Wordless Wednesday: Baby Super Model

So it's Thursday and so far this is not wordless either but it's been an interesting week...

photo credit: cynthia perez

Your favorite stage mother,

November 13th

"We interrupt our regularly scheduled Movie Monday Madness to bring you a special bulletin about November 13th the movie and November 1st the short film"

OHMYGOD! HOLYSH*T! HOLYCRAP! I'M FREAKING OUT! (and yelling, obviously) But. OMFG!

It Happened! We did it! You did it! It was did! Ok, okay. I'll stop yelling. But, as you'll see, it's incredibly yell-worthy.

Our short film got funded! We just today surpassed our rather ambitious goal of raising 13,000 over the internets in hunks as low as 2 dollars, and for one person as much as 2,500 dollars - we somehow gathered enough signatures and people willing to put their CC where their typing fingers are and this is how it happened....

That Kickstarter site is so damn amazing. It's really just so special how they help artists and filmmakers and non-profits and bakers and bloggers and anyone who needs funding. It's an online democracy for art. Anyone can make it happen! It was such a perfect forum for us to get the excitement centered and focused - an incredible piazza if you will where we can all mill about and admire other people pursuing their passion. And let's be clear, the number one reason I liked the piazza's in Italy? The gelato. That's what Kickstarter is missing! A dairy sugar treat. Actually - you can get delicious fig newtons up there from Cassie, I did!

Ah but it's pretty darn sweet tonight, let me tell you. Needless to say I'm just so thrilled. It's overwhelming to me that 95 people so far have stepped forward to support us. 95! I got 95 emails that said 'New Backer Alert! So and so is your new backer! Amount pledged x dollars'. So 95 times my little heart jumped when the emails came in. And some of the times if the numbers were especially crazy my heart and feet would jump around the room and our little baby would squeal and my dog would look worried and my mom and step dad get excited and IN FACT!  I just scared the kee-rap out of the cute hubs because as I was looking at the email to see the wording for the above sentence when another 'Backer Alert!' came in for a big hunk of money from a dear friend and I just skitterred across the house trying to squeal quietly and scared him a little bit. What is happening? Why am I so lucky? How are we loved so much by friends, family and strangers alike? It's just nuts, and I'm shaking with the prospect of it. Make that 96 and wipe the tears from my face for the 45th time today.

So that's what is going on over here friends! It's an incredible day. February 1st. I'll never forget it. This experience has given me a new faith. It's a humbling and moving reminder to me of the great Nike campaign from the 90's.

Just Do It.

And we're gonna.

Your incredulous hostess of soon to be movie making fame,



PS - Thank you again to my dear blogee friends who are among the 96. I so appreciate you. And thank you again JJ for putting up the widget on your blog. Love you and the B-day Bea!

I don't even have a title for this post...

Tonight I was going to write an extraordinary post. You know, the one that you would read and say "Wow, holy crap that is amazing! That Jane is SUCH a talented writer - she just changed my life in ways that are incomprehensible to me.  I just get, feel, understand know of what she speaks and I relate to it in every way. If only I could have said it so well."

But I watched Extreme Makeover Home Edition instead.

And yes, I cried. And got annoyed with all of the cloying blahblah but then cried again and admired the design and then got annoyed that they drag it out for two hours but thank god for Tivo and then, yes okay FINE I cried at the end.

I wish I could stay up and write that post for you. Alas it will remain in the draft folder of my mind. I'll just say this: things are getting better. The big life decision still looms but at least there's a little relief so the mindgrapes aren't hurting so much.

A couple years ago I got to create a spoof of the Makeover Show for Microsoft. Watching the show tonight I realize how a) easy it was to spoof and b) how great a job we did.



With the love of a procrastinatin' heart,


PS- Please vote for the movie over to the left. I like you.

Wordless Wednesday: Man On a Mission Edition

Not my proudest photography moment, but you know, it's happening fast. BHB learned himself how to crawl! Last Saturday friends, January 23rd. So. Here we go...

Yours from the fast lane,

Up In The Air

George Clooney is so hot.

It's that damn George Clooney! He's so hot right now!


Sorry to mix my movies. Zoolander happens to be one of my all time favorite movies. If that fact means you don't care what I have to say about any other movie, so be it. Don't let the browser hit you on the ass on your way out.


YOU: Wow, really Jane? That was pretty rude. Do you actually feel that strongly about Zoo-freakin'-Lander?

ME: Yes, Yes I do. I love it. I mean comon'...the walk off? Pure genius.

YOU: Oh, okay. You know what? You're right.

ME: Ah good. Glad to see you've got great taste in movies. What a relief!

Ok, back to the action. Yes, hot. I just have to start there with GC's hotness. I mean, hellllo.  And while it should absolutely have no any bearing whatsoever on whether or not Up In the Air is a good movie, I'm sorry to say but it does.

It made it better. And it was already quite good.

Nominations for 2010 Oscars will be announced next Tuesday. I feel pretty darn confident that Up in the Air will be among the best picture contenders. Do I think it deserves to win that auspicious award? Short answer: Kinda.

Here's what worked for me. The filmgoing experience. I was quite satisfied. Ok, I granted I was a little frustrated with the ending, I'm not saying why yet (don't worry, I'll flag with spoiler alerts) but I get the strong feeling that we are supposed to be a little frustrated by the ending. And I laughed. I got a little weepy. I was swept away into the story and it's character's just like I'm supposta be.

Hot GC's character evolves. I like evolvement! In fact I think it's critical to a hero's journey and thusly the audience journey. Our hero should come out the other side a pretty different guy in a believable way. He did. I believed it.

And wow. I LOVED the casting a--key--ross the board. Down to the bit parts. This is often effed up by other filmmakers but Jason Reitman and his team just nailed this casting thing. I love lovey loved the love interest played by Vera Farmiga. What a power move, more or less an unknown ( I totally IMDB'd her on my iPhone on the way home from the theatre). And the other key role was played flawlessly by relative newcomer Anna Kendrick. Holy delightful! And the sisters. And. Really? Everyone! Like down to the gate agents kind of thing. I really appreciate this attention to detail, how often do you see a movie and things are humming along swimmingly when it suddenly gets knocked off track by a wooden lame actor with zero ability phoning it in and then Whoa! Weird! Bam! you're out of the story and have to find your way back with a gulp of DC and a few bites of popcorn. This friends, did not happen. Plus I don't drink DC, it makes me feel funny.

So here it comes...my issue with the movie.

**Spoiler Alert**

Ok, so. What's with the out o' the blue married status of our gal? I mean, I get that surprise's are good - ie: "ohhh, wow, didn't see that coming" But this was too far out. I don't think it's fair to take an audience to a wedding on a WEEKEND and give us tons of smilee -gorgeous- we're-a-couple-now-twirling around-the-dance-floor with a woman who is not wearing a ring and did I mention it was on the Weekend? And isn't it totally true that when you go to a wedding with someone you're taking the next step? Especially the wedding of a family member? On a Weekend?

Harumph.

**Okay, comon' back**

So I wanted to overlook this flaw, I really did. The only other issue I had is that it could be a bit stage-ee at times. Like the shot (don't worry, it's in the trailer) of the two of them opening their laptops at the same time. I mean, yea. No. That's heightened reality, which I am all for but all of the reality needs to match. But, well. Hold on, I think I'm being a bit curmudgeon-ly. The heightened stuff happens alot...and it's fun. See the thing is I didn't like Juno. (gasp! I know!) and that level of inauthenticity that happens in the cutesy moments (ah Jane, there you go again) is why I didn't like Juno and it was where I got lost momentarily in this movie too. His apartment? Just not believable. I get what you're trying to do, but it's frustrating.

I do love Jason Bateman as the boss. That dude is a fantastic freakin' actor who I think is sorta underrated. Not by me, by the world. Anyhoo. Ok so I know I'm all over the map but y'all know me well by now and wouldn't expect any less. Or more.

All of the acting goodness along with one of the better moments in recent cinema (the hotel lobby sobby scene) add up to something definitely worth seeing, as in I'd see it again.

So I give it an A--. Or B++. I can't commit to just one sign here. It's flawed it a pretty major way in my mind but totally, totally worth the ride. Especially to watch the uber hot George Clooney totally nail it. May he win many more awards and put on many more benefits and may he be in a movie that I direct someday so that I can admire him in person.

Jane out.



PS- This is an apt title for a post for me right now as so much of my own personal life feels very up in the air. I will dish more very soon. In fact...I'm thinking of asking folks who read my blog to help or actually make a major life decision for me and the hubs. I think it sounds kinda fun. I mean, it's better to blame the wiley internets if we find out later it was a total mistake, right? Stay tuned!

Telethon

I am watching this Hope for Haiti Now telethon and it's so incredibly moving. My confession is that I've avoided the news for the last 10 days because I knew I wouldn't be able to bear the images or the facts. I hate that about me, it's not that I don't care or don't want to know. It's just that knowing makes me feel like someone took a potato peeler to my skin and is lurking close by with a juicy lemon and a smirk.

But I'm watching. And trying to call, but the good news is I can't get through. When I go to the Hope for Haiti Now website I get a weird certificate message which is making me hold off on entering my credit card. Likely it's not actually an issue but ack, you know? I guess I'll wait until that is resolved or just donate to the Redcross which can also be done through the handy button over there to the left. Of course I'll admit I want to chat up Steven Spielberg or Sigourney Weaver. Or Leo. I love these conversations that they are showing us. How extraordinary and genius is thing that they've created in such a short time? George Clooney is truly a stand-up guy. How many people are like me and have been hiding from the news and are now watching these stunning performances and watching the Twitter map go off and just think of course I'll donate. Of course. Lemon's be damned.

I am always somewhere between embracing my sensitive ways or crucifying myself over it. But I am damn sensitive, it's just true. I'm sensitive to lighting. Fluorescents make me feel hopeless. Overhead lighting makes me angry. I'm sensitive to sound. Basically most of the time it's too loud and there are pitches that are perceivable to me and my brown dog, no-one else. And perfume? Let me summarize, by saying - Ugh. I can't wear it and if I hug someone who's got it going I often get it on me but where I don't know how to scrape it off and then I smell it all day and then...continued ugh-ness.

I watch BHB closely to see if he's got the same issues. I was once told by a psychic that he would be a 'sensitive child' and that I should buy the book The Highly Sensitive Child. While I'm not embarrassed to say this (okay a little) I'm all ears when it comes to the spiritual info that is downloaded onto me...I 'm going to wait and see before full tilt panic. Or book buying.

Lately I've been in the darkness again. I can't say whether that has something to do with ye olde PPD from days of yore. I have judgements about that - I think to myself - he's almost 10 months old! How is this still PPD? More like wtf getoveryourself which we shall initialize as GOYJ. But it is in fact why I've avoided the horrifying news from Haiti or for that matter our Senate. I just get taken down by this information and often don't recover for hours or even days. To truth is as I've shared before I have my own glimpses of psychic moments and also medium moments (I see dead people!) so I figure the whole sensitive bit is just par for the course. (regardless of how mysterious the course is to me....) But. I am looking for some solutions to get a little more de-sensitized.

Have you heard of the book The Mood Cure? Cute hubs picked it up and so far it's darn interesting. I haven't gotten very far into it, but I'm interested in the part that talks about overly senstive/overly emotional people and how this can be treated with diet. Since as I mentioned recently that I saw a family member successful treat a major psychiatric illness with diet changes, it totally makes sense to me that I could potentially find some relief from my endless weepy ways and inability to deal with bad lighting and bad news. Of course I've recently begun that journey by kicking the sugar to the curb but it may not be enough. I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime please enjoy some pics of the BHB livin' large with big joy (and big drool) despite my temporary lack of it.

Hubs dressed him in this plethora of stripes. He was trying to be funny and it worked 'cause this is true striped awesomeness.

FB friends sorry for the repeat. It's just too good to pass up...

Yours in the search for ease n' grace,


PS - I know I have just over-linked to past post-ness. And I'm sorry but, uh, not totally. That last one is a personal fave and a shortie if you're willing...

PPS - Yes there is a movie called Telethon (on TV). No, I've never seen it but IMDB says it exists. Oh and for Monday? Vote my sisters! I promise to do your bidding!! And thanks too btw for voting to keep that in. That's really nice, I appreciate it. So I'll keep yappin' about movies...it's good for my brain.

Wordless Wednesday: Who needs toys when there is a bucket nearby?

music credit: waxlab

sending buckets of love,