I’ve finally discovered my “writing zone”, that oh-so-elusive long sought-after artistic sweet spot, a place that marries private serenity and social dynamism, where focus sharpens and creativity blossoms. I refer, of course, to the Air Canada lounge in the Vancouver Airport where, yesterday, I hit the 35 page mark, and concluded Act III of my script. At one point, when I was on my feet and pacing, running the dialogue in my head, an elderly traveler uncertainly approached and motioned to my open laptop. “Are you done?”he inquired. I wanted to tell him he’d have to wait to watch the episode like everyone else, but went with “No, sorry.” instead. He shuffled off and eventually found a seat at one of the public computers. In retrospect, I wonder – had I said yes, would he have finished the last two acts for me?
I was able to get some writing done because, despite my apprehension, it turned out to be a surprisingly smooth travel day. No endless line-ups. No frenzied crowds. I walked in and right up to the counter where I presented my passport and information. At first, the woman at the check-in informed me that I had missed my flight, then realized she had me on an earlier departure from the same gate and that I was, in fact, hideously early. Security turned out to be a breeze, the anticipated Christmas travel rush nowhere to be seen, so that by the time I hit the lounge, I had a couple of hours to kill. And, really, what better way to spend them than finally putting that tricky third act to bed.
We return to the offices on January 12th, but I’m hoping to get this script finished sooner since my friend Tomomi, in Canada from Japan to visit with family for the holidays, will be swinging by Vancouver for a couple of days. Back in Tokyo, we dined at Il Ghiottone and Yamada Chikara where we enjoyed two excellent meals so I’m going to have to go with the heavy hitters for her two-night stay on my turf. I tried to book Lumiere through Opentable but was informed I would have to give them my Visa information to complete the reservation. Well, yes , I could go through the trouble of doing that – or, I could simply click off Lumiere and click on West and go with an equally great and far more convenient choice. At a time when the fine-dining scene is hurting, I want to make it a point to help out Vancouver’s local restaurants as much as possible – but if I’m going to have to leave my Visa information every time I want to book a table at Lumiere, I’m going to assume they’re doing just fine and focus on other places.
You know, it’s always nice to be quoted, especially when what you said was mature, intelligent and/or witty. For example, my memorably astute one-word summation of the lovely Elyse Leveseque, simply “Yowza!”, that found its way into Mike Moody’s “…Eleven Babes Worth Watchin…’” Christmas countdown for TV Squad ( The Twelve Days of Festivus: Eleven babes worth watchin’ – TV Squad). Mike offers up a great list – to which I would add: Ming-Na, Alaina Huffman, Jennifer Spence, and Julia Benson (whose name continually leads the list of Search Engine Terms used to find my blog, well ahead of “Stargate”, “Joseph Mallozzi”, and, curiously, “smile now cry later”).
Well, back in Montreal and reunited with mom, sis, the dogs, and he’s-so-ugly-he’s-actually-cute Baby cat.
- Felix (mom’s neurotic dog)
- Roxy (sweetheart)
- Aspen (the loud one)
- Baby (the…er…cute one?)
- Sis
- Mom
And a couple of surprises from sis…
- Located in downtown Montreal, run by a young couple who clearly know their chocolate, it’s considered the best chocolate shop by many local foodies.
- Dark chocolate foie gras truffles – made to order. Incredibly decadent.
- Another Montreal maker of fine chocolates…
Finally – Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
Gah! That chocolate looks divine! Oh…and Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays (and safe travels) to you and yours! 🙂
Merry Christmas to everyone!
By the way, Gateworld had an interview with the studio making Stargate Resistance. I don’t personally think the story sounds great, they basically grabbed some remaining bad guys in the Milky Way Galaxy and made them the enemy. By that I mean.
Quoted from the article.
*the battles in Resistance are occurring a few years after Season Ten of SG-1. There is a vacuum of power with the major System Lords being brought to justice. Now remaining Goa’uld, Jaffa and Ashraks have banded together, hungry for the power they believe is theirs to claim and bent on destroying Stargate Command and all that it represents. They have mounted a massive assault across the galaxy, using the Stargates to pillage worlds and enslave the populations they encounter*
No mention of an already existing thorn in Stargate Commands side *Cough Lucian Alliance cough*
Sounds like a horrible story premise imo.
Hi, Joe, I’m back from my cruise, and it was wonderful!! @hi, Deni, Karen, Airelle ,Hope you all have a wonderful holiday!! Hey Joe, I LOVE Ice Wine, I know of at least 3 makers, but my fav is-EISWEIN ice wine-Germany there are 2 from CANADA-NIAGRA area which are also wonderful!! This one unfortunately is 55$ a bottle for @ 275 ml. The others run 21-25$ a bottle. Which do you prefer??This may be the ONLY foodie conversation I can have with you!! Anyone who has tried our ice wine has loved it, and we Don’t share this one, TOO GOOLD and costly! @ANNE T. Anything special get to you? I want to make sure you had a delivery in the last few days, Happy Holidays to all!! Sheryl.
Merry Christmas, and congrtulations on the writing inspiration. Just a shame we have to wait so long before we, your loyal(snickers involuntarily) fans get to see the final product. And here’s hoping for an accident and medical free Christmas, for myself and all the others here.
Hey Joe!
Ooo, I’ve been a reader of your web log well over a year now. No matter. I found something you’ll be interested in, given your recent experience with providers: http://gizmodo.com/5432332/basically-every-isp-is-trying-to-scare-you-into-paying-for-internet-you-dont-need
Merry Christmas Joe to you and your family!
That chocolate looks too pretty to eat and delicious.
I totally agree with you on the visa deal, too much of our information is out there and its a little scary at times. Thanks for sharing the photos of the family and pets. Felix doesn’t look neurotic, and mom and sis look pleased to have you there,(yes I can tell that from the photos)(lol) Seriously, have a wonderful time and safe journey back to Vancouver. Congrats on Act III completion..
It’s good to see your mom and sis looking well. The chocolates also look to be in the peak of good health. *g* – Beautiful assortment. Also, sweet pics of the pets.
The US liquor/chocolate oddity seems to be a matter left mostly to the states, with regs varying wildly. I can get them, and also have no trouble with ordering them online; but I’ve read that in some states, red tape makes it all but impossible to make and/or commercially sell liquor-filled chocolates. – Yeah, it’s pretty weird. No surprises there. . . .
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all!
Hi Joe, glad you made it safe and sound! Janta (Jewish Santa) came already for the dogs, they’ve had a blast and are sound asleep (!). No way was Elway going to let us sleep knowing he had pressies, so we decided to go ahead and do it early tonight and be done with it. Doubt they’ll notice 🙂
A wonderful Christmas to you and your family, and much good health and happiness in the New Year!
We Wish You a Merry♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Christmas♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪We Wish You a Merry ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪Christmas ♥ ♥ ♥We Wish You A Merry ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪Christmas ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪…And A Happy New Year!♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪
Thornyrose
you said:- “your loyal(snickers involuntarily) fans”
but I initially read that as:-
“your loyal (knickers voluntary) fans 🙂
Joe
Best wishes to all of you at Christmas and for 2010. I am not sure about anyone else but 2010 HAS to be better than 2009 has been/is being.
Susan ♥ ♥ ♥
☼ ☼ ☼
Merry Christmas everyone!!
http://www.comicsalliance.com/2009/12/17/the-15-worst-comics-of-the-decade/
An amusing little read for fans of the genre.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/
all the blog entries are interesting(to me anyways) but halfway down he mentions some books, including one John Scalzi has blogged about. A BotM club candidate?
Mmmmmmm….chocolate. (said in my best Homer Simpson voice :p******* )
@ Sis – Whoa. You look like a teenager in that pic! Very cute!
Totally pooped tonight…hopefully a good night’s sleep will do the trick and I won’t be dragging tomorrow.
Nite, Tiger!
😉
das
Does Baby have a nice personality?
The dogs are all beautiful – Roxy is lovely and Felix is just glad to get that blasted Christmas outfit off.
One of our department stores tried to sell little leather jackets for cats a few years back. I would end up in hospital if I tried to put one on my cats. Clipping their claws is difficult enough. Claw removal is illegal in the UK.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Joe! Maybe you should fly more often – or I don’t know what the Canadian airport security is like – can you go into the terminal and sit in the lounge? I remember pre-9/11, you’d be able to down here in the states, but not anymore…I suppose you could buy a ticket, go in, sit in the lounge, and continually claim your flight has been delayed and/or cancelled. Definately not out of the realm of possibilities. Anyways, I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas – I hope your mom is doing well too, she looks like she is in the picture!
Merry Christmas!
Have a wonderful Christmas with the family.
Whoa, pretty chocolate.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, including the pups!
Hope you have a terrific New Year!
And also to your blog-fans 🙂
Merry Christmas (Eve) all!!! 😀
Merry Christmas, Joe!
SBS
According to the Wikipedia, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December.
Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring. Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa’s reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.
We should have known… ONLY women would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Patricia
Merry Christmas. I asked before about your wife, but next day was no mailbag as you had guest poster. Now you are off with family without her it seems. Hope she and the doggies have a good holiday too!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Welcome back to Montreal and I wish you a very Merry Christmas! No doubt about it and no need for an “er”, Baby is most definitely the cute one in my opinion.
Merry Christmas Joe!
I hope the New Year brings all your heart’s desire into reality.
Blessing Abound!
Merry Christmas everyone!!!
Merry Christmas to you and yours! I hope we get news on the StarGate front in 2010.
Jingle bells Jingle Bells Christmas time is Beaut!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden ute!! Hey!!
Aussie version of Jingle bells as Christmas sleighs tend to get too hot (being red and all) here in the land down under.
I want that chocolate. I got some but they’re not as ‘hoity toity’ as yours. Mine have praline (ugh) in them and sorry, I am not keen on nuts in chocolate *eliminates naughty thoughts from mind*.
Merry Christmas to you, Fondy, the pugkids, Your mama, sis, Felix Canis neuroticus.. and err, Baby, (aptly named because babies DO look like that when they pop out – all pudgy and scrunched up, but mostly not so furry).
What’s Mama Joe holding???
Chocolate and foie gras truffles…not my cup of tea, I fear.
Tried, weakly, to talk myself into attending church tonight, but just too blue. Did, however, watch the televised Midnight Mass from San Fernando Cathedral and found some comfort. Missing my parents and many other deceased elders this year.
That said, looking forward to brunch with my sis and her friends tomorrow and a few days with sis-in-law’s clan next week.
Kudos to you sis Joel, Aspen Is a great looking Husky, but then again I’m am a sucker for dogs of those type!
Joel=Joe, sorry fat finger syndrome
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Doggies are asleep, pie is made, cranberry jelly is, well, jelling, and all I have left is to clean house before company comes tomorrow. Oh, and cook dinner…
Joe, please mention to your Sis that I would still LOVE to see Aspen’s Elvis costume if at all possible!! Since you said you were leaving town, I plan to have your package to the office when you get back. I have a WFPOTD candidate, and of course, homemade candy!!
Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday filled with friends and family…
Lisa
@Artic godddess. ROFL. Makes total sense to me
@Susan the Tartan Turtle. Hmm, I’ve been called a jackass, and the south end of a northbound horse before, so maybe you’re right….
Wee hours of Christmas morning here and the ham is coming along nicely. Now, if only I didn’t have to work a 24 hour shift in four hours….
No, I’m gonna have to go with ‘so ugly he’s really ugly’. I never ‘got’ the whole squished face appeal.
Merry Christmas!
Coucou Joseph!
Ya Joyeux Noël!!!!
J’espere que votre soirée c’est bien passée :)!
ça fait bien plaisir de revoir votre petite famille, votre maman n’a pas changé. Ses animaux sont vraiment adorables, je comprend pourquoi vous aimez autant les chiens 😉
Gros bisou =)
Je vous adore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe,
Any word on the Comic series you and Paul are working on??…
Hello Mr Mallozzi,
I would like to wish you a merry christmas! I hope you will have nice days!
So I think this year will show us the destiny of the two movies, will it?
Best regards
Merry Christmas Joe! Have a good time in Montreal with your family!
Joey – just came across this old pic of my grandmother in Montreal, c. 1952. She was visiting her sister who was living there at the time.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/dasNdanger/nan.jpg
🙂 That’s my nan – she lived to be 101…bless her. Best grandma on the planet! 😀
Have a great day! Enjoy your visit, enjoy the food, enjoy the ‘down time’! Cheers!
das
I believe the FDA ban you’re referring to has to do specifically with combining caffeinated energy drinks and alcohol, producing a condition which allegedly (and probably) results in an increased potential for alcohol poisoning, since you don’t pass out. I am relatively (but not absolutely) certain that those chocolates would not be banned in any way, shape, or form. So send some down!