Sense and the City: Picking the winners at this year’s Sarasota Film Festival
Miami-based actor Eric Aragon as Paul Fowler, with “The Perfect Wedding” director Scott Gabriel and line producer Matt Dunnam (a 2011 Booker High School graduate)
My column in this week’s Ticket is all about settling into the dark of the movie theater and enjoying some high-quality flicks, just in time for this year’s Sarasota Film Festival. Here’s a taste:
My brain is a sieve when it comes to remembering people’s names, the ticker symbol for my miniscule retirement investment and what I had for dinner last night, but just say the words, “Leave the gun; take the cannoli,” “I’ll have what she’s having,” “Do I laugh now, or wait till it gets funny?” or “Yippee-ki-yay [INSERT WORD THAT’S UNPRINTABLE IN A FAMILY NEWSPAPER]” and I can tell you the film title and character speaking without even scratching my head.
I live for those rare moments when the person I’m talking to nods, gives me a knowing smile, and says simply, “De Niro in ‘Casino’ ” after I toss the line “And the eye in the sky is watching us all,” into a conversation about Google or Facebook.
In other words, I’m a cinephile — a nut for movies and films (and yes, there is a difference). So of course, I love the fact that my hometown has its very own film festival, with its ever-growing film industry bona fides. Though I generally eschew the glitz, red carpets, celebrity appearances and pricy parties — give me a ticket, a dark theater and a film that makes me laugh, cry, cringe, grab hold of the person sitting next to me, feel like falling in love or think about changing my life — and I’m golden.
Read the rest — including the films I’m most pumped about — over at the Ticket website.
Sign up for Boot Camp today!
Event chair Flori Roberts (Photo courtesy heraldtribune.com)
No, I’m not forcing you to join the military. I’m merely recommending that you sign up to attend the Women’s Resource Center’s Boot Camp for Women Entrepreneurs.
I’ve had an entrepreneurial outlook most of my life — even when I was working for other people. So, I’m completely bummed to miss this fabulous event, which is being offered this Sat., April 14. Even if you work for someone else, the entrepreneurial attitude — thinking/acting/working as an employer instead of an employee — is what sets you apart and paves the way for growth in the company. It’s short money — just $25 to hear from expert entrepreneurs in an all-day seminar.
Click here for more details and to register online.
Just Dessert Please — And Hold the Homelessness!
I’m going to be a celebrity (as if!) judge at the 4th annual Family Promise of Sarasota “Just Desserts” event on Friday, March 23 at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. And all the proceeds benefit the nonprofit’s work to help homeless families regain self-sufficiency. Open to the public — the $50 entry donation gets you access to an extravaganza of desserts created and donated by local chefs. Come on by and say Hi!
For more information and/or ticket purchase, visit www.familypromisesarasota.org.
Learn more about this great organization by clicking on the link below to read a Sarasota Herald-Tribune article. Just scroll past the first story on Belize. http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120321/ARTICLE/120329924?p=all&tc=pgall&tc=ar
Men, Women, & Relationships — A Discussion
I’m speaking at the Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota panel discussion on “Men, Women, & Relationships” — March 22 5-7 p.m. FREE! and open to the public; preregistration required.
5th Annual Frances Kraaymes Lecture, March 22, 5-7pm: The Conversation Continues: Men, Women, & Relationships —
Forever a Work in Progress.
Kelly Kirschner, former Mayor of Sarasota (courtesy of www.sarasotagov.com)
Moderated by Dr. Willa Bernhard, a researcher and writer for Women on the Web, (www.wowowow.com) former psychotherapist and educator in New York. Call 366-1700 to register. Or visit www.thewomensresourcecenter.org.
WSLR Community Radio — Raising Funds & Looking for New Members!
Sunday night, March 18, I’m going to be sitting in on the Louisiana Gumbo Show from 7 to 9 p.m., helping them raise funds for WSLR LPFM 96.5 radio. WSLR is a community radio station that airs programming on local politics, health and wellness, sustainable living … oh, and did I mention GREAT music? The station also hosts lecture series and concerts and community days … if you’re not familiar with WSLR, I invite you to check it out at www.wslr.org. Or stream the programs live by clicking on www.wslr.org.
If you want to support the programming, I invite you to call in from 7-9 p.m., on Sunday night and make a pledge — anything from $10 or $15 on up. There are some cool “rewards” for pledging — read about them by clicking here. — everything form free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to massage to free cd’s to cabin rentals to concert passes and architectural services. To call in and make a donation, 894.6469 or 954.8636. If you want to make a comment or ask a question ON AIR, use 954.8636. I’ll be happy to take questions and make up answers!
Welcome USF Sarasota Manatee “Creative Process” Folks!
I just had the most fun — spent an hour and a half talking with attendees of June LeBell’s Creative Process class at USF Sarasota-Manatee. The audience of about 40 or 50 asked the BEST questions and really made it a very fun and lively interaction … thank you so much!
And welcome to MC’s Reality Online!
In case you’re looking for those columns I mentioned in today’s conversation, here are a few links to get you started … just double-click on the title that interests you.
MC signing Sideways tonight
I’ll be signing copies of my book of collected newspaper columns — Sideways in Sarasota, TONIGHT (Sept. 20) from 6 to 8 pm at Bookstore 1, 1359 Main Street, Sarasota.
If you don’t have a copy of my book and want one — swing on by! If you have one but want to just drop by and say hello and browse this great new Sarasota bookstore — that’s just as cool.
There will be other authors as well — including Jill Hine’s aka “Costa Jill” — who will be signing copies of her new book, Free to Bloom. Learn more about her and her Costa Rican adventures at www.costajill.com.
No books for you! MC’s booksigning canceled!
Remember that Seinfeld episode with the Soup Nazi!
Well, anyway, no books for you! My book signing for tonight at Bookstore1 Main (in Sarasota) was canceled by the shop. They accidentally overbooked authors for tomorrow night’s signing event … so MC is out! But they were super apologetic about and have invited me back for September sometime.
Sorry to anyone who may have thought about coming out!!
Signing Sideways
I’ll be signing copies of my book of collected newspaper columns — Sideways in Sarasota, on Tuesday night (August 16) from 6 to 8 pm at Bookstore 1, 1359 Main Street, Sarasota.
If you don’t have a copy of my book and want one — swing on by! If you have one but want to just drop by and say hello and browse this great new Sarasota bookstore — that’s great too.
Where you won’t see me tomorrow night!
I’m doing a book-signing on August 16th at Bookstore 1 on Main Street in Sarasota, 6-8 pm I think.
But the bookstore inadvertently listed me in the paper and on their website as doing the signing on August 2nd!
So, just in CASE you were planning to swing by the bookstore to meet me or pick up a signed copy of Sideways in Sarasota tomorrow night … I won’t be there until the 16th! 
