It's Oscar night here in Hollywood and what kind of Hollymommy would not blog about it!?! I have to be honest this mommy was not feeling so hot today, could have been a long cold day on set yesterday or just the fact my health seems on a down slope these days. But I woke up on time to watch most of the show and enjoy some of the fun.
Our Hollyhome is about 4 blocks from the Kodak theatre and the Academy Awards have been affecting our lives all week! The metro station at Hollywood/Highland has been shut down since Thursday which is not so bothersome for me, but it also means that everyone is exiting at MY stop (the one before) at Hollywood/Vine. Now Hollywood Blvd at Hollywood/Highland has been shut down for more than a week in prep for the big show. All those red carpets and tents and interview stations are all in the middle of the street and won't be cleared out fully until late this week. So that in turn pushes traffic our direction! Okay that is all under control...BUT they go nuts shutting down streets and taking our already VERY limited parking in Hollywood. That is probably the single most annoying thing about living here...it tops price, dirt, crime, and smell! PARKING is awful! Well they decide to shut down about 10 surrounding blocks to the Kodak and not allow parking on the streets from 6am-10pm...lesson learned as the girls dad had his rental car towed first thing this morning. The upstairs neighbor said the tow trucks were lined up ready to go at 5am waiting for the clock to turn and tow all of those cars! $340 later the rental car is back and safely in an overnight overpriced parking lot and Daddy got to stay for an extra day due to missing his flight back home. Kids stoked...Daddy not so much!
I always enjoy watching the Academy Awards. It is such a magical night of gowns and tuxes and beauty. Such an overdone affair...but highly glamourous and about the only glamour left in this town. Despite the misgivings of living so close I must say it truly is a reminder of how dreamy and shiny this place can be. Dreams are shattered here everyday! Confidence is beaten out of you! Never good enough is an easy feeling to find. BUT a few times a year...like tonight you are reminded that those dreaming hard enough are rewarded and validated by acceptance and votes from peers, colleagues and fellow dreamers. An honor that I would say I would love to be given one day, but not on my daily list of things I strive for in life. It seems like it would be amazing just to be noticed for hard work and love of a craft that drives everything you do in life. I could do without one, but I would do so much with one...like design a baby nursery around the little bald man!
The girls were informed that right after Best Motion Picture it was straight to bed (only in Hollyhome)! They were happy to stay away, but they were not paying attention to what was happening on the show. Except AJ whom has decided at 17 she wants to borrow my clothes. My Diva was fascinated with the gowns and beauty. I told her that I have no doubts that if she wanted to go one day that she would be invited. She blushed and batted her eyes stating "yeah I know." Well AJ I am excited for you...don't forget to thank your mother!
Best part of the night by the way was the young filmmaker, Luke Matheny, who just won an Academy Award with his college final. A film entitled "God Of Love", which I am going to watch asap. I am so excited for him. What an amazing way to start a path to a film career. His thank you speech was great and I am so happy the Producers didn't start to play him off. I personally would just f*ing panic (in the words of Michelle Leo) if they started playing music over my speech. He didn't have to deal with that. Luke did express regret about not getting a hair cut, thanked his crew, his school, and his mother for doing craft services. The young filmmaker also had time to include a big thanks to his girlfriend and love of his life. It was just a nice moment to watch! But made me think about who on earth would I thank if that were me. I mean I talk A LOT...I talk way to much for only 15 seconds of fame!
My crew and fellow filmmakers are the obvious. The producers and directors and lighting guys for making me look good....blah blah blah! Everyone knows those people are amazing and get a big props...but I know whom I would totally thank. My parents of course! All of them...they are amazing! Believing in me was not an easy task...but they have not failed me yet. I have said before I know what my parents would say if I said "Hey guys I am moving to the moon!". My mother would say "How are you getting there?" My father would say "Oh I found her a ride" followed up with a joint answer of "Let's get you packed and out the door. Please don't talk to strangers. Take pictures. Call when you get there and HAVE FUN!". That would be my parents...never worried about me and never telling me that I couldn't do something. Neither one of them flinched as they signed papers for their first born child and daughter to join the US Marine Corps at the age of 17. I couldn't stir trouble after any tattoo. No one screamed at me for piercing my tongue or face. Not one lecture about having babies before marriage or college degree. YUP there have been a few offers for them to pay for the gas for me to come home and cash in the chips here! I know that both my mothers and my father have had sleepless nights worrying about how this was all gonna pan out! But their faith in me and the strength they gifted me has been my driving force to not give up. My entire family is proud of me. My sisters brag about me. My brother looks up to me. In all honesty though it is them that I look to as great great people. Everyone of us is strong when the other is not. My sister has loved me and supported me and lifted me up in my weakest moments. My brother has reminded me that everybody can go f*ck themselves...they can't control me anymore than I allow. These are all things that I couldn't be without in my Hollyhome. My family ALL of them! Every single cousin, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, daughter, parent, in-law, ex-husbands and friend adopted along the way...everyone of them is a comforting face and familiar voice of love....FAMILY! Without my them and my children and friends who love me I would be such a different woman. Thanks for who I am today. I love you all.
To the real though. I would HAVE to thank only two people.
Those who ALWAYS believed in me and those who NEVER did!
Both gave me fuel to my passion and are pushing me towards who I will become. And without both we all would have little to work for. Proving people wrong is fuel for so many people...the many people that become great! Let's see how right I am gonna be :)
So now I never need to win an Oscar...you all know who I would thank. Guess I better spend my time helping AJ pick out a gown, a date, and a winning role!
All in all it was a great night here in Hollywood and just down the road the party has just started for some. I think I am going to be happy to crawl into bed. The Hollybabies are asleep. The bathroom is clean. Uniforms are ready for morning. Now if I can just find a time to watch all of the films that took home an award. I will only have time to watch the shorts I am afraid. This Hollymommy has work next week :) So excited for that! Now I must sleep. I really am nervous blogging...I am usually running low on sleep, patience, and punctuation skills.
We love you too!!
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