I’m actually surprised that the post-holiday week is over.  It was a busy one considering I didn’t have a job to report to for the first time in YEARS.  Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised that self-employment is going to be a 24/7 gig.  And I admit: I’m loving it!  Of course, it’s nice to have these first few weeks based at Mom & Dad’s house where the cupboards are well stocked, the cocktails flow promptly at five o’clock (okay, usually at my insistence), and the laundry fairy visits on a regular basis.  Lucy and Sophia need to get into gear when I return to La-La land.

Mommy likes her shirts on hangers!

Last Sunday I met with Nick Langholff who is attached (that’s a big-time Hollywood term for “involved-despite-the-current-lack-of-money”) as the Line Producer for Beneath the Surface.  I’m too lazy to go through my archives to figure out if I’ve mentioned Nick before, but I met him through a mutual friend. (Mr. Coppola, as a matter of fact.  See I do remember a few early entries!)   Nick is a fellow Wisconsinite – he grew up in Fort Atkinson and he’s worked on film projects big and small.  He has a special interest in bringing more filmmaking to America’s Dairyland and, having worked on a couple of recent independent films in the state, he brings a specialized knowledge of the filmmaking scene here. (Translation: because of his connections, he’s great at cutting corners but not quality.)  As Nick and I talked about schedule/budget/gameplan, it all started to feel increasingly REAL.  As long as I raise this money, we’ll be producing Beneath the Surface here next summer.

The Man with the Plan

I also re-connected with John Urban, an old Madison friend who is an exceptionally creative, clever person.   And, yes, I will pay due respect to Facebook for bringing us back together; John sent me a “friend” request and the rest is history.   John is a filmmaker/writer/photographer/Renaissance Man here in town and he’s not only extremely talented, but he’s also well connected.  One of his missions is to support local music and he does this via Madison television.  Fellow Cheeseheads can look into airing times on the Urban Theater Facebook page (and I’m guessing those outside the state can still find episodes via You Tube): http://www.facebook.com/theurbantheater.  John and I had a great lunch where we talked movies, writing, and also shared a few secrets.  I know that when the time comes to shoot here in Madison, John will be a valuable advocate and resource.

Madison's Patron of the Arts

The week came to a close with a triumphant lunch with a successful and dear family friend who is OFFICIALLY investing in Beneath the Surface.  Yes, I think I can announce that I have raised 20% of the funds needed for the film.  I am so humbled by this particular investor – he shared a lot of his own experience and insight about starting a business and taking risks in life.  One of the things he said to me was, “Don’t overthink why people want to give you money.  I can see you’re ready for your chance.”  Wow.  Humbling, indeed.

Only 80% left to go!

NEXT UP: And now introducing…VP Babs! (Okay, sis, the pressure is ON!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, beloved blog readers! So what do y’all thing of the official Deliberate Productions website? Not bad, huh? Yes, I will say so myself because all of the credit for it goes to the amazin’ Hazen – that’s Shawn Hazen, everyone: www.hazencreative.com. I am particularly warm and fuzzy over the company logo that he’s created. I gave Shawn a few vague directives (“Um, red is my favorite color”) and he gave me about twenty potential options to choose from – and they were all fantastic. A BIG THANKS to him and VP of Marketing Barbara for helping design and launch Deliberate’s on-ramp to the info superhighway.

I feel so official now!

Speaking of VP Babs, I’m pressuring her (as only a big sister can) to do a guest blog post before she heads back over the pond. Perhaps she’ll give her assessment of Paranormal Activity 2, which we took in the other night after the Packers sealed their presence in the playoffs. Or maybe she’ll discuss her marketing strategy for Deliberate Productions? And, if all else fails, she can always share the amazing insights we’ve been privy to courtesy of our nieces. They are wise and hilarious little girls, indeed. The youngest one just lost a front tooth, so her pronunciation of “shushi” when describing one of Aunt Dee Dee’s favorite foods has provided many a laugh.

I do have a correction to make regarding my review of The King’s Speech in my last post. My faithful, much-appreciated pet sitter and blog reader, Dianne, pointed out to me that Helena Bonham Carter plays the Queen Mother we knew and loved, not the current Queen Elizabeth, in the film. My good pal Kevin also caught this error. As I explained to Dianne, I blame this mental lapse on the brain cells lost to Sex and the City 2. Have I mentioned the depths of how soul-drenching that film-watching experience was?!? And I’m a huge fan of the series!!! Okay, I really must stop torturing myself with the memories of it.

You still are not forgiven, Ladies...

Luckily, I cleansed my palette by going to see The Fighter with my friend Shannon (who also suffered through Sex and the City 2 with me). Boy, just when I was about to hand over the Oscar to Colin Firth, Christian Bale swoops in and blows me away with his manic, jacked-up performance as the “I coulda been a contender,” crack-addict brother to Mark Wahlberg’s boxer-on-the-rise. Talk about great acting! But I have to give Wahlberg credit, too. He’s doing an effective job of shedding his Calvin Klein/Funky Bunch persona with choices like The Fighter. (That’s not to say I minded when he showed off his pecs during those boxing scenes, though. Oh la la.) Like Geoffrey Rush in The King’s Speech, Wahlberg has what could be seen as the less showy and demanding role, but it’s just as important to the chemistry of the story and the interplay between characters. Hats off to all of these actors for bringing us some explosive, inspiring performances this year. It gets me excited about casting Beneath the Surface when the time comes.

Shirtless scenes *do* serve a purpose!

NEXT UP: Producer Pow-Wow.

The great thing about being on break is that I now have time to see a lot of movies. And since we’re close to Oscar season, I get to see supposedly “cream of the crop” award contenders. So instead of talking next steps, I thought I’d offer my brief assessments of some of the films I’ve caught in the past week. You know the saying about opinions being like a certain part of the anatomy: everybody has one. So, as always, please take mine with a grain of salt. (And feel free to use that salt to line your margarita glass!)

THE KING’S SPEECH: I went in expecting this one to be good and it was. Very, very good. If you like your history lessons well-written and superbly acted, then this is the film for you. The Academy should just hand Colin Firth the Oscar now. He is both subtle and explosive as the reluctant King with an emotionally debilitating speech impediment. And Helena Bonham Carter is effective as his wife – the Queen we currently know and love – Queen Elizabeth. As I told my friend Ed, she’s more the refined Merchant-Ivory Helena Bonham Carter versus the crazy Tim Burton one, which is a welcome change of pace. But I was particularly impressed with Geoffrey Rush. For all the acclaim Firth is getting, Rush deserves it, too, as the unconventional teacher who has the strength to stand up to the King and the vulnerability to be cut down by him. Director Tom Hooper serves these performances well by often going in close on his actors’ faces. All in all, I was royally impressed. (See what I did there? Clever, eh?)

Speaking of speeches, get your Oscar one ready.

THE TOWN: Granted, this one came out a while ago, so it ended up being an “on demand” selection with Mom & Dad. As I posted on Facebook, I have to agree with my father’s overall assessment of the movie: “It’s just a bunch of police cars banging into one another.” It has all the trappings of what a Best Picture should look like (compelling story, complex characters, great cast), but it still felt hollow to me. It’s a well-packaged picture that falls far short of its Mystic River aspirations, and the result is a bloated, unsatisfying 125 minutes. The footage of Boston is beautiful, though, so I still got something out of it!

And the award for best-filmed city goes to...

BLACK SWAN: This one is not for everyone. It’s dark. It’s disturbing. At times it borders on cuckoo-clock-crazy. But Darren Aronofsky is committed to the craziness and the result is visual virtuosity. He reminds us that we sometimes have to sacrifice our comfort with the literal and succumb to a storytelling style that may be eccentric, but is wholly original. Every last detail of this film is thought out in its portrait of a ballerina’s descent into madness as she strives to create the perfect performance – from the constant color palette of white, black, and ballerina pink to the use of mirrors casting reflections both real and false. And, like Tom Hooper, Aronofsky loves his actors’ faces and trusts that no matter how close his camera lens gets he’ll find authenticity. I have to say that as the film reached its final crescendo, with Natalie Portman’s Nina struggling to both summon and repress her inner Black Swan, I was totally exhilarated by what I was witnessing. For me, this is what filmmaking/viewing is about – that cinematic moment that is surprising and gratifying and takes your breath away.

Don't mess with this bird!

SEX & THE CITY 2: No breath taken away…just hours of my life. Two hours and twenty-six minutes to be exact. Please, Darren Starr and Michael Patrick King, I beg you to let the legacy of those four women live in your dazzling HBO series and not in these painfully pointless, unfunny, unfeeling films. The party’s over now. Pack up the Manolo’s and catch a cab home.

I think that heel is crushing my movie-going spirit...

NEXT UP: Hello, 2011!

I just thought I’d post a brief blog entry to wish all of my wonderful family, friends, and faithful blog readers a very happy holiday filled with fun and festivity. I am blogging from Wisconsin where I am experiencing a proper White Christmas. I continue to be amazed by the fact that Santa Claus manages to leave gifts for my nieces at both their house and Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Considering how many kids he has to visit, I’d say they’re pretty darn lucky that he fits in two drop-offs for them.

Is that a typo or am I really going down two chimneys for those girls?

I have checked all anxiety about my unknown future at the door (at least for now), so I can simply reflect on how very fortunate I am to have so much support in my life. My ex, JJ, gets annoyed when I channel my inner-Oprah during these entries, but the holidays coupled with the end of the year provide the perfect opportunity to say thank you to those of you who enrich my life.

Thank you!

(And you’re on the list, too, JJ!)

Thinnest. Christmas Tree. Ever.

Now go eat, drink, and make merry!!!

NEXT UP: Next Steps.

The Farewell 2010 Tour continued this week when my Fairly OddParents/T.U.F.F. PUPPY crew surprised me with a “goodbye and good luck” party.  I’ve worked with many of these people for the better part of my time at Nickelodeon, so it meant a lot to me that they would come out to a local restaurant on a Thursday night to send me off in style.  In addition to filling up on some of my favorite things, such as sushi, wine, and an impressive cheese tray (I’m a Wisconsin gal, after all), I simply enjoyed being able to hang out with these friends and colleagues who have been such a major element in my life.  I’ve seen these co-workers get married, have babies, earn promotions, win animation awards, win Emmy awards, and, most importantly, try my annual specialty drink at various holiday parties and live to tell the tale.  These are valuable people, people!

Mary and company understand.

What really blew me away was when my boss, the world-famous Butch Hartman, presented me with a check for my production company.  It seems that everyone dug into their pockets to donate a little traveling cash before I head down this uncertain road.  Talk about a humbling vote of confidence.  As I fumbled to verbalize a proper “thank you,” I hope I stressed enough how important these co-workers have been to me.

When I came to Nickelodeon back in 2001, I came with a passion for live-action movies.  But I wasn’t doing much to pursue creating them other than watching a lot of films and then voicing my opinion on them whether anyone wanted to hear it or not – and I’m sure the latter was often the case!  But, as I mentioned in my previous blog, the studio is an exciting and creative environment, and the crew I’ve had the good fortune to work with is filled with amazingly talented and dedicated people.  When you are surrounded by the best of the best, you can’t help but be inspired.  Thanks to my crew, I began my intimate relationship with Final Draft with the hopes of some day bringing the stories I write to the big screen.  And I’m now that much closer to seeing that goal finally happen.

There Will be Scripts!

In these final days of saying goodbye to some truly lovely human beings, I am also reminded of how important attitude is when working in “the business.”   As I said to the crew on Thursday night, it really is a gift to be paid to do what you love, and we’ve had the added benefit of working alongside fun and kind people.  Life is too short to make drama where it doesn’t exist – be grateful for what you have and keep the positive vibes flowing.  I firmly believe that you get what you give, so thank you to the crew for giving me so very much!

NEXT UP: Home for the Holidays!

I have officially passed the one-week-left mark of my time of employment at Nickelodeon.  Weird.  I’m feeling mixed emotions – after all, nine+ years is a long time to be in one place.  And what a terrific place it’s been.  When I start to think about the experiences that have occurred over the past almost-decade, it’s mind-boggling.   9/11 happened.  I bought my condo.  Mr. JJ moved in…and, eventually, out.  I welcomed two furry, four-legged creatures into my life.   I experienced travel firsts: Aruba, London, Paris, Cancun, Seoul.   I started writing screenplays in earnest.   I discovered Friday Night Lights, thanks to Kev and Babs!  My sister and friends had beautiful babies.  And those are just the snapshots coming to mind at this late hour.  But still…lots of foundation-building happening.

Thanks for letting me experience this beautiful place, Nickelodeon!

Last night my boss, MKT, took me and my fellow Line Producers/Production Supervisors out to dinner as a celebratory way of sending me off into this next chapter of my life.   It was a fun, entertaining meal and a reminder of how lucky I’ve been to be surrounded by such wonderful colleagues.  MKT is a class act all the way.  I saw more of him in my first week at Nickelodeon than I did of most executives at my previous place of employment over the course of seven years.   MKT genuinely cares about the studio and its employees, and I firmly believe that his leadership style and devotion to creating an inspiring, nurturing environment trickles down into the quality work that Nickelodeon creates.  He’s a great mentor – especially as I think about my own company and how I hope to run it.  If I can lead Deliberate Productions with even a quarter of the integrity that MKT has, I should be able to achieve success.

It may take a village, but an MKT helps, too!

Oh, a quick side note to my Nick girls Moniqueeeee and the other DB, I’m grateful that we’ll still enjoy our Friday Ladies’ lunches.  Your support, wisdom, and empathy (not to mention DB’s totally infectious laugh) have kept me motivated during those occasionally challenging days/weeks/months.

And, finally, for my bloggy readers who’ve been on the edge of your seats wondering if I will be meeting Hubbell Gardner in the near future…alas, I received an e-mail today informing me that I was not chose to participate in the Sundance Screenwriters’ lab this January. <SIGH>  It was actually a pretty nice rejection letter.  Yes, Sundance stays classy!  And I can still claim bragging rights for making it past the first cut, right?

Don't worry, Mr. Redford...I know we'll meet some day!

NEXT UP: Christmas is how many days away?!?!?

So I finally consumed some pop culture morsels this week in the form of films and fiction.  Here, once again, are my not-so-deep thoughts.

INCEPTION: Yes, I’m embarrassingly late to this dream-weaver party.  My boss loaned me his screener (one of the perks of being in “the industry”), so I curled up with my laptop and noise-resistant headphones and let Leonardo DiCaprio and company take me into their sub-conscious landscape.  I think Christopher Nolan is a great technical director and I truly admire the ambition and scope of his filmmaking and storytelling.  The visuals of the film were stunning and supported by a competent, committed cast.  But I have to admit that Nolan’s films leave me a bit cold and Inception was no exception.  The characters didn’t feel fully fleshed-out to me (much as he tried to establish a back-story for Leo’s tortured character, Cobb).  Despite all of the eye candy on screen, I was left with feelings of ambivalence.

Why do I care? Oh yeah...you guys definitely help!

Nolan’s explanation of Cobb and his team of dream thieves also intrigued me.  There’s a lengthy sequence in which Leo’s character schools newcomer Ellen Page in the intricacies of dream travel, and I found my brain twisting into a pretzel while watching it.  The exposition gets quite clunky in establishing these spies who are able to hijack one’s dream state.  I think that when you go into a movie experience like Inception, you don’t just check your disbelief at the door – save yourself the trouble and leave it back at home with the babysitter.  I guess what I’m saying, Mr. Nolan, is that I don’t need lengthy sequences explaining the minutiae of every last machination and rule of this world.  You had me at Leo, so let’s just keep this action-packed ride moving forward, okay?

Funnily enough, you're already in *my* dreams!

THE SOCIAL NETWORK: On a similar note, I find director David Fincher to be from the same school as Nolan.  Incredible cinematic technician, but a bit lacking when it comes to finding the emotion and character of a story.  Jesse Eisenberg did a great job of playing Mark Zuckerberg as a dismissive, disconnected douchebag; but I found myself perplexed by how I was supposed to approach this particular “protagonist” and his groundbreaking story.  Believe me, I’m all for prickly, flawed main characters – I tend to center my scripts on them.   Yet there comes a point when you need to feel some emotional connection…even to those anti-heroes.  So when I find myself consistently rooting for the ancillary characters that were seemingly screwed over by Mark Zuckerberg instead of Mark Zuckerberg himself, then I feel like something’s a bit off.  For me, the two best scenes were those involving the girl who broke Zuckerberg’s heart.  For a fleeting moment, I felt charged by his vulnerability…and, ultimately, connected to it.  If only it had lasted.

Is there a human in there, Mr. Facebook?

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO: I have only read the book so far, but I plan on seeing the foreign film.  Stieg Larsson’s novel is certainly a captivating read.  It’s smart and utterly unique.  You’ll feel the bitter cold of Sweden in its pages.  And you’ll appreciate the complexities of the characters Larsson creates.  Especially Lisbeth Salander.  What a fascinating construct.  I can’t wait to see how she’s handled in the Swedish film.  David Fincher is directing the American remake and I think that his detached, calculated approach may actually serve this dark story well.

Don't Mess with Lisbeth!

NEXT UP: Let’s just wait and see!

It seems like only yesterday when I excitedly proclaimed that my condo was on the market.  Yes, I was entering the world of open houses and museum-like living and offers and escrow…all happening in order to more easily bankroll my 2011 lifestyle as an independent filmmaker.  Of course, I figured a spacious, well-maintained home like mine would be snapped up in an instant.  Sure, it’s not the best housing market.  Yeah, foreclosures are as frequent as Sarah Palin’s godforsaken tweets.  And the sales in my neighborhood aren’t exactly in the “financial security for years to come” range.  But I know my asking price is reasonable.  My neighborhood is desirable.  The HOA is small and friendly.  And let’s not forget the beautiful garage that Sergio painted!  Uh huh…my condo is pretty dang comfortable, if I do say so myself.

I agree - it's nice and cozy!

And yet, I am still here…as in still living here.  Almost five months after first putting my condo up for sale.  No solid offers, no thirty-day escrow, no supplemental future funds.   Ah, those pesky best laid plans.

When I was in London I had a few restless nights.  I blame the jetlag, but those two a.m. tossings and turnings can lead to further anxious thoughts about the immediate future.  For the first time in almost ten years, I won’t have a job to report to in the morning.  At least not one that comes with the security of a weekly paycheck.  Oh yeah, and let’s not forget about those health benefits.  I’m gonna be paying how much a month?!?  <GULP!>

During one of my nights in the U.K., I awakened from a dream that had me clinging to the top of a super high tower that was positioned over the ocean.  We’re talking airplanes-flying-right-next-to-you high. This is as good (and as ankle-weakening) an example as I can give you.

Tower Climbing – Not for the Faint of Heart

I wasn’t sure if the goal was to let go of the tower to see if I could fly or to hang on tight to it so I wouldn’t freefall into the waters a mile below.  I woke up before I could commit to an answer.  Of course, it doesn’t take a genius to see the correlation between my dream and my future reality.  And I wish I had an inkling of where this next quest will take me.  But, then again, I guess that’s part of the fun of it.  The total unpredictability.  It’s both disquieting and sort of thrilling.

I also saw one of my dearest friends while in London and she helped me put things in perspective.  Jill was expecting her second son during the course of my visit.   His due date came and went while I was there, which allowed me to have some laugh-filled, leisurely lunches with my very pregnant friend.  Jill was surprised that baby boy #2 hadn’t arrived yet (her first son was early), but she said that she hit a point when she realized and accepted that she had absolutely no control over his debut date.  She was on his clock.  There are times when you just have to surrender to the universe.

In a Zen State of Mind

So I am taking deep breaths and submitting to the next chapter.  If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that I must keep moving in this direction.  Escrow be damned!

NEXT UP: The Dream Police and Dragon Tattoos

A number of friends and fellow Facebookers have commented on the recent passing of Irvin Kershner.  For those of you who don’t instantly recognize the name, he directed what I (and many others) think is the best of the Star Wars opus, The Empire Strikes Back.  I have watched this film multiple times and for me there’s a scope and an emotional depth to it that sets it apart from the other movies (and certainly the most recent, lame-ass trilogy).  Plus, as I’ve mentioned before on this blog, the film will always hold a special place in my heart for introducing me to Harrison Ford in his hunkiest Han Solo prime.  Oh, how I wished to be Princess Leia hiding out with him in the Millennium Flacon on that meteor.

Being hunted by Darth Vader does have an upside!

Kershner’s death was a bit of serendipitous timing because I recently revisited a book that chronicles the creation of the Star Wars world.  It’s called STAR WARS: The Annotated Screenplays by Laurent Bouzereau and it features the scripts of Episodes 4-6 (again, the superior chapters) along with commentary from many of the key players involved in shaping life in a galaxy far, far away.  Those interviewed include George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Production Illustrator/Design Consultant Ralph McQuarrie, and Screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan among others.  I highly recommend it for those of you who love Star Wars, but also for those of you who love writing because I think there are some Yoda-esque pearls of wisdom to be found in it.

DLB Book Club Selection

There are two pieces of advice from George Lucas that I try to keep in mind when constructing and deconstructing a celluloid domain.  Now Lucas is considered to be a fairly weak writer – in fact, one of the reasons why Empire is so strong is because Lucas didn’t write the script.  Rather, he turned to the creative brains of Lawrence Kasdan and Leigh Brackett to flesh out his original concept.  But Lucas clearly knows a thing or two about story and while he was concocting these incredibly elaborate, imaginative worlds, he also recognized the importance of letting things go during the process.  As he states in Bouzereau’s book:

A script starts off big because you’re trying to define the characters and the plot, but the work you do after the first draft is to make sure that you tell a very precise story and that you take out everything that’s not relevant to your plot.

The thing about writing is that ideas aren’t precious; you have to get over the thought that everything you think up is brilliant.  When you think of something, you have to be willing to throw it away.  More important than to think up an idea in the first place is to be able to reject it if it doesn’t work, if it doesn’t fit.  You have to be very hard on yourself when you write a script and only use things that are symmetrical to the center of your story.

I think Lucas is correct when he stresses, “More important than to think up an idea in the first place is to be able to reject it if it doesn’t work.”  Ah, it is so easy to get caught up in our own “brilliance” as writers that we can quickly lose sight of the overall picture.  What a skill it is to meticulously trim the fat while keeping the meat of the story intact.   As the saying goes, “Writing is rewriting.”

Now if only Lucas had followed his own advice when he came up with Jar Jar Binks!

WHAT were you thinking, George?!?

NEXT UP: The Best Laid Plans – Take 2

So I’ve spent my Thanksgiving visiting Deliberate Productions’ VP of Marketing and CFO in jolly olde England.  I’ve decided that as long as Barb and John are living in Great Britain, I will always try to come out for turkey day.  Of course, if my grand plans for the production company are realized, then they may have to re-locate to the states.  Or they’ll simply run the U.K. branch of Deliberate. (Yeah, it’s evolved into quite the international company, huh?  We now have branches in Los Angeles, London, and Madison, Wisconsin!)

Barbara and John live in a really lovely neighborhood known as Hammersmith.  It reminds me of my own Pasadena – lots of charming architecture, natural beauty, and nice shops and restaurants.  As Barbara and I walk back and forth from her local tube station, I’ve been ruminating on my London experience. Some not-terribly-deep observations:

Even when it’s sunny out, people here do not seem to wear sunglasses.  Is that because shades are only associated with temperatures above sixty-five degrees?  All I know is that I felt woefully “LA” while wearing my sunglasses here.

If Posh can wear them, why can't I?

I love the general politeness you encounter.  Even the street signs are refined.  Example: “Any person who does not clean up after their dog has fouled the pathway is subject to prosecution.”  In Pasadena I get art renderings of dogs squatting in a just-about-to-poop position with a big cross-mark through them. <SIGH>  I’ll take the “no fouling” signage, thank you.

Okay! I get it!

Landmark Royal Weddings = Day Off from Work.  Count me in!  I love a good wedding!

Congrats, you two crazy kids! Thanks for the "bank holiday!"

Thanksgiving turkey is particularly yummy with thick slabs of bacon draped over it.  While the bacon gets crispy, the drippings from it keep the meat moist and delicious.  A hearty thanks to Barb and John’s local butcher!

YUM!

I think I like the idea of an open work space, which is very common here.  Guess it’s all part of that crazy Socialism, eh?  At Barbara’s non-Deliberate job, the office floor resembles a newspaper room in that everyone sits at open work stations.  No cubicle walls, no offices, just a couple of separate meeting rooms.  I appreciate that this layout sort of keeps everyone focused and accountable.  Yeah, it’s not so great if you’re surfing Facebook a lot…or trying to keep from nodding off after the previous evening’s Thanksgiving feast…but it does seem to lend itself to more productivity.

"Is Deirdre *still* doing her football picks?"

However, I do not think I’d last through the winters here.  Not because of the cold, mind you, but because a grey, chilly day radically increases the desire for warm, carb-laden comfort food.  I’ve discovered that shepherd’s pie is a small pot of heaven: spicy lamb meat topped with a layer of mashed potatoes.  And it’s also one of the reasons why my waistline has expanded during this trip.  Yep, I think it’s time to get back to La-La land for a brutal reunion with my treadmill.

Curse you, evil Shepherd!

NEXT UP: The Best Laid Plans…