Hollywood & Montana

The End of the Blog...

2006-02-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

My blogging days are done.

Thank you to all those who stopped by on occasion.

It was fun while it lasted.

Cheers!

Annie

Where's Annie?

2006-01-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

Annie is still working full time for a non-Hollywood job that was supposed to be part time...at least for a few more weeks.

Annie is also helping produce a documentary. So much for not being in the biz anymore.

Annie is more than likely cleaning out her son's hamster cage. While cute, cuddly and a great bonding experience for my son, the hamster flat out stinks. All the time.

Annie is back on the Diet Coke bandwagon. To the tune of four a day.

Annie is contemplating being excited about all the new Griz football players, but yet still wishes they were FROM Montana.

Annie heard thru the grapevine that there were at least three different celebrity sightings in the valley over the holidays. One Oscar winner and two Golden Globe nominees.

Annie will be back....eventually.

The best thing I discovered in 2005...

2005-12-31T16:31:00.000-07:00

Thank you....thank you....thank you to the creators of Airborne.

Happy Merry Whatever....

2005-12-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

This blog is on hiatus until after the holidays are over. It will return with a new look as well.

So Merry Christmas AND Happy Holidays!

An outsiders point of view....

2005-12-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

From someone visiting from out of state.

"These Montana girls....they'll drink you under the table."

"Is it a requirement to own a 4-wheel drive vehicle up here?"

"Ya'll take this polar fleece thing seriously- don't cha?"

"Why are snowboots acceptable footwear in the workplace?"

"When you go to the doctor to get weighed, how do you know how much you actually weigh under all those layers?"

"Sushi? You really have a sushi place here? Really? REAL Sushi?"

"No tax at all? Except in resort towns? And in hotels and motels? And on gas? But ya'll are against a sales tax?"

And so, as a popular bumper sticker says:

"Welcome to Montana...enjoy your stay and then get the hell out."

It's all in good fun right?

Holidaze...

2005-12-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

For some reason I just can't seem to get into the Christmas spirit this year. I seem to be bombarded with other things like work, sick kids and charity things. The tree has been up since Cat/Griz and the house is all decorated. The Christmas radio station is on in the car and at work but yet the "magic" hasn't arrived yet.

I don't seem to be the only one either. This week I went to the pet store to look at hamsters for my son. He has been dying to get one for two years. So I went and looked at cages (they have a space station one which is so perfect for my son), books and everything you would need to get set up for this type of pet. I asked the sales clerk if there was any way we could pay for a hamster and have them hold it until Christmas eve. She told me no and then proceeded to tell me that getting a hamster for a six year old was a terrible idea. She said hamsters are mean and messy. She suggested a rat instead.

I lef the store without buying anything. The "Pretty Woman" in me wants to go to the other pet store, spend twice as much and then go back to the sales clerk and say "big mistake".

So, anyone with hamster experience want to add their two cents?

For Montana Jones...

2005-12-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

who memed me in his latest post:

I confess: I've never, ever taken drugs. I can say "just say no" without being a hypocrite.

I confess: I have a really bad potty mouth. I say "sh*t" and "f**k" a hell of a lot more than I should. But never in front of the kids. Okay - occasionally in front of the kids.

I confess: My parents put in me a MSU Bobcat sweatshirt when I was a baby. (Oh the shame.)

I confess: This one time....in high school....I went up into the woods near Sun Valley, Idaho, in the middle of the night with some of my girlfriends and we went skinny dipping in a hot springs. Then a strange man showed up and we all ran, naked, like hell back to the car.

I confess: That I Tivo Little House on the Praire.

I confess: To having both a Garth Brooks cd and a Snoop Dog cd in my car even though I still love the 80's hair bands like Motley Crue, Ratt, Def Lepard and Whitesnake.

I confess: to hating cooking. The whole "what do you want for dinner" and making it a healthy meal is sooooo not me. It's almost stressful and I'd rather eat take-out every night.

I confess: that I'm glad my accident this summer is very much a part of the fact that I am wearing a size 4 jeans now.

And lastly...I confess that until my trip last year to Minneapolis, I'd never been further east than Rapid City, South Dakota.

Now I'm going to tag Leesa and Emily!

Seriously....

2005-12-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

Do any of you other Grey's Anatomy fans find yourself saying "seriously" all the time now?

Oh no you didn't....

2005-11-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

An HBO documentary crew is shooting on location this week at my workplace. Their cameras are a pain in the ass. Nice guys but they do tend to get in the way.

It didn't take long for them to figure out that their "don't you know who I am" attitude doesn't fly in this neck of the woods.

Instant Rebates only please...

2005-11-25T00:03:00.000-07:00

Anyone else DESPISE mail-in rebates?

Happy Black Friday aka the day after Thanksgiving.

Hope you didn't physically or verbally assault anyone trying to get what you wanted at 5:00am.

The concept of travel...

2005-11-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

has always fascinated me. One minute you can be in your laundry room folding clothes and two hours later you are in a foreign country.

I've always wanted to fly on a lear jet, take a road trip on a rock star's bus, go on a cruise and take ride on a gondola in Italy.

So far, the most fun I've ever had "traveling" has been a white water raft and a snowmobile.

And in Montana, it is possible to do both on the same day.

But that doesn't compare to golfing and skiing on the same day.

Now that is heaven...

Foggata bout it...

2005-11-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

My daughter had a great idea for those of us trapped under this layer of valley fog.

Everyone should take out their hair dryers and aim them towards the sky....

Ask and ye shall receive...

2005-11-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

For those of you in the Seattle area, you can catch this Saturday's Griz game at Sluggers bar.

For the rest of the country, the alumni website has a list of places throughout the United States where you can watch a broadcast of the Cat/Griz game with other fans.

http://www.umontanaalumni.org/index.asp/fuseaction/CMS.main/c/BB8EE3B0-89BD-4F09-BFA4-FDB30221BA46

Go Griz!!

Let's set the record straight....

2005-11-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

on Montana towns.

It's ANNA CONDA....not AnDAHconda.

It's BUTTE...not Butt.

Deer Lodge and Deer Cabin are not synonomous. Same goes for Deer Place.

Lewiston is in Idaho. LewisTOWN is in Montana.

It's BOZEman...not Boozeman. (Although some may disagree).

And last but not least....It's CAT/GRIZ not GRIZ/CAT.

And for fun....any Montana bloggers want to place a friendly wager on one of the oldest rivalries in the country that just so happens to be taking place on Saturday?

I say Griz 21. Cats scratched.

Let's play some football!!!!!!

From Egypt to Montana...

2005-11-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

For Africancuk....it's a small world after all.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/11/09/build/business/25-have-uheard.inc

If you are just checking in...

2005-11-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

to see how I spend my day, it starts with a list.

A list of things I HAVE to get done. I list of things I WANT to get done and a list of things I'd LIKE to get done.

My work schedule temporarily only gives me one day off during the week (Monday) to get personal shit like errands, house cleaning, Christmas shopping, medical appointments, etc., done. Weekends are for family and they dictate what the agenda is on those days.

So while I used to dread Mondays in the corporate world, I now love them.

Hollywood/Montana news:

Rumor on the street is that a large film production company is going to build a facility in our valley. It's all very hush hush as to who it is. Another rumor is that location scouting is on the rise for film shoots next summer. Sounds like an excuse to come here and go skiing to me. Ha Ha...

Celebrity sighting: Ann Curry from the Today Show was in the valley recently. She's working on a story for Dateline that will air sometime this month.

Back to my lists...

Change is all around...

2005-11-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

A new job.

Hopefully the last job I'll ever have.

The funnest and most exciting yet challenging job I've ever had.

And yet, due to confidentiality and annonymity, I can't tell you a thing about it.

You'll just have to use your imagination...

Call me Clarice...

2005-10-31T16:12:00.000-07:00

Because that's who I'll be for Halloween. (Silence of the Lambs anyone?)

I will be enjoying the company of a skeleton, a witch and the stretch guy from Fantastic Four.

Have a great Halloween....

Let's hear it for Brookie...

2005-10-27T21:33:00.000-06:00

My former look-a-like is preggers with her second baby.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051028/ap_en_ce/people_brooke_shields

Fake fireplaces...

2005-10-26T16:07:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine told me that she found the greatest thing the other day. It's a DVD that turns your television set into a crackling fireplace. It even has sound effects.

Now if only I can find a campfire smelling candle....her "fake fireplace" will be complete.

I heart Charlie Brown

2005-10-25T09:01:00.000-06:00

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown is on tv tonight. What a classic.

As a kid, I used to look forward to these holiday specials every year. Now you can buy them on DVD and watch whenever you want.

But I refuse to partake in such activity.

The kids will stay up late and watch the show in their pj's.

Just like I did when I was a kid.

Fast Food

2005-10-24T17:19:00.000-06:00

When you live in a small town (or just outside of one like I do), you tend to miss some of the big city things. For me, it is the fast food.

Our Burger King bit the dust - which was actually a good thing. The service was slow and the food was always terrible. But it's absence got me thinking about other places I can't eat at.

No Hardees, Jack-in-the-Box, Sonic, Burger Master.

And definately no In & Out Burgers here...

Thank god for Subway...

FTC anyone?

2005-10-22T19:13:00.000-06:00

Anyone an expert in this field?

The reason I ask is because during today's broadcast of the Griz game, Gurnsey started to say that there was a streaker on the field. Mick cut him off and said that you can't say that on the radio.

Anyone know why?

Calling all media...

2005-10-19T13:34:00.000-06:00

For the love of god, please stop putting celebrities names together to make a word. No more Bennifer, TomKat, Vinnifer.

Enough is enough - we are not in high school anymore!

If the Suit Fits...

2005-10-17T16:24:00.000-06:00

My closet is an interesting mix of items but for the most part, it is either professional or extremely casual. Not a lot of in between.

The colors are mostly black, navy blue (my favorite color) and burgundy (for the Griz).

In my new job, I've tried to find a good middle ground when it comes to professional wear. I have three favorite suits that I have now each worn once. The black one is the power suit. The don't-f*ck-with me suit. The navy one is the professional-yet-approachable suit.

The third one is my favorite. It's a light stone colored suit that my favorite aunt gave me a couple of years ago. It's VERY name brand and very beautiful. I save it for special occasions and interviews.

But I must say that no matter what suit I am wearing, it still looks out of place when I'm standing in the farm and ranch supply store looking for rope, rock salt or whatever else is on the shopping list for the day.

Crashisms

2005-10-14T19:43:00.000-06:00

So how is work going you ask?

Well my all time favortie movie is Bull Durham. It's very sentimental to me because for a long time, I was a lot like Annie. Just minus the sex, red hair and crazy theories.

It's amazing to me how many times the words of Crash Davis (played by Kevin Costner) flow into my brain.

This week I can't seem to get this line out of my head:

"You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your friends. "

Later followed by "I'm just happy to be here. Hope I can help the ball club."

Said, of course, with a straight face.

Sleb Indahood

2005-10-11T20:19:00.000-06:00

Today was my first work related "encounter" with a celebrity. Actually, it was his wife.

Two things I learned about celebs today:

1. They are almost always shorter in "real life".

2. Behind every famous man is a woman calling the shots.

That's all for now...

The End of the First Day...

2005-10-10T20:51:00.000-06:00

Sounds like a good movie title doesn't it?

The first day was great. The job is quiet and a much slower pace than I am used to. I found the drive to be relaxing and all in all - it was a peaceful day.

But at the end of the day, I still find myself to be exhausted...

First Day Jitters...

2005-10-10T08:52:00.000-06:00

So today is the first day of my new job. I was fine about it until someone said to me "are you nervous since you haven't worked in two years?"

So I'm a little nervous but mostly excited. Excited to be in a professional setting again - even if it is only for a few hours. Excited to have my own desk. My own voice mail. My own space.

I'm also anxious to be productive. Anxious for the moment that a call comes in for me. That someone asks me a question and I can answer it without a moments hesitation. Anxious to prove that I can do this again.

I'm also hesitant. On Thursday I got a call about another employment opportunity. More money, less time away from home and a very challenging and exciting position. I won't know for a few more weeks if I am selected for it so in the meantime, I feel somewhat guilty for taking this other position.

But I look at it as a dive. I'm on the highboard and on the count of three, I'm going to jump.

Organizational Motivation...

2005-10-07T20:19:00.000-06:00

So the new job starts on Monday. It was nice to have a week to get my shit together. Once I had the preschool issue resolved (a blog entry in itself) then I spent the week going room thru room in the house.

Many trips to the Salvation Army later, I finally have the house organized. Not that it wasn't organized before, I just wanted a faster/better way of putting things in their place.

I am a BIG believer of the "everything has a place" theory. You could say I am somewhat obsessive compulsive about my house being tidy but I stop at putting labels on everything. :)

I laid down the law with the kids. Now that I no longer have 5 extra hours in the day to be their maid, they are now responsible for putting things like shoes and laundry away. It wasn't even that hard. You just have to make a game out of it. For example:

-The shoes now have a "parking garage". The boys love to make car noises as they "park" their sneakers.

-Laundry is now a basketball game. I got a couple of those tall hampers with lids that pop open. The kids now say "He SHOOTS" when they toss the clothes in, and "He SCORES" when they make it into the basket.

It hasn't all been cleaning though. I've been spending quality time with everyone as well. Lots of basketball, dancing and wrestling. And I'm not just talking about the kids!

Last on my list is music. I'll have about a 1/2 hour in the car every day that I can listen to what I want.

Hello itunes.com!

First down....MONTANA!

2005-10-04T09:05:00.000-06:00

I was one of the over 23,000 people who took in the homecoming game at Washington Grizzly Stadium last weekend. The game itself was exciting but the atmosphere is electric.

23,000 may not sound like a lot of people but consider this: On game days, Washington Grizzly stadium is the sixth largest city in the state.

Yes it sucks that this season the Griz games have not been televised on live television. A lot of people have said it seems like the Griz don't even exist this year except on tape delay.

But I am a live witness to the kick ass madness. I can't imagine a Griz game without the whole stadium rockin' out to "Cotton Eyed Joe" or John Denver's "Country Boy."

And let's give a LOT of credit to Peter Christian, the announcer for the Griz games. I've personally met the man on several occasions and he is a genuinely nice person. You want to know how tough his job is? Check out this link from the Missoulian:

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2003/12/01/news/local/znews02.txt

I fear that the Griz are in for it this year. The last three games of the season are all away games. Without that home crowd momentum, getting into the playoffs may be tough.

But tough is what the Griz are.

No links in the comments allowed...

2005-10-02T19:50:00.000-06:00

Spammers beware!

You want to advertise in the comment section of my blog?

Then be prepared to cough up some cash or pay some consequences.

You never know when people know people you don't.

This is sort of like that sign that says "No Trespassing. Hunters will be shot with their own guns."

Have a nice day. :)

Working Girl

2005-09-28T12:45:00.000-06:00

So, I got a job.

After months of trying to figure out what I wanted to do and if what I wanted to do was possible, I got a job.

It's a great job. Part time with flexibility, a fireplace in the office and it sits on the shores of Flathead Lake. It definately combines Hollywood and Montana in the real world.

I'll be able to take and pick up my kids from school. Attend their afternoon functions and help them with their homework at night. Weekends are free for doing whatever we please.

And yet I am still nervous about going back to work in a couple of weeks.

The woman in me says "you go girl - you NEED this."

The mother in me says "what if...what if...what if."

But I'm going to do it and I'm going to do it as well as I can.

I have to at least try.

Homecoming...

2005-09-26T14:57:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year. Fall is in the air and homecoming celebrations are all around.

This past weekend the hubby and I went to the local high school homecoming football game. The game was a blowout so I enjoyed a little people watching. It seems so strange to me the way some things never change and yet are completely different. Thank god I never have to go back to high school.

Girls still wear too much makeup and care too much about what people think.

Boys still seem to leave their manners at home.

Swearing seems commonplace. No one seems to care that there are younger ears around.

Cell phones seem to be the new earrings.

And parents still pay over $100 for a letterman jacket that their son gives to his girlfirend to wear.

Isn't it ironic?

2005-09-22T09:03:00.000-06:00

That Kate Moss, known for being the "waif-life" model, is currently being fired by companies left and right after discovering that she used cocaine.

Sooner or later, someone had to take the fall for being too thin.

Do they really expect us to believe that they were "surprised" by her drug use?

Why am I not blogging?

2005-09-21T20:49:00.000-06:00

Good question.

Because I have been busy with all sorts of outdoor projects that need attention before the snow flies. It's hard to believe that our house is not even two years old but I still have a door frame that has exterior peeling and cracking. That had to be scraped, sanded, primed and then painted.

I also had to sand, stain and seal our front porch. The posts and railings are white vinyl but the steps and floorboards are cedar. That's what winter in Montana will do to you.

I had to mow the lawn for one last time and put fertilizer/winterizer on it. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that it comes back lush and green in the spring. I am also hoping that the six trees we planted this fall make it as well!

I also had to clean out the garage so that we can park both the SUV and the truck in it. Neither the hubby nor I like to scrape our windshields in the morning. (I have a remote start but who wants to waste the gas!)

So all of this together with a few other smaller items indicates that soon winter will be upon us. I enjoy the fall but I am really looking forward to some relaxing evenings by the fire getting caught up on all the shows I have Tivo'd and the numerous books I had planned to read this summer.

And the hopes of blogging on a more regular basis...

The female Johnny Carson...

2005-09-16T14:02:00.000-06:00

Who can turn the world on with her smile?

Ellen Degeneres.

Thankfully she is once again hosting the Emmy awards on Sunday night. Fitting that she hosted it after 9/11 and is again called upon in the wake of another national tragedy. Especially one that affected her hometown. She has the personal connection and the uncanny ability to let people know it's okay to go on with life and laugh again.

It's going to be a great show...

2929 Entertainment

2005-09-14T12:43:00.000-06:00

Now that the kids are in school, I find that I have more time to read. Not because they are out of the house, but because I am spending more time in the car waiting for them. In order to get a parking spot at the kids' school, you have to get there about 1/2 hour before school gets out.

So yesterday I opened up my latest issue of Premiere magazine and found one of those stories that just makes you want to pack your bags and hang out on a company's doorstop until they offer you a job.

2929 Entertainment did that to me yesterday. You should really read the article but basically Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, started up a production company with Todd Wagner and is shaking up the way the Hollywood does business. 2929's theory is that movies should be released simultaneously at the box office, on DVD and on cable.

I think this idea is BRILLIANT.

For those who love the movie-going experience, they can see the film in the theater and if they really liked it, buy it on the way home just like they would a soundtrack.

For those (like me) who live in small towns and don't have the opportunity to see certain films because they don't come to our theater, we can order it off of Amazon.com.

I could go on and on about why this idea will work.

Oh - and I can't wait to see the movie they are producing for George Clooney called Good Night and Good Luck as well as the collaboration they are undertaking with Steven Soderbergh.

Looks like movies are about to be made for audiences again. Not studios.

Alive and Kicking...

2005-09-12T20:52:00.000-06:00

I'm still here but blogging on a less frequent basis. You would think that with the kids in school, I would have more free time. But then again there is that saying "if we had more time in the day, we'd just have more things to do."

Some things I have been wanting to blog about lately and promise to get to sooner or later:

Snow in the mountains. Already. No wonder the people down south turned away Montana's offer to provide housing for over 500 families. Too difficult to acclimate to the weather.

If you are not watching Weeds on Showtime, you are totally missing out.

Was anyone else disheartened by the season finale of Entourage? They had that great episode where Ari loses everything but his assistant and his wife. Then the season finale didn't leave us hanging or dare I say - wanting more?

The Griz got their asses kicked in Oregon. Damn ducks anyways.

The man who survived the Grizzly encounter in Glacier says he doesn't want the bear killed. You'd think he would want him stuffed and mounted after an ordeal like that.

More later...

Sleepless nights...

2005-09-05T19:14:00.000-06:00

I lay awake at night and can't stop thinking about the Katrina victims:

The single mothers who are afraid to go to sleep for fear that their kids will be gone when they wake up.

The toddler I saw on tv who told a policeman "my mom is dead. Someone pushed her under the water."

The people who stayed in their homes only to find hungry alligators in their backyards.

The pets who were left behind.

The fact that Ms. Rice was shopping and attending a Broadway play instead of going to Alabama. I hope this is just a rumor.

The people all over the south who are saying "what would Hillary do?"

Fun with Livestock...

2005-09-02T22:14:00.000-06:00

I could swear to the man above that I once saw Charlie Sheen at the Montana Sheep Drive.

Insert your own joke here.

But seriously, the sheep drive (which takes place this weekend) is a whole lot of fun. When we lived in Billings, the kids and I would make the trip every year to watch the running of the sheep. It started out as a joke but has now turned into a community fundraiser every year.

Now the testicle festival is an entirely different matter...

From my little corner of the world...

2005-09-01T12:05:00.000-06:00

When you see the devastation of what has happened in the south, you can't help but be grateful for the things you have.

I consider myself to be very, very lucky to live in Montana's Flathead Valley. Sure we may have low wages and forest fires but aside from some severe snow storms, our weather is not a possible natural disaster.

Unless the Hungry Horse Dam breaks. Then we will be just another lake.

Please support the American Red Cross and pray for those affected by Katrina.

The Casting Agent...

2005-08-29T08:59:00.000-06:00

Michelle Pfeiffer has teamed up with her husband David E. Kelley for a film called Chasing Montana. I've heard two different versions of the script but both are about a father/daughter team of doctors who spend time in Montana. I've been having a lot of fun picturing who would play Michelle Pfeiffer's father.

Let's just hope they actually shoot this film IN Montana and not Canada.

The Aftermath...

2005-08-27T10:50:00.000-06:00

My poor husband.

Bad enough he had to deal with me as well as the kids in the hospital for over five hours. On top of that, we had to get my presciptions filled on the way home from the hospital and the only place open was the new Walgreens - who screwed up the insurance resulting in us paying cash prices for the drugs. The next morning after the accident my hubby tried to call the dentist and cancel our kids' appointments. He explained to them that I had been in an accident and he didn't want to leave me alone. They basically told him that it would be an inconvenience to the technician who had to drive in for the appointments. So he had to make the 60 minute round trip drive while worried about me being home. When he got home, he then had to work a 10 and 12 hour shift to cover vacations for other people at his work.

So thank god my mother, my sister and her kids showed up. They took care of everything while I drifted in and out of a drug induced haze. I have big plans for them at Christmas.

Some things that are a direct result of the accident:

1. I kicked my Diet Coke addiction. Before the accident I was drinking 3-4 a day. Now I don't even crave it anymore. All I seem to want is water. I'll have one here and there for the caffeine but I don't even stock it in my refrigerator anymore.

2. I lost about 7 lbs. Which means I am now only 6 lbs heavier than I was in high school. Yes!

3. I realized that I have a bad habit of tossing my hair around when it gets in my eyes. You can't do that with a neck brace on.

4. My kids realized that I am not a machine. I can get hurt. I can get shots. I can cry like a baby. And when mom is hurt, things don't get done unless they do it themselves. It's unbelieveable how much more help I get around the house now.

Physically I am pretty much back to normal. I still have trouble sleeping and I constantly feel like my neck and upper back needs to be popped. A trip to the chiropractor can't happen for about five more weeks. I'm stiff in the mornings and sore at night. A heating pad has become my best friend. But I can turn my head now, drive and do most everything I used to. Just a little slower and a lot more carefully.

One thing I wasn't expecting was the fear of being alone. For the first week after my accident, I absolutely DID NOT want to be left alone. Fortunately that fear went away.

But now everything is back on track. The kids start school on Wedensday and I have two job interviews this week.

And the blogging will continue...

The Accident...

2005-08-23T09:19:00.000-06:00

It was two weeks ago today and it was one of those days that everyone has. The whole household seemed to be in a bad mood. I think we were all tired of soooo much summer traveling and realizing that summer was just about over. So we decided to get out of the house and go burn off some steam at the waterslide park about 30 miles from our house.

Just as soon as we got there, we realized that we had forgotten our season passes. It was somewhat of a hassle to get them to let us in without them but fortunately we had identification with us. Once inside, the "boys" took off for one slide and the "girls" took off for another.

It was in a small waterfall at the top of the pool on the first run down. I got turned around backwards and somehow flipped backwards out of the floating tube and hit my head on the bottom of the slide underwater. I knew as soon as it happened that something was wrong and I told my daughter "I'm hurt." Somehow I made it down the slide and walked over to our picnic table where I laid down on the ground and tried to work out the "kink" in my neck.

That wasn't helping so my daughter helped me to the office where I told them I hit my head, thought I pulled a muscle and asked if they had any Ben-gay or anything. All the girl could offer me was ibuprofen.

I told my daughter that I was just going to rest a bit and for her to go have fun. After about five minutes I realized that something was really wrong because my neck became very stiff and I started to have trouble breathing. I found the hubby and my exact words to him were "it's seriously f**ked up."

We loaded up the kids and drove to the Urgent care where they realized I had gone into shock. They put me in a neck brace and gave me a shot of something in the ass for pain. Then came a series of x-rays. This was interesting because I constantly thought I was going to either pass out or puke. Neither of which I prefer to do in public. I also couldn't stop shaking.

Once they looked at the x-rays, the doctor came back and said they were sending me to the hospital because they thought I had broken some of the bones in my neck and a cat scan would confirm the diagnosis.

Once we got to the hospital, it felt good to lie down for the cat scan but then I started to feel like I was going to puke again so I just wanted it over with. The cat scan showed the bones were not broken so then they decided that I needed more x-rays to check for ligament damage.

I don't remember much after that. I remember telling the hubby to take the kids home but then going into a panic and not wanting him to leave. I remember calling my mother and asking her to come help out for a few days. I remember the x-ray technician telling me that my neck was very long and lovely. I remember getting drugs. Very good drugs. And I remember waving to my neighbors trying to pretend everything was normal when I got home.

And then I made it to the couch and hardly moved for days.

Next up...the aftermath...

Back in the saddle again...

2005-08-19T09:10:00.000-06:00

for just a short post. I would like to thank everyone for their kind emails and comments. I am alive. I am (almost) well and getting back on my feet.

I will blog about the accident and the aftermath next week. I'll close by saying it's never good to have a doctor say "You're going to need a cat scan because I think you may have broken your neck."

Where's Annie?

2005-08-14T13:16:00.000-06:00

Annie is suffering from acute cervical sprain as the result of a waterslide accident that occured last week. Although she would like to return to blogging, the fact that she is on narcotics and muscle relaxing medications prohibits her from doing so.

This is a painful but short term injury and she hopes to resume blogging again sometime soon.

HATCH Audiovisual Arts Festival

2005-08-09T08:33:00.000-06:00

From the lovely Angela Kelly...

UNIQUE YEAR ROUND MENTORSHIP FESTIVAL EMBRACES GROWTH,
Respected Industry Leaders Come Aboard

BOZEMAN, MT - August 3, 2005 / HATCH Audiovisual Arts Festival , a unique year round non-profit organization focusing on mentorship of the visual arts, welcomes new talent to its executive management team as buzz about the spirit of Montanan’s spreads globally, resulting in implosive growth.

Jim Brubaker, President of Physical Production at Universal Studios, accepted a position to HATCH’s International Board of Advisors on June 27th at a benefit hosted by the Border Gill in Santa Monica.

One of the motion picture industry’s most respected producers, Mr. Brubaker has worked on more than 50 films and countless television programs, including Bruce Almighty, Liar Liar, Dragonfly, A Walk in the Clouds and Nutty Professor. Mr. Brubaker was first introduced to the concept of HATCH prior to the 2004 inaugural festival, which he participated in as a featured panel member. This evolution into advisory board member reiterates his long-standing advocacy and mentorship of young filmmakers.

Barb Bowers, who comes from an extensive arts development and management background, joined HATCH’s internal executive team August 1st as co-Executive Director. Ms. Bowers dedication to promoting the arts encompasses working with non-profit art, film and theatre organizations from Maine to Montana, contributing rapid growth to community and youth outreach venues. Most recently, Ms. Bowers served as Development Director for the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, southwest Montana's focal point for artistic and cultural activities.

Ms. Bowers is welcomed on board to share, support and help steer the ship alongside pioneering Executive Director Brian Skuletich, due to the immense growth and infinite potential of HATCH as it contributes to the economy of the creative arts not only in Bozeman, Montana, but everywhere that this spirit touches.

About the HATCH Audiovisual Arts Festival:

HATCH is a non-profit organization dedicated to mentorship of the arts through year round creative workshops and hosts the HATCH Audiovisual Arts Festival. The 2nd annual festival is taking place October 4 – 9, in Bozeman, MT. 10 groundbreaking student films from across the globe will be screened, along with 10 feature films, 10 panels, 20 musical acts, numerous workshops, a Native American Showcase and a star-studded award ceremony honoring student and independent filmmakers and musicians.

Additional information about HATCH’s mission is available at Hatchfest.com. A full schedule of this year’s festival, guests, jury, and volunteering opportunities will be available by September 1st. For questions regarding the festival, email http://us.f535.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=info@hatchfest.com or call 406.586.2635.

Media contact: Heather McGuire of BWR Public Relations at 310.550.7776 or http://us.f535.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=pressrelations@hatchfest.com

Home Smoke Home...

2005-08-08T09:08:00.000-06:00

Well just as I predicted, we came home to smoke in the valley.

It started on Thursday when the park ranger came to camp and asked if any of us were from Alberton. The I-90 fires were threatening the town and forcing evacuations. By the time we got home this weekend, there were fires all around the valley and the smoke continues to billow in. One things is for sure, it makes for some intense sunsets.

The vacation was great. Lots of food, frolick and fun. I got lost in a book that I highly recommend to those who love the "behind the scenes" aspect of Hollywood. It's called Twins of Tribeca and it was written by Rachel Pine, a former publicist with Miramax. It was a real treat to live vicariously thru her words for a week. It even made me glad that I made the decision to go back to work.

Yes, you read that correctly, I am going back to work. I don't know for sure what I am going to be doing. I have a few irons in the fire that need to be sorted out and then a decision has to be made.

What will happen with the blog remains to be seen.

Only in Montana...

2005-08-01T09:02:00.000-06:00

do we drive 30 minutes for vacation.

Actually, I am one of the fortunate ones as I live only five minutes away from Flathead Lake, the place where my entire family camps for a week every summer. The campsite is a 30 minute drive from my house.

This year there will be 16 people, six dogs and five tents. People are coming from as far away as Seattle. It's always a great time and very relaxing.

In the back of my mind though, is the fire danger. It's very dry up here and there are already a few small forest fires burning. With thunderstorms in the forecast, things could get worse very quickly.

I've already had "the talk" with the neighbors and it is with reciprocity that if one or the other is gone, the others will do things like turn on sprinklers and get vehicles out of the garage before they are evacuated.

So even though I am away, my thoughts are with those who are fighting the great fight. The smokejumpers, hot shot crews, slurry bomber pilots and firefighters.

Let's hope they don't have to work too hard these next two months.

Have a good one and I'll see you next week.

Ladies..help me out here...(Updated)

2005-07-30T10:19:00.000-06:00

and settle this debate.

Is it BUNco or BONco?

(Otherwise known as a dice rolling game played by suburban women. Africanuck if you were in my neighborhood, you would definately be a player!)

Life in Montana...

2005-07-29T08:58:00.000-06:00

So I'm standing in line at the gas station yesterday and started chatting up with the woman behind me. She was from out of town (New York) and had been spending the week at a friend's house on Flathead Lake. I love a New Yorker's accent so I engaged her in some conversation.

Her and her husband are thinking about moving here permanently and she had one thing on her mind - do Montanan's treat NY transplants the same way they do to Californian's?

I laughed and told her that I didn't realize that the anti-California sentiment was so high here but last I heard it was a free country.

There are lots of rumors and stories about Californians who moved to Montana and then hastily retreated back. But they are just rumors right? ;)

Situation comedy...

2005-07-28T09:05:00.000-06:00

My dear blogmate Chinquapin wanted to know what I thought of Situation Comedy, the Project-Greenlightish show on Bravo to which we both submitted scripts some time ago.

Well first let me once again thank the inventor of Tivo and the DVR for making my life a little easier. (I was unable to watch the premiere when it aired.)

For some reason I was very nervous to watch this show. I was completely afraid that the finalist's ideas would be absolutely brilliant and make me feel like a complete failure as a screenwriter.

Instead, just like Project Greenlight, I got riled up watching the show. Envious that I could have been there along with the other finalists pitching my pilot. (The way they sprung the surprise pitch session on the writers was great. I would have seized that bull by the horns!) Flabbergasted at the ungrateful ones. And kicking myself for not having a writing "partner" like the two finalists did.

I was very curious to see how my screenplay compared to the ideas of the finalists. Now, I can see why my script was not selected. It was a little too cable for NBC. And that's fine. At least it wasn't a script about a lasagne that comes to life or a lamp that becomes a butler. Those scripts HAD to be sent in as a joke.

Did I agree with NBC's decision for the top two? No way. My choices would have been Baked Alaska and On Your Mark. I don't think NBC is going to get anywhere with a show about a kid who runs his life like he's an executive (joke will get old fast) or a show about a sperm donor (these guys lost me). But then again, unlike Project Greenlight, the contestants did not get to read each other's scripts. And these may, in fact be, brilliant.

So, I will watch this season, punch up my script and resubmit it next time.

Then you all can say you knew me when...

Those annonymous yet famous celebrity bloggers...

2005-07-27T13:05:00.000-06:00

Recently a celebrity "pal" of mine had a small "blog run". She's expecting and thought it would be fun to blog about how Hollywood and pregnancy don't mix. While I was thrilled at the thought of such a blog existing, I warned her that there would be many who would try to "out" her. She assured me that she was aware of that and had taken all the steps to remain annonymous.

However, that fear of her being exposed was shared by daddy-to-be and after some discussion, the blog ended. Which is really too bad. You would think that the internet would be the one place celebrities could "go" and not be famous.

But then again, blogging is becoming a publicists' dream. Got a movie to promote? Hire someone to "ghostwrite" a blog for you. (Yes my services are available. :)) Want a cheap way to get your client some publicity? Have them start an online journal.

Unfortunately, fans always want more. Slebs get tired of blogging on a daily basis and so their entries seem to fade.

Their surreal life gets in the way.

Earthquake!!!

2005-07-25T22:29:00.000-06:00

I was sitting on the bed, talking on my cell phone to my sister in Seattle. About 10:10 pm, I felt the bed move as if my dog was trying to get out from underneath it. I looked and my dog was right next to me on the bed.

Then I noticed my bedroom door start to sway. I said to my sister, "You might think I'm nuts but I believe we are having an earthquake up here."

Apparently it was a 5.6!

Can anyone from the south explain this?

2005-07-25T08:45:00.000-06:00

Arkansas is Kansas without the AR.

Arkansas is pronounced "Ark - can - saw."

Then why isn't Kansas pronounced "Kan-saw"?

Shake your tailfeather...

2005-07-24T20:58:00.000-06:00

Rebecca Farm Ducks
Originally uploaded by montannie.

This picture looks fake but I assure you it is not. I saw this with my own eyes. The ducks are original chainsaw carvings.

Photo courtesy of The Daily Inter Lake.

We interrupt this blog...

2005-07-22T11:11:00.000-06:00

to say that our thoughts are with the great Gonzaga basketball player Ronny Turiaf, who was recently drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. The hubby and I got a call last night with the news that a routine physical showed Ronny has an enlarged heart and will need to undergo open heart surgery which could possibly end his professional basketball career before it even started.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2113689&CMP=OTC-DT9705204233

Horsin' Around...

2005-07-21T10:53:00.000-06:00

No more blogging till Monday for me.

http://www.rebeccafarm.org/overview.html

Some like it hot...

2005-07-20T13:20:00.000-06:00

but not those of us who live in the forest.

Dear Smokey the Bear:

Come out, come out, wherever you are.

Tell those assholes to stop throwing lit cigarettes out their car.

Yours truly,

Planna Tree

Your Vacation Planner

2005-07-18T08:21:00.000-06:00

Many people have emailed me and asked for suggestions of things to do in Glacier. Since we recently had a weeklong visitor who wanted to "see it all", I thought I would share the itinerary of the past week with you.

Day One: A day on Flathead lake of boating and fun.

Day Two: Glacier National Park. We took Going to the Sun road to the summit and hit a few easy trails on the way back down. The evening was spent taking in a double feature at the Columbia Falls Drive-In.

Day Three: A trip around Flathead lake to Missoula for a day of shopping and a trip to the Carousel. On the way we stopped at the Mission Mountain Winery (west shore), the Mission in St. Ignatius and waved to the Buffalo on the National Bison Range. On the way home, we stopped in Bigfork (east shore) for a quick bite and to see the shops.

Day Four: A morning hike to Lone Pine State Park which is a lookout point for the whole valley (beware of Mountain Lions) followed by an afternoon at the Woodland Waterpark in Kalispell.

Day Five: A gondola ride to the top of Big Mountain, followed by an afternoon at the Big Sky Waterslide park in Columbia Falls.

Day Six: A visit to the Bear Country Gallery followed by a tour of the Conrad Mansion.

Of course there are many, many more things to do. Horseback riding, white water rafting, etc., but you do what you can in regard to the weather and the cash flow! :)

I think I may have found my calling...

2005-07-15T17:18:00.000-06:00

Someone said to me the other day that I should seriously consider becoming a voice-over artist.

It's an intriguing idea and interesting timing. I've been asked to do a radio interview next week for a local non-profit organization.

If anyone knows anything about voice-over talent and can give me some advice, please leave a comment or email me.

Oh Happy Day...

2005-07-14T09:08:00.000-06:00

Jeremy Piven has been nominated for an Emmy for his role as Ari in Entourage.

Other people I was glad to see nominated:

Hugh Laurie, Sandra Oh, Debra Winger, Zach Braff, Hank Azaria, Mariska Hargitay.

People I thought would get nominated but didn't:

Charlie Sheen and Eva Longoria.

It will be a good show this year!

Breaking News...

2005-07-13T11:00:00.000-06:00

Pearl Jam will be in concert in Missoula on August 29th.

Thank you Jeff!!

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2005/07/13/breaker/doc42d53d32c0411027996647.txt

I love my farmer tan...

2005-07-13T09:29:00.000-06:00

I am usually so pale that I can give both Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger-Chesney a run for their money. When I was younger, people called me Snow White. In high school, kids would ask me to put something other than mayonaise on my legs.

For the most part, being fair skinned has been a good thing and I've tried really hard to protect it. Sunglasses, sunscreen, baseball hats. (Naomi Watts says Nicole Kidman won't cross a street without a hat on!)

Being pale has it's benefits. I don't have a lot of wrinkles and I look a lot younger than most women my age.

But I have to admit, a little color makes me seem skinnier and dare I say to all you sun-worshipers out there - healthier!

Things kids say...

2005-07-12T09:18:00.000-06:00

"Can I have two dollars for the confession stand?"

"My dad says he'd rather ride in a dirty Chevy than a clean Ford. "

"That man just burped his butt and IT WAS LOUD."

"France! I didn't know they had license plates in France!"

"This car is too hot. I'm hungry for some air."

And on a side note, since it's always nice to get free stuff, a special thanks to this famous blogger for my recent mailbox surprise.

Welcome to Walmart...

2005-07-11T16:04:00.000-06:00

Everyone I know bitches and bitches about Walmart but still ends up shopping there. They hate the parking, the fact that it's a big box store and that it's usually full of people.

But everyone still shops there.

I try to limit my visits to "Wally World" when I am kidless. But if I do have to take the kids, it's really not so bad. Want to know why? My kids think Walmart doesn't have toys.

How did I manage that? By never taking them to the toy section. That's the secret. The first time you ever go into a store, you find out where the toy section is and avoid it at all costs. I told this to another mom and she said she's done the same at Target. Her kids think the only toy store in town is at Shopko (which only has two aisles of toys).

Speaking of moms and Walmart - did you know that on more than one occasion, I have had a mom tell me that they "hang out" at this store? Since it's open 24 hours, it's the only place they can go "wander" once the kids and husband are in bed. Silly me - I thought people only did that at Christmas!

Mish mash...

2005-07-09T15:47:00.000-06:00

I'm a speed reader. Always have been. I thought that would make me a perfect candidate for a script reader position but alas, no one wanted to ship scripts up to me in Montana. I'm hoping someday that will change.

Here's the difference between men and women. The hubby had a celeb encounter this week. When he told me about it, our conversation ended something like this:

She said "What was he wearing."
He said "I don't know."
She said "You spent a 1/2 hour with this man and can't remember what he was wearing?"
He said "No but he had a sweet car."

Peace out!

Here, there, everywhere...

2005-07-05T12:56:00.000-06:00

My 4th of July weekend was everything I could hope for. Food. Fun with family and friends. Food. Boating and riding wave runners on Flathead Lake. Food. Plenty of fireworks. And did I mention food?

I'm still in the midst of having lots of company and doing all sorts of touristy things. But I wanted to take a minute and mention two quotes I heard over the weekend.

"A mother is only as happy as her saddest child."

"Regret is the past ruining your present."

Definately food for thought.

And I am also dying to find time to read a new book called "The Big Show" by Steve Pond. It's filled with all sorts of stories from backstage at the Academy Awards. Delicous dish for someone like me who loves to be behind the scenes.

We stand united but not in pose...

2005-07-01T08:59:00.000-06:00

Recently I attended a function in which the national anthem was played. As I was singing with my hand over my heart, I looked around and noticed all the various ways in which people stood during the anthem.

Most men took their hats off.

Most kids had their hands over their hearts. Even toddlers.

Many women have what I call the "cheerleader" pose. Right hand over heart, left hand in a fist tucked behind the back.

And I was surprised to see how many people have the "athlete sway". The rocking back and forth while alternating heel lifts.

Bottom line - it doesn't matter how you do it - as long as you do.

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Serve it up...

2005-06-30T09:12:00.000-06:00

Ok I will admit it. I have a crush on someone.

He's tall. He's young. He's handsome.

And he's going to win Wimbeldon this year.

His name is Andy Roddick.

We're being invaded...

2005-06-29T15:07:00.000-06:00

so send me your Citronella.

The large amount of rain we have received this year is great for preventing forest fires but it has produced the biggest and largest quantity of mosquitos I have ever seen. Living just off of the Flathead River isn't making it any easier.

Every morning we have a mosquito bite count. So far I am the winner. There must be something very appealing to mosquitos about fair skinned women. My legs now look like I have the chicken pox. We've done everything we can. We keep the windows and doors to the house closed at all times. The kids put on bug spray every morning and we have dabbed the bites with calamine lotion and anti-itch gel. Long sleeves and pants seem to help as well but who wants to wear those in the summer!

I've purchased citronella candles, citronella plants and tiki torches. Smoke screens seem to help so we have set various non-smelling smoke bombs that we light about five minutes before we want to sit outside in the evenings.

I'm willing to place a bet that the first case of West Nile virus this year is going to be in either Flathead or Lake county.

The Uniform...

2005-06-28T09:41:00.000-06:00

I read somewhere that everyone has a uniform. A uniform in the sense that a certain set of clothes are worn often. Hillary Clinton has the black pantsuits. Steven Tyler has his leather pants. Michael Jackson has his psuedo military style.

My uniform this summer would have to be a pair of denim shorts, a black tank top and a white Nike baseball hat.

What's yours?

Got a match?

2005-06-27T09:08:00.000-06:00

So it's the week before the 4th of July and since we are a holiday-happy household, we are putting up our 4th of July decorations today.

Yes, I said 4th of July decorations. It's nothing much - a flag, some bunting on the front porch and a moving screen on the garage door that shows a waving flag.

Tomorrow the hunt is on for fireworks. When you live close to an Indian reservation, you can get really good ones. When the sheriff lives in your subdivision, you can't use them. So every year we look for "kid-friendly" fireworks. Black snakes, sparklers, noise poppers, etc. Last year we had one that shot out parachute guys - pretty cool.

There are many firework celebrations around the valley this time of year. Watching fireworks over the lake is always fun. There are also some "slebs" in the valley that put on their own spectacular fireworks displays.

The best fireworks show I ever saw was in Columbus, Montana. It was a few years ago and it was put on by a private party. He no longer does it so I'm glad we got to take in at least one show.

I love the 4th of July. The parades, the bbq's, the patriotism. It seems like summer has finally arrived.

Road Rage Inducers...

2005-06-26T09:53:00.000-06:00

One of my biggest pet peeves is bad drivers. I don't mean drivers who just aren't paying attention, I mean the ones that don't give a shit:

The ones who want to change lanes and don't check their blind spot.
The ones who don't care (or know) how to handle a 4-way stop.
The ones who speed in school zones.
The ones who drag race in a subdivision.
The ones who don't signal.
The ones who throw lit cigarettes out their windows.
The ones who let small children ride in the open bed of trucks on a highway.
The ones who don't put small children in car seats.
The ones who ride motorcyles and don't wear helmets.
The ones who hit you and don't have insurance.
The ones who tailgate you and swerve back and forth as if they are only trying to make a point.
The ones who ride motorcycles and don't wear helmets.

I know it is probably worse in other places...

So where are you from?

2005-06-23T09:07:00.000-06:00

We met our new neighbors last night. It started with the usual chit chat about how long we've lived in the neighborhood, what we do for a living, how much we like it here, etc. And then they asked us where we were from.

For my husband, that answer is easy. He was born and raised in one Montana town. He left for college and post graduate school but most of his friends are guys he used to play with in grade school.

I, on the other hand, have lived most of my life in Montana but I went to nine schools in twelve years. I don't really have a "hometown" so my answer is usually that I was born in Billings but have lived all over the state. Most of my friends are people I've worked with.

My handy dandy site meter tells me where my "blog tourists" are from. Yesterday it was New York, Cali, Canada, Louisiana, Texas, Utah, Florida, Alabama, Boston, Conneticut, Chicago, England, Paris, Egypt and of course - Montana.

And this makes me wonder about where people are born and how they get where they are now. So for the next few days, leave a comment (annonymous is fine) with the name of two cities. Where you were born and where you are now. Could be some interesting journeys here...

I'll go first. Billings, Montana to the Flathead Valley, Montana.

Good friends...

2005-06-22T09:42:00.000-06:00

My second oldest friend (and by that I mean longest friendship) is in town and spending a few days with me this week. We met about 12 years ago when we were both working for the same company. She left to do her work in the medical field but by a strange coincidence, our husbands followed the same career path and we ended up as neighbors. Then we moved, then they moved, then we both moved to the same city, then they moved, then we moved.

Now we are both stay at home moms of three and looking forward to sitting out in the sun today drinking Diet Cokes while we watch all the kids run thru the sprinkler.

Jennifer who?

2005-06-21T13:23:00.000-06:00

Took in the flick Mr. and Mrs. Smith over the weekend and I have to say that going into it, I was prepared not to like Brad and Angelina together. But by the end of the movie, I was saying "Jennifer who?"

Great flick. Catch it if you can.

Rerun week - That couldn't have been me...

2005-06-17T09:15:00.000-06:00

Less than three months until the season opener and I'm already excited to see the Griz in action. While I'm afraid that this coming season won't be as exciting as last season (the last three games are all away games - no home crowd momentum building into the playoffs) it's still fun to be a football fan. This entry originally posted December 12th of last year.

That couldn't have been me at the Griz game on Saturday:

waving to the camera on ESPN2.

standing in my seat screaming for 4 1/2 hours (a great stress reliever).

telling the opposing team's cheerleaders to get out of our end zone.

hiding in the bathroom stall pouring Malibu rum into my Diet Coke.

yelling obscenities to the opposing team's players that were taunting the crowd.

giving No. 2 on the opposing team the finger.

high fiving and hugging several people I didn't know.

jumping over the guardrail onto the field when the Griz won.

holding the broken goal post for just a moment.

No way...couldn't have been...

Rerun week - Can I have your autograph and do you have a pen?

2005-06-16T11:01:00.000-06:00

This entry originally posted August 4th of last year.

This actually happened to me once. I was walking with a sports celebrity (Mr. Football) and a man came up to us and asked Mr. Football that question. I was taken aback but Mr. Football told me that happens all the time.

I got to thinking about that today and I think I have a solution for the often asked autograph question. Celebrities should carry a set of business cards around that say "I had a personal encounter with Tom Hanks"; "I shared a laugh with Jim Carrey"; "I did Ben Affleck" (just kidding Ben). The celebrities could have their autograph printed on the other side and then it would take them about a second to simply pass out the card and be on their way.

I think all autographs are is a vindication to the fan that they have proof of contact with a famous person. I personally have never asked anyone famous for their autograph. I never would. I think it is rude and a waste of their time. If I encounter someone, I simply smile and say hello or if we meet I simply shake their hand and say "it's very nice to meet you".

Some celebrities like it. They like the connection with their fans and they like the attention. Who am I to judge? To each his own but maybe I should market that business card idea...:)

Rerun week - Hollywood calls!

2005-06-15T09:00:00.000-06:00

Even though nothing ever came of this, it was still a great moment for me. This entry originally posted July 14, 2004.

I almost peed my pants! After an afternoon of swimming with the kids at the city pool and slip sliding with the neighbors, I checked my cell phone about 5:15pm and saw that I had a voice mail. So I'm standing on the front porch, in my swimsuit and this is what I hear:

"This is the Assisant to Mr. Partner at A Top Agency. We would like to send you something in regard to your script idea. Could you please call me back at 555-555-5555."

At first there was shock. What the f**k? Then I listened to the message again. Is this for real? Then I listened to it AGAIN, this time writing down the names and phone number. Running to the computer, I searched Mr. Partner's name, the agency and the phone number. Yep, they were all legit.

Then the excitement sets in. Holy shit! Someone is really taking me seriously. Not only do they actually LIKE an idea of mine, they actually CALLED me personally. Then the adrenaline hits. What do I do? Call back right away and look anxious? Play it cool and wait an hour? Or what if I wait and don't catch them? What if I do catch them and sound like an idiot?

So I write down on my notepad - PLAY IT COOL, CALM AND COLLECTED. I wait a half hour to calm my nerves, beg my husband to settle the kids and then go into the bathroom (the only place where there is no noise) and call them back in my best "work voice".

(The "work voice" is a phrase that my daughter came up with whenever she heard me on the phone with a client. My family and friends think it's an alter ego thing. It's sort of a sultry Kathleen Turnerish voice that I'm sure would land me all sorts of voice over work if I knew how to pursue it.)

Expecting to get a voice mail, I write down the message I want to leave. Instead, I get Mr. Assistant, live in and person. Shocked again (does Hollywood really answer calls?) I say "This is Ms. Writer calling" and he says "yes, can you hold please". As if I am going to say "No - too busy here in the bathroom!". I say "sure". Then there is about 30 seconds of me wondering if "sure" sounded too casual. Should I have said "yes" instead? Then the other 30 seconds is me wondering who is on the other line with Mr. Assistant. Is it Steven? Tom? The other Tom? Brad? Quentin?

Then Mr. Assistant comes back on the line and tells me how much THEY liked my idea and thought it would make a really FUNNY film. A smile creeps over my face and I feel the arms of Hollywood lifting me up until the word HOWEVER creeps into the conversation.

HOWEVER, since they can't acquire unsolicited material, they are going to send me a letter in the mail to which I may then respond and submit my script thru my agent or producer. HUNH?

Mr. Assistant says "Do you understand?" To which I reply "Of course" without trying to sound like Shrek talking to Donkey. He asks for my address - which is ironic because it is on the same letter as my phone number - and then says he will get it out right away.

It's a Catch 22. So they won't look at my material until I have an agent but I don't have an agent because no one has looked at my material. Until now.

I consider myself to be one of the lucky few. This is a day I will cherish forever. I think of how many people submit queries and never hear anything back and realize that I got a call from the assitant to a PARTNER at a TOP agency on only the second query I EVER sent.

It's just a little step but for one of the "little people", it's like a ride on the escalator when everyone else is taking the stairs.

And so now..as I wait for "the letter', the search is on for an agent.

Blog rerun week - Women who "dip"

2005-06-14T09:02:00.000-06:00

Reruns part one: According to my site meter, for some reason the phrase "lesbians who dip" brings a lot of "tourists" to my blog and this entry in particular which originally posted in August of last year.

I'm not talking about lesbians, sandwiches or swimming naked. I'm talking smokeless chewing tobacco. The stuff you see in the mouths of cowboys and major league baseball players.

In high school it was pretty common to see guys with a "wad" on the side of their mouth, a broken-in circle on the butt of their Levi's, walking around with a pop can that you KNOW didn't have anything other than brown spit in it. I knew girl who told her boyfriend she wouldn't kiss him with a mouth like that so he took it out, kissed her and then put it back in. In English class you could always open up a dictionary and find dry old tobacco in it from someone who came to class with something other than his tongue between his teeth and lips.

I even remember as a kid being able to buy beef jerkey cans that came with "snuff" in it. You could put a big ole wad of jerkey in your mouth, a can in your back pocket and look "cool".

But yes, women do it too. A friend of mine was soooo proud of herself for quitting while she was pregnant. She went back on after she was done nursing. And her husband lets her get away with it because yes, he "chews" as well. She's not homely either - she's gorgeous. (She also just spent $700 to have her teeth whitened.) And she's not the only woman I've ever known to indulge in that sort of addiction.

Instead of the gum, there should be some sort of nicotine "chew" that comes in a can. Someone once told me that the "thwump thwump" motion of packing the can before you take a dip is just as addicting as the tobacco itself.

Rerun week...

2005-06-13T13:04:00.000-06:00

I'm out with an injury that while it doesn't keep me from being able to type, it makes going up the stairs to the computer very difficult.

So the rest of this week will be things I have blogged about in the past. Enjoy!

Graduation...

2005-06-10T07:44:00.000-06:00

It started like this:

24 months ago we were told our son had severe mental and physical developmental problems.
20 months ago he was placed in a special education preschool program.
18 months ago we were told he had a rare neurological disease.
17 months ago we were told that they were wrong and he had Autism.
14 months ago we were told that he had the developmental age of a 2 year old.
12 months ago we were told that he would have to repeat the special education program.
9 months ago he started a therapeutic horseback program.
6 months ago he no longer needed physical and occupational therapy.
5 months ago we were told he did not have Autism.
4 months ago he was able to transfer into a mainstream kindergarten classroom (as a tryout).
2 months ago he was going to have to repeat kindergarten next year.
1 month ago he was able to cut back on his horseback therapy sessions.

Last week he met the woman who will be his first grade teacher next year.

My son is a graduate in more ways than one...

The Old Stomping Grounds...

2005-06-09T07:47:00.000-06:00

Farm photo
Originally uploaded by montannie.

The subdivision in which I live just so happens to sit on farmland once owned and homesteaded by my great-grandfather. We were not aware of this at the time we purchased the home. We knew we were close to the property but didn't realize we were "buying back" a part of it.

The subdivision is now being expanded and construction is very close to the old farmhouse, barns and bunkhouse. I don't know what is going to happen to the buildings so I spent one morning last weekend taking photos of everything I could. I figure it is a way to preserve some of the past.

This is my favorite photo. I'm framing it and giving it to my dad (who used to spend many days on the farm) for Father's Day.

Celebrity houseguest...

2005-06-08T08:40:00.000-06:00

When I was a kid, my dad's friend would visit and tell us his name was Evil Knievel. Of course we never believed him...

Now the opposite is happening at our house. We have a guest staying with us who happens to look just like this guy and even has the same name as this guy but he's not this guy.

But do our kids believe that he is NOT this guy? Of course not.

So I told him to give it up and have a little fun with it. What's the harm in putting on a yellow shirt, signing some autographs, taking a few pictures and waving to the neighborhood kids?

Now if I can just convince him to come up with an Austrailian accent...

Without Piven there is no Entourage...

2005-06-07T15:00:00.000-06:00

If you have HBO, don't miss this show. The best thing about it is Jeremy Piven in his role as Ari, the Hollywood agent. He's so crass, so lyrical and you just know he is ad libbing the best parts!

I'm hoping for a Cusack cameo this season...

Summer Reading...

2005-06-06T09:00:00.000-06:00

Every summer I try to pick an author that I've never read before and read as many of their books as I can. I always have a backup in case I don't enjoy the author. This summer I won't need a backup. I'm going to be reading books by Karen Kingsbury.

I'm sure the local library said "WTF!" this morning when they saw that I put a hold on eight of her books. But she is a true find and I'm very excited to start my first book.

If you have read her and have any suggestions - please comment!

Moose watch...

2005-06-03T14:14:00.000-06:00

It's been raining here for days and it doesn't appear that it will stop for at least a few more. Not that I am complaining, we need desperately need the moisture.

There is also a moose on the loose in our neighborhood. We haven't seen him yet but he has been spotted three times in the last two days. The police report says the game warden is tracking him but as of now he is not bothering anyone so they are leaving him alone. My dogs must have a sixth sense about it though because they don't want to go outside. Not that I blame them, I've seen a moose in the wild before and they can definately be intimidating.

And speaking of a sixth sense, I just finished Crossing Over by the psychic medium John Edward. I have seen his show on tv before and find him fascinating. I don't know if I would ever attend one of his seminars though - it might freak me out.

So between the rain and the moose, we will be spending a lot of time indoors this weekend.

From Egypt to Montana via the web...

2005-06-02T09:10:00.000-06:00

Movie meme passed on to me from my good friend Africanuck:

Total number of films I own: 150+ in DVD's and probably about 75 in VHS.

The last film I bought: Right before our road trip (which was 11 1/2 hours from the coast to our house) I stopped at the local pawn shop and bought the kids 10 VHS movies for $15. I can't remember them all but I know the list included Independance Day, Snow Day, Spacecamp, the Flintstones, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Muppets in Space.

Five favorite films:

1. Bull Durham. I've been both a baseball fan and player my whole life and this film came out when I was a statistician for the boys baseball team in high school. I loved the characters of Annie and Crash but my favorite scene is when the baseball players are on the mound during the game and they are talking about everything BUT the baseball game.

2. The Man From Snowy River. Saw this when I was eleven and it has had a huge impact on my life. The soundtrack has been in my car ever since I could drive and I even named my daughter after the song that plays during the breaking of the colt scene. If there is such a thing as a "comfort movie" then this is it for me.

3. The Big Chill. Growing up I could never understand how hard it was for these people to stay friends after college. Now I know why. (Trivia note - This is another Kevin Costner movie. He played the dead friend Alex.)

4. American Pie. My hubby and I share the same sense of humor. This film is a perfect example of that sort of insanity.

5. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn's last movie together. The tears in her eyes towards the end are real. He died 17 days after filming was finished.

Honorable mention: On Golden Pond, Murphy's Romance, Baby Boom, Coal Miner's Daughter, The Majestic, Top Gun, Chicago, 61*, Love Actually, Dogma, Steel Magnolias, Good Will Hunting, Cold Mountain, A River Runs Through It, Goodfellas.

First person to comment has to keep this meme going!

They blog no more...

2005-06-01T13:20:00.000-06:00

Where oh where have my favorite bloggers gone? I was sad to see Craig's "closed up shop" sign today. He is just another of a handfull of bloggers that have gone with their lives.

I miss Rance and his wild A-list Hollywood rants.

I miss Sir Rancelot's chatter about his famous neighbors.

I miss the stylishness and advice of Tall Poppy Diaries.

I miss KJ's bluntness at For F**k's Sake.

I worry about the blonde at Beach House Rules.

And I miss Tad's inside scoop on the daily life of a Hollywood screenwriter.

But I will leave their links on this site in the hopes that one day they find they have too much free time on their hands and return to blogging. If only for an entry or two...

Similarities...

2005-05-31T16:14:00.000-06:00

I didn't get a chance to take in the sneak preview of "Cinderella Man" over the weekend but I can't help but wonder what Ron Howard's fascination with boxing is.

When he filmed Far and Away (most of which was shot in Montana), Tom Cruises's character played a boxer. I have a hunch that this film is going to do much better.

Speaking of Far and Away, here is a bit of trivia for you. The original title of the film was "An Irish Story". How do I know this? Because I have an original film canister that was given to me before the movie came out.

You know it's summer when...

2005-05-27T09:02:00.000-06:00

the drive-in is open.

Yep folks, one great thing about where we live is the fact that we can still take in a double feature at the drive-in outside of Columbia Falls for $10 a carload.

I loved the drive-in as a kid. We would put on our pajamas, grab a pillow and blanket and a fill paper grocery sack full of popcorn before loading into the car. If the weather was good, we could sit on top of the car or in lawn chairs. In Billings there was a huge section of land that had several screens going at once. If you were bored with one movie, you could look out your window at another. Of course that land is all developed now. I think there is even a Krispy Kremes where one of the screens used to stand. (Billings bloggers please add your two cents here.)

The first movie I ever saw at the drive-in was Grease. And if there was ever a movie made for the drive-in experience, it was Grease. In high school, the drive-in was just a place to park your cars while you hung out with everyone for awhile.

And now it is a family affair. Last year we took our kids to their first drive-in movie. They had a blast! They didn't believe us when we told them they could wear pajamas to the movies. They were amazed that the sound came thru the radio. And they loved the fact that we could put down all the seats in the back of the SUV and "camp out" while taking in films like Spiderman 2 and Shrek 2.

Drive-ins are becoming extinct. I don't know how much longer this one will be around either. But for now, we're glad it's here.

This probably happens in LA all the time...

2005-05-26T08:23:00.000-06:00

but in Montana it is a bit surreal to go from watching an actress on a video one day to sitting beside her in a hair salon the next.

And yes, once again, celebrities look much shorter in real life.

Paging Bonnie Hunt...

2005-05-24T09:27:00.000-06:00

For the person who keeps coming to this blog looking for "former nurse who made it in Hollywood", I believe you are looking for Bonnie Hunt.

And for the record, I heart Bonnie Hunt. Not only is she a gifted actress and hilarious person, she is also a great writer, producer and director. I'm thrilled to see that she is working on the screenplay for the sequel to Mrs. Doubtfire.

Bonnie Hunt and Robin Williams...sounds like a good collaboration to me!

The grass isn't always greener...

2005-05-23T10:12:00.000-06:00

A friend of my recently put astroturf in their yard instead of grass. This is somewhat unusual for Montana.

Bu they are totally psyched about it because you never have to water, mow or worry about weeds. It can take the snow and heat.

But when I asked her about dog poop she said "Hmmm...I never thought about that."

A first class ticket to Montana is a waste of good money...

2005-05-20T22:02:00.000-06:00

(Title quote from The Horse Whisperer - directed by Robert Redford and filmed in Montana.)

When I heard about this contest from one of my favorite bloggers, I couldn't help but wonder if the three questions would be:

1. Are you blonde?
2. Would you consider any and all plastic surgery suggestions?
3. Are you a size zero or less?

Because my answers would be:

1. No thank you - brunettes are sexier.
2. Laser eye surgery - yes. But I don't need nor desire implants.
3. Sorry - 8 is my number and has been since I reached my full height of 5'8.

So I was pleased to see that the questions are actually industry oriented.

Wish me luck!

Bigfoot in the backyard?

2005-05-19T18:50:00.000-06:00

Judging by this site, I assume it's safe to say that Bigfoot will not be paying us a visit this year.

Can't say the same for other Montana counties though. ;)

Think you have a great idea for a movie?

2005-05-18T14:21:00.000-06:00

Think again.

Every time I come up with a pitch for a flick, the possibility of it showing up on this site fills me with dread.

I've been a fan of Query Letters I Love since the initial entry. Some of the ideas are so outrageous that you can see why they call it "La La Land."

They will never show up on the big screen as they are destined for the computer screen only.

The Rascal Fair...

2005-05-17T11:00:00.000-06:00

According to Dictionary.com, when used an adjective, the definition of "rascal" means:

Made up of, belonging to, or relating to the common people: “Nor shall the Rascal Rabble here have Peace” (John Dryden).

I think there could be no truer definition of the Montana spirit. We are a population made up of, belonging to or relating to the common people. And that, to me, is why blogging has become so popular. The collective "common folk" have created an outlet for unique voices, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whenever YOU feel like (or have time for) reading.

So without further adieu, I am pleased to present you with this week's version of the Montana Rascal Fair:

1. Rascal Fairin' It Up Hardstyle with a shocking and strangely alluring entry from The Chad.

2. Signifigant Importance and Awareness about Fibromyalgia is brought to us by Watermark.

3. Gone but not forgotten are the Belmont Gardens from Gates of the Mountains.

4. And last but definately not least, my apologies to Sarpy Sam for originally forgetting to include MCDONALD'S VERSUS SUBMARINES.

Editor's note - Audience participation was low this week. Where have all the Montana bloggers gone? There is discussion to change the Rascal Fair to a monthly event. Input anyone?