someone needs to lighten up...

Mom Tracks Down Toilet-Tissue Pranksters

Geez lady...innocent late night pranks, some of the funnest I remember involved toilet papering houses...it was innocent fun, it truly was. I don't know about the dog food and shaving cream, but the best thing to do is usually to return the favor. You know who the kids are, just go TP their house, do some crank calls (Is your refrigerator running...better go catch it!), or, order a bunch of pizzas delivered to the house, or go really crazy and wait until dark and buy the 24 roll package and have some fun. Take the kids, even.

Seriously, I don't think kids should have to go to teen court for TPing a house. At least they weren't watching TV. Maybe they'll even become real rebels and read Salinger and contemplate life beyond your little neighborhood where people turn you into the police for acting like a teenager.

phone calls and chance meetings

This last week brought some nice surprises, starting with a phone call from an old friend who I haven't seen in about 15 years. Coincidentally, it was this time last year that another college pal, Sylvia, showed up in Austin with her husband and two girls and visited me on set the night we were doing our second series of stunts. College seems like a lifetime ago, it's hard to believe now that any of it even happened. It's funny how some of my college friends have children that are just entering elementary school while my daughter, now an adult, is headed off to college in a few weeks. I guess I did start a bit early.

I also bumped into a former co-worker while I was in Fort Worth this weekend. She was someone I always thought was really cool and it was great to see her well and happy.

I think this is a nice lead in to August which should start on Tuesday if all goes well.

I look forward to August. With wars and tsunamis and heat waves and doping accusations, and general life shuffles, July has been a bit much for this girl.

looking for bottles, finding more

I can't speak for all of them, but the chronically homeless people I know, I trust. They have a code of honor and ethics that many chronically homed people do not share. I've seen them give their last pair of socks to someone who didn't have any, I've seen them give out bus tickets, change, cigarettes, advice, whatever they might have, to anyone who needs it.

It didn't surprise me a bit when I read about Charles Moore of Detroit. Charles was looking in a trash bin for bottles he could turn in for spare change and found $21K worth of savings bonds. He gathered them up and handed them over to someone who could find the owner. The bond owner's son gave Charles $100 for his honesty, but other people who heard of this thought a larger reward was warranted and gave him more money, clothes, and a job lead. These might not change Charles' life, but I hope that when people hear of his story, they might realize that the homeless are pretty darn generous.

I've found myself embarrassed and chastened by what gracious givers the homeless can be. They give advice, hugs and smiles. And my friend K. used to leave me bottles of chocolate milk and cakes pretty regularly. All of that means so much more when it's coming from someone who doesn't know where their next meal is coming from and who's been sleeping on a concrete slab. Those gifts are given with an unpretentious innocence, a kindness.

There's more. I come home from my Wednesday shift at the shelter with an attitude adjustment, a sense of place in the world and another shot at being thankful for all I've been given in this world. Not only was I born to a decent family who cared about me, made me go to college and kept me fed and dressed. I was also given a large number of second chances and an even larger number of good friends.

I've heard of my homeless friends finding amazing things in dumpsters. Castoffs and trash from those who have too much, or at least more than enough. Unopened jars of peanut butter, clothes, shoes, yarn, fabric, bedding, furniture, metal scraps, money, jewelry, books, magazines. The next time, you're deciding what to do with all your extra stuff, look it over and take it somewhere someone who needs it can find it.

We could start a little mini revolution and just start leaving surprises for the people who are looking for bottles to recycle. Leave a jar of peanut butter and a butter knife by the place you see a homeless person hanging out in your town. Take that pair of shoes that never fit so well to a shelter. Hand one of the homeless people you pass everyday that last good book you read or a soft pillow. At the very least, just look them in the eye, smile and say "hey". They aren't all that different from you, you're just a little luckier.

file under: friends

night running

If I lived at the beach, I might swim at night, or at nearly night. If I lived in the mountains, I'd surely go towards the top. I live in a quiet, older neighborhood in the middle of a busy town. So the best thing is to go for a run through the hood, to the park where people are playing tennis, walking their dogs, or just walking. Tonight, rain was predicted. The air was fresh and there was just a bit of a fallish breeze.

It's been a summer of changes, some welcome, some sad, with the biggest one yet just around the corner. I hope I'm up to it.

I'm looking forward to my day with my friends at Trinity Center. Those guys are the best tonic. I look forward to my time there like some people look forward to weekends.

file under: running

halfway through summer

gotta get up really early these days to get a run in...gotta let the dogs in after noon so they don't melt, gotta water the plants a little every day to keep them alive...it's summer in texas and we have about 6 more weeks of this...
(I think it was only about a month ago that I was in Saugatuck Michigan buying a knitted hoodie because of the cool weather, but it could have been longer.)

In less than a month, I'll be on the way to Nashville to take Annalise to college, then I'm off to Jacksonville for more scouting, then I'm off to Seattle for a screening in September and New York in November and in between there will be trips to other places...

check on our current screening schedule for jumping off bridges

a hard day on the planet

woke to news of the tsunami, more on the war in Israel, the heat seemed more bearable the stupid minutae of my life, less of a deal. went on a late night walk with my daughter and the dogs tonight, happened upon some musicians in the park down the street, playing by candlelight, old blues and balladry and some blue grass. grateful for time, peace, at least in the park, and walks.

States I've been to visit (not just in the airport)

Next up: We'll create a visited states map for jumping off bridges...
(Make your own visited states map here.)

file under: life in general

with a little help from our friends...

Filmmaking is collaborative. Most filmmakers know this, some don't, but we're not gonna worry about them, because truly film is a collaborative effort from beginning to end.

jumping off bridges is a film made possible by many of our friends and I just want to take a minute to thank some the ones who have made our fall premiere a reality.

When we first set out to do a fall premiere, we knew the odds were against us, but has that ever stopped a Storie girl? I think not. In fact, it just makes us that more determined, besides, we have some kick ass friends and with them, we can pretty much do anything.

So, here's a list, not by any means complete, not in any particular order, either:

• in Seattle: Meg Donohue of Broadway Performance Hall in Seattle, Jeff Thomas, a Seattle filmmaker and dear friend who is producing the screening for us and Clare Aronow who is helping greatly with publicity, while pregnant even.
• in Tallahassee: Dan of the Tally Film Society
• in Jacksonville: Tim Masset of the San Marco Theatre
• in Birmingham: My Uncle Ernie
• in Los Angeles: Jen Prince, producer of Eve of Understanding, an excellent excellent film which you all must see.
• in Orlando: My old friend Christa
• in Minneapolis: Jane Minton, IFP
• in Grand Junction, Colorado: John Anglim, one of my dearest friends
• in Fort Worth: Maggie the Great, David Lowery, Gary Payne and James M. Johnston, Underground Filmmaker/Vegan Chef
• in Dallas: Mandy Spain
• in Chicago: Elizabeth Donius, IFP
  

file under: film, jumping off bridges

Thanks for beaches

Day Three in Jacksonville and I'm ready for some sand between my toes.
I am not a natural at the game of "meet people and make them fall in love with your film". I am by nature a bit shy. (It's true, I am.) If I had it my way, I'd just meet people one on one, hopefully people I've known a long time who love me even if I say something stupid, and when I trip and almost fall and when there's something stuck on my teeth. After a day of meetings I'm more exhausted than if I'd run a marathon. I need down time.

On Wednesday I wasn't supposed to be anywhere until late in the afternoon. Still, I got up early, ran my 3 miles and hit the email servers like it was a regular day. Why? I'm weird, that's why.

Then at some point, Kat emailed me and said that I should go to the beach.


I found Neptune Beach and slipped off my shoes, rubbed on some sunscreen and walked. The waves lapped up around my legs, tiny fish darted around my ankles, I looked for shells and I looked at the water.

It was quiet, except for the sound of the surf. There were people: lifeguards, a family or two, a jogger or two, and one little girl who sat in a tidepool talking to herself unaware of anyone else. I looked up and saw a bridge in the distance. I decided to walk to the bridge and back. This would give me a goal, a direction, something to move toward.

Wait a minute...

I don't need a goal.

I just walked.

Those little fish started nipping at my toes. I found a place with sand terraces and I jumped from one to the next and almost fell a few times. It was nice and messy and I collected some sand and some of that nice clean salty ocean smell in my hair and my clothes. I found a shell with a hole in it. I believe that rocks and shells with holes in them are lucky.

I thought about firing up my cameras again, especially my old still camera, the one I have so much fun with and took some nice shots with, so people said, until I got busy and put it aside. I thought about how wonderful darkrooms are, but how messy they are and I thought about having a real negative scanner and a true grayscale printer so I can take pictures on film and develop them digitally. I thought about projects I've laid aside. I thought about the copious amounts of time I would have, clock time and thinking time, after Annalise is tucked into college. I thought about all of that and I thought about how lucky I was to be walking on a beach. I haven't been on a beach since Maggie and I took Annalise to the Texas coast when I first moved back to Texas. We ran along the beach as a storm came in, it was a cold day and the beach was covered in sleet. Another lucky day.

Somehow an hour passed. The sand was hot, so I hop-walked to a shady spot and took this picture of my feet and the lucky shell.


file under: film, life in general

Jax Day 2

I would tell you the day's adventures, but it would have to be in person with good wine and chocolate. I'm tired. All in all a good day.
I like a hearty merlot with a nice dark chocolate, hopefully fair trade.

Jax Day 1 and Kudos to David Lowery

First of all, David Lowery, an icredibly talented filmmaker and an incredibly nice person is one of 15 finalists in SXSWclick.
See his short and vote at :http://sxswclick.com/vote/
Fifteen Finalists Go Online for SXSWclick

Day 1 in Jacksonville. Nice town, saw the water for a bit, went over a very tall, light blue bridge, glad we didn't shoot jumping off bridges here as the bridges are taller and the water deeper than any bridge /water combo in the entire state of Texas.
Tomorrow I'll meet with Tiger Lily, meet Liz, and try to hook up with John Travolta, or at least his lawyer....one thing I've learned is you gotta investigate all possibilites.

Kat's family is amazing and I'm well fed, happy and tired.

file under: film

off to Jax

Tomorrow about 4:30 a.m. Kat will pick me up and take me to Austin Bergstrom for my flight to Jacksonville, Florida.
I'll be meeting with the film commission, a production company, several teachers and scouting locations for Storie's next production, Brain Brawl.

Maybe I'll even get to see the ocean!

hill country

I'm not a spa person, though lately I've been longing to be one. I want to wear a fluffy robe and pad around a zen garden in some soft flipflops and eat organic non fat foods and take in a yoga class, or a hike...
but,
I'm not a spa person.

Today, I woke early and Annalise and I drove to Granbury for a one day visit with family. I have to admit, I kind of dreaded it, but I made the commitment. I have so much going on, so much to do right now, yet on some level, Stacy also knew she needed a long drive through the hill country.

Just the other side of Lampasas, the hills started getting to me. The hills are lush and green this year from all the rain. I saw the place with the miniature donkeys and I just felt better all over. I saw a sign outside the only realtor in Evant "melons for sale" and somehow the world just seemed kinder and sweeter. In Hamilton, at the Cowboy Cafe, they were telling me that they would have fresh catfish on Friday and I know they were telling the truth. I didn't need a spa, I needed a long drive through the hill country.

The hard part is, on these drives, I sometimes get that bittersweet feeling that reminds me of the first dog I loved, the first horse I loved, the first boy I loved. They all seemed so perfect at the time, so permanent and comforting. What I didn't know then was that dogs and horses don't live forever and boys aren't always nice just because you fall in love with them. It was pretty good not to know those things and I think of that when I drive through the hill country. Thank goodness for the two AM radio stations, one plays old country tunes (Hank Sr. and even Patsy Cline) and the other plays oldies.

If someone in front of you on the road wants to go slow, they just tuck onto the shoulder and you pass them, easy as spit, no big deal, no one's pride is hurt, you just want to go faster that's all.

In Granbury, I got to see my cousin Sam's wife, Robin, and their four kids, Sam Jr., Jack, Abe and Scarlett. Scarlett was adopted last year from the Ufa region of Russia. Sam and Robin had three boys, wanted a girl. Sam, my cousin, is a pilot for the Marines, he wanted to adopt someone who wasn't already a citizen of the U.S. He loves that I'm a card carrying democrat bleeding heart liberal. When he tells me he's a Republican "for choice", I just smile and roll my eyes. I love him to pieces, he's a good soul, one of the best. Scarlett is one of the best,too. She's almost three now. She started walking last year, and she's mischievous, and smart and talks to strangers all the time. She wants to know everyone's name and when I walked up today and saw her for the first time, she just strode up to me and Annalise and said, Hi!. Pretty good for someone who was two months premature and was left on the steps of an orphanage. The girl's got spirit.


Sam and Abe and Jack are cool, too. Sam and Jack and I went out to the pasture in the afternoon to get Dakota, the chubby gelding. On the way we went through cacti and bull nettle and all kinds of thorns and spider webs and while doing all that, we saw the brand new calves under a tree, resting. One is solid black, the other is white with black spots (Gertrude and Peaches have a boyfriend in the neighboring pasture. This particular bull has also got another new calf about to hatch in my Dad's pasture.) The little white one with black spots was born yesterday. If you've never seen a 1 day old calf, they are amazing. They are born ready to go, though this little gal was resting, she let me touch her and her fur was so soft and being a calf she didn't even seem too afraid of me.

We found Dakota and Breezy (who Jack and Sam renamed "Fireball", she's a bit crazy and bossy and they thought Breezy should be reserved for some mellow horse in some other pasture) and Bubba the donkey. Bubba is adorable, donkeys are damn cute. Dakota is a short little Morgan gelding, with a bit of a belly. He's hard headed and sweet. He won't buck or rear, like Breezy does, but he does make it hard to ride him if he thinks you don't' know anything about horses.

We haltered him in less than a minute and walked back to the barn with him, leaving Fireball (aka Breezy) and Bubba stamping and neighing. Dakota rode the kids around the house about a dozen times while I led him. Then, I took Jack out in the south pasture and we did the perimeter, then Scarlett rode again with Jack, then Robin rode and Dakota ever so nicely loped her over to the far fence where Breezy called to him. Then, I finally got up and rode him for real and we had a very nice time.

I took all the kids to the log cabin to take pictures of them playing around on the roof and climbing the windmill ladder and peeking out of windows. When it was time for them all to leave, I felt like I knew them, each of them, a lot better, and they know me now, too. Sam and Jack said I should come over soon. Scarlett gave me lots of hugs and little Abe said I was cool.

Somewhere in all of that, I started feeling happy down to the bone and secure and relaxed, not in a yoga way, but in a this is my place way. It was nice.

file under: life of a mom, life in general

hey Baby it's the 4th of July...

A soggy 4th here in Austin. It was nice, quieter than usual. I liked it.

The answer: 96

Guess how many animals were brought in to the Town Lake Animal Center today?

What is going on?
It's not unusual for the numbers to spike over a holiday weekend, but even this is high for a holiday weekend.

If you even think you might not keep your pet their entire life, don't bring one home. Unless you plan on keeping every single puppy and kitten your pet gives birth to and every one their their puppies and kittens give birth to, just get them altered.

geez...

Spay or neuter your pet. Make a committment to them.

for more info: www.rescuemedocumentary.com

file under: dogs

what I wanted to say to the boy

I was given directions to just say Hi and move quickly away from the door. I don't follow directions well, but I can be cool and smart.
So I just said, "Hi" and I shook his hand.

When our dog Keni looked at him, the boy backed off and told about a pitbull who'd bit him once. Ace told him our dogs were totally friendly. I added, "unless we're in danger, of course."
(which is sort of true, though they would likely be more worried if their food were in danger, which is, I guess, really us anyway)

I wanted to tell them to have fun, maybe I did, I don't remember.
I wanted to tell them to not get too serious, just hang out and have fun, keep it all light and easy, life gets so serious so soon...there is travel and adventure and college and lots of people you'll meet at lots of front doors...but they'd already sped off in his Honda.

file under: life of a mom

sunday treat

Yesterday I cleaned my house and took all the dogs to the local dog wash. I also ran 7 miles and saw Steve off on his 3 week roadtrip through Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennseee, his quest to research ballads and find adventure. It was a big day. I ended it with some good red wine, old New Yorker magazines and some bad TV (is there any good tv?).

Today, I woke up super late, and have been writing, reading, thinking about painting and art projects. I've been very inefficient and I've probably wasted some time. It's been wonderful. I did think about being useful to the world and going to give blood. There is a critical need here in Austin and I'm a universal donor (O-). Sadly, I can never give blood because I spent more than 3 months in the U.K. in the mid 80's. This is, I believe, related to Mad Cow Disease . At the time, I was a strict vegetarian. I hope I'm safe.

Now, I'm planning a week trip with Annalise. I think we should go to Utah, and hike around the red rocks and possibly seem some crystal healers and sunsets. I don't know yet. We both need some down time, some destressing and above all we need to do something to mark the coming passage in our lives.

I'll be fine as an "empty nester". I have a full, rich life and a home full of creatures.
She'll be fine as a college freshman. She's smart and earnest and creative and excited.
We've traveled together a lot. Day trips from Seattle to Mount Sai, Mount Ranier, Sequim, Port Townsend, longer trips to Disneyland, Hawaii, Grand Canyon, NYC (twice), Padre Island, the road trip back to Texas...we're due for one now.

It's a beginning...and a passage, a big one.

file under: life of a mom