Ooooh Wee I Got Some People Need Puttin' In Their Place

...and I'm ready and wanting to take care of them ASAP!

Person needs taking down a peg or 2 #1: S's mother, the person I was so unfortunate as to gain as a mother-in-law. S says she has offered to take care of the baby if we need during the month of July since we will have the baby with us the entire month. I said before that happens she and I still need to sit down and talk and come to certain agreements about things. As The Bride stated in Kill Bill, she and I have unfinished business. (Now, every time The Bride said that about someone in Kill Bill they ended up dead by her hand... but we won't go there. Heh heh.) So I texted her and told her she needs to meet with me and she agreed to meet me "near Conroe" TX (she lives 2 counties away). I texted back I will meet her HALFWAY, which is more like Spring/The Woodlands (thanks, MeetWays!) and reminded her that we will resolve this before I allow her to see the baby.

Person needs taking down a peg or 2 #2: My bitchy, dumb, FAT ASS Sergeant. We got our employee evaluations last night at the monthly meeting. I was shocked and appalled to see that she rated me low in 3 categories and wrote the comments that I do not follow my supervisors' instructions, I need to take constructive criticism better, and that it is unknown at times when I work (patrol). Lies, lies, LIES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I pulled our new, temporary Lt. aside (we are currently without a Lt.) and told him this was all bullshit and he promised to follow up with her since she wasn't even at the meeting. I was sooooo pissed and I checked the box that I did not agree with this evaluation and wrote that they were all lies and I demanded to see documentation otherwise. That fucking bitch! But the Lt. pointed out that the dumb blonde fat bitch had incorrectly given me the wrong score--I was supposed to get a 17 and she gave me a 15 b/c she apparently is unable to figure out how to subtract 3 from 20. He said, "It seems like she's new at doing this." I stifled a laugh and didn't mention that she's been a Sergeant for, oh what, 5 years or so? Oh I can't wait to hear the follow-up to this huge steaming pile of horseshit!

And person #3 is still my dad. I have yet to tell him he's fired from the film project b/c I am trying to get the words right in my head still. For all I know he will cuss me out when I tell him and refuse to speak to me anymore, which will make the family holiday get togethers ugly and messy. But he's very well known for his refusing to speak to family members for years at a time, most noticeably his own mother and his niece. So there you go. I would prefer to avoid that, but if that is the result well, it's all on him, not on me. But it just goes to show you that I have reason to be concerned about his reactions, plus the fact that I have decided to do it over the phone in case he got violent at any point too. Again, I have good reason to consider this.

Got a question for God: Why put these people on earth that have no concept of "Live and let live" and are determined to mess with those of us who do follow that concept every day of our lives? It must all be part of the Big Test, I guess.

P.S. Just got a text message from the "MIL" that said meeting halfway is fine. You bet YOUR fat blonde ass it is, that was going to be a non-negotiable point, so good for you that you agreed to it! Jeez, what is it with all the run-in's I'm having with fat ass blondes this week???

Sigh. Big Girl Panty Time

So I decided last night to fire my dad. I decided this while driving to the marriage counselor's office, and since S couldn't make it after all I just turned the session into my own private bitchfest. (Hey, it's through MY insurance.) The therapist said that since my dad is an addict, addicts by definition make no sense and that anything he threw my way was not ever to be taken personally. Sure, I know that intellectually... but though I do believe 100% in myself and am totally confident that I can make the film I have the vision for, since I am a brand new filmmaker I still have doubts and insecurities about technical aspects and that is where my dad is aiming his blows at me. See, on the trailer shoot, I would start a thought about something and my dad would finish it for me, usually to my great agreement and satisfaction. So while firing him would free me up to be, well, free and not so oppressed and in fear of the next snide remark he might make or exasperated eye roll, now I'm gonna have to finish those thoughts on the technical side of things all by myself. And that frightens me a little b/c I just don't know enough about that stuff.

For example, interior lighting. I think I can get away with doing the whole entire shoot with just 1-2 lights and I did observe my dad carefully when he set up the lights during the trailer shoot. I took away a few valuable lessons, like when my brother did the B-roll shots of the Lt.'s kids playing in her living room, and how we did not have nearly enough light and we should've turned on all the lights in the room for that. Lesson learned: more lights are always better!!! So I'm learning. But I'm still very insecure. And now I have no idea how I'm gonna get a 2nd camera for the July shoot. Well, if I gotta pay $175 to rent it then I gotta put on my big girl panties and pay $175. And it'll just have to be worth it b/c I will be breathing easier and having 100% fun on the shoot without my dad there.

I've decided to wait until Monday to see if this other Reserve Deputy would like to work on the project, officially. Monday is when we have our next monthly meeting and I haven't even met this guy in person yet, so I figure I'll chat him up, suss him out, and then when the time is right offer him the job--with pay, of course. I was gonna pay my dad, I'll just pay this guy instead. And this guy seems like he would be willing to work on spec until I get the cash too.

As I told my therapist, it's just a shame. My dad needs money. I wanted and needed my dad on this project. The trailer shoot went so incredibly well, a few verbal digs at me before and after aside. I was looking forward to making this a family production and it was gonna make me so proud to be able to do that. And now my dad is shooting himself in the foot by giving me a hard time and alienating me and making me want to fire him and it makes no sense as this is not in HIS best interest. But then, he never did make much sense and he has always done very little in his best interest, his whole life.

Besides deciding to get rid of the negativity on my film shoot, I made a couple of other headways yesterday and today: my public librarian friend scanned and sent me the original news articles from 1978 and 1979 on the 2 Reserve deputies' deaths! I even got the obit on one of them! And this morning I got a call from the director himself of the National Reserve Law Officers Association and he said absolutely I can use a certain image and quote they have on their homepage that I am dying to use. He also said when my film website is ready to go send him the link and they'll link to me! This is just about enough to cheer me up today, I swear.

Il Pater Familias - I Have Had It!!!

So I called Laszlo last night to tell him about my Reserve deputy friend and the kind of camera he was offering me to use, and then Laszlo completely tears into me with his badgering me about my wanting to use 2 cameras on the shoot in July. He just has this way of questioning me that sounds like he thinks I am completely ignorant and ridiculous. The exchange was kind of like this:

Me: Unfortunately we can't get his camera for the July shoot b/c he's gonna be out of town.
L: Ok well we can use your brother's camera.
Me: I'll still need a 2nd camera.
L: I can get one from [the guy who lent us his camera for the trailer shoot]. But why do you need 2 cameras on that shoot?
Me: So we can get as much B-roll in as little amount of time possible, and/or to get different angles of the same shot.
L: So who's gonna operate these cameras? You need a professional camera operator! You have your brother for the main camera... I guess [tone of voice sounding like he doesn't think much of my brother as a cameraman after all!!!]... who would be on your brother's camera?
Me: Well I guess I can do it!
L: Do you know how to operate a camera? [tone of voice revealing that he thinks the idea of me operating a camera is totally laughable]
Me: I can operate HIS camera! It's just a camcorder! I've used it before!

---I feel I just have to interject here that my dad gave me a copy of Robert Rodriguez' "10 Minute Film School" to read and had me do that guerilla shoot with him at the Steve Earle concert last month and the moral of all that is that in order to be a filmmaker you must simply begin to MAKE FILMS! So now he's giving me a hard time about my wanting to get behind a camera and MAKE MY FILM?!?!?! I DON'T FUCKING GET HIM!!!---

(continued):
L: Well, I would recommend you get a professional, experienced camera operator on that shoot!
Me: Well I don't have the money to pay anyone!
L: I can get you one! I have those contacts!
Me: Oh really! Someone who'll work for free, all day long, those 3 days?!?
L: YES!
Me: Ok, then go for it. Fine.
L: But I still question your desire for 2 cameras. Why would you possibly need 2 cameras?
Me: For example, if we shoot the warrants team getting into a car and driving away. I could get a couple of different angles on that one shot and not have to ask the warrants team to do it for me 5 different times!
L: Well an experienced cameraman could get that shot for you.
Me: [bewildered silence]
L: It's just more efficient. 2 cameras is a waste of time, effort, and film.
Me: But it's MY time, effort and film and I don't care!
L: I don't mean to be naysaying you, just send me your shooting plan for that weekend and I'll give you some feedback.
Me: What do you mean, shooting plan, you mean a shot-by-shot list?
L: No! Just your general outline of what we'll be doing.
Me: I sent that to you 2 weeks ago!
L: Ok well I've been having Internet problems so I'll look at it now and get back to you.

Me, after hanging up and angrily calling my brother:
WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH DADDY?!?! HE AGREED WITH ME A MONTH AGO THAT 2 CAMERAS ON THIS SHOOT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA AND NOW HE'S GIVING ME A HARD TIME ABOUT IT AND HE HAS BEEN SAYING I NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE ARTISTIC ELEMENTS OF MY FILM BUT IF I WANT TO DO A BEAUTIFULLY EDITED QUICK SHOT LIKE THE ONE SCORSESE DID IN THE LAST WALTZ WHEN RONNIE HAWKINS WAS SINGING "WHO DO YOU LOVE" AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT I'LL NEED MORE THAN 1 CAMERA THEN WHY IS HE QUESTIONING ME AND BADGERING ME AND NAYSAYING ME ABOUT THIS?!?!?!?!?
My brother: I have no idea.

Later, after I forced myself to stop my tears of frustration, I remembered that when I went to assist on my dad's conjunto festival shoot the day before we did the trailer shoot, he used 4 fucking cameras!!! 3 on tripods: 1 wide, 1 on the bass player, and 1 on the accordion player. And then my dad did handheld onstage!!! For a static, low-action musical show on a stage?!?!?!?!? And now he's questioning MY wanting to use 2 cameras for an entire weekend of dynamic, active shooting! What. The. FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I may have to end up firing him after all. This is exactly what I was afraid would end up happening, his belittling me and trying to make me feel like shit. In order to fire him though I will need to find someone who will help me edit the film and I'll also need to find someone who will lend me a light kit. I may have to see if this Reserve deputy guy wouldn't mind helping me--he did say yesterday that he was "excited" about my project. I will try calling him maybe tomorrow so I don't sound too desperate. The Major did email me back to say that we will meet with the 2nd Baptist church film people in the next 2 weeks. Hopefully they'll help me too.

Gwine To Do Some Running Tonite

It is 104 degrees outside--even I will admit that's a bit much. I had to drive the Library minivan today and I had the a/c turned almost all the way up and it was still hot as Hades. In a bit I will leave Job #2, head down the street to a new running partner's house, and we'll do a wee bit of running hopefully in only double-digit heat.

I met a Reserve deputy whose business is getting videos up on websites. He also has a background in tv/film production and owns all kinds of equipment and even a good camera. Best of all, he says he'll help me for free!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only bad thing is he is in the military Reserves and is being deployed next month so I will not be able to use his camera for my end of July weekend shoot. I am still waiting to hear from the Chief and/or Major on meeting up with these 2nd Baptist church film folk to see if they can help me too. What is the damn holdup?!?!

And in silly news, last night I talked on the phone to my first love--an NYPD cop and a total goofball as well as being a freelance keyboardist with strange tastes in music--who confirmed he is coming home to Houston this fall for his 20th high school reunion. I heard myself begging him to take me as his date! That's one of those things you blurt out and then remember, "Oh wait, I'm married and perhaps need to check with my husband before I go around offering up my escort services." Still, it would be kinda fun as I haven't seen him since around 2003 and he always amuses me. (p.s. In fact, he's the one that took the photo of me in Times Square that graces this blog up under the heading!)

Really, Really Sore

As in, hurting sore. I had a "perio-maintenance" cleaning today at the dentist and this particular hygienist was really rough and quite brutal, I must say. She said, "Bear with me" a couple of times, meaning get ready for she was about to rock my world. That was 9 hours ago and I am still sore! The whole situation pisses me off. I have great, healthy, huge teeth (thanks, pater familias) with no plaque but I have major gum issues. I brush twice/day and floss every night thanks to the pain of having forked over $800+ for my periodontal surgery last year. I've even started using a mouth rinse too. Only to find out that I still have issues that I should not be having, post-surgical year?!? I am P.O.'d!

Enough of that. I had a really great meeting today with the Chief, the Major, and our attorney. The new Reserves office assistant and a fellow Reserve deputy who was just hanging out sat in on the meeting too. I have everyone's 100% support. They are all going to help me accomplish this goal of getting my documentary film made. I am going to open up a bank account into which we can deposit any donations. The Major has contacts for fundraising, etc. The lawyer tweaked my release form for me. Then we all watched the trailer, which they liked. (Though the Chief and Major had issues with something one of my interviewees, another Major, said and they said they would prefer I remove that quote--not sure if that means I HAVE to do it, or if they were just expressing their opinion?! Mudflap said he loves that quote and apparently even the Major in question tried to defend himself with the Chief when they discussed it. I defended it to them too, reminding them that this is just the trailer and the film will flesh things out and wipe away any concerns they have. Hey man, opinions are like assholes...)

Tired and sore, about to leave Job #2 and go meet up with S at the Mezz. Maybe I'll feel like chewing some potato skins. Great weekend though. S had Sat. AND Sun. off so we had a fun family weekend, went to the pool, went to watch Jaws at Auntie R.'s house, Father's Day spent at the movies, watched El Mariachi with the director's comments, and I managed to transcribe 1 of the 4 interviews. It would help if I had someone to pause the DVD while I concentrated on typing; picking up the remote, pressing Pause, then picking up the remote again and pressing Play takes up valuable time! But, Robert Rodriguez did it all himself, so I can too.

My Weekend Future is Transcriptions

It occurred to me a few days ago that while I'm sitting around waiting for the next shoot (last weekend in July) I could still do work on the 4 interviews I currently have "in the can." B/c editing that stuff for the trailer is one thing; editing it for the film is a totally different thing! Then I remembered how challenging it was to keep finding the footage/sound bites I liked in order to stick them into the trailer. I mean, by then I had watched the 3 DVD's so many times that I pretty much knew where they were but there were a few times while editing with my dad when I was like, "Ok, I thought s/he talked about that one part after they talked about this other part" and I was wrong! So I had to do a little hunting at times, which slowed the editing process down.

So after reading Robert Rodriguez's book and how he did all this syncing up stuff by hand (for various reasons he shot El Mariachi completely without sound!!! Later he just taped the actors' dialogue into a tape recorder and then had to sync it all up to the video so it matched!!!) and then realizing that at least he had a SCRIPT he could follow, and realizing that I do not have the benefit of having a script b/c it's a DOCUMENTARY, it hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks that I would probably be doing myself a huge favor for later editing of the film by completely transcribing the 3 DVD's. Whoa! That's a big project!!! But I better get started on it. I think that's what I'll focus on this weekend. Hopefully I'll get it all done in one day, i.e., tomorrow b/c #1. I type really fucking fast and #2. As stated before I already am intimately familiar with the DVD's and the interviews. I already got a head start by just creating 4 different Word doc's with the interview questions (they were all pretty much asked the same questions) and getting those in order for each person. And I already typed the answers to the questions that I know by heart from making the trailer. I spoke to Bean about this who confirmed he always does his interview/program transcription too and reminded me it don't have to be word for exact word!

So tomorrow my day with the baby will consist of getting her signed up for the Summer Reading Program at the library, maybe doing some grocery shopping, then getting us home so I can work on the transcription project! Sunday is Father's Day of course, so naturally we'll be concentrating on S that day, taking him out to eat, seeing a movie, whatever he wants to do. BTW he and I had a marriage counseling session Weds. night (first time since March! Just b/c we've been so damn busy) and it went well. We still have some issues to work out and we need to practice our "dialoguing" technique according to our therapist. Then again, who doesn't need to practice that, ha! Anyway, she is, as always, very helpful.

Monday: meeting with the Chief to hopefully finalize our fiscal sponsorship arrangement, meaning then I can FINALLY publicize the Reserves film website and get my Facebook page going!!! They are up and ready, I just need to pull the trigger! I need to send out some more press releases as well. It occurred to me when I was at the academy the other night that it wouldn't hurt to send them to the many law enforcement magazines as well.

My 1st In-Kind Donation!

As the title states, I got my first one today!!! I am beyond excited. Taqueria Arandas is going to feed my film crew on our shooting weekend of July 24-6!!!!! Well, one meal but still! Them's good eatin' and I told them it would not include server gratuity, since that is the right thing to do. I'm also excited b/c they called me. I mailed 3 letters this past weekend and I was wondering if I should just wait to hear from the 3 restaurants I contacted or if I should muster up all the gumption I could muster, put on my big girl panties and call them. Because I'm a big ol' chicken when asking for sales/donations/money (I feel your pain, J2!) and that's why I sucked in Mary Kay! So... now that I have a tiny bit of confidence going, maybe I WILL call up the other 2 restaurants! I also put Arandas' logo and link on my Reserves Film website. Why not. Don't cost nothin'. Well--nothin' extra. Besides, that new Sponsors page I just created was so sad and empty, now at least there's 1 business name and logo there!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ohhhh, I had fun last night at the academy. The deadly Sgt. S was there and he had asked me to come early so he could review some Krav Maga drills with me. He is out of his damn mind. He's in a week-long KM class at the academy ($700, gulp--but well worth it!) and he was all bruised up and down his arms and it looked very painful. Then he pulls out his placebo knife and wants to play KM warrior with me! I love him. He calls me "Bella", one of the few people that can get away with doing that! Damn, I miss Krav Maga. I wish I had the $ to take regular classes. Next year, next year when we're out of debt...

After I learned some knife defense tactics, I went to check on the notebook graders (deputies from the last graduating class were grading the cadets' notebooks) and I graded 2 just for fun. Bad news: we are down to only about 6 sheriff cadets (the rest are either constable or fire marshal). I was going to put 2-3 in my film so the pickin's are a little too slim for comfort now. I am nervous. I am going to have to decide on 3 for the film and pray that at least 2 of them graduate...in March!!!

Recharged!

Wow, I think I'm on to something here. Yesterday was the first day in months that I have had completely unscheduled, i.e., absolutely nothing on the agenda. It was bliss and today I feel really well-rested and my batteries feel totally recharged. Yesterday nobody was after me to do something for them, I wasn't busy rushing around trying to get a million things done, my to-do list consisted of things that were entirely do-able at home, and while it felt very strange I totally basked in the wonderfulness of it.

Yesterday I finished reading Robert Rodriguez's book and was so happy to do so b/c I have a pile of other filmmaking books that need reading and since they're from the library I better get to 'em. Mano was over at our house and he made lunch for us. S and I caught up on a little 24. I did some laundry. I did some more documentary research. Lord!!! It was a great day!!! Later S and Mano split to go and do a radiator flush on our car and I debated not going out at all. But then I figured there would be no better time to go buy bras (I saw a story on the Today show that said you have to replace bras every 9 months. WTF?!?! and... Yikes! I got bras older than my and S's relationship) so I ran out to Marshall's and got 5 bras for $44. Yay for me! But that took me all of 20 min. and then I was back home, relaxing, reading, resting. I need more of those days!!!!!!!

Microfilm Reader No-Fun

So via chat reference I had 4 microfilms pulled for me to review: 2 1970's era Houston Chronicle's and Houston Post's (our defunct city newspaper), respectively. Since I am going to be working like the Jamaican/Mexican that I am tomorrow ALL DAY LONG downtown at the convention center, I got to leave Job #1 early today so I grabbed the opportunity to run downtown to the Central library to look at these microfilms, in search of the 2 actual articles about my fallen Reserve brothers in 1978 and 1979. Color me dumbfounded when I saw that the *3* microfilm readers were occupied and I was going to have to wait!!! Are you fuckin' kidding me?!?! Who the HELL searches microfilm nowadays?!?! OMG. Although there was an hour time limit the librarians had not been keeping track (of course they hadn't!) so I waited 10 min. and then blew it off. Instead I went downstairs and checked out even more books on filmmaking. I have many public librarian friends and one of them will be bribed to find and get the articles for me; in return she'll get a thank you credit in the film, heh heh.

I have sent out my press release to the 4 major local networks and several of the local major newspapers. I need to identify more news/magazine outlets. Today I will be mailing out some in-kind donation beg letters. Might as well get those going; if there's one thing Mary Kay taught me it's go out and collect those "no"'s! Because they will undoubtedly lead to a "yes" eventually! Meanwhile, li'l bro is on board for the shooting weekend next month. And last night I attempted to watch Seven Samurai, all 4 hours of it, for artistic inspiration. Oh well, at least I got through a couple hours. That movie ain't goin' nowhere!

Now I'm at Job #2 supposed to be paying attention to this webcast "Data for a Downturn Economy" so I better get back to it. I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend until I remembered about having to work the convention center tomorrow. Sunday I don't know what's going on. It would be so great to have a whole day off for once but if S decides to go on patrol I probably will too, just to get it out of the way.

C'mon People, Blog!

I hate it when my friends don't blog. Why? Because I'm nosy. B/c I don't get to hang out with them very much and I want to know what's going on in their lives. B/c I care!!!

I forgot to mention the fun night I gave myself on Monday night after Job #2. I took myself to see Lincoln Hall, a mountaineering lunatic. He was left for dead on Mt. Everest in 2006 and came back to life from cerebral edema! He seems fine now except for he lost the last joints of all his fingers. Maniac! I love these crazy mountaineer guys. He talked at REI and gave a slideshow presentation of his trials on my favorite mountain, Chomolungma! Still, although I am endlessly fascinated with Mt. Everest I have no desire to see her in person. Too damn cold. I was also amused that during the Q&A portion of his talk, I understood 95% of what they were talking about (Khuumbu Icefall, belay, Rheinhold Messner) even though I have never been rock-climbing or mountaineering in my life!

The Chief approved my press release and is sending to the Sheriff's PIO to check it over before release. I fully expect to be invited to talk on all the morning news programs and am ready for interview requests from all the major Houston newspapers, including non-English! I have my proposed shooting schedule for July 24-26 and spoke to one of my stars last night; he's ready too. I've got my production assistant, Auntie R., on board and need to confirm w/my dad and bro. I am also trying to become a Walter Murch disciple. I will attend a movie marketing workshop at the end of this month. Makin' movies is a lot of damn work!

I Hate... To Wait...!

Arrrrgggh! The Chief has rescheduled the appt. we had this Friday to the week of the 22nd. AAARRRGGGHH! I am an impatient type, that is true. I just believe in by God getting things done! I'm a walker, not a talker. I ain't got time to talk b/c I'm so damn busy walking. I think I have gone above and beyond in proving that, my entire life!

I hate to wait!!! I got shit to do! Press releases to send out! A fundraiser to plan! Websites to launch publicly! A shooting schedule to finalize! People to keep on my payroll! Facebook pages to create! DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trying to breathe. I am just gonna have to see if my dad can call in another favor and get the camera for the weekend of July 24-26 and I am gonna have to scrape together some of my own $ to pay my dad b/c now that school is out he is unemployed and it is the right thing to do to pay him some $ for the work he's done so far and will do in July.

For real, this breathing thing... I've noticed in the past few days I have caught myself not breathing. Sitting in a chair, sitting in a car, working on the computer, etc. I am going without breathing for like, 5-6 seconds at a time and that means the stress is piling on even subconsciously. So when I catch myself doing that I try to breathe deep to fix whatever the problem is. I just got done reading this great book though and I can relate, man! It was such an enjoyable read and I totally got them, i.e., trying desperately to make a movie with no $, researching filmmaking like a madman, praying the right people believe in you...

Well, at least while I'm biding my time and sitting around on my ass waiting for the right people to give me the go-ahead, I can continue educating myself. I also need to keep thinking about my script, and as all filmmakers know, the script is a constantly evolving, living, breathing creature that you have given birth to. I also need to read, read, read more, more, more! Today I picked up this Walter Murch book (from the library, natch) and have Robert Rodriguez' Rebel Without a Crew on the way. And as always, there are more documentaries to watch, study, get inspiration from. I've noticed for example that lately over the past few years they all tend to be mostly handheld. My dad HATES handheld, but then again he's a dinosaur. Of course, I love the handheld look!

Convinced My Weekends Are Shorter Than Everyone Else's

I am serious. I mean it seems that Every Single Damn Sunday evening I finally, at long last, have a little down time to relax and take a breather and chill out, and I get ready to do just that when I check the clock and it's like, 10pm and time to get ready to think about going to bed, my last free night before my fully-packed Monday work week begins. Arrrggh! Where was my down time to read? watch a movie/DVD? pick a flower? do some yoga? GONE!

Admittedly, this past weekend was way fun, it was just too packed with activity as ALWAYS. I feel like I am always complaining about that, and you'd think I could take control of my weekends and make them mine, but I really, really can't. The family reunion on Sat. was pretty enjoyable although it was extremely hot outside (the 3 Corona beers helped) and I only had room to eat 3 desserts but the baby had the time of her life running around playing with the other kids and Auntie R. and I got to relax in the shade and catch up.

Sat. night's Accordion Kings was not as enjoyable as it usually is, and to this I can only attribute that even though the baby and I were comfortable on our blanket on the hill and my good friend K. joined us with her daughter and another little girl, it just wasn't as satisfying to me b/c I was way out on the hill and not down in seats, close to the stage action. I truly need to be up close to be happy when it comes to concerts so I can absorb all the details. I mean... that's all there is to it. The End.

Sunday a.m. I did get to lounge by the pool with S and the baby after I taught my morning class on behalf of Job #1, and that was nice, getting in my first good pool time of the season. I noticed later that my skin didn't tan though, thanks to slathering myself in sunscreen! I am constantly thinking in the back of my mind, "Skin cancer... melanoma... UVA/UVB..." even though I do enjoy getting darker in the summertime. Oh well.

Sunday night was the wrestling PPV at WingsNmore, which S and I haven't done in a long time. That event in public is always amusing!

This week: try to wrap up all the loose ends I can on my documentary planning before the meeting on Friday with the Chief and his goons. I got a few phone calls and emails to send and the press release to FINISH! My friend K. said she'd lend me a laptop to use during the duration of my film project so I can accomplish more things faster and I am going to take her up on the offer!

Pluggin' Away

I continue to forge ahead. Today I received my letter of support/endorsement from the Chief. I have made a contact at St. Arnold's beer to see if they can donate their fine product to my fundraising event. I have almost decided on the event location, although I am waiting to get the Reserves' 501(c)3 IRS letter which I will need. And I have a meeting set up for next Friday with the Chief and a few of his staff to discuss this fiscal sponsorship thing and my fundraising ideas. As soon as we iron out those details the Reserves Film website will be ready to launch publicly although I also need to figure out how to get PayPal up there since folks love to donate with their CC's. I have also pretty much finished my press release to be sent out ASAP!

Tomorrow is my next guerilla film shoot. It will be a family reunion, my dad's side of the family and I'm glad I will be busy shooting/interviewing b/c I am quite sure I have nothing in common with most of the people that will be there. They are all small-town types, and generally have no higher education to any of their names although most have immediate family members either serving or have served time. However they do tend to be champion beer drinkers and some of them are quite musical. My great-grandfather, an interesting man who lived to be in his 90's and was also a pedophile, played wonderful accordion for example. I happen to be the current owner of his accordion and will be bringing it along for the occasion; I'll also bring my acoustic guitar b/c one of my dad's uncles wants to play it.

BTW, thank you God, for allowing me to be born to my particular father and mother who are the 2 incredible, brilliant, shining standouts from both of their respective familes, my father if only for his amazing intellect and creativity! Jesus, did I narrowly escape a horrible fate otherwise. I shudder and fall to my knees in gratitude...

And tomorrow night is Accordion Kings! Now that will be a soul-filling event, as it always is.

An Actual Quote From An Email Today

This is taken from an email from my dad to my brother that my dad copied me on. I actually sort of believe he means it, too:

"I want you to know that our recent activities in attempting to assist Adela in her film project have been a true joy in my life. I am amazed at how quickly she has aquired true film producing skills and I marvel at the talent she possesses to make things come together."

He Liked It! He Really Liked It

Yes, the Chief liked my trailer, said I am off to a great start, said it was very much as he had envisioned it! And zero criticisms. Whoa. We met for about an hour yesterday and we talked much filmmaking business and strategies. He offered up the use of the Reserves as my fiscal sponsor since we are a 501(c)3 and said they wouldn't charge me anything (whereas SWAMP would charge 7.5%). He offered up the use of the cameras, editing equipment, and staff at a certain Houston megachurch that apparently does all of the Sheriff's media/film work--for free! He will set up an appt. with me and my production manager (my dad) and the church staff. He said he'll sign a letter of support for me to use for my fundraising tactics. He said to let him know how else he could help! I was blown away. I got right on it last night, formulating my fundraising ideas and writing that letter of support for him to sign. There's a lot to do though before I can resume filming:

1. Decide on who to use as my fiscal sponsor for once the checks start rolling in.
2. Update the Reserves Film website with this info and see about getting PayPal on there?
   
3. Get the Chief's letter of support; then I will be well armed!
4. Write a bunch of fundraising letters to my list of cop-friendly local businesses, org's, individuals. Attach the Chief's letter to all of them.
5. Write a press release; send out to media immediately (one of my filmmaking books said to get the media involved even before shooting. Ok.)
6. Meet with the church folks to see if they will truly be on board with me (the Chief says they will be, but I need to see/hear this from them for myself).

Shooting resumes in July no matter what. Maybe even June if I can swing it, but this will depend on $ and/or being able to use the church's resources.

Nerrrrrrrvous!

Today I meet with the Chief to show him the trailer. Personally, I think he's gonna love it. If he loves it then I can pitch to him my fundraising and publicity ideas and how I will need his approval and partnership. HOWEVER, there's always that chance that he'll be very critical of the trailer and have all kinds of inputs and demands and if that happens, well, it might be all over for me. Because I have a great vision and if I cannot see my vision through over this next year then what's the point?

So if he tells me he loves it and it's "kick-ass" just like he described this whole idea in the first place, then I can proceed to being a little nervous about talking to him about the budget, which is now up to almost $30K. It was bumped up due mostly to salaries to pay the some of the best filmmaking people in town to work on my film (final editing, sound, etc). I also put some salary in there for myself b/c my dad and his girlfriend advised me to. I had planned on doing this film as a labor of love but then they told me how much work this is going to be, and so I agreed to give myself some $ after all. Especially since working on the film is bound to interfere with Job #2 (as it has already) and I will definitely be losing money by working less hours there. Hopefully the Chief will not have a problem with the price tag, even though it is an extremely low pricetag to begin with! But if he wants this film done and done right, he'll support me. I'm not even going to ask him for any $, just a letter of support and for him to let me show the trailer at the June Reserves meeting and then ask everyone for donations--provided I get my fiscal sponsorship in place by then, and I am mailing off that proposal this week!

My TFPF app was received in Austin yesterday, whew. They get 200 applications every year and they only fund 20 of them, or 10%. I asked for $5K. When I attended their workshop it seemed that even those projects they funded they never gave the applicants as much $ as they requested, so I asked for $5K thinking that if I was awarded funds maybe they'd give me $1-2K. Oh lord--as always, the suspense is killing me.

Meanwhile, an awesomely fun weekend was had by all this past weekend. S managed to get Saturday off, a miracle in itself. We went to Space Center Houston which was great. We spent so much time there we got to the yuppie baby shower 2 hours into it, which was also great b/c then I didn't have to talk to too many yuppies and spent almost my whole time eating! And Sunday we took the baby and her Auntie R. to see Up, which was a great little film. We ended up after that at the "Chuck", Chuck E. Cheese and seeing my hated MIL there was not so bad. She brought the baby all kinds of gifts (though didn't let the baby open them herself, just pulled them out of gift bags to show the baby, saying repeatedly, "Isn't this cool? Isn't that cool?") and some of it was actually stuff we need, like the baby's own clothes hamper, little trash can, new sheets, comforter, etc. Fortunately the MIL left early though on her way out she actually came and gave me and Auntie R. HUGS!!! (ew!!!) but unfortunately, that meant I did not have a chance to sit her fat ass down as I had planned and have my serious discussion with her about how she needs to watch herself from now on and accept her boundaries if she knows what's good for her. I told her we will be talking soon though and she said that would be fine.