Doing laps in the LA Fishbowl

Yearly Archives: 2010

For the Soggy

It’s been torrential around here lately; and when not torrential, drippy. Wet, constantly. The dog is looking at me with betrayed eyes, wondering why ball-playing cannot commence, why the outside has suddenly turned hostile. Someone from my Sangha has sent this poem to put the rain in perspective. It’s by Mary Oliver. Lingering in Happiness […]

December 22nd, 2010Still Life Las Vegas

Birthdays and Buddhists

Here I am, past midnight. No bells have tolled, no visitations from spirits; just Doug softly snoring in bed beside me. That’s not entirely true (about the spirits, that is, the snoring part is absolutely accurate). I do feel ghosts of the past rising up around me, conjured up not only from the Facebook greetings […]

December 18th, 2010Still Life Las Vegas

Deep Fried Twinkies & Salted Caramel Gelato

And unlikely duo, those two desserts, but they sum up Las Vegas perfectly. Sungyoon Choi & Me: who’s the Gelato and who’s the Twinkie? On Monday, after a night in the sumptuous accommodations of the Venetian Hotel, Choi, her boyfriend Eric and I set off on the Grand Tour of Las Vegas. First stop: Old […]

December 12th, 2010Still Life Las Vegas

Refuge of the Road

Sunday, 5 December: traveling to Sin City, not for two days of unbridled hedonism and debauchery, but to return to the Scene of the Crime. Las Vegas is the setting of most of my book, and the city’s become, in the years I’ve been working on the manuscript, my inspiration and muse. Those who know […]

December 8th, 2010Still Life Las Vegas

Still Browsing…

Things are proceeding on the book front, though it’s still in the “getting the book publisher-ready” stage. Got the first graphic novel section completed and delivered from Sungyoon Choi, and I think it looks marvelous. Heart-breaking, but marvelous. While we’re waiting for rest of the artwork to be completed, Agent J would like to see […]

December 3rd, 2010Still Life Las Vegas

Voiceover for Dummies

Sometimes, the absurdities in life can be just delightful. A few weeks ago, I had a commercial voice-over audition, a rare event, as I mostly do animation. This audition was for a national clothing chain which may or may not have mannequins as their spokespeople. I was reading for an Asian grandfather mannequin, and the […]

November 18th, 2010Still Life Las Vegas

Adventures in Publishing Part 2

Where the hell have I been? Sorry, sorry to be so out of action. I’ve been doing stuff, honest! And not just catching up on “The Walking Dead”and reorganizing my son’s school library (which, yes, I have undertaken, giving further credence to my uber-geek status— Step-stools! Langston Hughes Quotes! Magnetic Chalkboards! Bookmarks with Neil Gaiman […]

November 14th, 2010Still Life Las Vegas

A Fathers and Son Halloween

Demon Dog Rowdy I think we’ve got Halloween down by now. Not a lot of stress this year. I go out shopping for decorations with Benjamin (who maintains an attraction-repulsion to Halloween stores but will venture in as long as there isn’t anything electronic lunging out at him). Benj and I decorate the outside, and he […]

November 1st, 2010Still Life Las Vegas

Which Book Would You Pick Up?

All right, I’ve been working all day and this is what I’ve come up with. I’m looking for a revised title for my novel. Right now, it’s called this: (I’ve added a little graphic, just so you can imagine it on a shelf) Remember, I’m looking for something evocative, modern but fanciful/whimsical. The book is […]

October 19th, 2010Still Life Las Vegas