My drama is infinitesimal compared to the struggles a great many people are going through at the moment. That being said, I think the lesson can still be applied: be there, be present, let people know they aren't alone and that you're there for them. Isolation and vulnerability—they're a potent pair; strong enough to bring people together and destructive enough to destroy the things you thought were immutable. Continue reading

I decided it was time to update the shirtless, WIP shots of my post-multiple baby body. As always, I consider myself in the middle of it all. In comedy, they say that's the sweet spot. Let's hope that applies to PicCollage's body progressions too... Continue reading

Yesterday, I walked into the bathroom and caught my husband indulging himself in an activity that women hardly ever get discovered doing... Continue reading

There has a lot of talk online and on t.v. about new mother's bodies. I don't want call attention to the woman who might have started the recent onslaught in the media about what a woman's body should look like postpartum by naming her, because I think that particular person is fuelled by her own disordered perception about the issue. I don't really feel like I am throwing my voice into the fray, even in my own small (mostly unnoticeable) way. I do, however, feel like it is another reason to let it all hang out, so to speak, with these pictures. Continue reading

I have been completely errant about my kindacreate duties and my blog. My life sort of tsunamied over itself a couple months ago and I found myself, for once, not in the least bit interested in communicating...with anyone. Continue reading

And that people, is white trash crafting. Who said you can take the Nebraska out of the girl? Continue reading

I've recently experimented trying to develop a really nice, quality textured vegan biscuit. When I say biscuit, I don't mean a british cookie, I mean the kind of American biscuit I grew up with smothered with sausage gravy or hanging out on the side of a Thanksgiving dinner plate, smothered in butter. Continue reading

It hit me that perhaps, by delaying the unpacking of my "old life" in these boxes and refusing to really make my new place, my home - I was doing a life comb-over. Not unlike Donald Trump, my refusal to admit that I am, indeed, older and changed with time has translated into an ugly, disservice of a mess. The only difference is mine wasn't on my head, it was next to me on the floor while I slept. Continue reading

Having to endlessly entertain doesn't sound all that awful to a fellow actor, I'm sure. Having to endlessly entertain one person, who doesn't speak the language well, is completely dependant on you and poops their pants — that's another story... Continue reading

For about two months, my husband has been craving ice cream...not just let's buy it at the store within our budget ice cream, but late night binge, convenience store ice cream. There have been plenty of things going down that merit a late night ice cream binge on his part (I dropped bingeing ten years ago, you know, when I had that eating disorder), but the budget just doesn't cover a 12 dollar pint of ice cream from the Canadian 7-Eleven equivalent. Because I understood how hard it was for him to make do with homemade kamut cookies, I made a promise that we could get ice cream on Valentine's Day. Continue reading

Truth is, I've been hired to do number of print ads, but I was feel deeply self conscious. Quite frankly, I don't think I'm much of a model. This has nothing to do with me thinking I'm pretty enough or thin enough or something. It has to do with the fact that modelling, despite what many people think, actually takes skill. I believe that skill is very different from the skill it takes to act for a moving camera. Those who are good at distilling one clear emotion or idea in one still moment may not be able to move through a scene projecting a variety of emotions and thoughts (and vice versa). I think it is actually why so many model-turned-actors are so stiff and a bit broad — they are trying to use their modelling skills in front of the moving camera...and it just doesn't translate. So, it seems to make sense that actors often seem bland and lack dynamics in the print medium. Continue reading

My daughter and I had an art fest today. Vi likes to tell me what to draw and then she destroys it by colouring over it so it is no longer visible. Afterward she likes to say, "Where's Caillou go?"...or whatever character or item I just created for her. Here's a gallery of our images: Continue reading

Things have been rough going for most of January. I've kept up doing something creative a day and kind a day, but my priorities have been taking care of my daughter, myself and my husband...everything else, I haven't been able to do without a serious twirling beach ball (you may not get this if you aren't a Mac user) happening in my head. Again, this a collage of photos I took. I've been taking a lot of them, cooking new things, filming some scenes for my agent, helping Mike with his own scenes and writing some music. Continue reading

I am at that point in my life, where the people who I looked up to as a girl are suddenly transparent and extremely vulnerable. Just when I'm realizing just how fallible those people are, I am expected, in the eyes of my daughter to seem immortal and endlessly present. It is an odd thing to see behind the grown up curtain and realize it is your turn to play The Great and Powerful Oz. Continue reading

I'm picking up some slack today and staying on top of the blog. For my creative thing today, I groomed my dog's hair while I watched The Golden Globes. That's right, I was my dog's stylist. I felt it was important, as an act of balance in the universe, that while the over inflated Golden Globe egos were in full force to de-inflate her hair. Continue reading

've been dreadfully absent when it comes to blogging about my kind-a-create activities. I haven't, however, abandoned my tasks, I've made sure to do something kind and creative everyday, I have just been too overwhelmed with life to write about it. Continue reading

Wow, the last few days were really active. I had to relegate my creative work to colouring with my daughter, going over scenes/monologues for a little demo thing I have to do, auditions (although I try not to count acting auditions as my creative thing because that is more about work), taking some pictures and strategically painting over the PMS zits I have around my mouth and chin. Continue reading

Speaking of my daughter, for one of my creative things, I took pictures of her today getting her second haircut ever. I finally decided to let go of her curly baby mullet and allowed my husband's hairdresser to give her an actual even shaped haircut. It didn't take a lot of convincing on the hairdresser's part when she emerged from the stroller with a full on, static bird's nest. Continue reading

Happy New Year, friends. Despite my gaining a husband and a honeymoon, 2011 was a rough one. However, I am hopeful that all the changes and hard work my husband and I have been plugging away at this year, will make for a better life in 2012. I really do hope that the same happens for my dear friends and family. I think and worry about all of our well-being and I want so much for the people I love to find more pockets of contentment this year. I want the country I grew up in to stop sinking and find its footing along with all the people I love in it. It is a lot to want out of one year, but Americans do tend to think big and ask for more than they deserve....and I am an American. Continue reading

Mike and I saw on MTV the other day (I was watching Teen Mom 2, cause that's how us upscale people roll), that Electric Circus is coming back for one night on New Year's Eve 2011. Now Mikey loved the whole club scene in the 90's, all that horrible kitsch. So, I did this little "audition tape" for him. Although, as I say on the YouTube blurb, he would only do it if the folks at EC could teleport him back to the 90's for one night. At this point, Mike is, as Chris Rock said, "…just a little too old to be in the club." Continue reading

I know, I know, why am I giving you a mental health background check when any reader of this blog will not be placing me into a hospital for suicide watch or treating me in group therapy? Well, I've noticed this year, a trend online and elsewhere, when well-known or lesser known performers/personalities/famous people (or just well know people in certain social circles or families) self destruct due to addiction, depression or any other mental health issue. Continue reading

So tonight, while Mike went off on his first post-holiday shift, I tried to find a use for the organic Harry and David apples my mother send. I found a recipe for a Gluten-Free Apple Crisp on Elana's Pantry site and messed with it a bit to suit my tastes. This recipe also helped to recycle my left-over vegan whipped "cream," made from coconut milk fat, as a topping. Continue reading

As promised, I am posting a toilet photo from our White Trash Christmas photo shoot. Enjoy! I can't post the others because my ass is showing, although it looks a lot better than I thought on film, I'm still 35 (I think that's past the age of even trashy folk to show your ass pics online). Continue reading

The last few days, I have managed to do something creative and kind, at least once. Mostly, I took pictures, wrapped presents, tried to make some deranged crafts with my daughter and attempted to write bad music. I have also made an effort to curb my shopping anxiety and anger towards rude folks. I have been far more kind to the general public than I have been in years, even if that kindness is hiding from them the best I can, so that I cannot unleash my sharp-ass mouth on their heads. So, all and all it has been a productive pre-Christmas week. Continue reading

Apparently, it is almost Christmas and I'm a mom. Both of these things came on way faster and are a lot more involved than I thought. I did manage to do something creative the last few days — it is called wrapping presents. That and trying to shop without killing someone, that takes a lot of imagination on my part. Continue reading