Lisa Writing Wild

When I was twelve my dad's girlfriend (who I hated) had a sixteen year old daughter who I worshiped. I loved going over to his house just to see her. I loved everything about her from her Led Zeppelin posters to the money that was always casually strewn on her floor. (I'd go home and toss some money on my floor too, but I always ended up picking it up. It was money!) Her name was Ann Marie but everyone called her Dee Dee. Just as much as I adored her, she ignored me. If I spent a full eight hours at their house and she just said, "Hey" to me, I was happy. At the time I thought she was this older mature woman. Looking back I realize she was just a teenager who, I'm sure, was very sick of having a twelve year old stare at her. When she wasn't around, which was often (I like to pretend it wasn't because of me), I'd stand in the doorway to her room and just look around. I wanted to be her. I thought she was the coolest. I remember her blasting, "He...

Since our Thanksgiving plans were changed, I decided to stop dwelling on my aching back and instead on the things I'm thankful for this year. Adopting Joey Mike, for everything Our business is busier than ever considering the economy I had two films made, and one in a film festival I've met some wonderful friends though Rochester Movie Makers We decided to home school Joey I've gotten closer with my girlfriends We started preparing to buy a house in the next few months I ate four pieces of chocolate chip banana bread today and didn't throw up Joey's OT and Speech therapist Joey spontaneously saying I love you a lot. The Yankees winning the World Series so my husband isn't grumpy Joey loving ancini de pepe , the one thing I can cook Our cars not breaking down The awesome bookshelf I got at the Hilton garage sale Keeping in touch with long lost friends and family on Facebook Joey's adoption party going just how we always imagined Joey...

Yesterday I went to see my chiroprator again. He's a nice guy but I'm starting to think it's all a crock. This time he charged me $45 for less than a half hour and hardly did anything. He wants me to come back Monday to see how I'm doing. I wanted to say, "Can't you call me at home and ask how I'm doing? It'll save me another $45." I don't feel any better today than I did last Saturday. I'm doing my exercises, alternating hot and cold and walking around a little at a time, but I'm still in a lot of pain. I thought my chiropractor was in his mid-fifties. He looks like one of my dad's cousins. When I asked if yoga or pilates would help strengthen by back when I'm better he said, "When you get to our age we need to exercise to keep flexible." I'm sorry, our age? Does he actually think I'm in my mid-fifties? I couldn't help myself. "Our age?" I asked. He looked at my chart. "Your're a...

This morning our speech therapist told me they set up clinics for the h1n1 shot. I had no idea about this and haven't been following it. I admit I haven't done any research on the shot up until today. We called Joey's old doctor's office at the clinic (he has a new doc since being adopted) and talked to the nurse who we completely trust. She said if he was still in foster care they would have called us come in for the shot. Since he was born three months premature and has a weak immune system, she said he would be susceptible to death if he got the swine flu. We went to Irondequoit Mall and got in line. We were told it would be at least two hours. No sooner were we in line when a security guard came over and said there was a clinic on West Ave. (not a good neighborhood) that was empty. A bunch of people left the line and headed over to West Ave. We got there, filled out the paperwork for Joey and got in line. We realized that all the adults around us were getting it to...

There I was, cranking away at my script, when suddenly I had an idea. An idea that may save my script, but it's a BIG one that will take a lot of work and rewriting. A few days ago I signed up for Pilar Alessandra's rewrite class . I actually thought it was the first draft class, so it was an accident that I signed up for it. I've thought about signing up for her classes before, but it's so expensive I've always decided not to. To attend a class in person it's about $400, but to have the workbook sent to you through email for six weeks is only $100. Still a lot, but turning out to be worth it. Before I received the first part of the workbook, I decided to re watch her DVD that takes you from premise to outline. It's an excellent way for people like me (who struggle with structure) to get everything down. Throughout the DVD she'll tell you what to do, then give ten minutes for you to apply it to your own story (it's filmed in front of a live cla...