"This tea tastes like the bitter sweat from a salaryman's collar." - Akemi, the other day, on the green tea she was served at a hotel restaurant. So it's come to this. Bubba is now an unwitting model for Akemi's inspired creations. Here a simple towel transforms him into a cross-special Princess Leia. Keeping with…
November 16, 2014: Life in Toronto in Pictures!
The return of my bento box breakfast. Peanut butter oatmeal with cherries and burnt white chocolate for dessert. My every-chilly girlfriend. Almost 16-year old Jelly, already in the Christmas spirit. Jelly sleeps off her walkies. Akemi's latest passion = popcorn! And, apparently, knitting! Well, at least her ears are warm. Getting together with the gang…
November 13, 2014: C-c-c-c-c-cold!
I woke up this morning and it was snowing. Snowing!!! And the temperature has dropped about 20 degrees in a day. It's so cold that Akemi refuses to go out. She has vowed to never leave our apartment until spring. I feel terribly, for her and for the dogs, especially Lulu and her super-sensitive paws.…
November 11, 2014: Dark Matter prep continues! Ever closer on the casting! We’re scriptwriting machines! The ship is taking shape!
Two down, one to go. The Toronto and Vancouver second round casting sessions are in the books and only the L.A. session remains. Be Vanessa and I won't be able to attend, we're going to live stream it to the production offices. Theoretically anyway. I imagine it'll be sort of like those interactive video conferences…
November 7, 2014: Outrage! The behind-the-scene pic they don’t want you to see! Dogs!
THIS is an outrage! Look at this picture. That's powdered sugar on my shirt. And how, pray tell, did it get on my shirt? It got there because the sfogliatelle (Italian pastry) I was having for breakfast exploded when I bit into it, raining its dusted coating onto my lap and shirt front. And who's fault…
November 1, 2014: Settling in!
Well, it's been about two weeks since the move to Toronto and I'm pleased to report we have more or less settled in. We've met quite a few very nice people in that short time - also, a number of weirdoes. But I suppose that's to be expected. Toronto is a bigger city. Also, unlike Vancouver,…
October 28, 2014: Introducing Caitlin Brown!
"So what does Caitlin do?"I asked as part of my first day bid to know absolutely everything about absolutely everyone. "She's Head of Business Affairs,"I was told. "No, really." "Really." Really? Caitlin Brown was one of the very first people I'd met. She'd come into my office and chatted about film, television, and books (she's…
October 27, 2014: Introducing Elliot Sokolsky!
Remember the character of Radar O'Reilly in M*A*S*H*? Not the later naive Iowa farm boy he turned into, but the astute and wily operator we're initially introduced to - the clever contriver who could always manage to get his hands on the most elusive of items: chocolates, meds, a jeep. If you needed something, Radar…
October 26, 2014: The Weekend Update!
Thanks to all of you inquiring about Bubba and his separation anxiety issues. He's actually doing much better now as I suspect he's grown a little more comfortable in the new place. Unfortunately, we move to the even newer place tomorrow - so let's hope it's an easier adjustment. I have noticed, however, an increasing…
October 21, 2014: Introducing Jay Firestone! Notes! And carpet heaven!
As we head into prep on the first season of Dark Matter, I thought it might be nice to introduce you to some of the people who work behind the scenes to bring you (what will no doubt become) your new favorite new scifi series. Now people have often asked me: "Joe, what does a producer…
October 19, 2014: Toronto – Day #1!
Our first night in Toronto was, in a word, "horrible". The bed is too small, it's too hard, and the curtains are insufficient and, in parts, non-existent so that the street lights (and, at approximately 2:30 a.m., the flashing police lights) streaming in to our bedroom made sleep almost impossible. ALMOST impossible because I was…
October 18, 2014: The Eagles Has Landed! Also, a Japanse girl and three dogs!
It's a feeling akin to oversleeping on exam day or realizing, halfway through your work day, that you forgot to turn off the oven. I opened my briefcase to get my passport and...it wasn't there. At first you think "No, it can't be." as you check and re-check and re-check again, and then desperation sets…
October 14, 2014: The Grand Announcement!
There you have it! It's finally official! Worth the wait, hunh? Hunh?! Hang on. What do you mean "There was no grand announcement"? WTF?! I'm sure you're all sitting back in your homes or at your respective desks, quietly shaking your heads thinking: "Poor guy. He has lost it." Like John Nash in A Beautiful Mind or…
October 13, 2014: Akemi’s News of Japan!
1. As flexible as nylon, more robust than steel, an artificial spider silk called QMONOS (kumo-no-su being Japanese for spider web) is apparently poised for mass production in everything from super lightweight bulletproof vests to automobiles. http://www.huffingtonpost.jp/2013/05/28/spiber_n_3350116.html According to the article, this unique silk is so strong that it could snag a jumbo jet in mid-flight. "Spiber…
October 12, 2014: A Grand Tradition Continues!
Well, the tradition continues insofar as this makes two years in a row Akemi and I have roasted up a turducken and made a piecaken to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving. I ordered the turducken last week, electing to go with a different butcher and different franken-bird: turkey-chicken-duck but with bacon-wrapped sausage-stuffing. And, to hedge our bets,…