International Surfing Day, yo!

That's right, race fans! It's International Surfing Day once again. The little A and I will be headed down to the beach as soon as the weather breaks to see what the old salts are doing and maybe even float her around on the longboard a bit. It's never too early to learn your balance, right?

So, if you live near the ocean, get your bahookey down to the water and catch a few waves!

The Best Meme

I stole this from Raphaela.

You are in a mall when the zombies attack. You have:

1. one weapon.

2. one song blasting on the speakers.

3. one famous person to fight alongside you.

1. Lightsaber

2. Ballroom Blitz

3. Joan Jett

Just a quick one for the coffee drinkers out there

Your favorite barista is back, but only for the moment. The move is still in the works. (Thanks, Cousin M for the virtual back rub... which sounds kinda' naughty! I didn't know you played like that.) ;) Anyway, I'm hoping to be back on my feet by Saturday.


I'm just taking a moment before unpacking another box to say that the first of the 3 Java Quest commercials is out there somewhere on the airwaves. If there is a Kwik Fill near you stop in to get a steaming cup of joe and see MSJ's handsome face beaming back at you. Could there be a better way to spend a morning? I think not! The next two commercials will hit soon, so keep your eyes open. I'll be the coffee girl in the third installment, who according to my grandmother "looks rounder than you look in real life." Thanks, Gram!

Please also check out the latest two episodes of Stranger Things. My sister did some PA work on this show. (Do you see those mysterious balls that keep flying into Rob Covington's hand? That's Annabel, somewhere in the ether, holding Rob's balls. Some of us will do anything to make it in this industry. Anything. To learn more about what the daring and audacious Annabel Lee will do to build a resume, visit her blog.)

Well I'm off to unpack my kitchen now, but I'll leave you with these Mayan words of wisdom. "Drink much coffee to support struggling actors. And buy 4WD before 2012."

I swear I didn't put them up to this

Fellowship of Fools released a new bulletin. I'm on the outside of this one. I don't think Mike St. James even knows if he's going to be on the next episode of Fellowship of Fools yet. I don't know about you, but I plan to tune in on Thursday night to find out what this is all about.
www.fellowshipoffools.com You never know what's going to happen with those FoF guys, but calling in is not for the thin skinned. ;)

Here is the text of the bulletin:

That’s right, this past weekend not only did I have pleasure of sitting
down with present and past cast members from the hit TV show Supernatural, I
also had an impromptu phone interview with Raven Rock’s own Mike St. James.

This past weekend I sat down and met with Chad Lindberg, Gabriel Tigerman, Fred Lehne and Jim Beaver. On this week’s show I will also give the details on when the
Supernatural interviews will air. Also, an announcement regarding the FoF’s
future plans with those same Supernatural cast members.

Mike’s interview was off the cuff and the Fellowship of Fools had a first. We had our FIRST guest actually find a way to cut short his interview to avoid answering a VERY important question. Mike DID said he was going to call back, unfortunately Mike didn’t call back. So what was the question that Mike didn’t want to answer….
Soon very soon all will be revealed……….

New Nickname: The Sandpiper

We look eerily similar, non? Flying over the turbulent waves.

No one can say that this girl doesn't wipe out with grace.

We just had our last few days of surfing with the Zekester and the time has come for us to send him home. In honor of the Big Z, I'm posting a few more surfing pics.

He is my Master and I am his Padawan. After much encouragement to "channel your inner tiger, kid!" I finally came to realize that he meant Crouch, girl, crouch! I'm not sure if I accomplished the crouch or if I'm just bootylicious, but it worked.

So, you can have him back, Peppy! But take good care of him for us and remember, he's just on loan to Behind the Couch Productions.

For now this is Sandpiper, signing off.

Skydiving, tigers, or new house?

Well this post is mostly for family & friends who care, but also for those rare psychos who just can't get enough gossip about the St. James family.

Our new home... in 3 weeks, anyway.

MSJ and I got thinking about what we could do with our take from the Java Quest commercials and after seriously considering a wild run of skydiving over the Andes and tiger baiting in Sumatran, we discovered that if we combined our incomes we could move into this lovely place seen here.

Gas fireplace in livingroom, door leads to back porch

Without a moment's hesitation (wink, wink) we signed on the dotted line and we'll be moving in just 3 weeks. (I vomit a little in my mouth every time I say that. 3 weeks is not much time. I should be packing, not blogging!)

Part of the backyard

The house is just beautiful. It's exactly what I wanted. It's on an acre of land, bordered by woods, giving me lots of room for my organic herb garden (because that's how we roll). It's brand new and has been landscaped by the builders. It has a sprinkler system, which is perfect because I'm lazy. It has hardwood floors, an over sized garage, and fancy ceilings called... something that I can't remember or google, apparently. The center of the ceiling is recessed. It's not domed, but it's similar to a dome. Here's a pic. The lucky reader who identifies the name of this type of ceiling wins my respect.

Formal dining room. You can see the glass on the front door--so pretty!

But the crowning glory of this house? It's this studio! Now this room is absolutely cozy and charming. I had a great many plans for this room when I first saw it, but alas! My planning was all for naught. MSJ won the studio after a vicious game of Rock Paper Scissors and now he plans to fill it with movie posters and "modern feel".

Second floor studio that will soon look like Studio 54

Well, now you know why I'll be so busy the next 6 weeks. I dread the work, but I can't wait to live in the house. If you want the address, contact me.

"When in doubt, paddle out"

The Big Zeke and me

The Zeke is in town and that means surfing. Morning, noon, and night surfing. The man is tireless when you put him in the water. He's like a favorite nephew of Neptune or something.

That's me. It feels something like flying.

I wanted to throw some pictures up on the blog while he's still in town. He's the only true surfer amongst us. The rest of us are just mullering around while it seems that he can catch any wave and ride it until he runs out of ocean.

I'm not sure if I was getting up or coming down in this one.


I used the long boards on this particular day (Zeke was nice enough to share his with me; the other one I "borrowed" from Sendai without asking. But Sendai's still in Africa, so... someone should be using the board, right?) It turns out that I am a long board surfer. I lack the infallible poise and supernatural center of gravity that has blessed MSJ. The long board gives me time (and room) to step, step.

Purling!

I had a few wicked wipeouts, but nothing like last time I went surfing with Zeke the day before Thanksgiving and fractured my nose. That sucked. Here's a great picture of my surfing prowess. For those non-surfers who visit my blog, I'll explain. Do you see how the nose of the board is under water? That's not good. That's called purling. And do you see how I'm trying desperately to throw my weight to the back of the board (ineffectually, I might add)? Yeah, that didn't work. This picture was taken seconds before I went head first into the wave.

I'll miss you, Z-Man!

I forgot to mention the green screen

It was the most fascinating part of the day, as neither MSJ nor myself have ever worked in front of a green screen. And now that I write that sentence I'm forced to admit that one of us still hasn't worked in front of a green screen (me).

I never realized just how hard it would be to film in front a green screen surrounded by nothing but your imagination. And MSJ has a great imagination. He has the best imagination. Did you see Finding Neverland? That's like life with MSJ; we're always in another world of make believe. Another analogy for you: If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, MSJ is from Neptune. All nebulous, intuitive, dreamy surrealism. (Some of you will get that and some of you will think I've been hitting the wacky weed. I can't play to all audiences... because I'm from Pluto.)

Anyway. Green screens. So, Mike St. James & Alison Cook had to stand on what used to be a loading dock in an abandoned warehouse in the middle of an old refinery, surrounded by green, and imagine being in a lush jungle surrounded by Mayan ruins. The imagining is something MSJ can do. But what if the picture in your mind doesn't match the picture in the director's mind? Or the CG wizard's mind? Do you just look like a fool? And I would be terribly frustrated with no physical parameters. Still, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

The last picture is demonstrating that "on location" isn't always glamorous. Thank God for my umbrella man, right? ;)

Java Quest

Cast of Java Quest

The quest for good coffee begins this summer in a town near you and ends with... me.

This summer you'll see me as Maya, the gas station attendant with the best darn coffee this side of the Andes. I was acting, for the second time, with the fabulous Mike St. James. He and his costar Alison Cook had to leap from chairs into the scene as I swirl around with perfect grace to hand them a steaming cup of joe. I was flawless. I was like Ginger Rogers, I'm telling ya. Mike & Alison however? I mean, how hard it is to "jump on 3"? Really, people. [/snark]

Working with your spouse--good idea or exercise in stupidity?

I thought I'd get around to blogging on the filming of the commercials, but two weeks have gone by and I just haven't worked up the chutzpah to do it justice.

The crew was professional. The directors were inspiring. They had staff who's entire assignment seemed to be escorting us under umbrellas to the cars waiting to chauffeur and bringing us coffee and snacks. I have to say the guys at United Refinery did a great job taking care of us. I can honestly say I've never been treated so well on a set. I will also say--while I'm blossoming with honesty--that I didn't mind the umbrella/coffee/carry my stuff thing. Not for one day anyway.

My transformation begins

Make-up was amazing. This woman did a fantastic job on everyone. My only moaning was that I didn't look like myself at all. Really. I wouldn't have recognized myself. The first person who saw me when we returned from the shoot was my own mother who said, "Oh you scared me! I didn't recognize you." And then my little sister Carolyn who said, "You don't look like you. Are you okay?" (Ah, family! What would we do without it to keep us humble?)

See the make-up? Mrs. St. James is under there somewhere.

The only hitch was that my wardrobe, which had been special ordered, wasn't ready. This will explain why you see me in these pictures wearing my comfortable--and wrinkled--oversize shirt that's perfect for road trips while the rest of the cast is in full wardrobe. What's a woman to do? Send someone to the mall, damn it! One lucky crew member got to go on a quest of his own for appropriate clothing for me. He came back with brown. I like brown. All was well.

"Location" for me ended up being an old abandoned warehouse where they built an absolutely amazing set. Honestly, you could have set up shop in there and never have known the difference. But lucky MSJ got to film in the attic of an old, creepy warehouse-converted-to-studio (I would love to have explored) and the orangutan exhibit at the Erie Zoo. It was a brilliant location -- looks just like Mayan ruins.

Creepy warehouse location, courtesy of Ed Bernik

Do you know how it is when you go to the zoo and you look right at the apes and they just ignore you? They won't look at you even if you're right in front of them. They'll just sit there or put a bag over your head or something? Well, I learned something that my biodiversity classes never taught me. Those apes are exhibitionists. The apparent apathy is simply a ruse. If you put black screens in front of their glass to control the lighting for, let's say, filming a commercial? Suddenly those bored-looking apes are sedentary no longer. They'll swing around, knock on the glass, try to peer around the screens to see what you're doing, and perform unimaginable antics to get your attention. This was my daughters' favorite part of the trip. Orangutans.

City Boy has a point... I guess

There is an ongoing discussion between me & Mike St. James about what is better, the vibrant and energetic city or the peaceful and pastoral countryside. MSJ can't get enough of bright lights and big cities. He loves to be in the center of the action, a crowded club, or throng of people making their way down a city street.

Now for me, give me nature any day. I prefer tall trees to tall building and the gentle hum of nature to the noisy chaos of the city. I like to walk barefoot in the grass. I love Mother Nature and she loves me. Most of the time.

I have a favorite meditation & prayer spot right at the edge of the woods under a willow tree. It's a perfectly peaceful and shady place where I like to sit in the grass and be alone with my thoughts (or sans thoughts, as the case may be). As luck would have it, I'm not the only creature that likes that spot. Apparently a tick didn't want to share his piece of earth and bit me on the leg. And it would seem that I'm particularly sensitive to this type of tick because I now have a swollen, red patch on my leg that's larger than my hand.

So will I give up my favorite place in the shade? Not a chance. I will, however, be wearing a new pair of ankle length yoga pants the next time I do my Ohms.

Walt Whitman:
Give me the splendid silent sun with all his beams full-dazzling,
Give me autumnal fruit ripe and red from the orchard,
Give me a field where the unmow'd grass grows,
Give me an arbor, give me the trellis'd grape,
Give me fresh corn and wheat, give me serene-moving animals teaching content,
Give me nights perfectly quiet as on high plateaus west of the Mississippi, and I looking up at the stars,
Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturb'd,
Give me for marriage a sweet-breath'd woman of whom I should never tire,
Give me a perfect child, give me away aside from the noise of theworld a rural domestic life,
Give me to warble spontaneous songs recluse by myself, for my
own ears only,
Give me solitude, give me Nature, give me again O Nature your primal sanities!

Simply Complicated

Sometimes things just don't come out the way you intend. This post isn't quite G rated; by the time you're done reading you'll know exactly what makes me blush and what Mike St. James has to do with bisexual swingers. So read on if you dare!

Our story starts with the innocent subject of sand volleyball. MSJ and I enjoy playing around, we're both athletic, and lo and behold! we discovered that there's this great bar with about a dozen volleyball courts, not to mention music, horseshoes, a tiki bar (I love tiki bars!)--the place is like a playground for adults. Long story short, MSJ started contacting some of the cast of Raven Rock to see if they'd like to form a team.

But since we also like to play together, Mike thought he'd ask Greg Frucci if he'd like to play 2-on-2 with us. The trouble was that we didn't know if Frucci was married or single. This is an exact copy of the message MSJ sent to his co-star.

[Subject:] Personal Question

Are you married, or do you have a girl Frucci? Just wondering if we could
play a foursome with my wife and yours.You don't have to answer this if you
don't want to bro.

Now, what would you think if you got that email? Probably exactly what Frucci thought... that Mike was propositioning him for something a little more complicated than volleyball. Thus begins my humiliation. Do you see how I'm implicated in the whole mess? I can just see their faces at the next cast party. "I didn't know she was that kind of girl." I can only hope that this has upped my magnetism factor. Surely I'll be at worst an oddity and at best, can I hope for femme fatale? A siren temptress?

But here's where the story gets really funny. Frucci is the sort of actor everyone looks up to. MSJ really respects and admires him. So, MSJ gets a reply from Frucci that can only be explained as the kindest rejection I've ever heard. I won't post his response (do we really need to dig a deeper hole with this man?) but the gist of it was Hey, thanks, I'm flattered, but no thanks, man. To really drive home the absurdity of MSJ's original message, Frucci ends his message with, "whenever you wanna play some v-ball...hit me up." I've got to hand it to Frucci; he knows how to let a man down gently.

Of course MSJ wrote back with a quickness and explained what he had meant to say in the first place. But who would believe that? If you were Frucci, wouldn't you be thinking Yeah right, boy! You're just saying that because I turned you down! I know I would.

So now it seems that all of the confusion has been patched up and the only thing left hurting is my pride (I haven't blushed this much since high school). And when you hear the rumors about the St. James's and how we swing like that, you just nod and say, With enough tequila and volleyball, a man will do anything. I've found that wagging your eyebrows helps this go down smoothly.

Talyor August: Man of Many Talents

Don't ask my why Tay August and Mike St. James decided to do their own photo shoot, because I can't think of a plausible reason myself. Tay played the photographer, considering that he's the artist. MSJ played the model, considering how much he loves to be in front a camera. ;)

These pictures are the end result of 6 hours spent goofing around on a Wednesday evening. Yes, they probably should have been at Actor's Anonymous. Perhaps they should have spent the evening rehearsing for the Raven Rock filming that's going on this month. I guess this is what happens when you get two young, artsy guys, who have no "real" jobs, together with a camera. (C'mon, guys! You know I'm teasing. Of course acting is a real job. Ahem.)

And when I put it that way, I'm here thinking, "It could have been worse." So much worse.

So, to Taylor let me say: Great job, man! The pictures look fantastic. You were able to capture a James Dean aura last night.

And to MSJ, let me say: This shows your versatility. It's not the mood you usually convey but it's evidence of your progression as an actor that you can step out of your own skin and give due justice to something like this.

The time of times...

David the Film, movie poster

Such a dramatic title, Mrs. St. James!

That's the song I'm listening to right now. The Time of Times by Badly Drawn Boy. It fits my mood perfectly. Do you ever have a moment and know that this is "the" moment? It's the singular, quintessential something that you'll never live again. We had a time of time moment Tuesday night and I'm still in that place of wonder that the Universe has conspired to bring us delectation and hand us a heart's desire.

Tuesday night was the official premiere of David. To see my husband and my daughter on the movie screen, together... I don't really have words for the moment. But it really came home that they are in fact actors when I saw a theater full of people, all eyes on MSJ, laughing at the funny scenes, relating to him, pulling for him, and applauding wildly when the film was over. I know I'll see both of them of on the big screen again and again. But no time will be like that time. And I don't think I'll ever quite get used to it. To me, he's just my Mick. My zany, boyish, charming Mick.

So today I think I'll just bask in it. I'm going to hold on to this time of times with both hands and not let it go. Thanks to my family and friends who are so supportive and at least pretend to be interested in our little theatrical adventures. I'm delighted that you want to share our times with us.

It's time to get out there, North Carolina!

The day has arrived! In a state where primaries often come after the presumptive nominees have been decided, we have one heck of an exciting election season this year. Governor, Lt. Governor, Treasurer, Senator, and that all-important Insurance Commissioner, not to mention that there are still 4 presidential hopefuls running in this race. Now I don't care if you want to Barack the Vote, or help a fellow woman break through that glass ceiling; or if you have a deep streak of Libertarian pride and want a true change, or if you support a faithful and experienced war hero--just get out there and do it!

We'll see you at the poles!

A New Baby in Our Family

That's right! We are an aunt and uncle all over again and we couldn't be happier! A new cousin for our daughters to play with; the next tiny baby to snuggle; the next little one to be thrilled by Christmas lights and fish tanks.

My little sister just had a son, Mason Michael. She's not saying which uncle he's named after (he has 4 that are named Michael), but we're just going to assume he's named after MSJ and spoil the heck out of him. It was so nice to get to cuddle a tiny baby again. It's easy to forget how very small they are at first.

Welcome to the family, Mason!

And congratulations, Carolyn. I'm so proud of you!

Mike St. James is taking over

I just noticed this funny little quirk this morning and I thought I'd point it out.

If you go to youtube.com and search for "elect david smith", his ad will come to the top. Click on that (see MSJ in action), and you'll find in the list of related links just under David Smith's second ad the teaser to another of MSJ's films called "David". We love you youtube!

I'm such a Fool!

My Foolish Adventure started when I called in to my favorite webcast Fellowship of Fools to complain.

I wanted to listen last night and once again the Fates were working against me. The common assumption is that the problem lies within the tired, old grinding gears of my computer. Personally, I suspect an ex-boyfriend of mine is working at Talkshoe.com and sabbotaging my efforts. (I'm watching you, Joey!)

Long story short, Charlie just got me chatting. Don't we all know how very loquacious I am? (Uh, yeah you do because you're reading my blog.) Before you know what has happened, the other hosts Brian & Anthony have joined and there we were... an orgy of, well, fools! It was such a blast! I'm not as well-versed in the video game genre as these gents (the best I can do for mortal combat is grind out a throaty "Get over here!"--member that?), but I think I held my own when we dished on movies.

So, what do I hear this morning?

I have had 4 emails asking if you are going to be on next week. So you appear to have a fan base……. I told all of them that I would ask and that you are always welcome on the show

Twee! I'm popular. I'd by lying if I said I wasn't wickedly proud of myself. Chatting it up with 4 men live in front of the whole world and trying not to look like an ass while they're discussing DC Comic characters and Grand Theft Auto is no walk in the park. Somehow I must have been convincing. Or maybe it was my sexy, sultry, southern girl voice? Eh?

So, what do you say? Should I call back? Make another guest appearance? To hear my first dip in the pool, check it out here, Episode 23!

Would you buy coffee from this man?

Would you buy coffee from this man? Of course you would! The photos from the Java Quest shoot turned out great, didn't they? This is such an exciting project. The rest of the filming is to be done late next week.

I heard that they did part of the photo shoot in the studio and the rest was done at the zoo. The actors climbed into the exhibit and became part of the exhibit themselves when the zoo visitors began taking pictures of them, pictures of the photographer taking pictures of them... you know how these things work. People are interesting. Nonetheless, it pleased the hell out of MSJ. (If you know him, you'll understand.)

Allegedly the rest of the filming will be split between 3 locations: the studio, the zoo again, and the gas station. I'm especially excited for the zoo filming because I heard a rumor that the actors will be going into the elephant exhibit. I hope I get to be on set that day.... can you imagine? This project has been so much fun! I can't wait to do the rest. My scene will be, of course, filmed at the gas station. I wish I could shout "woohoo", but I just don't have it in me. What can I say? I'm still thrilled to be a part of this project. So far working with Mike has been kinda nice.

And now for the place where the rubber hits the road. Would you want to have the same coffee this man is having? Can he convince you that he has searched near and far for the best coffee in the world? And gone to great lengths to bring it to you? Or maybe you'd just like to sit down and have a nice cupa' joe with the guy? All the folks at Kwik Fill are hoping you'll say yes to Mike St. James and his Java Quest coffee. Mmmm...

The lovely actress in the photos is Alison Cook. She's an aspiring actress/college student at Penn State.

Can I just say "I told you so"?

Insurance matters! Take for instance singer/songwriter/actress/teacher Michele Seidman. Mike St. James and I just worked with her on his latest commercial. She has been suffering from an injury that has caused her chronic pain and because she is without insurance, there is little the surgeons are willing to do for her. If you haven't already seen the commercial, check it out here. http://youtube. com/watch?v=T7-h22-L4lM [EDIT: These links aren't working? Go figure? You can go to youtube.com and search "elect david smith" to pull them up] (Michele is the blond woman.) Michele's story, in her own words, is particularly poinient in light of what has happened in the last week.

Michele's injurys have gotten much worse and she needs immediate medical care. To that effect, there will be a medical benefit held this Thursday 4/27. I've copied and pasted the details below. Anyone who is in the area should come by and show your support to Michele. She's an integral part of the acting community of Wilmington. MSJ and I hope to see you there!

Medical Fundraiser, BANDS CONFIRMED and RAFFLE INFO BELOW:

Freezer Door (Charlotte NC)
http://www.
myspace.

com/freezerdoorband
http://www.
freezerdoor.

net/
PRODUCED BY JIMM MOSHER AND ALAN GROSSMAN "Unique" is the first word that comes to mind to describe FREEZER DOOR, one of music's newest faces leaving their mark on the industry. Their self titled single, Freezer Door, is drawing rave reviews from fans and critics alike. The band's blend of pop, rock, and soul culminates into a fresh new sound missing in much of today's music.

Celebrate Mike St. James; Save the Earth

Please note that there is a semicolon in the title of this blog, not a comma. I don't really want to imply that by partying with MSJ you're going to become environmentally responsible. Or maybe I do...

Today is MSJ's birthday. And what a lucky man to be born on Earth Day! Everyone is positive and forward thinking and optimistic when we look at the beauty of nature around us, AND they're eating cake in your honor. How can you go wrong with that?

And, MSJ is a rather green guy. When he's not acting, he runs his own business in the construction industry (a notoriously environmentally unfriendly segment of our economy), but he manages to do it in as green of a way as possible. He has been known to recycle thousands of pounds of cardboard. His company contributes financially to environmental causes. And, MSJ has been known to plant a few trees from time to time. Our home has gone green to the degree that we purchase low-energy appliances, we unplug our appliances when not in use, and we recycle... oh boy, do we recycle! I'm a maniac. Me and girls have volunteered for park and shoreline cleanups while MSJ is out filming. We take care of our planet.

So, that makes this one of our favorite days of the year. We celebrate the wonderful life of our favorite man. Then, we get a chance to think about what work we'll do in the next year towards making our earth a lovelier place to live.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE ST. JAMES!!

May 6th gets a little closer every day

By precisely 24 hours, as a matter of fact.

The commercial we filmed with David Smith, candidate for NC Insurance Commissioner has been released. Here is the link. (The woman with the unkempt hair and motherly hips? That's me. The adorable little girl in yellow? That my littlest one. She's ASJ2.)

There are a lot of things I want to blather about, so I'm going to get the business of my business out of the way first. I come from a long line of politically active, out-spoken, and shockingly beautiful people. (see how I slipped that in there? eh?)

I have to say, for the record, please make a wise decision about our Insurance Commissioner. To people with families, insurance matters. To people with illnesses, insurance matters. To people with chronic and painful debilities, insurance matters. Please care. Apathy is the cancer of democracy. Stay interested, stay educated, stay involved.

I think it's fairly obvious who will get MSJ's vote, as well as my own. But I emphasize to you that the only way to make a good choice is to make an educated choice. "Anonymous" posted again (the same or a new person, I don't know; but I welcome them back) with some great information. I encourage all of my readers to see what s/he had to say in the comments under "I've Been Schooled by Anonymous".

Now I have to go make MSJ brownies or something. I'm not supposed to talk politics here, so I'll have to do something to smooth this over. I just can't help myself! It's like an illness. Political Garrulousness.

I need a date. Unbelievable.

Here is exactly the point at which the inauspicious intersects my otherwise glorious life.

David the film will be screened this Friday night in Wilmington, along with some other films, at a Filcker Films Society event. Mike St. James will be in PA Friday night just finishing his photo shoot for a commercial. At first I thought, Hey! I'll just take our little ASJ for a mother-daughter night out. She is, after all, in the film. But then I learned what I should have known in the first place: not all of the films being shown are appropriate for kids.

As a matter of fact, one of the films is about the art of orgasm. Really? I mean... really? As much as I'm sure to enjoy being educated by a bunch of 19 & 20-year-olds on an activity I've been practicing since they were in elementary school.... really?? Furthermore, we're to be screening short films. Short films. That tells me that these kids don't actually understand the art of the orgasm. But I digress.

I can't go with MSJ. I can't go with ASJ. I don't really want to go alone. But this is the first screening of the film. I wouldn't miss it for the world!

So, while MSJ gets to travel out of town and golf with the A-man, I'm stuck at home without a date. So, will you go with me?

Do you ever feel like you're chasing your own tail?

Delays, delays!

The trip to New York is still on hold, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that it will come around soon - very soon, as a matter of fact, because Mike St. James' schedule is getting tighter and tighter.

The filming of the Indiana-Jones-esque commercials has been delayed by about 10 days. It will now film the first of May. (There is no accounting for the plans of these production companies, but they still want it to drop June 1st.) However, MSJ still has to travel north for the still shots. He'll have one full day of photoshoot with the illustrious Ed Bernik this Friday. As much as I'd love to post one of the pictures here for all to see, I doubt I'll be able to. They'll probably be under lock & key & copyright until the whole thing drops. After that I'll have to steal some bandwidth off their site. (Don't worry, Kwik Fill. I would never do that.)

The conflict is that MSJ was supposed to start filming his scenes for the Raven Rock pilot on May 1st. He's going to have to do a song and dance to pull all of this together. But if there has ever been a man alive who could charm his way out of a sticky spot, it's Mike St. James.

In addition, business for MSJ's "day job" has really picked up. He has a lot of work scheduled for the rest of this month and throughout May. So, it looks like 60 hour work weeks for my dear husband at least until mid-June.

I've been schooled by Anonymous

Well I absolutely hate being flippant about politics but I went and behaved that way anyway. I take my vote very seriously. I've been known to spend hours in front of my computer researching candidates and calling their offices to ask questions. When I make a decision, I know it's the right one for me. (How is all of this relevant to being an Actor's Wife? I tie it in beautifully. You'll see.)

We've been talking about Insurance Commissioners here and I'd like to emphasize that this is an important race. It's the sort of position that we tend to shrug about and say, "Not a congressman? Whatever will do." Not so, good people! Not only does this department regulate insurance companies (a nasty, but necessary task), it has a tremendous amount of influence on our auto and health insurance. One key task is to make sure our insurance costs remain affordable and one of the ways this office accomplishes that goal is to investigate and prosecute insurance fraud, a dastardly crime for which perpetrators should be hung by their thumbs. (That's my word of advice to the next Commish.)

In the beautiful interest of our freedom of choice, I'm going to mention that David Smith is not our only choice for Insurance Commissioner in NC. As an anonymous poster just informed us, Wayne Goodwin is also running. The incumbent is Jim Long but it's not entirely clear to me if he's running for re-election or not. (His campaign site says 2004, so I'm guessing not?)

www.uselections.com is usually a great resource to find out who is running and it provides links to the candidates' sites so you can get more information. Unfortunately, it isn't currently listing anyone other than the incumbent. So, if you're a candidate for Insurance Commissioner (I'm talking to you, David & Wayne!) get your information put on this site. Make it easy for voters, will you?

Now what does all of this have to do with Acting in North Carolina? A whole hell of a lot, I can tell you. It is near impossible for non-union people working "in the arts" to get affordable insurance. Sure, I could insure my whole family for incomplete coverage with a high deductible for around $2000/month. We'd have to move into a small apartment and sell one of our cars, but... we could do it. North Carolina is a right to work state making union protection harder to come by. For non-SAG actors, insurance is but a dream. That makes this election particularly important to the entire acting community in Wilmington. I urge all of the actors and filmmakers to carefully examine the stances of each candidate. Choose the one who will help us insure our families. That way, the next time you're doing your own stunts (non-union, yo) and you accidentally take a bad hit to the nose, you can actually afford to go to the doctor and get it re-set.

(None of this means that I won't take full credit if Mr. Smith wins. If he does, it was surely his rocking ad featuring the St. James family.)

Mr. Insurance Commissioner

Well, he's not exactly Mr. Insurance Commissioner yet. He's not the incumbent. But, you know, I won't be surprised if he wins - especially with great ads like the one we just shot today!

It was great fun, especially for me, the one who is usually left at home writing while Mike St. James is off filming. It was exciting to see him do his thing (I'm not one of those wives who hangs out on set. I'm neither that paranoid nor that pathetic). It was fun to see him all miked up and talking directly to the camera.

Being politically bent (take that how you will), I enjoyed meeting a politician. He's a former attorney and I'm really trying not to hold that against him. Everyone has dark skeletons in their past, yeah? He was actually a very nice, very down-to-earth guy. We took the time during breaks from filming to discuss just how hard it is to get insurance coverage when you're in a position like the St. James family. We're self-employed, neither too rich nor too poor. I think I'll vote for this guy. He was very interested in preventative medicine and finding the cause before an illness becomes a monster - about the time when doctors start treating the symptoms - and, he wants to make sure every kid in NC has health insurance coverage. An ambitious goal, for certain. But I admire that it's his goal because I agree. No child's health should be neglected because parents can't afford insurance. No child should receive substandard care because she does not have insurance.

But there I go getting all political. Let me just tell you what I learned from my experience today. First, who knows what to do with their hands while they're being filmed? It's ridiculous. My hands suddenly felt 5 times their normal size and fire-engine red. And where to look? When you know you're not supposed to look at the camera, but you're told to look in that direction... where? Look at something too close and the audience will wonder what you're looking at. Look at something too far away and you look dreamy.

I'll leave you with an interesting story. I was asked to spend most of the duration of the shoot bending over. Apparently MSJ is not the only one who thinks that this is my best look. (Hotcha!)

Here's a link to the politician's website for you North Carolinians. Make educated choices! www.electdavidsmith.com

An average life

Some of the excitement of the last couple of weeks has past. We're back to our sameold. Mike St. James has done some work for his construction company. I've paid our taxes (blood suckers!). The kids are on break from school. It's so meh, but it's nice to be meh.

Today we took the morning off to shop around Mayfare, an outdoor mall in Wilmington. I picked up a caramel frappuccino at B&N and walked around in my cute green halter trying to get a little sun on my winter-white skin. We hit the library, then got fresh fruit at the market. See? Meh.

This afternoon should be interesting, though. MSJ was cast for a political ad. One particular gentleman is running for the position of North Carolina Insurance Commissioner. MSJ is to play a middle-class husband/father role. (Such a stretch for him! I don't know where he'll draw from to come up with that character!) Somehow or another he squirreled them into letting him bring his own family for the commercial. This will be our youngest daughter's first time being in front of the camera. She's a charming, puckish, saucy little thing and I think she should show very well in acting. Her tendency to be gregarious comes from her father; her ability to be arch is all mama.

As for the politician... I'll meet the gentleman today and if he's nice enough and patient with my kid, well, what more qualification does a man need to be the Insurance Commissioner, I ask you?

Though I am fanatically opinionated about politics (thank my father for that one), I have determined that I will not use this blog as a soapbox from which I will straighten out the political world. That's why I have not mentioned "this particular politician's" name. Nevertheless, I'll probably post the edited commercial here.

For Lulu

Dear Lulu, with all of your searching for the videos lately, I think you might stumble on this page sooner or later. If you find it, this is "hello". I love you, kid. I'll see you soon.

Thanks and no thanks

First of all I want to send a big thanks to Charlie & Lee of Fellowship of Fools. Charlie was very good to our Raven Rock boys and Lee taught me my new favorite phrase. (T--- Bomb!)

Second I want to thank Joe & Rob of HighfallFilms for sending two of their actors onto my favorite webcast. To recap what Mike St. James & Taylor August said... the cast of Raven Rock is rehearsing and attending combat training all this month. The first day of main production is May 3rd, the pilot is to premiere mid-June. And Brittany Daniels' phone number is for sale on eBay.

Finally, I can't thank the Postal boys enough for not only dropping the big T--- Bomb on my career as a publicist, but for teaching all of us the finer intricacies of American-Russian relations. There was so much about that dynamic that I didn't fully understand before your interview.

On that note: if you missed the show, you can download it from Talkshoe.com or iTunes. The easiest way is to just go to www.fellowshipoffools.com and click the link to the past shows. But BE WARNED! The first 15 minutes are fairly innocent; after that the NC-17 rating kicks in. This show can be used as the quintessential example of what happens where there is no regulatory board over media. (I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I'm just sayin'.) Of course, some of you will love it because Zach Ward will say what many of us are afraid to admit has even crossed our minds. It was certainly the most out of control showFoF has ever had!

**I just got an update from Fellowship of Fools... there have been 320 downloads so far, and it hasn't even been 12 hours since the show ended! Could the Raven Rock show be a record breaker for Fellowship of Fools?**

No thin patina of pontification here!

Where are you going to be this Thursday night? I'll tell you where!

You're going to be partying with me at www.fellowshipoffools.com! The Fellowship will be giving a brief audience to Mike St. James & Taylor August, both actors on the hot new action/adventure TV pilot Raven Rock. (This show is so hot, the faucet of celebrity favor is wide open.) So, let me tell you why you should listen to Fellowship of Fools tomorrow night at 10:00pm Eastern Time.

1. Everybody's doing it. (Really. They have bazillions of listeners now.)
2. The Fellowship of Fools is no thin patina of pontification covering a gentle stream of inanities. No, these guys have substance. They get real celebrities, brilliant talent, and hillarious characters.
3. Because Mike St. James & Taylor August are actually good friends in real life which means they'll probably tell each other's dirty secrets on the show and, c'mon!, who doesn't love a good dirty secret? (In Touch magazine charges you $2.99. MSJ gives it to you for free!)
4. There will be an audio demonstration of Taylor August showing off his bo staff skills as we listen in to Mike St. James trying to defend himself. It'll be great!
5. They both have Brittany Daniels' phone number and you know all you guys out there want Brittany's number! If you call in and you're nice enough, Mike & Tay just might give it to you. (C'mon, Brittany! Have a sense of humor. Take one for the team!)
6. Charlie Briede, host of Fellowship of Fools, is a real life comic book character. I mean, Taylor August and Kameron King have to "act". Pshaw!, says Charlie! He's actually been made into a Marvel Comic character named Char'lez. I kid you not. You can see a picture of the artwork on his myspace page www.myspace.com/beyondfriday
7. This is the best place you're ever gonna' get an update on Raven Rock. I mean, two hot guys telling you about how they have super powers or fight crime... one is dark and brooding, the other carries a big package, I mean a big gun.
   
8. Martin Scorsese called Mike St. James up and said, "Hey, I'm accepting everyone who friends me on myspace right now. Why don't you and Taylor August do the same thing?" And so they thought they'd take Marty's advice - they'll accept any friend request that comes to them with the mention of Fellowship of Fools.**
9. You can call in to the show! You can ask the celebrities quesitons! For example, you can ask them, "Is it true the two of you left The Actor's Co-op together with nothing but a bag of carrots, then accosted a poor Domino's Pizza employee in the middle of the night in the quest for free ranch?" (There's no need to ask! That story is true! Now you'll have to come up with your own questions. There are no free handouts here, people.)
10. You should listen to Fellowship of Fools because I say so, m'kay?

**Everything in point #8 is true except the part about Martin Scorsese. But I'll bet ya' Mr. Scorsese listens to Fellowship of Fools!

Boo-Ya! Raven Rock teaser trailer now available

The moment we've all been waiting for... the Raven Rock teaser has arrived. Check out Mike St. James as Detective Mike Murdock, looking like a BAMF!

Getting What I Deserve from the Fellowship of Fools

I didn't run my last blog by Charlie Briede before I published it. Maybe he's chafed with my encouragement towards all the ladies out there to call in just to flirt with him. (Really, ladies, he loves it! He's a teddy bear.)

So, this morning I get the following text message from the C-Man: check my website and let me know what you think

To wit www.fellowshipoffools.com:

We will have a visit from some of the crew at www.gopostal.com. We are scheduled to have Zack Ward call-in. Zack made his feature film debut in A Christmas Story and has since been seen on Titus, Lost, CSI as well as the Transformers movie. Zack will be playing the Postal Dude in the upcoming Postal movie based off the game.

I will be reviewing the new anime movie Vexille, that is debuting at AFI Dallas and hope to have some recorded interviews from the post party.

We will also be talking to Brian about his upcoming appearance at the Dallas Comic Con 11, April 5-6. www.scifiexpo.com for more details.

We will have an update on DDP’s appearance from last week.

We hope to check in with Mike St. James from the pilot Raven Rock and get an updated status.

So I guess Mike St. James is now on the spot. Charlie done scheduled him on his own volition. That's fine, Charles, that's fine. Gauntlet thrown and challenge accepted!

The Fellowship of Fools

This is a shout out to my good buddy Charlie Briede, co-host of the best damn webcast on the planet, Fellowship of Fools. And why am I so happy with Charlie right now? Because he has agreed to cover Raven Rock on an upcoming webcast and has specifically invited Mike St. James along with the creators of the show. Just waiting for the finished pilot... (and I'm psychically nudging The Big D, Joe Cook, right now).

What is The Fellowship of Fools, you ask? Well, in my opinion is it exactly what is say it is. [/snark] It is hosted by 3 very off-the-wall, somewhat eccentric guys. The first is Charlie with ties to the video game industry and the crazy world of anime. (That's actually how I met Charlie - we were both peddling the software that rots kids brains. Remember the good old days, Chaz?) The interesting thing about Charlie is that he just knows everyone. Everyone. I can't even name names (he's been to Skywalker Ranch, ya'll!). Let's just say he has connections. He could be the next Perez Hilton if he wanted.

The second and third hosts are Brian Denham and Lee Duhig. Brian is crazy talented and Lee is bat-shit crazy so they make a great team. Brian is an artist who has worked for such asupicious publications as Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and LucasFilm. Lee is the maestro of the of the Guru-eFX coloring team. And they know everyone Charlie doesn't know.

So what happens on The Fellowship of Fools? These three men interview a celebrity guest, or review a new hot video game title, or preview a new anime video or screen a new movie (it's all those connections again). The best part is that they take calls from their audience. Anyone from anywhere can call in and ask their favorite celebrity a question (or hit on Charlie - he loves that). The show has quite a devil-may-care vibe, completely unscripted, often pee-your-pants funny. Soon they'll have Henry Thomas (of E.T.! My first love!) Anyway...

Their most important upcoming guest, of course, is the cast & creators of Raven Rock. As Charlie puts it, "Everyone likes to get a glimpse behind the curtain." All my friends need to call in for the broadcast and give 'em hell! You can listen to the rest of their witty banter every Thursday at 9:00pm Central Time (because, against all odds, their show is based in Dallas, TX). www.fellowshipoffools.com

Just one more note before I go. You know I hate to toot my own horn, but........ the guys asked me to write a press release for them and I updated the text on their "About" page: www.fellowshipoffools.com/about/ (I see you made some edits, guys. It's okay. I forgive you.) Let me know what you think!

A truly Kafkaesqe story to air on 60 Minutes, Sunday

An acquaintance of mine is a producer at 60 Minutes and he sent me a press release on the following story (I've cut it down a little in size. You can hear the whole shameful story on 60 Minutes). As Michael Karzis says, "It's interesting to finally find out what those nameless, faceless people in orange jumpsuits actually have to say."

IN HIS FIRST U.S. TELEVISION INTERVIEW, FORMER

TERROR DETAINEE SAYS AMERICANS HELD HIM IN GUANTANAMO FOR

YEARS DESPITE EVIDENCE OF HIS INNOCENCE – “60 MINUTES” SUNDAY

Murat Kurnaz Claims he was held Underwater, Shocked, and Suspended from Ceiling by U.S. Troops

A German resident held by the U.S. for almost five years tells Scott Pelley that Americans tortured him in many ways – including hanging him from the ceiling for five days early in his captivity when he was in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Even after determining he was not a terrorist, Murat Kurnaz says the torture continued. Kurnaz tells his story for the first time on American television in a 60 MINUTES interview to be broadcast on Sunday, March 30 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Kurnaz, an ethnic Turk born and raised in Germany, went to Pakistan in late 2001 at age 19 to study Islam, and wound up in Pakistani police custody. It was three months after 9/11, and Kurnaz says the U.S. was offering bounties for suspicious foreigners. Kurnaz says he was “sold” to the Americans for $3,000 and brought to Kandahar, Afghanistan as terrorist suspect. He claims American troops tortured him in Afghanistan by holding his head underwater, administering electric shocks to the soles of his feet, and hanging him suspended from the ceiling of an aircraft hangar where he was kept alive by doctors. “Every five or six hours they came and pulled me back down and the doctor came,” he recalls. “He looked into my eyes. He checked my heart and when he said ‘okay’ then they pulled me back up,” he tells Pelley.

The Pentagon refused to comment on the allegations.

He says he was then brought to Guantanamo as one of the first “enemy combatants.” His treatment there, he says, included repeated beatings at the hands of soldiers in riot gear, sleep-deprivation and solitary confinement.

After a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2004, Kurnaz was visited by an American lawyer, who successfully sued the U.S. government to release his classified file. That file contained information from the FBI, German Intelligence and even the U.S. military pointing to his innocence. But after a series of military tribunals and review boards, he remained in Guantanamo for another three-and-a-half years.

Kurnaz’ lawyer, Baher Azmy, says there may be many more cases like Kurnaz’s at the offshore prison. “In Guantanamo, no detainee has ever been able to genuinely present evidence before a neutral judge and so as absurd as Murat Kurnaz's case is, I assure you, there are many, many dozens just as tenuous,” Azmy tells Pelley.

The Quest for an East Coast Agent Continues!

Well, Mike St. James has sent his packet of work to a talent agent with optimism and hopefulness. [An aside: I was so tempted to use the word Pollyannaism right there. I can't even tell you. Just struck me as the word Puck would use.] A strong point of his packet is his set of headshots. Not only is he sexy, he did a photo shoot with Ed Bernik who was able to capture MSJ's charisma in a still photo. Brilliant! Another strong point were his many screenshots. They show him in different attitudes and characters, and they show him to be camera friendly. His resume, though, is somewhat middling. On the one hand it shows him to be a hot commodity right now. He just finished filming the lead in one film, he's been cast for a TV pilot, he's been cast for a regional commercial, and he's just been cast as the lead in another film. He's got a lot going on and there is every reason to believe that he'll continue to have work coming in. On the other hand... well, the resume is short compared to so many other actors. He just hasn't been doing this for long enough to have a solid list of great films. And the weak spot in his packet? His reel. Most of the work he's done has been recent and is still in the post-production stage, so he doesn't have a lot of edited work to add to his reel.

As we wait for word from the agent, I thought I'd give you some information about MSJ that you probably didn't know (and I'm sure you were just dying to hear!):

• No matter what he says, MSJ's favorite film is Hot Shots: Part Deux.
• MSJ can imitate anyone's laugh almost perfectly. This is a rare and useless gift, but one that has given me hours of entertainment.
  
• MSJ is from a small town--a very, very small town--called Bedford, Pennsylvania. Much to my surprise, they have an official website! Even more amazing, they have an official visitors guide. Imagine that! Anyway, MSJ has a wonderful family all living snugly in this tiny town in the Allegheny Mountains.
• MSJ actually saved his new bride's life on his honeymoon (and, yes, that would be me). We were hiking the Appalachian Trail (I'm an outdoorsy girl and that is indeed my idea of romance - we scared the hell out of the squirrels, I can tell you, but I digress...). We were walking along a cliff, one of those portions of the trail that were cut into the side of the mountain, and I hit a patch of ice and there I went. The only thing between me and a 30-foot drop was MSJ's hand holding my arm. In order to hold me, he had to go out on the ice, too. So, there we were, on a very slippery patch of ice, holding on to each other for dear life, afraid to move for about 15 minutes. I'm telling you, he will be a very convincing Action-Adventure star!
• MSJ's first job was working for a porta-john company. He used to have to clean out the... you know. It's true!
  

The Big D gives a Raven Rock update!

We have been wondering what happened with the long anticipated Raven Rock teaser trailer. Well, Mike St. James & I were able to catch up with Joe Cook at the Damn Good Job Party this weekend and we got the word from the big man himself.

The editing and whatnot for the teaser is done. It was sent out for it's original musical score, which was also complete but not exactly what the Big D was wanting. Being a man of excellence, the Big D sent the teaser back asking for reworking of certain pieces. It should be back to him (and hence to you, fine people!) in a couple of weeks. I love the fact that Highfall Films keeps a high standard and knows that "good enough is not good enough" (see, Silverthorn! I pay attention!).

The filming for the pilot begins next week. They will be using some wild new CG voodoo that I don't believe has ever been used in Wilmington before. I'll give you the dirt on that as soon as I got more information and can squeeze in time for a little research. In essence, the special effects on this show will be top-notch and you'll get to see actors Taylor August and Kameron King fly. I hear that Joe & Rob of Highfall Films have been in talks with some Hollywood producers and I actually heard the words "feature film" dropped but I won't go there for now. I'll just cross my fingers and click my heels.

"We Have No Life Productions" throws a party

First let me say Happy Easter to all of my friends and loved ones. We've had a good one so far. MSJ'S basket was hidden in his grill. Mine was hidden behind a basket of unmatched socks (doh!). Soon is will be nap time for the kids, which is when my holiday truly begins.

It's been another eventful weekend. We went to the "Damn Good Job Party" thrown by Sheila Brothers of We Have No Life Productions to celebrate the award-winning film Undoing Time. It turns out this short film of extraordinary excellence was able to draw no small bit of attention at the Cinema City International Film Festival in Los Angeles, where it was awarded the People's Choice Award. The film was produced by We Have No Life Productions with Highfall Films. Bonus points for those readers who have been paying attention and know that Highfall Films is also the producer of Mike St. James' TV pilot Raven Rock. [Raven Rock's pilot script made it to the finals at the Cinema City International Film Festival, so it was a great night all around for Wilmington filmmakers.]

We had a great time at The Side Bar, one of Wilmington's great little bars on Front Street. And who was out there tearing up the dance floor? None other than one of the stars of both Undoing Time & Raven Rock, Kameron King. So many men won't dance, and shame on all of them. Kameron is hindered by no such reticence, but then Kameron's mother is a dance instructor so he has an unfair advantage. Sheila brought the excitement to the party and Kameron brought the enthusiasm. After a few hours most of us headed over to Tre Benzios again for some drinks and laughter. So let this be my official thank you to Sheila Brothers for a fan-fricken-tastic party and my public CONGRATULATIONS to the cast & crew of Undoing Time.

Now before I leave, I have to confess to the humiliating faux pas we committed. On Sheila's Damn Good Job Party invitation it clearly said no jeans; sadly for all of us, I did not see the actual invitation until today. She sent it to MSJ who in turn told me "It's casual." And casual we were. In MSJ's defence he is a visionary and attention to detail is not his strong suit. Nonetheless we were seriously under dressed. This leads to the new St. James' House Rule: The Actor's Wife will be the event planner for all activities henceforth. (And I owe Sheila another thank you for being forbearing enough to not give us the boot. You're a good woman.)

Undoing Time: Updated Pilot Trailer from Sheila Brothers on Vimeo.

The Actor's Wife's Big Break

That's right - my panache, my joie de vivre, my savvy has finally paid off.

I have been given a part in an upcoming regional (NY, PA, & OH) commercial. I will play... a gas station attendant. That's right. Never will selling lotto tickets look so good. I have 1 line, but that line is going to sing, baby! After this there is no turning back to the simple life - oh no! I'll be eating at The Ivy and shopping at Fred Segal next week. It's my ticket to the big time and I'm going to enjoy the ride!

Snark at ya' later! ;)

The Actor's Wife waxes philosophical

Do you know, there is an inherent danger in ingratitude. There is an innate ugliness in covetousness. Jealousy is cruelly transparent and no one looks good in green.

Insecurity is a sad, sad thing and this Actor's Wife has long believed that it is the root of all meanness. I saw a very sad and disturbing thing happen today and it was motivated by insecurity. Deep and ugly insecurity. One talented person did a lot of work for a newcomer and did his best to help raise the newcomer to a higher level. This talented person wasn't protective of his "turf" and he felt rewarded when he saw the newcomer succeeding. But the newcomer, so pathetic in his self-doubting, when he had the chance to return a favor for the talented person chose instead to tear him down, begrudge him any success.

The newcomer is in the grips of the lip-curling resentment because he has pissed around his territory and the talented person dares to draw near. The newcomer simply would not be where he is today without the help of the talented person and yet shows no gratitude. What it boils down to is that the newcomer is afraid that the talented person (who is certainly more talented and experienced in the first place) would show him up, would steal his thunder. And the hard truth is that the newcomer is right. If he ever allowed them both to stand under the same spotlight, the talented person would shine so much brighter.

And that ugly story leads me to my philosophical pondering for today. Let's just go straight to the man who understood balance and acceptance better than any other, my oft-quoted friend Lao Tzu.

Therefore the sage produces without possessing,
Acts without expectations
And accomplishes without abiding in her accomplishments.

It is precisely because she does not abide in them
That they never leave her.

The wise man produces without possessing because he understands that things rise of their own volition. You do not own your success any more than you own your fame. You are not the one who brings things about. If God chooses to turn his face upon you, who are you to claim the credit for yourself? And if God chooses to turn his face upon someone else, how dare you begrudge him that blessing?

I'm steadfastly convinced of the efficacy of sowing and reaping, what goes around comes around, karma. The Universe does not like a person who covets their success, who keeps their hands closed, who guards their mini kingdom like a watchdog. Be generous. Be happy for another's success. Be proud to be associated with a person who is on the rise, even if that person cannot be you. To everything there is a season and everyone gets a turn at glory. If you begrudge others their moment in the sun, you will always stand in the shade.

Pride does not wish to owe and vanity does not wish to pay. ~François de la Rochefoucauld

The envious die not once, but as oft as the envied win applause. ~Baltasar Gracian

What makes Wilmington into Wilmywood?

It doesn't take very many reads of my blog to learn that I love Wilmington. I love the river walk downtown and I love Wrightsville Beach and I love to eat at The Oceanic and drink at Goodfellas. There are good people here, beautiful homes, and fantastic weather. Nonetheless, the reason why Mike St. James & I moved here is the film industry. I've heard Wilmington, NC lovingly called Little Hollywood, Hollywood East, and my own favorite, Wilmywood. But why does Wilmington have this reputation?

Little known fact: according to the International Association of Film Commissioners, more movies, TV shows, and commercials are filmed in Wilmington than anywhere in the US, outside of LA & NYC. Odds are in any given week, you see something that was filmed in this beautiful antebellum corner of the south without even knowing it. One of our claims to fame is the motion picture studio EUE/Screen Gems. And the production company Inspire Productions is located here. It all started with Firestarter, starring Drew Barrymore in 1984 and this town has embraced the filmmaking community ever since.

So what are some of these shows & films featuring Wilmington as a backdrop? I can't give you an exhaustive list of the hundreds of films created in Wilmington, but I give you a taste. The TV shows Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, and Wittaker Bay for starters (not to mention some good old episodes of Matlock). Of the many movies that were filmed here you're probably familiar with Forrest Gump, Divine Secrests of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, A Walk to Remember, The Crow, Black Knight, 28 Days, Cape Fear, Empire Records, Blue Velvet, Sleeping with the Enemy, Waking Ned Divine, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and even parts of Pirates of the Carribbean: At World's End was filmed right here in cozy Wilmington.

Some of my old favorites like Dream a Little Dream (the Coreys!), Weekend at Burnies, and Muppets from Space were filmed here.

We can lay claim to Message in a Bottle and Lolita, as well as the werewolf classic Silver Bullet (Corey again!).

Local casting was done by one of our local casting directors for movies such as Deja Vu, No Country for Old Men, the Great Debaters, and the upcoming Leatherheads.

More films that will be in theaters soon and were filmed in Wilmington are The Secret Life of Bees, The Marc Pease Experience, and Bolden (just to name a few).

Filmmakers here have the best of both worlds. They have great talent on hand. They have impressive studios at their disposal. And they have a friendly, easygoing, breezy atmosphere in which to work. Wilmingtonians are used to having streets blocked off for filming. We don't mind. And how many days a week do you see the tell-tale "Crew -->" signs lining Market St or Eastwood Blvd? The entertainment industry has become part of our culture here, part of our vernacular. On the one hand we're very proud of this industry. On the other, you're not likely to see a native pulling out his cell phone to snap a picture of a One Tree Hill star. If you see that, you know she's a tourist. *bless*