Will and Grace. Hot Again.

One of my favorite TV comedies is Will and Grace. I always make time to watch it on Thursday nights... or it's usually one of the first I retrieve from DVR to watch.

This is the final year of the show. But it's not going out on a whimper, like many shows that manage an 8-year run (ala Jumping the Shark).

The writing seems so much stronger this year, than in the past couple of seasons. And I'm glad the focus is back on the four main characters, Will, Grace, Jack, and Karen (and of course, Rosario). No more of the endless cycle of guest stars every week. The four (well five) of them have a chemistry and comic timing that is great. And the subtle political snipes at the current regime are so perfect.

I bet the writers on the show have a wonderful time working together coming up with such fun scripts and stories.

So... who thinks a season 9 is warranted? Or a Karen Walker show?
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Not Writing. But Not Procrastinating Either.

So I know many of you aspire to be published novelists or short story writers. And sometimes you think those of us who have been published are ALWAYS creatively stimulated, ALWAYS banging the keyboard, ALWAYS putting out material.

Uh. Not.

When I wrote Down For Whatever, I wrote for fun. And never had any idea if or when I'd ever get it published.

Once sold, and while waiting for Down For Whatever to be published, I wrote a second novel. It's in the publication pipeline now. My hope is/was for a Summer 2006 release date. It'll probably be more like Fall 2006/Winter 2007. But this novel, which my agent and those involved in helping me revise say is much stronger than Down For Whatever, just came to me and I wrote the first draft in record time. I know this happened for a number of reasons.

1- The vascillating schizophrenia between boredom/hyperactivity while waiting for your first book to come out.
2- The story and characters spoke to me (I know it sounds kinda crazy, but I don't need pills or a 51-50 or 72-Hour Hold) and each morning they guided my writing direction.
3- I didn't want the 2nd book blues.

Now, as I near the end of major publicity for Down For Whatever (but I still want y'all to buy and word of mouth it to your friends and loved ones), and I'm beginning work on my third novel, I have a confession.

I'm writing. But not writing. (For those of you who identify, check out the Not Writing site. It's funny/sarcastic and just what the doctor ordered!)

I've started a number of drafts. But nothing sticks. Nothing takes root. I know why. Once words like market, audience, publicity, expansion, units sold, units returned, demographics, literary, commercial, chick lit, boy lit, editorial teams, etc... become part of your writer vocabulary, they also invade your thoughts. Those thoughts affect your creativity. And those thoughts are causing me to not write. I'm not producing as I would like.

It's not writer's block. Because I can write anything, much like I'm writing this blog right now. I still get up at 5 am, and am even getting in front of the keyboard in the evenings. But nothing's taking root for me now. What I'm enjoying most right now is helping others find their creative muse. I have a few folks who I'm working with by providing creative writing exercises and feedback, and I'm loving what they're producing. In a way, it's stimulating my ideas. Now I just need results.

Nothing beats the first novel writing process, when it's just you, your creativity, and a sheer joy of writing. If you're writing your first piece, enjoy it for all it's worth. It's usually the most genuine and most fun of your writing career.
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Bryton

OK. Been thinking too hard and too much today. Time for a little break. A little diversion.

A Young and the Restless diversion.

This is Bryton, the brilliant 19-year-old actor, who plays Devin Hamilton on Y&R, Neil and Drucilla's foster son. He's great on the show. And has a huge following.

Some of you may remember him from another hit show. Now, don't go feeling all old.

You last saw Bryton on Family Matters, as little Ritchie. Kinda have to click on the pic to see him sitting up front on the sofa.

Now, he's all grown up. Acting. Singing. Modeling. Everything.

Time flies. Sometimes that's a good thing!
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Trying To Understand Hypocrisy

So there's Someone in my circle who works hard, is very popular, and is very Christian. Dogmatically Christian. Or maybe I should put that Christian part in quotes.

I overheard a conversation this Someone had with another friend of mine, about why black students don't appear to get involved with progressive causes, movements, and our space in the same manner as students from other population groups. Someone's answer: Black students are Christians, and progressive movements and our space are too inclusive.

So I listen to Someone's reasoning. Reasoning should be put in quotes, too. Someone replies with some of the same tired arguments I've heard some Christians use to justify keeping some people in and others out: gay and lesbian issues shouldn't be included in equality and progressive movements, because being gay and lesbian is like smoking cigarettes (I swear, this is what Someone said) and that you can choose to stop it, just like cigarette smoking, AND that's the way black people who are Christians are going to see it -- either black or white, no gray, and no area for negotiation.

Yeah. You see my eyes rolling, don't you? (This is why I get accused of being consescending, at times, of our less progressive neighbors, but I digress...)

My friend, who is highly educated, contributes time and money to progressive causes and political candidates, and is comfortable dealing with gray areas, discussed the ideas presented by Someone very calmly, but with key points to back up the points. Someone's only defense, or key points: My God is very clear about this, and that's the only evidence black people who are Christians need. Someone also went on to say that being in our space has taught Someone how to be tolerant (again, you see my quotes) of gay and lesbian people, but that Someone still doesn't have to accept them. In other words, Someone says friendships are possible with someone you stand in judgment of. Huh? Can I pull out the ignorant card now?

So. Where's the discourse? Where's the discussion? Especially if Someone, and people like Someone, put up the walls of discussion with what they perceive to be the end-of-discussion argument -- their religion. No ifs, ands, or buts.

So this got me thinking. How many of us have folks in our circles who love hanging, getting advice, using our creativity and ideas, but still stand in judgment of our lifestyles? Lifestyles, in quotes, again. I don't understand the logic or thinking patterns of people who believe equality is for some, but not for everyone. Who believe that, in the words of a family member, "I'm not homophobic just because I don't support gay marriage or think gay people should adopt or be teachers."

OK. Then what are you?

Now, I am a person who grew up going to Sunday school, and now I attend a very progressive Catholic Mass in L.A. My church does not justify judging or casting others out. We accept all. And love all. So I know the argument that all black people who are Christian feel a certain way. That kind of logic is crazy. That's like saying all people from a group are un-thinking, monolithic, robots who follow along with the program. I think we're all a little more advanced than that.

And that leads me to thinking about something else... the way some folks judge the way you choose to have, or not have, a spiritual or religious life. That one way of having a relationship with God (or the choice not to have a relationship) is better than another. The way people get schooled on the way, place, and manner in which to believe (or not to believe).

Can someone explain? Because I'm trying to understand the hypocrisy of supposed "loving thy neighbor," except in the cases of blah, blah, and blah. How is that logic justifiable? Or does logic get pushed out the door when you've proclaimed yourself judge, jury, and end-all-be-all?

Maybe the black students don't come into the space because they fear Someone will sit in judgment of them. Hmmm... Wouldn't that be the funny and ironic part?
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Another Falcon Crest Moment

So another classic television moment that some friends and I reminisced on this Sunday evening at The Abbey. Funny what a few mojitos and berry martinis can bring up in conversation. Books. Blogs. Celebrity sightings. Politics. Soap opera cliffhangers.

Picture it. Falcon Crest. 2nd season cliffhanger. They discover Lana Turner is Richard Channing's mother. Angela calls Lana the "B" word, a first for television. They discover who the murderer is/was of the season-long murder mystery. It's the innocent Julia. Pan out to the exterior of the Falcon Crest house. We hear four gunshots. Next scene, everyone's dressed in black, backs turned to the camera. We see casket lower into the ground. And we're left to wonder. Who's being laid to rest?

And then we skipped to the way Maggie died in a later season cliffhanger. The irony. An on again/off again romance that brought nothing but heartache and pain to Maggie. She finally accepts Richard's proposal and puts on the giant diamond ring she's admired in the jewelry box she carried with her everywhere. She's playing with their kids around the pool. Kids toys fall in the pool. Maggie swims down to get them. Braces her hand in the pool drain and the ring gets stuck. She can't get it unstuck. The scene ends with her struggling to get her hand out the drain. The relationship, which was dysfunctional and bad all along, eventually kills her. Another great cliffhanger. Sad, though.(And in our mojito-driven states, came to the conclusion: don't let a bad relationship kill you -- physically or mentally or spiritually!)

Falcon Crest gave us good stories and writing in the 80s and 90s. Even if it was a little dramatic, but never campy. OK, maybe the Appolonia year. Time for a reunion, CBS, while all or most of the stars are still with us.
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A New Job

I've been nominated to take on a new job.

As a pilot. I think I can do it. I mean, I've flown on lots of planes. I've even known my share of airline personnel over the years. And I'm a man of principle and values, and anyone who knows me knows that I am a fast learner and can pick up anything while on the job. And my values and principles don't change, based on a change in altitude or situation.

Anyone wanna ride on my plane?

Of course I'm being sarcastic, as we gear up for another round of silliness in D.C. with the latest addition to the cast of Friends, I mean the clique (s)elected to live in Washington, the lovely, talented, and mean elementary school teacher look-alike, Harriet Miers.

I get regular e-mails from a progressive political organization, MoveOn, and today the mail encouraged all of us to find out as much as we can about Ms. Miers. Here's a summary of her career, as MoveOn summarized it, courtesy of the Coalition for a Fair and Independent Judiciary, to help jump start your research:

1970—Graduated from Southern Methodist University Law School
1970-1972—Clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Joe Estes
1972-2001—Joined Texas law firm, Locke, Purnell
1985—Elected president of the Dallas Bar Association
1986-1989—Member of the State Bar board of directors
1989-1991—Elected and served one term on the Dallas City Council
1992—Elected president of the Texas State Bar
1993-1994—Worked as counsel for Bush's gubernatorial campaign
1995-2000—Appointed chairwoman of Texas Lottery Commission by Gov. George Bush
1996—Became president of Locke, Purnell, and the first woman to lead a major Texas law firm
1998—Presided over the merger of Locke, Purnell with another big Texas firm, Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Hill & LaBoon, and became co-managing partner of the resulting megafirm, Locke Liddell & Sapp
2000—Represented Bush and Cheney in a lawsuit stemming from their dual residency in Texas while running in the Presidential primary
2001—Selected as staff secretary for President Bush
2003—Promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy
2004—Selected as White House Counsel

There are many important questions that need to be addressed, including:
What policies did she advocate for on the Dallas City Council?
What was her record at the head of the scandal-ridden Texas Lottery Commission?
What cases did she take on while working as a corporate lawyer in private practice, and what positions did she fight for?
What has she written or said in and outside of her law practice about her views on constitutional issues like privacy, the "commerce clause" or equal protection
As White House councel Alberto Gonzales played a pivotal role in softening America's stance on torture. What positions has Harriet Miers advocated for in the same role?
Has she ever publicly distanced herself from George W. Bush?

It's important that we move quickly in answering these questions. The Bush spin machine has been prepared for this nomination for some time and is already cranking at full speed. The strategy is to move Miers through as an enigma. We need to make sure the facts about her views are known.

But mean elementary school look-alikes aside, I started thinking about people I have worked with over the years, who, through pure personality, going along to get along, similarities (like being part of the 'majority' if you know what I mean), befriending the leaders and spouse, and browning up their noses, have moved up and along the ladder of organizational success. Some of these folks have had different qualifications than what I would have imagined being needed for their positions -- skiing together on weekends, baking cookies every other week, hanging out in the leader's office, happy hour, etc...-- qualifications that go beyond education, skills, and experience.

Having been in the workplace and college, I know the adage of "it's not what you know, but who you know" is true and makes and breaks careers at times. And I know it's also not fair in an ideal world, where concern for equality and social justice guide decisions.

On a related topic, check out Prodigal Sun's entry on being pimped for workplace diversity. Great essay, and I realize that, at times throughout my various jobs and career choices, I've been the same situation. Check it out.

Have a nice day... at your day job, night job, or your home job! Or... get yourself nominated for a new job :-)
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Make It Happen

Part of the weekend I spent with writer Brent Dorian Carpenter, who has written four novels, comic books, and various newspaper articles. Brent is a fellow Detroiter who has remained in Detroit, but came to visit L.A. for book business, including the Herndon Davis taping. Seems like he is on the verge of something big happening.

But Brent stayed part of the weekend with a guy named Joe, another fellow Detroiter, who, through the process of the "who do you know?", turns out was a middle school classmate of mine, and who hung out with several friends I had at his high school, Cass Tech. Cass was/is the rival "smart kid" school to my high school, Renaissance.

Anyway, through the process of talking, I found out there are several Detroiters we knew and went to school with who have moved out to L.A. And they're doing BIG THINGS! One is working for the TV show, Lost. One designed costumes for the film, Mr. & Mrs. Smith. One is a big-time publicist for television. Joe himself is a filmmaker, director, and writer. Who knew all this talent came out of Detroit? I'm happy for all of them. It's motivating.

But it got me thinking about my life and how I finally feel like I'm going somewhere, like I'm finally getting my feet wet in what I want to do. I still have a long journey ahead and not all my goals have been made. But I'm on my way. I've been thinking a lot about various friends and the path they are on.

And I wonder... what makes it so that some people's lives have easy paths, while others have more jagged paths? How is it that the road turns out differently than the idealistic one we mapped out in high school?

What makes it happen for some, as they planned? While others, later in life, finally make it happen?
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WEHO Book Fair Wrap Up

I love books. And I love book fairs/festivals. And this weekend, I had the best time at the West Hollywood Book Fair. Started my morning off participating on a panel with Adreana Robbins, Seth Greenland, and Frances Norris called In The Beginning: On Writing The First Novel.

I think between the four of us, we served up enough advice and information for all the aspiring novelists in the audience. It's weird being on the other side of the panel. A year ago, I was sitting in the audience... dreaming of publication!.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun... and the best part is that we all were equally entertaining and no one was a panel monopolizer. (Because I'm sure you all have been to panels where the most boring person on the panel goes on and on and on and on... and on, and then you realize you're asleep or waking up or doodling or texting someone) Well, Adreana, Seth, Frances and I were a great team. No snooze factor there!

Let's see. I saw a lot of writers and friends: Bebe Moore Campbell (wonderful speaker and exudes so much class... love her!), Denise Hamilton (great L.A. mystery writer), Kerry Madden (my mentor), Gary Phillips (an L.A. legend), Michael Datcher and Jenoyne Adams (the husband and wife literary team conquering the world), Lisa Teasley (fun and insightful writer and speaker), Leslie Schwartz (who pushed for me to get into the PEN Emerging Voices program), Ben Patrick Johnson (you've heard his voice in tons of commercials), and others.

They saved the best for last. The most fun panel I watched was the Chewing on Chick Lit panel, featuring Liza Palmer, Mary Castillo, Jennifer Coburn, and Tamara Gregory. No snooze factor here either. But of course, when you write books that are popular and entertain, that's to be expected. What I liked most about the panel was they were wholeheartedly confident in writing about and for women, and felt no need to apologize to the "literary critics" who say that entertaining people in books is bad. Such a great group!

One of the panelists, and I can't remember which one, said what's the point of writing beautiful prose, with all the literary elements, big words, themes, blah blah blah... if your reader falls asleep or puts the book down at page nine... forever! Never to be picked up again. That the job of the writer is to make sure the reader makes it to the end of the book.

I think there is room for all types of books and literature, and that all types can be successful in their own way, but I also think that in a world where there's so much doom and gloom, a nice entertaining book can make your day and help you escape for a few hours. And obviously readers agree, since chick lit is one of the fastest growing genres of books out there.

Some books you might want to check out, that I think I'll like since hearing the authors talk about them: 72 Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell and Passport Diaries by Tamara Gregory and Blue Plate Special by Frances Norris. Bebe Moore Campbell's novel centers on mental illness and families, something I didn't think I'd necessarily be interested in, but after hearing her speak on her panel I was sold on the book. And Tamara Gregory's book is a nice new addition to the chick lit genre, with a bold black heroine who travels around the world and keeps a travel diary of her experiences. Something new and unique. And I've already read one of her books, but I want to check out the entire collection by Paula Woods, who writes mysteries set in L.A., and the heroine is a black, female cop named Charlotte Justice. Inner City Blues was awesome!

Anyway, great day. Wished you were there!
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