Being Danny Plotnick

Danny Plotnick is my hero. Can't say it enough.

DP makes these cool podcasts called Nest of Vipers with Bay Area celebs, writes nifty articles, makes films about sock monkeys, lives in a nifty house with his talented wife and son, has big hair and teaches teens about video.

And, he IS The King of Super 8. So there.

Eons ago I used to fill in for him when he went on vacation from FAF. They were (literally) big shoes to fill but I tried. It was fun being Danny Plotnick and my hair was almost as big.

My friend Molly L was also a DP Fan. We almost started a DP Fan Club but got distracted.

Last time I was in SF we ate sushi out of floating boats in Japan Town and I marveled at his accomplishments, as always. What a Super Hero!

This is a video he made with his son Hank the Ghost and The Tin Man on the Queen Mary - wish I coulda been there:

Burlington Zombie Walk is Stuck in VT

Burlington Zombie Walk [51]

I would like to thank Undead Molly (above) for her beautiful polyester wedding gown with a lovely train that she let me RUIN and cover with dirt, blood and twigs. And also, thanks for the fake blood and white face paint cause my face IS too tan.

I'd also like to thank the gods for not pouring rain down during the zombie walk which would have made it next to impossible to film.

And thanks to my sister for carrying my umbrella just in case.

And thanks to Adrienne (below) for organizing the zombie walk!

AND MASSIVE THANKS to The Smittens for rerecording the Stuck in Vermont "theme song" (aptly titled, "I Hate Vermont") to incorporate the vlog title. WE LOVE IT!!!

I am so full of thanks these days which means I am a very lucky girl who will now shut up.

Cindy, Crawford and ME

Even I don't wake up looking like Cindy Crawford.
But some mornings I wake up looking like a cat and dog combo.
- Cindy Crawford

First came Crawford, named so by the Humane Society because of his sexy catwalk-ready mole. He almost got renamed Alfie, Monty, Desi and Ollie but Crawford he was in the end.

Next came Cindy, named by some rescue group down south. I knew Cindy would fit right in because Crawford needed his first name to feel complete.

Cindy + Crawford =
Cindy Crawford

And we have never been happier, even if Cindy is slowly becoming Lucy.

Btw, did you know that Cindy Crawford the model is a fur-wearing sell-out (link and link)?

Crawford says,
"Pffft, I never did like her...who is she again?"

Cindy/Lucy says,
"Hmm, does she like to run around and play rough? If so, I love her..."Donate to the Humane Society TODAY!!! Screw wasteful, pointless Xmas presents, give some animals what they crave, LOVE and some of these goodies:

Non-clumping cat litter (we use approx. 1,000 pounds of litter per week!)

High quality wet & dry cat & kitten food (specifically Innova, California Natural, Wellness, Eagle Pack, Prism, or Triumph brands). Please no brands with dyes or by-products in them. The shelter environment can be stressful and we like to provide our residents with the highest quality food for their health and well-being.

New cat and dog toys

Anti-bacterial liquid hand soap

Dog Treats and Dog Treat Pouches

Kong toys and Kong brand cheese or peanut butter filling

High quality wet dog food (specifically Innova, California Natural, Wellness, Eagle Pack, Prism, or Triumph brands). Please no brands with dye in them.

Laundry detergent

Frontline Plus

Feliway Diffuser Refills

Windex

45 gallon lawn and leaf bags

Paper towels & toilet paper

Marcel's Halloween Tale of Woe

Marcel did not plan for it to end this way.
Marcel had high hopes for his future life in his new home.

So how could it possibly end...here...now...this way?!


It all began as it normally did with too many cocktails, followed quickly by too much plebeian swill.

Where was that provincial Dutchman that usually drank with Marcel?

Once again, he was all alone to drown his sorrows.

It was around this time that he became separated from his faithful sweater.

Marcel was sick, sick of it all. The White Beast who was his friend one moment and his tormentor the next.

The world full of humans that did not appreciate his inner genius, burning bright and alone.

Who could he trust in this cold and lonely world?

The debauchery-filled evening that followed was a blur to Marcel. And when he awoke, it was next to a mysterious Tattoo-Covered Lady. His bed reeked of stale cigarettes and his shame knew no bounds.

"For gods sake, I am ONLY a frog," he cried out to no one in particular. The slumbering lady rolled over and knocked him from the bed.


As if laughing in his face, the universe threw another twist at Marcel.

A Tasmanian Devil moved into his quiet abode and decided to make it her life's work to disembowel our grumpy hero.

"Unhand moi vous mangy bête," screeched Marcel is desperation.

But the creature paid him no heed as she had not yet mastered the French language.


Luckily, meal time saved Marcel from a gruesome end and he promptly began to pack his bags.

There was a good chance that the Tattooed Lady from the other night might take him away from this madhouse to travel the Bohemian backwaters of Transylvania.

Marcel decided to have one more farewell drink, for old times sake.

Before he knew it, he was opening his eyes in a harlot's bed and cheesy pop music was playing in the background.

Who was this large-haired, brassy woman and what was he wearing?! Marcel's body ached in a way he had never known it to.

The Tattooed Lady, furious at his betrayal, had already absconded with her suitcase to Transylvania to perform in a traveling vaudeville act.

Her simple heartfelt note read,
"Marcel, Você é um empurrão batota!

Eu te amou e você merda sobre mim! Queimar no inferno sapo!"

Marcel was stuck here, alone and poorly dressed.


So you see, it was no short journey to the place where our story began.

Alone and slightly hung over, Marcel had no choice but to secure the noose around his fragile neck. What kind of a world was it if he could not even find his sweater?!

And this brings us up to date. There hangs Marcel the Mime, the last bits of his life slowly dripping away...


What's this? Is it the Tasmanian Devil to the rescue?! Who knew that Lucinda could administer Frog CPR?


So this brings us to our new happy ending, Marcel is alive and well and ready to hand out candy to the tricker treaters.


He has decided that living with a White Beast and a Tasmanian Devil is really not so bad. At least they provide body heat on the cold winter nights.

And he is in the process of an avid letter-writing campaign to win the fair Tattooed Lady's forgiveness - and if he is lucky, perhaps her heart.

Happy Halloween tout le monde!

Zombies and Pets

Mmmm...fresh brains...

Zombie Weekend

Is it just me or are Molly's bosoms ogling me!?
STOP STARING BOOBIES!!! IT IS RUDE!

The thing about being a zombie cameragirl is that it is really really hard to STOP smiling - even when you are SO HAPPY to be walking down Church St with a pack of ill-mannered flesh eaters.

Next year I will leave the camera at home and concentrate on draining my face of expression. It may take hours and some zen chanting or a nasty zombie bite.

I think this Burlington Zombie Walk was one of my most favorite Halloween adventures ever.

This week's Stuck in VT is gonna be good...if you like fresh brains that is...

The Littlest Deadbeat

You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing. What! Is it nothing to be happy?
Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long?
Never in his life will he be so busy again.
~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762

The littlest deadbeat also happens to be THE cutest. It is Opal, daughter of Josh and Allison.

Before Opal was on the planet, I worked in VFX with Allison and Josh at Tippett Studio. We worked long hours and made some cheesy movies. Their wedding was one of those affairs that you can't help but remember, so sweet and touching - such wonderful families merging into one.

And then they created Opal! And she just happens to be the cutest little deadbeat that ever walked the planet. Life is good.

24 Hour Comics Day is Stuck in VT

24 Hour Comics Day [50]

Next year I am participating in the challenge and making my OWN slap/dash comic! 24 hours of drawing, pfft, no problem! Bring on the brownies!

And please lord, if I ever do have a kid, can it be like this super cool 11 yr old one (above) who uses super BIG words, references Philip K Dick like it is no big deal and acts like a disdainful mini-intellectual?! Pleeeease?!

This is the FIFTIETH episode of Stuck in Vermont. That is a mighty big number. I never would have thought back in January that my little coffee meeting with Cathy Resmer would have lead to this.

It is seriously the best job I ever had. And this comic vlog was the perfect way to celebrate. Comics make me all warm and fuzzy. ZOINKS!