Japan Calls: A Message to the Entertainment Community

Would you consider joining Mark Ruffalo, Eliza Dushku, Sasha Coen, Jeremy Piven, Jake Silbermann, and others in sharing your voice for 15 seconds to help Japan?

Some friends of mine were trying to think of a way to help in Japan without having that much money, and they ended up creating a new project: Japan Calls. The idea is that actors/artists/entertainers (like yourself) or other established names take a little bit of time, just 15 seconds, to leave a personal message to the highest bidder in selected auctions. Bidders would bid on receiving a 15 second voice message from you. (A very simple task with this site, http://vocaroo.com/, or via YouTube video, whatever is to your liking.) The highest bidder, after providing proof of their donation, would get that said message from you.

All donations will be going to help Japan via the several charities people decide to donate to, using the wonderful world of the internet as a way for regular everyday people to do their part. Donations will go directly to the charity, not through the community. We would provide you the donor's name and donation amount if you were not following the auction and if you would prefer.

So to reiterate, ALL we ask is that you provide 15 seconds of your voice. That’s it. Anything more is completely up to you. Just 15 seconds to both make a fan happy and help a country in need.

A list of those who've already signed on is available here, and it's growing every day! We would love to add your name to the list, so please consider helping out, and if you agree, please let your fellow entertainers know so they can provide their voices as well!

If you're interested, you can reply to my tweet, or tweet directly to @japan_calls.
Thank you for your time!

The Care and Feeding of Parents

My parents came up for a visit last week. Naturally, things didn’t go quite to plan.

“So,” Mom asks. “What time should be aim for to avoid rush hour traffic?”

“Four,” I say. “Which means you need to leave by around 12:30 or so. Call me when you’re on the road, and then call Erin [my sister] when you get to Macon.” (So she’d know to leave work and head home to meet them.)

“Okay!”

I held out until 1:30 before I called.

“Yesssss?” Dad answers.

“Um, are you on the way?”

“Oh, yeah. We’re just leaving Ashburn [three hours away]. We stopped for lunch. Hang on.” He hands the phone to Mom.

“You were supposed to call me when you left,” I remind her.

“Well, I called Erin!”

I refrain from headdesking, but barely. “You were supposed to call me when you left home, Mom. And then call Erin from Macon.”

Insert long, convoluted rambling about the route they plan to take to get from Atlanta to Kansas (where they were headed to visit friends), while I try to interrupt because, hey, at work here, and you pretty much have a microcosm of my parents.

Gotta love ’em. Because it’s either that or shoot ’em. Or myself.

Pomp & Circumstances

My sister in her master's degree garb!! Tuesday, May 11, 2010, Kennesaw State University.

Buying Happiness

Many years ago, when I had no money (and I mean NO money), I promised myself that I'd clean up my financial house and get into a position where I actually had disposable income. And when I did, I'd spend that money doing things that I really, really want to do.

I'm finally at a point where I can make good on that promise.

Last month, I took the longest vacation in my life (11 days), a cross-country extravaganza including a cruise to Mexico (never cruised before, never been to Mexico), a long weekend in New York, and meetups and visits with a huge list of friends and family. I had the time of my LIFE. And in the process, I spent around $3,000. Probably closer to $3,500, actually, if I sat down and did all the math.

It was the best money I've ever spent.

I'm about to take another trip. My sister just finished her master's degree, so I'm taking her back to New York for Memorial Day weekend. Her flight, half the hotel, and a ticket to see Avenue Q will be her graduation gift. That trip will cost me around $1,500 total, counting my share of everything.

Again: money well spent.

Later this year, I'll be attending Dragon*Con, an event in Chicago, and (I hope) an event in Boston. Once it's all over, I will have spent more money on "fun stuff" in a single year than I ever have in my life. Heck, I may end up spending more total than I earned my first year at my first "real" job.

And I don't regret a bit of it.

For a long time, I had terrible anxiety whenever I spent a significant amount of money. Even when I knew I could afford it, even when it was a necessity, I'd come down with a huge case of buyer's remorse. I still have a little of that from time to time (ask the friends I angsted to after booking the cruise), but I'm trying to get past it. No, I can't spend money without thought. But I'm in a good place financially, with a job that pays well and that's about as secure as jobs come (especially considering the current economic climate), and I have savings to fall back on in an emergency.

Even better than being able to spend money on myself, though, has been being able to help out friends. People helped me out back when I was struggling, so it feels good to be able to pay that forward. I was able to help out a couple of friends on the trip with cash flow issues, and I donated to support a related project I believe in. I've been helping support my sister through graduate school.

And truthfully, that's all I've really wanted out of life. To be in a place where I can do things that make me happy. Travel makes me happy. Visiting friends makes me happy. Helping people out makes me happy. Supporting causes I believe in makes me happy.

I guess the point is that, sometimes, money can buy happiness. It just depends on how you're spending it.

Since U Been Gone

Maybe one of these days I'll stop failing at blogging.

I wouldn't hold your breath.

So, the last four months have been taken up with work, writing, reading, travel, too much unhealthy behavior, and a heck of a lot of fun. A few pictures for documentation:


That would be me (front left) and my friend Ailene (behind me) with Jake Silbermann (front right) and Van Hansis, who play Noah Mayer and Luke Snyder on "As the World Turns." I went on the Rock the Soap 2 cruise April 9-12 and had an absolute BLAST.














Me (center) with Kat (left) and Ailene, my roomies for the cruise, all dolled up for the formal Captain's Dinner Saturday night.
















I also went to the ATWT fan club luncheon in NYC the following weekend. Here's my friend Manny Brown, a Jake superfan, with the object of his affection, LOL.

















Jake approves! With Van (left) and Eric Sheffer Stevens, who plays Dr. Reid Oliver.
















Me with Van at Nuke-A-Palooza. This is a fan event held after the luncheon for the past 3 years that the actors attend. Jake had to leave early, unfortunately, but Van was the life of the party right up until the place pretty much kicked us out, LOL.








Me (standing in the center) with my friends Dani, Kat, and Sy, the day after the luncheon. We'd just seen the Tim Burton exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art and were headed for Serendipity for lunch.

I also saw various other friends and family. All in all, it was an epically amazing 11 days of vacation. I didn't want to come back home!! :)

Charity December: Final Thought

December is not a good time to attempt to do any special project on a daily basis. Naturally, I failed. So, I'm going to rechristen Charity December as "12 Days of Giving" (since I did manage 12 of them!) and call it a year. ;)

Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season, whatever holidays you celebrate--even if it's just extra time off work!

Charity December: Salvation Army

Each day during December, I'll be featuring a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

Tis the season for Salvation Army bell-ringers! Those ubiquitous donation kettles are just the tip of the iceberg, of course. The Salvation Army provides a wide range of services to those in need, including disaster relief, youth camps, elderly outreach, and assistance for families during and after the holidays with food, clothing, and financial support. The well-known Angel Tree program provides Christmas toys to needy children.

Charity December: Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

Each day during December, I'll be featuring a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

After actor Christopher Reeve was paralyzed in a riding accident in 1995, he and his wife Dana became activists on behalf of those with spinal cord injuries, mobility impairment, and paralysis. The year he was injured, they teamed up with the American Paralysis Association to form what is now the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, which continues its work in their memory. The organization funds research into cures for paralysis and provides resources to improve the lives of those living with paralysis.

Charity December: Housing the Homeless

Each day during December, I'll be featuring a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

Today I'm spotlighting two organizations I've just learned about recently myself, both of which help provide housing to the homeless. (Information about other homeless assistance programs is available through the National Coalition for the Homeless.)

First is a local Atlanta charity, Nicholas House, which has provided housing for homeless families for over 26 years. The organization accepts families in their entirety, in contrast to most shelters, which are generally gender-specific. Nicholas House has provided transitional housing for more than 1,500 families.

Second is the Ali Forney Center in New York, which provides housing and other assistance to homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, many of whom have been thrown out of their homes by their families because of their sexuality. In addition to emergency and transitional housing, the center provides health care, food, showers, employment assistance, and street outreach. Links to similar programs in other locations are also provided on the center's website.

Charity December: Equality Now

Each day during December, I'll be featuring a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

Note: I was sick on December 9, which is why I had to miss a day.

I discovered Equality Now through the annual Can't Stop the Serenity events, which combine screenings of Serenity (the "Firefly" movie) with auctions, raffles, and other fund-raising opportunities that benefit Equality Now (as well as other organizations). Equality Now's purpose is to end violence and discrimination against women and girls throughout the world. From their website: "Issues of urgent concern to Equality Now include rape, domestic violence, reproductive rights, trafficking of women, female genital mutilation, and the denial of equal access to economic opportunity and political participation."

Charity December: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Each day during December, I'll be featuring a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

I'd planned a different charity for today, but with the news that As the World Turns has been cancelled, I'm moving this one up the list, in honor of Van Hansis and Jake Silbermann, who play Luke and Noah on the show. They've been big supporters of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and as a long-time Broadway fan, so have I (well before I started watching ATWT). BC/EFA works through the theater industry to raise funds to provide services to people with AIDS and other critical illnesses, both through programs for those working in the entertainment industry and through grants to community-based service organizations.

Charity December: Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Each day during December, I'll be featuring a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

Seven years ago, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully, it was caught very early, and she's been cancer-free for over six years now. There are many breast cancer charities that do great work, but today I'm featuring Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Founded in 1982 and best known for the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure series of 5K/fitness runs, the organization is "the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists" (from their web site). The foundation raises funds to support research into finding a cure and raises awareness about prevention and treatment options.

Charity December: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Each day during December, I'll be featuring a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

In college, I was a little sister to Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, whose national charity was St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. (The fraternity recently renewed its partnership with St. Jude.) Founded by actor Danny Thomas (a TKE brother), St. Jude treats children of all ages who have cancer and other serious illnesses, without regard to the family's ability to pay. The hospital also supports and conducts research to discover cures and better treatment options. About 5,700 patients are treated at the hospital every year.

Charity December: Heifer International

Each day during December, I'll be featuring a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

A few years ago, I gave my sister a water buffalo for Christmas. (Veggie Tales fans will get the in-joke.) Wouldn't have been able to do it without Heifer International. Sure, you can actually give a heifer; the animals go to families in developing nations, both to supplement their food and to help them make money to improve their living conditions. But beyond heifers and water buffalo, you can give animals as varied as llamas, honeybees, goats, and geese, plus trees and all sorts of different combinations. (And if you can't swing a full animal, you can even give part of one.)

Charity December: Kids Need to Read

Co-founded by actor Nathan Fillion and author P.J. Haarsma, The Kids Need to Read Foundation provides books to schools, libraries, and other institutions with a goal of increasing literacy and instilling in children a lifelong love of reading. The foundation maintains a list of age-appropriate books, magazines, and graphic novels, compiled by a professional book buyer, and has donated thousands of books through several dozen institutions so far.

Charity December: Earthjustice

Each day during December, I'll be providing information on a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

Earthjustice has one of the best slogans I've ever seen: Because the Earth Needs a Good Lawyer. Founded in 1971 as the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, the organization uses the legal system and legislative methods to defend the environment both in the United States and internationally. From their website: "Earthjustice works through the courts on behalf of citizen groups, scientists, and other parties to ensure government agencies and private interests follow the law. On Capitol Hill, we work to protect and strengthen federal environmental laws and preserve special places, like the Arctic."

Charity December: Feeding America

Each day during December, I'll be providing information on a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

The holidays are a particularly difficult time for families in need. Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest) is the largest hunger relief charity in the United States and provides food to more than 25 million people every year. From the organization's web site: "Our network of more than 200 food banks serves all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, securing and distributing more than 2.5 billion pounds of food and grocery products annually. Those member food banks support approximately 63,000 local charitable agencies and 70,000 programs, which provide food directly to individuals and families in need."

Charity December: World AIDS Day

Each day during December, I'll be providing information on a charitable organization that I support. These are my personal choices and reflect nothing other than that.

I'm starting out in recognition of World AIDS Day with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Elizabeth Glaser, wife of "Starsky & Hutch" actor Paul Glaser, contracted the AIDS virus through a blood transfusion in 1981 while giving birth to her daughter, Ariel. Ariel contracted the virus through breast milk, and their son, Jake, contracted the virus in utero. Both Elizabeth and Ariel later died of AIDS, but the foundation lives on, helping to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS in children. Jake Glaser is now a healthy young adult, thanks in part to the foundation's efforts.

Trailer For Sale Or Rent

Well, I fail at blogging, obviously.

I've been doing a heck of a lot of writing lately, all of it fanfic, but who cares? It's fun, and I don't plan on trying to make a living as a writer again. (Been there, done that, got royally sick of it.) I've met another crop of great people (having dinner with some tonight!) and I'm enjoying myself with it, so it's all good.

Castle got a full-season pickup, yay!

I did put off school until winter. Apparently I can do winter term every year if I want, as long as I get in all the required courses. Fall is notoriously busy, so while this way will take longer, at least I won't go nuts. Well, no more nuts than usual, anyway.

Example of fall busy-ness: This weekend I'm missing the family reunion to go to homecoming at Troy. Next month, we're going to New Jersey for a cousin's wedding. Then it's the holidays, and that's always crazy. I'm not likely to have many free weekends until January at this rate.

We're also planning a trip to NYC in April, and this time I'm determined to see Wicked! We're going to try to get in two shows if we can. I'll be doing a fan club event that Saturday, but we're going Friday through Monday, so we're hoping to see one show Friday night and another on Sunday.

Dragon*Con has already started adding guests for 2010! I don't think I'm ready for this yet, heh. We ended up with a room at the Hyatt because the Marriott screwed the pooch with reservations.

Just A Good Ol' Boy

I can't believe I haven't posted this already:



That is MEEEEEEEEE with JOHN SCHNEIDER!! Whoo-hoo!

Taken (and later signed) at Dragon*Con, which was AWESOME like an awesome thing, and which sucked all the life out of my brain for about two months, which is why I haven't updated in so long. Or at least, that's my excuse. :)