Music for a Sick, Rainy Day

Stomach flu took me down today. Sadly, being creative was the last thing on my mind.

The last time I was this sick, I remember attempting to push through and work on my script, answer emails, etc. My inability to focus on healing resulted in my sickly state lasting almost a week.

This time, I wasn't going to make the same mistake. For the last 24 hours, I've been focused on three things - sleeping, resting, and doing nothing. My mind has been blissfully empty - no overthinking about my outstanding obligations and deadlines. I listened to music, watched The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 again (man, that movie's a bummer), and ate half a banana.

And I think it worked! 36 hours later and I think my body has turned a corner. We'll see...

So here's my creative offering for today. Whenever it rained when I lived in Boston, I would play the Corrina, Corrina soundtrack on repeat. The day never seemed as gloomy with breezy, summer music playing. 

I made a YouTube playlist of all the songs so I could listen to them on my phone, since I no longer own a CD player. Take a listen for yourself and just try to feel gloomy. 

The Hump Day Update: Mid-Summer Edition

My summer days have been anything but lazy! Here's an update on what's keeping me unseasonably busy --

• June was mostly spent in the throes of pre-producion for Early Retirement as well as stunt training --

But then, for a variety of reasons, we decided to postpone the shoot to October. I promptly started eating carbs again. I missed pizza - sue me. Pre-production continues - training will resume next month...

• The big writing project drawing my focus has been developing a new series with a big-time film producer. Can't really talk about it yet, but here's a hint --

Not much of a hint, but like I said, I can't talk about it yet!

• Jamming on my sci-fi romance novel - more than 13,000 words so far! Writing this story has been a delicious journey, particularly because of the leading men inspirations that have been swimming in my imagination. These guys are in my dreams anyway --

• Wrapped up a truly enjoyable first year of volunteering with WriteGirl at their Season End Celebration at the Writers Guild Theater. I spent most of the event wrangling the celebrity guest readers, though I was able to watch my mentee read her awesome poem. Go M!

And of course I posed for a silly picture in front of the step-and-repeat --

• I indulged my inner NPR nerd by attending a live taping of A Prairie Home Companion at The Greek Theater. My first time at the Greek! Clean, hearty, good-natured fun with special appearances by Paula Poundstone, Martin Sheen, and Lily Tomlin.

I was particularly taken by songs by Colin Hay, the former lead singer of Men at Work. His voice was still a powerhouse and his acoustic version of "Overkill" was just incredible. It sounded something like this --


Thanks to Goldstar for such fantastic seats!

(I went back to the Greek a week later to see Barry Manilow and screamed my head off. But we won't talk about that here...)

• And ICYMI, I have a new demo reel!

Money Monday: Theater for Cheap

I don't pay full price for anything if I can help it. And yet, I can't stop seeing live theater. Stellar acting performances and killer writing inspire me as an artist. And there's nothing like taking in a live performance with an audience...and occasionally crying my eyes out next to them.

Thank goodness for Goldstar! They offer discount tickets to live entertainment in cities all over, including theater, comedy, sports, music and even things like wine tastings, sushi making classes and harbor cruises. Most offers are half-price off!

Best of all, it's free to join. How much of a no-brainer is that? They often have tickets for big-time venues like The Greek Theatre and Cirque du Soleil, so you can save money and get inspired by the best.

Did I mention it's free to sign up? What are you waiting for?

Music, Love, and the Hollywood Bowl

I took myself out on a Me Date last night --

Thibaudet Plays Ravel, one of a series of Classical Thursdays at the Hollywood Bowl. The Ravel pieces were spectacular, I went to hear some of my absolute favorite pieces of music, including:





Before I was acting and writing, I was an instrumentalist - piano and clarinet. Performing music was the thread of my life growing up - I played in the marching band, a concert wind ensemble, and a regional youth orchestra. I had private teachers throughout my childhood. I wore clarinet t-shirts. I was a total music nerd.

Even though there was plenty of angst around practicing and those damned stressful solo festivals, I look back on that period of my life with great fondness. Music education gave me so many opportunities to grow as a person and be shaped by discipline.

Going to the Hollywood Bowl for classical concerts is a wonderful reminder of my childhood music life --

Because there's nothing like sharing the gift of music with 18,000 other people! The evening was magical, like every evening at the Hollywood Bowl. I soaked up the notes with a huge smile, remembering tidbits of my former life - like how the audience isn't supposed to clap if the conductor's arms are still raised between movements and how the soloists get to stand for their own applause before the entire orchestra stands.

I loved growing up in music and I look forward to introducing my someday children to this love. Not in a tiger mom way, but even so, being first chair clarinet in so many ensembles was pretty damn sweet.

I miss it.

Were you a music nerd growing up? What did you play?

You Don't Know S#*t from Shinola!

Perhaps you know Gregg Lee Henry from Payback --

Or from one of his 100+ roles in TV and film - he's kind of everywhere. He played Quinn Fabray's dad on Glee. Yeah, he's a "that guy."

I know him from playing my boss on The Riches --

Since our days as Panco people, we've remained wonderful friends. Even though he often portrays hard ass corporate types and various unsavory characters, he's actually the sweetest guy on the planet.

I've also become a big fan of his music. Yes, that's right people, Gregg Lee Henry is a talented and prolific singer/songwriter. Dwight Yoakam recorded one of his songs. Taylor Swift covered it. He's incredibly awesome.

This is his latest song "Shinola" - it makes my liberal heart smile.



Check out more of Gregg's music on MySpace! (My favorite is "This Ain't a Game")

A Moment in Time for Whitney

I heard the news of Whitney Houston's death the way I hear about most happenings in pop culture - over Twitter.

A few of my favorites:

@RonnieButler: There comes a point when we exhale. Rest in peace Whitney Houston. #whitneyhouston

@foodjunk: Somewhere Whitney Houston is playing baseball in a corn field with Shoeless Joe Jackson.

She was only forty-eight years old. Such a tragic end for one of the greatest talents of our time.

The tributes and retrospectives abound online, so I'll just add this - among all the amazing singles and videos and live performances, one that will always live in my memory is her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Super Bowl XXV.



It was 1991 and I was a metal-mouthed high schooler with a wealth of emotional hang-ups who sought solace in music. Whitney was my drug.

Her performance was exquisitely beautiful in every way. Seeing her sing the national anthem so effortlessly with her own Whitney-style brought me to my feet. Her version did what that song is meant to do - inspire pride and rally patriotic spirit. My band director pointed out later that she had changed the time signature from 3/4 time to 4/4 time, which was just further proof to me she was a musical genius.

No other pre-game national anthem performance will ever come close. Love you, Whitney. Rest in peace.

Moody Sunday Listening

Kind of obsessed with this piece of music I discovered on dig.ccmixter -

"Black Rainbow" by Pitx (featuring ERH, acclivity)
Creative Commons License Sampling Plus 1.0

It stirs my imagination to create a short film story that uses this music as its soundtrack. Something sad and moody that ends without satisfaction, filled with quiet longing - like this picture -

For now, I need to concentrate on my pilot. Watch for the next step in this project in 2012...