Dirty Laundry

Los Angeles Times

I am taking a quick break from my writing crazed schedule to update you on a few things.  Well, actually just one thing.  A review for Swim the Fly has been published in the Los Angeles Times.  It’s pretty cool (at least to me) because I used to live in LA.  Here’s the link if you want to read it:
Los Angeles Times Review

The rest of my life (aside from the writing) has been consumed with graduation celebrations and ceremonies and dinners and brunches.  Graduation never lasted this long when I went to school.  It was the diploma and prom and that was it.  The past couple of weeks my stepson’s school has had award ceremonies, diploma ceremonies, barbecues, dinners, parties, fireworks, parades, pageants, a Blue Angels exhibition, festivals, jugglers, and magicians.  It’s been fun, but exhausting. 

Posted by Don Calame on 6.28.09 at 05:13 pm in Prattlings. (2) Comments

Life Post Hockey Season

Well, as all of you know by now, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup, doing the impossible, something that’s only be been done twice before in all of hockey history, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win the championship.  And so I am happy - a nice cap to an exciting hockey season - but also a little bereft as it means that there will be no hockey to distract me from my writing duties.

Speaking of which, the screenplay for Swim the Fly is coming along nicely (though, if you asked me last week I might have said differently, although I might not have - confused yet?  Me too).  It’s challenging having to adapt your own material as you have to cut out a lot of what you love in the book.  There simply isn’t enough screen time to use all of the material in a novel.  And so, it’s been interesting to go through this process.

At first, I thought it would be simple.  I mean, the story’s already there.  The dialogue, the characters.  It’s all there.  But too much of it is there, and that’s the rub.  So now I am in the process of pairing back as much as possible, trying not to lose the comedy and the heart of the story.  And, as with all writing, you have the emotional swings.  The hating-your-life days right next to the “I’ve got the best job in the world” days.  The grouchy-don’t-talk-to-me mornings followed by the I’m-so-damn-lucky afternoons. 

Not to mention we’re doing the second part of our move right now.  The out-of-storage-and-into-the-newly-renovated-home part.  It’s more fun than the packing-up-the-old-house part, but still, it’s a ton of work.  I’m always thinking that some day things will get less busy and less stressful and there will be no timelines or deadlines or any lines whatsoever.  It always seems like those times are just around the corner.  And then, another corner pops up.

To be honest, though, I think if I wasn’t busy I’d probably go out of my mind.  I get antsy when I’m not writing, not working on some project.  And so, I guess things are just how I like them right now (although, maybe just a little less busy would be okay.  I think I could deal with that.)

Posted by Don Calame on 6.18.09 at 07:00 pm in Prattlings. (0) Comments

GAME 7

I could write about how amazingly exciting it is to have a Game 7 in a Stanley Cup Finals (especially between two very talented teams, one of which I really want to win—cough, cough, The Penguins) but anyone who cares about hockey already knows this and anyone who doesn’t give a crap about hockey doesn’t care anyway.  So I’m just going to say how excited I am personally and leave it at that.  After tomorrow’s game there will only be the NHL Awards and the NHL Draft to look forward to until next season.  More the Draft than the Awards, which I don’t care too much for.  As you already know, if you’ve read my past blogs, I grew up on Long Island and the Islanders have the number one pick in the draft and if they blow it and don’t choose John Tavares I will never root for them again.  Not that I’ve been rooting so hard for them lately anyway - they have pretty much sucked for nearly 20 years with a few blips along the way.  But still, this is my ultimatum (as if they care.  It’s not like I live there and can buy season tickets).

Speaking of tickets (nice transition, huh?), I was lucky enough to score some Olympic Hockey tickets for the 2010 games here in Vancouver.  Including the Gold Medal game!  And if you’ve peeked at my “Things To Do Before I’m Dead” list (and why would you have - you don’t even know where I keep it) then you would know that this is something I’ve always wanted to do.  See some Olympic Hockey.  All the best players in the world playing with and against each other.  If all is right with the universe it should be Canada vs. Russia in the Finals.  Crosby vs. Ovechkin.  How cool would that be?  (Very cool is the answer, just in case you didn’t know).

Posted by Don Calame on 6.11.09 at 04:49 pm in Prattlings. (0) Comments

A Restaurant Review, An Album Review and The Stanley Cup Finals

This is going to sound like a restaurant review and I never do that.  Except when I do.  My wife and stepson like to try out new restaurants and then tell me how good (or bad) they are.  I’m not much for experimentation when it comes to restaurants.  And especially when it comes to sushi restaurants.  The risk/reward quotient seems too great to me.  And so, it’s up to my wife and stepson to sally forth and try new sushi restaurants (and my wife doesn’t even like sushi) and then report back to me.  Well, I’m happy to say that now that we are downtown Vancouver they have found an exceptional sushi restaurant.  It’s called IRASHAI and it’s at 1368 West Pender Street.  It’s so hard for new restaurants to make a go of it and when you find one that is so good, you want to give them a shout out because you want them to stay opened.  Irashai is such a restaurant.  The food is so good I’ve been there twice in the last four days.  (Of course, a bit of that could have to do with the fact that my wife is out of town and my eating habits become a tad suspect when she’s not around) but seriously, this is one fabulous place to eat.  I highly recommend the Pepper Tuna Roll, the Alaskan King Crab Roll and the Ebi Mayo.  All are so delicious that, even just having eaten there, I am craving these delectable sushi treats all over again.  That’s all I will say.  Just go if you are in Vancouver.  Amazing sushi at affordable prices.

On the music front, I am thoroughly enjoying the new Dave Matthew Band album.  I have always liked Dave Matthews but have become a little bit, shall we say, tired of their sound.  This new album is fantastic.  It’s always heartening to hear a talented musician continue to be… well… talented.  Just get it and listen and enjoy.

On a downer note.  The Pittsburgh Penguins lost tonight and it has me mildly depressed.  Not TOO depressed, though, as Tuesday they will be playing at home and have a good chance to even the series and force a GAME SEVEN.  And everyone knows (at least everyone who loves hockey) that a game seven in the Stanley Cup Finals is the best thing in the entire world.

Posted by Don Calame on 6.6.09 at 07:46 pm in Prattlings. (2) Comments