New Blog Design

I LOVE Apple. 

Now, to figure out how to forward URLs-

Closing. And Opening.

 

69/365, originally uploaded by everythingsjustjake.

I am at the END of my rope. This is me at the end of a long day. I feel like [a younger] Jack Nicholson as Jack. In The Shinning. Don’t show me an axe. For the love of all things sacred-

I have a lot on the plate. I have two months to figure out what to do. Really DO. Where I want my studio store front to be. Among other major business decisions, I am back to 16 hour days: school, meetings, operations, unscheduled meetings.
Tomorrow is a day that will be another long one. School, SCHEDULED meeting with my advisor/ mentor, client.

I am bagged. I’m pretty sure that I’ve used that expression far too much in the past 10 weeks-

I take umbrage with a few things at the moment. I’d like them to be recognized.

Completely plagerized from some seesters that I know and love so much:

Je suis heurues de:
*the fact that Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is now on for me to fall asleep to. “We’re just two little girls from Little Rock.”
*the fact that we have a great place to live & work from: warm and cozy and a ton of space.
*the fact that I’m a week away from finishing my course. Gotta get on with it! Will this mean no more 16 hours a day? Nah- Just means more operations hours will open up! I know me-

Mes Bêtes Noires:
*LA cancellation this week. I really needed that. I miss my peeps. I will miss the new connections: Deven, specifically.
*business decisions that need to be made. Pronto. What to do, what to do. Cryptic. I know.
*I’m a year late for getting a store front. [But I guess that’s good, considering the fake recession that was pushed on us this past fall and that scared people shitless to not spend money.]
* the filler that I have been inundated with over the past couple of days.

In the end, I’m very excited about this year. Nothing can bring me down. Nothing.

Boxing Day

Glowy 1968, originally uploaded by everythingsjustjake.

A wonderful time spent at Pammers’ place yesterday, Christmas and Day 5 of Hannukah.
We had a gorgeous, delicious, moist (!) Turkey, loads of veggies, loads of everything, really. I’m STILL stuffed.
I finally got to speak with my family into the evening after their very own hectic day. I had talked to my sister earlier in the day but I finally got to talk to my very exhausted Mom into the evening. She ended her day with a sleep-over at my sister’s. It was weird to not get to speak with my Dad on Christmas day but I hope to talk to him today or tomorrow. While still being cryptic, I’m guessing he will be uber-exhausted after his journey over the past couple of days.
Off to our buddy, Oliver’s, today. Check out his music and purchase it. That’s the REAL treat you want ot buy yourself with all of your Christmas money! Click on his name above and, when you’re ready, click here to get the CD from CDBaby.

Hope all of your Chrismukkahs were- and still are- amazing.
All the power to any of you who braved shopping today.
I did a boxing day shop once; I really doubt I ever will again.

The Week (or so) in Review: October 4- 15 2008

I’m going to try my best to NOT speak about politics in this post.

I have looked back at my blog over the past year and I realize that I used to talk a lot about my life and what was going on in it; a journal, so to speak.

While politics are the main focus in my life at the moment- so much so that I have lost work because of it- I have gone back to my roots of having a little fun and actually realize my work and focus on the many projects that I have let slide. 

I have returned to my novel, Home Off The Range but in a much different way. Although my editor(s) have been after me for the last 33% of the book that needs to be edited, I have swayed a smidge. Don’t get me wrong: it will get done. But at the advice of an EP and an Agent, it has been recommended to me to screen write the novel. OK. Well. Major shift. Although I always thought the story should eventually become a screenplay, I highly doubted that I would ever have anything to do with the writing of it. Maybe as an advior of sorts but writing a screenplay? Never. 

So, here I am: writing a screenplay. I was SO intimidated by it but as soon as I started, I realized how much fun I was having with it. It is SO different from writing a novel. So much. But I’m so into how different it is; how it is becoming another story, taking into consideration potential budget, how scenes have to be negotiated and coming to a truce within myself of what I can relinquish in the story to make it actually- potentially- have someone interested in saying: “Okay. Let’s go.” It’s a whole new thing.

In the mean time, I have two other projects that have been in a tickle trunk for a while that have jumped out on their own and landed in my lap. One was encouraged by a friend in SoCal who gets life-as-we-know-it more than almost anyone I know. She encouraged one of these projects to sit on my lap, look me in my face and say: “Now’s the time. Make me.” Thank Buddha for friends in SoCal. Why don’t I live there again? See. There are some things I still need to figure out.

The third project was encouraged by another writer friend of mine who is presently in negotiation for an animated series with some big three letter cable conglomorate who shall remain nameless. You know the one. I just don’t wish to jinx things by saying their names out loud. [Yes. I’m spooky like that.] As I work through project one and two, #3 is right there and ready for a good 17- 20 page synopsis. So, it is being done; I’m even making scene breakdown cards in my little recipe boxes. I didn’t expect to conjure that up yet but there it is.

Beyond projects, I am enjoying time with long-lost friends, going to art events (even if they suck), dinners and general symposiums that make us all happy. 

Canada’s winter is upon us. We need to fill ourselves with more than “Trash Wednesdays” and too much other TV. If I’m going to spend yet ANOTHER winter in cold and snow, I have got to fill my time with great projects, great connections and endless filled agendas. I can’t deal with another season of SAD. 

At least this year I am blessed with airline credits. So trips to SoCal or other warm(er) places CAN and WILL be in the cards for us.

In the mean time, here is the week’s politics and economy summed up in a very important video. Complete with winks, unnecessary spending and big-business protection:

Enjoying a typical Saturday Nite

Courtesy of The Pammers, here’s a slight succession of what happens on a typical Saturday night at our place. We easily are entertained. 

RJ

 

Glamma and I- as many of you know- recently returned to our home from LA.

While there, our friends introduced us to a couple of dogs they were fostering. They are amazing animal lovers of all types. Visiting there is often LIKE being in Animal Farm. The animals are the rulers. In a good way. I love it.

We met a little cutie named RJ. He was malnourished; bones and spine sticking out. He has since been very well looked after while spending time there and has realized that eating is OK. 

We fell in love.

After two days, Glamma would say: “Where’s Jake?” And RJ would repeatedly come to me. 

I would ask RJ the same: “Where’s Glamma?” repeatedly. Nothing. But when I asked him: “Where’s Daddy?” he would immediately go jump up onto my hubby’s lap. 

Wow. We were sold. That was it for us.

Shots done and papers almost in order, RJ is making his way to us (if all goes according to plan!) next week. 

Yup.

We are the proud new parents of a nine month old ChiPin. Who can cleverly use a litter box. What a kid!

Here are some pics of him just taken tonight.

 

RJ

RJ. Poolside.

We can’t wait to see our boy!

Please take the time to visit our friends at Forever Home Pet Rescue! They are doing all that they can to save pets! They do all that they can to find great homes!

If you can’t adopt, foster. If you can’t foster, please DONATE!

Update! RJ will most likely be joining us next month rather than next week. *sigh* it’s all good! I will continue to blog about his journey!

Letting Go

It seems that, as i look at my last- most recent- posts, I can continue to learn from a lot of what I am trying to say.

It is apparent to me that people have an incredible ability to hold on to many negative things in their present and past. Easier, it appears, than it is to hold onto good and great memories.

I pose this: Why is it that we human animals have such attachments to negative crap that has affected us? How is that we can hold grudges? How is it that Negative has such a hold on us? 

This carries into every negative aspect in our lives. Whether it be remembering that bitch customer service rep and wanting to speak to their manager; visiting that store where you found the perfect jeans- the ones that have never fit like any other- and not purchase them because of some nasty little crank had no desire to really encourage you or help you find what else you might want to go with those perfect jeans; the family member that has pissed you off beyond belief; the friend that has dissed you out of context just because you might have had a bad day- and talk about you incessantly to everyone you both know and beyond?

I’m tired of holding on to the negative shit in my life. I’m REALLY trying to move on from that. I’m tired of hearing about the constant negative shit that is happening in everyone else’s lives. I just want to tell the world that we would all be better off to just let go. Because there is nothing good that will come of the nasty circle of Negative. It will just get stronger. 

This carries even further into media; world politics; it just seems to get stronger and stronger by the day. It seems this is all I hear; all that I read. 

Save for the occasional blog or post that just says: “Wow. I am so thankful for all that IS good in my life. For all the good that I find in community.”

At the same time, I don’t want to sound all Oprah about this. [While I think that Oprah was a great catalyst my own belief is that she seems to have taken on another role that includes some kind of invincibility- that is a whole other story.]

The fact of the matter is, I believe that there is something to be said about forgiveness. While I don’t think that any of us as humans can inherently give “forgive and forget” (as there is naturally always part of our memory that remembers what has happened negatively in our past), we all have the capability of forgiveness. 

We all need to learn to let go. We have to protect ourselves, our friends, our family; but we all need let go. And move on. Focus on what is right here and right now and what is good for us. We need to collectively and individually feed ourselves. We need to allow all of the great things that are going on around us to be the most prevalent thing(s) in our lives. While some may argue that there is NOT that in their life, it is only because they are allowing the negative to win. 

Include your closest people in the good things that are going for you. And if those people are not encouraging or see a negative aspect to everything that you have going for that is RIGHT, slide away quietly. 

Know your power. Know your power of Self-worth. Focus on you with no thought of regret or repercussions. Focusing on you and your Positive does not mean that you are selfish.

back on canuck soil

we’ve been back from LA for a few days now. generally, we are going thru withdrawl but this time, it’s not as bad as we have our counter-parts with. 

it’ll be sucky when they leave. 😦

in the mean time, we have a lot of work to catch up on; a lot of people to reconnect with; another show; and beyond.

we went to Canadian Idol with Lukas and Kendra on Tuesday as he was an invited guest. The kids (contestants) wooed over him, he met with them after the show and connected with each of them. he invited them all to the show next week. they are all coming! they are beyond happy!

later.

It’s 1:26 AM

and i’m off to LA tomorrow.

i mean- today.

we leave in a few hours.

i’m screwed.

i can never sleep the best of times. but, now, i am not ready to sleep or travel. i hate when i’m like this. i’m completely disconnected. 

BUT!

i have talked to two out of three friends tonight in SoCal. One: I have met. And LOVE. One, I have met on line- love. but I have never met in person. I can’t wait to meet her for real. In the flesh. The meeting of minds. She is an a-mazing artist. In every way possible. Photographer. Makeup. Life as art. 

I feel blessed and fortunate that I will see them. one again and one for the first time. 

They are art.

I am art.

We are art.

You are art.

Thanks, LW and MO, for being part of the path that has led me to where i am and who i am now. 

It’s 1:33 AM.

A post to ALL LA and vicinity readers

My buddy Lukas is playing with his band, Stars Down, in San Juan, Capistrano CA June 20th and at the Viper Room in LA June 21. 

Come one, come all! It promises to be a great time! Their music rocks shit out!

For those of you coming, be sure to bring your entourages, small or big. 

The entertainment presses will be in attendance so it’ll be great to see a full house at both places!

Thanks, Possums!