Holiday Blues

About this time of year, I feel over loaded. Don’t you?

Instead of joy and holiday fun, I have cooking anxiety—what’ll I cook? Will it come out all right? Does my stove work? Will anyone want to eat it?

And oh Lord, there’s the shopping anxiety. Did I forget someone? Will everyone like what I get them? (Oops everyone and them is not grammatical. But will everyone like what I get him—that sounds terrible. Her—worse.) More holiday pressure to do it right! More pressure to be perfect. Even writing about the holidays trips me up.

Before anxiety overcomes me I channel Sissy LeBlanc. What would Sissy say: “When attacked by the holiday blues, a smart girl takes a glass of wine into a soothing bath and lets the rest of the world fend for themselves. It will help them appreciate her.” Rule number 106 The Southern Belle’s Handbook. (You won't find this rule in the book. Sissy just made it up.)

Hollywood Holiday Parties

When I lived in Louisiana I dreamed of going to parties in Hollywood.

I've attended some of the big glam parties where actors stood in front of logos to get their photos taken. Fun? Yes. Exciting? Sure.

But here's the secret: after getting their pictures taken many of the celebs leave, or are so busy getting their photos taken before dinner they weren't really available for you to talk to. This can be a bummer if it's a charity fund raiser and you've paid a lot to hobnob with them. I have to admit the V.I.P. room is no more at the Women In Film Crystal Awards so everyone mills around together.

But I thought you might want to get a glimpse of the real parties for those of us working here. The first photo shows my husband, Carl Eastlake, and me at the Writer's Guild of America party. He's a member of the Board of Directors. I'm very proud of him. The second photo is just to give you a sense of the party. No one is very dressed up or should I say they're wearing Hollywood metro-chic.  More soon.