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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/item_id/1164809-Nadas-Continuing-Blog-Part-II/sort_by/entry_order DESC, entry_creation_time DESC/page/2
by Nada
Rated: 18+ · Book · Biographical · #1164809
Nadanother blog...sheesh, I guess I DO blog. Completed.
I've had a rich past, yet am making a new one with plenty of life's experiences to draw from! I invite you to come along and see what trouble I get into. I'll blog about my life, present, past... whatever comes to mind at the time. I'll try not to be too serious most of the time, heck we get enough of that just living.




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Happy New Year!



For the mirroring blog series we do on Saturdays:
I Second That Emotion  [18+]
A place to house the "mirror blog" series. There are 28 entries in two folders.
by Nada

and
I Second That Emotion  [18+]
A place to house the mirror blogs with Nada, using songs starting 1958
by Scarlett


Previous ... 1 -2- 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... Next
December 18, 2008 at 9:02pm
December 18, 2008 at 9:02pm
#625064
I have just returned from hell the mall...where, ordinarily, I would never venture during this time of the year. I mean, this is precisely why we go away at Christmas and New Years.

This year I was asking Lance for the past month, “ Do you need anything for the cruise? “

"No I'm fine." Last night he says, "I need some shorts". I’m having some trouble understanding why, as I know he has some.

“Um-m, why is that? I know you have some.”

“Oh, I was looking and I don’t have enough.”

What the heck? “Sweetie...you wear bathing suits during the day, and you can’t wear shorts at night...so you should have plenty. There is a laundry onboard too. What color do you want?” How can I deny him some shorts?

I knew today I had lunch with my dad, so I figured I’d go afterwards. Then his mother calls. I hear him talking to her, bur I didn’t pay much attention, until he hung up.

“Mr. Can Hardly’s ninety-fifth birthday party is Saturday.”

“SO?” I think everyone here is aware Mr. Can Hardly and I are, to put it mildly, arch enemies.

“We have to go.” He says.

“But Saturday night? Gawd. I have a manicure and pedicure scheduled, and it has been for months, so I could get the day and time I wanted, just before we leave.” I’m gritting my teeth.

“Oh, it isn’t Saturday night, it’s 12:30 for lunch.” He says happily.

“Worse yet. My appointment is at 11:45, no way could I make it...even IF I wanted to.”

Lance shoots me one of those looks...the one, that says to me, this isn’t for Mr. Can Hardly, this is for my MOTHER.

“I’ll see if I can change it in the morning.”

This morning he was late getting our of here, but on his way out...”You call the manicurist yet?”

Gawd... “No honey.” He sits there on his cart giving me the ..well, what are you waiting for look.

“Okay, okay. Sheesh.” I called, and Gabby answers, “Hi Gabby, it’s Sheila...is there any way you could change my mani-pedi to either today or Friday?” I hear her flipping the book.

“I could take you for the pedi at 10, but Mike can’t do your manicure any other time.”

I look at the clock, it’s 9:55...uh...I’m still in my jammies! Contrary to popular belief I do not go our in them more than once a year. “Okay, that won’t work, but thanks for trying.” Click. “Sorry honey, no can do, but I’ll call your mom and explain why I can’t be there.” *Bigsmile*

I had a nice lunch with Dad and then headed for the mall. Good grief, what a zoo big crowd! Everything was on sale, which was nice, but difficult to work through the animals crowd. On whole, I’d have to say people were pretty polite, at least the employees were...guess everyone feels fortunate to have a job these days.

Some guy was walking around the men’s department with a fleece-lined jacket slung over his arm and a large cup of coffee in the other. He approached me saying, “I bought this same shirt for $7.99 at Ross, and these shoes at Payless and ....” I stared incredulously...because we were in Macy’s and who the heck cared? “....and I got a Brazilian leather belt for $1.99 at the thrift shop. I have better things to invest my money in...” Uh...okay. I scooted away, “That’s great”. Gawd. He was still following me and mumbling about how much he paid for his underwear! *Shock*

I was lucky to find Lance two pairs of great shorts and a Hawaiian shirt...marked down to $9.99 each....I was absolutely shocked at the low prices, and was told if I charged it, they would take another 20% off. Excuse me, but isn’t part of the problem with the country? Everyone owing so much on credit cards? I told them, “No thanks, but I am paying in cash, doesn’t that deserve 20% off too?” Apparently not. H-m-m-m. Oh well, the last thing I want is to come home to a bill for stuff, another $6.00 off isn’t worth it to me. But it seems to me something is terribly wrong with making people put it on their charge card to get a further discount.
If he needs anything else, he can get it in Hawaii, after Christmas. *Laugh*

I’m done. Stick a fork in me. *Laugh*


December 16, 2008 at 8:31pm
December 16, 2008 at 8:31pm
#624660
Good grief, it is cold here! Look, I know many of you live where there is snow and bitter cold, but the fact is everything is relative. Tonight it will be down to freezing, and I have no doubt it will, after all, that’s only a drop of 8º from right now. I’m freezing, and if the forecast rain arrives I could have snow at my house! This has only happened once in the 19 years we have been here.

Mike is coming to dinner tonight, and with no heat in the main house, I’m thinking our dinner is going to be very brief. *Laugh*

First thing this morning I went to look at a house. It is not on the market, but the owner told our broker, “If someone wants the house more than we do, we’d sell.” I had watched the house being built and thought it was lovely. Well, it is lovely, if bereft of the kind of charm that would entice us. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it is a beautiful home, and on one level, but what they are asking and what I’d pay, it would be a stretch. I’ll leave it up to him. I would not try for it. Which is odd, I have gotten excited over the last three homes, but home values here are holding, so far. Maybe when we get back?

This morning after viewing the house I went to the bank for Lance, While I was sitting there, parked, telling Lance all about the house, I looked up and was startled to see Ted Danson walking in front of my car to use the ATM. I shouldn’t be, he and his wife live here. He is one good-looking man though. When I got out he was talking on his cell phone, but I had to go inside, so just smiled and walked past him. It’s easy to see why so many celebrities live here, nobody bothers them.

I see on the radar, any moment now it will start raining/snowing. You can bet if it snows I’ll be out taking pics. *Bigsmile* But br-r-r-r-r-r!
We leave on Monday for our cruise. I’ll take my computer, but really, it’s to Hawaii *Bigsmile*, so it is not like you haven’t seen pics of the cruise before. But hey, I can’t do the sun, so I’ll probably be writing more, and there is always the chance of meeting some characters to tell you about.

Not sure if I will get to blog again before I leave, tons to do here to prepare to be gone for two weeks. I’ll try, but if not, I will once I get settled on the ship next week. We leave from San Diego on Monday. At any rate, it will be before Christmas!

If I don’t get around to all of your blogs much, once I’m aboard, it is because we are not on the cruise line that gives me unlimited internet, I have to pay by the minute...groan. But I’ll make a point of stopping by to see you as I can. That is a promise!

Stay warm. Be happy, and please stay healthy!

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December 14, 2008 at 5:59pm
December 14, 2008 at 5:59pm
#624280
Last night it got really cold here...I mean it was 41º cold. This was at dinnertime too. Thus my dilemma...I’ll explain:

My son was over yesterday afternoon. True to form, while he was here he manages to leave several doors open after he uses them. In this case both doors left open were leading to the outside. Of course I did not discover this until I went in to feed the dogs. Gawd, the kitchen door was wide open, as was the door from the dining room going outside. The wind was whistling in-between and the temperature was equivalent to those outside.

Of course I closed them and plugged in the space heater. It’s quite ridiculous to have a space heater as the only heater in the home, but hey, better than nothing I have learned. I’m grateful for it. I remember when we didn’t even have one of those!

As it got to be time for me to go in the main house (our bedroom is now in the ranch’s guest house, separate from the main house) and cook dinner the wind had dropped the temperature down lower and I was dreading spending any time in there, much less ask Lance to get out of the cozy, heated bedroom and come to the kitchen to eat.

Enough sighing and postponing the trek finally had Lance volunteer to take us out to dinner, a drive-through. “Oh yes...” I said with total enthusiasm, “...and we won’t even have to get dressed, nobody will see us.” We both had on sweats/jammies.

“We could even drive through Taco Bell.” He said.

“Don’t get carried away.” I laughed.

Both of us went out to the car, “B-r-r-r-r-r-r.” We said in unison. Lance told me to turn on the seat heater...what a great invention. The full moon was big and bright, hovering over the mountain, and a few dark clouds were blowing by just beneath it. It was a breathtaking sight as we snaked our way down the mountainside.

“Hey, we could go to Carrows™, they have a prime rib special on the weekends. Nobody would see us, besides sweats are normal fare here.” I was feeling bold, confidant on a Saturday night we would not run into anyone. I must have been, since I wore no makeup, and had not combed my hair. *Laugh* I was wearing my Have An Ojai Christmas sweatshirt so I felt especially festive.

“Okay with me.” Lance said as he turned onto the main road.

“But...you can’t wear your red bow tie.” I laughed. Before we left he was in our closet sorting through his clothing for the cruise, and as always, he had been practicing his bowtie tying skills, using a red one.

We both laughed...no sense tempting the fate of someone seeing us out like this.

We drove down the main street, something we rarely do at night, mainly because we don’t go out much. It was so festive, all the shop windows were decorated, and the home in the area had also decked the halls. It really put me in the mood.

We got to the coffee shop and parked, then went in. The hostess greeted us and we noticed she was very pregnant....or had a lot of body weight below...but I am convinced she was preggers!
She took us to the big back room, where about five other tables were dining, average age about 80. Then I realized we could order from the Senior’s menu! *Shock* All of a sudden a voice said, “Hello...how are you?”
We both swiveled our heads to look at who it was...a blonde gal in her mid to late 30’s. Ohhhhh, then it dawned on me....she is the girlfriend (of a man we made an offer to) we met while going through his house recently. Gawd. I remembered being told she is a night cashier here, with four kids. Oh well, busted. “How are you? Find a house yet?”

“No, still looking, you?” Lance asked.

“No, we’re still waiting.” A direct reference to us not countering to their counter, but we had gone through it once more and decided we couldn’t live there, so that was that, or so we thought.

She stood there schmoozing with us, like people do when Lance gives them an opening. This goes a long way towards explaining some of the characters I meet on our cruises. *Laugh* Finally she left us to order and we both changed our minds and ordered breakfast for dinner. YUM!

Just as the waitress brought our food the last of the people in the dining room were leaving, and one older man stopped at our table to offer up his opinion on the bailout. Have you ever noticed the men in their 80’s do not hesitate to offer up opinions on today’s world, asked or not?

I was half-heartedly listening when I looked up and saw...SANTA CLAUS riding on a flatbed truck full of lights and kids caroling! “LOOK Honey, SANTA!” I was now squealing with delight. You would think I had never seen Santa before. *Laugh*

I don’t know, I see him at the mall, but somehow seeing him on a hayride going down our main street mere days before Christmas was...reassuring somehow. Things will be fine, small town life survives....and so will we. Even being out in public in our jammies! *Laugh*

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December 13, 2008 at 5:27pm
December 13, 2008 at 5:27pm
#624136
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Many thanks to vivacious for the great header!
“I Second That Emotion” Part~28

“You’re the Inspiration”-1985
By Chicago


Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0jFSQp-Kw8


Since I had signed with SAG and AFTRA (technically I was a member, but all of the submitted paperwork to prove my eligibility was not processed and my cards issued until 1985) I was able to acquire a new agent, one I hoped would send me out more than those in the past had.

Sure enough I was being sent out more. I wasn’t enjoying the commercial auditions very much, mainly because we had to wait so long, then be in a room with usually three or more people who would “direct” you to do one thing or the other. This is when I learned they usually had a “type” in mind, as evidenced by the rooms of people waiting around memorizing their “sides”. (Sides are the scripts with the part you are reading for on them.)

I also learned I stunk at these auditions. My confidence was not good enough to go up against all of the beauties, and I was not enough of a character type, so I sort of fell in-between the cracks. I was not “hungry enough” to just let go and give it my all either. Oh sure, I managed to get some parts, but mostly they were in student films. Usually it would be a scene the student had chosen to film, one taken from a successful movie.

I played the parts of Shirley MacClaine often...which didn’t surprise me, as I had been told I resembled her. I did receive a starring role in one USC student film, The Poisoning, in March. I played a female scientist and murderer. It was a half-hour film and a very versatile part, so exciting to get to stretch abilities. I had my first screen kiss in it, and even had a premier at USC.

Mike was graduating from high school in Hawaii in June, so we began to plan for the trip. One thing turned into another and we decided to go to Asia first, and have the trip end up in Hawaii to see Mike graduate.

Lance and I decided we wanted a child. Because of his Muscular Dystrophy having such a genetic predisposition we decided to adopt. I knew I wanted to do it soon, as I was not getting younger, and Lance was still relatively healthy.

May 5th, my youngest brother, Brian’s birthday, we took off for Hong Kong. We spent five days there, at the Regent Hotel on the river. It wasn’t enough time, but did give us an opportunity to meet a couple who were mutual friends with a couple we knew back in California. They took us sightseeing as only someone who lived there could, as well as out to a real Chinese restaurant, not the tourist type.

It was in Hong Kong Lance bought me the first pearls I would own. It was great fun researching pearls in a country known for them. In retrospect it was probably the ignition point for my interest in jewelry. We took a rickshaw ride through the heart of the financial district by a couple of enterprising men who promised to get us to the base of Victoria’s Peak.
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Me standing at Victoria’s Peak:
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Our next stop was Bangkok for three days. My impression of it was congested, hot and humid, but terribly interesting. We stayed in the famous Bangkok Oriental Hotel. Many impressions were left on me of this city; unbearably hot and humid, very traffic congested, but a city full of things I had never imagined, gold temples, Jade Budda’s, floating markets and wonderful graciousness and luxury amid much poverty.

Lance and I at the Forbidden City, Bangkok, Thailand
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Me at the Bangkok marketplace looking at some Durian, the notable “stinky fruit” which is forbidden in the hotels and other places.
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Our next stop was the city of Singapore. Since I had been there before, I was eager to show him around. We had five days.

Our first night out I wore the beautiful pearls he bought me in Honk Kong:
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We did so much, eating at the food court, going to temples and marveling at the modern cityscape. It was still the cleanest city I had ever been in, probably because of the strict rules imposed.

One of the days we spent at the bird aviary, and here we are:
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Of course what would a trip to Singapore be with a trip to Raffles Hotel, and the Long Bar, home of the Singapore Sling? Of course we went one afternoon, sat in the Long Bar and Lance sipped the one and only Singapore Sling.
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We also visited Tiger Balm Gardens, where there were some odd things, and of course Lance captured the one most appropriate for me:
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Our next leg of the trip was to Bali for a week. We flew to Jakarta where we encounter a thunderstorm unlike any I had ever experienced. We had to sit on the runway for six years, lightning flashing and lighting up the cabin. Finally, we were able to take off. We arrived in Bali around midnight, to a very tiny airport with sunglass wearing, machine gun toting guards.

We were going to the Hyatt Resort and had arranged for a hotel driver to pick us up, but at this hour we were unsure. I saw a man holding a sign with our name. We followed him out to an old beaten up VW bus. He didn’t speak English, but indicated we should get in. We looked at each other and got in.

The road was a single lane, and there were no lights, either streetlights, or city lights. The only things visible were millions of stars in the midnight sky. All of a sudden the driver stopped, and pulled over, off of the road. The passenger door of the front seat opened and a man got in. Again Lance and I looked at each other...were we going to be taken somewhere, robbed and killed? We had no idea what was going on, but we held onto each other’s hand. After about forty-five minutes we pulled up to a wall, a softly lit sign said, Bali Hyatt Hotel. We breathed in a sigh of relief as the gates opened, we passed a guard and finally were in front of the lobby; an open air, green filled heaven.

We were greeted with a tropical drink and as our bags were unloaded we were taken to our room. This photo is of Lance in our room, modeling his new hat. I always kid him about looking like a smuggler.
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I managed to pick up some horrible bug or flu, and as you can see I was not a happy woman to be sick as a dog in Bali.
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I was in bed for four days, but did manage to get out and enjoy the last few days there.

Our last stop was Honolulu, where we would meet up with my parents and watch Mike graduate high school at the Waikiki Shell on June 1. We had a room at the Sheraton on the beach, along with my parents.

His graduation was a time of intense pride for all of us. My father took the picture of Lance, my mother, and me with my son, Mike.
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Once back in LA we recuperated and got back into the swing of our life. I went back to my acting classes and even filmed a movie for the school system.

The fourth of July we had a barbeque for our friends, but on Sunday morning my mother called.

“There has been a tragedy. Brian committed suicide.” My mother said.

My youngest brother had killed himself, why? I knew he had some problems, but he had moved to Florida with his daughter earlier in the year. Her mother never married Brian, and failed to go join him as planned. Brian’s daughter, Brandy, had just turned five in February. They both had been living with our parents.

“I’ll book a flight and be there as soon as possible.” I left that night.

I called Lance after the funeral to ask him if I could bring Brandy back with me? She had attached herself to me the moment I got to Florida, and I wanted to take her back with me, perhaps we could make a family with her.
The three of us at home.
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We looked into therapy for her. Having been abandoned by her mother and now her father we knew she would need help. But that was not our biggest problem. It seems as though word had gotten out to Brandy’s biological mother that Brian died. In her mind it meant she should get back her daughter, one she had not seen in three years.

My parents decided they would go to court to get custody, to adopt Brandy, based on having taken care of her for three years. On my 37th birthday my mother came to California to take Brandy back to Florida for the court battle ahead. We all vowed to fight for this little girl, as the group Chicago sang, “You’re The Inspiration” for all of us to make her life a better one.

The rest of the year was spent still pursuing the acting career, though I was a little preoccupied now. Lance and I were now determined to have a family of our own, and we continued to explored adoption, as well as us again assessing the risks of having a child of our own, naturally.

We left in December to go spend Christmas with my parents and Brandy in Florida. A court date for my parent’s adoption request was set for January. They had already been granted temporary custody until the adoption case could be heard.

It was a somber Christmas, in some ways, but seeing Brandy thriving with my parents made us both feel good. Still the ache of no children in our lives was present, and would be for the foreseeable future.

***I'll be going away for the holidays, so this will be the last Saturday series entry for this year. Thank you so much for your continued interest. We plan on returning to the series around January 10, 2009.
December 10, 2008 at 7:16pm
December 10, 2008 at 7:16pm
#623657
1. Hubby took the sleep test and the gal who monitored it said he was not suffering from sleep apnea, or low blood oxygen. I am so-o-o resisting the “neener-neener” he deserves for not listening to me, or believing the videotape I shot as he slept.

2. Hubby called the dermo to “tell them one of the places he burned/froze off on his chest was oozing”. I am so-o-o-o resisting the “neener-neener” he deserves for not listening to me when I said, “Oh, it’s a burn, they ooze and it will scab over in a couple of days.”

3. Hubby says he thinks the over-the-counter sleep aid gives him migraines. I am so-o-o-o resisting the “neener-neener” he deserves for not listening to me when I said, “Nonsense, it never gave them to you before.” He woke up with one after discontinuing the use...possibly because he did not sleep well at the Sleep Clinic Inn?


Okay, now I have this out of my system, so I can blog about what I want, instead of what he wants. Are there any other spouses out there who feel slighted when their significant other doesn’t write center their entire blog about them? I swear mine gets all bummed out if I do not make him the centerpiece.

“But honey, this is my blog.” I say to the guy who wants to be the centerpiece of every conversation/entry, whether or not he did anything noteworthy of my typing. *Laugh*

“Then it definitely should be about me.” He smiles.

“But honey, I have upgraded you twice so you could do your own blog. Remember?” Which only has five measly entries, I might add.

“It’s no fun to write about yourself though.”

That’s when I gave him the beady-eyed stare...”Oh really. Isn’t that sort of the definition of blogging...a personal journal thingy?”

And then Atlas Hubby shrugged. A mere man, defeated by the feminine logic once again. Neener-neener.

So anyway...I know David McClain is wondering what it is I alluded to in his blog. I said I was just going to blog about in here.

Well, he and Carolina Blue were lamenting their approach to being 60...cough-cough. I said I could tell them how being 60 is; damn depressing. Of course I need to back that up with a story.

Yesterday I was in the drug store getting things we need for the cruise...smaller-sized toothpaste, and of course extra-large sized condoms, and some hair spray too, for you nosey types. *Laugh* I had my little blue arm-basket and got into line. I was standing behind a lady probably in her 90’s, God bless her. I noticed her hands had, what I call, “O-P-S”, old people’s skin. You know the skin which gets bruised just beneath the surface...the mottled reddish color? Both of the tops of her hands were nearly solid purplish-red and I thought, one of these days I’ll be like that...if I live long enough.

Then she spoke to the cashier, “Could you tell me something, some makeup that would cover these bruises on my face...I hit myself in my sleep and...” I drifted off in my thoughts and began to think how I was fortunate, in that it only seems to happen to me on one arm so far...but even Hubby is noticing it on himself. See honey, worked you in again!

Then I heard the cashier, “I’ll have to ask someone to help you.” I could no longer contain myself, “I can help you, I have a similar problem. I found something that will cover it.” She looked at me for a second as if to see if I was kidding...then her daughter (I’m assuming was my age) said to me, “Oh, thank you.” Her daughter was not wearing a stitch of makeup...and probably had no idea what would work.

So I led them over to the makeup and searched for the brand of concealer I use...having tried various brands until I found the one effective one. I could see on the woman’s face a big old blotch, not unlike those I get on my arm when I wear a bracelet and bang it on something. Something so jarringly unsettling about it...being face to face with a future where our vanity is compromised in an instant, before we even realize it is going.

I did help her find the one I find works best, one very small victory, over time marching forward. She was grateful, I could see it in her eyes, or was it just mine, for showing me you can never quit the battle?

Whichever. Time marches onward and those of us who are ahead of you may be paving the way for you youngsters, albeit reluctantly. Until then, we cover up our insecurities like so many pots of concealer. E-mail me if you need the name of it... David or Ken. *Laugh*




December 8, 2008 at 8:04pm
December 8, 2008 at 8:04pm
#623211
I am not going to be accompanying Hubby tonight to the sleepless Sleep Clinic Inn. Nope, he is a big boy, capable of spending the night alone hooked up to wires etc.. I mean heck, he made the appointment all by himself. *Laugh*

Actually, I will drive him, even though he's making me eat dinner early, drive him some 40 minute drive to get him there by 8 pm...but then I'm sending Cesar to pick him up at 6:30 in the morning, when they throw his butt out without so much as a cup of coffee. *Laugh*

I know, mean huh! Well, not as mean as the other night when I videotaped him sleeping. Yep, in an effort to show him he was not needing a sleep clinic I waited until his mouth was open, drool seeping out and I flipped on the light, grabbed the video camera and laid it down on the pillow just inches away from him. Heh-heh. Let's just say, it's pretty funny...except I forgot I turned the camera on myself and made some faces into it. When I casually dropped the bomb of the video, I played it back to him on the camera and he started laughing.

"Hey, it's not that funny."

"Your part is." Guffaw.

"Gimme that...awww jeez." It was not very pretty, the overhead light was on really low, because I couldn't see how to operate the dang thing, and had my glasses balancing on the end of my nose...and I wasn't exactly being my most photogenic. To say the least. Gawd I have ugly nostrils. (No, you won't be seeing any links to these videos...I made the mistake of buying a camera whose program doesn't seem to work on this computer, despite the Mac friendly installation CD.) I gave the Windows computer to my son, who promptly removed it to his office. Gawd. *Rolleyes* And here I have been touting myself as so technologically advanced.

So now I have a videocam with five videos on it I can only see by viewing it on the camera playback. Two of Lance sleeping, one of me making faces, one of my girlfriends and me in the car when we went to Disneyland and one of my dogs in the garage. Great for me, bad for everyone else! *Laugh*

Well, had a nice weekend here...we went to an artists reception yesterday. We know the family and it is their daughter. Lance had once told me he really liked her paintings, but she refused to sell. I don't think she needed to sell for the money, as her family operates a highly successful winery. Well, something made her change her mind about selling, and she was having a one-woman show this weekend.

I'll admit I wasn't that keen on going, as I don't much like contemporary art...I prefer painting which I don't have to squint and wonder what the artist is saying. You want to paint tranquility, paint a lake!

We were the first people there on Sunday, and it was nice meeting the gallery owner and the artist. Apparently both of them had gone to high school with Lance, as did a few others who showed up later.

Since Lance had last seen her work, she had done a 180º in her style, from big fluid stroke to what looked like almost a 50's fabric...geometrical and some reminding me of African fabrics, while others looked like computer circuits. Whatever. Loads of finger foods about, but we had planned on going out to eat afterwards, so no spoiling the appetite. *Laugh* As more people showed up I thought what a burgeoning art scene there is in Ventura nowadays. My second thought was, "What weird women." Really...and it is because they were all couples, and quite... affectionate with each other. Oh....they are Lesbians. It was like a lightbulb went off in my head. It hadn't really occurred to me until there were maybe 10 couples and I noticed there were NO MEN. Whatever, but several of them asked if I am an actress because, "You look familiar". I assured them they wouldn't know anything I had done...and then I remembered my first play. *Laugh* Nahhhh.

I did buy a painting though, it's four feet long and one foot wide. It's called, "Forgotten Future". It had very nice, subtle colors and happens to fit over our dining room mantle. Support the arts and all. Actually I did like this one, which I know is the sort of painting that can be hung vertically or horizontally to provide a surprise in some place traditionally shaped art would not fit. Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I have no idea what she was trying to convey, but for me, I buy art and most other things using the following criteria: Pretty is pretty.

Well, I hate to end it here, but Lance is home so best I help him pack up for his big night out. *Laugh* Hope you all have a good night...I know I will.





December 6, 2008 at 5:38pm
December 6, 2008 at 5:38pm
#622845
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **

Many thanks to vivacious for the great header!
“I Second That Emotion” Part~27

“What’s Love Got to Do With it?”-1984
By Tina Turner


Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eu3WIXuzmo

Newly wed and eager to get on with life, I set up a lunch appointment with a family friend, David, an agent. This time it was not a literary agent, but a theatrical agent. I always wanted to be a soap opera actress, and now I had the time to explore the feasibility.

I knew David would give me the straight-talk about my commercial viability in a town where actresses were chewed up and spit out. The meeting went well, even though he felt I should have some dental work, get headshots and start taking classes. It was all useful advice.

I was in negotiations to sell my interest of Inside Info to my partner, Susan. As of late, she had fallen for a client, a director, and was spending more and more time with him. I ordinarily wouldn’t have minded, but she had been neglecting the business and I felt without her working actively, the business would fall even more directly on my shoulders with no more of the income.

Finally we came to some terms where she would buy me out. I was somewhat sad about leaving the business, but at the same time, I did not want sole responsibility for it. I was excited to jump into the next phase of my life.

I made an appointment to have some dental bonding done. I only knew about this because Lance’s cousin, Dr. Irwin Smigel, was the dentist responsible for inventing the procedure. Once done, it was time to get some headshots. I needed commercial ones, as well as glamour shots.

My commercial headshot was two sided, with the front just the singular headshot:
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


The flip-side contained images showing me in various settings:
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


The one color headshot I had:
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


I enrolled in various acting classes. I had a basic acting class on Tuesday evenings with a working actor named Bruce Glover. It was held in a theater called Nosostros, which was the theater founded for and by Hispanic actors. Renting it out was one way they had to keep it going.

I also found out I qualified for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), as well as for AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Actors). You pretty much can not work in show business, and make it, without belonging to the unions. It is unequivocally the major reason so many people never get an opportunity to be seen. I was in one of the unique positions of having worked on an AFTRA union television show, which paid me the going rate, thus qualifying me. It was also was during the period of time they would “allow” you to join SAG if you had worked on a union show for AFTRA. It was not inexpensive, but without those two cards I would have little to no hope of ever working in the business.

I enrolled in another class, Soap Opera Technique, being run by an actor I knew from soap operas, Anthony Ponzini. (He worked steadily from 1963 through 1996, and sadly passed away Dec. 30, 2002.)

Another class I took was an Improvisational Class from Barry Pearl (who is still a very respected and working actor). I always looked forward to his class.

I have to say it was a very busy, fulfilling time for me. I was stretching my abilities, as well as finding out some new things about myself. I would have thought my gregariousness would have translated on film, but as I found out, there was much more to acting than merely showing up with my lines. This was not going to be so easy.

The bravado I had, as Buffy, was not automatically tranferred to my life as Sheila. When I gave up the name, I discovered I also had given up more than just the past, but the persona I had carefully constructed over the years. Buffy was much braver, much more willing to take chances...even to make a fool of herself, when necessary.

As Sheila Hudson the actress, I had to reach deep down inside of me. In my “basic” acting class this was called, “Acting in the Moment”. The problem being, this would require we me giving up the control I had worked so hard to possess, and force me to express the true emotions I could conjure up...the ones I felt as I became whatever character I was required to be.

Sometimes my line readings/performances were videotaped. (Looking at those tapes now is very painful.) The frightened, insecure images speak volumes more about my new role as an woman stripped of her old persona...much more than any of the lines I spoke. There was no part of Buffy to hide behind. More often than not it was cringe-worthy to me. I wondered if ever I could get past the hardness I saw on tape.

In spite of this, I just kept going out and auditioning for any parts I felt were in my age group. Bruce said I was not ready, but I felt I needed to expose myself to the auditioning process. I needed to know how it felt to experience rejection or success, probably both. He also said I would never do comedy.

On Saturday, July 14, 1984, I auditioned for a play in Hollywood, an all woman’s play which had plenty of parts to cast, eleven. The odds were going to be in my favor, I believed. The theater was on Hudson Street, which I considered a good luck omen, since Hudson was the stage name I used. The line snaked around the corner, tall women, beautiful women, character actresses...some of everything. I was nervous, but when my time to read lines came, I was ready...knees knocking, but ready.

The next day I received my first callback! They wanted to see me again! There is nothing like a callback to boost your confidence, really. I went back to read again and was told I had one of the leads! My character was “Lesley”, the bi-sexual pitcher of a woman’s lesbian softball team. It was a comedy to boot! This was going to be very interesting, and surely would test my ability to act.

They chose two complete casts, one to do the show Tues.-Thurs. and the other, Fri.-Sun. I was fortunate enough to be chosen for the weekend cast. We had rehearsals six days a week, and each time I drove down Hollywood Boulevard, to rehearsal or a performance, I would crank up my radio and sing along, “What’s love got to do...got to do with it?” I know how silly I looked to people in the cars next to me, just singing my heart out, dressed in my “Peecocks” softball uniform, but I didn’t care. I was a working actress in Hollywood. I know it helped me to get my energy level up for my performance. Here is the entire cast, on opening night. We were in the back alley awaiting the start:
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


Here’s the Playbill:
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


Inside of the playbill it listed the cast, in order of appearance, and a blurb about each of us. Mine read: SHEILA HUDSON makes her L.A. stage debut in “Peecocks”. She is a veteran of 4 films and numerous tv and radio shows. She is a published writer, big game hunter and is looking to enter the world of soaps

Opening night for our cast was August11th, just a day after my 36th birthday. We opened to a full house! I surely had come a very long way from Mustang Ranch. Lance was completely and utterly proud and supportive. He came to every performance I was in, bringing friends sometimes, and other nights just sitting there in the audience, being there for me.

On opening night I skipped an entire page of dialogue, but it never happened again, thankfully. I was mortified when I realized it, but nobody in the audience knew it. I understood it was a pretty common occurrence, or so the director led me to believe.

The next night was the closing ceremony of the Olympics, and there were only two people in the audience, Lance and someone else’s mother. It was the most difficult thing to do, perform for a near empty house. I have a great deal of respect for stage actors because of this night, in particular.

While the play was running I kept on auditioning, first for agents (I got one), for small student films, and anything else my agent could drum up. I got several of the student films, even starring in a few. It is a wonderful training ground for actors. I also auditioned for commercials, got a Coke™ commercial during their ill-fated “Catch the Wave” campaign...it never even aired though.

I see in my appointment book I made note of my “best performance” of the play on Aug. 24th. The play would run until November 10th, by then I was an old hat in the part, so I was ready to move on, and I know Lance was ready to do something else on the weekends.

This year’s end we went to Lake Tahoe over the holidays, where we relaxed and reminisced about the preceding year and all of the various changes happening in our lives. It was a very good year. And I could honestly answer the question, “What’s love got to do with it?” Everything. Watch out Hollywood.

December 5, 2008 at 3:01pm
December 5, 2008 at 3:01pm
#622488
I was listening to the radio yesterday while doing my errands...when I heard advertised on FM Radio...the “doctor channel”. HUH? Well, damn, so I announced to Jagger (the talking-back part of my car that sometimes does what I tell him to do) “XM Radio, Channel one hundred and nineteen.”

He actually did it on the first go-round. Amazing, and I could tell my day would be going well from here on out...no glitch in my get-a-long today.

When I first started listening I was fascinated, as it was a couple of docs taking calls from viewers about plastic surgery. I was pretty impressed with the restraint, but there was a call-in from a woman who said, “I work out constantly at my gym, and I can’t seem to get rid of my saddlebags. I’m thinking about having some liposuction done.” I know about that particular problem, so naturally they had my rapt attention. Then the male doctor said, “Okay, cup your hand over the area...is there a handful?”

Giggling sounds from females...then the host of the show, a female, said, “Oh, all of us in the studio are doing this.” Well heck, I had to admit I was about to try it, until I remembered I was driving.

The doctor said, “Oh none of you have a problem.” Whew, I’d sure hate to think of the women hosting and producing the show exhibiting any...gulp...saddlebags! Sacrilege!

“So, do you have a handful?” He politely asked the caller.

“Um-m-m-m yeah, about that.” She didn’t sound totally convincing, if I am to be honest.

“Well, since you are so fit, so otherwise healthy, I don’t think it would be a problem for you.”

“Well, how long is recovery from this little bit? I mean, how long until I could go back to the gym?” She laughed nervously.

The two doctors conferred, on-air, and offered their opinions, and what she could expect. “Depending on how you bruise, and what kind of compression clothing your doctor recommends during healing.....blah-blah-blah.....three weeks or so”

I tuned off my radio and went to do my errands. By the time I came back it was time for another show, this time a couple of cardiologists and a caller . Gawd, this is addictive.

“I’m a runner and I have MSD.” What is it, I wondered.

“So when your heart beats irregularly ...you feel it?” Well, how timely, what with Hubby and all.

“Yes, and I’ve had all of the tests, and nothing shows. Is there some drug I can take?”

“No, you’re just more aware of your heart because it beats slowly, you are an athlete. Besides, any drug you could take would have detrimental effects on your health. You are normal. You need to be aware you are looking for something not there, apparently.”

Wow. I never did find out what MSD is, other than it had something to do with the lower chamber of the heart, but sure could relate to some of it.

I was at my next destination, so off I went. Again, by the time I was back the doc’s had changed and now we were on to ...gulp...menopause. Something I do know a little about. However,it was an author/MD on who claimed there are “hidden secrets” to be found. Well, it has been my experience that any hidden, so-called-secrets, probably should remain as such. In fact, all of them should remain hidden after a woman becomes a certain age... because I say so. Especially after listening to this woman say publicly we should name our vaginas. Need I say more?

This morning Hubby and I had appointments with the dermatologist and after were going to look at a house we are considering. That meant separate cars, as he would be going on from there to his workday.

Yipee....another ride with even more doctors! Gulp, this morning it was a couple of dermatologists....how weird, hearing one caller describing symptoms what I was going in for. H-m-m-m-m, did I really need to go now? Yeah...oh, and I decided I’d be going back to music from now on, too much information takes the fun out of getting older AND having medical insurance.

Have a great week-end, I’m sure going to try. Oh, and take two aspirin and don’t call me in the morning. *Laugh*

December 3, 2008 at 11:23pm
December 3, 2008 at 11:23pm
#622066
Inside of my brain...Gawd, I’m hearing an echo in there these days....as opposed to those other days.

It feels like someone switched off my sanity switch. Really. All right, so maybe it’s never been on and I just didn’t notice it. Whatever.

Have you heard of cow tipping? Well, I have never done it, but now I can tell you about Shi-Tsu tipping, or Niley tipping to be more specific. I’ve mentioned before he is a cat... in a dog’s coat. Well, independent as he is he does snuggle up next to me when HE wants to. Actually, it’s more like he stands next to me expecting me to pet him. Of course, I do. Then you can watch those big, brown eyes roll back in his head, and barely touch him and he tips over sort of collapses really. It’s a hoot. Then, he rolls around snorting until he has had enough, and then abruptly walks off. *Laugh*

Hubby called me today, it seems he needs me to drop him off at the “sleep clinic” Monday evening. Good grief. So he checks in at 8 pm and they spring him at 6:30 am the next morning. *Laugh*

“So honey, do you want to stay with me?”

“Oh sure...that sounds like a blast dear.” *Rolleyes*

Apparently the doctor is sending him, thinking maybe he does not breath deeply when asleep, and that is causing his heart flutter. Personally, I think it’s just another moneymaker for someone, but then I suppose if it was me having the flutter I would want to exhaust all the options too.

Oh, we are still house-hunting. I wish I could say something positive about it, but none of us is sure what tomorrow will bring in this economy, and like everyone else we are hesitant to reach for something. On a coincidental note, today I got an invitation to a party/fundraiser at my old house. I’m so torn about going...and funnier still, it’s a “jewelry trunk show”... Gawd.

Hubby arrived home early tonight, actually this afternoon. He has another migraine. My son is living with the person I believe stole our luggage. My niece, with the four children, had her ex-husband move to another city with his three children over Thanksgiving...while he had “holiday custody”. She has the baby, but this child wasn’t his...nor is it the one she is living with’s. Confused? Join the crowd. She claims it’s “bad luck”...no, it’s bad choices, about a dozen really bad decisions on her part. She’s 28. Gawd.

On the bright side...tomorrow is dog grooming day...no more stinky dogs...although Frasier has pulled a muscle and has been limping for two days. What, me worry? *Laugh*

December 1, 2008 at 8:11pm
December 1, 2008 at 8:11pm
#621631
Adios November!

I have to say, November was not my best month. I've been on the verge of tears the whole month, and I can't even tell you why. Oh well, maybe it was premonitionary. Yep, I made that word up.

Friday, was my designated "cook a turkey and stuffing" to hold us over for the weekend. What a nightmare that proved to be.
*Rolleyes* I suppose I forgot to have expected Murphy to join us. I had given Cesar the day off too.

I made a few other near fatal mistakes too...like letting Cesar pick up the turkey on Wednesday. Oh yeah, and I asked him to get some sticks of butter, some stuffing mix, a stalk of celery, some onions (some things you shouldn't have to say), and a can of yams.

The turkey was a Safeway fresh turkey, which I am sure he thought was a good buy. The problem is I prefer Butterball, injected whatever and all. Still, no problem, until Friday morning that is; I turned on the oven to preheat it, and it wasn’t heating up. I looked under the oven and only one side was ignited. Great...best I go to the hardware store and get an oven thermometer.

So I threw on some sweats and headed down the mountain. While I was there I thought I would pop into the market and pick up a pumpkin pie. No problem. I was in and out in a moment.

I went into the kitchen put the oven thermometer in, then took the turkey out of the fridge, chopped up some celery and onions, then went to get a stick of unsalted butter, one of two I would be using. Gawd! There was only one stick and it was salted. Hm-m-m-m-m. I really had a dilemma, do I use it for sautéing the onions and celery...or save it to baste the turkey before I put it into the brown paper bag I cook it in? Please, no lectures on brown bags with ink poisoning us...if that were the case I think I would have killed numerous people by now. Oh, best I get the turkey lacer out and get the bag while I’m thinking about it....

Where the hell does he put the paper bags? I tear apart my pantry, but only find one lunch sack size brown bag...Noooooooooo, impossible we don’t have any, after all, he does do the marketing several times a week. Wrong again.

“Paper or plastic?” They always ask at the market. Apparently Cesar opts for indestructible and un-cookable plastic. Why didn’t I ask earlier?

Okay, calm down Nada and try using the same technique most people use; a bit of foil. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do....except Cesar took the aluminum foil to Scott’s house and left it there, since I don’t see any in my foil-drawer. I sent Cesar to Scott’s home on Thanksgiving to help out with the meal and clean-up.

Now I’m fuming. I check the oven, because if it is not working I give up. It is working, just a mere 50º off. I readjust the oven temp. Now what? I dial Cesar. “Hello Cesar?”

“Yes, hi Mrs. Sheila.”

“Where do you keep the spare foil?”

“We don’t have any.”

“And no paper bags?”

“No.”

“How am I supposed to cook the turkey then?”

“I’ll bring you some foil and a bag.”

“I need one or the other. I also need more butter. I just got home from the market, where I would have picked it up, if I knew you did not have either here.

“Right away.”

“Oh, I still have to make the stuffing, so don’t rush.”

Two hours later and I’m pacing in the kitchen, it’s now 12:30 and no Cesar. It’s a freaking paper bag or foil and a stick of butter. It gives Black Friday a whole new meaning.

By 1:30 I had the turkey in...and it did end up turning out delicious, no thanks to Murphy...or was he disguised as Cesar? Same difference to me. *Laugh*


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