Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog

So we returned to clayArt Studios for the final step on our glorious pottery adventure.  The pieces we made on our last visit had been fired and were ready for the glazing process.  Akemi could barely contain her excitement!

“So,”I said to Rosa, our glazing guide, “did all of my pieces survive?”

“Yes,”she informed me. “Even the sun.”

“It’s not a sun,”I corrected her.  “It’s Starro the Conqueror.”

But as I perused my collection, I suddenly realized one was missing.  “Hey.  Where’s Alphonse?”

Sadly, he was the one mini-masterpiece that did NOT survive, literally falling to pieces partway through the process.  And so it was, with heavy heart, that I forged ahead.

My pieces were fired and ready to go!  After sanding, we dipped the bases in hot wax.  I lose my grip on the stargate and it ended up sizzling away in the pan like a deep-fried burger.

We had a choice of 6-8 color glazes to choose from, all of them kept in vast tubs whose contents ranged in various shades of brown although our instructor assured us the true colors ranged from oatmeal to dark brown.  Some in the class sort of half dipped the bottom of their bowls and then, after the initial coat had dried, dipped the tops of the bowls in another color.  Some created elaborate brush strokes on their work.  My Starro offers the best of both worlds – a deep dip and finishing paint brush touch for the center eye.

Akemi, meanwhile, went the more standard route…

At one point she was considering something a little more elaborate that involved dipping just the rim of her bowls and adding a little swirl – but couldn’t figure out how to physically manage it.  I offered to hold her over the vat by her ankles if it would help.  She assured me it wouldn’t.

Pictured above: Akemi puts the finishing touches on Nib Nib.

And, in a little over an hour, we were done.  Next week = the results!

This blog entry dedicated to the memory of Alphonse (February 17, 2019 – March 1st-ish, 2019).

Today’s power look –

Classic Batmobile cufflinks, Koval bourbon, cookies and milk socks.

First meeting of the U.F. Whiskey Club!  In attendance: Sam, Sterling, Derek, Cathy, Robbie, R.T., and yours truly.

In honor of Supervising Producer Ivon Bartok’s birthday, the office picked him up some keto cupcakes.  Don’t they look…interesting?

P.S. The sets are really coming along.  Production Designer Ian Brock is a mad genius and his team has really stepped up in a big way.  Can’t way to give you all the grand tour.

Akemi made three kinds of homemade potato chips: extra crispy, super salty, and plain.

Finally, the weekend is upon us.  I plan to just kick back, relax, and re-read/revise nine scripts so that I can return to work Monday, rested and refreshed!

Yesterday’s power ensemble…

Hydra cufflinks, a 12 year old Glenmorangie, and dog-riding-bicycle socks.

Power lunch…

The High Priest from Burger’s Priest.  I’ll never get tired of this place.

In honor of National Cereal Day, here are my Top 10 Breakfast Cereals (considered and voted on by 12 year old me since it’s been that long since I’ve actually enjoyed breakfast cereals):

#10.  Rice Krispies

This one was part of our regular breakfast rotation given the fact it was always included in the one serving six-packs mom would pick up for us.  I was (and have never been) a fan of puffed rice, but thankfully this cereal was devoid of any actual puffed rice flavor.  In fact, it was pretty much devoid of any flavor.  Nice textural crunch though.

#9. Lucky Charms

While not exactly “magically delicious”, this cereal had its charm – in the form of those colorful marshmallow bits that I would always save for last, turning the milk in the bowl a lurid kaleidoscope of colors.  Those other non-marshmallow bits though?  They were a necessary evil.

#8. Corn Flakes

This is as healthy as it gets – for twelve year old me.  Seriously.   If I wasn’t eating cereal, it was powdered mini donuts and milk.  This one had a great texture and just a hint of sweetness offering the promise of something more.

#7. Cocoa Pebbles

Every day, I’d come home for noon, eat lunch and watch The Flintstones.  So when they came out with their own breakfast cereal, Fruity Pebbles, I was all over it.  And then, when they offered up a chocolate version – even better!

#6. Frosted Flakes

Corn Flake’s hipper, sexier cousin.  THEEEEEY’RE Pretty Good!

#5. Count Chocula

With all due respect to Franken and Boo Berry, the Count had the edge.  Still, I never found the chocolate cereal bits quite chocolatey enough.

#4. Trix

Although its deranged mascot clearly belonged in a mental institute, this one was one of my favorites – despite the fact that they were just round froot loops.

#3. Cap’n Crunch

If I were to choose a top cereal today, this would probably be it – mostly based on the fact that its milk remnants make for a delicious ice cream base (see previous blog post).

#2. Froot Loops

Now THIS is what I’m talking bout.  Straight sweet color and crunch without any of those good-for-you bits to spoil your breakfast.

#1. Cocoa Puffs

With a mascot crazier than the Trix rabbit and product that promised a crispy-crunchy-chocolatey trifecta, this one was always top of my list.  It seemed to have disappeared from store shelves when I went looking for it a few years back, but I have recently discovered it lining the shelves of my local dollar store.  Yes, I am, admittedly, cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.

And you?

Today’s ensemble…

Decepticon cufflinks, Little Prince socks, grey suit, and Macallan Amber.

Casting, emails, more casting, more emails, even more casting, even more emails, reviewing scripts and pulling scenes for the upcoming chemistry reads (aka. even MORE casting).  And the color palette meeting.

Hey, this is important!  Gummy Bear sausages are a thing –

https://t.co/wD7Cgi18Ae

I mean, Zoie almost unfollowed me for posting this informative news piece about a place that serves pizza ice cream: https://twitter.com/thisisinsider/status/1100782609502679042

Please, select your Lantern Corps…

Then pick up your ring…

Today, we kicked off official prep on this new sci-fi series with a good old-fashioned concept meeting.  In attendance: show creator/director/Executive Producer R.T. Thorne, myself, and a bunch of familiar faces from my Dark Matter days (including Production Manager Catherine Lang, Production Designer Ian Brock, Art Director Kelly Diamond, Graphics Roxanne Borris, Costume Designer Noreen Landry, Props Master Victoria Klein, Line Producer Robbie David, and On Set Producer Ivon Bartok).  I welcomed everyone back after a refreshing two year hiatus and then we rolled right into our first two episodes, touching on everything from force shields to holograms, night shoots to mealworms.  We went from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., stopping only for a quick lunch and a conference call with the network to discuss music, casting, and genetics.

Tomorrow, the Wardrobe and Art Department convene for the big palette meeting.

I shit you not.

Prep Day #1 look = blue suit, black design shirt, red lantern cufflinks, pocket handkerchief, and ninja cat socks.

Slowly restocking my in-office whiskey collection.

And thanks to my buddy Jeff, I no longer have to drink straight out of the bottle.

Hey.  Who called this meeting?

A little pre-paint wall texture.

Frank and Rick.

Craig and Mean Jean.

And this seems to be coming along nicely.  Whatever it is.

Meanwhile, one step closer on both the Untitled Awesome Project and the Super Project.

It’s gonna be a big month!

Your typical Sunday lazing.

Suji prefers the minimalist decor.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays this pug from the swift completion of her appointed poop rounds.

Meanwhile, Lulu does NOT enjoy her visits to the vet –

Yes/No?

Yes/No?

Yes/No?

Yes/No?

Yes/No?

Yes/No?

Yes/No?

Answers to yesterday’s quiz.  Match the fandom name to the t.v. show:

Well, we’re certainly picking up speed and – Oh, yeah! – past the point where we can apply the brakes in any hope of slowing down this runaway train.  Nope.  It’s either All Aboard or Get out of the way!  Today, we barreled through three and a half hours of live auditions and another hour of self-tapes to accompany the four hours of callbacks we sat through yesterday.  We’ve got to start pulling the trigger on choices next week because, uncoincidentally enough, our first day of official prep is this Monday as we sit down for the Block #1 concept meeting which promises to be a real page turner.  It’s true.  It says so right there on the prep schedule:

Got my hands full this weekend with production-friendly passes on Episodes 101 and 102.  And, most certainly, more auditions.  And some possible pottery glazing.

Quick!  Match the inspired fandom nickname to their obsession!

It’s been about two weeks since I’ve had a goodnight’s sleep.  For some reason of late, it takes me forever to drift off and, when I finally do, I’m awake again hours later.  In bed by 10 p.m., asleep by 1 a.m., awake at 2:30 a.m., asleep against by 3:00 a.m., awake again an hour later, and so on.  I do, however, make up for my night time insomnia by being thoroughly exhausted through most daylight hours.  I’ve tried everything – chamomile tea, warn milk, booze.  Even formerly reliable melatonin hasn’t helped.  I mean do I have to resort to taking Suji’s CBD oil?  Akemi thinks it may be because I’m stressed, but what do I have to be stressed about?  And even if I am stressed, I apparently do a terrific job of hiding it from myself.

This inability to sleep through the night has made it incredibly difficult for me to focus, especially when it comes to reading.  Whereas, last year, I could get through a book, maybe two, in a single day, now I’m lucky to make it through a couple of chapters before growing weary and setting it aside.

And still work continues on several fronts.

Today, it was call-backs for our seven younger leads while auditions are coming in for our adult regulars.  Set construction is in full swing.  We’ve had our preliminary art department, props, and costume meetings – as well as several sit-downs to discuss visual effects and our ambitious schedule.  Tomorrow, it’s a chat with the broadcaster and another round of call-backs, these via Skype.  This weekend, I set my sights on our first two episodes with a mind to tightening, streamlining, and discovering some futuristic turns of phrase.

The outline for my (formerly titled) Untitled Awesome Project was delivered to the broadcaster last week and we impatiently await word.  No need for a long and detailed response.  A simple “Great!  Start writing that first draft!” would suffice.

Tweaked and delivered the series overview for that comic book adaptation last week as well.  Once our awesome artist has delivered the required images, we’ll put together a proper package, hopefully get that script order, then attach a director and awaaaaay we go!

Slow and steady progress on the BIG dream project.  We went back and forth on the pitch, finally locked it down, and sent it off to the production company.  Once they sign off, it goes to the publisher.  And once THEY sign off, WE go to the broadcaster and pitch it.  And if THEY give us the go ahead…we are going to have a blast.

New parents face up to six years of sleep deprivation according to a new study.  Does this hold true for elderly pet owners as well?

Protect your dogs from coyotes with these awesome armored vests.

Home A.I.’s with morals – and a direct line to the cops.

Winter is coming.  And so, apparently, are Game of Thrones Oreos.

Also on its way = a beer that takes like Lucky Charms.

Jason Momoa responds to girl who put his shirtless photo on the box of the Girl Scout Cookies she is selling.  He wants a taste.  Preferably shortbread.

Actor Ryan Reynolds getting into character for his upcoming role in Detective Pikachu –

Yesterday was, presumably, Part II of II of our couple’s pottery course.  I say presumably because, as it turns out, yesterday’s class didn’t cover the (apparently) all-important art of glazing.  Instead, the day was dedicated to hand-sculpting and trimming.

The artist at work.

Putting the finishing touches on that matcha bowl!

According to Akemi, Nib Nib is a cocoa nib who “couldn’t become chocolate because he was eaten by bug”.

For my part, I decided to really unleash my artistic spirit –

Starro the Conqueror.

Stargate.

Legion of Super-Heroes drink coaster.

And since I discovered we would have to come back to glaze, I thought it only appropriate that I make a donut.

Cha-daaa!

Still, as Ivon pointed out, I could probably do a lot worse than having to accompany my girlfriend to a couple’s pottery class…

Some big movies opening in the coming months.  Among them…

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