Stars? Maybe not.

Well, let’s just say we’ve been busy. Stephen has been in the throes of The Bridge Band’s next album to be released under a new fantastic band name that shall remain…nameless…at this time. This album reflects their tight bond as a band, and their development over the years. I think the lyrics and melodies show a deeper poetry than ever. yay! make room in your stocking folks because this one will be here in time for the holidays so i’m told.

Stephen has also been doing his usual genius thing, voraciously consuming new books on development and sharing his new discoveries with me. I mostly just smile and nod.

The next big thing for us is my decision to go back to grad school for an M.A. in graphic design. “Going back” to school may be a slight misnomer because I’m not going anywhere. The only way to swing this thing was for me to apply for an online program through Savannah College of Art so school is actually coming to me so I can continue to work full time

Our peaceful domesticity has been somewhat disrupted lately by Stephen coming home around 1:30-2am and my rising at around 3am. Let me explain.

My sister, aspiring screenwriter, thought it would be fun to submit amateur headshots to see if we could be extras in M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie, The Happening, which filmed in Philadelphia this week. So, to our shock, we, that is my mom, my sister and i, all got a call from the casting agency last Friday asking us to report to the set at a 6am call. I guess they didn’t know we were related because we all have different last names! Anyway, it was quite an experience, not AT ALL glamorous. Like a very very nice prisoner of war camp, if you’ll forgive the comparison. If you would like further descriptions, just give me a call. Let’s just say 14-16 hour days when you woke up at 3am make you completely giddy and delirious. Add to that sensation seeing celebrities from 6 inches away and you get a pretty weird experience. Before I knew it I was standing between Mark Wahlberg and John Leguizamo ( I started feeling a little woozy.) Did I mention how hot it was and that I was dressed in a business suit for fall? Oh, and Zooey Deschanel also stars (she has amazing hair by the way.)

One side note, this is a movie about an apocalyptic natural disaster…that means that we were in a scene with 300+ extras running across 30th street station to show pandemonium. To my great joy and horror the assistant director (whose name happens to be Tudor Jones …I had a heart attack because the production assistants were always yelling “Tudor”) anyway the assistant director who saw that somehow, by some divine act, I had ended up between the two “heros” said that I should act like I’m married to the nice Chinese American fellow beside me, Tom, and that the two of us should walk directly behind the main actors towards the camera amidst the chaos, but “don’t get caught up in the camera cord,” No problem, I think I said. I believe I went into cardiac arrest at this time…I mean, here are these 300 people, most of whom fancy themselves actors, and somehow I am chosen for the coveted 2 seconds of fame. Very silly. I haven’t acted since I did a friend a favor and put on a very bad Irish accent for her play in college. Needless to say, I did not take this moment to explain to “Tudor” that I was unqualified. I just geared up for adventure.

So, what’s your worst nightmare in this situation? That’s right, tripping and stepping on Mark Wahlberg. What happened? just that. I can explain to anyone who would like to know just HOW ON EARTH this occured, (it involved 100 extras with suitcases and a lust for fame) but the gist of it is that they’re not using that take (yeah right) and they told me I did a “killer job” in the scene. hee hee. The Happening comes out next June. It’s supposed to be a scary one.