So, here we are in Palm Desert, as Teebie watches Mardy Fish hand Roger his ass on a plate, and I try to figure out why I’m never able to actually USE the 9 billion US Airways frequent flyer miles I have.

And we have learned 2 important things.

1) Drive thrus are illegal in Palm Desert.  At first, I just figured the McD’s was old so they weren’t able to go back and retrofit a drive thru.  But then we started noticing that NONE of the usual places had a drive thru. WTF?

So we asked the nice lady here at the Holiday Inn, and she confirmed it. Yep, they are outlawed. Why? Her explanation: because the rich people here figure drive thrus are lower class...that the only people who use drive thrus are ghetto or trash.

(She did forget to mention stoners. Let’s face it, paranoid stoners with the munchies are the whole reason they invented late night drive thrus in the first place.)

2) If you’re a crusty old man, who has some quivery neurotic dog that you simply MUST carry everywhere you go, the solution is to get him a little jacket that says he’s a service dog. Then they HAVE to let you bring him in the restaurant.

Maybe I’m cynical, but in my experience, service dogs:

a) Tend to weigh over 5 pounds.
b) Sit or recline on the floor. They don’t get their own chair at the restaurant, with their front paws on the freaking table.
c) Eat brown kibbles when they get home. They don’t order from the menu, then eat from their own special bowl that Crusty Man pulls out from his pocket.

::sigh::

Well, that’s it for today. This is Trash, signing out. (Since Ghetto is still asleep).

Sometimes you just stumble on something that means so much...when someone didn't have to be nice, didn't even tell you...

Thanks, Natalie. Smooch!

So, a while back I blogged that I was a semi finalist in Fade in with NeverMore.

No really, I did. You can check...go ahead, I'll wait.

So, today I found out...
(drum roll)
NeverMore won the Horror category. Yay!

First time anyone has ever won 2 years in a row.

I'm especially proud that I won the traditionally-male-dominated thriller and horror competitions. Because, as the TIFs know, I do love a good romcom--but I also like to kick some ass from time to time.

::Happy sigh::

Those of you who know me well, know Teebie.

Teebie's been my hetero life partner since God was running around in shorts. The kind of friend who has to approve a guy before you'd even consider marrying him (and fortunately, she did!). The kind of friend who surprises you by flying 3,000 miles to Santa Cruz just to watch your film at a festival.

The kind of friend you call at 3 am because you know something has gone terribly wrong.

And she answers on the first ring because she knows it's you.

Teebie's little brother suffered brutal injuries and burns in an explosion at work on Saturday night. You can read about it here, if you want. He is in critical condition. One of the men he was with didn't make it.

If you have a spare moment, please pop over to Teebie's myspace and offer her some karma, prayers, vibes, or whatever you have to share. Because this is the kind of situation that karma, prayers, and vibes were invented for.

Thanks.

...and you find out that someone said it better already:

Bye-Bye Jerry

In other news...sorry I've been quiet lately. Had a surprise surgery last week, and I've been waiting for test results. Results just came in--it's a good day.

My heart is breaking. I don't even know what to pray FOR after something like this.

And if I live to be 1000 years old, I will never understand this gem from Reuters:

Advocates of gun ownership rights saw Monday's massacre as evidence of the need to relax gun laws rather than tighten them.

"All the school shootings that have ended abruptly in the last 10 years were stopped because a law-abiding citizen -- a potential victim -- had a gun," said Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America.

"The latest school shooting at Virginia Tech demands an immediate end to the gun-free zone law which leaves the nation's schools at the mercy of madmen."

Could we at least wait until all the bodies have been carried out before making this a political issue?

I'd like to propose the STFU bill that requires all politicians, all lobbyists, and all representatives from special interest groups to STFU for a period of no less than 48 hours following any national, state, or local situation that involves loss of life.

I'm one of them! Yay!

I won their Action-Adventure with Untapped last year, and they such gave terrific notes--man, I couldn't wait to roll up my sleeves and start polishing...right up until Heroes came out on TV. Same premise, but much better than mine. Clunk.

Anyway, this year, I've advanced with NeverMore--a script for which I have very high hopes.

This is good.

Went on a movie marathon this weekend in Palm Springs. Saw:

* The Number 23 (Nice to see Jim doing something different. Enjoyed it.)

* Premonition (Ditto for Sandra. Enjoyed it.)

* Breach (Chris Cooper is one of the best actors we have, and Ryan held his own. Enjoyed it.)

* 300 (Blood, balls, and beefcake. I was a happy chick.)

Didn't make it to Zodiac, but hope to soon.

Shit! My husband's here!

Teebie, get the strippers and goats in the closet.

Sam, open the windows and turn on the fans.

Ten Inch friends, hide the bottles and videos!

Oh, hi honey. No, we were just knitting wool caps for orphans. And planning a bake sale.

Right guys?

Hope you and Ann are having a good laugh right now.

It's hard to pick a favorite line, but I'd have to say:

"It is possible to read the history of this country as one long struggle to extend the liberties established in our Constitution to everyone in America."

--Molly Ivins
(1944-2007)