Elegant Elephant

Do you remember the name game you always play when you're in a new group, or at a bridal shower, or a baby shower, or, or, or?  Go around the circle, use alliteration & name one thing that you like that starts with your first initial?  In my personal opinion, the lovely letter E is tricky in this regard, so I always opted for "Hi, my name is Emily & I like elephants."  It's only recently that I've really come to appreciate how sweet, majestic, & elegant these creatures are.  While I wish I could make my trip-to-Africa-dreams come true this year, it most likely will need to wait.  In the meantime, I'll keep my eye on sweet photos like this one.

xoxo,
Emily LaRene
{since I'm doing the middle name bit now, do I need to add an alliterative bit to my name game?  "Hi, my name is Emily LaRene & I like elephants & llamas?"  Hmmm not so much...perhaps I could rhyme it, "Hi, my name is Emily LaRene & I'd like to be queen?  or I like ice cream"???}

Big smiles all around

Vacation can't get here fast enough - I've been gasping & grasping  for a break & now all I need to do is desperately hold on until we get to the airport.  24 hrs to go!!

{Again, why can't I make my p ictures sit up straight?!  Anyone?!?!}

Can you hear the nation holding its breath?

Is the NFL lockout coming to an end????

Southern Customs

I'm still not used to being called "baby" by my coworkers. As in, "Can you please revise this document, baby?", "Baby, are you coming to lunch?", or "Thank you, baby." This is a term of endearment used by many coworkers, & nearly 3 years later, it still makes me laugh every time.

Also a favorite - being told to "have a blessed day" - by everyone.  The grocery store clerk, the drive-thru window worker, construction workers, etc.  Love it.

Pictures to come but a wonderful weekend was had by all

Friday night we cozied up with tasty leftovers from a divine Wednesday evening dinner party & the loveliest re-run of them all, the Royal Wedding of William & Catherine. Saturday was spent volunteering at JL headquarters, running errands, making new friends, & napping.  Sunday was teaching in church, working on projects, & learning to cook with Miss Peggy. Monday was party prep, laying out, & celebrating our freedom by eating waaaaaaaay too many ribs & bowls of baked beans.  It was excellent.

Back to the grindstone (& back to the gym!) but luckily it's a short week.  Ciao!!  xo, Emily LaRene

Great Interview with Shonda Rhimes

Here are some excerpts from a recent interview Shonda Rhimes, creator & showrunner for Grey's Anatomy & Private Practice, did with New York Magazine:

Q: Have you ever made mistakes with your characters?

A: Do I regret any choices I've made with the characters? No, because I've made them and they're done. Do I feel like they've taught me things that will inform how I do things now and will perhaps allow me to do things differently in the future? Yes.


Q: So no regrets.

A: When I was making the pilot for Grey's, people were asking me a bunch of questions, and I was answering them all and the director turned to me and said, "You answer questions so quickly. You don't take any time to think about them, you don't obsess over the right or wrong answer, you just answer the question." I looked at him like he was sort of crazy, because it had never occurred to me. I realized I don't have time. There's not enough time; there's not enough hours in the day; there's too many things going on. Everyone needs an answer to a question, so you give an answer and make a decision and move on. A lot of that is how it works. I make hundreds of decisions a day about anything from casting to someone's shoes to what kind of flowers a character should have in their hair. You have to be decisive. You can't stand around and think of the perfect thing.

Q: So you're not a perfectionist?

A: I am a perfectionist, but I feel like part of being a perfectionist is realizing that you have to decide the decision you're going to make and that's the perfect decision and you move on. Otherwise, I would never get anything done all day.

Q: That's logically weird, right? Like by picking it, it became perfect ...

A:  It's completely weird, but it's the only way I can function with the number of problems that are going on.
Q:  Do you think that makes you less open to criticism? Do you take criticism well in general?

A: No, I am a giant baby about all of that stuff. I feel like there's criticism and then there's constructive discussion. I don't encounter a lot of constructive discussion, so that may be why I have that attitude toward criticism. I don't have a lot of time for it. I want to get home and live my life and I have scripts to write. Anybody who is creative doesn't want people standing around them saying they suck. Criticism is not fun for anyone.

Q:  Is there anyone you think gives good, constructive criticism?

A:  I think it can come from all kinds of places. Do I welcome it? Almost never. Do I listen to it when it's good? Yeah, I'll grumble and walk about and then I'll realize that was actually a really good idea.  I do try though, because pessimism is catching, but so is optimism, so why not just be optimistic?

The highlights & emphasis are my notes & things that rang true to me.