Revolving resolve

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Resolution number Six for 2011 is to update this blog at least once a week. As this is the first week of 2011, I am off to a stellar start. So, let’s update shall we?

1. I want this. A notepad. For the shower!! This brilliant device will do one of two things: Either I will write down all of the genius ideas that bombard me in the shower, or it will scare the muse out of the shower and I can actually wash with a calm, peaceful mind. Click on the pic to find out where you can buy it for me.

2. I decided to make some catnip toys for the kitties at the shelter. Since the sewing machine is broken, I hand sewed little pockets and filled them with batting and nip. To entertain my brain, whilst my fingers were stitching, I watched Boardwalk Empire on demand. I got sucked into the really great writing, unpredictable characters and inside jokes about history. Plus, I stage managed some theatre with Micheal Shannon a few years ago, so it’s always fun to see him working.

SPOILER ALERT – (Ok, not really a SPOILER but more of a frowny emoticon) The last episode of Season 1 was lousy. I got totally hooked on the first 11 and then, ppllbbt. It seemed so contrived. At one point, during Michael Shannon’s last scene of the season, I felt like I was watching an episode of Three’s Company. Not sure why the writers/producers made those choices, other than JUST to keep a successful cast.

3. Joined a writing group. I knew 2 people going in, but had weird random historical connections to the other 3. Connections I didn’t know about until the meeting. Sussing out those connections led to me rambling. I have two social modes, shy/terrified or rambling. In the moment, rambling always feels like a triumph over my timidity. Later, say, in the shower when I have monkey mind, I wonder why I say dorky things and get embarrassed. Aside from my neurotic reactions to being social, I am really looking forward to the group. It’s giving me deadlines to get seriously serious and finish draft 2 of my NaNoRhino novel.

And now, as the rambling for this week comes go a close, I wish you a very warm and happy 2011. (Check out more resolutions and top picks for movies/books/TV/music for 2010 on Fierce and Nerdy.) Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the paper towels on the top shelf.

Tall Drink of Nerd: The Hustler

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a blogumn by Amy Robinson

Did I ever tell you about the time I was a model for Hustler?

Have you ever said “YES!” to something you wouldn’t normally do. because it sounds like a fun and unique experience only to realize that at some point during the experience, you should have known better? That’s pretty much what happened here.

(Don’t worry, this is still the family friendly FaN that you know and love.)

My wonderful friend Raquel called me on a cloudy Sunday afternoon. She had been hired to art direct a photo shoot for the Hustler clothing catalog. As a friend, I was jazzed that she had landed a nicely paying gig. Then came the unexpected. She popped the question; “I need 2 models for the day, would you like to be one of them?” I would be fully dressed the entire shoot. (Even fully clothed though, it is something I have yet to mention to my Mother.)

Let me tell you this before I proceed further. I was 35 at the time, about 20-25 pounds overweight and working a nice, desk-y day job in a creative placement agency. Maybe I was a candidate for the “Dove real women” ad campaign and in hindsight, maybe I should have seen my own limitations and said “Wow, thanks Roxy, I’m flattered, but I’m gonna pass this on to the younger generation.”

Nope, I said “HELL YES!” and prepped for the shoot in 10 days.

The day of the shoot dawned and I was still, as expected, 35 years young and carrying around 20-25 extra ell-bees. But I was ready for the adventure. I packed my car with what I assumed you’d take to a Hustler shoot: gum, fun polka-dotted bras, slutty heels, a paperback copy of The Kite Runner (book club was meeting the following day) and drove down to the Hustler Casino in Gardena.