Sorry that it's been almost a week since my last blog.  Much has happened, and I don't think I'm going to get to it all tonight.  Part of the reason, apart from busyness, that I haven't written is because I've been frustrated with the comment-emailing abilities of this relatively new dasBlog software in conjunction with my web host.  I modified the old version to email me whenever someone commented on the blog, so I didn't have to try to keep track of how many comments were there on a particular entry the last time I checked.  The new blog software had this feature built in, except for one little problem.  It had a line of code in it that my web host server doesn't seem to like, and since the source code project was created with VS.NET 2003, and I hadn't installed that yet, I could not go into the code and take out the naughty line of code, which by the way is setting the SmtpMail.Server property to anything at all.  I finally got 2003 installed this week, went in to take out the offending line of code, recompiled, and everything works dandily.  I don't know if dandily is a word, but I do know that it is describing a verb, and I'm pretty sure that dandy is just an adjective.  Anywho, now that I've gotten this working, I'll be updating the blogs for the Segues, which hopefully will jump start a bit more material out of you guys.  When I pick up next, I'll tell you all how the Clay Aiken shoot went.  Oh, the stories.

Looks like they need somebody invisible.  I'll be spending all day Saturday as an extra in the new Clay Aiken video.  Wow, am I ever going to hate that song by the end of the day.  Oh wait, I already do.  If Jamie can get off work, she'll be there too.  No word from Clinton.

With a title like that, I'm bound to get a bunch of hits from Google.  So here's the story.  Clinton, Jamie and I went to Johnny Rockets on Melrose for lunch today before taking Jamie to work.  Afterwards, Jamie wanted to do some shopping at Urban Outfitters and some of the other Melrose boutiques.  So, we were walking down the street, and this young woman with a polaroid camera stops us to tell us that they are casting for the new Clay Aiken video.  Would we mind if she got our pictures, and if the casting director liked it, we would get a call.  The spiel.  We naturally consented, and so we stepped into this little stairwell in between two shops and she took our picture.  The picture on the left is the first picture that she took of me.  As the polaroid developed, she looked at it strangely, and asked, "Why are you so washed out in this picture?"  Apparently she's blind.  "I'm washed out like that in real life.  See, I'm white, that's my thing."  So, she took another picture, in which my face showed up a little bit better.  I've really got my hopes up though, because the name of Clay Aiken's new single is "Invisible."  If I'm not perfect for the role of the invisible guy, who is?  While we're on the topic, I thought I'd share something I decided the other day.  Tony was talking about how on some movie set, Bette Midler was such a diva that she wouldn't allow any other red-haired people on the set, because that was her thing.  So, if I ever become an actor that reaches diva status, my plan is to not let any other white people on the set, because that's clearly (pun intended) my thing.

We met Tony and Martel for dinner tonight at Madame Wu's, right next door to Jamie's work at Hawk.  David Spade was there in the lobby waiting for a table.  Tony thought Martel might know him, since she used to do makeup for SNL, but Martel was pretty sure he wouldn't remember her.  After dinner, they came over to our place, and Tony brought the pilot for his show.  Their friends Greg and Maria also came over to watch the pilot.  Jamie made this new brie, walnut pastry thing that she learned from the Food Network.  It was tasty.  And we watched the pilot, which was excellent.  I think I'm really going to like this show.  If you liked Andy Richter Controls The Universe, you'll like this show, though this show is shot more like a documentary.  The whole cast is great, especially Tony (and I'm not just saying that, he doesn't read this), but I was most pleasantly surprised by Jason Bateman, who plays the lead.

So, Terence and I headed to the set of Arrested Development yesterday at about 4:00 pm.  The show is shot in studios 3 and 4 of Culver City Studios.  We met Tony, and he took us all over the place, to wardrobe, hair, makeup, production offices, and the sets, introducing us to everyone we met along the way.  We met most of the cast, including Jason Bateman, David Cross, and Jeffrey Tambor.  Tony got his hair cut in the trailer next to his at the same time that Jessica Walter, who plays his mom on the show was getting her hair done.  She was mildly interested in meeting Terence and I as Tony's friends until she asked what we did.  When Tony told her that we were working on becoming producers, she perked right up, and said, "Hey, aging Jewish actress, right here!"  I think she was only half kidding.

Next up, we hung out in the wardrobe trailer while Tony was fitted for his various 'Buster' costumes.  Then, we raided the food wagon.  Sour skittles to take home for Jamie, and a little hot chocolate for yours truly.  Then, we went back to Tony's trailer so he could run his lines.  We didn't actually move to the set for taping until around 7:30 pm.  Terence and I stood watching the monitors, because it's a four-walled set.  It was pretty amazing being in such a professional studio.  I mean, the air conditioner cut off whenever they yelled, "Rolling", for crying out loud.  Anyway, it was fun and a good learning experience.  Chances are good I'll be going back.

Last night, we went out to Venice to James Beach (a restaurant) for Tony's birthday.  Jamie had the lobster tacos.  I had the bacon cheeseburger.  Mark, you would have been proud.  Just about everybody there was a 'couple'.  Gar and Rebecca, from the Lost in Translation night, were there.  Terence and Elise were there, and they sat across from us, so they were our conversationalists for the most part for the evening.  If I haven't mentioned Terence before, now's a good time to give a little background. 

I first heard about Terence through working on Matt Diffee's short film Walk.  Terence had been the original producer for Walk but had moved to LA, and so he was then only marginally involved.  Terence is also involved with Scott Teems on the short film The Locusts Have No King, which I worked on while still in New York.  Back in April, when Jamie and I were just visiting, we met with Terence, because we were going to be working on this film together.  Then, we moved out here.  So now, the Terence context is at church at Pacific Crossroads.  Also, his goals are very similar to mine producing-wise.  Chances are good that we'll be working together on something in the near future.  Today, Terence and I are going to hang out on the set of Arrested Development, the show that Tony (and Liza) are in.

Well, first let's back up and do Saturday.  Jamie was working last night, so I had to go by myself to have dinner with some friends (Susan, Tony, Martel, Tricia, and Tom) at the house at which Susan is housesitting.  The house is somewhere on the other side of Bel-Air.  I know this because I had never driven near Bel-Air, and well, la-de-da.  Anyway, the house belongs to Michael Chapman, a cinematographer with films such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Kindergarten Cop to his credit, and Amy Holden Jones, a screenwriter with films such as Maid To Order, Indecent Proposal, and the Beethoven franchise to hers.  I'm not sure how she knows these people, but the house was really cool, and we had a fun time.  Well, as much fun as could be had without Jamie being there.

Today, we went back to Pacific Crossroads Presbyterian.  The 'lead worshiper' that wasn't there last time was there today, and the music was a little bit better than last time.  There was also a different preacher, who was completely different, but still good.  The best part about today was that Tony brought his love interest from his show to church today.  Since he brought her to church, I figure it's not a big secret that she's going to be on the show or anything.  So, we met Liza Minnelli today.

Hey there.  Hopefully, my day off yesterday gave everybody the chance to catch up on my blog.  Wednesday night, Jamie and I drove down to her parents house where we get to hang out until Saturday morning.  I'm still pretty busy working, even from here.  I got a call today from the sales guy at 24 Hour Fitness.  He wanted to let me know that that they're anniversary is coming up, and they're going to be having a some cRaZy deals!  We'll see.

We had dinner at Clinton and Doug's tonight.  Clinton made tacos.  A tradition he carried over from college called 'Taco Tuesday.'  After dinner, we all went to the ArcLight, and met up with Tony and Martel and their friends Gar and Rebecca.  Yes, Gar.  And yes, Rebecca.  Anyway, we went to see 'Lost In Translation'.  I have to admit I was a little disappointed, but I probably was expecting too much.  I'm going to give it some more thought before I review it here.  Tony also told us about his love interest on his upcoming Fox show 'Arrested Development'.  It's pretty funny, but I'm not going to reveal it here unless Tony gives me the OK.  Hopefully, we're going to get to visit him on set early next week.  After the movie, we went to Mel's Diner, and I got the trusty root beer float.  It was just like having breakfast at Magnolia's all over again.