Lions, Tigers, & Bears... oh my!

“You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away…”

Welp, it has happened. I got ridiculously ambitious and over committed myself. Sadly, I will not be able to deliver on the doll story that I told you about previously. I simply have too many irons in the fire at the moment.

After attempting to work on the short story all week, I found my juices were not flowing. With the deadline looming, I had nothing. This was cause for much frustration, stress, and anxiety. A combination of these feelings is enough to not just derail my ambition, it paralyzes me. On the verge of a panic attack, I reached out to a person that has the ability to talk me off a ledge and point me in the right direction: my best friend forever, Katie. Sometime if I am brave enough, I will tell you about the time she saved my life. As for the current situation…

A lot was running through my mind when making the decision to not complete this project. The lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!) showed up and were flouncing about to remind me that I am a quitter, worthless and will amount to nothing. With Katie’s help, a side of Ben, and a sprinkle of Ashley Jane too, I told those furry beasts to pipe down and stuff their lunches. I am none of those things. As Katie reminded me, I am a “very motivated driven creature with two arms and one brain.” There is only so much I am capable of doing at a particular time.

When I look back at the original projects that I shared with you on May 26, writing the short story was not part of the initial plan. I got excited (it happens), added more to my plate (a consistent thing I do) and got a tad bit ahead of myself. The key for me to continue to remember is that: Yes, I do this to myself… however I also have the power to redirect the course. I am the boss and, more importantly, I am just getting started. The possibilities of what I am capable of are endless. Not all my experiments needed to be conducted right now. When I gaze into my crystal ball I foresee many tales that I shall pen about about creepy boudoir dolls in my future. Time may be flying fast, but it is nowhere near close to running out.

Update on MovieJawn Expansion

I have essentially become a MovieJawn Marketing Maven in effort to get more eyes on our quarterly print publication and website. For the past few weeks, with the assistance of my partner in crime Benjamin and my mom, I have been slinging zines at Ambler Theater during their Hollywood Summer Nights series.

Having the opportunity to chat about movies and tell movie goers about the awesomeness that is MovieJawn has reminded me how important it is to have these face to face interactions. We are making some great cinematic connections and adding new fans… if you’re in the area, make sure to stop by and say hello. The next event we have on the books is Notorious on August 28. Find us in the lobby at around 6pm and procure tickets here.

Know a theater we should sling zines at? Drop me the info in the comments.

 This week I am proud to report… I have been accredited to cover not one but two upcoming film festivals in September!

First up is the Toronto International Film Festival. I have attended this fest in the past and it truly is a blast! In applying for press accreditation I was happy to learn that I was one of the fifteen people chosen to serve as a mentor at this year’s fest. I don’t have much details on this quite yet, except that I know I will be assisting first time fest goers by providing tips on how best to cover an event such as TIFF. I’ll also serve as a lifeline for them during the fest in case they were to have any questions.

I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and think it is awesome that TIFF has a program such as this. To help with some of my travel expenses, I will also be receiving a stipend, which of course is extremely appreciated. I look forward to having the chance to network with peers, share some of my skills with other writers, watch tons of flicks, and of course talk about MovieJawn. As an added bonus I even get to see my Canadian film pals, Ashley Jane and Jaime. I can’t wait to gallivant in Toronto. Stay tuned for more info on this adventure!

And if that was not enough exciting news… I also received press accreditation to attend Fantastic Fest which runs from September 19th until the 26th. Immediately following my trek to Toronto, I’ll be headed to Austin, Texas for the world’s largest genre festival. Shout out to cinematic gal about town, Liz Locke of CinemaSips for providing my lodging while I am there. Not only do I get to watch a ton of motion pictures, I also get to eat queso with one of my favorite film pals too! September is truly looking bright.

This week I recommend checking out… the movie: Thelma

If I would have seen Thelma sooner it be on my Best of 2024 (so far) list. This is truly one of those magic in a bottle films. Everything is wonderful. June Squibb (who plays Thelma) is absolute aces in her first starring role (she is 94!).

Thelma tells the tale of the sweetest little old lady that gets swindled by a phone scammer. She decides not to take things lying down and goes on a dangerous adventure to see that her stolen money is returned.

If you’re on the fence about this picture… let me push me you over. This is a must see. The relationship portrayed between Thelma and her grandson made my heart grow three sizes. My favorite aspect though was her friendship with Ben (pictured above, Richard Roundtree). Everyone needs a Ben in their life… believe me I speak from experience here. I truly think this is a motion picture for all ages. It is a reminder to be kind to others, especially those older in years. If we are fortunate enough… we all grow old and hopefully own a bitchin’ two seater scooter. Find Thelma playing in a theater near you here.

Happy you are here. xx. goodbye.

Tell a friend.