a few folks requested some more pics from the show so these are courtesy of Albert Ortega (photographer at the event) I have 4 more weeks before I start shooting the series I am doing so I am frantically working out...tennis, hiking, anything! I am utterly grateful for the beautiful weather here in LA. i spoke to Tracy Scoggins today and she is in Texas where they are preparing for a huge flood..I hope everyone out there stays safe and dry! xx cc

I arrived at 10:30 and discovered that I was sitting next to Lori Petty, not Vanessa Angel. I adore both of them so I was happy and Lori and I were smack in the front of the room across from my old friend Jamie Luner who excitedly told me that she has moved to New York to star in "All My Children". I am thrilled for her, a new city and a great 4 year gig...what more could an actress want? Jamie and I went to the Renaissance faire years ago and had a blast..I miss her friendship, she is a ball of beautiful energy.
Lori and I have known each other for years and we had a few giggles, she was exhausted from guest starring in a demanding role for TV but was a pro for the fans who came up. The majority of people were there to see the cast from "Back to the Future" and the fleet of Deloreans parked outside so it was a bit sloooow for the rest of us.
The highlight of the show was, of course, running into old friends.

Tia Carrera and I recalled how the last time we were together was in Toronto on 9/11 when we were filming "She Spies"...an incredibly weird time to be going through something so utterly shocking and not be in the US.

I ended up having to fly to Vancouver and then drive to LA to get home...I really missed being with family and friends during that time, as I'm sure like everyone else, I felt extremely grateful for all of the people in my life all of a sudden. Funny how tragedy does that to us.
Another highlight of my day at the show was seeing Rip Taylor, one of my favorite funny men of all times. I asked him nicely if he would pose for a photo of me and Lori was kind enough to snap it.

I did not return to the show today because I had a birthday party to attend but I have fond memories of running into some great gals I have known through the years.

During the show Holly reminded me that soon it will be 15 years since she first started working with me...I told her that in spite of that long amount of loyalty and perseverance on her part, I still wasn't going to give her a raise..:)

Seriously, Holly and I have done SO many of these signings that we cannot even recall the majority of them...there have been good ones, bad ones..ones where hurricanes hit and ones where I was stalked or harassed......we have been offered massages, chocolates and some pretty odd things too! So I can honestly say from a pro's point of view that the memorabilia show was well run and uneventful (in a good way) for us guests. They even provided lunch and swag bags....a new take on the old theme of conventions. Congratulations to the new owners of Ray Courts autograph show for doing a great job. xx cc

"Sister of my heart" is a wonderful read. I gave it to my mother when I finished it (in one sitting) and she said that it opened her eyes to the travails and troubles Indian women face every day...for me it was romantic, tragic, uplifting yet utterly sad...essentially a beautiful ride.
I didn't guess the quite large twist at the end of the book but my savvy mum did..I guess I was too engrossed to notice something so obvious.
Novels set in India always fill me with the desire to go there..the food, the colors, fabrics, spices, music, religion and beautiful faces fill me with awe and inspiration. I had a friend who went there and she told me afterwards : "Claudia, don't you ever go to India because you will never forget the horrors, you're too much of an empath."
I certainly hope that when I do get there someday I will see everything for what it is and what it is not and hopefully come away with one thirst satisfied...even if it provokes disturbing thoughts.
This book also spurred my mum to say "aren't you glad you were born in America?" , because of the treatment of women as second class citizens in India and the common practice of aborting female babies. I asked her if she would have preferred being born in the USA (as opposed to Germany where she was born and raised) and she said "In my era if you were a butcher's son you could only aspire to be a butcher, that's the way it was in Europe, so I am glad that I came to America when I was 18, I had every chance to be whatever I wanted to be...freedom of choice..but I am still a European girl in my sensibilities, some things you cannot leave behind."
I think that I DO feel grateful to be in a country where women have opportunities and can drive and vote and go outside with male friends, I cannot imagine not having those rights but then again I suppose those women who do not have those rights would not appreciate sympathy from their western sisters. I'm sure that they would prefer action. There are many ways to voice our opposition to things such as female circumcision, stoning, rape, etc. and we all must do that...one voice at a time.

I've been reading a lot lately....I like Eric Weiner's The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World
a fun little book by a self confessed "grump" about his search for the happiest places in the world...part travel tales, part social commentary and a light, interesting read. I have also been reading some Graham Green and Henry Miller for kicks. It's been so hot here lately that I am wondering what July and August will be like here in the Valley! I have always lived in the hills so perhaps I'm in for a shocker...it was 100+ today in Studio City as I ran my errands...my Pink Berry frozen yogurt lasted exactly 6 minutes before becoming a pool of sweet, milky nothing...I hate to kvetch about the heat though, I still recall my years in London quite vividly so I would be remiss to complain too much. These lovely summery days are for hiking early in the morning before the heat kicks in and reading by the pool, occasionally dipping a toe in to decide if it's warm enough yet to take the plunge (it ain't!). I'm enjoying the time off before my next gig, looks like I might do a short film soon and I have my impro show to do with Dean Haglund soon as well...all good fun.
Wherever you are I hope you're warm and dry..
:)
xx