Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 416

August 13, 2014: Pre-Production update! And a mailbag!

Yashaaa! * (*Made-up exclamation of satisfaction with a recent accomplishment. Yoshay! is an accepted variation).  Just finished a first draft of episode #4! Initially, I thought it was going to be long but, in the end, it actually turned out a little long. I had WAAAAY too much fun with this one.   I’m going to go over it tomorrow and Friday, then send it Paul’s way – so that he can have something to look forward to this weekend.  Not that he hasn’t been keeping busy as well.  He finished his pass on the pilot and is now doing a pass on my script for episode #2.  Meanwhile, we received a first draft of episode #3 from “mystery writer” and it’s great.  Mainly page notes, reminders to include a couple of beats that payoff what has come before or set up beat that will payoff later down the line, and suggested alternate attacks on two scenes – but otherwise, it’s pretty damn tight.  And fun! That’s the operative word through these first four scripts – and something viewers can look forward to over the course of the series’ run.  It’s going to be a hell of a fun twisty-turny-gripping-exciting FUN ride.

Seriously.  Where’s an official announcement when you need one?

Anyway, once Paul has completed his passes on my scripts, he’ll switch gears and actually start on his own scripts – episodes #5 and #6 – which he’ll be writing through September – while I’m in Tokyo/Osaka, presumably enjoying a much-needed break after finishing my next script.  Which is what I wanted to talk to Paul about today.  I needed to know if he had his heart set on any particular script (besides #5 and #6).  Also, wanted to get his opinion on which scripts we should be freelancing out.  It’s a tough call.  Because the show is so serialized, none of the scripts make good one-off opportunities.  In the end, I suggested episodes #8 would be a particularly difficult one to write for someone who wasn’t familiar with the “unique technology” of this world.  I expressed an interest in jumping on the script for episode #9 next and Paul was fine with that (he assumed I had a better handle on this story anyway).  Although I didn’t mention it, I’d also like to write the second half of the late-season two-parter (episode #11).  But I did mention that, since we co-wrote the pilot (episode #1), it’s only fair we co-write the season finale (episode #13).  He agreed.

The plan is to polish those first four scripts and get them out there before month’s end so that the rest of the production team knows what we’re working toward.  It will also give our prospective freelancers a sense of the show, tone, and characters.

Earlier today, we received some more concept art for the spaceship and space station.  Some very cool, very imaginative work.  I love the ship and think it’s almost there.  Paul and I feel it needs a little more exterior texture, a launch shell for our shuttle, and at least one specifically-positioned airlock.  As for armaments, I love the retrofitted look.  As tricked-out as possible.  We aren’t quite as close on the space station as we’re going to require some fairly specific interiors (that will, of course, need to match our station exteriors in those establishers).  But we’re getting there.  Paul and I fly to Toronto in the first week of September to discuss and, hopefully, nail down looks for everything (including the bridge and the two other ships that will be making an appearance in the opening two-parter).

But enough of me.  What of you?  Let’s open the mailbag and see what’s on your mind(s)…

Airelle writes: “Thanks Joe for doing all the leg work in reading these books, have to check some of them out. I just finished The 400 lb gorilla, and still trying to remember all I read.”

Answer: Ah, I remember that one being on my “possible pick-up” list.  How was it?

Purple – ultra Stargate Fan writes: “I was there at your first Comic and was happy to meet you.”

Answer: Well, hope to see you at next year’s Comic Con!”

gforce writes: “I also find myself quite interesting in the Afterlife with Archie series. I might actually pick that up.”

Answer: Far surpassed my expectations.  Looking forward to the volume 2.

Mike from Canada writes: “Where do you get your smoked bones from?  I’m always afraid to give my dog bones, I’ve heard so many stories about dogs dying or getting surgery to fix a perforated colon.”

Answer: I picked them up at my local butcher shop (Market Meats on West 4th Ave.).  Jelly and Bubba have maybe six teeth between them so I’m not too worried about them doing much damage.  It’s tough little Lulu we have to keep an eye on.

dasndanger writes: “I think I recommended that you read The Passage like…10 years ago.”

Answer: My to-read pile is actually three piles, 25 books deep.  Every time I pick a book (at random), it is replaced by a title from my recent-purchase pile – which is usually about 12 deep.  My home library holds several hundred books, half of which I have to get around to reading.  I’ve read 114 books so far this year.  I’m surprised I got around to it that quickly!

dasndanger also writes: “So, Joe…now it’s time for you to recommend – or not – a book to me. The Last Policeman sounds interesting, but right now I can’t take anything that’s too depressing.”

Answer: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.  Loved it.  Reminiscent of Elizabeth Moon’s The Speed of Dark.

Alfredo De La Fe:”Joe, I started reading your blog because of Stargate but I keep reading it because the way you treat your dogs won me over! (Not to mention that I am a bit of a foodie) You are a great example of a good pet owner.”

Answer: Very kind of you.  And I’ll be the first to admit: these dogs are spoiled!

dasndanger writes: “RIP sweet lady… http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/dasNdanger/laurenbacall_zpsff794c3c.jpg“

Answer: She was wonderful.  Loved her cameo on The Sopranos.

skua writes: “O Captain! My Captain!”

Answer: Very sad.  Whenever I’d hear stories from people who met Robin Williams, they would ALWAYS be extremely positive encounters.  He was, by all accounts, a genuinely nice guy.

Mike A. writes: “Haha! Changlorious Basterds. From Community, of course.”

Answer: You’re the second person to I.D. the t-shirts (the other person being the cashier at the Whole Foods checkout).

Tam Dixon writes: “Cool T’s! What’s the translation on that t with an apple?”

Answer: “Death” as in “Death Note”.  It’s an anime series.  Check it out.

Line Noise writes: “My old friend Boxy! I used to play with him when I was a kid! How did he end up in Vancouver?”

Answer: He was actually headed to Ibiza for a CD launch party but boarded the wrong flight.

Lorinda writes: “Roxie (the dog) is a service dog for my daughter and we wondered if anyone knows any organization who would help pay for the $5000 surgeries.”

Answer: Hmmm.  Have you considered doing a GoFundMe?  If you do, I’d be happy to put the word out for you.

Roger Reynolds writes: “Do what is right, only you know what that is. If she has more good than bad days, then you’re OK. If not, you’ve got tough decisions to make.”

Answer: Mobility issues aside, she’s in great spirits.  She’s very happy and her appetite remains strong.

tinamarlin writes: ” But for pain management and anti-inflammation issues, you might pick up some 100% moringa capsules.”

Answer: Thanks for the tip.  I’ll look into this.

Brandon Y. writes: “Obviously we all want the show to return, but the most likely scenario would be a movie.”

Answer: Alas, the fans of the three Stargate television shows are out of luck.  MGM has green lit a big screen reboot of the original Devlin and Emmerich movie.

Chapa Siriwardena writes: “also finally I would like to thank Joseph Mallozzi, Brad Wright, Robert C. Cooper, Carl Binder and all the team who involved in making SGU for giving us one of the Greatest Sci-Fi TV shows in the television history. Thanks Guys. :)”

Answer: You’re very welcome.  Keep your eye out for our new SF series – we can’t announce yet – which premieres in 2015!

Tagged: scripts, Writing

August 12, 2014: My June Reads!

These are outrageously overdue.  Capsule reviews of my June reads.  And there were a lot of ‘em…

LAGOON by Nnedi Okorafor

When a mysterious object crashes into the waters off the coast of Lagos, the lives of three strangers are forever changed as they become intermediaries between humanity and an alien race.  A mix of scifi, magic, superheroes and Nigerian folklore.  It’s certainly unique and an interesting study of Nigerian culture and society, but there’s little subtlety to the writing.  It’s all surface with no real depth to the individual scenes and characters.  At times, it feels like you’re reading an extremely long fable.

HOT HEAD by Simon Ings

A seemingly unstoppable hundred mile-wide A.I. mining probe is headed towards Earth and the planet’s salvation lies in Malise, a broken combat veteran addicted to military hardware.   Cyberpunk cool and incredibly confusing.  If you’re able to slog through the first half of the book, things will come together for you at the end.

THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY by Jack Trevor Story

Well, they certainly don’t make ‘em like they used to.  And, sometimes, with good reason.  Several people come across a body on the outskirts of a small English town and, as each assumes responsibility for the death, hilarity (?) ensues.  Mired in silly improbabilities.

WILDWOOD (WILDWOOD CHRONICLES #1) by Colin Melot and Carson Ellis

When her baby brother is spirited away by crows, 12 year old Pru and her nerdy sidekick, Curtis, embark on a grand adventure in The Impassible Wilderness (located somewhere in Portland).  Spirited and enjoyable but doesn’t quite attain the heights of Harry Potter or Series of Unfortunate Events.

THE SERPENT OF VENICE by Christopher Moore

The sequel to Moore’s Fool is a bit of Othello, a touch of The Merchant of Venice, a dash of Poe’s Cask of the Amontillado, and a hell of a lot of fun.  The rascal fool, Pocket, runs afoul of three dangerous enemies who drug, then entomb him alive. He makes good his escape and seeks revenge, but his plans are both helped and hindered by Othello the Moor of Venice, Shylock a Jewish money-lender, a mysterious sea serpent – and others.

THE TWELVE-FINGERED BOY by John Hornor Jacobs

A promising start is wasted in this tale about an introverted juvenile delinquent with special abilities who piques the interest of some very powerful, very dangerous people.  The opening section that centers on the juvenile detention center is terrific, but when the action shifts away from the facility, the narrative devolves into all-too familiar territory.

SPIRAL by Koji Suzuki

The sequel to Ringu (The Ring) offers an engaging development to the familiar mystery as well as an interesting exploration of the “science” behind the curse but, inevitably, it all gets bogged down in the technical details.

AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE (VOL. 1: ESCAPE FROM RIVERDALE) by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla

Archie Andrews and the gang from Riverdale face a zombie apocalypse when their high school dance is crashed by the undead, forcing them to take refuge at Lodge Manor.  Surprisingly dark, this grim take on the hitherto silly comic is shockingly effective.  Right up there with The Walking Dead and World War Z.

MR. VERTIGO by Paul Auster

A young, St. Louis orphan is taken under the wing of a charming old Svengali who promises to teach him how to fly.  Of course learning to fly is a long and laborious process and, in the four years under Yehudi’s tutelage, young Walt develops a familial bond with the old man and a couple of the other colorful characters who make up his entourage.  Eventually, Yehudi does teach Walt how to fly and they take their act on the road, wowing crowds across America and learning valuable, often difficult, life lessons along the way.  Auster does a marvelous job immersing the readers in this 1920’s setting, and his well-drawn characters are alternately amusing, frustrating, and touching.  At times, the story walks that fine line between fantasy and reality and it’s a tough balancing act to pull off.  By book’s end, I’m not wholly convinced Auster was wholly successful.

THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin

One of the scariest “vampire” novels I’ve read, this book gets off to a resounding start, featuring some compelling characters and a horrifying contemporary scenario involving a viral outbreak and the government’s inability to contain it.  Then, we jump forward in time and the story becomes a cross between Attack on Titan and The Walking Dead, with less interesting characters and a not quite as compelling narrative.  It’s still post-apocalyptic fun with plenty of scares, but it pales in comparison to that riveting opening section.  It also goes on a little too long.

THE ADJACENT by Christopher Priest

Hmmm.  I loved Christopher Priest’s The Inverted World and liked his The Islanders that, while engaging in its “unconnected connectedness”, nevertheless felt just a little obtuse.  And while The Islanders may have been a little obtuse, I found The Adjacent downright unfathomable.  I enjoyed the sum of its parts but, as a whole, it lost me.

FORTUNE’S PAWN by Rachel Bach

Great adventure and fun characters in this high-flying actioner about a female mercenary who gets a job on a ship called The Glorious Fool crewed by some colorful characters possessed of secrets and hidden agendas.  It’s a fast read and I would have absolutely loved it if not for an obtrusive romantic subplot that, unfortunately, undermines our protagonist’s kick-ass personality.  And sense of logic.

DOCTOR SLEEP by Stephen King

The sequel to The Shining is significantly different from its predecessor, abandoning the original’s isolated setting with its claustrophobic creepiness in favor of a more open travelogue-like tale pitting a grown-up Danny Torrance against a group of roving white trash vampire-like beings.  It’s a Stephen King novel so it’s chock full of great scares, but at times the open road narrative feels a little diffuse and, at the end of the day, less like a sequel and more like a whole other world with a couple of shared characters.

THE OPRHAN MASTER’S SON by Adam Johnson

Jun Do is a professional kidnapper in the service of the great People’s Democratic Republic of North Korean.  We trace his rise, from his humble beginnings in a work camp run by his father, up the ranks of the oft-bewildering paranoia-fueled system, to his position of power – and inevitable mental collapse.  It’s at this point that the novel veers into ridiculous territory as Jun Do assumes the identity of national hero “Commander Ga” to win the love and freedom of famed actress Sun Moon.  The only thing standing in his way: King Jun Il.   An absorbing and harrowing social satire, but the quirky characters, with their unbelievable motivations, defy credulity.

THE GIVER by Lois Lowry

A young adult coming-of-age tale set in a “perfect” future where equality and service to The Community trumps individuality.  Young Jonas comes of age but, unlike his fellow Twelves who are appointed fairly standard careers, he is proclaimed the new Receiver of Memory, the vessel for all the memories of past generations.  As he receives these exciting, bewildering, occasionally painful memories, he begins to question what is and begins a search for what could be.  A relatively quick read that, while appealing in its premise, ultimately feels like the opening chapter in a much larger story.   Soon to be a major motion picture!

THE LAST POLICEMAN by Ben H. Winters

Maia (Asteroid 2011GV1) is on a collision course with Earth.  The planet is doomed. Society is coming apart at the seams.  Many of its citizens “go bucket list”.  Others choose suicide.  But some persevere, maintaining their routines, going into work and doing their jobs.  And, in the case of Detective Hank Palace, investigating a murder whose victim was discovered in a fast food rest room.  A delightful pre-apocalyptic whodunit.

WE ARE THE GOLDENS by Dana Reinhardt

A story of two sisters and their incredible bond.  Nell and Layla are inseparable, the best of friends, drawn even closer by their parents’ divorce.  But Nell begins to notice a change in her sister.  Layla becomes withdrawn and secretive, and Nell suspects it may have something to do with a popular high school teacher. Restrained and real.  Wonderful but for the ending that leaves us hanging.

ATTACHMENTS by Rainbow Rowell

Lincoln O’Neill’s job is to read emails.  Other people’s emails.  As the newsroom’s Internet Security Officer, he keeps tabs on intra-company correspondence for possible red flag behavior.  What at first strikes him as a suspect, even creepy task, grows increasingly fascinating as he begins to monitor the exchanges of two positively delightful employees.  One, in particular, captures his interest – in more than a professional way.  The novel presents a wonderfully dicey moral dilemma – that it fails to fully explore, ultimately letting our conflicted, guilt-ridden protagonist off the hook.  Great, breezy, clever writing.  Darkly humorous.  Then, about halfway through, takes a turn for the implausibly cloying.

August 11, 2014: Dog bones! Awesome t-shirts! And Boxy!

Well, I got that second opinion on Jelly’s hip.  Apparently, she dislocated it a while ago.  It’s an old injury and that makes it even harder to treat.  Popping it back in will be a very painful procedure – and given the deterioration of her hip bones, it’s almost guaranteed to pop out again.  Our options are a major surgery to address the issue (and the potential dangers given her advanced age) or treating her with pain meds.  Well, the other day, we started her on Gaba-pentin and, so far, so good.  She a comfortable night’s sleep…

Then, today, as a special treat, we surprised the pack with smoked bones.  They were greatly appreciated…

 

Also today, I received a treat of my own in the form of a t-shirt delivery from TeeFury (http://www.teefury.com) who offer all sorts of interesting and original shirts for geeks, nerds, and sundry social rogues (I, of course, consider myself part of the latter group).  Guess the shows while I model ‘em for ya!

Finally, to show Akemi isn’t be left out of all the fun, here is a picture of her yesterday with her good friend Boxy…

August 10, 2014: Dumplings! Dumplings! And more Dumplings!

Guess what we had for lunch today?  Why, yes!  How’d you know?

Let’s rock some dumplings!

Today, Akemi and I headed down to Chinatown for Vancouver’s Golden Dumpling Cook Off, featuring signature dumplings from a variety of local chefs, all in support of The Chinese Elders Community Kitchen.  The purchase of a “golden dumpling passport” got you a dumpling at each of the 20 event participants.  Unfortunately, advance passports sold out weeks ago – BUT 1oo passports were to be made available on a “first come first buy” basis on the day so Akemi and I got there early, well ahead of the noon kick-off.

We joined about two dozen people in line at 11:00 a.m.  By the time the passports went on sale an hour later, there were well over a hundred people waiting.

As we inched along, I kept doing the math in my head.  We were 20th and 21st in line.  If the people ahead of us each got a ticket, there’d be plenty left for us.  Hell, they could buy an average of five tickets each and we’d still be okay.  But more than five…

Fortunately, there were still plenty of passports available by the time we reached the ticket table.  I, of course, purchased two because: a) I wasn’t sharing and, b) I was counting on Akemi being a light eater and passing on the foie gras and truffle dumplings which would mean more for me.

Once we had our passport and chopsticks (which we were instructed not to lose as they were apparently in short supply), we waded into the crowd…

Each stand had its own mini line-up.  After making your way to the front, someone would stamp your passport after which you’d be handed a dumpling.  After a while, to save time, we would simply eat our dumplings while waiting in line for more dumplings.

There were quite a variety of dumplings on display, from obvious Asian influenced entries to Italian, Indian, and Mexican-inspired offerings.

The full line-up:

Ask For Luigi: Chicken Liver Capelletti in Brodo with Pancetta and Sage (Chef Letitia Wan)

Bearfoot Bistro: Duck and Shrimp Dumplings with Lemongrass and Fried Garlic (Chef Jimmy Stewart)

Bambudda: Fried Nest Dumpling, Spot Prawn Mayo, Seaweed Powder (Chef Scott Korzack)

Bestie: Smokey Bison Wonton with Chili Jam and Kohlrabi Slaw (Chef Colin Johnson)

Campagnolo: Ricotta and Kale Gnudi, Local Tomatoes, Ricotta Salata (Chefs Nathan Lowey and Joachim Hayward)

Cibo Trattoria: Braised Pork and Fig Agnoli with Taleggio and Crispy Sage (Chef Faizal Kassam)

Cinara: Pork and Swiss Chard Agnolotti (Chefs Lucas Syme and Gill Book)

Danso: Kimchee Mandoo Dumpling

Gyuu: Pork & Shrimp Dumpling wrapped with Dumpling Wrapper and Tofu Bag (Chef Yuki Ota)

Harvest Community Foods: Pork Ramen in a Dumpling (Chef Hokuto Yamanka)

Homer Street Cafe & Bar: Chicken and Leek Dumpling (Chef Tret Jordan)

La Mezcaleria: Braised Beef Chicharron and Guajillo Chili Sauce Dumpling (Chef Alejandro Cruz)

Maenam: Thai Seafood Dumpling in Southern Style Tumeric Curry (Chef Angus An)

Merchant’s Oyster Bar: Braised Duck and Smoked Plum, House Buttermilk and Shiso Sauce (Chef David Jackman)

Pidgin: Sweet Potato and Chocolate Dumplings (Chef Makoto Ono)

Railtown Cafe: No idea.  Went by twice and they were having trouble getting food out both times so I skipped it.

The Union: Red Curry Duck Lychee Potsticker (Chef Lisa Henderson)

Vij’s: Chicken Samos (Chef Vikram Vij)

Wildebeest: Foie Gras and Duck Dumpling (Chef Wesley Young)

Winner Winner: Coastal Dumplings – Local Crab and Shellfish Parcels with Preserved Duck Egg Yolks and Seasoned Vinegar (Chefs Alain Chow, Chen-Wei Lee, Stanley Yung)

Stuffing wrappers at the Homer St. Cafe stand

Gyuu’s tofu-wrapped dumpling. Tied off with watermelon!

I helped subdue this wild panda until animal control arrived on the scene.

The Union’s red curry duck potsticker.

Wildebeest’s foie gras and duck dumplings.

The culinary team at the Vij’s stand.

Campagnolo’s ricotta and kale gnudi

Bearfoot Bistro’s duck and shrimp dumpling with lemongrass and fried garlic

A crazy amount of dumplings and I managed to sample them all – with the exception of Railtown Cafe that seemed to be having trouble with their steamer. The first time I went by, they had no dumplings on the table and, half an hour later when I went by again – same problem.  Some hits, some misses as well, but my favorite was the entry from Maenam’s Angus An – that ended up winning the event as the crowd favorite.  Second place went to Winner Winner.  La Mezcaleria took third.

A great time was had by all – but especially me since, as expected, I ended up polishing off most of Akemi’s dumplings as well.

May skip dinner tonight.

Tagged: Golden Dumplings

August 9, 2014: My poor girl!

Akemi and I came back from visiting the farmer’s market to find Jelly’s water bowl upended and Jelly splayed out on the wet hardwood floor.  Her head was completely drenched and I suspect she must have done a face plant into the water before losing her balance and falling…and then not being able to get back on account of her arthritic joints and hip dysplasia.  I dried her off and took her out back to see if she was okay.  On the one hand, she is still able to squat/support herself and do her business; on the other hand, she can barely walk.  So, I whisked her off to the local animal hospital where they did an x-ray and discovered her right hip is dislocated.  If she were younger, the vet would recommend surgery but given her advanced age (fifteen and half – which is about 78 in human years) he’s suggested pain management might be the best way to go.  She’s already on Metacam and she was on Tramadol, but the vet suggested we try Gabapentin.

So, we’ll see how that works out but I face a bit of a dilemma here.  If her hip is dislocated, my initial response would be to curtail her walks and save her the pain of putting pressure on the joint.  But if I don’t walk her, I’m afraid her muscles will atrophy.  What to do?

While at the farmer’s market, Akemi and I came across a stand for Beyond Bread (http://beyondbread.ca).  While waiting to be served, someone stepped up – and got served before us.  I waited, impatiently, and then when they had moved on, I started making my order – when the guy redirected his attention to ANOTHER couple.  At that point, I was ready to leave – but Akemi desperately wanted a poppyseed bagel.  Fortunately, another guy – who apparently WASN’T wearing blinders – noticed us standing there and took our order.  Akemi got her bagel and I picked up a couple of amaretti and pistachio-lemon cookies:

Sweet, citrusy, and slightly bitter from the almond…and my customer service experience.

Which reminds me.  I watched Elysium yesterday and, after that experience, have decided to start a Worst Recent Watches movie list.  You’ll find it in the right sidebar under my Top 20 Recent Reads.

August 8, 2014: News of note!

Well, hey – just in time for travel season!  Conde Nast offers up a list of the U.S.’s friendliest – and unfriendliest – cites: http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/06/travel/us-unfriendliest-friendliest-cities/

Charleston and Savannah, two cities I REALLY want to visit, top the “friendliest” list.  On the flip side, I’m reconsidering my travel plans to Newark.

No wonder they had so much in common!  Like DNA for instance: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2718216/Woman-tracks-mother-abandoned-baby-realises-unwittingly-married-BROTHER.html

The feel-good story of the week: http://gawker.com/man-buys-every-pie-at-local-burger-king-to-spite-shitty-1617088150

Bride kindly takes the time to inform acquaintances why they weren’t invited to her wedding: http://jezebel.com/rude-bride-tells-facebook-pals-why-they-arent-invited-t-1618234621

8-bit Matrix c/o Phillip Raupach:

Aquaman: awesome superhero or cold fish? http://www.deadline.com/2014/08/zack-snyder-aquaman-radio-batman-v-superman/  Trick question.  With Jason Momoa playing him, of course he’ll be awesome.

 

August 7, 2014: Seafood! Sumo! And scripts!

Well, my Pescatarian Week was a success.  To those of you who don’t know, pescatarianism is “the practice of following a diet that includes fish or other seafood” (Wikipedia).  I decided to give it a try and, after seven days, I have to say, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be – partly thanks to my inner strength and stalwart determination, partly due to a willingness on my part to seek out and discover interesting recipes, but mostly because I actually ended up eating meat 5 out of those 7 days.  There were surprisingly few fish options at the Japanese food festival so I was forced to eat chicken karaage and a pork cutlet sandwich instead.  That time we went out for sushi I had the pork gyoza starters.  I snacked on the tongue cold cuts I picked up for the dogs the other day.  And the other incidents were accidents.  More or less.  Anyway, all this to say that, after one meatless week, I really do feel healthier and encourage you all to follow in my dietary footsteps.

Wish me luck with Vegetarian Week staring Sunday!

Well, I’m sure you’ll all be pleased to heat I completed a first draft of episode #2 this morning.  Yep, 2 scripts down, 11 to go!  I’ll send it Paul’s way for his official “logic review” and I’ll switch gears and start work on episode #4.  In a best case scenario, I’ll finish that script with plenty of time to complete one more ahead of my Japan trip in September.

Yes, since we’ll be heavy into prep during the time of my usual winter Tokyo trek, I’ve had to move up my trip by a few months.  Sadly, I’ll miss out on the festive Christmas spirit that invariably outdoes it’s comparatively staid North American counterparts, but I WILL be there in time for baseball and sumo season!  Can you imagine actually being there to experience the thrill of a playoff run?  Or catching a Hanshin Tiger foul ball?  Or having a sweaty four hundred pound man stumble onto your lap?

That could be me!

Okay, off to re-read my script.  Tomorrow, I have a scheduled conference call with our Casting Director to discuss…wait for it…casting!  We’ve got seven recurring roles to cast so should be very interesting.

August 6, 2014: Closing in on that first draft! Beware food! Eat cardboard and live longer! (Wait. Now there’s a new study that says cardboard is bad for you too?)

Gratuitous French Bulldog Pic #1

Well, I’m exhausted.  Although I only wrote seven pages today, I also ended up rewriting another twenty.  By the time the dust settled on my laptop this evening, I’d hit the 50 page mark.  All I have to do now is finish off this conversation, completing Act V, then write the tag which will include not one, not two, but THREE surprises.  So when the series finally airs, make sure to wait for those final credits – otherwise, you’ll miss something VERY important.  And then you’ll definitely feel like odd person out at the water cooler Monday morning.

Anyway, I hope to get my writing producing partner, Paul, a first draft by Friday so that I can take a break…from episode #2 by starting the script for 3 episode #4.

We’ve also started talking about potential first season directors – and who will helm our big two-part opener.  Quite a few incredibly talented candidates – some of whom you are no doubt familiar with…

Speaking of chocolate…What?  We weren’t talking about chocolate?  Well, NOW that we’re on the subject: http://www.answers.com/article/1184282/7-scientifically-supported-reasons-to-eat-chocolate-every-day?param4=fb-ca-de-health&param1=null&param2=null&param5=5&param6=6

Uh oh: http://www.businessinsider.com/gluten-sensitivity-and-study-replication-2014-5  Apparently only 1% of Americans suffer from celiac allergy.  And I apparently know ALL of them.

And I needn’t remind you that like red meat animals fats coconut oil eggs coffee gluten (?), sugar is bad for you: http://dailyburn.com/life/health/sugar-bad-for-you-health-effects/?fb_action_ids=10204200568245260&fb_action_types=og.comments&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

My favorite part of this article: “…people who consumed more than a quarter of their daily calories as sugar were more than twice as likely to die than those who restricted their intake to less than 10 percent of total calories, regardless of age, sex, level of activity and body-mass index.”

To which I reply: “Meanwhile, anecdotal evidence suggests that people who were born face a whopping 100% mortality rate (!) irrespective of age, sex, level of activity and body-mass index.”

Gratuitous French Bulldog Pic #2

August 5, 2014: Top 12 Superheroines in Need of the Big Screen Treatment!

With the news that Sony is fast-tracking a superhoine movie that will hit the big screen before the turn of the decade (http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=41823), I thought this would be a good time to weigh in with my suggestions for My Top 11 Superheroines in need of the big screen treatment!  Just in case the studios were wondering…

BATWOMAN

I’ll be honest with you.  I’d sooner watch a movie featuring this fantastic new and improved version of Batwoman than another Batman movie.

BLACK WIDOW

I know.  She’s already received the big screen treatment.  Still, rather than play second banana to Iron Man and the rest of The Avengers, I’d love to see Natasha Romanoff headline her own big screen adventure.  Less alien swarms invading the Earth and more espionage, counter-espionage, and reverse counter-counter-espionage with a twist of lime.

 

DOMINO

Yes, there was a movie called Domino that came out in 2005.  A terrible movie. And a different Domino.  A kick-ass protagonist with a bit of a mean streak to boot.

ELEKTRA

Like Jennifer Garner, let’s forget that other movie never happened and start fresh.

GHOST

Mystery!  Suspense!  Intra-dimensional travel!  And one awesome heroine!

JENNY SPARKS

A great character with a narrative that spans most of the 20th century.  There’s potential here for a dozen movies.  Also, love the accent.

KABUKI

Agent for a super-secret government organization called “The Noh”, operating in near-future Japan.

POWER GIRL

A female superhero to rival Superman!

PROMETHEA

Magic, mysticism, and a provocative and engaging narrative.  If the big screen version could look half as good as the comic, it would be spectacular.

SHE-HULK

Brilliant attorney by day, kick-ass superhero by – er – also day.  As far removed from The Hulk as Spiderman is from Superman.  Number two on this wish list after Batwoman.

SILVER SABLE

Because I have a soft spot for female mercenaries.

WONDER WOMAN

Come on.  This one’s way overdue.

August 4, 2014: News of note!

Screen Rant’s “1 Good Movies with Bad Endings”: http://screenrant.com/good-movies-bad-endings/  Hmmm.  I agree only insofar as some of these movies have bad endings.  But to call them “good” is a bit of a reach.  Maybe 2001: A Space Odyssey – and Sunshine and The Wolverine which I haven’t seen.

Space noise: http://www.thedailyepic.com/nasa-probes-record-sounds-in-space-and-its-terrifying/

See, this is why I don’t golf.  It’s too rough: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/08/04/police-fight-over-golf-rules-sends-2-to-hospital/

Something to try when I’m in Japan: http://deadspin.com/crazy-japanese-sport-is-equal-parts-awesome-and-dangero-1616021904

Author Joel Shepherd is cycling from Maine to DC to raise money for cancer research: http://joelshepherd.com/?page_id=831

Mom punishes daughter by selling her Katy Perry concert tickets on Facebook: http://time.com/3079421/katy-perry-facebook-brat-daughter-ticket/

You know what’s worse for business than a guest writing a bad review?  Threatening to charges guests for writing a bad review and having your policy go viral: http://gawker.com/hotel-threatens-to-charge-guests-500-for-every-negativ-1615977935

Love it!  Artist uses thrift store paintings as canvasses for his truly inspired artwork: http://www.gnarledbranch.com/ReDirectedArt.html