thanks for the diet coke
Jones has been very bored lately. I have been putting in LOTS of hours on the computer. The dogs and Jones are patient mostly. They lie curled up around the desk. Each one picks his place and they snooze. Then when I move, they move. So, if I go in another room -- say, the bathroom -- when I come out they are waiting to traipse back to the office with me and take up places again. They are writer dogs. But sometimes they get bored.
Well, Loki and Jones get bored.
Dolph almost never gets bored. But when he does, all Dolph needs is a hug. Dolph is snuggly. Hugs, and Dolph is fine.
Loki is an action figure dog. When he gets bored, he needs to know you are still interested in him playing with his toy. Tell him to go get it. Tell him you would really like to play with that fun toy too. Loki is fine.
Jones is different. He is younger. The baby. And when Jones gets bored he will come up to me and talk. He is a Himalayan and they do that. Talk. It is not like meowing. Jones did not even grow up around cats he grew up around dogs and the only times he has ever meowed in his life were when he came back from a kennel and had heard other cats do it so did it too. I am not sure it meant anything to him though -- I understand cat language better than Jones, I grew up with cats -- and he stopped pretty quick each time and went back to talking. And Jones has been talking a lot lately so I bought him a special laser kitty light toy.
The special laser kitty light toy makes a red pin point spot of light you can move all over the house. The ceiling. The walls. The floor. You can race it all over without even moving, just sit in one place and make your cat chase that light like a ninja.
If you have a normal cat.
Jones is not a normal cat. After promises people at the pet store made (including customers who swore THEIR cats loved the special laser kitty light toy) Jones is not even impressed with this special laser kitty light toy at all. Apparently, it is no good because it does not make fun noise. (Who knew the only good toys made noise?) He is totally not interested. So --
I play with the special kitty laser light toy and Jones plays with his stand-by a paper shopping bag with tissue papers in it.
(Dumb cat. Doesn't he know the bag with tissue papers in it is free and the special kitty laser light toy costs cash?)
But it is past time for thoughts. There is a small problem. The new hard drive I bought myself for my birthday because it is not like I am spending anything on a sexy boyfriend that does not even exist on Valentine's Day so the Valentine's fund might as well go on me is not exactly working right. I get about five minutes between shutdowns right now which is complicating my writing anything and wow am I learning how to save regularly again. But. It is time for thoughts and tonight's thought is --
THANKS FOR THE DIET COKE:
Thoughts are late this month because so many things are happening in addition to a hard drive transfer gone bad fast. The book came out and that started a landslide of things that had to be done. Well. There was a landslide of things that had to be done before the book came out too, but there were more landslides after. I am personally getting some tired of being Max the book author and thinking it would be nice to just be Max the scriptwriter again. It is not that it isn't fun. Some of it is real fun. Like the book party. That was Friday and very fancy and I even got to dress up -- as opposed to wearing screenwriter blues. (Wow am I getting tired of screenwriter's blues.) I got to pull out fancy shoes and even a dress (one of the Dolces, yay!) and that was fun. But I am tired. Jeez! Books are work.
Meanwhile, the first column is up on G21. "Strike City." It is all about the strike and you can go see if you haven't already at strike city. I am not too impressed with studio and network behavior pre-possible-strike and say so. I do not even like my union very much either so for me to actually say something in support of my union is a big thing for me. And a first.
Someone asked me was it a bright idea to be vocal about my perspective (which is not so complimentary) on studio and network behavior pre-possible-strike and I said, "No, probably it isn't." And probably it isn't. But someone needs to say something. So I did.
Three Pages is drawing to a close so there is lots extra to do there too. I have been a participant in a lot of competitions, as a reader, as an entrant, inside and outside I have been there. But none of that exactly prepares you for running a competition. So far though it has gone pretty well, I think, and we are all on schedule. Probably I'll pay for it. Most good acts in Hollywood cost you and already I have gotten evil mail from someone who just thinks I am doing it wrong. But I sure hope it does someone some good.
The online workshop is open (check "behind closed doors" on the message board for more info). That took some time setting up too, but is pretty much set up now to take care of itself so whew!
That is my life at the moment. The book. The workshop. Other workshops. Signings. Speaking engagements. The contest. The column -- which, due to hard drive anomolies, um, disappeared and had to be rewritten from scratch the day it was due. Basically. A lot of damn work. I lost seven pounds keeping up so none of my pants fit but here is the funnest thing --
I did a talk for the Northwest Screenwriters' Guild and --
Someone brought a Diet Coke for the teacher!
Yay yay yay!
I was so happy. I always put that up as a joke, "Bring Diet Coke for the teacher." No one ever does plus I do not ever think anyone will I always have Diet Cokes in my bag to get me through talks but --
A girl walked in the door at the talk and handed me a Diet Coke!
That was Cynthia. So I just want to say --
Thanks for the Diet Coke, Cynthia.
Smooch!
That Adams Girl
PS: Jerry brought a Diet Coke to the book party for me too. I am so agog. Thank you Jerry. Smooch!
PPS: Thank you Farid for the wonderful invitations and thank you Allison and Harry for the wonderful party.
PPPS: The computer shut down five times writing this and I am just not taking chances, I am loading without editing. Just don't spell check and we will be okay.
