It’s been months since I last wrote. Is it any wonder that so many blogs fall victim to their authors’ apathy? We conceive these blogs w/the greatest intentions, but soon get distracted with life’s other tasks, allowing them to fall by the wayside.
I wish I’d kept it up so the postings had been fresh. And I hate looking back and rehashing the past. I prefer springing forward. But since it’s a new year, I’ll try to make this post do both, and in a nutshell.
Work: our last official day of work was Dec. 14, when we had a gorgeously memorable GMC Terrain callback, at the Annenberg Pool on Santa Monica beach. Start time was 8 am and we cast ‘till a winter-season dark 6 pm. The sunset was stunning, from the 2nd floor conference room where the director & producer had us oversee their selection process. Upon completion, Amy went home to her family and I high tailed it over to Ocean Park Casting Studios, were I oversaw the edit. I got home probably around 9 pm. The wrap process took about an hour a day for about a week, during which Amy & I prepared ourselves and family for the holidays.
Holidays: I stayed in town, b/c I spent too much on my last trip and need to save up. Because I decided to curtail my synagogue visits (for various reasons which I might go into later), Chanukah was for me, rather quiet. But the important part was that I spend it w/family, and that I did, on 3 occasions. One of those occasions happened to be on XMas, since the 2 holidays overlapped. Morley, Mom and I visited Amy & Family on their XMas to view their display of presents, and we stayed long enough to light the Chanukah candles, which was for me, the fun part.
The Kidlets: (Nephew and Niece) Bix and Scarlet are changing everyday, getting cuter and smarter and more clever and imminently watchable. Their overall wonderfulness is absolutely disarming, and hard to resist! Amy finally cut Bix’s gorgeous long wavy locks of hair the color of a July Flame Peach. I was so sad to see them go, but the cut she gave him is just adorable! All of 4, when he looked in the mirror afterwards he stated, “Oh my God, I look like a new boy!”
End of Year Plans: Prior to New Year’s, I’d tried to attack as many items on my “get it done by 2012” agenda. Each day things got delayed, but I finally did some crucial ones, like
- clear out my closet and donate the clothes
- get my car fixed
- get my clothes altered to fit
- get my silver charms purchased in Israel made into jewelry
- get my gold jewelry repaired
- resume my PUVA appts
- attend a follow-up appt w/my doctor
- purchase a new desktop computer (yesss!)
After 2012, I’ve continued on this trend, finally getting the 20 posters I got in Israel over the summer, framed. This is a big custom job that’ll cost a lot of money, but it needed to be done. It took me four vendors to find this place, as recommended by the mgr at Pearl, and it’s called Universal Frame on Lincoln in Venice. That visit was unusual! Everyone there had these gorgeous Portuguese accents, which I recognized right away since they sounded like that DJ on the Brazillian Hour on KXLU. What a nice respite from L.A., for the hour it took me to choose my frames and matt colors with Fernando!
Physical Fitness: Other than that, I duly attended yoga every day of their special holiday schedule, save for one. So, each morning I attended the oh-so-convenient 10:45 am class, each day w/a different teacher. They were all super well-attended, since there was only 1 or 2 classes a day. I got to see our two famous students, who rarely attend otherwise (probably b/c they can afford private study at home!), Belinda Carlisle and Annette Bening. I’m assuming their private teachers both took the holidays off, so they came out of their opulent domiciles to join us at the Institute (IYILA, that is)! But other than the pride associated with increasing my yoga practice, I also suffered some setbacks this year, as my back is now officially chronically stiff, and any back-bending pose, while amazing for the body, creates discomfort so great I can barely get up off the floor, let alone walk. My right arm is now suffering from a rotator cuff problem, an ailment I’d only heard about in the past.
Entertainment/Arts: I attended a lot of cultural events throughout 2011, many of which were films at the Academy courtesy of my host, Marie-France, a costume designer in the Academy. We also went to dinners, concerts, and have a lot planned for January already. I also enjoyed all the art exhibits and gallery openings I went to this past year, mostly in Culver City.
My Pet House: I planned, then delayed, then resumed my plan to repaint my house, which is a rental. I’m putting far more attention and cost into it than most other landlords would. Maybe b/c I treat it like the gem it is, and know that to keep it in its price-point, it needs to look great. But as with everything else w/that house, every project grows to include tons of other repairs or plans. So what started as a few planks of water-damaged wood balcony railing pieces needing to be replaced, I ended up having the entirety of the balconies redone (their heights weren’t up to code, and it’s bothered me since I found out). So, rather than save money, I’m now putting it into the “bank of the house on Lucile”.
Today: It’s now the 7th of January. Whereas I had designs on going out to eat at my favorite fabulous local restaurants each night, I stayed in pretty much insead for the past week. See, I ended up going into emergency last month for stomach pains so great that I let them give me Morphine. Big mistake. It constipated me for 8 days! I’ve been on a major mission to only eat fibery, mild foods since. That included cooking massive quantities of greens from my local Farmer’s Mkt and eating them every night as an entree. My plan worked. But skip a day, and the results show. I have to adhere to it, or else!
Lessons learned: So, good digestion plus regular yoga attendance give me equanimity, calmness and pride that I succeeded in my challenges. May I continue to succeed in whatever challenge arises, Amen.
It’s Saturday night and I’m passing on my plan to go to the valley to hear a speaker give a talk on the Kabbalistic comedy of marriage. If I had more motivation I’d have gone. But staying in and avoiding the drive, the commute, the $25 fee; the prep time and effort; the late night it might’ve been won out. Besides, I need to catch up on a few creative thing: reading, writing, and viewing some films:
- Eden (a film we cast this past summer. It’s now complete and the prod/dir sent us the link! I can now watch it on a lovely monitor.)
- Room at The Top (it’s free to watch in entirety on Hulu, and features my 2nd cousin, Laurence Harvey)
- Chai B’La La Land (an Israeli reality show that my friend Bat asked if I’d like to audition for the role of a casting director on. Ha! I meet w/them a week from Sunday so I gotta get armed….!)
I also have a date tomorrow. My first in quite awhile, which is my own doing, I suppose, since I completely ignored my obligation to find myself a companion, for the past couple months. I resumed the search during the holiday period, connecting w/a guy who ended up an annoying asshole on the phone, that I couldn’t bring myself to go through with the stupid-ass Starbucks date this millionaire set up (on New Year’s Day, noch!) and ended up canceling. I won’t go into the horrific conversations I had with him, leading up to that point, lest my heart palpitate with anger. (Try to focus on the good, Jane!)
Tomorrow’s date is with someone my own age (which is unusual b/c guys my age usually want someone way younger), who approached me. He also grew up in the west valley, albeit Chatsworth. He now lives in Woodland Hills and teaches English at Parkman. This is all crazily local. I look forward to being in the presence of someone with an upbringing similar to mine, for a change. I’ve dated all manner of guys from other parts, who’re beyond successful, but haven’t a clue how to dress. And btw, he loves wine and foreign films—which is nothing to take for granted these days. So many men in my dating demos don’t drink anymore (if they really ever did), and few “get” foreign films. Although teaching isn’t lucrative in the US, it’s stable and secure, and offers great benefits. Over time I’m sure he’s actually earned far more at it than I have at my spotty brand of seemingly glamorous yet ultimately freelance-based employment. And he enjoys it, which is great. Horrible to do a job with rancor, that’s for sure!
He suggested a place because he said it “has a good vibe”. It’s about time someone use that as the reason. All other guys usually say, “what kind of food do you like?” What kind of bs question is that? It’s not about what kind of food a person likes, it’s about the atmosphere; the environment. Is it conducive to conversation? Is it comfortable? Is the lighting soothing? Is it in an interesting area?
Hopefully I’ll be motivated to report back, soon thereafter. I have a busy week ahead, with lots of stuff planned by day and night.
Happy 2012 to everyone out there. May you all get what you want and deserve in the coming year.
