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Kim's Eagle Continues to SOAR
Sunday, Nov 6, 2011 7:35AM / Members only
A local NBC affiliate posted on Facebook and Twitter that they were preparing to do a special report on bullying and the effects of bullying. I sent in Kim's essay and it impressed them enough that they asked Kim to be on the show. The producers selected parts of her essay to read but the entire thing can be read on the channel's website here:
http://www.whec.com/article/stories/S2357627.shtml?cat=12216
On the right you may also be able to see a video of her segment.
She was a little quiet and shy (the effects of years of being bullied) when introduced to the reporter and so I was asked to sit with her and speak also. I wish I had known ahead of time- I was not wearing makeup and I look bad in the harsh lighting but it's okay. It was Kim's moment to express herself and she did GREAT. She read the parts of her essay that they selected in a calm clear voice and made me so proud. If she read it all it might have taken up half the show, but I'm glad they put the entire thing on line!
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New description and cover pic
Wednesday, Aug 31, 2011 11:52PM / Members only
My entry on Amazon Studios has a better logline and a cover photo that my daughter helped me create, artistic lass that she is!The description might help it win a few more "premise wars" where two descriptions are shown and readers vote for which film they'd rather see. That and the ratings /reviews all go toward how likely it is that the script will get some attention from the judges each month (or so I've been told!) So please do download and review! Thanks!
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So much sadness, worry and joy for one week!
Monday, Aug 15, 2011 2:29AM / Members only
Last Monday, I had to put down one of my eleven-year-old cats, a black Maine Coon that had fluid in his lungs and had been steadily losing weight due to thyroid problems, leaving his litter mate Ahnyo alone. It was hard. In the days before this, he had been isolating himself which was sad because he was always my "little shadow" who would constantly follow me to the point I'd trip over him if I wasn't careful. I called him my Visa Card Cat, Everywhere I wanna be! He was really having a hard time breathing. Before I took him to the vet, he allowed his brother to groom his head, something that for the last few weeks, Ahnyo would get hissed at for attempting. It was a bittersweet goodbye.
That night we found out that "Lollypop Farm," a Humane Association shelter here, had over 500 cats they needed homes for. So for one day they were going to have free adoptions at all branches (and opened a few mobile ones at participating pet supply stores) all day Thursday. I wasn't sure if it was too soon but I thought we could at least go look. We fell in love with a little guy right away. He was 4mos old (5 mos on the 15th) He has a pretty mackerel coat pattern so although he came to us with the name "Matt," we renamed him "Mack."
We took him home and hoped the remaining cat, Ahnyo would be okay with it. As you may have seen in photos here, Ahnyo is very tolerant with my girls, letting him dress him up in hats and play vet, poking him. So it was scary to see him hiss at my youngest when she petted him after petting the kitten. I was assured that this is normal but it still worried me. Our house is a raised ranch with a small landing between floors. So that night I brought the kitten out and had him play with some string so Ahnyo could watch him and see that he's just a playful little nut with more energy than he has. He watched, interested but got upset if the kitten went any higher than the landing. We kept them separated at night or anytime we were not home.
By day two Ahnyo allowed the little guy to come all the way upstairs and drink from his water bowl and walk around the house while he went down to see where Mack had been. As long as Mack stayed away from his kitty bed under the dining room table, all was well.
Saturday we went out and used the $10 coupon Lollypop farm had given us for a pet store. We picked up a new scratching post to teach the little guy not to use a recliner he likes to sleep on. Ahnyo decided the carpeted base of it was going to be his and scratched that, marking it with the scent glands on his feet. Mack was okay with that. He only likes the sisal rope post anyway.
Mack tries his best to win Ahnyo over. He's very submissive and anytime he crosses the line and Ahnyo hisses, Mack drops to his belly and looks very sad until Ahnyo turns his head or walks off, then he's free to move. When Ahnyo wants time away from the kitten he hides in my older daughter's room. She has a chinchilla in there which Ahnyo gets along with fine (another reason I was surprised at the way he reacted to Mack. Rodents are fine but not a fellow cat?) Once as he came out of Kim's room, Mack was playing with an old rabbit fur rat toy that Ahnyo never cared for unless it was dipped in catnip. But when Mack saw Ahnyo come into the room and he was watching, Mack froze and laid down, looking at Ahnyo with big sad eyes. You could almost hear the conversation they must have been having in their own way. "Oh! Is this your toy? I'm sorry! But it's lots of fun! May I? Please?" Ahnyo turned his head away. "Whatever..." Then Mack resumed pouncing on the toy and throwing it up in the air again!
Saturday Mack worked hard at getting Ahnyo to allow him to get closer to his bed and maybe snuggle. In the morning, he walked over and while it wasn't really a hiss, he did make a loud exhaled "huh" which still sent Mack scrambling away. But later he came and laid down about two feet away with no problems. He's gotten within a foot of his bed. So far the only hissing that still goes on is if the kitten comes running around a corner and scares him with a sudden face to face meeting. (and when it happens Mack throws himself down to his belly and looks very sorry indeed!)
When we went out last night I locked Mack in the downstairs bedroom, but then left the door open all night when we got home. At first Mack stayed downstairs and Ahnyo up. But by morning they were both upstairs with Ahnyo by the stairs and Mack on the sofa.
I went out to the store and returned to see Ahnyo greeting me at the door as usual. When we headed upstairs, Mack was coming down. I waited to see if there would be a hiss but instead they touched noses and sniffed, then moved on! Ahnyo has not gone into Kim's room once today and right now it's mutual nap time. Mack tried getting closer and napped about two feet away until he realized Ahnyo was deep asleep so he moved back to the sofa. We're hoping they will be good buddies but it's a slow process. But after his first reaction, I'm just glad it's going as well as it is!
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My Script is at Amazon
Sunday, Jul 31, 2011 10:51AM / Members only
I just submitted the screenplay that was a finalist in the Louisiana Arts and Film Org.'s competition to Amazon Studios. It will be considered for competitions every month for the 18 months that they hold it.
It can be downloaded and rated/reviewed and the more the merrier because the more attention the script gets the more chance it will have of getting noticed among the thousands there! So please do download (PDF or Rich Text formats) and rate it! I really would loved to get feedback on it too! (I'm working on getting a cover image for it too)
Thanks!!
http://studios.amazon.com/scripts/8573
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New Pet
Saturday, Jul 23, 2011 11:18PM / Members only
For my daughter's birthday, we got her a chinchilla. She is a four month old white and gray and very sweet. The best part is that since my daughter's room is used as her exercise area (they need space to run daily) she HAS to keep it clean! She keeps it chinchilla proofed with nothing on the floor or at the height she can leap to (about 3 feet!) I've never seen her room so wonderfully spotless!
The chinchilla's name is "Diamond" as it is her birthstone, she has a diamond shaped spot on her head and "Diamonds are a girl's best friend"
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