The other post where I bare my soul

In the interest of keeping things upbeat around here I thought it a good time to present the second installment of our getting-to-know-me game – our second date if you will.

Let’s get right to the questions!

Apparently you are all people after my own heart because there were a lot of questions about food and music which are two of my very favorite things. Emily at Wheels on the Bus asked about my favorite dinner and Awesome Mom asked what I would request for a last dinner. Well, I do love a good steak and red wine, but I think I would probably settle on a huge feast of perfectly fresh sashimi with ice cold sake, followed by deep fried bananas with caramel sauce and ice cream.

Gabriella at Speaking from the Heart asked which three famous people, living or dead, I would share my fish with: Amelia Earhart, Salman Rushdie and Bono because not only is he a great musician, I bet he’s a hell of an interesting guy.

Speaking of music, Painted Maypole asked what my favorite dancing song was: that is a hard one because, wow, do I love to cut a rug…probably Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder. Kathryn at Seeking Sanity asked about my favorite make-out song to which I say probably my wedding song – At Last by Etta James. Hetha at Ethan’s World asked what I’ve been listening to lately and although I’m a little behind when it comes to new music I just bought Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and it is fantastic.

Also fantastic was Kyla of The Journey's question about my favorite thing that Graham says. He’s not actually talking all that much but I just about died from cute overload when in response to my explanation about the cast on Rob’s arm he shook his head solemnly and said, Oh goodness. Sore arm. Oh boy. Sorry Daddy.

While we’re on the subject of Graham, Teachin’ This Mommy New Tricks asked when it actually hit me that I was a mom? To be honest I’m not entirely sure it has, but the reality slowly seeps in a little more each day. Over the past few months as Graham has really started to talk and I actually talk to him, not at him, it hits me, He’s not just a baby, he’s a person. He’s my son. I’m his mother. Crazy!

I had an anonymous reader who asked will Graham attend the fine public institutions Don Mills has to offer or will I send him to private school? If we can afford it and we are still in our current house I would love to send him to the fantastic private school that is literally a few hundred metres from our house, however it’s likely that Graham will end up attending Catholic school of some sort – Rob is a product of the Catholic system and feels strongly about its benefits.

Laski Gal asked about my biggest pet peeves and the most valuable lesson I've learned as a mom. These questions actually dovetail quite nicely for me. The most important thing, I’ve learned, I think, is tolerance for other people, especially other moms. The doubt, the worry, the relentless giving that comes along with being parenting has really opened my eyes to the difficulties that so many people face in their day to day lives. Without a doubt, my biggest pet peeve is people who are unable to feel compassion for others who are down on their luck and don’t understand how much success is dependent on fate’s whim.

Which brings me to my next question from In The Fast Lane at That’s Life who asks what’s my favorite thing about myself. I could be all modest and say Oh gee, nothing springs to mind, but in true diva fashion I’d like to asset that I am proud of myself for being ready, willing and able to roll with the punches in life and to take a mostly philosophic view of the bad times.

Another two questions that I can answer together include one from Dawn at Renaissance Mama who asked my favorite spot in the house to relax and Jennifer at Faking It who asked what colour is my bedroom? My bedroom is my favorite spot to relax. I love nothing more than heading to bed early with a stack of trashy magazines. The room is really unusual and I’m not sure it could be captured in a photo (sorry Dawn). Basically one whole wall is glass doors that open to overlook our living area (we have dark blinds for sleeping). There is a skylight and a huge triangular window above the bed. One wall is stone and there’s lots of wood and some stucco that I eventually want to cover with more wood.

OHMommy at Classy Chaos asked what a sassy mommy diva like me wears to feel fabulous on date night with hubby: high heels and attitude OHMommy, high heels and attitude.

Magpie at Magpie Musings asked how I got to be a diva: high heels and attitude Magpie, high heels and attitude.

Angie at Keep Believing and Adventures of a Reluctant Housewife both asked for a little background one me, specifically how I met hubby, how I ended up blogging and how I cling to the crumbs of my cool.

I dug up some links that might help. This, my very first post, is alludes to my wild youth, my journey to Don Mills and how I try and stay somewhat cool. This post is all about the people, places and things I love. This post talks about how I met my hubby and this post gives my very specific reason for starting a blog. (Seriously).

Karen at The Rocking Pony asked if there are plans for Graham to have a sibling.

Oh, Karen, that’s both a hard and an easy question to answer. I can only say that absolutely nothing in the world would make me happier than another child: I don’t, however, know if it will happen…

And finally, Melissa at Hope for the Hopeless asked what makes me happy?

Now that one is just plain easy.

The post where I bare my soul

Whew.

There are a lot of enquiring minds out there.

A big thanks to everyone who participated in the ask-me-anything game which, I think, is the next best thing to opening a bottle of wine together and spilling our guts: think of it as bonding without the calories or the hangover.

I had so many questions that I’m gonna split the answers into two separate posts – makes for easier reading methinks and also lets me off the hook for two topics to write about.

A lot of the questions had to do with my work in the film and television industry. GoMommy at Random Acts of Momness wanted to know my most and least favorite thing about what I do, Abbie at Just as I Am wanted to know the most bizarre thing I have experienced in the industry, Maria at Mommy of Four asked who are some of the coolest people I’ve met, Mama Geek at What Works for Us asked what actor makes me swoon and SkyGirl at Chasing Blue Skies wanted to know who I admire as an actor, director, etc?

First, although I have met a lot of actors I don’t work with them directly on a day-to-day basis like my husband does. I will occasionally visit a set or be at a party and be introduced and perhaps even make some small talk but that’s the extent of it.

Also, I need to be careful about saying too much about things I may have seen or (more often) heard, because the encounters I do have are as a result of my job and I do want to keep my job. How about I just tell two stories about two pleasant encounters with two lovely actors who I really admire to cover the work-related questions, m’kay? Thanks.

When Graham was about 3 months old I took him to a set where Robin Williams was working. Robin came over to admire him and asked me if he was smiling a lot yet and I said Oh yes, he smiles at everything.

So Robin started to coo and pull faces at him, but Graham just stared stone-faced. Then he started doing funny voices, making fart noises – really going all out. Graham just continued to stare with an expression that said clearly, This guy? Not funny. Not funny at all. Robin finally gave up after I assured him Graham was probably just tired.

When Graham was about 11 months old we visited a set where Michelle Pfieffer was working. She came over to coo at him and he was so enthralled he kept slapping me up the side of the head to try and make her laugh. She chided him, “Oh no, don’t hit your mommy” and he responded by head butting me – hard - and laughing uproariously.

Yup – the boy knows what he likes.

Continuing on the movie theme, Amy at Memories and Musings of a Mommy wanted to know if the film I wrote and produced was available on DVD or if it was shown anywhere. No and not really. It is only a 12-minute short and while it had some success on the film festival circuit, it never had a theatrical release or a distributor. One of these days I will put in on Youtube, I promise.

Kay at Kay’s Simple Life asked if I have ever written a book? Yes, have I ever! I have a finished novel, an unfinished novel and two finished screenplays that are currently gathering dust. Know an agent? Send ‘em my way.

Yvette at The Boyd’s Family and Heather at Cool Zebras both had questions about my reading habits. My all-time favorite author is John Irving who wrote The World According to Garp, Son of the Circus and A Prayer for Owen Meany. My most recent favorite was Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts – I talk about it a little more here.

Heidi at Viking Conquest and Lizzy at Lizzy in The Burbs both asked about my dream travel destination to which I can only answer: Africa.

A Kelly at Transformed by Words asked me about my trip to Africa. I spent a month camping my way through Kenya and Tanzania with Rob in 2000 and it was the most magical thing I have ever encountered. The glorious wildlife, the wonderful people, the breathtaking landscape: it was utterly fascinating. I have promised Graham that he will see lions and elephants in the wild: I started saving to take him back to Africa when I was five months pregnant.

She also wondered: Starbucks or Tim Horton’s? Timmy’s, oh my yes, Timmy’s: I am Canadian.

Linds at The Daily Knack asked about my hobbies. Obviously I love writing, especially blogging. I also love traveling, cooking and flying, which happens to be a great opening for a question posed by Angie at Seven Clown Circus who asked what accomplishment are you most proud of?

There’s my sweet Graham, of course, but I feel he is more a blessing than something I’ve earned so I would have to say my proudest accomplishment is getting my pilot’s license and subsequent float endorsement. As I expressed in what is probably my favorite post ever, it was a tremendous amount of work and very a poignant thing to experience with my dad, an old-time bush pilot.

What I don’t talk about in that post is what Mishelle at Secret Agent Mama asked: What did you think about when you flew your first solo cross-country?

Well, there was absolutely a moment where I thought: Oh my God, what have I done? It was shortly after takeoff from Lindsay, Ontario when I started towards my first stop in Toronto and all I could think was, I either do this or I crash this plane and die. I experienced about 10 seconds of sheer terror before I calmed down and reassured myself that I was fully prepared and equipped to successfully complete the flight. And you know what? I was and I did.

The last question I will tackle today comes from Saralynn who hails from Kooky Kids, plus two(!) other blogs. She wants to know my most embarrassing moment.

Saralynn, you are killing me. Seriously.

Ack, here goes.

On my first job out of journalism school I was running a little community newspaper outside Ottawa. I was full of piss and vinegar and determined to win a Pulitzer with my thorough and searing coverage of local politics.

I worked insane hours for no pay. I had next to no staff. I was already a bit of a burr in the Mayor’s butt when I wrote and approved the following headline describing his reaction to a poorly-attended meeting for a controversial municipal issue:

Mayor Disappointed: No Pubic Input

That’s right. No PUBIC input.

Stop laughing. Stop laughing right now. I have never been so mortified and the damn worst part of it is whenever I try to cry on someone’s shoulder over it they crack up laughing. I vividly remember calling my mother and sobbing that my journalism career was over only to hear the unmistakable sound of muffled laughter on the other end of the phone.

My most embarrassing moment was mentioned on a CBC radio show and went on to be featured in a “crazy headlines” segment or some such thing on The Tonight Show.

Is it any wonder I stick to blogging these days?

Pick the Diva dry

All the cool kids are doing it.

She did it and she's the coolest lady in the whole darn blogosphere. So here goes:

Ask me anything. Leave your question as a comment and I'll answer it in an upcoming post. Think of it as a way to get to know me better. Just what you always wanted right?

I'll try and be as honest as possible. Just don't ask me about the years I spent detailing Harley Davidsons in a tiny Midwestern town okay? What happens in the witness protection program stays in the witness protection program.

Cheers.