An actual recommendation!

That's right - I saw a new show this week. It's called Beethoven, As I Knew Him and it just opened at the Geffen Theater in Westwood. It's kind of a cross between a one-man show and a concert, and I have to say, although I'm not into classical music, I found it quite mesmerizing. Hershey Felder, who's a concert pianist, playwright, actor and composer, paints a portrait of Beethoven through the eyes of his father, his best friend, his best friend's son, and of course,  Beethoven himself.  But mostly he plays the piano, and he is amazing. I have to say that knowing more of Beethoven's story - how his deafness affected his relationships, his difficulties with his family, how he died -  helped bring his compositions to life for me. But in all honestly, the best part of the show was that it forced me to learn to scan so I could add a picture to this review. :)  

The show runs through Sunday, October 5th.

www.geffenplayhouse.com

I am not a winner.

Today I walked my blind dog into a pole. Crap.

Stephen King is a cool dude.

Why is Stephen King cool? Because he's a zillionaire and he's written, like, 35 books, and still he took the time to write a book that he hopes will serve as a guide and helping hand to aspiring writers. I haven't finished On Writing, A Memoir Of The Craft yet, but I couldn't wait until the end to tell you about it. (I'm a slow reader.)

I've always harbored a notion that one day I would write a novel - this, in spite of the fact that I can barely muster the energy to write in my website a couple of times a week. But a girl can dream, right? So I picked up Stephen King's book on writing and even if I never do write, I know I'm better off for reading it. And if you love to read, I think you would be, too.

King really believes that if someone is a competent writer, with a lot of hard work and some guidance, they can actually become good writers. Not great - apparently great is what you get while in the womb, but good, and good is pretty good, actually.  There are a lot of good writers who have books in the bookstores. In addition to being super encouraging, King is really specific about the elements of writing, which I love. He talks about dialogue and adverbs and a lot of stuff I should have learned in high school English (which he taught) but apparently didn't. By the way, if you happen to be a fan of Stephen King novels, you'll really dig learning about his writing process and what happened in his life as he was writing various novels. It's really good stuff. And when you're done, I think you'll agree with me - Stephen King is a really cool dude. 

 

In the last few years, Stephen King has been writing columns for Entertainment Weekly. He writes about all kinds of things - music, books, sports. I feel like I've gotten to know the man behind the horror a little bit, and I like him, so I decided to read On Writing, and now I love him. 

The fact that such a prolific writer would want to help other aspiring writers kind of amazes me. He genuinely wants to encourage people to write, and truly believes that "good writing consists of mastering the fundamentals (vocabulary, grammar, the elements of style) and "while it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make a great writer out of a good one, it is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a competent one." So, if you don't suck, with a lot of hard work, you can actually become good. I think that's pretty encouraging. King is very specific about all the elements that go into writing, as well as what kind of schedule works for him and what might work for you. As a bonus, it's also an autobiography, though an incomplete one, and quite interesting. 

Maybe I'll never be a writer, but I do love to read, and On Writing is giving me a greater understanding and appreciation of what it takes to create a wonderful story. 

The Last &*$&! 10 Pounds!

Like everyone else I know, I've been trying to lose those last 10 pounds for a very long time. A person who was very critical of me would suggest I mean those last 15 pounds, and Spencer Pratt of The Hills would say those last 100 pounds. (quick side note - if you're so inclined, The Hills starts up again tonight. Not sure if I can stomach it.) 

I do all the crap you're supposed to do to lose weight, including keeping a food diary, though I have to admit it's been a little sketchy lately. It's boring to write every mouthful down every day! A couple of weeks ago, though, I found a really helpful website. It's www.livestrong.com. Across the top tool bar there's something called The Daily Plate, and it's great site for keepinjg track of your calories and exercise. One of the things I've discovered since I started using it is that going out and eating two pieces of garlic bread, a salad, a piece of pizza and two glasses of wine may not be ideal for reaching those weight goals. Who knew?

Your final chance to see a great new show!

Closing night for THE NEXT BIG THING, the musical about an '80's garage band that I've been involved with, is this coming Saturday. (cast photo at right) If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and go this Friday, Saturday or Sunday. I'll be in the show (in a teeny, tiny part) on Friday and Saturday nights, so if you come on one of those nights, be sure to say "hi".  I've seen THE NEXT BIG THING at least 8 or 9 times now, and it's just wonderful. I promise you, you won't be disappointed. It's in Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd. For all the info and a promo code to get a discount on your tickets, go to www.thenextbigthingmusical.com. See you at the show!

A little grooming goes a long way.

I have two dogs - Liza is a Maltese and Maggie is a Maltese/Poodle mix. Today they went to the groomer. I miss them when they're gone, but I have to admit it's wonderful to have 3 or 4  hours all to myself. No one is barking or peeing or pooing or looking for attention or a lap. These two dogs have helped me get through an awful lot of stuff - including a divorce. And they've seen things no one else has ever seen - like me sitting in front of the TV eating raw cookie dough. (I know what you were thinking I was going to say and shame on you!)

These are their before and after photos. Notice how Liza looks like a Hobo dog before going to the groomer. To be honest, Maggie looks cute either way. There's always one in the crowd. My point is, and this is especially for some of you guys out there - grooming DOES matter. I'm just sayin'.

Check Out The Brown Belt! (and I mean that in the cleanest way)

The week from hell is finally over, and damnit - I got my Brown Belt! Saturday was every bit as bad as I imagined it would be - I left the Valley at 7am with three fellow U.S.S.D. students and we drove down to testing headquarters in El Toro. The test started at 9am and lasted 5 1/2 hours, and it was all done outside in the freakin' sun, in our heavy black uniforms. Brutal. Several people started to get sick and had to sit in the shade and cool off (so weak) and during sparring, one guy threw up. We, of course, all applauded. But no one quit, and when it was finally done, we all had our new belts, and knew we had earned them.  I swear, I almost cried when I got my belt. Probably mostly with relief that if was over. Kia! 

(pictured in the photo - Ally Santa Clara, me and Glenn Birk)