BLESS THOSE WHO DO THIS

I have a friend who I not only admire, I envy him. He’s consistent in writing lists. What-to-do lists. He knows exactly what he’s doing when he’ll do it and never misses a deadline.

God knows I’ve tried to write lists. It would help knowing what I’ve lined up for tomorrow. Or the next day. Some things just fall through the cracks. Mind, writing a book or screenplay is a different kettle of fish. You're with it come hell or high water till it's done.

Like a week ago. I was to drive into Toronto and have lunch with someone who insisted I should let him read one of my screenplays. He was impressed I had finished one at 103 pages.

Most screenplays that come by him are more than 120 pages. Plus. I hear, and he never told me, that he’ll either toss those in the shedder, or pass them onto someone on the writing staff to take a read of it. Theses scripts often get lost in the mix.

Author’s comment: I’m asked from time to time where ideas for a story, manuscript or screenplay come from? There’s an easy answer. I have no idea. Other than something catches my attention and I start working on a plot in my head. Then something magical happens. And away I go.

Will it sell? I have faith in it. Otherwise I’d hit delete.

BOO! scared YOU?

Halloween. There is so much going on today, I thought it a good, scary time to look at the facts and interesting tidbits about the approaching night.

Like once upon a time Jack O’lanterns were first made from turnips. There is no explanation I could find why the switch was made to pumpkins which adds a whole different eeriness to Halloween.

The movie Halloween (1978) came with a really tight budget. Cheap masks turned out to be leftovers from William Shatner’s Star Trek.

Nor did I have ant idea that Halloween is the second biggest grossing commercial celebration after Christmas.

Of those who have a fear of Halloween, it’s called Samhainphobia.

I’m not sure about this, but is seems 50 percent of kids prefer chocolate candy, that includes me, while 24 percent don’t want ‘chocolate' anywhere near it on this night. Which leaves 10 percent hoping gum will be dumped in their bags.

We have to go back to medieval Europe to discover owls were thought to be witches. An owl’s cry meant someone was about to die.

Author’s comment: I like what I read best about Halloween: 1: If a person wears clothes inside out and walks backward, they will see a witch at midnight.

Or this: Scottish girls could see images of future husbands if they hung wet bed sheets in front of the fire on Halloween. That’s enough? I agree. Happy ghosting.