark Harmon.

"You had sex with my prom date."
"She was never your prom date."
"Only because you had sex with her."

¶ 3:51 PM //

While driving this weekend we saw one of the new Honda Elements. My daughter said "Oh - does H stand for Hideous?"

I apologize to anyone who drives one of these automobiles. I'm a former Honda driver myself so keep in mind that she is 9.

¶ 2:12 PM //

We are off to a wedding this weekend for the hubby's side of the family. Weddings always make me think of my own. Yes, it was special and fun but if I had it to do over again, I think I would change a few things:

1. The hubby had his bachelor party the night before the wedding. Not a great idea. He called me at 3am and begged me to let him come home even though we weren't supposed to see each other before the ceremony. The next morning he was puking off the deck and during the ceremony his fingers were so swollen that I had trouble getting the ring on.

2. At the reception, my boss handed me a cell phone and told me it was a client who wanted to offer congrats. Sure, they wanted to do that but "since they had me on the phone" they wanted to run something by me "real quick". There is a picture of me in my wedding dress having that conversation. I do not look like a blushing bride.

3. Eject the man who hit on me at my own wedding. I was too polite to do so but in hindsight it probably would have been a good idea. He put his own spin on the term "drunk and disorderly".

4. Eat before the wedding. No one tells you that you are going to be so busy talking to all of your guests at the reception that you won't hardly get to sit down, much less eat. Maybe that's why they make such a big deal about feeding each other a piece of cake after cutting it. It might be the only bite you get all night! The hubby and I were so starved that the first thing we did when we got to the honeymoon suite was order a pizza.

5. Brides - DO NOT borrow a wedding dress. It doesn't matter whose it is. Your mother's, your grandmother's, your cousin's, your friends. It is not going to fit right and it will never truly belong to you. Spend the money to buy your own and don't ever lend it to anyone.

Weddings do strange things to people whether you are in them or attending as a guest. At least for this one I don't have to write a speech...

¶ 9:17 AM //

Don't you wish that just once on the podium, an athlete would BELT OUT the national anthem instead of either:

a) lip syncing it
b) slightly moving only their mouths and nothing else
c) not singing at all

You just won the gold medal damnit - go ahead and shed some tears but work the lungs!

USA! USA! USA! USA!

¶ 10:42 PM //

I have a friend who is famous. Not for his face but for his name. He says it's great because he can go out in public and be left alone unlike other celebrities.

When he pays for something, it's usually in cash so that he is not recognized. When he meets someone new he simply introduces himself as "Jim" (not his real name).

When someone asks him what he does for a living he says "I'm a school bus driver".

That usually puts an end to any further questions...

UPDATE: Don't know why that comment posted several times...maybe I had something in my eye.

¶ 11:13 AM //

Last summer I was reading Is that a Gun in Your Pocket by Rachel Ambramowitz. It's a very interesting look at powerful women in Hollywood. I had long been an admirer of the late Dawn Steel (I even have the personal audiotapes of her own book) and heard that Rachel's book talked in great lengths about her.

If she were still alive, I wonder where she would be today and what her take on Eisner, Dreamworks and just the box office business in general would be.

I definately would have liked to have had lunch with this woman...

¶ 7:59 PM //

I love going to the Rodeo. It's not for everyone - especially those who do not like dust. Cowboys are tough yet gracious. There's something very sexy about broken in wranglers, well worn boots and a hat that looks like there is no other place for it than the head it rests on. When a cowboy looks at you, smiles and then tips his hat (whether he is sixteen or sixty) there's not a compliment like it in the world.

When I was a kid I saw Urban Cowboy and wanted to be Debra Winger in all her tank topping, two stepping, electric bullriding glory. Recently, in the documentary "Searching for Debra Winger", she said that producers told her that she looked like she was retaining water in the film. Unbelievable.

I'm not a cowgirl. I have boots, I can ride and I can two step but I am in awe of barrel racers. Those are cowgirls.

It's a shame that when Sports Illustrated did their take on Montana that they did not do an article on Dan Mortensen. Dan is a FIVE time World Champion Bronc rider from Billings. Rodeo is a sport and his accomplishments deserve more than few words.

There's a movie out there called 8 Seconds about the late bullrider Lane Frost. (Renee Zellweger had a brief but memorable scene in it.) I think it's hard to capture the essence of rodeo on film but take my word for it - it's a lovely ride.

¶ 4:05 PM //

Some of you have been emailing me with this question. I'm definately a Type A personality so I always have a plan and/or a "todo" list. It's a terrible curse...

I'm going to spend the next month working on my situation comedy idea for Bravo's new contest. Once I have that polished and ready to go, I'll submit it and then go back to working on a screenplay.

In the meantime, I entered a piece into the Vanity Fair essay contest. The topic was "explain the character of the American people to the rest of the world." If I don't make the cut, I'll post my essay.

And for therapeutic reasons I'll keep on blogging...

¶ 3:58 PM //

Well once I "lawyered up", the agency changed it's tune and told my attorney that they only called me back as a courtesy response to my querry (yeah right) and that they aren't interested in reading anything.

Did they "steal" my idea? Maybe but not likely. Even if they did, it's registered at the WGA just in case.

So now I'm more determined than ever. I'm picturing the scene in Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts goes back into the dress shop and says "Remember me? I was in here yesterday and you wouldn't wait on me. You work on commission right?"

Big mistake. Big. HUGE...I have to go write now...

Annie

¶ 8:23 PM //

"They're like rats with wings!" ...The Big Chill

This afternoon I took the boys to the local mini-mall to get haircuts. Afterwards we decided to check out some of the other shops and as we were walking, I noticed a black "thing" on the pillar. As we got closer, it moved. I said "Holy shit - it's a bat". (My bad - swearing in front of the kids.)

We went into the jewelry store and I asked the saleslady if she knew there was a bat outside of the store. She offered the boys a cookie and then proceeded to tell me that she called the Sheriff's office, who told her to call Fish & Game, who told her to call Animal Control. Animal control said that they would get to it as soon as they could but it had been hours since she called them.

So there is a bat, literally "hanging out" at the mini-mall.

Update: I'm not making this up. Yes, bats are nocturnal and that is why seeing a bat in the day is a real problem. Bats are usually rabid and should not be hanging out in public places.

Heads up Rance fans...both he and A.S. have been notified of said sighting.

¶ 9:33 PM //

The good news: EL is "on the case". Thanks in part to Tad's expert advice, I gave EL the ok to make a deal the deal for my pitch and maybe a little more. I'll be sucking down the Diet Cokes like a madwoman until I hear something.

The bad news: A local sex scandal made the Washington Post. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1426-2004Aug14_2.html)

Also, a local marine was killed in Iraq over the weekend and a young mother lost her life in a freak boating accident on the lake.

The ugly: I think I'm going to have to go head to head this week with some contractors who have been doing (or supposed to be doing) work on our house. I've done just about everything I can, including cornering them in a driveway with my SUV and threatening to file a construction lien. My friend Tall Poppy suggests crying if it helps. Another friend suggested cleavage. But I think I may have to "lawyer up" on this deal as well.

Thank god the fair is in town...nothing like greasy comfort food!

¶ 12:05 PM //

I'm always curious about other people's writing spaces. Writing is something you can do anywhere. On a napkin, the back of an envelope, a legal pad, a diary, the sidewalk, in the dust on a dirty car, on a laptop at a coffee shop, computers at a library, at work, etc.

I write on a computer desk in a loft that overlooks the valley, mountains and occasionally a field of deer. If it sounds peaceful - it's not. Our loft also serves as a combination family room/guest quarters so it has the playstation, big tv, exercise equipment, toys, kids jumping on the bed, playing in the bathroom, etc.

I like the feeling of my fingers on the keyboard. I think it would be something similar to someone who loves and is really good at playing the piano. When the words come quickly the typing is fast and has a harmony to it. When you are struggling it is slow and the notes sound bad.

Speaking of notes, remember passing notes in high school? I wonder if kids still do that. I pulled out my high school scrapbook the other day and found a couple that I had saved for one reason or another. I guess if you think about it, in today's world email is basically the same thing. And the mortification is just as bad when an email goes into the wrong hands.

I know a woman who got caught bitching to a coworker about their boss in an email. Can you imagine if the boss were to take a teacher's approach and stand in a conference room full of your coworkers reading the email outloud to the rest of the "class"?

In any event, I'm having fun "passing notes" with my fellow bloggermates. See you in study hall...

¶ 11:21 AM //

Just back from our quick road trip this morning and we had our first bear sighting of the year. A young black bear was crossing the highway in front of us so we pulled over to get a good look at him. I rolled down the window to take his picture and my dogs started growling at him. He got halfway up the hill, turned around towards us with a look that said "piss off" and then finished his way up to the top.

I would post the picture but all you can see is a bunch of green with a bear's ass in the middle.

I almost felt like a papparazi...

¶ 4:12 PM //

Craig Kilborn is leaving the Late Late Show. You know him as a former Sportscenter anchor and the first host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show. What you may not know is that Kilborn used to be a basketball playing Bobcat at Montana State University.

Good luck to you Kilborn!

¶ 6:09 PM //

Are you like me? Do you find that you just want to chuck all the cd's in your car and go out and get some new tunes? I had the urge to do that today when preparing for my road trip tomorrow. It's an interesting mix of music in our car. My daughter likes Hillary and Avril, my son won't go anywhere without the Toy Story 2 soundtrack and until the satellite radio tuner comes in, we will continue taking turns listening to music.

Most of the radio stations in Montana are country oriented. I am not a fan of country music (except for Patsy Cline). I was raised on the Eagles in the 70's, heavy metal in the 80's and my husband tried really hard to turn me into a Pearl Jam fan in the 90's.

Recently though, I have become a big fan again of "The Commitments" soundtrack. Whatever happened to Andrew Strong?

¶ 5:56 PM //

And I have a decision to make. Take some money and run - use it to buy a new computer, some screenwriting software, a screenwriting class, put some away for my son's medical expenses OR hold out and try to complete a spec script of my own and maybe sell it for even more money and (more importantly) writer's credibility. But a little bit of money would go a long ways right now.

There are so many whatifs. What if this is my only shot? What if my other ideas are better and with a new computer, software and classes I could write incredible spec scripts out of those? Taking the money would mean I probably couldn't enter the Bravo contest and I'm really excited about that.

The writer in me says do whatever you have to in order to write the script yourself. The mother in me says think of all the neurological work and therapy my son is going to need in the next six months. Insurance only covers so much.

I think clearer when I drive and tomorrow I am taking my daughter to her grandparents so that she can spend a week with them. That should give me a few hours to think things thru. There is nothing like the smell of pine in the mountains, the sight of sun sparkling on the lake and a calming breeze to help clear your head.

¶ 9:25 AM //

Football camp started this week. For those lucky enough to get a seat (23,687), the home opener is September 4th. Go Griz!!!

¶ 1:31 PM //

Kind of like Letterman's viewer mail:

10. Yes Virginia, there is a speed limit in Montana. 75 on the interstate and 65 on the highways unless otherwise posted. If you get caught speeding, you will have to cough up $5. Exceptions of course for school zones, construction zones, city limits and reckless speeding.

9. No, there is no sales tax here and I will not buy things and ship them to you.

8. Yes, housing is getting outrageous. The hubby and I bought a brand new home in January and a similar one down the street just sold for $11,000 more. But you can still get more for your money than you can in California.

7. $10 for a carload at the drive-in gets you a double feature.

6. Just because it advertises as a ranch does not necessarily mean the same thing as a ranch in Nevada.

5. Yes I've seen him, him and her but I won't tell you where they live.

4. No, I was not at the bar where the deck collapsed the other weekend but had friends that were. As said on the national news, over 90 people were hurt. What you didn't hear is that a lot of them were underage drinkers. Can you imagine explaining your broken ankle and arm to your parents?

3. I am a Griz fan and will blog about that later.

2. It took me 13 hours to drive from one side of the state to the other once.

1. My son is doing GREAT, thank you.


Cheers!

¶ 10:17 AM //

When you live close to a National Park, you get a lot of houseguests. I don't mind that at all. It's fun to have company.

Today we have guests arriving and Glacier is the first thing on their list. One of our guests is a big Kevin Smith fan so I am going to do my own "roadside attractions" and be sure to show her the local Qwikstop and the Stoners Inn - both places that I believe Jay and Silent Bob would frequent if they were to pay a visit here as well.

Our neighbors, along with several tourists, watched a 325lb black bear get shot with a tranquilizer gun right at the park entrance a few days ago. I doubt we'll see that much "action" but you never know.

(Update) No bears for us this time but I had to choose between swerving to hit a mountain goat or the 3 tourists standing in the road taking his picture. Since I didn't want to render my husband wifeless, my children motherless and my blog blogless, I took a chance on the goat. Luckily HE got the hell out of the way...

¶ 8:30 PM //

I miss the good ole' Project Greenlight days. Bravo is bringing it back in the spring but I really enjoyed the first three seasons on HBO. During that time, I became a huge fan of Chris Moore and the PGL message boards. Did Chris make a good decision not to come back? I think professionally he did.

Anyways, in addition to bringing back PGL, Bravo has also decided to do something similar with television. http://www.bravotv.com/Situation:_Comedy/

I've decided to enter and I am psyched about my idea. I've never been so excited to write in my life. As soon as I sat down to plot it out, I couldn't type fast enough. It is original, funny and a little bit edgy.

It may go nowhere and it may go somewhere but who knew that doing something you love could be so much fun?

¶ 3:25 PM //

I love going into town to pick up the mail at the post office. It's such a small town thing. I don't go every day so when I do get there, the mail is a little bulky. I usually like to go on Mondays because that is when the magazines arrive and as I posted once before, I am a magazineaholic. The first Monday of the month is the best because sitting there waiting for me are both the weekly and monthly publications.

When I first started thinking about doing something productive with my writing, I did some research online and found out that there are people who get paid to come up with greeting card, slogan and gadget verses. Some companies pay freelancers up to $150 per line so I thought I would give it a shot and see if I could make a few bucks. A few months ago, I sent several ideas to three greeting card companies and three "slogan" companies.

As luck would have it, I went to the post office Monday and there was not one, not two, not three but FOUR rejection letters. It's like someone saying not only do you suck, but you really, really, really suck. It's not about the money - although it would come in handy. (Has anyone bought school supplies lately!!!) I just thought I was creative enough to come up with something different.

I was discouraged and just figured that it was a sign for me to just focus on movie & tv ideas. Then today, I got an email from a company who is interested in purchasing two of my slogan ideas! It has to go thru their elimination process but mine are two of 100 that they chose from over 1000 submissions. They only choose 24 but since I "made it" thru the first round, I now have an "in" for future submissions.

I won't know until October if they decide to actually purchase my idea or not but I'm just happy with the validation, small as it may be.

¶ 10:15 AM //

I am probably the least judgemental person you would ever meet. And because of this, I can respectfully say that not everyone in Montana welcomes Hollywood with open arms:

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004/08/09/entertainer/twaddle/fat79.txt

¶ 3:08 PM //

From the Montana Film Office website:

Anticipated Miramax Film "The Great Raid" to Premier at HatcH -- A Four-Day Film and Audiovisual Festival Focused on Mentoring and Business Acumen in the Film Industry nestled in Bozeman, MT snags International attention.

Bozeman, MT - Directed by John Dahl (Red Rock West, Rounders, Last Seduction), The Great Raid will have its World premiere in celebrity hideout, Bozeman, Montana. Starring Benjamin Bratt, Joseph Fiennes, and James Franco, The Great Raid captures the true story of WWII's 6th Ranger Battalion who undertake a daring rescue mission to liberate 500 American prisoners-of-war in the Philippines. The Film premiers on Sept 10 to a intimate audience of handpicked Hollywood insiders. HatcH is the film festival reinvented -- an intense four-day event featuring the best in film, music and arts. The festival's focus on mentoring brings young artisans side by side with Hollywood veteran producers, screenwriters, directors, cinematographers, and actors to showcase their work in competition and non-competition formats.

I believe that there was a great deal of controversy surrounding this movie. People either love it or hate it. Interesting that they are choosing to premiere it here...

¶ 1:11 PM //

That great line from Sweet Home Alabama came to mind last night as the hubby and I took the kids to get some pizza...at the local bar. We were not alone - at one point I counted nine children there all under the age of 8. It was still early - about 7:00pm - and it was an interesting group of customers that night. A family reunion for a 70th birthday, some cowboys, some tourists (who couldn't believe that they were walking on sawdust and that it was permissable to carve something into the floor, tables, walls, bar, etc.) and a bachelor party busload from the University of Arizona Wildcats (we left shortly after their arrival).

My husband and I got a pitcher of beer and when we poured ourselves a glass, it was a little foamy on the top. Without thinking, my daughter stuck her finger in the foam and then into her mouth. The look on her face was priceless. I thought she was going to turn blue from pressing her lips so tightly together. She said it was the grossest thing she'd ever tasted. When she asked what it was, we answered honestly "Moose Drool".

http://www.bigskybrew.com/

I recommend the "Alumabottles".

¶ 5:46 PM //

Post has been erased because Runaway Bride did not want the story "out there".

¶ 12:14 PM //

It was front page news today that a dealership a few hours away had some SUV's vandalized by suspected eco-terrorists. As an SUV driver, I was going to do a blog about this but then decided that I shouldn't do anything to entice same eco-terrorists into coming after me and other SUV drivers such as, my extended family, our postman, our doctors, the kids' teachers, our friends, co-workers, neighbors...

¶ 1:54 PM //

My dad always says that it's who you know that gets you hired and what you know that gets you promoted/more work. I think he's right. Every job I've ever had (with the exception of my very first job in college) was offered to me. I think I've only had to interview for a job once or twice in my whole life.

I am reminded of this because recently I told a couple of family members about my current dealings with the Hollywood industry. I had been reluctant to do so because I was afraid they wouldn't take me seriously. Once word got out though, I found out that I have a second cousin who worked with Spielberg on a film, a friend of a cousin's that is a producer/writer for a top ten television show in LA and that my great grandmother was a published writer.

A family connection is what helped me land my phone meeting with an entertainment lawyer today. When I was in the corporate world, I dealt with attorneys every day. (I can tell some really good jokes about lawyers but that would be a blog for another day.) Some are a pain in the ass and others just get a bad rap for being in that profession.

I like it when people are professional yet personable and without ego. That's exactly how this woman was today. She told it to me straight, validated some things and inspired some others. It's kind of like when you shake hands with someone. You can usually tell if this is a person you can be friends with, do business with and sometimes - both.

(This is where I have to give a shout out to Tad http://writersblog.tripod.com/blog/. He is the same way. )

I have to admit that I am somewhat reluctant to get into this Hollywood business. There are a lot of sharks out there who play games. I'm sure that someday I will get burned - just like everyone else. But knowing that I won't be the first certainly makes it a little easier to take on the chin.

Cheers....

¶ 10:10 PM //

I don't blog about my kids much. I like to joke (or at least make readers think that I am joking) that my kiddos drive me nuts. They really don't . Ok- well sometimes they do. Ok- they do a lot. But that's the way I like it. I like a lot of things going on all at once. I don't do well with quiet. I like hearing kids laughing, watching tv, playing video games, shooting some hoops, playing in the yard, etc. I really hope that when my kids are in high school - our house is the one that they and all of their friends want to hang out at.

My kiddos bicker like siblings do. But then there are moments that catch you off guard and you realize that no matter how much they fight - they really love each other.

My middle child is a special needs child. You wouldn't know it by looking at him but he has some good days and bad days. (If you are interested, read "The Rescue" by Nicholas Sparks - he has a son with similar disabilities.) My son has a combination of several neurological disorders and developmental delays. My husband and I (even though he is in the medical field) are against medicating a five year old. Instead we are trying everything else in the book and a lot of it is working. He is a totally different kid than he was when he was diagnosed just over a year ago.

Today was my son's first day of equine (horse) therapy. I have been around horses all my life but had never experienced this technique. It was incredible. I saw a difference in my son in just one day.

The thing that touched me the most though was my daughter - his older sister. She has a way with animals - especially horses and dogs. She came with us today and kept herself in the background. When I asked her if she wanted to pet or ride - she told me that no, it was all about her brother today.

She has had to give up a lot for her brother but the look on her face today she showed me, in one moment, that she understands his special needs and that she only wants what is best for her little brother.

It makes a mother pretty proud...

¶ 8:43 PM //

I had to go to the dentist today. Most people don't like to go but I don't mind. It means a 45 minute kid free drive into town (with the music of my choice) and an hour off my feet to relax. Well as much as you can with a drill and a mini ice pick in your mouth.

So while I was in there I starting thinking about my husband's cousin. He and his wife are getting ready for their annual fantasy football league. They spend four hours for four nights putting together their picks. They are so excited - they can hardly wait.

Now I love sports - especially baseball and football. I love watching Sportscenter and I usually read SI cover to cover the day it arrives in the mail. (I have to because I'll never see it again once the hubby gets ahold of it.) I also know a lot of other people who are addicted to fantasy baseball and football leagues.

This got me thinking that there should be some sort of fantasy celebrity league or market. You could structure it from August to August and points could be given for box office grosses, awards nominations, awards won, marriages, births, television ratings, etc.

Maybe there already is something like that. If so, sign me up!

¶ 8:03 PM //

When I was in the corporate world - Mondays were never a problem for me. I always felt like a racehorse bolting out of the starting gate on Monday mornings. I had energy, adrenaline and a great attitude.

Sunday nights, however, always seemed to be a problem. I would lay there in bed and my mind would start thinking about all the things that needed to be done, the problems that needed to be taken care of and the obstacles that needed to be moved out of the way. I would toss and turn and the more I worried, the less able I was to get to sleep. That's when I became a big fan of HBO and it's Sunday night programming. Perhaps there are others like me and that's why HBO has been so successful with those time slots!

Anyways, now that I am staying at home, Sunday nights feel like any other night (except that I get to watch some great shows). Except last night. I felt that feeling in the pit of my stomach again and couldn't get to sleep.

While I was on vacation, a friend of mine who is an attorney in Portland made some calls and arranged a telephone introduction for me with an entertainment lawyer who is interested in representing me. I was to call her today and discuss my situation.

I called her this afternoon and caught her at a bad time but she was more than friendly with me. We made arrangements to have a scheduled telephone meeting on Wednesday and I am really looking forward to it.

I'm sure after we get home from the drive-in tonight (Spiderman 2), I will sleep like a baby.

¶ 6:02 PM //

Things I learned (but not all personally experienced) while camping this week:

10. Jiffy Pop does not cook popcorn over a campfire in a jiffy and there is a definate reason why men can shake the handle longer and faster than women.

9. Zoloft is a good thing to be on when you are camping with 15 other people.

8. Gameboys are a VERY good thing to bring camping.

7. A golden retriever that has been a "house dog" all her life will still have natural instincts kick in which force her to chase geese into the depths of a lake that only a boat can reach.

6. A moth can fly into your ear while you are sleeping and get stuck but still stay alive and moving. The only way to get it out is to go to the ER where they will pour warm oil into your ear (which kills the moth) and then they pull the moth out in bits and pieces.

5. If you bring 7 books and three magazines to read while being soley responsible for 3 kids and 2 dogs, you might get one article or one chapter read.

4. Kids never get tired of eating hot dogs.

3. Any lifeless animal will develop a personality when the title "Mr Dead" is attached to it. Examples - Mr. Deadfish, Mr. Deadsnake, Mr. Deadsquirrel, Mr. Deadbug.

2. Dogs can figure out how unzip a tent when they really, really want to go outside.

1. Seemingly sweet and innocent children will do whatever it takes to flip you off any sort of floatation device.

And when you have had a few too many beers, it is actually possible to have lengthy, but perhaps not meaningful, conversations about :

-who should replace Jimmy Fallon on SNL's Weekend Update
-what it means to have a marshmellow stuck in supermodel hair
-what an "annapride" bracelet is
-whether or not you should still call flip flops "thongs"
-whether or not children should be allowed to play with squirt guns
-whether or not Ben Affleck should date one of John Kerry's daughters
-who would be the best "celeb" wife for John Cusak
-if Jim Carrey is going to need some serious arthritic medication when he is in his 60's
-how James Woods is connected to 9/11
-why aren't the shows "thirtysomething", "Murphy Brown" and "Sisters" in syndication
-whether chocholate tastes better if you suck on it
-and of course....whether or not candy cigarettes still exist

All the things you can only blog about...

¶ 10:27 PM //