1. The drive is often the best thing about traveling.
2. I love a good snuggle with my husband when I'm cold.
3. I often use pasta when I am cooking.
4. I'm reading Little Women right now; I love it.

UH News
• Contract Update from Verrone and Winship
• UH Live for 12/5

Upcoming Events
From the WGAw
THURSDAY, 12/6THREE GENERATIONS OF WGA MEMBERS: Sherwood Schwartz, (creator of "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch"), his son Lloyd, (writer and producer of "The Brady Bunch" feature films and many television comedies), and Lloyd's son Andy, a story editor on "Scrubs" -- will picket together at the main gate of CBS Radford from noon until 1 p.m. Sherwood Schwartz, 91, was a founding member of the Television Writers of America, which merged with screenwriters to become the WGA.

It's that time of the year again when Major League Baseball hands out its annual awards. On Monday, the first two awards will be announced, and that is the AL and NL Rookie of the Year awards.
Here are my choices for the awards and the days they will be announced:

Nov. 12: AL Rookie of the Year: Dustin Pedroia
NL Rookie of the Year: Ryan Braun

1. The last compliment I got was from my husband; he/she said I was doing great on a project I have undertaken.
2. I'm reading The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer.
3. I woke up today and thought T.G.I.F!!!!!!!

Sex is something I really don't understand too hot. You never know where the hell you are. I keep making up these sex rules for myself, and then I break them right away. Last year I made a rule that I was going to quit horsing around with girls that, deep down, gave me a pain in the ass.

As UnitedHollywood settles into the slower, holiday news cycle, we'll still be updating the site. Just ...you know, not as much. The big news over the next few days will be the speechless campaign. So look for that. And we'll be back with full coverage of the resumed negotiations on the 26th.

• StrikeSwag.com has shirts and a brand new supply of red writer's bracelets in stock.

(From fans4writers.com:)

Fans should gather at Universal Studios beginning at 11:00 AM. We have a customizable picket sign (pdf) you can use. Mingle with other fans, wave your signs, experience the thumbs-up and honking car horns of passing drivers.

Then, when the time comes, head to NBC Burbank, where many striking writers will be headed, in time for a larger strike rally to be visited by presidential candidate John Edwards beginning at 1:45 PM.

This is a relatively last-minute event, so spread the word far and wide. And keep an eye out here for future developments, because preliminary discussions are underway for a much larger Fan Day event to show the Companies just how much fans support the writers have.

Tomorrow at Raleigh Studios, home of ABC's "Ugly Betty," C. Jay Cox, Chad Darnell and Michael Medico are inviting WGA, SAG and all friends of the L.G.B.T. community to join them at the 10am-2pm picket. Silvio Horta, creator of "Ugly Betty," will be in attendance as well as cast members from the show. Raleigh is across the street from Paramount at 5300 Melrose Ave, and for more information you can click through to C. Jay's blog post.

Friday night, a benefit comedy concert featuring Tenacious D., Eddie Izzard, Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt and Andy Dick was held at UCLA. All proceeds from the event went to the WGA Union Solidarity Fund to suport those affected by the strike.

But even if you weren't able to attend, StrikeSwag.com gives you a way to both get a great souvenir from the event and help those in need. All profits from each one of the shirts pictured here - and all items on Strike Swag - will be donated to the Fund.

So stock up and stuff a stocking!

Chris Neil celebrates his game-winning goal, Nov.10, 2007.

In Grade 3, Neil’s principal asked him what he was going to be when he grew up. “I’m going to play in the NHL,” said Neil.

Hey!
I won a writing contest!
Well, I share the prize with several other writers, who wrote darn good stories.
This was the Good Granny / Bad Granny writing thingy, over at BookLust.
When Patricia told me I had won, I almost wanted to make a COLLECT call to my mother, and tell her the good news!

No, I was ignored. When anyone took any notice it was to point out what a twit I was, and laugh at me. This was the best possible preparation for the life of a novelist. If you have grown-ups fussing over you and encouraging you and taking an interest, you begin to think you're important, and furthermore that you need and deserve their attention. After a while you become incapable of working without someone else motivating you.

(News Release from the Writers Guild of America)

Hundreds of Screen Actors Guild Members Join Picket Lines Outside Universal Studios

on Day Nine of WGA Strike

Brought to you by Fans4Writers. As always, we are inspired by their generosity and solidarity, and deeply grateful to them for their support.

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 21), fans will be joining the picketing writers at NBC Burbank. All fans in the Los Angeles area (and beyond) are urged to join in on the picket.

NBC BURBANKPicketing Shifts:
2:30pm-5:30pm
3000 W Alameda Ave

I saw this meme at Fraternity of Dreamers. It's a weird one but it'll give you an interesting view of my world:

What kind of soap is in your shower right now? Ivory Body Wash and Dove Bar Soap (with the little nibblets in it).

Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? No but I do have a Pomelo.

From 2:15pm-4:00pm today (Wednesday 12/19) and again tomorrow (Thursday 12/20), David Milch (creator, Deadwood) will continue his discussion-series on The Idea of the Writer at the WGA Theater at 135 Doheny Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA.

StrikeSwag.com - the non-profit site which donates all profits to the Writers Guild Foundation Industry Support Fund to assist non-WGA members of the industry who are in financial distress as a direct result of the strike - is out with its January 2008 line which Fashion Week boldly called "the black and white shield tee." This 100% cotton shirt a variant of the official WGA West strike shirt.

Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation…
-- Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Act 4, Scene 1 –

Have a great Monday!

I found this meme posted at A Fraternity of Dreamers. Kookie had such fun answers that she inspired me to give it a shot. Here goes:

What kind of soap is in your shower right now?
Ivory(DH), B&BW Rice Flower& Shea(Me), B&BW Exotic Coconut(DD),
Old Spice Red Zone(Sons)

Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? No

In doctor’s waiting-rooms, a decade or two ago, the tedium would have been relieved with quiet background music: sentimental songs from Broadway, popular classics like Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Nowadays, however, one hears only the thudding, mechanical music favoured by the young. Their cowed elders bear it without protest: faute de mieux it has become their music too.

Yesterday I was a dog.
Today I'm a dog.
Tomorrow I'll probably still be a dog.
[Sigh!]
There's so little hope for advancement.
-- Snoopy –

Have a great Wednesday!

I saw this letter in today's New York Daily News' "Voice of the People" column, and had to comment on it. (It's always a great source of bizarre entertainment!)

Say Ay!
Bronx: Any person who doesn't believe having A-Rod on the Yankees is a great thing knows absolutely nothing about baseball. If Voicer Gisela Roubeck wants to be a Met fan, good riddance. And if Voicer Dave Carbray thinks the Red Sox will ever match the glorious history of the Yankees after a couple of good seasons, I think Bellevue has a room just for him. Joseph M. Hendon

What new books are you looking forward to most in 2008? Something new being published this year? Something you got as a gift for the holidays? Anything in particular that you’re planning to read in 2008 that you’re looking forward to? A classic, or maybe a best-seller from 2007 that you’re waiting to appear in paperback?

The sun sank, and they both felt its final shudder of warmth.
Turning, he looked into her eyes.
“I feel as though you are the one I have waited for, all my life. And now you are here.”
“I’m not even sure if I believe in such a thing,” she whispered.

← Why is this man smiling?

I’ll tell you why!
He’s smiling because he just found out he can buy that mansion that is twice the size of his current mansion!

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY TO ALL MY FELLOW
IRISHMEN & WOMEN!

Nothing new on the baby front, but wouldn't mind him wanting to come into the world today! I have a few people betting that today or tomorrow will be the day, but I know this little guy is on his own timetable unknown to the rest of us. If I do go to the hospital today, I have a super cool green hat to wear to the hospital to entertain everyone : ) Even though I am only a quarter Irish (paternal grandmother), I like to celebrate it all the same.

Our friends at StrikeSwag.com have just gotten the official strike shirts back in stock (pictured at left).  And for those of you who're just a little bit late with your holiday cards, Simpsons writer Tom Gammill has a custom designed card that you can order.  Click over to pick up some swag and support the solidarity fund!