Several weeks ago, Akemi and I were watching Survivor. In the episode, the contestants were treated to surprise visits from their loved ones. They had been separated for quite some time (over a month!) and, not surprisingly, the reunions were incredibly emotional. One girl hugged her father like a long lost love. Another woman broke down at the mere sight of her husband. I tried to imagine what it would be like for me, standing there, watching as, one by one, my fellow contestants had their moments with their significant others, anxiously awaiting my turn, eyeing the tree-line for my special someone… Akemi? Mom? My sister?
“Jelly,”said Akemi, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. And, the second she said it, I realized: “Of course! Who else?”
Who else would it be but my 14 year old pug, Jelly, snarfling and panting as she’d break through the treeline and waddle up the pathway on her arthritic legs into my waiting arms? We’d probably lose the challenge but nevertheless be chosen to join the winners on the reward getaway where we’d enjoy a wonderful feast of assorted meats, veggies, assorted fruits and desserts. And before saying goodbye, I’d give Jelly a smooch on the noggin’ as I do every time I carry her up and down the stairs or in and out of the house (Full disclosure: I probably kiss that dog more than I do my girlfriend) and then we’d part ways – me, back to the island, inspired by her visit to persevere in the face of adversity; she, to her guest hut, provoked by the richness of the meal to void her bowels for one endless diarrhea-festooned evening. Now THAT would be reality television!
My other muse: Lulu.
Jelly works up a sweat.
Bubba – all smiles.
Lulu is laughing AT you, not WITH you!
Hey, my pal, Tara Yelland, is trying to raise money for Response Time, a short film she’ll be working on in the next couple of months. She didn’t specify what, exactly, she’d be doing (my guess is crowd control) but it’s obviously something she’s passionate about (like nail art, Mad Men, and my occasional dog-related blog entries). So passionate, in fact, that she produced the following video in support of the project: http://vimeo.com/65869540. The goal is to raise $10 000 in 30 days and, with 6 days to go, they’re at $5590. Apparently, the way the fundraising works, they need to reach their target in order to get the money pledged. If they don’t, they get nothing. Also, at some point, someone breaks into their homes and soaks their pillows in linseed oil.
First things first! My french bulldog, Lulu, eating kale chips. Please raise volume to maximum before viewing:
One of the worst kept secrets on this blog has been the identity of that scifi series Paul and I have been trying to set up. As many of you know, back when we were working on Stargate, we started developing our own SF series in the hopes of rolling right into production with the same crew if and when Stargate ever ended. The only problem at the time was that there was no end in sight. Every time we thought Stargate would close up shop, the show would get picked up for another season. It was a classy problem that allowed us to really flesh out the concept and characters of this prospective new show.
Unfortunately, when Stargate did end, the timing proved difficult. Instead of taking advantage of our terrific Stargate crew, we ended up having to put our project on hold while we took a job in Toronto. But rather than relegate it to the back burner, we thought of an interesting way to go – and a great way to help sell the show. We hooked up with Dark Horse Comics and launched the series idea as a comic book.
The first four issues of Dark Mattergarnered great reviews and, when the trade paperback came out in October, we used it as a calling card. Having worked in development, I was aware of, and wanted to draw on, the added appeal of an established property. Also, half the battle of pitching is to help a potential buyer imagine the project you have created – and I could think of no better pitch document than that trade paperback.
We went out with a story backed by some fantastic visuals compliments of artist Garry Brown and colorist Ryan Hill. The response was incredibly positive. Even more so after Paul and I delivered the pilot script. Still, my concern was the budget, making sure we had enough money to do it properly (visual effects don’t come cheap after all!), so I was heartened by word from our producing partner today that the response in Europe has been equally great.
Now all that remains is for that final piece of the puzzle to fall into place. Yes, we’ve been waiting a while but all indications are we’ll be receiving word soon. If it’s positive, then things are going to get very busy very quickly. If it’s not, then we’ll have to go elsewhere for that final piece – which will, of course, delay things.
But hopefully it all comes together as expected. And, once it does, dare I say it…
No, better not.
Mailbag:
shinyhula writes: “And why no zombies on this list? Night of the Living Dead, 28 Weeks Later, Zombieland; what have the unliving done to deserve your scorn?”
Answer: I was listing Scariest Endings and, off the top of my head, none of the zombie entries came to mind. Well, now that I think of it, maybe the original Night of the Living Dead would have been a good candidate.
ancuetas writes: “Is that you know what music is there at the beginning of the video.”
Answer: This piece of music, from SG-1′s Demons, was before my time (I joined the show in its fourth season), but it’s safe to assume that it was composed by the late, great Joel Goldsmith.
dasndanger writes: “Also, this whole thing with the shutting down of cell towers in cases like this? That’s why I still have a corded old timey landline tele-o-phone.”
Answer: Hmmm. Good point. I haven’t had a landline in four years.
RLAVILLA writes: “Recently there have been two new Stargate games for Android and iPhone, and I think that will be the new product line, which has been selected by MGM for Stargate franchise. How about converting “Stargate Extinction” in a game for these new platforms?”
Answer: Not my call. That would be for the studio to decide.
Jen writes: “A tad random, but I went in on my birthday to have this done but the artist was booked up so I had it done yesterday.”
Answer: Great. But I insist you draw the line at one of those Jaffa forehead tattoos.
baterista9 writes: “Just saw Cookie on Saturday at Sea World of Texas.”
Answer: Yes, he was there for his cousin Esmerelda’s wedding.
fsmn36 writes: “But the entire movie plays off the alcoholic!Tony arc from the comics and the Rhodey scene makes 20x more sense when you consider Tony is basically planning on suicide/knows he’s going to die. What seems a tacky action scene becomes a heart breaking fight between friends while Tony desperately gives everything he loves away to the few people that matter to him.”
Answer: Sounds terrific. Unfortunately, none of that came across onscreen.
gforce writes: “Did you ever take Akemi up to Whistler yet? You should take her out to a nice dinner or even a weekend up there!”
Answer: I retired my krazy karpet years ago.
Seth writes: “How hard would it be to get the cast on board for a Kickstarter for the series or movies? Looks as if Veronica Mars just got 5.5 million in Kickstarter funds from fans!”
Answer: 5.5 million may seem like a lot, but consider that the previous SG-1 movies cost 7+ million each to produce – and those productions made use of existing sets and production personnel.
Tam Dixon writes: “Did you try one of the dog cookies for quality control? You did, didn’t you?”
Answer: I didn’t, but someone I know (hint: she’s Japanese) DOES taste test for quality control.
Tam Dixon also writes: “Anyways, what about another trip? New York, L.A. or maybe even go down South. I wouldn’t recommend Memphis, unless you bring a gun but what about New Orleans or Savannah, GA?”
Answer: Akemi definitely wants to go to New York and, after reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I’ve wanted to check out Savannah. That said, both L.A. and Vegas are closer and more likely short trip destinations. This, of course, is entirely dependent on our finding a dog sitter.
astrumporta writes: “I think you should bring Akemi to San Francisco for her b-day!”
Answer: It’s also on the list. Good eatin’! How goes, Michelle?
pennlynn writes: “You’re brave man Joe! I like having a nice drink but other than the whiskey I’m not sure I would try that haul of liquor!”
Answer: I tried the Nikka whiskey with Lawren last night when he came over for the American Horror Story marathon. It was damn good, and much better straight up than on the rocks. How went the t.v. interview?
Akemi is still at it, expanding her doggy wardrobe.
Continuing our stroll down SGA memory lane with one of my favorites…
REMNANTS (515)
This one was a personal favorite for several reasons. It offered action, humor, surprises and, best of all, genuinely heart-felt character moments brilliantly conveyed by our amazing cast and guest stars. It was also a bit of a bitch to write and, as such, incredibly satisfying to finish, a fairly complex script that required a proper balancing act of three seemingly separate storylines – and their ultimate convergence at episode’s end. My fellow Exec Producer, Carl Binder, considered it my best script of the show’s fifth season. My other fellow Exec Producers, however, weren’t quite as enamored. Rob Cooper felt it was “too literary” (which I thought was a nice compliment until I realized it was actually a criticism). He, and Exec Producer Martin Gero, also felt I was way too rough on our hero, Sheppard. My writing partner, Paul, meanwhile, had only one real objection – and that was the chopping off of Sheppard’s hand, for both creative and production reasons. Yes, I agree that Sheppard does suffer greatly but I argue it’s fine because, at the end of the day, it’s all in his head. Also, the Shep-whumpers reaaaallly needed this one!
Just so much to say about this episode – and I already have. Some Remnants-related past blog entries you might want to check out:
November 15, 2008: The Remnants Write-up - In which I offer some insight into my inspiration for this script (Harvey and a desire to complete Richard Woolsey’s rehabilitation from pencil-pushing suit to lovable Commander) as well as behind the scene photos and a breakdown of some of the scenes, beats, and dialogues that didn’t make the final cut.
Akemi has caught the dog fashion bug! Over the last couple of days, she’s been hard at work, snipping, sewing, and generally cannibalizing some of her older outfits, transforming them into haute canine couture. Check out her Fall Collection so far:
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Meanwhile, a naked pudgy Bubba awaits his first outfit…
Sadly, Akemi is running out of material as we cleared out our closet and dropped off our old clothing at one of the local donation bins last month. It was while we were searching through the drawers last night that the idea came to me: “Hey, you know where we can find some old clothes? The local donation bin.” Strangely, she wasn’t thrilled with my suggestion.
Continuing our Days of Stargate Past reminiscing with…
THE PRODIGAL (514)
One of the high points of Atlantis’s fifth season was this episode (compliments of Executive Producer Carl Binder) that saw the return of Michael, one of the show’s most colorfully nuanced villains. The episode includes Michael and Ronon going a mano a mano in the control room followed by tower-top battle between Michael and Sheppard. While the latter was being shot, at one point, Joe Flanigan’s stuntman lost his balance and went off the tower (fear not, he was cabled and there were some nice comfy mats to cushion his fall), which prompted actor Connor Trinneer to throw up his arms and triumphantly proclaim: “I win!”.
Teyla’s decision to – let’s not mince words here - murder Michael engendered a fair amount of controversy. Was she justified in her actions? Did the fact that she was a mother protecting her child color your opinion of her actions?
Setting up the big radio-controlled car showdown (photo courtesy MGM Television)
Boys and their toys (photo courtesy MGM Television)
Michael comes out on top (photo courtesy MGM Television)
Michael marshals the troops (photo courtesy MGM Television)
A sad day amid the holiday cheer. My sister’s husky, Aspen, passed away this morning. He was a brave and beautiful boy, much loved and he will be missed…
I opened the back door this morning to let the dogs out only to discover that, overnight, Vancouver had been transformed into a winter wonderland. The yard, garage, and surrounding trees were adorned with a thick white dusting. And Mother Nature wasn’t done yet. I looked on, amazed, as it continued to flurry, big fat flakes drifting down to perfect the ideal White Christmas tableau. My dogs, on the other hand, weren’t quite as impressed. They eyed the transformation, sniffed the air and exchanged what looked suspiciously like WTF? looks before trotting back inside and going back to sleep.
Alas, no going back to sleep for me. I was up and had errands to run. Gifts to drop off. Comic books to pick up. Girlfriends to drop off at their various English classes!
The road conditions were tricky but manageable, paricularly for a seasoned Montreal driver like yours truly who drives a big-ass SUV and had the foresight to switch out his summer wheels for winter tires. Unfortunately for yours truly, it appears that a significant number of Vancouver drivers: 1. Evidently forgot they lived in Canada and 2. Failed to get winter or all-season tires AND 3. Have evidently never driven in inclement weather before. The streets were a disaster. Cars stuck, spinning their wheels in frustration, or advancing at a cautious snail’s pace, commanding both lanes of the two-lane street. I spent half my day in traffic.
Zipping along.
When I returned home, I was finally able to coax the dogs out. But only partway. Whereas the lawn is prime pooping real estate in the spring, summer, and fall, all bets are off come winter. Apparently, now, anywhere it has snowed is fair territory. My french bulldog, Lulu, two three steps, decided the end of the porch was good enough, did her business and scampered back inside.
Today, I’d like to bring to your attention a pet-related cause.
First up, there’s this very sad story about a family dog (a pitbull named Chino) who was shot by a police officer in Charlotte, N.C.:
“That’s when Chino and Ivy rushed outside for some love.
They weren’t barking, they weren’t growling. They were running around me,” Janneth Sanchez said.
Sanchez says she bent over and held Chino by the hips. At the same time Officer D. Bryant yelled at her to grab Chino, and officer Bryant shot and killed Chino by the time he finished his sentence.”
Well, they would be – IF there was snow on the ground. And IF they were outside braving the elements like those courageous pooches in that Cuba Gooding Jr. movie instead of just parking themselves under the Christmas tree in expectation of a treat. All the same, they’re clearly in the holiday spirit – Jelly, lounging amid the tinsel, Bubba suspiciously sniffing presents, Lulu furtively snacking on low-hanging ornaments.
No football for me today. And I didn’t really miss it. Akemi had a hankering for pancakes, so we headed over to De Dutch where she got her fix -
Banana Maple Nut style!
Then it was over to Home Depot where I was disappointed to learn they’d sold out of indoor Christmas lights. As a result, this was the best we Akemi could do:
She did a great job, decorating the tree with an even mix of the tasteful and tasteless.
While Akemi wrapped gifts, I did a little work, finishing up the series bible and script outline for that SF series we hope will get the oh-so-elusive green light. If not, then l may consider an alternate career path that will allow me to maximize my skills set (which includes speed reading, watching t.v. on DVD, and, as of today, making a mean chicken, eggplant and sweet potato yellow curry).
Well, because my bitterness knows no bounds, I’m no longer paying attention to the NFL. But I did check in with our fantasy football league playoffs so that I could congratulate the following first-round winners: The Landsharks, Tebow Sucks, The Mighty Molsons and, in all probability, The Vinegar Strokes. My, aren’t we successful?
To be perfectly honest, there was only one thing I missed during my trip to Japan. And it wasn’t the food or the television or the general comforts of home. It was the dogs. Even Akemi, who admittedly never “got” dogs before coming to Canada, could think of nothing but her dear Bubba those last few days in Tokyo. It was nice to know that they were in great hands. Our dog-sitter, Christine, stayed at the house with them, sending us daily updates and, occasionally, photos.
As I struggle to readjust back to Pacific Standard Time and scramble to tend to the 101 things that magically did not get done while I was away (This isn’t like Stargate where I could always rely on the infamous script elves), I thought it might be nice (and relaxing) to dedicate this entry to the gang – in pictures (most of them compliments of Christine):
Here I’ve been wracking my brain, wondering how I could make a living if moved to Japan – when, suddenly, opportunity comes a-knocking: Japan suffers sumo wrestler shortage. The way I’ve been eating of late, I figure I should be ready for action in about two months.
As much as I’m enjoying myself here in Tokyo, I do miss the dogs back home. Fortunately, I’m receiving daily updates on the gang from our dog-sitter, Christine – daily updates in the form of email, texts, and, best of all, the occasional pictures…
Jelly. In there somewhere! Apparently, she’ll head out, rain or shine – provided there are treats involved.
According to Christine, Lulu’s initial enthusiasm for walks has waned as the rain has gotten heavier.
Bubba is apparently just happy to tag along wherever they go.
Hanging out.
We’re slowly adjusting to Tokyo time here, sleeping through most of the night and waking up at a not ungodly hour. One more week and we should be perfectly synced – just in time to head back home to Vancouver. Anyway, we went for another morning walk through Ginza. We had lunch reservations in Roppogni at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Akemi likes it for it’s “cost performance” – in other words, it’s a great deal) for noon. Rather than walk around for two hours on an empty stomach, decided to pick up a little breakfast. And by little, I do mean little – specifically a little katsu burger:
Taaasty! I could have eaten a dozen of these. Hey, I’ve still go time.
I picked it up in the basement of the Mitsukoshi department store. If you’ve never been, you have got to check it out. The entire floor is packed with sweet and savory ready-to-eat food items, from the casual aforementioned mini katsu burger to high-end pastries. Just grab your take-out and head up to the ninth floor snacking area. It’s incredibly child-friendly as well. Kids even get their own bathroom:
We headed over to Roppongi Hills for another fabulous meal. Some of the highlights:
My sea urchin gelee/panna cotta.
The sanma (Spanish mackerel) mille-feuille.
My salmon tartare. Akemi changed her mind and proclaimed THIS the best dish of the trip so far.
Foie and fig.
Akemi’s outstanding white fish and mushroom main.
Sea urchin spaghetti with egg yolk and cream.
Foie, double sea urchin, cream – Akemi expressed concern about my high cholesterol meal. I explained that I actually suffer from low cholesterol and actually need to eat like this to stay healthy.
The chocolate souffle with mint ice cream (that nobody ate. It was so minty, I felt like I was brushing my teeth.)
This super-chocoatey chocolate dessert even outdid the soufflé!
Our lunch guest on this day, Akemi’s friend, Nihei, who graduated from University in Oklahoma. Oklahoma?
As I familiarize myself with more areas of the city, the pieces of the puzzle slowly fall into place, giving me a fuller picture of Tokyo. Last night, for instance, I accompanied Akemi to Daikanyama (I call it Dogkanyama because it seems to be pooch central) and happened across Tableaux, one of the very first restaurants I visited on my very first trip to Tokyo some five years ago. Back then, I had no idea where the place was located – and neither did our cab driver who had to stop and consult a map. As it turns out, it’s just a few blocks around the corner from the subway station.
A large part of the familiarization process requires me to walk everywhere. And such was the case later in the night when, after dropping Akemi off for her dinner with the gals, I headed to Omotesando for dinner with my friend Tomomi. She suggested I take a cab but I decided to hoof it instead, relying on the seemingly crystal clear directions offered up in a Japan Times review of the restaurant. Use the B1 Exit out of Omotesando station and walk down Aoyama dori, then hang your first left at the lights on Kotti Dori and walk for ten minutes until you hit Roppongi dori. Take a left at the Fuji Building then wind right down the side street and L’Effervesence will be on your right. Great. Except that, in Tokyo, you’ll be lucky to find a street sign, much less an actual address. Which way was “down” Aoyama dori? Was that first street actually Kotto dori? Which street was Roppongi dori? Miraculously, I managed alright (although, to be precise, the turn is “before” Fujifilm rather than the more nebulous “at”). I soon found myself walking down a dark alley. Headed toward me was a middle-aged woman pushing a baby stroller. If I was writing the horror movie, she would approach me and ask me to help her baby. Then, the second I approached, a small man who leap up out of the stroller and pierce my eye with a knitting needle. End scene.
Fortunately, my night was much less harrowing. I dare say, it was downright amazing. But the details will have to wait as I’m off to catch the bullet train to Osaka. Wonder what they’ll serve?
Finally, my sis makes the hard decision for her sweet dog, Aspen, soon. Sending positive thoughts their way:
Well, whaddya know: Hallmark Channel Reaffirms Series Order To ‘Cedar Cove’ Starring Andie MacDowell. Our old friend, Carl Binder, takes the reins of a new series, Cedar Grove, for the Hallmark Channel. According to the interweb: “Production will take place in Vancouver”. And we all know what that means. Yes! I’ll finally get the opportunity to make my acting debut. At present, I’m not sure what recurring role I’ll be playing – the quirky love interest, the mysterious out-of-towner, the eccentric freelance photographer for the local paper – but I’m sure Carl will come up with something spectacular and befitting my thespian talents.
When my sister and I were kids, my father used to forage for wild mushrooms. Invariably, he would always come back with Shaggy Manes. Creamy white and bell-shaped, they were utterly delicious pan-fried with with a bit of butter salt, and garlic. I don’t see them around anymore and, even if I did, I’m not sure I’d have the confidence to correctly identify them. I mean, what do I know? Well, I suppose at the very least I know that poisonous mushrooms DO exist unlike, say, unicorns or a good movie about talking cars – which is more than can be said for this family: Family seriously ill after eating wild mushrooms for dinner. Two points of interest in the article. The first: “Pakistan-born Noor said she was unaware wild mushrooms could be lethal because it was common to pick and eat them in her homeland.” The second: “A family was rushed to hospital after a woman mistakenly served “magic” mushrooms she had picked from her backyard.” Believe me, if they had ingested the “magic” variety of mushrooms, their symptoms would have been very different. Instead of vomiting and diarrhea, they would have experienced a deep-seeded sense of well-being, a newfound appreciation for the comedic merits of the old Naked gun movies, and a girlfriend tripping out because she is convinced your head is expanding before her eyes.
Coincidentally, we picked up the above-pictured ‘shroom from a vendor at Granville Island today and will be having it for dinner tonight. It’s (fingers crossed) a perfectly safe matsutake, highly prized in Japan, that Akemi will be preparing two ways: in soup and with rice. Wish us luck!
Back in Montreal, Baby cat has bounced back a little. He’s at the hospital, on I.V., but has resumed eating again and is in better spirits.
Mom pays Baby a visit.
Also in Montreal, sis’s husky, Aspen, is feeling down after his recent chemo session. I’m sending positive thoughts. Also, I recommend he sit down to a couple of episodes of Modern Family to help lift his spirits.
Aspen shamed.
Here on the west coast, my dogs are doing just fine (outside of Lulu’s serial vomiting):
Jelly out mushroom-sniffing.
Lulu feeling a little melancholy.
She may be my girlfriend but her heart belongs to Bubba.
