September 20, 2009
Lovingly, Georgia
So much to do.
So much to paint.
You know sometimes when I get an idea for a picture,
I think,
"Oh, how ordinary. Why should I paint some old rock, some old hill, or flower that I can barely see anymore? Why not go for a walk instead?"
But then I realize,
that to someone else,
it may not seem ordinary at all.
So I do it.
As best I can.
-- Georgia O'Keeffe
Lovingly, Georgia
Posted by bonnie at 6:43 PM | Comments (0)
July 31, 2009
Hilarious
So, I haven't blogged in forever, but I decided that I would today. One last post for the month. I was going to try and do the cool thing that Colleen is doing, wherein she rounds up the places you can check her out.
But my to-do list is too long to even wrangle my wheres and whats into one post, today. Maybe later. Ah... "maybe later" is the chant of the busy. Not complaining. Just hoping my words at Twitter and vids at the Facebook are enough of a placeholder for what I'm up to.
Meanwhile, just read this and had to share.
To give you an idea of how small Hollywood is, imagine high school, how tired you were of friends and enemies alike. Now imagine this: Every student in school has a publicist. There are as many school plays every year as students. The only thing about "Hollywood High" that's better than regular high school is there are no rules against sleeping with the teachers--or against anything else.--Wesley Rowe
Hilarious.
And if it had been shorter, I would've tweeted it instead. *snork*
Posted by bonnie at 3:22 PM | Comments (0)
May 3, 2008
You ride in the Humdrumvee. I'm taking the Funvee.
Just bought tickets to see Iron Man again. Second time in under 48 hours.
What does that say about me?
(I mean, other than that I think it's a badass movie and that Robert Downey, Jr., is yummy.)
Hee! I am so enjoying my weekend.
Posted by bonnie at 2:25 PM | Comments (0)
March 22, 2008
My Favorite MadTV Sketch
I've had this saved on our (old) TiVo for years... like... four years.
Finally, with Keith's new computer here, the footage has been uploaded and now I can share it here on my blog.
Genius. :)
Posted by bonnie at 4:22 PM | Comments (4)
January 4, 2008
Not News: JUNO is an excellent movie.
Seriously. That shit is outstanding. Go see it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. I'm behind most LA-based hipsters by a few weeks (at least), but DAMN. That is an amazing movie and I loved it, loved it, loved it. (Like, updating my TOP MOVIES list "loved it.")
And why did we go see Juno at noon on a Friday when I have so much stuff to do that I can hardly keep my compartmentalized mind in its proper Tupperware?
Because last night on Letterman, the amazing Ellen Page made an appearance. She is brilliant, articulate, FUNNY. And within just two minutes of her banter with Dave, I knew I was watching a superstar. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Everyone in Hollywood has been saying this for quite some time (and her name has been on some casting wish lists of mine, but not because I fought to put it there--I work with some very smart filmmakers, apparently). But I hopped on the bandwagon last night.
Hard.
And then I watched the movie today and fell more deeply in love with actors I already adore (JK Simmons, Allison Janney, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, Michael Cera) and became totally addicted to Ellen Page and Olivia Thirlby. Just WOW. In the wake of all the Britney/Lindsay bullcrap (which is almost getting more coverage than the storm), I have to say I now have hope for the future of the young Hollywood female. PLEASE let me cast these wonderful women soon!
Excellent movie. So much "more" than what you might expect. It's about love. And hope. And family. And choices. Just wonderful. Great work casting, Mindy Marin and Kara Lipson. What a fantastic screenplay from Diablo Cody! And, of course, lovely work from director Jason Reitman.
Get on the bus, y'all. Thundercats are GO!
PS--The trailer for Young at Heart blew me away. Must-see (well, the trailer at least). I'm willing to bet I'll love the film too. I'm a sucker like that. Octogenarians singing The Ramones and The Clash? I'm soooooooo in. (Seriously, go watch that shit. Outstanding!)
Posted by bonnie at 2:53 PM | Comments (0)
December 31, 2007
Current TV Obsessions
Like Greg Garcia, I had a TiVo that was bubbling over with shows to watch, around the first week of November.
Now, my beloved TiVo is empty. :(
(Luckily, there is no end to the number of hours of 90210 and The People's Court that I will happily consume.)
But with no Heroes, no Pushing Daisies, no Big Bang Theory to delight my nights (seriously, when I went to "select programs to record" last night--as I do every Sunday night on my TiVo--I wept. These huge bars of "To Be Announced" dominated the program grid--peppered only with Who Wants To Contract Hep-C, I Can Recall Fewer Lyrics Than You Can, and Watch People Squirm While They Lie About Their Opinions... each causing me to long, more and more, for The Donny and Marie Show), I have developed an affinity for the following excellent programming.
What It Takes (Reelz)
Absolutely lovely half-hour portraits of actors who have "made it" and how it is they have done exactly that. If there were a Self-Management for Actors TV series, this would be pretty dang close to it.
The Directors (Reelz)
I often talk about the importance of thinking like a producer. This show helps me understand the madness that is the creative and business-savvy successful Hollywood director. Wonderful.
Biography (A&E)
The classics never die. Now, I loves me some juicy E! True Hollywood Story as much as the next spectator, but there is something so classy, so cool, so educational about Biography. For instance, I am now officially obsessed with Carole Lombard. So much so that I may just update my HEROES section at my MySpace page. At the very least, I will be renting My Man Godfrey this week. That's for dayum sure.
Iconoclasts (Sundance)
Oh, my lordy! I have loved this show since it launched. It's inspiring and it teaches me things about people I find fascinating at levels I didn't know existed in their worlds, based on the coverage mainstream media provides. My latest favorite--to such an extent that I saved it on the TiVo to watch again (and honestly, I would've done that even if space were at a premium on that sucker)--is the one between Mike Myers and Deepak Chopra. I KNOW! But trust me... it is pure greatness (and you really don't get a sense of that from watching the clips at the site. Not at all).
So, that's where I've been finding my inspiration lately. How 'bout you?
Posted by bonnie at 5:08 PM | Comments (1)
November 15, 2007
Send in your pencils!
This is a repost from Devin the Great. Love that it includes the addresses. Very handy!
I've done a little editing based on what I've read/heard about the types of write-in campaigns that work, plus a bit more of mailing you can do, at the end.
-Bon.
===========
Support The WGA? Here’s How To Help...
Below, you will find the names and address of the major companies we are asking a fair deal from. If everyone would simply put an unsharpened pencil into an envelope and add this note: "UNLESS YOU CAN WRITE IT -- GIVE THE WRITERS A FAIR DEAL!" and send one to each name on the list, can you imagine the impact that would have?
Once again, know that the writers are deeply appreciative of you efforts and love you madly!
Steven Paul Leiva
Strike Captain
Community Outreach committee
WGA
Heads of Companies
NBC
Jeffrey Zucker
Chairman/CEO
NBC Universal
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
Ben Silverman
President
NBC Entertainment
3000 W. Alameda Ave
Burbank, CA 91523
CBS
Les Moonves
Chairman/CEO
CBS Entertainment
7800 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
ABC
Stephen McPherson
President
ABC Entertainment
500 South Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521
Robert Iger
President
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521
Fox
Peter Chernin
President
News Corporation
10201 Pico Blvd., Bldg. 128
Los Angeles, CA 90035
VIACOM
Phillipe Dauman
President/CEO Viacom
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
Warner Bros.
Barry M. Meyer
President/CEO
Warner Brothers Entertainment, Inc.
4000 Warner Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91522
And for good measure, let's add the AMPTP too. I especially like what Fans4Writers.com had to say about the effectiveness of using a simple postcard.
Postcard Protest
We have seen many suggestions to send things to the studios, from nuts to pennies. One thing we have learned over years of fan campaigning is that these things get you noticed -- but often for the wrong reason.
We need the networks to take us seriously, because this is a serious issue. For that to happen, we cannot risk being seen as odd, quirky or easily dismissed.
The Fans4Writers Postcard Protest is an inexpensive way of showing the network in a tangible way that we support the writers.
Fans4Writers postcards are available here. Please be sure to include your full name, city, state and demographic age range. And don't forget to personalize it with a note about why you are supporting the strike -- you may even want to mention your favorite show. Just remember to keep it polite.
Send your postcard to:
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
15503 Ventura Boulevard
Encino, CA 91436
Kick ass, y'all!
Posted by bonnie at 12:01 AM | Comments (1)
July 5, 2007
My New Favorite Song
It's a Michael Jackson/Queen mashup and I love, love, love it. Can't get it out of my head.
(And be sure to get to the first "chorus" to get really hooked... stay for the bridge. Hell, listen to the whole thing over and over again like I have done. It's just so dang cool.)
I'm also slightly crazy in love with this Pink/Salt-N-Pepa mashup.
That is all.
Posted by bonnie at 3:29 PM | Comments (3)
February 28, 2007
Benefit for Bringing Uma Home!!!!!
LA WEEKLY PICK OF THE WEEK: "His exceptional story of illness and recovery is a stirring testament to our shared humanity, in all its pain and victory..."
Tickets are $75 and may be purchased at eBay.com.
ALL PROCEEDS GO TO "THE UMA FUND"
Uma Nithipalan is a vibrant, snarky, funny, loving, 27-year-old woman. Theatre critic Rob Kendt called her "one of LA's essential theatre actors" after she was last seen onstage as Vanya in the Evidence Room's production of "The Cherry Orchard." On January 30th, Uma flew out to New York City to visit her fiancé John, a musician who was in the city for a gig and who had proposed to Uma on Christmas Eve. The next morning, Uma had a series of seizures. Fortunately, she was with John and he was able to get her to St. Vincent's Hospital, where they discovered she had a brain aneurysm, which had burst. By that afternoon, they had coiled the aneurysm, but Uma was in a Stage 5 coma and the doctors told us Uma would either die or remain in a vegetative state the rest of her life.
That was a month ago. Since then, Uma has had a truly miraculous recovery. She has had many ups and downs--including a stroke--but despite what the doctors told us on that first day, her health and neurological condition improve every day. On Day 13, she opened her eyes for the first time; on Day 15, she started focusing her eyes on us and really waking up. Since then, she's been trying to talk (the tracheostomy in her throat prevents her from making any sound, but she is TRYING), she's been trying to move the right side of her body (this is the side of her body that was affected by the aneurysm and has shown only limited movement, but there is SOME movement), she's been smiling, she's been frowning, she's been rolling her eyes at us when she gets annoyed, and she's been laughing at (some of) our jokes. She's also been getting frustrated at her inability to communicate as she becomes more aware of where she is and the journey ahead of her.
Now we need to get Uma home and we are raising money for an Air Ambulance to transfer her to a neurological rehab facility in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, Uma doesn't have health insurance, so it's all a bit costly, but the generosity and love that people have shown has been amazing. This morning, John was at Uma's bedside and he started explaining what we're doing to get her back to LA. When he mentioned that the Air Ambulance was going to cost upwards of $20,000, Uma started crying--afraid that would be impossible. But John told her not to worry, that hundreds of amazing people--friends, family, strangers--have already donated thousands of dollars and that we would definitely get her home soon. And then Uma smiled and cried again, this time out of joy.
When David Nathan Schwartz--himself a survivor of brain trauma--read about what Uma's been going through, he offered to help, and we couldn't be more grateful. Please join us this Sunday, March 4th, at 7pm, for a ninety-minute benefit performance of David's acclaimed one-man show. It's funny, it's moving, it's in honor of Uma and all who have beaten insurmountable odds. Stay after the show and drink some wine with us!
"In his triumphant one man show David Nathan Schwartz seamlessly guides us through his tour of hell... witty writing and a brilliant performance..."
For more info on "My Brain Tumor," please visit MySpace.com/MyBrainTumor.
If you want to help but can't make it to the theater on Sunday night, please visit TheUmaFund.blogspot.com to find out more about how you can help Uma.
Seating is limited, so please book your tickets now!
What: My Brain Tumor: A Mind Expanding Comedy
When: Sunday March 4th at 7pm
Where: ELEPHANT LAB THEATRE, 1078 North Lillian Way
(At Santa Monica Boulevard, One Block West of Vine)
Los Angeles, California 90038
Why: For Uma!
Posted by bonnie at 1:41 PM | Comments (0)
February 6, 2007
National "Vandalize the World for Uma" Day!
This just in from Erik (KiKi) Patterson:
I posted this on MySpace and on the blog because I didn't want to inundate y'all with email, but then I thought, "What if some of the people on this list aren't on MySpace and they don't read the blog?" and decided one more email can't hurt, because you should know about "National Vandalize the World for Uma" Day! Here's the scoop:
On the closing night of a play that a bunch of my friends were in (and I'm not naming the play or the theatre because I don't want anyone to get arrested for vandalism) (not that we're really guilty of vandalism) (but, you know, I'm neurotic), a bunch of us were hangin' out at the show's afterparty and we got a little mischievous and grabbed some spray paint and... okay, we tagged our names on a cement construction block outside the theatre. (It's not like the freaking cement block was permanent, so I wouldn't consider this actual vandalism, but because I'm afraid it might technically qualify, I'm not naming names.) (Unless you happen to have a damned brain aneurysm, because if you're fighting a damned brain aneurysm then I don't think they can fine you for vandalism, whether you're freaking guilty of it or not.)
Anyway, the reason I bring up all of this graffiti hoo-hah is that I keep trying to think of things that we can do to put more and more Uma Energy out there into the universe--so she knows that we're all thinking of her--and then I thought of the night Uma and I (and others) graffiti'd our names, and I was like:
Let's make February 6th "National Vandalize the World for Uma" Day.
To participate, all you have to do is write Uma's name somewhere out in the world where you wouldn't necessarily expect to see someone's name. You don't need to put her full name: "Uma" will suffice. (And then, if you get caught by an authority figure, you can argue that three letters barely qualifies as vandalism).
There are five rules of "National Vandalize the World for Uma" Day:
(1) You can put Uma's name anywhere.
A sidewalk.
A wall.
The inside cover of a library book.
The top of a school desk, or a table in a cafeteria.
A telephone pole.
The branch of a tree.
Anywhere!
(2) You can write her name using any form of writing tool you want, as long as it's permanent.
Spraypaint.
A pen.
A knife (if you're carving).
Paint.
A magic marker.
A Sharpie.
Anything! (As long as it's permanent.)
(3) You can graffiti Uma's name more than once, if you're feeling extra mischievous.
But once is fine too!
(The key thing is that you write her name someplace you probably shouldn't be writing someone's name, that's part of the fun of "National Vandalize the World for Uma" Day.) (*And when Uma wakes up and finds out people have been vandalizing the world in her name, I know she'll feel some second-hand mischievous glee.*) (*I think she'll feel pretty damned proud of y'all too.*)
(4) Don't, like, actually destroy anything. Meaning: don't, like, truly vandalize.
I realize that this rule seems to be oxymoronic and invalidate everything I've said so far about "National Vandalize the World For Uma" Day, but hear me out. The idea behind "National Vandalize the World For Uma" Day is to let Uma's name brighten your day a little. I don't want it to dampen anyone else's day. (Like, for example, don't paint her name on a stranger's car, or anything like that.)
And it doesn't have to be huge graffiti. It could be small, someplace you'd only see if you knew to look for it. If that's the route you go with your graffiti, you could think of it like it's your little secret that you get to share with Uma when she wakes up.
Be clever!
(5) The important thing is (and I guess this is truly the only steadfast "rule"):
Your graffiti must be permanent!
(I realize this was covered in Rule #2, but it's an important rule, so it's worth mentioning twice.)
That's it, now get graffiti'ing!
(Oh, and, feel free to take a picture of your Uma graffiti. I'd love to see where her name starts popping up, out there in the world.) (Of course, you shouldn't feel required to take a photo--if you don't want any photographic evidence, I totally understand: the important thing is that you participate.)
Please spread the word that today is "National Vandalize the World for Uma" Day. Copy and paste this post as much as you damned please.
Thank you.
My Sharpie is ready. Yours?
Posted by bonnie at 10:19 AM | Comments (1)
September 4, 2006
Thanks, KBell
This made my day.
Awesome.
Posted by bonnie at 1:11 PM | Comments (5)
August 19, 2006
Beauty in Everything
Have y'all seen this?
Pretty amazing.
Posted by bonnie at 11:19 PM | Comments (2)
August 9, 2006
Okay, so...
It's OK, GO.
I saw clips of this on Best Week Ever Friday, but when I saw all of it just now on Shea's blog, I had to share it.
Brilliant use of exercise equipment. Best part is the last 45 seconds, if you're too busy to watch all three minutes.
Challenges: Watch and try not to smile. You can't. And. See if you can try to NOT focus on ONE of these guys more than the others (and when you realize you're focused on one of the guys, see if you can try NOT to focus on another specific one of them). Again, you cannot. Oh, and if you think you can stop watching after just one time, you will be wrong. I promise. Brilliant.
Posted by bonnie at 2:32 AM | Comments (7)
August 7, 2006
THANK YOU
I just have to say THANK YOU (okay, *scream* THANK YOU) to Deborah Cresswell, Mitchell Fink, Keith Johnson, Kathryn Joosten, Shon Little (and OF COURSE Miss Jodi), Blake Robbins, Faith Salie, and Rachel Scheer for making my column rock this week.
I owe y'all.
Posted by bonnie at 4:37 AM | Comments (3)
August 5, 2006
I Have Amazing Friends
Seriously. I got this great email with a question to answer in my column, only my info would be, oh... about a decade or so old (sheesh! Has it been that long since I worked [other than in the casting department] on a TV show?), so I sent a quick email to a few of my closest friends who have been earning their livings as TV actors in the past few years (and some for much, much longer than that) to get their perspective for this article.
Holy crap, have they come back with some AMAZING information--very graciously sharing every little detail about what it's like to be in their shoes--which is going to be FANTASTIC for this column! Y'know, it's pretty damn cool when you can shoot a few lines through the Internet and be rewarded with more bountiful sharing than you had ever expected you'd receive in return.
It's a nice little reminder of the fact that WE CHOOSE TO SEE what our world looks like... especially after the rant I posted two entries below this one. I must've just been reading some "bad stuff" to get all out of whack. What a blissful reminder it is of what goodness is all around, to just ask for help... and get it!
Awesome.
Posted by bonnie at 5:15 AM | Comments (1)
June 20, 2006
Nine Rooms
Press release from UK Cliff: Nine Rooms: A BlogCom
Nine Rooms is a dramatic comedy based around the weblog of five main characters. It's a weekly blogcom, experienced through the postings of people who share a house that has (figures) nine rooms.The characters (dramatics per sony)
It launches on June 20 and is created by me, Cliff Jones, and includes some of the best writers I know (online writers from the blogosphere, virtually, and around the world, literally).
How does Nine Rooms work?
You read Nine Rooms by visiting the blogs of the characters, which are updated every week with their own perspective on events within the house and their own interconnected lives.
- Alan Cross: 27 year old insurance clerk and games console addict.
- Joey Standton: An enigmatic figure of no fixed vocation. He is 25, well travelled, with a combination of sharp observational skills and poor timing.
- Claire Goodwin: 28, edits a TV listings magazine. Former employee of Gina's mother.
- Gina Nelson: Californian, 25, in London on a break and a mission to find her natural parents. Her wealthy philanthropist mother died recently and Gina received with her inheritance the news that she was adopted and taken to the USA as an infant.
- Nick Stampfer: 37, former owner of a restaurant which was sold, his mother owns the house but has been squandering his inheritance around the world since her recent divorce.
For the purpose of the plotline, no one character knows that any other character is writing a blog and (between you and me) they will interact with members of the public who post to their sites, and seem like real individuals who hold normal lives, reply to blog comments, post pictures online and do all the things that bloggers do.
The sites are live, the emails are set up and the storyline has been written for the next couple of months, but the scripts themselves come largely from the writers. There are a few other characters due to join the cast, I guarantee there will be twists and turns along the way, so check Nine Rooms every Tuesday and follow the story.
June 20: Nine Rooms is coming. Nine Rooms ARE coming?
Cool, eh? More info via email to Cliff. Start reading at NineRooms.com.
Posted by bonnie at 12:45 PM | Comments (0)
June 14, 2006
Brilliant
So, if The Apprentice is moving to Los Angeles next season, it's clear that Trump isn't "all about New York" and is willing to look into other locations for his hit show in which applicants perform a series of tasks in a competition to be hired at the end of the season.
Next stop: New Orleans. I think it's brilliant.
It needs rebuilding and The Apprentice could channel the energy used to create ad campaigns, sales plans for burgers and cars, and even bogus audition meetings in "mobile casting facilities" to rebuild New Orleans.
Do you agree? Sign this petition, sponsored by the brilliant Jen, who blogged here about how she developed this idea.
Awesome. Happy 60th birthday, Trump. Now, do something GOOD with reality TV.
Posted by bonnie at 4:49 PM | Comments (5)
May 16, 2006
New Favorite Quote
Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.--Howard Thurman
Posted by bonnie at 10:44 PM | Comments (4)
May 13, 2006
12 of 12
While an assignment of 12 photos on ANY OTHER DAY thus far in May would've been way more interesting (read: I'd have left the effin' house), I did the deed just the same. Enjoy! And head over to Chad's blog for many, many more (he's hoping for 60 this month). Click any of the photos below for larger.
My "bonus" photo (the self-portrait) was my first of the day. It's 6am, just a few hours after I went to bed, and my hangover is pounding. Yes, I drank wine alone on the 11th. I missed my mom. So what? Got on up anyway and started my day, which included making offers to name actors on this film. I can do that looking like hell, right?
Look who was sleeping guard next to the bed. Sweet Salema. Aww.
Keith is staying at Nelson's, pet-sitting, right now, so he came by for some PB&J (notice the laundry in the background... still not folded).
Sometimes we buy the evil ones some wheatgrass. Sometimes they play IN it while eating it. Go, Archie.
Keith mopped the kitchen while he was home (after changing the litter) and now Thwok is concerned: Something is different. The waterfall thingy isn't exactly where it used to be.
Typical. Gawshk I love the Brenda years!
What has Thwok so excited on the cubbies? The shrimps, of course!
Over 3200 submissions so far (breakdown for three roles in The Masquerade went out on Wednesday afternoon) and most of them are for the one female role (natch). This is one portion of the screen on which I can monitor submissions by agency.
Lit a candle for Mom yesterday--but I like the smell of today's candle even better. It's the Caramel Creme, to which the amazing Jodi turned me on back in March. Yummy! Anyway, those are photos of Mom and Maxine (my aunt).
Guess whose CSI: Miami clip showed up on The Soup tonight! Hee!
Realizing I never showed off my new office in all its glory. So, here 'tis (boy headshots with blue dividers on the left, girl headshots on the right, postcards in shoeboxes atop those, "A-List" actors male and female in smaller stacks with yellow dividers, lots of demo reels and taped auditions [there are more on the floor right now], binders each with four completed casting projects from years past, plus one of those red bins is filled to overflowing with headshots to sort/purge and thank you notes to keep/toss while another mailbin is filled with headshots of priority actors for HILMMAKS... I so need an intern for a couple of days; sleeping cat next to the editing bay):
That was fun! Thanks, Chad!
Posted by bonnie at 2:35 AM | Comments (8)
April 14, 2006
Five Books I'll Read Again and Again
I was in bed the other morning, looking at my "for pleasure" bookcase (which is the only bookcase allowed in the bedroom, as feng shui dictates work books must remain in work spaces) and came up with a quick list of five favorite books that I will (and do) happily read again. Obviously, I'm not counting any of my books, because much of the reason I read those again and again has to do with editing and updating (and only a wee bit of narcissism). Anyway, I'm now going to take a moment and share those books (and reasons for my great affection) with you. Books are listed in the order I first discovered them.
Click any image for the Amazon.com page associated with the title.
The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff. I had just broken up with my boyfriend, graduated from high school, and gotten hired as a bartender at Chili's. I was preparing for my trip to Madrid, where I would stay in a model's crashpad/hostel with my lifelong friend Becky Hewes, who had been modeling in Paris and Madrid for the year since she had graduated from North Springs. I had been looking for some good travel reading and "the guy" at the bookstore saw me thumbing through Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. He handed me The Tao of Pooh and said, flirtatiously, that he was sure I'd dig it.
And dig it I did! I spent most days in Madrid roaming the Plaza Mayor, visiting with street artists, and reading this little guide to life in terms any lover of the One Hundred Acre Woods could understand. The fact that the first play I ever did was The House at Pooh Corner certainly helps with the endearing level. My notes are scribbled all through the book, which makes picking it back up a pleasure for several reasons. The life lessons (never a Bisy Backson be) are still valuable and the information about how to get to El Corte Inglés makes me smile.
Lovingly, Georgia: The Complete Correspondence of Georgia O'Keeffe and Anita Pollitzer compiled by Clive Giboire. Mom and I used to love going to Oxford Books (RIP) in Atlanta. We'd pretty much make a day of it. After I graduated from college (but just before I moved to Hollywood for the first time), I was looking for books that would help me understand who I was (or who I *potentially* was) as a woman, a feminist, an artist. Georgia O'Keeffe did a great job of helping me GET myself; not through her work, but through her correspondence with a lifelong friend.
I had had similar correspondence with Faith Salie (and continued to, later, when we'd each gone to grad school and again when we took turns living in Los Angeles--but never at the same time until 1999). I never thought of any of our 20-page hand-written letters about our experiences and travails through creative expression and love while being strong, intelligent women as anything special until I read the eerily similar exchanges between Georgia and Anita from nearly 80 years before. Suddenly, living alone for the first time, 3000 miles away from "home," I felt a connection to some purpose. I didn't understand it, fully (and I suspect I still don't), but I sure as hell knew it was right for me to be an artist in Tinseltown.
Sadly, this book is out-of-print (and therefore all the more valuable to my personal library).
Nine Lives: From Stripper to Schoolteacher: My Year-Long Odyssey in the Workplace by Lynn Snowden. Having been driven home to Atlanta by the Northridge Quake and an inability to stay on-task with my Brilliant, Age 23 Life Plan in Hollywood, I was facing the all-too-typical quarter-life crisis, unsure of what the heck I wanted to be when I grew up. That's when I found this amazing book (also out-of-print) from a participatory journalist. (I began reviewing my time in Journalism School to see if I'd missed some cool course, which would've given me permission to write books like this one. No such luck.)
Snowden spent a year living the lives of nine different women (yeah, way before Morgan Spurlock started his excellent series 30 Days), trying on the careers of Skid Row pyro-technician, ad copywriter, publicist, substitute teacher, Vegas cocktail waitress, housewife, stripper, rape crisis counselor, and factory worker. Two things happened while I read this book for the first time. I learned that it is, in fact, possible to have a bunch of different jobs and remain sane (but it would take reading Barbara Sher's I Could Do Anything... If I Only Knew What It Was in 1997 and Deborah Jacobson's Survival Jobs: 154 Ways To Make Money While Pursuing Your Dreams in 1999 to really change my life). And, I began to appreciate the role of the journalist-columnist-author. I'm pretty certain--based on the two journalism degrees, five years of weekly columns, and four books I've added to the world's library--that this book was a big part of laying that groundwork.
I'm beginning to believe that I only ever pursued acting as a means to write about it. And, as I develop the book on understanding casting (for filmmakers), I wonder if perhaps I'll look back and say that I pursued casting as a means to write about that too. Hmm.
Anything by Ralph Waldo Emerson. The book I've linked above looks pretty similar to what I would've read in grad school (but really, you could read anything). Of course, I'd read Emerson's works throughout high school and undergrad, but it wasn't until the early spring of 1995, when I spread out a blanket under the trees in Athens' Memorial Park with my Aussie Love, Dominic Hughes, that I really GOT something meaningful out of essays like "Self-Reliance" and "The Over-Soul." I was just in a very receptive place, spiritually. I'd done a hard reset of my life's plans, surrendering to the purgatory to adulthood that is grad school and becoming quite open to whatever new path might lie ahead.
It wasn't until Bob Brody wrote a review of my second book in which he said, "I swear Bonnie Gillespie is Emerson reincarnate," that I spent a little more quality time studying the dude. While I'm sure Brody was likening Self-Management to "Self-Reliance" (a comparison which I'll humbly accept on the basis of the similarity of title alone), I'd love to think I have it in me to someday be remembered as a leader, a teacher, a philosopher, a poet, a person whose words have staying power. I should be so lucky.
Excuse Me, Your LIFE Is Waiting: The Astonishing Power of Feelings by Lynn Grabhorn. The above-mentioned Faith Salie gave this amazing astonishing book to me in late 2003, right after it had changed her life (which it then did mine). Definitely heavy on the touchy-feely, Wayne Dyer/Deepak Chopra/Caroline Myss scale, the late Lynn Grabhorn did a wonderful job bringing that woo-woo to a more accessible level. I know that is true because of the response others--to whom I've given copies of this book--have had. Cynics have become believers. Eeyores have become Tiggers. Those without... suddenly have.
The Law of Attraction is real. Keith and I are living proof of that. But just as yoga, feeeeeeeeling good (or buzzing, as Grabhorn also liked to call it) is a practice. Sometimes the overwhelming humanness of us overtakes what we've read, learned, and experienced... which is why this book is such a frequently re-read one in our home.
So... what are your happy re-reads?
Posted by bonnie at 8:04 AM | Comments (5)
April 1, 2006
Not new, but...
seriously one of the funniest things I've seen about the whole navel-gazing navel-gazing that is blogging.
Click here for the whole old-school booklet. *giggle*
Number one best piece of advice: GO OUTSIDE. Sheesh!
PS--Keith has named one of the shrimps Leon. Which one? "The big one," says my loving hubby. Yeah. He's weird.
Posted by bonnie at 8:48 PM | Comments (5)
February 13, 2006
Zzzzzzz
Click here to read what another CD says about some monologues you shouldn't do. (Guess which monologue, of those listed, I used to do.)
Click here to read about the difference between Hollywood trade publications (with blogs) and amateur bloggers who write spoilerific posts. I must admit, I feel mighty high-and-mighty, writing professionally with the backing of two journalism degrees sometimes. It's like I hold myself to a higher standard of sharing, having been schooled to journal. ;)
Today's meeting? Effin' rockstar. I'm sooooo exhausted. Can't keep my eyes open. That's what busting ass on a casting meeting and having gotten no sleep while gearing up for the meeting will do to a gal. Details later. Short story: ROCK. STAR.
Oh, also: new desk arrived. Happy Bon. G'nite!
Posted by bonnie at 7:56 PM | Comments (5)
January 28, 2006
Happy Birthday, Everybody
There are two days of the year on which the MOST people I know were born. One of them is 1/28. The other is 9/11. Seriously. Eight of my good friends share today as a birthday. Six friends share 9/11 (with another five sharing 9/12). Wow. Lots of numerological karma, having this many friends with the same b'day, wouldn't you say?
Okay, so happy birthday to all of you! Wish I could play with everyone.
Now, on to the tagging I got from the greatness that is Nini.
While I have a list of "Little Known Facts at the bonsite (which was way fun to go back through, since I created the list in 1997 and have only updated it a few times since), I still am having trouble coming up with My Five Weirdest Habits, which is what Nini has challenged me to do. I mean, how many of my "things" are habits and how many are OCD rituals? Well... I'll do my best.
1. I am incapable of turning a volume that is measured in numbers up or down to any increment other than five or zero. If my car stereo's volume is on 38, I know Keith was driving last, as I can only have it on 35 or 40. Period.
2. I rewrite lists. This is actually how my OCD was first suspected (by a teacher in high school). I was rewriting a list in Spanish class and my teacher sat me down for a heart-to-heart about rituals and habits and phobias. It was quite revealing. I still rewrite my lists, but not as often as I used to, since the SixHundy takes care of most of my list-making anymore.
3.
4. I cannot make a list with item number three included. Blame somesuch. It is said the "There Is NEVER a Three" rule came from the mis-remembering of a Monty Python sketch, but I've never watched Monty Python, so I can't say for sure. Whether it was supposed to be number six or number three or whatever, it has stuck as number three with my group of online friends, and it is now something that I can't NOT do.
5. Doors must be left all the way open or all the way closed. Period. A door left "ajar" or open but not all the way up against the wall behind it is somehow offensive, out of order, going to cause me stress, or create chaos in my life in some way. Want to drive me crazy? Come over, open all of my cabinets, leave all doors half-open, and put your purse or backpack on the floor (bad feng shui). I will need a valium.
6. When I bowl (which I rarely do anymore), I sing (in my head), "Mary had a little lamb," as I approach the release line. I took bowling as a phys ed in college (woo hoo) and this was the tactic taught by our instructor. My average was around 120. I liked that class.
Next, a wonderful link that was shared by the greatness that is Tony on the 24th. Only wish I'd opened the email then. But how can you know there's brilliance in the inbox? It's like the time I let a phone message go unanswered and later learned I had been cast in the "Deadbeat Club" music video, but missed it, since I figured Eric was just calling to invite me to his party that weekend. Ugh. That's what you get, busy girl!
Posted by bonnie at 3:45 PM | Comments (5)
January 27, 2006
Bearded Lady
A recent comment-based exchange with my NBF Erik (who is doing a very My Name Is Earl-ish list-y thing that I totally love and about which I will blog later) reminded me of one of the jobs I was BEST at, in my teens and twenties.
I made a great beard.
It's kind of sad that straight gals growing up these days will no longer have the pleasure of being their gay best friends' prom date (or, if they DO have the pleasure, they won't be ever-hopeful, like we clueless '80s girls were, that perhaps somehow, someway, something romantic COULD come out of it all, if the DJ just played the EXACT RIGHT SONG as we danced on the shiny gym floor). Girls today will never get to be the "fake girlfriend" introduced to mom and dad, when the folks would come into town and want to meet their son's lady love. Today, everyone knows everyone is gay and there is just no need for the fake girlfriend anymore.
Sad, really. In the '80s, I was often faked out by my gay boyfriends. In the '90s, I was in on the fake-out of my gay boyfriends' families. In the 2000s, no one is being faked out and, in a way, that's just sad. There's a whole generation of creative, beautiful, wonderful young ladies out there who will never get to play make-believe at that level. I guess it's good that there's more good stuff on TV these days. But what on EARTH would I have done with all of that spare time, had I not been such a kick-ass beard for two decades? Man... I could've been president!
Ah, just as well. I treasure my memories of planning to have David's children while we were choreographing his dance number for the school cabaret, being sweetly serenaded by Gary on the ride home from drama/dance camp and believing that meant we were in love, helping John get dressed in drag while telling his girlfriend we were at a movie, and eventually being the opening act for the BoyButante Ball '95. Wouldn't trade having been a bearded lady for anything!
Posted by bonnie at 1:16 PM | Comments (1)
January 5, 2006
1000
What the hell? It's as good as any other post to mark 1000 at the SpyNotebook.
It's nominating time over at the Bloggies. I saw posts over at CoCo's and Cliff's blogs about nominating and thought, "Hmm... what the hell!" So, I nominated each of the following favorite blogs AT LEAST ONCE (and NO, I'm not going to tell you in which category I nominated which blog). We'll see how my picks did, come the 20th.
Oh, and if you see blogs I've missed that SURELY should be nominated, check back to previous years' winners. Many of my favorite places have already topped the Bloggies lists. Further, if you're sure I should've nominated *your* blog (but I didn't), consider what turns me on: humor; accuracy; consistent posting; and details like proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. If you're not so big on that stuffs but you want to be nominated, heck, go on over and nominate yourself (like I did). C'mon! If you can't say you love your own writing, how can you expect anyone else to do so?
Have fun!
Boblog
BonBlogs
Boom Boom Beautiful
Bored Athenians
Chip's Spynotebook
Communicatrix
Cuts
Dangerous Universe
Flickr
FourFour
Gluten-free Girl
Goin' to the John
How Was Your Day, Dan?
IndieBlog
It's a Talking Sport
LA Observed
Movable Type
Parry Shen
PostSecret
Query Letters I Love
Scenes from a Charmed Life
Seth's Blog
Showfax Roundtable
Sibling of the Groom
Slashdot
The Actors Voice
The Wicked Stage
Things I Find
This Is This
Tiny Baby
Trevor F. Smith: Exterior
Xaatm
Posted by bonnie at 1:26 AM | Comments (4)
November 30, 2005
Sum of All Years: Who's Next?
So, it seems a few peeps are eager to become a part of the Sum of all Years project, founded by Cliff (AKA "London"--but don't call him that).
Check back to see Hal's, Chip's, BrYan's... and others as they become available.
And do say hello to folks when you stop by. Too many hits to the blog without a "hello" can be unsettling. You'll see, when you're in "the thickest years" of your project.
Posted by bonnie at 11:51 PM | Comments (5)
November 1, 2005
Two Spynotebookers Rock My World
Well, more than that many, really, but I must specifically say THANK YOU to SpyNotebook's own Hamil and BrYan, for kicking oh-so-much ass. Truly. Worshipful am I!
Oh, and I think I will rise to Chip's Day in the Life Challenge. Prepare to be bored.
Posted by bonnie at 6:10 PM | Comments (2)
October 7, 2005
So Busy
Oy, I am so so so so so so so busy. Working like a madwoman on the book's revisions (and damn if this book is not getting HUGE); too busy to answer emails and phone calls asking me to cast, do book signings, and various speaking engagements; and it has (again) been too hot to move this week.
So, I've decided to take a break (I started this entry 50 minutes ago, which shows how many other brilliant blogs I've visited while coming up with this silly post) and do a li'l quiz. (From Ali.)
| You Are Apple Cider |
 |
Now, if Friday chooses to be below 90 degrees, I'll feel like it's Fall and that'll be nice. I'd like to be less annoyed by weather and more inspired to cut HUGE chunks of stuff from the book. Anyone up for clearcutting? I could use some help, but it's really thick underbrush at this stage (and I usually try to spare my proofer patrol from such heavy lifting).
Posted by bonnie at 2:00 AM
October 1, 2005
And because you loved it...
...there's more.
As if the feel-good romantic comedy of the year weren't enough, now there's the terrifying suspense thriller slasher horror deathromp called West Side Story.
Poor Jets. They never knew what hit 'em.
Article from NYT on the guy who done it Shining style: Robert Ryang. More on blog, maybe. Rock it, editor. Rock it indeed. Uku.
Posted by bonnie at 11:57 PM
September 30, 2005
Effin' Brilliant
It's the feelgood movie of the year! See the trailer!
What is it? Well, a post-production house organized a competition where assistant editors recut trailers from famous movies to try and make them seem like completely different movies...
This was the winner. Brilliant!
Posted by bonnie at 12:52 PM
September 28, 2005
I Must Be Feeling Better!
Because I'm doing the rounds (reading blogs) and stealing from brilliant people like London Cliff.
That's a good sign.
Five Things I Can And Can't Do (Cliff's answers are way better than mine.)
Five Things I Should Know How To Do And Can't
1. cook (I burn water)
2. play guitar
3.
4. whistle
5. speak the three foreign languages I learned in school
6. say "particularly" correctly
Five Things I Shouldn't Know How To Do But Can
1. write with both hands
2. advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry
3.
4. hit bullseye, every time
5. spot and name every actor I've ever auditioned, when I see him or her on TV in something else
6. full-on background check on anyone without any significant information (SS#, address history, etc.)
Fun, no? ;)
Fun poll results (yeah, I 86'd the poll after getting a whopping 22 votes).
BonBlogs Poll!
Why do you read BonBlogs?
To keep up with your whatnots. 45% 10
To see if you're casting something new. 5% 1
THERE IS NO THREE, EVER! 14% 3
Eh, it's bookmarked. What the Hell? 5% 1
I'm secretly stalking you. 18% 4
You're stalking me and I want to know why. 0% 0
Long-time reader, first-time interacter. 14% 3
Google led me here and I stuck around. No idea why! 0% 0
Reactions to come later. ;)
Posted by bonnie at 5:42 PM
September 14, 2005
Congrats, Camille!
So, last week, Keith and I went to a taping of Camille Mana's new TV series, One on One. Very cute.
Well, starting next Monday (the 19th), you can see her every week at 8pm on UPN! Woo hoo!
You may recall that Camille is featured in my book Acting Qs. Hee hee! Yay! Speaking of the little book: co-author Blake Robbins will be on The OC for the next two weeks *and* the wonderful Bob Clendenin (along with his wife Erin, of course) has welcomed his second son into the world! Woo hoo! Further, Jill Andre (who smoked up the screen in The Moor Sunday night) will be joining me and Blake on the 21st at Brentano's for a talk and book signing.
Oh, how much I love bragging on my friends!!
'member when I was all airheady a few months ago? Well, I'm there again. I really hate it. Anyone recall how that ended up leaving my life, after having been such a pain in the ass for me? Really hate feeling all out of sorts.
Def Jam Becca MC got me a wedding present: a link to a way cool Gluten-Free blog. Thanks, Becca!
And, as if my blog is in retrograde, both my Google ads *and* Blogpatrol are now broken. WTF?
Okay, back to the good stuff: congrats, Camille, Blake, Bob, Jill, and everyone else in my life who's doing some really cool, amazing work! (Even spied Subhash on TV today!) Me? Gotta get my head grounded and then I can get these book revisions going. HUGE THANKS TO THE PROOFER PATROL AND CONTRIBUTORS ALREADY ONBOARD!!
Posted by bonnie at 11:45 PM
September 9, 2005
New Favorite TV Channel
You know me. I don't sleep on any "normal" schedule. So, around 4am when I've emptied the TiVo and need to have something on while I work, I now go to Google Current.
This is what I think "reality" TV should be. Really brave, self-produced and submitted POV "pods" with on-screen status bars so you know, going in, how long the pod is and how far along in the story you are.
I first saw a pod about Katrina (and the warnings that came years ahead of time, graphic depictions of land loss, timeline of evacuation and rescue activities, all set to Flood by Jars of Clay*) last week and was hooked.
Last night, I watched for hours... further hooked. THIS is what TV is coming to. Wikipedia-like self-correcting viewer-scored user-submitted pods on everything. So long, CNN. Rock on, Google Current. I'm in.
*Lift me up--when I'm falling
Lift me up--I'm weak and I'm dying
Lift me up--I need you to hold me
Lift me up--and keep me from drowning again...
Posted by bonnie at 1:27 AM
September 3, 2005
Others Say It Better
There is little to say about the state of natural disaster and speed of government response (vs. fictional WMDs and speed of government knee-jerk) that hasn't been said better* elsewhere. So, I'll just share some sillies.
Build your own church sign (thanks to CoCo, with whom I had an excellent tea date yesterday).
Visit a clever Cooking Monkey (hee hee... munkey), also thanks to CoCo (*she's also one of the ones saying it better).
And cast your votes in the Kitten War, which is simply a rockin' good waste of time, thanks to Ames' link to Cats In Sinks last week.
As for any tales about my brother's visit, those have been shared privately with those who experienced it and today is an official Day of Silence in the Gillespie-Johnson household in an attempt to recover. Thank you to those who joined in the Gas Light karaoke-fest last night. I think, when my brother screamed, "Bitch!" at the top of his lungs at me during my rendition of Piece of My Heart, he meant it as a compliment. *sigh* I am so less broken than I sometimes think I might be. Focusing on the positive, I will just say thank you to the universe for the reminder.
Glad August is over. Glad it's cooler. Glad we raised a buttload of money to send to the Red Cross last night. Glad my brother didn't pee in my wastebasket (thanks again, Keith... for everything).
Yes, the SpyNotebook's Google ads are broken.
Silence is good. Go click on kittens. I know I will.
Posted by bonnie at 6:35 PM
August 16, 2005
Power Is Sexy
This is true. I find power so effin' sexy. Many women do. *melt*
There is something so gorgeous about the pompous, arrogant, articulate, brilliant posts Keith is making over at the SAG Actor board lately that I just want to throw myself at him.
Oh wait... I can do that! *giggle*
Posted by bonnie at 4:54 PM
August 7, 2005
Cool Stuff
Just gotta keep braggin' about my friends!
Congratulations to Caerthan Banks and all of us involved with The Moor as we have our Los Angeles premiere at the LA International Short Film Festival next month!
And, as I get this news via email, I catch two of the fine actors we interviewed in Acting Qs on tonight's Cold Case. Danny Pino (of course, since he's a series regular) and the amazing Baadja-Lyne Odums.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't praise the sexy and wonderful Keith Johnson, as he has his first ever callback for a national network commercial tomorrow. Rockstar! Break a leg, baby. Kick some ass.
Posted by bonnie at 8:41 PM
August 5, 2005
He's just so dang funny!
Cliff (AKA "London," but not by his own choosing) is often brilliantly funny.
But this post on Politically Correct Kids Toys is just about my favorite thing I've read today.
Hangman: New features include a governor's phone that can stop proceedings at any time and an Urgent Action campaign by Amnesty International.
Oh, and I had a dream that I saw Ash get booted from MTV's The '70s House by losing at Hungry Hungry Hippos.
Sort of ties in, no?
Posted by bonnie at 9:41 PM
August 3, 2005
So Long, Rob!
Our loss is NY's gain. We'll miss you, Rob. Stay in touch.
From his farewell post at his blog:
I leave Los Angeles with profoundly mixed feelings; it is a city that, no matter how much talent or money or gravitas or history accumulates in it and around it, is perennially underrated, not least by itself.
Amen to that, my friend.
Posted by bonnie at 4:52 PM
August 2, 2005
Support My Friends
I think I'm actually going to start a regular post category of "Support My Friends," where I'll try to get the word out about my friends' gigs and how everyone can help us ALL get to the Hollywood A-List faster.
From the greatness that is Paul Bales of SAG Indie...
As most of you probably know by now, I directed my first film last October, which will be released on DVD a week from today.I would really appreciate it if you would rent the film when it comes out and tell everyone on your mailing list to do the same (even if you've already seen it).
The details are as follows:
Title: Legion of the Dead (It's a mummy movie...)
Release Date: August 9, 2005
Where: Blockbuster Video and Hollywood Video (Nationwide), various independent video stores, Netflix, the InternetYou can learn more about the film here and here. The film is rated "R" (violence/gore, nudity, language), so it's not for kids (or my mom).
The distributor tells me that, like theatrical box office, the prospects for the film are usually determined in the first week of release... so please try to rent the film as early as possible.
Thank you so much for your support. I hope you like the movie.
By the way, there was another horror film with the same title released a few years ago... so if you watch the movie and everyone is speaking German you picked up the wrong one...
Good luck, Paul! Hope it's a great first week for you.
Posted by bonnie at 1:28 PM
July 28, 2005
Surreal Moment of the Day
(I'm noticing that I seem to have quite a few "Surreal Moments of the Day" when casting.)
While on the phone with an agent...
Agent: "I want you to consider a wonderful actor named Timothy Carhart. He recently did this great little film called The Moor and I know you'd like his work."
Me: "I *cast* The Moor. I *cast* Tim in The Moor. That was one of my first films."
Seriously, I was stunned and am not sure of what I said, exactly.
Agent: "Oh, wow. Listen, Tim is *very* critical. He came in here with the DVD for The Moor and said, 'This is one of the best projects I've done.' He was really proud."
*tear*
Reminds me... I haven't shared the trailer for The Moor yet, have I? Enjoy. It's a 1.9MB .mov file.
Posted by bonnie at 12:22 PM
July 9, 2005
Where to begin...
Where do you begin when you have so so so so much going on that you can't even begin to STOP and organize thoughts into words (much less organize thoughts into words that accurately represent the non-stop goings-on)? Whew! I am spinning!! LOVE IT... but it's a LOT of swirl. I feel like I'm in the center of a kick-ass Spirograph design with lots of color. It's gorgeous, complex, and thrilling to behold. But, man, is it a lot to wrap my brain around!
We've finished up prereads for Shrinks. Wow. Some of the most amazing (and also some of the most baffling) actors I've seen, for this one. I'm thrilled with the actors we'll be bringing to callbacks (once we are able to cut down even further; we currently have too many actors on our short list). As for what was baffling... well... let's just say I actually WISH there were a Hollywood Blacklist so that I could make sure one actor is on it. *shudder* I have written (for the first time, ever): NEVER AGAIN across a headshot. I'll explain why over drinks somewhere, sometime... later.
Just got back from the Chandler Hall table read (I didn't stay for any of the read itself; just went at the start to get the last two actors to sign off on their SAG contracts and to get *my* final check for casting services). It is so very cool to see all of the actors cast in one place at the same time. Casting directors never really get to do that. We may see two or three together during chemistry checks at callbacks, but it's so neat to see a dozen confident, CAST, happy actors gathering, meeting, ready to begin the journey that will result in a feature film a year from now. Very gratifying.
Happily completing my essay (to go with my application) for joining the CSA. Received a copy of the letter Michael Donovan wrote on my behalf. It made me cry. What a wonderful man! And truly, he has been a mentor for me since the very beginning of this road (heck, even before I had any idea it was a path)! Wonderful letter. Wonderful man.
In fact, Michael was one of the first people Keith called with the good news. Yup. Keith Johnson, just three years after his first acting gig in Los Angeles, has signed with Origin Talent. That's right. THE Origin Talent. That's Origin Talent of JP Manoux, Katie Stuart, Patrick Malone, Susan Wood, Rodney Rowland, Kate Flannery, Christa Campbell, Suzanne Krull, Patrick Bristow, Jf Pryor, Will Wallace, Sean Bell, Rusty Joiner, Lindsay Hollister, Jake Hanover, Jessica Lancaster, and *ahem* Bob Clendenin fame. Awwwwww, yeah! That's a working actor agency, baby!
Fucking rockstar development. Abby Casey is the best manager on the planet and Keith Johnson now has a manager and TWO agents. Kathleen Schultz for print (signed earlier this week), and now Origin frickin' Talent. So so so so so amazing. Just unbelievable and delightful and perfect. Congratulations, my working actor baby. Oh, and break a leg at your THIRD producer callback session for Big Love. Nail it to the fucking wall!
*ahem* Sorry 'bout the f-word all over the place. I'm just really happy.
Okay, so in a week full of amazing developments, I get this email from someone who has read my advice in a new book published by the UGA Alumni Association.
Seems my advice to 2005 UGA grads is on page 35. You can download the whole PDF by clicking that phrase. If you just want to see my passage in If I Only Knew Then..., click here (also PDF, just smaller). I shared advice that was shared by my aunt Jean, back when I was in crisis over my decision to move back to Atlanta and go to grad school. I couldn't believe I was actually considering leaving Hollywood. It was my PLAN. She taught me about Plan A and Plan B... well... read the passage. You'll see. Cool to have already gotten email about it.
And, I sent a note to Aunt Jean to thank her for the advice and to show her the impact it obviously had on me. I'm guessing she doesn't even recall that particular conversation, but it certainly helped me, in those tough early-20s (when you're so sure you know how your life is going to turn out and think it's WRONG to not know (vs. how blissful it is to not know, which you eventually learn)).
I love living in Santa Monica. We're almost at our anniversary here. So blissful. Being so close to the beach, being able to walk everywhere, the cool weather, the friendly people. Ah, people laugh about, "Never wanting to go east of the 405," but Keith tells them I try not to go east of 26th Street! The temperature drops there, when you're coming back from "the rest of LA" to the Westside. It's not just that, though. It's also the vibe. My pulse actually slows at that point. I relax differently. It's awesome.
And while I love my digs... man, doesn't this place look cool?
It's almost that time! I'm really excited about this birthday. It's been an outstanding year.
That's Ash in last weekend's LA Times. (Click it to see the whole article/scan--very large.) Go, girl. You are definitely the breakout star of MTV's The '70s House. Win! Win big!
Okay. If you haven't already, shame on you. And go NOW. Read the brilliance that is (collectively) Colleen Wainwright's "Searches, We Get Searches" blogs. Of course, every bit of her blog is brilliant, but it's the SEARCH stuff that makes me *snork* (snort-laugh). So much, in fact, I asked her to teach me how to track searches to my blog so that I could try to be so funny.
So far... here's what I've got. In seven weeks of tracking, the most interesting searches that have come my way have been (and my lame attempt at comedy follows each):
Eva Longoria Golden Globes (Yes, yes she does. Mmmmmm.)
Greer Shephard dress (She does, too. Probably once or twice every day!)
Miata touch-up paint Miata (That's catchy! I could sing that.)
photo of Kevan Jenson (Hm. I don't have one, but I'll see if I can snap a pic on the SixHundy on Wednesday, if you'd like.)
star caps (Tooth-coverings for famous people? Headgear for celestial bodies? Five-point bullets? Nah... just a bright-orange, garlic-smelling herbal drug thingy.)
How'd I do, Coco? You say the searches will get better with time, right? ;) Hopefully the comedy will too.
Just transition artwork, above. It says my name. Cool, huh?
Okay, so we took a vote in the Gillespie-Johnson household. Best Hunter: Thwok. Sexiest Vixen: Salema. Sweetest Oaf: Archie (although Keith was close on that one... he's not as sweet).
Oh, and Lily, here's my blog!
'Til next time!
(reminders to self: blog about why a special agent from the ATF stopped by on Thursday, the cat that meditates to the Stones, Fantastic 4, and cool sofa repair guys. also look up the date's for Joni's vist, find out if the casting gig in MO and the trip to Tahoe are mutually exclusive, roll out a SMFA seminar press release, and consult the SixHundy for the rest of the scary to do list. that is all. back to work. stop with the blogging and trust that you'll remember all the other shyte you want to write about when the time is there to do so. seriously. go now. now.)
Posted by bonnie at 11:41 AM
June 24, 2005
It's Just Damn Funny To Read (RIF)
Reading *is* fundamental! Really!
I come home from a super amazing dinner party with old friends and new (Lily, you have the BEST friends EVER and you *must* hurry back to LA so I can cast you in something) and check up on the blogs.
What's cool, hip, and now?
Chip found some self-heating coffee that scares me a bit.
Jocelyn showed me a photo of like my favorite yummy Chick-fil-A food ever. Damn you, gluten!
And...
Chip found what is probably the best FREE KATIE conspiracy theory article ever!
Question... am I all about Becca's Michael, b/c I quoted Fox News Network?
Okay, seriously need the bed. Director coming over mañana to watch preread selects with me here rather than doing the high-tech thing I spent 20 hours making available for him to view. *sigh* Someday the world will be all the geeks like me.
Posted by bonnie at 11:38 PM
May 30, 2005
Special Day: 8 June 2005
Okay, so not only is 8 June 2005 the day that Quinn arrives for his annual visit,
but it's also the day that Acting Qs reaches Los Angeles.
Woo hoo!
Now, while I get ready for a big casting meeting for the NEXT feature film (Yippee!) and prepare for callbacks on the CURRENT feature film (Woo hoo!), you go read this (brilliant) and this (also brilliant). Oh, and go outside to enjoy this PERFECT day! Wow!
Posted by bonnie at 11:42 AM
May 15, 2005
On Bullshit
So 60 Minutes does a piece on the best-seller On Bullshit.
It got me thinking about the term "bullshit." Why did the bull's poop become the most popular in our language? Why not the dog's? The monkey's? The gerbil's? Is their poop of less-importance, when measured up against that of the mighty bull? And if its poop is the more important, more popular, then why does the term mean something is false? Hm.
(Yes, I've added the book itself to my Amazon Wishlist.)
Posted by bonnie at 8:06 PM