Shelter from the Storm, Lighthouse on the Hill

When there is nowhere left to go, and you have lost everything.
When family and friends cannot be there. Cries for help fall on deaf ears - they cannot understand - how does this happen?

There is a lighthouse on the hill.

For those who are having difficulty with life's everyday challenges like the ravages of alcohol or drugs.

Or maybe the war veteran who fought for our freedom - forgotten by our society - or maybe something as small as a tank of gas.

There is a lighthouse on the hill.

Where you are welcomed with loving smiles from people who are not judgemental.

For me - it was my only hope - I had nothing left. My only thought of survival became the shelter from the storm.

I could not have ever imagined this place, this refuge.

Like strangers in the night, I take my son with fear and anticipation; we walk the steps to the shelter.

With loss of hope and wonder - what will we do now?

Then a ray of hope, a light, a welcome voice a smile, a warm bed and food on the table.

A chance to start anew.

We have a new home, a new family, and new friends to make and meet.

People of all backgrounds with stories to tell; people like me.

Counselors who were once strangers are now a part of our lives, part of our family.

They unselfishly give; they work hard for all of us, always with a smile, always out of love.

How are we so blessed to be part of such a wonderful place?

To me, this shelter from the storm will always be remembered - will never be forgotten.

So long as I live, may I give back in order to help those whose shoes I've walked in.

In a sometimes cold world, don't tell me that angels don't exist, for I know

that my place of refuge, my shelter from the storm, will always be remembered as my lighthouse on the hill - Durango Community Shelter.

~~~written by my mom (Rhonda Brown) 11/13/07

The Last Man premiers January 26 2008 at The Fox Theater. We're hoping for a sc-fi channel release sometime next year...

BOO-YA!

So, a few posts down I introduced Iris, but I have never introduced Phyllis. We rescued her from being eaten by the coyotes. She's so cute and tiny. She's 4 months old. It took a couple of weeks for Iris to accept her, but as you can see from this pic, they are now inseparable...

PLEASE LET US REMEMBER THE TROOPS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON...

LAND OF THE FREE,
BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE

So I took the kids to the soundstage today, to the production office, to be fitted for their parade scene costumes, which will shoot on the 28th of this month. Walking in was way cool. All the rooms were set up to look like Lincoln's office, a dining room, a kitchen, a living room...set in the late 1800's. It was like stepping back in time. And I felt a pang of sadness and anger that the scene in which I was going to be a part of was cut from the script. On our way out we stopped to watch a scene being filmed and I was just that much sadder that it wasn't ME in front of the camera...and it isn't going to be any time soon. At least, that's how I feel.

I'll just stop dreaming that way I won't be disappointed when one comes true, but then somebody realizes their mistake and quickly snatches it away from me.

So I just got a call from the casting director who informed me that my scene in Lost River has been cut. Yeah, story of my life. Oh well, I was honestly preparing for it, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing to have my dream come true and then have it abruptly snatched away from me. And I wasn't even thinking about the money that I lost as well. I was doing it cause it's what I love to do. And then Katie reminded me and I was like, "oh yeah, so I get fucked double!" I did nothing to deserve that. Well at least I get to shave off this God forsaken facial hair that I have been growing since August! GRRRRRRRR

I DID however get a speaking role in a short student film which I did yesterday, and that was fun.

Guess I'll go do laundry now.

At least the kids still get to be in the parade scene, which films later this month in Bisbee.

*sigh*

Lost River

Here is what the movie, Lost River, is about. I didn't have any information about it until I found this article. I will be playing the role of Robert Laforest, who meets President Lincoln and asks him if he can borrow $10...Look for the film, hopefully to be released Spring 2008. (but you know how that goes!)

'A great place to make a movie'


By Lauchlin Fields

[10/12/07] A film crew rolled into Vicksburg Wednesday to shoot scenes for a film that might make it to the big screen.

At least three Vicksburg sites will set the scene for "Lost River," a biography of Anna Carroll, one of America's unsung women heroes, credited with planning military strategies to help Union forces defeat the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Re-enactors -- many from the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Monroe -- joined locals dressed in period costume gathered in an area along Warriors Trail Road Thursday to shoot one of the scenes for the film, set to be released spring 2008, director Jason Urban of Lost River Productions said.

It is Urban's first large-scale feature and fourth film. He is directing the film with assistant director Greer Flax.

The scene, which captures the Big Black River railroad bridge in the background, dramatizes the Battle of Rappahannock, fought in Virginia in 1862.

"It was one of the worst disasters in military history," screenplay author and producer Bruce Bridegroom said. "The Union lost 12,000 men in half an hour."


Carroll's story is compelling and two years of planning have preceded the camera work, Bridegroom said.

"I thought it was a good story that nobody knew about and thought it would make a good movie," Bridegroom said. Even though his subject was from Maryland, Bridegroom said "Lost River," which has scenes depicting Virginia, Maryland and St. Louis, was a perfect fit for Vicksburg.

"The Battle of Vicksburg was the culmination of her plan -- to get rid of the Mississippi River forts," he said. "Vicksburg was the last to fall. We figured as long as we're in this area, we can find other stuff."

To set the scene of Carroll's family plantation, the crew shot a scene at Rosswood Plantation in Lorman. To depict St. Louis in 1861, producers shot scenes at Natchez Under the Hill.



"St. Louis in 1861 doesn't exist anymore, so we used (that)," Bridegroom said.

The Old Court House Museum was the scene for filming Wednesday. The writer said the city "is a great place to make a movie. It's so pretty and not built up and developed," he said. "We looked around Virginia, but everything was built up. It was not accommodating."

The film will follow Carroll's life until her death in 1893. That scene will be shot at the cemetery for St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Bovina.

"It's a beautiful place -- and it looks period," Bridegroom said.

Abraham Lincoln, elected president in 1860, will be one of the characters in the film. According to history, Carroll celebrated Lincoln's election by freeing her slaves, which numbered close to 100. Known as a nationalist opposed to secession of the Southern states, she used her writing as a tool for shaping policy in her home state. One of her writings was a pamphlet on Lincoln's presidential powers, which landed her an unofficial spot in his Cabinet. In 1861, Carroll went to St. Louis to visit relatives and noticed how the Tennessee River, unlike the Mississippi, was not well fortified, Bridegroom said.

"She realized the military significance of this and telegraphed her plan to Washington," Bridegroom said. "The Tennessee River is the 'lost river,' and so is her life. Lincoln followed her plan using Grant as the general."

With her plan, Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, who will also be portrayed in the movie, was able to take Fort Henry, Fort Donaldson and all of the forts along the Mississippi. But, when it came time to credit the person responsible for developing the plan that ultimately led to the defeat of the Confederacy, no one would step up to say it was, indeed, Carroll, Bridegroom said.

"They couldn't give her credit during the war because she was a civilian and she was a woman," he said. "After the war, Lincoln died (and) she was forgotten about. In 1876, there was a Senate hearing to make her an honorary general. They never granted it, but they never denied it."

Bridegroom hopes the movie will help give Carroll the credit she is due.

"She's as important as any American woman in the 19th century. I can't think of any woman more important than Anna Carroll," he said.

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Here you can read the review that I posted about the Anaheim Travelodge, the DRAMA referenced in the post below:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g29092-d75528-r10002585-Travelodge_Anaheim_International_Inn-Anaheim_California.html

We booked this through Priceline for a 4-nt. stay and I will never book anything in Anaheim for less than $80/night, to assure we do not get this property again! Upon check-in, we were met with two teenage girls at the front desk who were very unfriendly. They informed us that we would have to pay a $50 deposit which would be refunded at check-out. For a family on a budget this was not acceptable and nowhere on the Priceline website NOR the Travelodge website does it mention anything about ANY type of deposit. But they were unwavering and charged us anyway...very frustrating when we only paid a $20 deposit for a Marriott in San Diego, which was refunded.

When we got to our room one of our sons went to the bathroom and came right back out to tell us that there was poop on the toilet seat. It was dried and had obviously been there a while. We took pictures and immediately called the front desk. They girl who answered said 'housekeeping is not here and there's nothing I can do about it right now. I'll inform the manager in the morning.' And that was it. So we had to scrub human feces off of the toilet ourselves. It was 3 days later that we finally got to speak to the manager, only because we returned to our room one afternoon to find him, his assistant and ALL of housekeeping taking pictures of all of our stuff and one of the mattresses, because my son had accidentally pee'd on the bed in his sleep.

We were informed at that time that we would NOT be getting our $50 deposit back and would be charged an ADDT'L $100 for the damaged mattress! There was NO WAY we were going to accept this charge. If they are going to charge us to clean the mattress, then we should be able to charge them for having to clean human waste off of a toilet seat. They, unfortunately, are not in agreement with us. All they do is apologize. So they are getting money from us that we don't have, and all we're getting is an apology. So we are taking this to corporate and will not stop until we have our $50 back.

I'm not saying do not stay here. It is close to disney (driving time about 3 minutes) and the hot tub is HOT! Donuts and juice are served in the morning. All I"m saying is beware and be careful!



This TripAdvisor Member:
Liked: Close to Disneyland
Disliked: Unfriendly staff, dirty room.

So we went on vacation from the 16th to the 22nd...we went to Disneyland/CA Adventure on Mon/Tues/Wed, Universal Studios on Thurs and Sea World on Fri. WOW! Can you say SORE FEET?! I'll write more later. Just wanted to post this real quick before bed and put a picture on here. Wait til you hear the drama! OY VEY!

NEVER FORGET

HAPPY 5TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO ME AND MY HONEY! :-)

The World's Largest Piece of Crap

Okay, has anyone seen the record breaking photo yet? It looks to me like it's a picture of the street. I'm calling the bullshit flag on this one. Don't tell me to look at it from an artist's point of view...crap is still crap!

**UPDATE**

So a few posts ago where I was looking for that Leslie Phillips cd "Beyond Saturday Night"...I FINALLY FOUND IT! Granted, it cost me $35, but hey...HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME! :-)

Now I'm gonna make 10 copies of it and then put the original in a vault and it'll be my own little savings account for when I need money, I'll resell it. :-)

Okay, Senator Larry Craig needs to stop being such a fucking liar and 'fess up! Misunderstood my ass! Guys DO NOT tap their feet and put their hands underneath the stall next to them because they need toilet paper!

The Lost River

So we went to the production meeting last night. Signed contracts, got scripts, etc. I will have two lines - a conversation with President Lincoln. Can't wait! Filming will likely take place mid - late Oct. I have to drive out to Oracle for wardrobe fittings this Saturday...and that's about an hour from here (in traffic)...ugh. Oh well. It's a somewhat scenic drive. The kids will be fitted as well for their Parade scene in Nov. in Bisbee.

I'll keep you posted!

I posted this back in 2005 and just came across it today, and I really like it, so I'm reposting it. Your thoughts?

YOUR LIFE


So she asked if I’m happy with my life,
and I know where I am and I like it...
it’s not too often you get a clear view of your mind
when the world is aligned and your eyes see her beauty...

Now follow me down
to the well of disbelieving
and look inside your own life, it’s deceiving...
bring up the pail but leave the web you’ve been weaving
‘cause it’s your life now and like a book you keep reading...
to discover yourself you’re hell bent on not leaving
but you know it’s not real, it’s not water,
you’re bleeding...

And so I tell her I know where I’m going to be,
and I know who I am and I’ll get there...
and I won’t come undone when my fears overtake me
she sees the world in my eyes and to them she is my beauty...

Now follow me down
to the well of disbelieving,
and look inside your own life, you’re only dreaming...
of a world you’ve made caught in the web you’ve been weaving
but it’s your life now, you’re the book they’ve been reading
to discover the lie about the truth you’re deceiving,
and you know it’s not real, it’s not right
you're still bleeding...

you’re only dreaming of the truth,
but it’s a lie,
you're still bleeding
______________________
You’re Life
copyright 2004 mikal mullaly

Lazy cat

Our new kitty

Here is the newest member of our family...3-month-old Iris.

YAY! So I was just called by the casting agent yesterday to offer me a role in the upcoming feature The Lost River. A civil war era film. It will be shot here and in MS. I'll play the role of Robert LaForest. I believe he's a senator or congressman. MY FIRST SPEAKING ROLE! :-) I am too excited for words. The production meeting is on the 29th. I'll keep you posted. I believe filming is to take place in Oct/Nov.