What Next?

My tummy still on the bum, and I get a nasty reaction from the meds my doctor gave me (he said I was "exquistely sensitive"). Then the muffler almost falls off the car, I discover that an authorized payment thru my checking account didn't go through because they had the wrong account number, and top things off, just learned that Oxygen passed on my romantic comedy. They loved the premise, but they already have a movie with a very similar premise in pre-production.

Shoot me now, why don't you?

My mother had a bad night and could barely function this morning. She tried to cheer me up by reminding me that some people have it a lot worse. I shot back, yeah, I could be Terri Schiavo.

Speaking of which, the Florida Carnivale continues. Since I've been home, we've been watching the hoopla on the cable networks. Once again the talking heads are out in full force. They must have every neurologist in the country on speed dial. And don't those protestors holding vigil have anything better to do with their lives?

THE SCHIAVO DEBACLE

I have instructed both my husband and my mother that if someday my cerebral cortex should turn to Orange Crush with no possible hope of recovery, or if I'm incapacitated by illness or injury to such an extreme, they are forbidden to take extraordinary measures to prolong my sorry existence. No feeding tube, no life support, no ventilator. Just let me go.

I have no wish or desire to be a poster girl in diapers. I don't want Tom Delay or Terry Randall or Bill Frist to be anywhere near my hospital room. I don't want to be the subject of a CNN Poll, a Fox Breaking News Alert or debated by Congress or the Senate. I want to die with dignity.

My beloved grandparents suffered for over a year, both comatose, before they finally passed within two weeks of each other. If it had been within my power to end their suffering sooner, I would have gladly pulled the plug myself.

My family feels as strongly as I do that the government has no cause to meddle in this sad, tragic affair, other than for trite political pandering by a pest exterminator.

Mikey, my big brother, blew his brains out in the spring of 2002. I grieve for him every day of my life. But if by some mischance the bullet had left him otherwise breathing but brain dead, I would have taken on God and Satan with both hands tied behind my back to let my Mikey go.

La Vida Loca

Going to the doctor on Saturday as I make my way through a flare up of a very old problem. I can go for weeks or months without an episode, but for the past couple of weeks (and worse since I had that awful flu) I'm in a vicious cycle. It really doesn't make sense to go back to the old doctor since we moved, so hopefully this doctor will be good. The nurse assured me that I would like him, is there a money back guarantee if I don't?

But the day wasn't a complete waste, work wise. I'm collaborating on a new spec which we call HAPPILY NEVER AFTER, a twisted romantic comedy about what happens to our favorite fairy tale folk when the honeymoon fades.

Yesterday I finally got a response from a manager on my HOOD, he passed with the universal "wasn't for him". God, I hate that. I wish they'd say it sucked or something concrete. But then today I got two requests for it, so that lifted my spirits. I know my pitch is good, now if I can just get someone to bite.

A big shout out to my pals Cheryl and Nick on the success of their CBS show, NUMB3RS. Cheryl and Nick have been stalwarts of the Friday night AOL screenwriters chat for years. Just write in a part for Ted Levine already!

SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY

I dyed my hair a new color today: Chocolate Caramel. I got myself soaked but it beats dumping $100 at the hair salon. It got up a thumbs up from the family, so it can't be too bad.

Last night my husband, who's contemplating writing a high brow medieval literary horror script, rented THE SEVENTH SEAL from the library. Boy, talk about a laugh fest. I fell asleep halfway through. So much for my edjumacation.

BUT before Ingmar came on, I watched the premiere of DEADWOOD. I kind of lost interest in it last season after Wild Bill was killed, but seeing Ian McShane win a Golden Globe piqued my interest again. Ian is wonderful in it, but man, the scursing. Did they really curse like that? Bill cringed throughout.

At least today it didn't snow, yay! But cold. Really cold. I used to love the winter but now it's dragging on too long.

I am almost done with the polish on ORACLE so I can return to MADAM MOM. I may have found a collaborater for my action/romance/caper project. I also learned this week that the prodco who's taking my rom com to Oxygen also wants to take it to Lifetime. And I got two more requests for MOTHERHOOD.

Enough of Winter

We got blasted with a flash snowstorm yesterday which made commuting treacherous. I was prepared to spend the night at my job since the roads were impassable. I only managed to get my sorry butt home thanks to a coworker who was also trapped and didn't live to far from me.
I'm sick of winter and can't wait for warmer weather. Enough!

Other than that, nothing new to report. My column at Done Deal seems to have hit a chord. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. I've even gotten some fan mail and column suggestions.

I'm working on the final polish of ORACLE after getting some insightful crits, and then it's back to MOM.

I Am Distraught, I Tell You, Distraught!

I can't eat or sleep. Why did Denise Richards, six months pregnant with their second child, give Charlie Sheen the boot? They're not even going for a separation, it's straight to Divorce Court. Look, it's not as if Denise didn't know what she was getting into, but still. Stephanie says she heard on the radio that Denise caught Charlie in the act, but I haven't had that confirmed. I guess we'll have to wait for the National Enquirer to give us the dirt.

The Lost Week

Here I am, still in my bathrobe, still coughing and sneezing. I made an ill advised attempt to drive myself into work yesterday which ended up in my returning home, sicker than when I left. I guess that's what you get for being such a dedicated employee. At this point, I've decided to write the week off, rest and regroup and hopefully Monday I'll be in semi-normal once more.

On the writing front, I'm going to be writing a monthly column on screenwriting for a very popular screenwriting website. It's called TWO BRADS OR THREE at
http://www.scriptsales.com/Columns/TwoBrads1.html

Take a look and tell me what you think.