today

Today was an excellent day and I can say no more about why...but because of this day, I waited too late to go for a run. I went anyway, of course. I'm not always smart, but I'm almost always determined. I decided to go to the Town Lake trail even though it was cold and dark and getting colder and darker.

When I arrived, the parking lot was pretty empty. The smart people ran earlier or just stayed home. I was starting to talk myself into going back home, when I saw a big herd of runners wearing matching warm weather running clothes. I dashed after them. It's good to run near a group at night.

They lost me pretty quickly and I don't remember when I last saw them, or where they went, I just know I didn't pass them. Except for the occasional solo runner and a few bundled up walkers, I was pretty much alone. It was just after 6 p.m., but it felt like 8 or 9.

I know it's not good to run at night, especially when it's cold, especially on a dark trail where you can fall and sprain something. Still, this one time, it was what I needed. Have a little too much on your mind? Get outside when it's just way too cold and windy, and your mind gets nice and clear.

Back at home, I worked on my deadline, made progress.

P.S.
I'm thinking of my homeless friends on this cold night. The shelter fills up fast. Homeless women don't have any options after the Salvation Army beds are taken. If you're interested in working in one of the emergency cold weather shelters or if you have some warm things to donate, contact Front Steps.

artic cold front!

Our first one this year! It's 72 degrees and sometime between now and early in the morning, it will apparently get down to 28 degrees!

talented friends and the kindness of strangers

Friends:
Jim (James Michael Taylor) is a Fort Worth singer songwriter who just released a CD called Slaughter Mountain. The songs are about Tennessee and coal mines and those photos in your high school year book that you can't forget. He combines the raw, country, hillbilly rhythms and mixes them up with his haunting, well drawn lyrics. ( I know I'm not a music writer, I'll just say this album makes me want to drink really strong coffee and study the sunlight on a spider web.)

The Fort Worth Weekly gave him a full page review. They don't do that too often. They did it for Jim. It's good. Here's the review. You can buy the CD here.

Strangers:
Today when I was at the local Randalls, the cashier reached into her own wallet and pulled out a $1 off coupon for something in my basket just because she had it. It seems like a small gesture, but it isn't. It's nice without needing to be nice.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

We always have the traditional turkey with dressing and gravy made using my great grandmother's recipe. I usually bring something healthy-ish. This year, I made roasted root vegetables. No one was excited about this dish at first, but I did end up with the award for "best vegetable dish". We always have "pink stuff". It's a sort of cool whip/cherries jubilee thing that started years ago and we've made every year since because my brother loves it. His daughter loves it now, too, so I'm sure this tradition will continue. My aunt Casey brought spinach salad with mandarin oranges and walnuts. My brother always brings cranberry relish which he's perfected through the years and this year my niece, Skyler, brought some tasty sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans. We always have the broccoli casserole, and everyone just skips over the fact that it's made with Cheese Whiz. My Dad likes to mix things up a bit, last year he made up some venison sausage, this year be gave us his famous barbecued ribs. There were pies, too, pecan, chocolate,and Annalise's organic pumpkin pie with wheat crust.

We're a family of odd traditions, we do our best.

This year we were missing some folks. My Grandmother Dovie, and Kayse, my cousin Clay's wife. They died within a week of each other. We said a prayer of thanks that we knew them as long as we did.

My highlights:

• When the calves born last June jump over the pasture fence to come and hang out with whoever's in the yard. For some reason, Inky and Brittney are especially tame. They will enjoy a long, happy, grazing life.
  
• Riding Dakota around the back pasture. I do this every holiday and Dakota, while spirited and a bit headstrong, was calmer this time. He even stood completely still so I could get up easily. He's a little out of shape, so I kept him at a lope, which is fun as hell and easier on him. We got in a little trouble when Breezy, the beautiful, bossy mare, who thinks she runs the pasture, spotted us and tried to join us. Dad caught her with a carrot and put her in the stall and we trotted on.
• Feeding carrots to our cranky donkey, Bubba. Maybe some day he will be tame enough to let me scratch his nose. It's a slow process, he's a shy one.
  
• Hanging out with the family.
  
• Running around the north pasture with Annalise and Skyler. This totally confuses the cows and horses and Bubba and they neigh and moo a bit, try to follow us, but mostly just toss their heads when we run by.
• When my daughter asked my Mom for the broccoli casserole recipe: frozen broccoli, minute rice, cheese whiz, cream of mushroom soup. That's tradition.
  
• Getting time to visit with my Uncle Bob who is full of good advice and jokes after he eats a lot of turkey.
  
• Hanging out with my best buddy Maggie.
  

We used to gather at the Brazos river every year and all the extended family would show up, some we were expecting, some who we were just happy to see. My cousin Sam and I would always take off on a hike through the woods and talk about our lives, our hopes, our dreams. Neither of us liked football or could stand being inside on a beautiful day and we were both full of big ideas.

Sam is in Afghanistan this year flying his jet, and his family is in NC. Clay and his kids spent the holiday day with his wife's family, a difficult holiday for all of them. We gather together who we have and bring our best to the table and say grace. Even with our losses this year, we have so very much to be thankful for.

Dear Mr. Altman

Thank you for giving us so much to watch and think about, for staying true to your vision, for telling the truth and giving us stories that stay with us.

I love this quote by Garrison Keillor:

"He and I once talked about making a movie about a man coming back to Lake Wobegon to bury his father, and Mr. Altman said, “The death of an old man is not a tragedy.” I used that line in the movie we wound up making --- the Angel of Death says it to the Lunch Lady, comforting her on the death of her lover Chuck Akers in his dressing room, “The death of an old man is not a tragedy.” Mr. Altman’s death seems so honorable and righteous --- to go in full-flight, doing what you love --- like his comrades in the Army Air Force in WWII who got shot out of the sky and simply vanished into blue air --- and all of us who worked with him had the great privilege of seeing an 81-year-old guy doing what he loved to do. I’m sorry that our movie turned out to be his last, but I do know that he loved making it. It’s a great thing to be 81 and in love.” – Garrison Keillor

italian valium

It's very simple and exactly how I told the bartender to make it. He kept adding things, like cherries and orange juice, I don't know why, I told him it was just vodka and frangelico, but he said that wouldn't be very good. He told me he can't "play around there at the Driskoll", so next time I'll just bring this with me:

Italian Valium Martini:

3 Part(s) Vodka
1 Part(s) Frangelico Hazelnut Liquor

Instructions:

Add all ingredients into a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into 2 well chilled martini glasses.

Note: At the 5 spot, they put one little Hazlenut in the glass, too.

i am home

I am home. I am a happy Texan.

Saturday morning began with a 10 mile run with my old marathon training team, TexFX. I wasn't sure I could do it, I hadn't run since L.A. and I came home with sniffles. The morning was bright, cool, clear and beautiful. Being up early running around the lake just feels good. Though I was tired and the morning was cold, I was so happy to be home again in this city where we still have plenty of trees, some good cleanish air, and a pretty path around a lake that a girl can run on a Saturday morning.

There are certain parts of the trail that are my favorite. While Kat doesn't like running over the Long Horn Dam, I like it almost as much as I like far East side of the lake. The east side is less traveled and the landscapers don't spend much time there, so it's wilder and less kept up. I can't resist running through a pile of leaves when I see one to run through. I made it all 10 miles and at the end, I didn't even feel sore. (This was not the case this time last year when I asked mu teammates when I might stop feeling so sore after each run, and I meant immediately after, not just the next day.)

Last night we had a rousing filmmaker gathering at the Driskoll bar. I tried really hard to tell the bartender how to make an Italian Valium, but did not succeed, so I settled for my usual glass of overpriced red wine. It hit the spot just fine.
I saw people I hadn't seen in ages, people that I've emailed and called, folks I've been reading about. They all wondered how the screenings went, whether the Storie team was tired and how we were holding up.

In all, the screenings and the trips were great. It reminded me of when I was in college touring Europe with a backpack, sleeping in a new place almost every night, exploring, visiting, on the journey.

More later on the details, the short story is that we learned much, we made some great contacts, and as usual, there is follow up work to do. This time, however, new doors are open to us and we'll be spending the next few months, here in Austin, while we get ready for what's next.

Last night, walking back to the car, a man wheeled up to us and left me with much to think about. His upper body was all bundled up in blankets and he had no legs at all, he was perched on his chair precariously. When he asked us for change, I was so taken aback I couldn't respond and he graciously said "God bless you all" and wheeled away. Like most of the homeless I know, he was understanding of those of us who have more than enough and can't be bothered to stop for a moment and see him. A spot-on example of going through the world with dignity and grace, and a reminder to me to step out of my own thoughts long enough to see him next time.

I'm off to do baby duty again. I found little Jessie a onesie that reads "Future President" and Lane gets his own D.C. shirt, too. I'm bringing cocoa, marshmallows, pizza and bubbles. It's gonna be quite an evening...

I Heart David Lynch

and this is one of the reasons why:



p.s. I know where this corner is, I was just there last week.

need to sleep...

Last minute packing, prepping for the screenings and the trip, puttering and thinking..

I'm still excited I guess, about this week and all, NYC screenings, LA screening, of to DC, so far, really great. Kat and I might look a little bleary eyed, that's because we're almost there, on the verge of pulling this whole thing off.

Our other projects are moving forward, too and I'm a bit giddy about that. Looks like I might be getting that RV and traveling the Texas Roadside on some upcoming weekends. Brain Brawl continues to get some excellent possibilities...there's too much to think about...

I'm glad Kat and I got the hotel room in L.A. last night, because tonight I think I'll be up thinking about things most of the night. Kind of like when I was a kid and headed somewhere cool the next day and I just couldn't stand to go to sleep because being excited was so damn fun.

I do have a new blog to share, in case anyone needs any facts about tractors: TractorFacts.

green eyed monster of gratitude

I have to say that I love L.A. I wouldn't choose to live there, but now I know some super people who do live there and they are pretty wonderful folks. I ran through the town twice and saw that for all the buildings and cars, it's also pretty and occasionally feels like a series of small towns in one big city.

The people are also pretty. At times, a person who has been traveling for awhile can start feeling a little weathered among all the skinny, pretty ones. This person can then start thinking a little too much about how she compares to the skinny, pretty ones, and go to that dark place where she questions herself about being single again and coming home to a house full of dogs and cats and one slightly tired housesitter.

But, there's another side to that, too.

First of all, I don't want to be skinny and blonde. I also know that, too often, the people who seem like they should be truly happy, the pretty couples with pretty children who are walking to their expensive cars, don't always have big smiles on their faces. The model strolling by the cafe looks amazing, but you don't get the impression she'll smile back at you, and break into a grin, instead she'll give you that expressionless gaze. One half of the pretty couple will say something cold and distant to the other half of the pretty couple. These things happen.

The truth is the happiest times are the ones when you feel comfortable in your own skin and in your own life and all you can think about is how good things are. The times when you don't think about it, you just know your life is rich and blessed. The smite of jealousy turns to gratitude. That's when the weathered traveler feels at home again. That is what a hot bath and a walk in your own backyard can do for you when you arrive home again.

I leave in the morning for D.C. My goal was to take this marathon trip lightly, just absorb the places, the people, the moments, not worry to much about how long I'd be gone, or what I might leave behind, just stay with it.

New York: I saw old friends, made new friends, held a brand new baby, went to my favorite ethiopian restaurant, had two excellent screenings, watched the NYC marathon and strolled along treelined streets in the middle of autumn.

LA: I made lots of new friends, screened the film in a beautiful theatre complete with a sparkly curtain and chandeliers and a projectionist who made our film look like a million dollar film, had dinner in a pizza place with a sci-fi theme complete with startrek chairs, had some fabulous coffee, and ran along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and that's just a tiny bit of the cool unexpected things that happened.

Pretty wonderful.

On to D.C. tomorrow. Better get back to the laundry and the dogs, who are very happy to see me.

a good night

Last night we stayed with Kat's friend from high school and her husband. They live on the other side of the hill with the hollywood sign.

We had dinner at an organic cafe that serves vegetarian dishes and meat from free-range chickens, cows and pigs, grazers who die gently. The meal was great, healthy and light, yet what really caught me was the conversation.

We talked about story and cartoons and how people react to them. We talked about what it's like to work with people who test your mind and your creativity. We talked about why stories work or don't work, or might work.
Inspiring talk.

It's the difference between talking with someone who is always wanting to do something else and someone who has created a life where they are doing something that gets them up in the morning and off to work at cartoon network.

There was a time when I was grousing to one of my uncles about how I wasn't doing work I loved, I was stuck, or I thought I was. (I'm pretty sure I was whining.) He just looked at me and said, "what's stopping you?". Nothing was...not a thing, except myself, of course. That was the push I needed.

So I did it, in small steps. I worked at a corporation, I saved money, I wrote and made movies on the weekends, I became a chaperone at Ace's school so I could learn to snowboard for free, I met a boy who taught me to ride a motorcycle (I'm not saying that was a great idea or anything...), I took on new projects at work, I took things on that sounded interesting.
I made a plan and eventually moved out of one thing and into another thing. Life is less predictable, the career of a freelancer isn't perfect, but it gives me freedom and, for now anyway, the tradeoff is well worth it.

Life is short.

LA - Day 2 ~(or is it 3?)~

The days are zooming by, so is our little rental car. Kat has become quite adept at LA driving. I am in charge of geography, sort of, sometimes she still lets me drive. We're having fun navigating this town and this crazy industry.

Yesterday I started the day with a long run through Hollywood with Debbie. She led me down the Hollywood stars, past the famous Chinese theatre. I ran over the `Osmond family, but was careful to jump over Eartha Kitt and fellow Texan Renee Zellweger.

After two meetings, one with an indie slant, one with a studio slant, we met up with Kat's friend (and mine, too now), Margo. She's super nice and owns her own ecofriendly sneaker company, Keep (http://www.keepcompany.com/).

Celebrity siting for Thursday: Haley Joe Osmont

no Steve Martin for me

My first full day in LA. While sitting at an outdoor table at a cafe, Kat and Lorie saw Steve Martin. I was inside getting a coffee refill - I missed him. Ah well, I saw Peter Gallagher (the O.C.) (I don't watch the O.C., but my daughter used to, so I'm somewhat aware of actors on the show...)

In L.a. it's 11:25 p.m. In Texas, it's 1:30 a.m.

Kat and I ran through Lorie's neighborhood this morning, and the air feels a bit gritty. Still, L.A. is nicer than I thought it would be. The people have been very nice.

Off to bed, long day tomorrow...which is Thursday, I think...

dogs and cats and mostly Roy Bean

Usually when I come home from a trip, the pets go crazy when I get home. This time, either they know I'm leaving again today (their clues: the suitcase is still out, I've been on the phone/email, no walks...) or they just love the housesitter so much they don't care. She's like the cool babysitter you have when you're a kid. She lets them eat junk food and lots of cookies, let's them go a bit crazy and stay up late, and the cats get to come inside. It's party time.

I am just back from the vet though. The housesitter is a bettter dog petter than I am and she found a fatty lump on Jdg. Roy Bean's side belly. The vet asked, "Is it new?" I nodded, it's new to me, afterall. "He had a full bath recently". The vet: "Last week?" Me: "no...July", but you know. We both nodded and looked back at Roy who was really happy to be the center of attention.

So, the vet, who I bonded with last year after my cat Tux had an abcess and then when I saw him after the he'd run the marathon, did a little needle biopsy and 20 minutes later, the lump was determined to be a fatty benign bulge that we can watch unless it gets too big and gets in his way or anything.

Roy has also gained a bit of weight. He's at 72lbs now, so 12lbs or so more than he should weigh, but still less than the 90lbs he was when I brought him home from the shelter. He's been counter surfing, I think while the sitter's here, or eating lots of cookies and junk food and paper and staying up late watching cable.

But as my friend Dave said so well, I shouldn't judge Roy Bean.

marathon frenzy

Last night's screening went really well. We had a nearly full house, we got pizza during the screening. We got some good feedback and I met some really interesting people. I love Ray and Tom of the Pioneeer, they are pro's and also very sweet guys who love film. Afterwards we went out for drinks with a lot of Kat's friends, some shared friends and one of our new favorite people, Paul Davis, of Calleri casting. The music was too loud, but hey, that's New York.

Kat headed back to Austin around 11 and I headed over with Karen, Ralph, Mike and Jackie to watch the NY marathoners run down Bedford. I love watching the runners and cheering them on. I love to catch their eye and get a wink, I love seeing their face light up when you call their name (many of them write their name somewhere on their body or clothes).

I did see Lance with the "Lance-cam". He maintained just under a 7 minute pace for the marathon and finished 30 seconds under three hours. Lance is inspiring, all of them are.
The biggest battle isn't physical, it's mental and emotional. Whatever the goal, finishing in a certain time, at a certain pace, or just finishing, you'll be tested.

To the man in the wheelchair who didn't have any arms and used his feet to propel his chair down the street, and the runner without legs who ran on prosthetics: Thank you. Seeing you both brave 26.2 miles reminds me of why it's important to take risks and find your way around the obstacles. I hope I would be as brave. (Having almost lost my arm, seeing you two also gave me much needed perspective about a comment someone made once that has haunted me off and on for a few years... it doesn't sting any more.)

NYC

Last night's screening went really well. We had a great audience and the Pioneer theatre is cozy, clean and beautiful. (The popcorn isn't bad either.)
The trip has been great so far, meetings with industry friends and just friends. It's been cold, and the run this morning was fast and brisk. Free Wifi has been hard to find, so posts may be infrequent.
I love being in NYC, though I know I couldn't stay for long. Even in a fabulous city, like New York, I start missing trees.
The GreenCine interview was posted this morning.