So today I found out that I was nominated for a Constellation Award in the category of “Outstanding Canadian Contribution to Science Fiction Film or Television in 2010”. Also today, I found out that I ended up losing the award two weeks ago to these guys –
Teddy Wilson and Ajay Fry, hosts of the uber-awesome Innerspace on Canada’s Space channel. Now don’t get me wrong. I love the show and think these guys do a great job. I just feel the need to voice my concerns regarding some purported voting irregularities. Specifically, the fact that a cross-reference of the registered voters revealed many of them apparently sat in the U.S. House of Representatives between 1911 and 1912. The voting list also seemed to include all of last season’s contestants on Master Chef Australia, several Presidential pets (among them George Washington’s staghound Sweet Lips, Benjamin Harrison’s opossums Mr. Reciprocity and Mr. Protection, and William Howard Taft’s cow Mooly Wooly), and three of the four members of the Banana Splits (Snork was curiously absent). In addition there were rumors of armed Teddy and Ajay supporters roaming the streets on election day, intimidating voters and, in the case of one unfortunate Robert J. Sawyer supporter, forcing him to eat his own peach-colored crocs.
Anyway, forget I mentioned it.
So, this is interesting. My crazy work schedule, poor eating habits, and lack of exercise are taking a toll on me physically. But the dogs, it would seem, have benefited from the move. Check out the following Before and After pics of Bubba…
Wow! Those three-a-day walkies have paid off! Bubba’s ready for swimsuit season!
Today = meetings, meetings, meetings! And our weekly summit/conference call. Gotta say, I’m usually fairly patient individual and it takes a lot to get me to go off, but I WILL lose it the next time “someone” asks me to deliver a script update and then continually cuts me off while I’m trying to deliver said update or while I’m trying to make others aware of the challenges we’re facing (ie. the fact that I’m juggling six simultaneous script rewrites or the fact that Alexander worked through the night, staying at the office until 7:30 this morning and only going home to shower before returning for an early morning meeting). I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that if it happens again three weeks from now while I’m prepping those two monster episodes, there’s gonna be some fireworks!
After leaving my last meeting of the day, I noticed Alex and Trevor enjoying some soft serve. WTF? Apparently, the ice cream truck had stopped by. And Alex hadn’t bothered to get me any. WTF?!!! 
Look at him – so smug.
Spoke to the lovely Carl Binder today. He is finishing work on my dream project and will soon be free to lend us some much-needed writing/producing support. But, alas, not until early August – well past the time I’ll have had to produce 12 Hours and rethink/rewrite/reconfigure Sharks and Payback. And well past my nervous breakdown.
Finally – my crazy idea got nixed because – well, it was crazy. And no. It didn’t involve night shoots or amphetamines. Think crazier!
Today’s blog is dedicated to Das and PBMom.
Also, Kymm. My answer is black!
Mailbag:
archersangel writes: “stargate was probably twice as much work because of the special effects & stuff, but Mr. M wasn’t a show runner so he didn’t have to be involved with so much.”
Answer: Correction. Mr. M WAS a show runner and Stargate was a comparatively smoother production mainly due to the fact that Paul and I joined the franchise in its fourth season after Brad and Robert had turned the production into a well-oiled machine. Well-oiled machines don’t get built overnight!
Randomness writes: “Syfy had no choice but to cancel SGU…”
Answer: No choice? Really? Was someone holding their family members hostage?
Sarah writes: “Is it possible extinction will be in production next year?”
Answer: Sorry. Most unlikely.
Debra writes: ” Is there any truth to the comments that a year after the cancellation of star gate the network regretted it, tried to revive but was too late?”
Answer: Nope.
Debra also writes: “Or that Shanks leaving allowed a “fresh” start on SyFy and probably was why it got renewed.”
Answer: Absolutely not.
Thornyrose writes: “It should be some consolation that once you have a season or two under your belts, things will get smoother and smoother.”
Answer: Season two? Is the production moving to Vancouver? What’ve you heard?!!
Fraud, demand a recount, examine the ballots, count the chads…!!! Mr. Mallozzi was robbed! Bubbalooks sexy for his closeups. Please stay healthy.
If you didn’t know that the Ice Cream van was there how did you manage to take the photograph?
Bubba is looking like a lean, mean little chap. Is he getting ready for the return trip to Vancouver or, maybe, a little trip to see his Gran (plus Babe and Felix) at Christmas.
😉
Hey Joe!
That looks like the ice cream truck that stops by us in Ajax!!
Elminster
Hi Joe, Bubba’s looking great! My four doggies are melting tonight – the a/c died and nobody can come out until tomorrow, so tonight it’ll be either a dog-friendly hotel or I can just beat myself over the head until I feel nothing. 🙂 Problem is, with 1 large dog, 1 medium dog and 2 small ones, even the friendliest of dog-friendly hotels is not so friendly. Never mind that they’re better behaved (and cleaner) than many people! What a pain in the ass, especially with my daughter here. Still hoping Mr. Deni can do a quick fix for the night, but it’s not looking too hopeful. Have a good ngiht!
Joe, you always make me laugh. Thank you. Sorry that you didn’t get any soft serve. Maybe now that you know the truck comes near your workplace, you can ask if they will get you some. 🙂 Can’t hurt to try. When I asked hubby to get me a candy bar earlier, he came back with three for me to choose from. Thought that was kind of generous.
Moving preparations continue. We leave for the West Coast in four days.
Awww…a blog dedication? So sweet, but I haven’t done anything! Unless, of course, you count the other day when I did spy with my little eye a hot guy zipping up his wayward fly!
😀
Thankies, Joe!
das
Deni
Air conditioning is not a common addition to houses in Scotland. At the weekend there was amazingly heavy rain and some flooding here in Perth. We have had one day of summer so far. At least at this time of year the rain is warmer.
oops! i stand corrected sir.
you are right, these things just don’t pop into being & we “civilians” don’t know the half of what goes into making a TV series.
(Just realised I use the ‘then after that it will be all smooooooth sailing’ in my work environment)
Joe, thanks for taking the time-you have to be exhausted! Electorate ignorance ptevails, sorry.
@Lisa R good luck with the move, hang in there!
Just watched The Adjustment Bureau & loved it although I think Michael Shanks could have done the lead better.
Cheers!
maggiemayday: “Banana Blowjob Contest”? I’m afraid to ask 😳 .
Das: Thanks for the tip (death star). I’ll tell him. 😉
Yes, I get bored exercising but I don’t get bored with Karate. My anger with family got me through to my black belt. You have no idea how therapeutic it is to punch that bag and imagine my brother/SIL’s picture on the dummy! It’s hard to get bored at karate when the instructor is always changing things up. “Do a high block, with a front kick, then an outside inside block, then knife hand block and a down block while in a front stance”. Of course he says most of it in a Southern style of Japanese 😀 . Our Sensei is very hyper and stays up most nights thinking of ways to screw with our brains. That is my theory anyway 😀 . So maybe you haven’t found an exercise that works for you? Keep looking around.
Narelle: I hope you are back to your energetic self soon!
Bubba looks very handsome!
Well, it took whatshername the soap opera lady , what, years and years before winning a daytime emmy? Perhaps you’re just one of theose people who will have to wait till you’re just shy of senility before being awarded your rightful trophies. We feel for you rloss, but I have every confidence that you will someday be recognised for your body of work in the sci fi world. I mean, tv, print, and soon comics. The only thing you need to seal an award would be a web based show(hint hint.
My comments on a second season and beyond is alas, not based on reading the fall patterns of my dog’s toenail clippings, or of visions provided after spending a few hours in the insane heat and humidity striking my part of the country. Rather, I am making a prediction based on the confidence I feel about the people working on the show, the nature of the show itself, and the interest my non-sci fi loving coworkers have expressed about the show. Alas, reading the entrails of some stray squirrels shows nothing about moving to Vancouver.in later seasons. I feel for your homesickness, but can offer no solace in that regard. Riches and fame and Toronto, vs contentedness and eateries and Vancouver. Whichever way it goes, thanks for taking so much time out, and enjoy the rest of the week.
I just realized that Bubba looks way better than me. I think I need three-a-day walkies, too. 😛
das
Okay, that’s it! Tomorrow I stop by the ice cream store on the way home and stock up! For the past 3 weeks, this has been the 7 day forecast here in record-heat-wave-drought-stricken Texas:
101 102 101 100 102 103 102
No end in sight! 😥
I am PMP nearly… Joe, when I click on the picture of Alex, it turns upside down. Did you do that or is it a glitch on my end?
Truly I think their voting must have been fraudulent. The nerve of those voters, particularly the dead people and pets! Even they should have recognized your superior talent. However, congrats on the nomination!
Tell Alex unless he wants us to name all his future children and grandchildren, he’d better get you an ice cream.
🙁 Bubba looks much thinner and healthier, but sadder. Maybe he needs an ice cream to cheer him up. Hey you cook from scratch, I can get you a doggie ice cream recipe, low fat of course, if you want one! 🙂 How are the other dogs doing? Didn’t you have a new stem cell treatment scheduled?
I work at a day camp, and the ice cream truck that drives past is … interesting. It’s a dark colored panel van that has no images of ice cream. It plays the music and has a sticker on the back that says children crossing. We don’t let the kids get ice cream. Mostly because I don’t think it is a legitimate ice cream truck.
Also, reading your schedule makes me glad that I get paid to play tag and judge the ice cream truck.
Is your crazy idea to move the production to Vancouver? I think that is a great idea because of all the tv shows and movies being made there. I hear Vancouver is a production friendly. And so much green space to work outside! I hear Bridge studios has some space available. If only you knew some people there to work on the show?
Look at Bubba. He doesn’t look like the same dog. He looks great!
What, no ice cream? Bad Alex. Those cones do look good. But why is the ice cream truck called Slush? I would figure they’d sell slushies.
Don’t know if anyone’s posted this yet, but here’s a link to the trailer for “Once upon a Time” with Robert Carlyle (Rumplestiltskin):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rga4rp4j5TY
and a pic:
http://www.britscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/British-TV-Robert_Carlyle-Image-2-e1305692969490.jpg
Suitably creepy!
Oops. Should be:
http://www.britscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/British-TV-Robert-Caryle-Image-2-e1305692969490.jpg
Seems the image has his name typo-d and I put an underscore in place of a dash.
@Deni — That sucks. Summer with no air. I’d lie about the # of pets.
@Das – I was thinking the same thing. What did I do to deserve a blog dedication? But I appreciate it nonetheless.
Maybe Alex didn’t think you liked slumming with truck-made soft-serve being the ice cream Masterchef you are.
Bubba looks awesome. You won’t have to worry about the weight limit when you head back to Vancouver in January (right? January?)
Isn’t that a firing offence to buy ice cream, but not enough for everyone?!
And to get a picture taken with said ice cream is just wrong. Me thinks they did that on purpose to help tip you over the edge…don’t let them pet!!!
@Debra, I got the upside down photo also,Joe would not do that to Alex and his ice cream on purpose??? and yet the ice cream stayed on the cone, the magic of pictures…
Bubba does look grand, almost didn’t recognize him, those stem cells are working wonders also, congrats to Bubba(and his 3-a-day-walker).
Joe, had we known you were nominated, we here your loyal blogette ers(?)
would have stuffed the ballot box for sure, just give us a headsup, and yeah maybe it was fixed….lets have a recount.
Hope the heat is quickly headed for a cool down, my car thermometer said 104 yesterday, dang.. its a wonder systems don’t shut down, stay hydrated everyone, when you don’t feel hot, is when you need water the most.
Have a great day!!
All all those in the Southern states thinking of getting ice cream: better eat it at the store! No way it will make it home as a solid 😉 . The local ice cream shops are pulling in the dough this week!!
Das: My hubby commented on your death star analogy “Red Squadron Increase to attack speed” Hmmm, maybe not such a good idea for ADD son 😉
Joe, it’s as if the dogs are feeding off of your health and vitality. They must be wraith dogs!
@ PBMom – Well, at least you’ve been under the weather. Me? I’ve just been seriously pissed off at the weather! 😉
@ George R. R. Martin fans – Check out John Picacio’s 2012 A Song of Ice and Fire calendar! It’s GORGEOUS!
http://picacio.blogspot.com/2011/07/2012-asoiaf-calendar-release-day.html
Now I wish I had read the books… 😛
@ Joe – You know what you need? A trip to the shore. Really. Just pawn the pups off on Fondy, jump in the car with Akemi, and drive on down to Wildwood. You remember the place. Vaguely. It’s changed. It’s trashier than ever before! 😀 Just think of all the Tramps or Teamsters games you could play! BUT…we do have nice beaches, and a few good restaurants (nothing like you’re used to, but also probably a lot cheaper, too). It’s like Quebec South here at the moment. Just imagine it, you could prance along the beach with your fellow Quebecers in one of those skimpy bikini things (a.k.a. grape smugglers), checking out the babes while nibbling on French fries and dodging hungry seagulls. It would be so much fun! We even have jellyfish, too! 😀
Just…whatever you do…do NOT wear a see-through mesh bikini like I saw on the 50-something-year old hairy Italian dude (with a pot belly!) about 30 years ago down here. Traumatized me for LIFE! I mean, that is just something you cannot unsee! It’s probably why I’m so good at spotting unzipped flies, phallic symbols, and…ya know…gigolos. 😉
Have a great day, Joegolo! 😀
das
@ Tammy Dixon – Yeah, but what about Gold Five’s “stay on target”…?? 😉
das
@PBMom: Air fixed last night courtesy of Mr. Deni. 🙂 NO idea what he did, but it got suitably freezing in here by midnight!
Das: hubby’s reply: “Yes, and look what happened to him”
Ratings Joe ratings. Come on you know if it was remotely viable to keep it would of been. Its unfair to blame the network especially since MGM killed off this incarnation of Stargate. Had movies of been made its not like Syfy wouldnt want.
Speaking of which I answered your point literally because I couldnt really care less. Those are the facts. SGUs lack of success forced MGM to end things, you dont need to be an ass to put that point across either, as actions speak louder than words, and with the shows and staff gone from the bridge, it tells me MGM lost faith in the former crew.
Dear Joseph, You can be proud that Stargate Universe won the Constellation Award for best science fiction series! Doctor Who was the only competitor that came close to winning, and no other show from Syfy even got nominated. We SGU fans wonder what it will take for Syfy and MGM to recognize their mistake! Regardless, we continue the fight for its return. http://facebook.com/SaveSGU
Lovely little Bubba, he’ll make other pugs jealous with his trim physique. I’m glad they are staying fit.
So I’m guessing no comic-con for the TSPTR gang — maybe next year? Best way to destress is Anne Lamont’s Bird by Bird; has little tales about the writer’s life that relax and refresh.
@ Tammy Dixon – 😛
@ Joe – I just wanted to give a little nod to the successful, final flight of the space shuttle Atlantis. Not sure how I feel about it. I haven’t been able to watch a launch or landing since the two tragedies, but I always felt that at least space travel seemed within reach. I really don’t know if the private sector will be a safe option – I guess time will tell. I’m just so glad that Atlantis made it back safe, though…both for the people on board, and for rather sentimental reasons, as well. 😉
das
Joe – to maintain consistency in how a character spoke or what was siad, did only certain writers write or at least correct lines for only certain characters?
@Tam … just what you fear:
1. Contestants must have a pick up line to get the banana out of the bar.
“Baby, you and me got a date with the 7th Fleet”.
2. Contestant must do an appealing sexy banana peel.
3. Whipped cream is applied atop the banana. Contestant must, well, you know.
Audience interaction and acting skill go a long way in winning one of these competitions. Even the hot half-naked girls performing as a duo didn’t nail it.
Just spoke with Anne Teldy/Kelly Hurt. Her father, Roy Hurt, passed away last Friday. He’d had a stroke recently, while caring for Kelly’s mother at home. Both were moved to a nursing home, but his condition worsened quickly. He passed before Kelly’s siblings were able to update her. She was devastated. Because of her health, she was unable to leave the rehabilitation hospital to attend the funeral. Kelly remembers the many times he accompanied her on doctor appointments, and she thanked him. He replied simply, “That’s what daddies do.”
Her dad married her mom Marlett when she was 15 and he 22. They needed her parents permission, and it was given, “because they knew he was a good man.” Roy is survived by Marlett, Kelly, her two sisters & one brother, six grandchildren “who he loved,” one great-grandchild, his own brother, and many nieces and nephews. He was 81.
Please keep Anne Teldy/Kelly in your prayers and good thoughts. On the heels of several infections and depression this spring, the loss of her dad hits her especially hard.
Her address is:
Kelly Hurt
25 South Boehne Camp Road
Evansville, IN 47712
You should get out and enjoy the 120ºF humidex now in Toronto. Miss the cold depressing Vancouver rain yet?
@ for the love of Beckett – Oh, dear…how sad! I will certainly drop her a note! Thank you for letting us know.
@ Anne Teldy – If you’re out there, please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I am so very sorry for your loss. {{{{{hugs}}}}}
@ maggiemayday – You are absolutely forbidden to eat a banana within a 100-mile radius of my husband.
…
..
.
Make that a 200-mile radius.
😛
das
Hey Joe,
Long time no read! Sorry about that… been busy getting my BA in math!
I’m moving down to FL in one week with my little dachshund (got a teaching job down there, yay!), and I need some way to keep him in the seat next to me for the whole 19 hour drive. (He has a bad habit of getting in my line of vision when he sits on my lap!) I remember that your dogs always have their own seat belts. What brand of puppy seat belt do you use, and where did you get them?
Sorry for the long time sans comment! I’ve missed the doses of humour and canine adorableness!
The cuh’rayziest thing happened. I clicked on the pic of Alex w/ soft serve and it displayed upside down. What does it mean?
I don’t think 6 simultaneous script rewrites is even possible. I’ve never tried it, so I’m basing this on absolutely nothing. By the time you have 3 script rewrites on your plate, don’t the stories start to blend together?