Socal Mom by Donna Schwartz Mills

BlogPress #FAIL

Ever since obtaining my iPad, I've been looking for an easy way to use it to post to my blogs.

A couple of months ago, I discovered a paid app called BlogPress, which looked like it would do the trick. I fired it up to see how it functioned, started a post and saved it to finish later.

But the next day, Apple released another upgrade to the operating system, and from that point on, BlogPress crashed whenever I tried to use it.

A couple of days ago, I downloaded an update to the app, which promised to fix the crashing. And yesterday, I finally managed to write a post with it.

I decided to repeat that feat this morning, and spent TWO HOURS working on an impassioned post about topics ranging from friendship, getting older (yes, I know I'm becoming obsessed with this - just wait until you're my age) and tonight's airing of the 20th anniversary episode of Absolutely Fabulous.

But I was unable to publish the post. The error message I received after three tries was that the app could not upload the photo I had included in it. So I deleted the photo (which was at the top of the post) and hit Publish again. And the post published instantly.

The only problem was that the post that published was an unfinished draft that I had saved before I'd added the photo. The title was even different from the one I eventually used. And even though I'd saved the draft several times during the writing process, I cannot find any of the subsequent versions of the post.

I realize that this is just part of the learning curve inherent any time I try something new, but I'm angry and frustrated nonetheless. It's nearly 11:00 now and I need to get on with my day; I don't have the time to try to recreate the material that got lost.

But I am still looking forward to watching Absolutely Fabulous tonight. And will likely spill my guts on the other stuff again some other time.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Viva el OSCAR

The broadcast has been called the "Super Bowl for Women: and is something of a holiday here in Los Angeles, where everybody knows somebody who works for the entertainment industry...

Last year, I got as close as I ever will to the actual ceremony, when my friends at Kodak invited me to view the red carpet arrivals from the bleachers on Hollywood Boulevard.

I had a blast...

...but I have to confess that this year, I'm perfectly content to watch the show with my family, from the comfort of my home.

I remember one year, I went all out on an OSCAR viewing party. I dug up recipes from some of Hollywood's classic restaurants (the Brown Derby's Cobb Salad and Chasen's famous chicken pot pies) - and worked so hard on the meal that by the time the show began, I was too tired to enjoy it.

No more. Now, I tend towards food that requires very little fuss on my part, so I can kick back and watch the show. Tonight we're having a nice stew, which is currently slow-cooking in my oven (and will be ready around 6 or 7 tonight).

Who's going to win? I don't even care - I'm just having fun.

 

Who Wants to Be a Reality Show Star?

Last night, Lawrence O'Donnell played some tape of Jersey Shore's Snooki signing autographs at Dulles airport and ignoring her own Senator, New York's Charles Schumer, who happened to be passing by.  

The next season of Jersey Shore will transport the houseful of "Guidos" and "Guidettes" to their ancestral homeland, Italy. 

Snooki, by the way, has a book deal.

It pains me to see these idiots enjoy fame and oodles of cash because they are willing to show off how stupid they are on television.

Thanks to Jersey Shore and Real Housewives and the Kardashians and all the other reality pseudo-stars who parade in People and Us magazines, I am no longer merely dismissing the occasional emails I receive from reality TV productions that ask me to spread the word about their casting calls.

My life isn't interesting enough for reality television (it's barely interesting enough for a blog). And even if it was, I have no desire to show all my blemishes and peccadilloes to the world on TV (nor would my family). But this might be of interest to someone in the SoCal region:

LICENSED FAMILY THERAPIST, TARA FIELDS,(AS SEEN ON “OPRAH,” “DR. PHIL” AND “CNN”) WANTS TO HELP YOUR FAMILY!

Is your family struggling with job loss, marital problems, blended family stress, depression or any other issues that you need help with?Is life at home filled with stress, anger and anxiety?Does your family need help but you aren't sure where to turn?

Licensed Family Therapist, Tara Fields, PH.D. can help...

World-renowned family therapist, Tara Fields, Ph.D. has made a difference on “Hoarders” and “Intervention” but now YOUR FAMILY can have the chance to work one-on-one with her!

On this compelling one-hour series, she’ll work with families to uncover what their real issues are and then help them to overcome them and repair relationships. This is not a live studio audience show, it will be filmed in the privacy of the family’s home.

If you - or someone you know - are in need of help and live in Southern California, contact us today!  

Families who appear on the show will receive free family therapy after the filming and a financial honorarium as a thank-you for their time commitment. We also offer a $500 referral fee if you refer a family who appears on the show!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Danielle Gervais
Sr. Casting Producer 212-377-4543

IshTVCasting.Danielle@gmail.com

*Please be sure to include a description of your family and the issues you’re dealing with, along with a recent photo.   Couples must have children over the age of 10 and be open to discuss and work through their challenges on camera.

[Disclosure: I have not received any compensation for this post; I have passed on these kinds of requests many times in the past because I think these opportunities are another interesting aspect of living in Los Angeles. The offer of a referral fee was not a factor in my decision to write this post and if someone who reads this wanted to say I referred them, it would be nice - but I don't expect it. And if you are a reader and YOU know someone, this might be a nice incentive for you.]

 

 

IMO: The "Real Housewives" Can't Hold a Candle to "The Good Wife" - However...

Earlier this week, this item in the Daily Beast caught my eye:

Being a nobody never paid so well. From the Kardashian sisters' $11 million haul to The Situation's $3 million payday, The Daily Beast tallies the top earners in reality television.

I am really having trouble wrapping my mind around this. What have the Kardashians (who were already wealthy) ever do to warrant $11 million? Sure, it's invasive to allow cameras and crews to follow your every move and edit as they see fit. But what have these women actually done that makes them interesting to the public to the tune of millions of dollars? What kind of career will they have when their looks fade (even after prolonging their youthful appearance through the miracles of modern plastic surgery)? And why hasn't the public tired of them yet?

I'm afraid those are some of the mysteries of our age, and one I'm definitely not qualified to answer.

I love television - but I really hate the genre that's been dubbed "reality" (despite the unreality of a situation where people have put themselves at the mercy of a television production company, succumbing to staged situations, cameras following them around, etc.)

I've never watched an entire episode of Survivor, The Hills, The Real World, Big Brother (um, except in the UK when nothing else was on), The Great Race (which everyone tells me is one of the good reality series), The Biggest Loser, etc.

Maybe it's because I once worked in television production and identify with the WGA (most "reality" shows employ writers - but they don't give them the title or the associated pay and are not signatories with the Guild). Or maybe it's because I watch television to escape reality.

I prefer scripted comedies and dramas. Give me Mad Men, Chuck, Glee, Parenthood, The Good Wife, Big Love, Life Unexpected, House, Castle, Medium, Blue Bloods...

...The Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock, The Middle, Modern Family, and The Office. I even like NBC's politically incorrect comedy Outsourced (because it's funny - and gets most of its laughs out of the fish out of water Western characters).

I love the entertaining characters over at USA Network: Covert Affairs, Psych, Burn Notice, White Collar and Royal Pains.

I admire the craftsmanship and yes - the artistry that goes into creating programming like this.

But reality TV leaves me cold... for the most part.

I will admit to catching American Idol for a few seasons because that's what my husband and daughter wanted to watch. I think Dancing With the Stars is really entertaining, and would probably watch that if both House and Chuck weren't programmed against it on Mondays. And I have been known to spend hours watching Gordon Ramsay's various cooking shows on BBC America and Fox.

And for the last few weeks, I've been hooked on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills -- thanks to my friends, Tim and Debbie, who raved about it the last time we saw them. I guess you could call my friends connoisseurs of trash TV. Every year, they turn me on to one guilty reality pleasure - whether it's Jersey Shore (I caught most of the first season before I finally got disgusted with myself), Paris and Nicole's The Simple Life (how could I resist?) or the late Anna Nicole Smith's train wreck of a series (yes, that's how long I've known Tim and Deb).

"They live here and shop and eat at some of the same places we do," Debbie gushed. She still works in the entertainment industry, so she gets around the Westside a lot more than I do -- but in theory, I suppose I could relate to these Housewives.

What got me started was Debbie's description of the episode where one of the housewives threw a $60,000 birthday party for her four-year-old. She gave her little girl jewelry, because she figured four is the right age to own your first diamond... and then, she got upset because her husband upstaged her gift with something the little girl really wanted: a puppy.

We've got Bravo on demand, and I was able to catch up on the series on one Sunday afternoon... and have been hooked ever since.

I hate myself for it.

But I can't wait to see what they're up to tonight.

TV Tonight: Christmas at NBC-TV's Community

I was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the shadow of the entertainment industry, so I suppose it's no wonder that I ended up working in TV and radio when I finished college.The fact it, I love television. I love watching it, I love reading about it and for a while, I loved being a part of the process of making it.

And even though those years are long gone now, I am still a huge fan and never pass up an opportunity to peek at the inner sanctum of a production.

So of course, I jumped at the opportunity to visit the set of NBC's Thursday night comedy, "Community." NBC on Thursday is still "Must See TV" in our household, and my daughter and I get a kick out of the goofy plot twists and absurd situations faced by the lovable study group at Greendale Community College -- which consists of one of the funniest casts on television, including Joel McHale, Ken Jeong, John Oliver, and Alison Brie, who all generously took some time off from shooting to chat with a group of visiting "mommy bloggers":

After our bloggy press conference on the set, we were treated to a VIP luncheon with Yvette Nicole Brown, who plays the seemingly innocent Shirley. Yvette is one of the most recognizable character actresses in Hollywood (my daughter instructed me to ask her what it was like working on Nickelodeon's "Drake and Josh"). She asked us more questions than we asked her; she seemed genuinely interested to learn about our blogs and our families. This is not my usual experience with Hollywood actresses.

By the way - I've seen a preview of tonight's special animated Christmas episode, and it's terrific: a wry homage to the clay animation classics of our youth (think "Rudolph") -- but very true to the Community spirit. And FUNNY.

And be sure to watch for the song near the end, which gives Yvette Nicole Brown a chance to belt out a line. I had not known that she began her career as a singer, and was even signed to Motown for a while. The lady has pipes, and I hope the producers give her more chances to show them off.

DISCLOSURE: I received no compensation for writing this post.