in defense of Connecticut

Aliens out of America

Unfortunately, that dear little sitcom, Aliens in America, has been whacked. Kind of new it was gonna happen, but still. Sad.

flim

Worked a smidgeon on the film script today. It's just about the right length and nearly everything's in it that I want it. Maybe another 10 pages and some scene-shifting and I'll have my first film script all done!

Finished Winesburg, Ohio. The stories are very simple, but resonant with someone who went on long, raging walks whenever I felt too much under the world and not sufficiently of it. I think I read that Hemingway was influenced by Mr. Anderson, and it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. However, I feel I would have loathed this book in high school, much like I couldn't take Willa Cather. Perhaps O, Pioneers! and My Antonia (which did I read?--can't recall) are more supportable as I approach my quarter-century mark.

Deranged Jane

I don't know how to say this without being rude, so I'd just like to cast your eye over to this link, where you will note one of the most abhorrent casting choices in recent memory.

Captioning a pilot for USA at present. Good actors, unoriginal premise, inorganic plot development, basically ridiculous thus far. But after 3+ days of poker, I'll take it.

TV oddness and my broken passenger-side mirror

This weekend and parking was hard on me. And on my poor car. Did the Big Sunday thing, which was quite the workout.

But the fact that Standoff, which ended forever nearly a year ago here in the U.S., a good 7 months after the four people who were watching it stopped watching it, is currently airing in Australia brings a smile to my face. When I saw the commercial for it, I thought it was for The Ghost Whisperer, another show I don't watch. Oh, Australians!

I'm supremely looking forward to Brothers & Sisters tonight. Will Justin reveal his incestual desires to Rebecca? Will Ally McBeal snap Sam Seaborn's head off for no reason for the umpteenth time, at which point hubby will continue to bottle up his emotions? Will Ojai Foods implode, or will Saul do some "hard-time" in prison to both save the company and finally embrace his sexuality? Will Kevin stop whining and that other brother start being interesting? Will everyone eat dinner and start shouting? Gee, I hope so.

Iron Man, etc.

Despite the trouble I had before and after the movie (best be forgotten), I couldn't have been more pleased watching Iron Man. RDJ's a rock star, and the film was quite well done... except... it's mostly introduction. I mean, great-ass introduction, but it's a little weird that Tony Stark's biggest nemesis isn't either the Afghani wannabe or Obadiah, but his former self, really, and the evil he brought into the world. Actually, the majority of the film is about the outfit, tests and trials, which is enjoyable, but it's the making of a hero who doesn't really have to overcome much. He's rich, he's brilliant, so even when he's in trouble or injured, he's not really going through much. He doesn't really lose anyone (yeah, he's an orphan, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal), except one person, and while it's sad, it's not, like, ruinous. I feel like Tony Stark hurts Tony Stark (both physically and emotionally) more than anyone else. But, okay, I haven't read the comic books. I probably don't know what I'm talking about. Despite these structural curios (I'm not gonna say flaws because it's only a flaw if the film sucks), I enjoyed the film immensely. It's about time someone RDJ got Depped. Also, Jon Favreau's a great director. Never forget.

Went to Glendale to a Valley-version of the Grove. The fountain was nice. But there was a creepy gold statue in the middle of it all, which was a little Dionysian and cheaply gaudy.

Watched the Oprah interview with Mr. Cruise. He reminds me of a relative who will remain nameless. Not in any way that's good.

Trying to break down a new spec episode since my 30 Rock is officially obsolete. The ABC fellowship application, however, is not online yet. I want to enter one or two other programs but it's not gonna happen I think. The goal now is to finish a good spec for the Austin Film Festival. Sigh. This is going to be a rough month. YOU have no idea.

stand-up comedy

I'm not a performer. I've performed, yes, and enjoyed it quite a lot. But my heart does the crazy Ukrainian jig every time I'm in groups anyhow. When I'm in front of groups and they're watching, it's like Reno right now in my chest.

I know this is a surmountable problem, but I'm not in a surmounting place right now, so, hence, not doing the performer thing. Which is sad because writing is sort of not enough when no one's reading it. I'm not purely a paper and pen gal. I want to storytell and the storyteller needs the storytellee. Or, um, the storyhearer? I don't know. Audience. I read some of my work out loud in front of persons in New York, and I liked it because no one nodded off while I was reading, which, honestly, I do. That's my main goal. Don't cause somnia.

In any event slip and slid through the Steve Martin book today. Liked it much more than his weird little novels (no offense, Stevie). I like that he worked his rear end off to get to where he got... but he did get his first gig in writing from having dated the right girl. Sigh. SIGH.

I got an inflatable ball from an auto dealer's booth at the Sherman Oaks Festival a few weeks back. It is one of my nicest non-literary-related possessions.