I Didn't Fall Off the Earth But It Feels Like It

I can't believe I haven't been back here for a whole month. Did I ever tell you that I am writing a book? For ten years I've been writing this book; but about a month ago my daughters convinced me that it was time to finish it. So the deal went something like this "Mom, you finish it and we'll get it published."
So I resumed with a burning desire to finally have something to show for ten years of half-assed effort. And something funny happened, almost overnight the book took on a life of its own and I swear it is writing itself.
I haven't given up the project behind this blog however. Things have been happening; meetings have been held. I'll get back on track and fill you in.
Sharon

Why Do I Have so Much Stuff?

My husband and I are very orderly people. We put things away; there's not a lot of clutter; I continually stuff bags full and donate the detritus of our lives to the Salvation Army. Yet our garage is a rat warren. In fact, a rat could be living in there and we would not know it. Even though I constantly try to get rid of things, why do I still have so much stuff?

I'd like to get rid of the stuff in the garage, but I don't feel right about throwing it away; maybe it has a greater value than I would donate to 'Sally's; maybe I think I might need it or want it or use it someday. I have a bunch of antiquey things that belonged to my mother. Talk about the guilt associated with giving that stuff away! George Carlin once said that houses were simply big boxes to hold all our stuff. I know everyone else is in the same boat. Just look at the garages full of stuff as you drive through your neighborhood.

I started providing some retail advice to a woman who owns a retail store selling green products, and have become more sensitive to the fact that we are such a wasteful society. But even if we all turned over a new leaf and tried to buy new stuff that can be used over and over again, what do we do with the old stuff?

Anybody want some cute little porcelain kitties?

Sharon

We Have a Movie We Can Support!

I am so excited I can hardly stand it. A movie not only made in California, but one predicted to win the box office wars this weekend. Easy A, a take off on the Scarlet Letter was filmed in, wait for it, wait for it, Ojai, California. I think that is delicious. Emma Stone, the lead is supposed to be excellent.

Ojai is a family joke in my household. My husband has wanted to visit Ojai since we moved here from New York 10 years ago. And me, I keep promising we'll go, but I'm always working at one thing or another. I wonder if I get him to take me to the movies this week it counts as 'visiting' Ojai.

The other movies released this week are all filmed elsewhere: Devil in Toronto; The Town in Boston; Leaves of Grass in Louisiana; Never Let Me Go in London; and Jack Goes Boating in New York.

Sharon

How Many Jobs Can You Create for $110 Million?

If you are in LA County you would have to say 55. What? Is that true? We received $110 million from the stimulus package and we created/saved just 55 jobs? Why didn't we just give 55 people $2 million each, and at 3% interest they would have a nice income of $60 thousand a year. Or, why don't we just throw money off the back of a train?

Sharon

Movies Approved for a California Tax Incentive

We're going to bring home the bacon this Fall! Below are listed the 27 film projects that were approved for California's tax incentive program this year. The list may change a bit as projects may fall by the wayside, but look, just look at all of the jobs that will be created over the next months. A lot of Indie projects, some TV, some feature films. The date associated with each entry is the scheduled date for start of filming.

I'm going to do a little happy dance right now.

Sharon

PROJECTS APPROVED FOR CALIFORNIA TAX CREDIT PROGRAM
21 & Over
21 & Over Productions, LLC
INDIE FEATURE
8/9/10

A Girl and A Gun
All You Need Productions, LLC
INDIE FEATURE
10/20/10

Beautiful Girl
Screen Gems Productions, Inc.
FEATURE
9/10/10

Breaking the Girl
BTG Productions, LLC
INDIE FEATURE
9/20/10

Bromance
Steinbeck LLC
INDIE FEATURE
11/29/10

Cradle and All
Screen Gems Productions, Inc.
FEATURE
10/11/10

Drive
Drive Film Productions, LLC
INDIE FEATURE
8/9/10

Fixing Pete
Moreal Productions, Inc.
INDIE MOW
10/25/10

Glory Daze
Horizon Scripted Television, Inc.
TV SERIES
8/16/10

I'm With The Band
CBS Films Inc.
FEATURE
11/1/10

Josh
Josh Productions LLC
FEATURE
1/11/11

Just 45 Minutes from Broadway
Just 45 Minutes from Broadway, LLC
INDIE FEATURE
7/26/10

Justified
Woodridge Productions, Inc.
TV SERIES
10/12/10

Knife Fight
Divisadero Pictures, LLC
INDIE FEATURE
9/13/10

L.A. Gothic
Principal Entertainment/Echo Lake
INDIE FEATURE
10/4/10

Lives of the Saints
Lives of the Saints, Inc.
INDIE FEATURE
10/12/10

Love Will Grow
Tavira Productions, Inc.
INDIE MOW
8/30/10

Men of a Certain Age
Turner North Center Productions, Inc.
TV SERIES
7/30/10

Playkids
Kidplay, Llc
INDIE FEATURE
11/1/10

Pretty Little Liars
Horizon Scripted Television, Inc.
TV SERIES
9/2/10

Takin' it Back
Elixir Entertainment
INDIE FEATURE
9/15/10

Thanks Giving Engagement
The Gardeners (JPG), LLC
INDIE MOW
12/1/10

Three Little Words
CBS Films Inc.
FEATURE
10/4/10

Untitled A.B. 2010
Tiny Little Steps LLC
FEATURE
10/4/10

Walter the Farting Dog
New Regency Productions, Inc.
FEATURE
9/13/10

We Bought a Zoo
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
FEATURE
9/11/10

Will
DW Studios Productions LLC
323-956-5988
11/8/10
Fiscal

Is There Viagra for the Movies?

The industry needs something to enhance performance. The weekend box office was wimpy again. The only movie that had a wide release did what it was supposed to do, but it didn't really get it up. About $24 million in ticket sales. Some of the limited releases didn't even make it to a $ million.

Maybe I should switch to supporting the aerospace industry. They are turning out drones by the thousands near San Diego, and employing 10,000 people as a result. They even make teeny tiny surveillance drones the size of an insect that can fly in through your window and see and hear what you're doing and saying.

I'm going to start talking to the mosquitos.

Sharon

Oy!

I'm not even going to mention the movies being released this week. There is only one that has a wide release, the rest, very limited. I couldn't find any made in California. And without exception, all of them received reviews in the basement. I mean really horrible. Where is the quality? Or as that old lady used to say "Where's the beef." Read a book this weekend, or charge your Kindle.

Sharon