It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like... A Midlife Crisis!

Here's a new head shot. I took it myself the other day. Maybe it's an attempt to justify myself, because I am suddenly, at 46, facing constant reminders of my age.

It started here: Always enamored of the film industry, the most elaborate form of storytelling, I was elated when Governor Granholm elected to tempt Hollywood here through a big tax break now known as, "The Michigan Tax Incentive". Thanks to this stroke of genius, Hollywood is coming to Michigan to make real feature films! And people like me are seeing lifetime dreams come true as we get to appear in them. I've already worked with the likes of Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Fallon, Ande McDowell and great directors like Alexander Payne.

Unfortunately I've also run into discrimination due to my age. I'm experiencing that thing that happens to women when we enter our mid-forties. It really is the dead zone. I've missed out on a number of opportunities, including being a personal assistant to the director of a Jack Black film that's being made here. The kid who interviewed me (who also was doing casting at the same time... It was chaos.) asked me my age. Without thinking, I just blurted it out.

Later, reflecting on the experience, I realized I had disqualified myself by not evading that question.

To make matters even more disheartening, yesterday I had a tooth pulled. Not just any tooth -- a front one. The root was damaged nine years ago during an accident with Trudy and the cart. I have managed to baby it along all this time, after a root canal and crown, but now it's past the point of no return. I'm losing bone around it and it would have started affecting the other teeth, so it had to go.

...TO THE TUNE OF FOUR HUNDRED BUCKS!!!!

Okay, so I don't have to look like a jack-o'lantern, thanks to my retainer and the saved crown. One would never know. But the dang retainer has to come out once in awhile, and I can't really eat with it in.

An implant will cost me four grand!

So, to help fund my implant, I am starting to sell Christmas cards on eBay again. I know it's early. I was in Costco the other day and there were trees with lights on them!

It's 66 degrees here in Michigan, and the last thing I want to do is hurry Christmas. But, it's harvest time for teeth and artists. Alvin the Chipmunk asked for two of these -- all I need is one!