So it was SG-1's fifth season and our second year on the franchise. After spending six months in the extended-stay suites of Vancouver's venerable Sutton Place Hotel (with its antiquated rooms and celeb-watering hole Gerard Lounge), we moved into a furnished apartment in the heart of the downtown area. We would call that place home…
May 2, 2011: You’ve Been Warned! More SG-1 Season 5 Memories!
Late last year, after watching the producer's edit of Epilogue, Carl expressed a sentiment that has echoed throughout fandom since the episode aired: "That would have made a great series finale.". Yes, in hindsight, it certainly would have. Unfortunately, that isn't the case and Stargate: Universe WILL end on a cliffhanger. Now I've noted some…
April 28, 2011: Maintaining my constant Defcon 1 status!
Taking a little break from my Stargate ponderings to shift focus to the new show, Transporter: The Series. This morning, we welcomed our new continuity director... Then, it was three successive interviews with some potential Directors of Photography, THIS massive lunch sandwich - And a futile attempt to get some work done on my latest…
April 20, 2011: Dogs! And such!
My car finally arrived yesterday, apparently a little worse for wear from the cross-country shipping. It sounds like a commercial airliner and smells like a Parisian brothel. Going to need to get it serviced and detailed. More meetings on the pre-production front! Yesterday, we sat down with a couple of potential Visual Effects Supervisors, then…
April 7, 2011: The Mystery of the Chewed-Up Chapstick! Stargate links! Pre-Production Update!
Look at 'em. So easygoing and laid-back. Little angels they appear to be. Certainly not the type capable of something like... THIS! I'm baffled as to who the guilty party is. In The Big Red Chewing Gum Incident, Jelly's cinammony breath was a dead giveaway. In the Mystery of the Missing Curry Fusilli, the fact…
April 6, 2011: I’m back in! Silly dog outfits! Splendido! Mailbag!
Success! I finally have access to my yahoo email! And it only took me an entire afternoon and approximately one hundred letter and number combinations to get it! Let's celebrate with a pic of my mother's dog in silly outfits! My other objected not so much to the fact they looked silly, but the fact…
April 5, 2011: Joe’s School of Language!
I was in the kitchen, packing away the dog food, when I heard Akemi, in the next room, drop three successive f-bombs as she struggled with her laptop. Sweet, polite, demure, soft-spoken Akemi! "Where did you learn that?"I asked/admonished. "Joe's school of language,"she informed me without missing a beat. And then, redirecting her attention back…
April 2, 2011: Hey, maybe Toronto isn’t so bad after all. I mean, I could really – no, wait. I stand corrected. It IS so bad after all.
Today, the sun came up, the temperature rose and, for the very first time, I thought there was a chance I could actually starting liking Toronto. Following my first early morning workout in ages, I took the dogs for a stroll, showered up, dressed, then headed out to explore the city. We drove around, picked…
March 30, 2011: They et green grapes. They all five got the howlin’ skitters.
What a great start to my day. I walked into the production offices this morning to discover THIS tasty-looking treat... Another day of spinning. We're hoping to send everyone off with one story before we break to write. We're averaging about two to two and a half days an episode meaning we'll be finishing up…
March 28, 2011: Toasty warm on your numbened fingers through the plastic of the poopy bag. Heavenly!
So, yesterday's dog transport went surprisingly smoothly. My awesome dogs-sitter, Christine, was kind enough to offer me a lift to the airport. Once there, I met up with Leah and, dog carriers in hand, we fairly breezed through check-in and security with minimal whining. Bubba and Lulu were pretty good too. With plenty of time…
March 25, 2011: I’m going to have to start living out of my office.
Today marked the end of our my first week in Toronto, and it was a productive one. Amid the madness of the pre-production process, we managed to break two stories (episodes 4 and 5)! I also managed to put on five pounds. The shape of things to come? I've got to stop doing less burritos…
March 24, 2011: Hey, Phil, have you seen my headless, armless dummy? Oh. Here is is!
Moving to a new place always requires a bit of a readjustment. Many of the aspects of your last home that you grew to know and love may be different, if not altogether non-existent, in your new home. Things like roominess, grass, or a comfortable bed. Sure, you can focus on the negatives - "It's…
March 15, 2011: Things are picking up! Trailers! We we so excited! Stewie! And some Ghosts of Manhattan discussion!
Well, things are starting to pick up. I've secured a car rental for the first couple of weeks I'll be in Toronto while I wait for my Q7 to be shipped over. No house as of yet and since we're cutting it kind of close, I've decided to rent a pet-friendly condo while I'm hunting.…
March 6, 2011: The dogs entertain! We eat! I need to hire Frank Martin!
Today, Akemi had some friends over to the house. I'd like to say "We entertained" but, in truth, the dogs did most of the entertaining. We enjoyed a leisurely home cooked lunch. I didn't have time to make ice cream, so I picked up some desserts from that always-busy cake and pastry place in the…
March 5, 2011: Dog fitness! The Vancouver farewell tour continues! “Greetings to you the lucky finder of this Golden Ticket, from Mr. Willy Wonka!! Present this ticket at the restaurant gates at eight thirty on the evening of the ninth day of March and do not be late!” Also, some mailbag!
With two weeks to go be our (probable) move to Toronto, I'm no closer to: a) finding somewhere to stay, b) finding something to drive, or c) figuring out how I'm going to get my dogs there. Ashleigh was kind enough to volunteer (herself and a friend who may or may not know she's been…