rain, fireworks & honey

woke in the black of my bus bunk to the sound of my phone, set to ring like sonar on a submarine. the hotel lady was ringing me at 6:45 am, to say, where are you? the answer to that, i didn't have readily available. to her credit, she pulled me out of my dreams and into the day.

we are driving through the green hills of kentucky, heading to a day off, or as we call them, a day without a show, i am up early to wrangle some dreamking details, as comicon is heating up and i am still out on tour. plus there are all sorts of other world travel plans forming and it is time to greet the day. thank all available gods the west coast is not open for business for a few hours. only have to deal with the new yorkers.

yesterday was Chicago and all the energy that is attached to that city. It has long been one of my favorite places, and i have found if you treat the union there with respect, it usually will go well.
the show was heavily sold. however, on one trip out to the buses, i was caught behind 2 huge security guards carrying a passed out blonde,who was wearing only a fuschia bra & jeans. Somehow, they dropped her & she didn't move. they both stood there, looking down at her, while i am yelling to the medics down the hall who were casually flirting with the security guards. They look up to see this poor girl splayed out on the venue floor and slowly saunter up. i was astonished. i really hope she is okay.


we had our last day off in st. paul, minnesota. i got to catch up with the famous stitliers, bill & sharon. bill is my number one crackerjack tech professional advice-giver & sharon is the bird chick, and she is also a boy magnet. we had a great time eating sushi, trading stories and catching up in general. the next day, bill brought me some goodies from dreamhaven comics.. thank you for such hospitality in the land of the vikings. my runner the next day at Xcel center also works for Prince and i heard they are having a big do up there on 7-7-07 at Paisley park. I do believe i could live in minnesota.

in the meantime, i got a blackberry (named toasty) and so far, we are not the best of friends. this phone doesn't change time zones automatically as i am used to. that alone is a feature i am not coming to terms with easily. also, perhaps it is the sunken venues we are playing, but i have not had service since i got him. toasty is very pretty, but as always with me, i need a little brains to go with any beauty. (it can probably all be billed back to operator error. )
This may seem like one long laundry list of complaints, but truly, this is not the case. I am having a wonderful time, learning everything and anything I can. This crew is so good and I feel part of the borg, if that makes sense. there is definitely something about advancing as a unit. I have taken so many pictures and seen some more of this world. the other day, walking around in Toronto with miss Lola, our wardrobe queen, i was deeply touched by the city, happy that we are going back for another show there...

here is a photo from out my hotel window during the rain over the train tracks, and i have to figure out which city that was exactly....
and yes, we are back to the old fireworks-in-the-parking-lot-during loadout...
*ok, hotel connection too slow for uploading, tomorrow will add*
in closing, i would like to send my sister much love and sympathy for the loss of her Honey, a beautiful and loyal friend to her over the years. (photo here)

newest tour dates....

well, our amazing production assistant, Kim is having to leave the tour, and they have approached me to take her place. All my bosses involved, both catering boss & writing boss, have been quite accomodating & lovely re: my switch--& bonus--this gives me a chance to go to europe with the tour... holla!

these are the announced dates at this time:

2007 07 Sep Istanbul TURKEY Kurucesme Amphitheater 2007 05 Sep Belgrade SERBIA
2007 04 Sep Zagreb CROATIA Salata
2007 02 Sep Bologna ITALY Independent Days Festival - Arena Parco Nord
2007 31 Aug Bilbao SPAIN Azkena Festival
2007 28 Aug Frankfurt GERMANY Jahrhunderthalle
2007 26 Aug Frankfurt GERMANY Area 4 Festival
2007 25 Aug Paris FRANCE Rock an Seine Festival
2007 22 Aug London ENGLAND Brixton Academy
2007 21 Aug London ENGLAND Brixton Academy
2007 19 Aug HOLLAND Lowlands Festival Latest
2007 18 Aug BELGIUM Pukkelpop Festival Latest
2007 16 Aug SWITZERLAND Gampel Festival
2007 15 Aug Salzburg AUSTRIA Frequency Festival Latest
2007 12 Aug Katowice POLAND Spodek - Metal Hammer Festival
2007 11 Aug near Hannover GERMANY M/era Luna Festival
2007 09 Aug Oslo NORWAY Oya Festival

and here are the other US/Canada dates that i didn't post yet:

2007 16 Jul Reading, PA US Sovereign Center
2007 14 Jul Albany, NY US Times Forum Union
2007 13 Jul Portland, ME US Cumberland Civic center
2007 12 Jul Mansfield, MA US Tweeter Center
2007 10 Jul Montreal, QC CANADA Bell Center
2007 09 Jul HAMILTON, ON CANADA Copps Coliseum
2007 07 Jul Huntington, WV US Big Sandy Superstore Arena
2007 05 Jul Grand Rapids, MI US Van Andel Arena
2007 04 Jul Milwaukee, WI US SUMMERFEST
2007 03 Jul Detroit, MI US DTE Amphitheater
2007 01 Jul Youngstown, OH US Chevrolet Center
2007 29 Jun Cincinnati, OH US US Bank Arena
2007 27 Jun Chicago, IL US Sears Center
2007 26 Jun St. Paul, MN US Xcel Center
2007 24 Jun HAMILTON, ON CANADA Copps Coliseum
2007 23 Jun Ft. Wayne, IN US Memorial Coliseum
2007 22 Jun St. Louis, MO US Scottrade Arena
2007 20 Jun Peoria, IL Peoria Civic Center
2007 19 Jun Cedar Rapids, IA US US Cellular Center
2007 17 Jun Evansville, IN US Roberts Stadium
2007 16 Jun Cape Girardeau, MO US Show Me Center
2007 15 Jun Manchester, TN US Bonnaroo Festival
2007 13 Jun Winston-Salem, NC US Joel Lawrence Coliseum
2007 09 Jun Atlantic City, NJ US Boardwalk Hall
2007 08 Jun Baltimore, MD US 1st Mariner Arena
2007 07 Jun Richmond, VA US Richmond Coliseum
2007 05 Jun Greenville, SC US Bi-Lo Center
2007 04 Jun Duluth, GA US Gwinnette Center

hotel detail #79

i can’t calculate the number of hotels i have visited in my life. “the shining” hotel was my first real reference point & remains to this day, a huge mental influence. anne & i lived in the big scary atlantic hotel for a summer in ocean city, when we were roommates @ 16 years old. we swore it had several ghosts haunting the creaky oceanfront boardwalk location.
since those days, i notice things, truly, the little details.

many of the places we stay on tour are big corporate entities that attempt to squash out any bit of personality and difference, encouraging the big box fast food mentality of same-same. the identical lobbies, the safe carpet choices...fooey. give me something like the ducks in the peabody hotel in memphis.. there is a big ritual of bringing the ducks in and out of the lobby fountain each morning and evening. really charming. (silly me, i forgot to take photos)


my routine when i get into a hotel for a day involves a hot bath, a visit to the hotel gym and/or a walk around the building to check out the surroundings. a proper recon mission, usually. i always find the pool...room service will be a whole seperate journal entry... sometimes, i just lay about the place, thinking: i must really get something done. on days when it is raining in our day-off city, sometimes comes a relief of knowing, well, it is just not necessary to go out in this... we do work hard and have to have a bit mental battery recharging...

that said, here are a few details of hotel rooms past & present.
this is a nice version of the hotel room chain guard, here in baton rouge:


i stayed on the 13th floor for the first time ever on the tour:


reno had slot machines right up to the front desk of the hotel. good thing i have no gambling in my DNA.



this is oklahoma city's version of the batphone.


this is a personal favorite, the sounding out of the alarm system---
or as tommy lee would say: can i get a whoop whoop?!:


sometimes you get a nice robe (& don't steal it, not good for your karmic tally):


sometimes you get shelter (tornado alley,baby!):


sometimes, you just really can't be armed (yes, this was in the midwest):

and almost always, the view from the hotel room window can break your homesick heart:



today is a day off baton rouge, lousiana.
..abby just called and gave me some tour-guide tips for the area. she is out on josh groban in the UK, and she still knew i was having a day off here, thanks, doll! the thirsty tiger, tsunami sushi @ shaw & the bike path along the water...hmmm. what to do first?
oh wait...it is raining outside...

moonlighting while on tour....

hello from san antonio, texas. day off, walked the river walk, here is the view from my hotel...
birds were singing on my balcony and there were drunken stumblers below my window..
.so many things going on, but the tour has been going wonderfully, the crew is lovely. I am back on the road with many of the Perfect Circle crew, so it is a pleasure. Last night, we watched Monty Python's Holy Grail and as always the line "Old Woman!" "MAN!" cracked me up... Tonight we had a little Texas adventure looking for an elusive Mexican restaurant...we hopped a cable car/trolley....& finally found it--dinner tonight with a bunch of friends, including miss Victoria! and our birthday boy drummer picked up the tab, see what i am saying, a lovely tour...


now, me off to sleepy...as it is, I have a 7:30 lobby call...what!?
here is a little moonlighting i have been doing, an interview with MAlena...watch this site for an interview with miss Jozie from Motley, Lorraine from L'aM and more.. Hera? how about???

Barbara Walters, look out, sister...
http://entertainmentworld.us/EW1/templates/Television.aspx?articleid=9405&zoneid=17

carnival girl

i am in new mexico and have five minutes to lobby call.
last night we went to a Brazilian restaurant & had a great meal.
the tour is going wonderfully well, got to see some friends in San Diego
and will post loads of photos. The show is fantastic, lasers & video galore.
No pyro, so i feel a little better for the safety of the band, no offense to the pyro crew, it is just so dangerous.
Night before last, our bus broke down, and it is a brand-new baby, deep forest green Prevost.
Nothing like your home sitting on the side of the road.
tomorrow we go to Colorado.
didn't go see Spidey 3 yet, how bout a review, anybody?

art show on sunset

When i was getting my anchor tattoo, mr. Craig, the owner of American Electric Tattoo, invited me to be part of his group show this weekend. I was part of the exhibit BULLY at his place last year, and sold some of my work. This show's theme is BAD MUSIC
and i am bringing him four of my small collages to hang.
The show is this Saturday night, the address is 3532 Sunset Blvd. LA, CA 90027
8 pm-12 am
come on out and see me before i get on that tour bus....

kitty on tour w/ tool

hey everybody--
just got the latest list of dates, let me know if i will be crossing your path...
am still working for Neil, just need to be on the tour bus for awhile...
xoxo kitty cat

TOOL summer 2007

Wed, Apr 25, 2007 Travel Day
Thu, Apr 26, 2007 Prod. Day Las Vegas, NV
Fri, Apr 27, 2007 The Pearl Las Vegas, NV
Sat, Apr 28, 2007 The Pearl Las Vegas, NV
Sun, Apr 29, 2007 OFF / LOAD IN Reno, NV
Mon, Apr 30, 2007 Reno Event Center Reno, NV
Tue, May 1, 2007 OFF San Diego, CA
Wed, May 2, 2007 Cox Arena San Diego, CA
Thu, May 3, 2007 Cox Arena San Diego, CA
Fri, May 4, 2007 OFF Las Cruces, NM
Sat, May 5, 2007 Pan American Center Las Cruces, NM
Sun, May 6, 2007 Convention Center Arena Tucson, AZ
Mon, May 7, 2007 OFF Albuquerque, NM
Tue, May 8, 2007 Tingley Coluseum Albuquerque, NM
Wed, May 9, 2007 World Arena Colorado Springs, CO
Thu, May 10, 2007 OFF Wichita, KS
Fri, May 11, 2007 Kansas Coliseum Wichita, KS
Sat, May 12, 2007 Mid America Center Council Bluffs, IA
Sun, May 13, 2007 OFF Memphis, TN
Mon, May 14, 2007 OFF Memphis, TN
Tue, May 15, 2007 DeSoto Center Southaven, MS
Wed, May 16, 2007 Ft Worth Convention Center Forth Worth, TX
Thu, May 17, 2007 Centurytel Arena Bossier City
Fri, May 18, 2007 OFF Oklahoma City
Sat, May 19, 2007 Ford Center Oklahoma City, OK
Sun, May 20, 2007 OFF San Antonio, TX
Mon, May 21, 2007 AT & T Center San Antonio, TX
Tue, May 22, 2007 American Bank Center Corpus Christi, TX
Wed, May 23, 2007 OFF Baton Rouge, LA
Thu, May 24, 2007 River Center Baton Rouge, LA
Fri, May 25, 2007 Pensacola Civic Center Pensacola, FL
Sat, May 26, 2007 Verizon Wirelass Music Center Birmingham, AL
Sun, May 27, 2007 OFF SARASOTA, FL
Mon, May 28, 2007 OFF SARASOTA, FL
Tue, May 29, 2007 USF Sundome Tampa, FL
Wed, May 30, 2007 OFF Orlando, FL
Thu, May 31, 2007 Amway Arena Orlando, FL
Fri, Jun 1, 2007 Bank Atlantic Center Sunrise, FL
Sat, Jun 2, 2007 Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Jacksonville, FL
Sun, Jun 3, 2007 OFF Atlanta, GA
Mon, Jun 4, 2007 Gwinnette Center Duluth, GA
Tue, Jun 5, 2007 Bi-lo Center Greenville, SC
Wed, Jun 6, 2007 OFF Richmond, VA
Thu, Jun 7, 2007 Richmond Coliseum Richmond, VA
Fri, Jun 8, 2007 1st Mariner Arena Baltimore, MD
Sat, Jun 9, 2007 Boardwalk Hall Atlantic City, NJ

the ebay princess

i started to goof around on ebay around 1999, i was still in college and had my little shop, 9th Life (which Ida is now the proud mistress of--) my dear friend Chris X of Reptilian Records fame showed me the magic of on-line selling. I sold some books and some toys and various bits...
well, I have been going through my closets and getting ready for a big yard sale this weekend, an all roadie girl yard sale, and i started to pull stuff out that i thought might be "ebayable"--more to come...
here are a few links w/ photos, check it out...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=006&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=160107719376&rd=1&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=006&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=160107715344&rd=1&rd=1

the tide takes out our wishes....

Jozie and I have a little ritual we do every so often.
we go run along the beach and pick up rocks that catch our eye, then we write our wishes and hopes on them and then shut our eyes and throw them as far as we can into the mighty sea.
as far as we can, i say.
what would you write on your rock?


i put some new photos up, take a look....

pay onto to Caesar

so i was driving back from picking up my friend @ LAX last month and i get pulled over.
I know I wasn't speeding, i am up-to-the-minute legal with insurance, registration, etc so i
wasn't too concerned.
The cop strolled up and said, "know why i stopped you?"
me: "no idea"
him: " you have no front license plate on your vehicle."
and so i take a fix-it ticket and am on my merry way.

i write to my good friend who sold me Ghosty, my beloved little car.
she said that maybe she had the second plate in her garage,
looked a bit, called back, no she couldn't find it.

that's ok, i then went down to the DMV and stood in line for a bit
to get two shiny new plates. i went out in the pouring rain (only on that day did it rain in southern california)
and unscrewed my back license plate to find---viola! the second plate snuggled into the first. I walk back into the DMV, sheepishly hand over the two plates and the lady says, "uh-uh, you bought new ones...we can't void transaction"

so fine, i then go to put the plate on except there is not a place to put it. so i got to the dealership (which i rarely ever do)
and bought for $52, a small bracket, which had i smelt the metal like a blacksmith in the days of old and welded it together myself, may have cost three dollars total...but, i figure ok, they got me. As i am pulling out of the dealership, i hear a whick-whick-whap and then a whappita-whappita-whappita, I pull over and see a HUGE bolt sticking out of my front tire.

ok, i can handle this, i go back to the guy who just charged me fifty plus for the bracket (which i didn't have him put on cause that would be an extra charge) and i point at the tire...say "eh? look what i picked up in your parking lot--what do you suggest?" he said, "sorry, tires plus is down the street."

that's still ok, i am feeling in tune with the universe. I pull into the tire place and ask the guy, can he patch me up?
"oh no, ma'am, this tire is too old to patch.." i said, "fine, fine, two new tires, can i get by on that? "

so they put them on, i get out of there, but before i do, i say," can you put my fifty dollar bracket on? please?"
they do, I fly away.

i go down to get the vehicle sign-off place, and they are closed for Caesar Chavez day. that's ok.
when i go back the next available day, they only charge me $15. to look at it and $10. for court costs...
now the automatic cameras can read the front of my car, in case i am zipping through any red lights...
pay onto caesar, baby. sometimes you just have to pay onto caesar....

300, josh groban, the killers, my parents & stardust..

i just got back from seeing 300-------it was everything i wanted it to be, thrilling this greek girls' blood.
was blown away by the technical & artistic choices...not such a fan of the narration
but i got over it fairly quickly. i understand there are things going on under the surface
that are creating controversy in different communities, but i took it at complete face value
and was extremely entertained. i want to reread it NOW but....

tomorrow i have a 4:45 am call at the staples center for the josh groban show. it will be a long day to state the obvious.
i think it is the last day of their tour as well, so it will be lots of running around. best of all, i will get to see miss abby,
who is the wardrobe girl on the tour.

next week i am working a couple of the killers shows, LA and santa barbara. my crew is going out on it, but i am just going to be local help. will post photos after the shows...

my parents were in town all last week, i had the best time with them. more post soon, gotta print out some riders and do some homework.

oh, last thing, the trailer for STARDUST is up here, I got to see an advance screening, it is fantastic! Ricky Gervais, i love him.
and DeNiro? all i will say is he is a treat. Charlie Cox is gong to become a huge star from this, is my prediction. a heart throb star. check it out, let me know what you think........ http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/stardust.html

home sweet home

it is sunny & a little chilly outside my treehouse window, Batman is prowling on the roof and the crows are scolding him soundly from high above. I took so many photos on my trip, but haven't uploaded them yet...soon enough. The new job is heating up and things are moving as they should. It is heaven to be home..

Was in Minneapolis for a sweet 18" snowfall, and then flew to Chicago for less then 24 hours to visit the Timberlake tour, and then back to work. Librarian girl all the last week, entering books by computer & cuecat gizmo, learned so much...The Viking picked me up at the airport and he is off crutches...amazing.

May go and do a week on C. Aguilera with my crew, have to see what it involves..genii in a bottle, baby.
When I have more time I will get a good blog up, am just distracted looking at a list of business to attend to ---have a safe weekend, my people (the Irish) will be out in full force...Slainte!

ps did anyone see ZODIAC? I am still thinking about the choices that Fincher made...

snowflake girl

it doesn't take alot to make me happy.

in winter, give me some frost & snow:



my baby boy:


or a new tattoo:



i have to make more time to do this journal.
life is going very fast these days.

the ever-lovin' buslist

a big part of my job is stocking the crew & band buses with whatever they put on their bus list--within the limits of real time & space...& more importantly within the budget i am working with. every morning, whoever is appointed "bus mom" comes to me with their wish list of goods. on this tour, i have had some creative bus lists, they will write on any & every thing but paper it seems. here are a few of my favorites, from matchbooks, to jump drives, or on cardboard boxes, one was even frozen right into the freezer, complete with banana ornament (see more detail on the www.godsmack.com):




and here is the winner of all buslist-makers with me, mister miller:

been gone so long...

i almost forgot my way home.
haven't had time to do much besides work, so i am trying to catch up a bit...my two week break from tour was a rollercoster ride, almost too much to write about...it was so good to see little Batman & he slept on me everynight, poor lonely little furball...
this leg of the tour is going very well, i have a different job title but am still looking after crew, doing this job without miss sarahfina is not the same, i miss her on a daily basis, the pretty polish princess...while i was home over the break, so much happened... went to C$'s birthday @ red rocks on sunset, haven't seen him in so long

also had my own 33rd birthday party. it turned out to be roadie central, and while lots of people were missing/out on tour, so many of my friends came out & honored my heart.

My girls took me out to sushi & treated me like a princess, then we went to the good luck bar & howled at the moon.

also during the break, i went to san diego, a city that has haunted me in the past & was able to put some ghosts to rest once & for all...went to the la brea tarpits & did some touristy hollywood blvd things when drew & sean came to visit me.
red & i went to the roger waters hollywood bowl show, they played the entire "dark side of the moon" set, it brought tears to my eyes. rabbit was in town with beck and i went to the show at the avalon, always good to see little miss rabbit...the viking got out of the hospital, i met his mom & dad all the way from iceland, he is doing much better now, there is some more surgery in his future, but he is far improved...also went to a hollywood audition with Misstress Malena, she was trying out to be miss horrorfest, an elvira-type horror hostess, she was amazing, i think the universe has big plans for our girl...
anyway, there are so many photos to post, i will borrow a bit from mimi & do a bunch of single photo posts, mini-slices from the road. that way i don't fall behind any further. here is a shot from last night's halloween show in dayton, ohio, as a police officer, i made rooster put his shoes on in the freezing venue, that nutty baby finster gangster...

salem, mass---witch city!

yeah, i have no time to write tonight. lobby call at 6:30 am, it is now late late and time to sleep, but i still have to pack and read a bit--just wanted to say today was a perfect day in the manner of the lou reed song- a bunch of us drove to salem in a rental on our day off here in mansfield, we gathered graveyard dirt & had new england clam chowder under the full moon's watch. oh yeah, even had a soundtrack of bagpipes, no kidding. i will post lots of photos soon...
and i wanted to thank all of you who have been sending me love for my sad heart, i know broken bones heal, but man, it is hard to be out here when i may be needed at home. a real post to follow soon as i can, but the next three days are going to be monumental, boston is the boys hometown show & then two NY markets, meee-ouch! union wrangling and 100 minute coffee breaks to come.
if i don't return your call or email, it is nothing personal, my timing is just sting-ray based lately. rip steve irwin, you crazy nut.

thunderstorms, blisters & bruises

it is lightning outside my hotel room window as i look down over the city of Atlanta. pouring rain...love an excuse not to leave the room...
two days off never sounded so good. just did a 98 hour work week, maybe even more, but my math skills are shot, my brain cells are on strike and my blisters have bruises.
seven in a row on tour is a difficult run and now we are only looking at 4s and 3s inna row.

My bus driver duane is adorable, looks like a cross between santa claus and greg allman, i got up this morning to make him coffee as he drove us from texas to georgia in oh-so-few hours (again, no math today, ok) we left the venue in spring, texas at 2:30 am and arrived in buckhead district at about 4 pm. amazing to me that those drivers can do that. his last tour he was out with our amazing NEK, and he told me a story of her mouse tattoo joke, remind her to tell it, cause i can't do it justice...

it is going to be a great run, so many stories already, but i gotta do my homework for the boss, and so i better get to it. there is a sushi dinner in my future and a nice long bath as well. My crew is great and i got my favorite bunk back, bottom passenger, baby! i promise photos next time, haven't downloaded yet.
as for my stars, they are a delight, a non-diva tour, nice. haven't seen much of the show, but the load-outs are going quick, our stage manager has a magic whip he uses, i guess.
also got to see the legendary Law Engalls, he was the steward for the last venue, and it is always a pleasure to see him.
Zombie is a very sweet vegetarian fellow, and his show sounds amazing (have heard it, just not seen much, except for a quick zip out to front of house), tour is called "american witch", needless to say i feel right @ home. have toured before with godsmack, and they are wonderful as well, it is very much like the first day of school, meeting everyone & reuniting with old friends...last thing, the pyro is supposedly OUTrageous, can't wait to have a field trip into the fire room. over & out, miss all my peeps....

going back to san francisco...

Nancye & i drove up to SF in June to see our good friend Hadley, who moved to New Zealand 5 years ago and was back for a visit, and i had such a great time in that fine city. I was too busy to do a entry about it, and now here i am, going back to SF for the wedding of my friends, Cheryl & Sven...they are to be married at Stinson Beach, and i am looking forward to getting out of LA for a weekend...
as we were driving into SF, we got a phone call from a friend, "oh the Bridge is closing for the month, so you'll have to go around.." !!! what!? we luckily misheard, it was only for the night, but we had a little momentary panic as we had booked a hotel in emoryville, so that we could go back and forth in the city as we pleased...it was so good to see Nancye for such a nice long weekend, and it made me realize how awfully much i have missed her...
our trip up was based on going to different places that Hadley has missed during her time in NZ, so we made a list: cafe Fanny for the coffee , Picante for the mexican food , the drugstore for a million things she can't get there in Wellington
, Cha Ya for the amazing all-vegetarian sushi , to see Jenn Jones shop "the candy store" and so on...she also brought us some NZ treats, which i completely forget the name of, something crunchy-esque.
we found our way to the big weekend flea market, and i bought all these keys you see here, a beautiful old lacquer abacus, a FEAR comic (truly beat up, but still i had to have it) & a "wink" ginger ale glass, very happy about these purchases...
i also gave Dabiday a call, he came out and met us for a little afternoon of coffee & shopping...
and we ended up the trip by seeing young Wes, who has moved into Cheryl's old artsy workshop--always love to see the Westic, gonna miss you on tour, buddy...

CAA meeting in beverly hills, baby....

oh man. again, i forgot my camera, but you probably know about the CAA building & how it is built to intimidate fledglings & bumpkins. anyway, we made it through our first pitch meeting and got some very encouraging words-- also a little slap down for my glitter folder (oop, who knew, i just grabbed the first thing off the shelf). all points well-taken and i feel like i am still a little shaky from the meeting. let's just say, we done good in the hallowed rounded walls...
and now the script is in the proper channels for processing and we will see and all will be well.
we will find out next week how it was received...stay tuned to this bat channel...

harlan ellison and the missing word

i sit in the dark typing this, trying to marshall my resources, gather my words & perhaps wear a smarter hat. it was comic-con last weekend and so i was on "dream king" duty, as he was here in town, having had a friday panel down in SD. he showed some clips from "stardust" and then headed up north for meetings and so forth. always great to spend time with mr. gaiman.
this time, however, he invited me to a dinner with the ever-brilliant and unpredictable harlan ellison of SF&F fame. we went to a mongolian BBQ in the midst of one of the hottest days on record here in LA, and we were feeling it. after dinner, as we opened the doors to leave, a haunted wind blew into the place, scattering receipt tickets and waiters alike. we stood outside, marvelling at the temperature change. it was a magic night & i am grateful to have met this legend. he was looking for a word, one that none of us could come up with, meaning "overly punitive"-- and i was sitting with a table full of writers (josh olson was there as well, he wrote the screenplay for "history of violence" & was, as harlan called him an Oscar loser--he was nominated last year)---for the life of me, i can't figure the word out...
it was an enchanted night, after as i went through the pool area of the chateau marmont & looked up at the moon, i think a spell fell over me.