Wacked out Wednesday

Isn't that a cool picture? It's a 17 apartment complex in a part of the Bronx called Spuyten Dyvil called Villa Charlotte Bronte. I just read about it this morning in the real estate section of the sunday New York Times. It was built in the 1920's. This is what I love about New York, just when you start to think it's an unforgiving concrete jungle of glass and chrome, you find unexpected little hamlets like this. It doesn't look like it belongs in New York does it? It's almost like something about of The Hobbit.

Looking at this picture cheers me up, which I need right now. I just received my rejection letter (finally) from the number one agent on my list. You know, Dream Agent No. 1. I had a feeling that was going to happen since it was taking her so long to read my full manuscript, despite the fact that I sent it to her in June! Maybe it's just me, but I have a hard time believing that after sitting that long, she was going to call me and offer me representation. It doesn't seem to work that way from what I've heard from other people who've gotten offers.

My boss is also being a pain in the ass since I've gotten back. Now, he wants me to sit there and go through the expense system to see what hasn't been approved. I don't think so. It's his responsibility to approve these things, not me, he should keep up on it. I don't get paid enough to look over his shoulder.

I didn't get featured in Allure magazine either. I think I mentioned that they came to our chapter meeting and asked our opinion about Danielle Steel's new fragrance. Well, the three people they used, are all published authors. You would think that since I'm president of the Chapter they could include me. That's what I get for not wearing make-up, and showing up looking like a schlub.

Mercury is clearly getting ready for it's retrograde period, by everything that's gone on in the past two days.

So far no jet lag but usually when you return it's alot easier than when you go over. I went to sleep around 9:30 p.m. and then I'll write moreo about my adventures in London over the next few days.

Thanks for reading,

EKM

Things to do before I leave

Okay, so I'm leaving tonight for London, and here are just a few of things that I've either done or had to do today.

1) Mail out complete manuscript, and synopsis to agent who requested the full on Friday. 283 pages is alot. I almost didn't get it all into the envelope.

2) Finish writing November President's letter and Market News for Keynotes, our chapter newsletter.

3) Pay credit card bill

4) Email itinerary to pertinent people who need to know where the heck I am for the next seven days.

5) Copy down location of Burberry outlet and cool cafe called Coffee, Cake and Kink.

6) Write blog entry

7) Finish faxing over expense reports that didn't go through last week because there is only one fax number for the zillions of people who do expense reports.

8) Email friends to say good-bye.

9) Read horoscope for this week and also weather report for London.

10) Post another chapter on the bulletin board for my writer's class since I'll miss this week.

11) Put in hours on Time Sheet so I can paid next week.

12) Packed all items of clothing, and picked up toiletries, particularly items requested by my friend that I'm staying with.

13) Purchased new bag and boots to go with groovy outfits.

14) Finish writing chapter 8 of current WIP before I leave (have only few pages to go)

15) Print out partial of last WIP to review in terms of revising for agent who requested them.

16) Work up out of office email message.

17) Mail back Netflix DVD's.

18) Take laundry to dry cleaner.

19) Take out money to pay for Supershuttle.

20) Order lunch.

21) Finish few expense reports before leaving.

Whew that's alot, I'm tired just looking at the list. Well, gotta go!

Thanks for reading,

EKM

5) Change seat on plane and print out boarding pass.

London Calling

Since I'm leaving tomorrow night for London, this will probably be one of my last posts until I get back (unless I can wrest my friend's computer out of his hands in order to post).

Yesterday was our monthly chapter meeting where I welcomed the new board, which includes myself as President. I patted myself on the back and congratulated myself on being re-elected. Actually I ran unopposed, so the board voted on the slate. We had one of our members, Cathy Greenfeder speak, since the speaker I had scheduled didn't return any of the fifteen emails I sent her to confirm. Ouch!

Then I went to the fourth birthday party of my friend's little boy, where I drank a little too much white wine, and then my jacket disappeared. I had to borrow my friend's jacket. I think I overindulged in the wine because I thought that Fun Guy was going to be there. I'm not sure how I'm going to feel when I eventually see him again. He's supposed to be at another birthday party I'm going to at the end of the month. I'm just hoping that he comes alone and that he doesn't bring a woman with him. I'm not sure I'm ready for that.

After I left, I basically came home and passed out, but not before I read another few pages in Toby Young's second book, a sequel of sorts to How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. I read the first book while on vacation in Dublin four years ago. I was so incensed by his description of New York women, that I emailed him to say that if he'd spent less time trying to get a leg over on the models and socialites who populate Page Six, and trying to date 'regular' women, he might have met someone nice.

The premise of his first book, was that he came to New York hoping to become a famous magazine journalist. He got a job working for Vanity Fair, and then proceeded to spend the next five years acting like a jerk.

Now in the sequel, he's married and even more of a prat than he was in the first book. There isn't enough time to detail all the ways he acted like a jerk, but it included giving the worst best man speeches at his friends' weddings in history. Not to mention trying to teach his ten day old daughter how to crawl.

Still have to edit my chapter to post on the bulletin board for my class.

Thanks for reading,

EKM

Love Letter to Shonda Rimes

You know what today is of course. Yes, I know it's Friday, the 13th, but it's also the day after another episode of the finest show on network TV: Grey's Anatomy.

But now I'm not going to dissect the episode, or talk about my favorite scenes, today I'm going to wax rhapsodic over it's creator, Ms. Shonda Rimes, the brains behind Grey's Anatomy. The puppetmaster as it were.

How do I love Shonda Rimes? Let me count the ways. I love that she's so tightfisted with revealing the storylines, prefering not to have spoilers out there in the press to ruin our enjoyment. Keeping us surprised, so that you can't miss the last ten minutes of the episode, otherwise you're going to miss some juicy, juicy stuff.

I love her for her complicated characters, for making me care for all four members of the Mer/Der/Addy/Finn/McSteamy love quidrangle, or whatever it's called when it involveds 5 of the hottest people on television. I love that there are no easy answers and that people keep on suffering, they don't just get over things in the next episode. Witness the arc of George and Meredith's estrangement, and the entire season long reconciliation between Addison and Derek.

Seriously, I would pay money to sit at the feet of this woman for a month to watch her work with her staff. I'm dying for the Museum of Television and Radio to put out the DVD of the evening they did with the cast. As it is, I plan on hightailing it as soon as I have a chance to watch it on their tiny video monitors.

Everyone talks about Robert McKee's story seminars, but Shonda Rimes is the real deal. We're already what four episodes into the new season, and I'm just as hooked as I was when I went out and watched the entire first season in a weekend. Seriously I love this show so much, I need to get a life.

Meanwhile back in realityland, I received a full manuscript request from an agent for my first YA novel. Yippee me! Now I just have to bundle off that baby before I leave for London. The weather is turned chilly in New York, make it the perfect time to curl up in front of the TV with a good book and DVD, but I think tomorrow night I may toddle off to see Infamous, the other Truman Capote movie.

I studied with the actor who plays Truman Capote one summer, and I'm dying to see him in the role.

Thanks for reading!

EKM

In Memoriam

Yesterday, an unfortunate accident occurred in New York, when a private plane unexpectedly crashed into a high-rise on the Upper East Side. Two people were killed, pitcher Cory Lidle of the New York Yankees, and his flight instructor. No others were killed, although I'm sure that there were injuries from the damage to the building, not to mention the trauma of seeing that plane hit the building. It was eerily reminiscent of 9/11.

I have to admit that when I heard the news, the first person I thought of was Fun Guy. He lives on the Upper East Side, and I was seriously tempted to call him and find out if he was alright. Thankfully, I resisted temptation, although it was really hard. The building that was hit was a few blocks away from where he lives, and I'm pretty sure he would have seen through the ruse. Although I really was worried that he might have been involved.

My heart goes out to the families of Cory Lidle and the flight instructor. There was an article in the New York Times today talking about how most private planes don't fly on the East Side precisely because it's a little too traffic heavy with helicopters and other craft using that same airspace. Plus, it's not under the jurisdiction of LaGuardia airport air traffic controllers, meaning that it's up to each individual pilot to watch out for other aircraft.

It's such a sad accident. One of those incidents where you realize just how quickly life can change in a heartbeat.

Thanks for reading!

EKM

London Calling

Sorry for not posting. I'm under the gun on a lot of things before I leave on my vacation next Monday. As you can tell by the title of this post, I am headed off to London to stay with my friend who lives there. I can't wait. I need a vacation so badly it's not even funny. Let's just say that my performance at my night job this weekend was particularly lackluster, but that maybe because I worked three days in a row. And I pitched a fit about doing sports logging on Sunday, so you know that this week I'm finally going to have to take the plunge and do it.

Which means like 3 hours of baseball or god forbid football. Can I just kill myself now? Hopefully, in between logging, I'll have some time to do some writing. I'm approaching Chapter 8 in my WIP in progress and I'd like to write at least some pages before I leave. I'm taking my partial of my old manuscript with me to start the process of changing it from first person POV to third. Oh, and I had to find another speaker for our chapter meeting this weekend, because the speaker I had scheduled didn't respond to the fourteen emails that I sent her.

Granted, I know that's she's a busy writer, but she was speaking a the NJ conference this past weekend, and we had talked about her coming to New York the following weekend. Not to answer any of my many, many emails is just not cool. So her books now go to the top of my donate to the public library pile.

Finished the awesome Meg Cabot's How to be Popular. Now I can't wait to pick up the Princess Diaries 7 while I'm in London. It's in one volumen with the novella Sweet Sixteen Princess, so I'm looking forward to that. I'm also looking forward to buying Julie Cohen's books while I'm there along with a whole slew of other British authors I love that aren't published here like Jilly Cooper.

Saw the new movie The Queen with Helen Mirren to get into that London frame of mind. Loved it. Helena Mirren is brilliant as is Michael Sheen as Tony Blair. I've always admired Helen Mirren ever since Excalibur. She just gets more brilliant every year. I'm also watching her version of Elizabeth the I in the HBO miniseries that came out earlier this year. Thank God for Netflix!

Well, I need to go to finishing my 5 pages for the day.

Thanks for reading!

EKM

In Praise of Larger Men

I was just thinking the other day about how few fuller figured women there are in romance. But then I realized that there are almost no heroes in romance who aren't alpha males who look like the poster child for perfection. You never see a hero who might have a little junk in his trunk. But yet guys who don't have a six pack can be surprisingly sexy.

Take John Goodman for example. Here is with Luke Wilson, who let's face it is pretty handsome. Yet, Mr. Goodman doesn't look that bad either. Mr. Goodman look solid and comfortable. The type of guy you could imagine cuddling up with on a long winter's night in your warm jammies, just before you slip them off to have sex.

I've always thought John Goodman was sexy, way back when he was starring on Roseanne. I just thought he was adorable with his dimples, and curly hair. In fact, fun guy looks a little like John Goodman. I certainly wouldn't kick John Goodman out of bed for eating crackers.


And then there's Robbie Coltrane, probably known to most people as Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies. But before Harry, he was Cracker and he starred in Nuns on the Run, with Eric Idle. One of my favorite movies. If you haven't seen either Cracker or Nuns on the Run, I suggest that you get them from Netflix. He's awesome in both. In Cracker, if I remember correctly he plays either a detective or a pyschologist. But he's also a crap husband and an alcoholic. But still he's dead sexy. I don't know if it's the Scottish accent or what, but I used to find myself fantasizing about Mr. Coltrane when I watched Cracker on A&E.

Forest Whitaker is another actor who has a little junk in his trunk. The gentle giant, a guy who seems incredibly sweet but is also a powerhouse actor.

So these are just a few of the men I find sexy who aren't buff, tan and toned.

Who do you find sexy who might not fit Hollywood's image of what a sexy man is and what do you think of a hero who might be a little on the chunky side?

Thanks for reading.

EKM

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Well, I spoke to the agent yesterday who wanted to talk about my book. She doesn't want to represent it in the form that it's in right now. She gave me some very good feedback about what she didn't like, and what she thought I should do to fix. She also thought that it wouldn't sell in the form that it's in right now.

See, I wrote it in 3 different first person POV's. Because that's how the story came to me. It's been suggested by at least 3 people that I change it to third person, but have the narrator in first person who's telling the story sort of like a puppetmaster.

So now I have a choice. I can rewrite the partial for her, to see if it hangs together with these changes, and then we'll see whether or not she'll represent me. Or I cannot rewrite it and just keep submitting it the way it is now.

I'm leaning towards the rewrite. It can't hurt, and even if this agent ends up still rejecting the book, then another agent might like the rewrite. I'm looking at it as an exercise. It may turn out that even if an agent does take the book as it is, an editor might want me to change the POV's as well.

Thanks for reading.

EKM

Grey Friday

Well it's another Grey Friday in more ways than one. The temperature has gone way down here in New York. Fall apparently has decided to arrive. In celebration, I'm wearing my new Ann Taylor Loft outfit that I purchased last night. A brown plaid miniskirt that buttons down the front, and a pretty brown Fair Isle sweater. Ann Taylor Loft makes some great stuff. I actually like their stuff better than what they sell at Ann Taylor. It's like Ann Taylor is Barbie and Ann Taylor Loft is Skipper, her little sister. The prices are actually more reasonable than the prices at Ann Taylor. I look like a 1960's college co-ed attending one of the seven sister's colleges in this outfit.

So I watched 'Ugly Betty' last night. Loved the comment that Queen's College (Betty's alma mater) is one of America's value colleges. I love this show probably because America Ferrara is so adorable with her empanadas and her graduation bunny.

Now on to my absolutely favorite show in the entire universe, Grey's Anatomy. Yes, Meredith's fantasy echoed George's from the Super Bowl season, but loved her comment about how dating was fun and you get snacks. Didn't love George's passive-aggressive attitude towards Callie. Those two really need to sit down and have a conversation. Hated the way he got rid of her patient, but I didn't love the way she didn't listen to him. Loved Izzy wearing Denny's sweater standing outside the hospital, not able to go in.

I must be one of the few people in the world who has sympathy for Addison. When she was sitting in the closet crying and Meredith found her, it was a great moment for her, when she pleaded for just a few brief moments when she didn't have to see her. I believe that Addison really loves Derek, but she's incredibly attracted to Mark, and in a moment of weakness to try and get a rise out of Derek she succumbed and slept with him. And now Mark may be staying in Seattle, ratcheting up the tension. How is Derek going to feel having his best friend on his turf for good? Awesome.

And then there's Cristina, who tried to help Burke the only way she knew how, by bringing home a chicken he could operate on.

Thanks for reading,

EKM

Close but No Cigar

Well, I received another rejection letter for Crazy Little Thing Called Love. The agent in question thought it was a cute idea, with lots of potential, but he didn't think the 3 narrators were interesting enough to warrant doing it that way. So he felt he had to step aside. So once again it was close but no cigar.

I'm getting a little discouraged. It's hard to hear that they like your writing or the idea, and then to hear a but. It's like what do I have to do to move beyond that 'but'? Yes, keep writing but for how long? I really feel that this idea and the series is the best thing that I've come up with since I've been writing. It's fresh, it's new, it's different, but there seems to be something in the way that I'm executing it that just isn't taking. Or maybe I just haven't found that mythical right agent yet. I'm behing to wonder if this person even exists.

Now, I've just gotten another half-rejection. The agent can't offer me represenation at this time, but she wants to talk to me about the book. What does that mean? Should I take that as a good sign? I don't know. The whole thing is confusing and making me want to reach for a bag of Pepperidge Farms which can't be good for my hips.

Anyone else feel like they're on a wagon going nowhere?

Thanks for reading!

EKM

George Clooney - Serial Dater

So, George Clooney just announced that he wanted to spend three months dating a different famous actress every night to send the paparazzi into a feeding frenzy. Yes, he wants to have dinner with Halle Berry one night, lunch with Salma Hayek and then walk along the beach holding hands with Leonardo DiCaprio (Okay that one I don't quite get).

Oh, George, George. Why are you wasting your time with these women, when you could be dating moi? Yes, Halle Berry is drop dead gorgeous but according to MyHeritage, I also look like Eva Longoria and Reese Witherspoon. Dating me would be like dating several famous actresses all at once (I also apparently resemble Gabrielle Union and Rachel McAdam. See previous post).

Oh, George, I could show you the beauty of the city that is New York. Not just dinners at Mr. Chow's, but hanging out drinking Australian beer down at 8 Mile Creek. I live near a park where you could play basketball to your heart's content (just know that they'll probably beat the crap out of you.)

I do admire your taste George. How kind of you to say that Clive Owen is one of the best actors you've seen in the past two to three years. And to speak glowingly of his masculine presence.

George call me!

In other news, Danielle Steel has come out with a new book called HRH about a princess of Liechtenstein. Um, is DS aware that Liechtenstein actually exists and it doesn't have King but a heriditary Grand Duke? And that it's most famous for producing stamps? I'm just saying if you're going to go to all the trouble of writing a book about a royal family, why not take a leaf out of Meg Cabot's book, and make up your own country? That way, you wont' have annoying people like me complaining.

Thanks for reading,

EKM

Query Fever

Well, I said I was going to start querying again, and darn it, I did. This morning I sent two separate queries to agents, one of whom responded back right away and requested the first 30 pages. I also sent emails to the agents who already have either the manuscript or the partial. I'm glad I did because it turns out that one of the agents is leaving the agency where she worked. Great! Good thing I emailed, or I would never have known. I still don't have an answer about the manuscript, nor have I heard from the other two agents I emailed. Yikes!

No matter what happens with the two agents I queried today, I'm glad that I got off my duff. I've been too complacent because the manuscript is parked with two agents I would love to be represented by. Big mistake. My baby needs to be read by more people. So by the end of this week, I'm hoping to send it out to at least 3-5 more people.

Ah, the cutie in the corner is Prince Lorenzo Borghese, the totally Americanified (is that even a word? Oh well, Shakespeare made up his own words) Prince who is the new Bachelor. I'm telling you I didn't have high hopes for this season after the travesty that was Travis Dork, but after least night, I'm cautiously optimistic.

We have one diva (Erica who showed up in a really cheap looking tiara), who declared that she'd never flown coach before, Desiree, the potential slut of the group, and Sadie the virgin. Plus, one Italian chick that was brought in at the last minute to compete with the Americans. Even though Lorenzo's title is purely ceremonial (they have no land or anything), he seems like a remarkably down to earth guy. He's rich but he doesn't seem snobby or entitled. Hard to believe he lives in New York, when even the poorest guys think they're hot shit.

So I'm willing to give true love and The Bachelor a chance, if only for the entertainment value, since I'm pretty sure none of these girls are right for him. They all seemed entirely too impressed with his title and money before they even got there.

Thanks for reading,

EKM

Oysters have an R

Well, here I am on a Saturday night at work, waiting to write the TLC show 'Flip that House' another home renovation show. Fall has arrived with a vengeance here in New York, it's been sunny but chilly for the past several days. Of course, I'm still walking around town in bare legs because I refuse to put on the straight jacket of pantyhose until I absolutely have to!

So, I slept late this morning because I didn't get home until almost 3 a.m. from my night job last night when there was a knock on my door, and the mailman is dropping off my DVF dress that I bought on Ebay! Yeah!!!!!! I almost forgive him for waking me up at 9:00 a.m.

After catching a few more minutes of rest, I got dressed and headed out to the Oyster Festival downtown, sponsored by this really groovy bar called Ulysses. Yummy! I have a confession to make, I never really liked raw oysters until I stopped eating meat. I don't know, it's like my taste buds came alive once I stopped eating dead animal flesh. Now I can't get enough of sushi and raw oysters.

My parents loved raw oysters and clams. Growing up, I was in charge of getting the clams and oysters whenever we went out to a clambake upstate. That was my job, and I would bring them back and watch while my parents just devoured these clams. At the time, I would only eat steamers or the fried clams at Howard Johnson. The idea of eating them raw made me sick.

See what you learn when you become an adult! Anyway the festival was really cool. I hate a 1/2 dozen raw oysters, some fried clams, some shrimp, and a really good slice of pizza, plus two awesome Bellinis (I figure it was cocktail hour somewhere in the world). Getting there was a bitch and a half. On the weekends the MTA feels free to change the train schedules willy-nilly so that it takes ingenuity to get anywhere.

The festival was pretty small, but cool. Supposedly you're only supposed to eat oysters in months that have an 'R' in them, and thankfully September qualifies. I'm definitely going to attend next year. That's the great thing about New York, there are always food festivals everywhere.

While I was downtown, I wandered in to Borders to use the bathroom, not intending to buy anything. Of course that went out the window. It's a miracle I only ended up with two books. I bought the new Ghosts of Albion book called Witchery by Amber Benson (who played Tara on Buffy) and Christopher Golden (author of the Jenna Blake YA series). This is a fabulous series set in Victorian England. Tamara and William Swift are the Protectors of Albion, their role is to protect England from ghosts, demons, any supernatural infestation. If you like Libba Bray's books, then you'll like the Ghosts of Albion series.

Oddly, the series first started as an animated series for the BBC which you can still see.

Oh, and Borders now has a savings card like Barnes and Noble, except it's free, and don't get daily discounts like the B&N card, but hey I'm willing to save money any way I can, so now I have both for each store.

Thanks for reading!

EKM

Grey Friday

You didn't think a Friday would go by without my talking about how much I love Grey's Anatomy. Seriously, I'm obssessed with this show. The day after, I have to read the EW TV Watch review, and the TV Guide Commentary, and then I have to read the Grey Writers blog to get the thoughts behind the episode.

It's sick I tell you. I did watch Ugly Betty before Grey's, and I can tell that it's going to be a guilty pleasure, simply because America Ferrara is so adorable in the role. You just want her to succeed and find a nice guy. Not necessarily her playboy boss, but a guy who really gets her, and doesn't want to change a thing about her.

I'm really hoping that they don't do a Pygmalion on her, the way they do in Devil Wears Prada. I think Betty should learn about fashion but in her own way. The way that Ivana Trump has tons of money but still doesn't know how to dress.

Now for Grey's. Was anyone as surprised as I was when McSteamy came out of the bathroom? Awesome, I totally did not see that coming. And the scene between Bailey and Izzy, where Bailey accepted part of the responsibility for what Izzy did. And Burke's mother gently chiding Cristina for calling Bailey a Nazi. Callie dancing in her underwear and getting caught by the Chief of surgery. The whole episode was just full of gems.

Sigh, I love this show. And I'm totally down with Meredith wanting to date both guys, although we both know she'll end up choosing McDreamy. Anyone who has dated two guys that she's attracted to at the same time knows that it's not quite as much fun as it might seem.

The picture? Well, that's of James Purefoy who plays Mark Antony in Rome. The ABC site didn't have new pictures from last night's episode of Grey's.

In writing news, I actually managed to write 10 pages today on my WIP. I still fell short of about 3 pages of the output I was hoping for this week (30 pages), but I at least managed to write two chapters which was awesome. Now I just have to edit the 4th chapter to post on the board on Monday.

I went back and looked at my synopsis. Boy, was I really about to go off the rails. As it is, I'm about one chapter behind on all the stuff I had planned. But I think it works out better the way that I have it. I now have a really good first act (the first three chapters). I'm hoping to have written at least 60 more pages before I head off to London on the 16th.

I've also emailed the agents who have the manuscript of my first YA, and I need to start querying again this week. I have at least 10 more agents I want to send the manuscript. It's just sheer laziness that I haven't already done it.

Thanks for reading!

EKM

Celebrity Look-alikes

This was really interesting. I could see Roselyn Sanchez and Eva Longoria, but some of the other people are a little weird. Come on, Cat Deeley and Rachel McAdams. This thing even thought I slighly resembled Lindsay Lohan and Jane Curtain?

Thanks for reading!

EKM

The Flipside to Overindulgence

Sorry, I haven't blogged in a bit. I was rushing to get my fifteen pages done and edited before I posted them to the bulletin board for the on-line writing class that I've been taking for the past five weeks. Also, I'm in the middle of writing the fourth chapter for next week, and I'm hoping to get that finished and done, and chapter five started by the end of the week. Plus, my group is moving on the floor, and I need to get things packed and ready by Friday afternoon. The irony is that my group is only moving over one row. Seriously, we could just move things ourselves, instead of having to pay thousands of dollars to movers to move the boxes. I don't even think our PC's are moving, and we don't have to pack those up.

Also, feeling a bit fragile after overindulging last night at the champagne tasting that I went to. I tasted 24 different champagnes, and I got to eat blinis and caviar (not the expensive stuff). Plus lots of cheese. Reminded me of the Meg Ryan movie, French Kiss, where she overindulges in cheese, even though she's lactose intolerant, like moi. Not bad though for $37.

However, today, I have a tiny little headache, which is not going away despite the Advil I took this morning. This is what happens when you get old, you can't drink like a seventeen year old anymore. Not that I would want to be seventeen again. Yuch!

Thanks for reading!

EKM

Happy Birthday F. Scott!

Today would have been the 110th birthday of F. Scott Fitzgerald, born this day in 1896 in Minnesota. My favorite period of American History is the 1920's (and then the Gilded Age), and the writer that epitomizes that period the most and is the most identified with it, is F. Scott himself.

Considering that his first book was published in 1920, and his fame lasted throughout the 1920's, only to fall in disfavor during the 30's and the great depression. For someone who came to epitomize the jazz age, he lived a remarkably sad life. His greatest work, The Great Gatsby didn't sell all that well, the love of his life ended up in an asylum where she later tragically died, and he basically drank himself to death, in between dashing off short stories to support Zelda and their lifestyle.

He went out to Hollywood to write for the screen, but I think he ended up with only one credit for the entire time that he was out there. He finally died of a heart attack in the home of his mistress in 1940, leaving an unfinished manuscript about the movie business called The Last Tycoon.

I've read alot of books about the twenties and Fitzgerald, but he still remains some what of a cipher to me. Still, I can always read his stories and novels, trying to imagine what it must of been like after WW1, during that carefree, crazy time.

Thanks for reading!

EKM

High Cost of Entertainment

Well, I decided that this weekend, I would actually go to the movies instead of watching them on DVD in the comfort and privacy of my own home, curled up in bed in my jammies, the way I usually do. So I duly looked up movie times in the newspaper, and picked Hollywoodland for the first movie I've seen in weeks.

My first shock was when I got there and realized that movies are now $10.75 in New York. That's like two Netflix movies for me (I have the two movies at a time for $9.95 a month deal). The next shock was a small popcorn and a soda would have set me back like another $10. Fortunately, I'd smuggled in a bottle of water, and the leftovers of the Cadbury fruit and nut bar from work to munch on, otherwise I would have been flat broke, and had to hit the cash machine again.

See this is why people don't go to the movies. You figure two people x $10.75 plus snacks and then if you go to dinner beforehand, it really adds up. And it's not like there's been all that much to make you run out and go to the movies lately. I mean Jackass 2? I did see some interesting movies during the previews that I want to see, including The Prestige with Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, with Scarlett Johanssen where she once again gets to make out with Hugh Jackman. The bitch!

Plus an interesting movie with Clive Owen and Julianne Moore set in the future where the world is dying because women can't reproduce anymore. That looked pretty cool, although the last Clive Owen movie I saw was Derailed and that stunk.

Oh, Hollywoodland was really good. Diane Lane deserves a best supporting actress nod and Ben Affleck proved that he's more than Gigli. Loved the period detail and Adrien Brody proved that The Pianist wasn't just a fluke. And dude's got a really nice body although a little too skinny for me. But Black Dahlia? Oy, what a horrible film. It reminded me of when Carol Burnett used to do the classic movie spoofs on her show like Mildred Fierce. I laughed in all the wrong places, in scenes that weren't remotely funny.

The problem was the casting. I'm sorry but Josh Hartnett, with his hair parted in the middle and the bushy eyebrows, just looked like a grown-up version of Alfalfa. And Aaron Eckhart, who's usually half-decent had no character. Neither did Scarlett Johansen, although she looked lovely in period clothes. Mia Kirshner, who played Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, was compelling but she's only seen in film footage from various screen tests. The only half-way decent acting comes from Hilary Swank but she's in some kind of parody like Mildred Fierce, although her costumes were lovely. The biggest problem is that she looks nothing like Mia Kirshner, and the plot hinges on that fact.

I read an article recently with the screenwriter, and he talked about adapting the book. It was very interesting because none of what he was talking about was in the script that was filmed.

Thanks for reading!

EKM

Grey Matters

How excited was I that last night was the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy? Try ecstatic. It's the one show that I'm being look forward to all summer long.

I have a confession to make. I didn't jump on the Grey's Anatomy bandwagon right away. No, it took the episode with the train wreck to get me on board. But once I did, boy, I didn't miss an episode. I even bought the season one DVD to catch up, and then when season 2 came out, first one on line at Barnes and Noble to buy the darn thing.

I was devastated when Denny died, but I understood why Shonda did it, besides the fact that the yummy Jeffrey Dean Morgan gets his own Shonda Rimes created show. How awesome is that? Last night totally lived up to my expectations.

Loved, loved the flashback sequence to the cocktail party before the interns started. You got to see Izzy, all bright-eyed and optimistic, and then contrast it with her prostrate on the bathroom floor (but how big did that bathroom suddenly get? it looked alot smaller in previous episodes). I had to laugh at everyone called Meredith dark and twisted, when previously she was just scary and damaged.

Bailey saying good-bye to Denny after she identified the body just broke my heart, and then it broke again when she was talking to Omar who was in quarantine and she had to tell him that his wife died. And can I just say that I love Callie? and how much she loves the George?

But the best by far were the two scenes with Derek, the one where we got to see the night they met, and then the night that Derek caught Addison with McSteamy. My heart is breaking for Addison. She really loves Derek, but she knows that she's been fighting an uphill battle against Meredith.

Shonda Rimes deserves credit for making Addison sympathetic, instead of the evil bitch wife, who ruined Derek and Meredith's love story. It makes sense though, if she were a flat out bitch, we'd wonder why Derek married her in the first place. Very clever that Shonda.

All the layers that she reveals about the characters is what draws you in, besides what it's like to be an intern. Cristina crying in Burke's arms, and asking him not to die, telling Meredith and Izzy about sitting shiva.

I could literally talk about this show all day, but I won't bore you guys!

Thanks for reading!

EKM

The Plight of the Independent Woman

I just read an article on the actress Ellen Barkin, who just recently was divorced abruptly by her billionaire husband Ron Perelman because she dared to take a small part in a film and left him for a few days. Yeah, Ron couldn't be alone while she went off to make a movie. Don't ask me why, he's a grown man, I'm sure he travels on business alot but for some reason that was okay.

I guess he needed her for trophy wife duties. She made a comment that was telling, that what attracted Ron Perelman to her was the fact that she was a glamorous movie star, and then what ended the relationship was that she was a glamorous movie star. As long as she looked the part on his arm, that was okay, but god forbid she should actually ply her craft.

Jane Fonda made a similar comment when she was married to Ted Turner. She said that one of the reasons why she retired and moved to Atlanta was Ted couldn't be left alone for like more than a day. Otherwise, I dont' know, he'd cheat on her or stop taking his lithium, who knows.

I know I've had the same problem, as my friends have pointed out to me, no doubt trying to be helpful, but of course it comes across as 'no man will ever want to marry you, until you learn to be more needy' which can turn around and bite you in the butt as well. I know that ex-sweetie pie always said he liked the fact that I was idependent and had friends and interests, but it was tough when I was acting in show after show and he wasn't. At one point, during our relationship, I did like four shows in a row. I was also taking continuing education classes, and working full-time, as well as writing.

Now of course, I have like ten jobs. I know that fun guy was kind of intimidated at the fact that I was working alot while he was still unemployed. Of course, the fact that I was fun and independent was why he liked me in the first place, until he realized that by my working alot that meant less time for us to have sex.

So what do I do? I don't feel intimidating. As far as I'm concerned, I'm a pussycat, who's just looking for a friend. I'm not looking for a man to take care of monetarily, I can do that myself, but I am looking for a man to love me.

I love that Destiny's Child song, "Independent Woman, Part II," from the Charlie's Angel movie (the first one). It's such a female empowerment song. It's my anthem, but apparently maybe I should pick another one, some fluffy song like anything Jessica Simpson sings. Hey, even Nick Lachey got tired of her whining, needy ass.

I'm so confused.

There has got to be a man out there secure enough in his masculinity to want to take me on. I can't be that much woman, come on.

Thanks for reading!

EKM