sisterly love.....for the cameras

I forgot the reprimand

Am I out in Siberia here? Ladys, let's get posting. don't make me get Jackie the middle school teacher on your ass. I want to hear your stories and what's new in life....and of course we all love picture updates (Suz, love Sammy the Strikers t-shirt look).

fun stuff & repremanding

First, let's all beat our chest in solidarity of our own Susie McDonnell & Sammy the striker dog.


Next, Comedy Central's The Watchlist that is produced by Jake's friend Negin. Near the end, Jake has a small cameo. (He counts down so well!)

http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/index.jhtml?ml_video=82197

holidays

Here we are the day before Thanksgiving.

I wanted to recall a few fun holiday memories....

There was my first year in California, having turkey day with Susie, Taryn & Susie's crazy friend.

That same year, Christmas in LA with Susie was pretty unique ending at 2AM eating 7-11 Chili dogs.

Thanksgiving with Taryn in NY my first year here, eating turkey and mashed potatoe tv dinners and taking Taryn to her first ever drag queen review.... a very traditional pilgrim tradition.

How about Thanksgiving in Brooklyn with mom, Taryn and Carly...Carly cooked a frickin whole turkey, baked, etc. and I made the table look very pretty with dried leaves. The next day might also be called hell....shopping all day long the friday after thanksgiving on a cold day in NY with Taryn sulking all the while about being away from her friends.

Christmas in Costa Rica in 2002. A spagetti dinner and some dessert concocted of lemons...our daily stapel, as we lived on a citrus farm.

Thanksgiving last year: our last holiday with Casey.

And finally, going way back old school....Christmas' at the house on Lake. Adults doing thier last minute wrapping in the basement, jumping on the bed in my red dress and white tights (that naturally matched my hair bow and everything my sisters were wearing--thanks mom) in grandma's room so filled with excitement not just about all the presents we were about to see, but also to experience the whole scene of the family together: grandma with her blue & white gingham apron in the kitchen, dad getting on grandma's nerve in the kitchen, David sticking his fingers in everything and sitting in the armchair, thoroughly annoyed by all the kids running around. The walnut cracker that only ever seemed to come out at christmas. The assorted cousins that only seemed to come out at Cleveland. The nativity set that I loved to re-arrange ( I always thought that the cows should flank the manger, not actually be in...) and then, everyone at the table, laughing, telling David to eat slow, David telling everyone to eat slow. Grandma Kahler acting a freak. Dottie acting a freak.

Do you think we could just rent the Lake house one of these Christmases?

Next year, maybe we could re-create that table scene in someplace like Mexico or Puerto Rico?

one more halloween pic

I think Taryn is the star of Leah Leah Leah these days...

Here is her 'gold digger' costume from halloween this year. The other was three blind mice. no pic of that yet...

mysterious text

Sat. night, I was up at a retreat with 9th and 10th grade girls. I wasn't getting any cell phone reception, but what do you know? I got a mysterious text message saying that I had a picture message and to go to some website to get it. So, here it is: I see Kate, Taryn, Sim, Matt and is that other face Carly? I'm confused. Was Taryn in Chicago?
Anyway, Taryn, send me those pics of Cheese Haven and Jem Beach!

Halloween

Here's Stella in her last-year's Halloween finery. (she already grew out of this year's alligator costume.)

Nice weekend with Jackie and Jake in town. It may not look like it in this photo but I think he had fun. Maybe it was being forced to don the Browns cap.

Keep Janie in your prayers, she's still not doing well, time will tell.

Happy Halloween!

say a little prayer for Janie and weekend updates

This is Jackie actually posting as mom on her computer...

This weekend I came home for another Cleveland wedding. I guess everyone wants to get married near Halloween, b/c Carly was at a wedding just across the hall in the next ballroom at the same hotel. (You had to pass another one, the George Bush suit to get from one ballroom to the next. I should mentioned that the Bush suit was not being used...is that an indication that Cleveland is officially back in the blue?) The weddings were also a true representation of Cleveland East vs. West. At my wedding, it was for my friend Carly from college, who grew up in Beachwood. This was my first ever Jewish wedding and first experience with the hora and hoopa and all that. Exciting stuff. The next room was full of fat, red faced Irish Ignatius guys and thier slim, evil looking Mags alum wives. It's so damn gratifying to see those assholes all grown up into douchebag, spare-tire wearing lamo adults. Ok, sorry, I digress... Carly and I seemed to manage multiple wedding crashes at slow points at our respective events. Pics from Carly are to come....

Also, this weekend, I was joined in Cleveland by Jake, the boyfriend. He has been on female with hard vowel overload, but having a great time thanks, especially to mom's hospitality. Although, last night at wedding, he lost a contact rendering him unable to perform the role as designated driver and I had another wedding first...sober. Weird. I'll give the weekend lowdown. Friday: dinner (by Mary) with Peggy & Carly and Taryn making an appearance as the gold sequinsed 'gold digger' for halloween.

Sat: brunch with Patty Ross, Carly, T, mom. On to a tour of the valley with Jake and Taryn's dog Stella (who, Taryn, I should add, it looked as if she had never seen the valley the way she was running around like a kid in a candy store. Take out that damn dog). Then, on to Brunswick---which, I thought perhaps I had taken a detour into Kentucky, but no, we were only in Medina County to an apple orchard complete with hay rides, corn mazes and apple picking. Good times. Lastly, home and off to the Rennaisance hotel for wedding fun.

Today I am about to head out to meet Dad, Patty (hopefully) and others for brunch in Ohio City. Dad requested we go to Ohio City so he could show off to Jake as the self proclaimed mayor of the OC. His ego is out of control. Then, we are to meet up with other folk from college in the E. Side. But, I have to say, we have a really lovely metropark over here on the west side and between that and the Lakewood tour of homes, Lakewood park and delicious food at casa Mary, I have put together a very appealing tour of the west side, that I feared could not be done. Hand on back, patting.

Ok, now to end on a serious note: Janie, our aunt Debbie & Sim's aunt was hit by a car on Friday night and is in the hospital in critical condition. She was leaving a movie at the Cedar Lee with Alan & Debbie when a car turned the corner and hit her hard, carrying her another 10 ft. on the hood before stopping. She has no broken bones, but there is swelling in her brain....so, say a prayer for Janie or whatever it is you do.

Thats all for now. Over & out.

For your comedy pleasure...

If you didn't get my call regarding Steve O'Donnell in the premiere of The Sarah Silverman Program, or his many hilarious stints as a faux spokesperson on Jimmy Kimmel Live - well, please tune in. He's our very own Cleveland-born national treasure.

Also, a wonderful new friend, Paul Willson, stars in a relatable gem I know you will all enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi0nHFiQoWw

(Please think of how JoJo spoke of Cleveland as a "winter wonderland!" while viewing Paul beaming with pride at Barstow. Made me laugh and tugged at the old heart strings.)

Love to you, family.

Happy Birthday to Kate, sweet child o mine...

So, today is our very own Leah, Leah, Leah contributing (but not yet contributed) writer's 28th birthday. Can you believe it?
All grown up, Kate is working in Chicago as an ESL teacher on the way, way, way south side of Chicago (we're talking 2 hr commute, ppl.). I'm so happy to get another mcdonnell girl into teaching...Carly is being recruited heavily as we speak.

But, for her big day, I'd like to share a few only Kate memories

*St. Lukes circa 1987: Kate is the only kid in her class to complete her assignment on puke green paper. Everyone else chooses sky blue or hot pink. Kate explains that she felt bad for the green paper.

*1990-ish era: I think we can all look back with a laugh and sigh of relief that the black denim Guns and Roses jacket and requisit Axel Rose bandana days are long gone.

*1999-ish era: I think we can also all look back in the same way at the inch long bang days.

*1985-ish: Kate leading us to smother yogurt all over our faces and lay on the ground so that Betsy would come over and lick our faces. Kinky.

*1998- Kate coming home from Ireland for the first time with a funny brogue and phrases like, "I don't mean to be awkward, but..." that has not lost it's charm or interest for taunting in almost 10 years.

Make sure to send Kate via comment to this post one of your favorite Kate-ism memory.

Love you little sis.

Attn: Kate & Jeanie

My friend Nilaja (well, she's sorta famous now so I haven't been in touch for a while, but anyway...) has this AMAZING one woman show called No Child, about working as a teaching artist in a NY public school. It is playing at the Lookingglass Theatre at the Waterworks tower. I absolutely think you would both love this show and should bring everybody you know to see it b/c she is jsut that fantastic.

Also, I get these email updates and I guess she is part of a panel at Columbia College about arts in education that is FREE and might be of interest to ya....

November 5, 2007
6 PM
Columbia College Chicago’s Film Row Cinema
1104 S. Wabash, 8th floor

What are the Real Benefits of Arts Education?

This program will present new research by Lois Hetland (http://
www2.colum.edu/ center_for_ arts_policy/ dvbio.htm) of Harvard Project
Zero. Her recently published book, “Studio Thinking: The Real
Benefits of Visual Arts Education” (http://store. tcpress.com/
0807748188.shtml) , reports on a year-long study of five visual-arts
classrooms in two Boston-area high schools and the thinking skills
addressed through arts instruction.

Respondents:
Nilaja Sun, writer/performer, No Child…
Mary Acierto Ridley, visual art teacher/retired, Chicago Public Schools

Admission is free.

Co-sponsored by Lookingglass Theatre Company
No Child…
October – November 2007
Visit www.lookingglassthe atre.org (http://www.lookingg lasstheatre. org/
content.php) for tickets

another one bites the dust

In the past couple of years, my New York contingency has been dwindling. Everyone moves. There was a mass migration of college friends (3) to Cleveland 3 years ago. Sara moved to SF, Kelly to Boston, Liz to DC, Mara to Miami, Carly to Cleveland and now my friend Erin Lang (now Erin Jerro), who moved to NY the same week as me and shared many a slice of pizza with me when we both couldn't afford our own, a friend I have known since our high school musical days at Magnificat, who made a frightening life change when she moved to Jersey City, got married and had twins about a year ago, has decided to follow the fold and head back to Cleveland. Hanging out with Libby this past weekend, I fear her migration is coming soon, too. As her and her Ohioan boyfriend talk longingly of Cleveland real-estate.
So, as I say goodbye to another Clevelander in New York, I think to myself.....what the hell is the matter with people?

Here are some pics of those adorable twins.

Leftie Girls are Easy

I fould this article ridiculous yet hilarious. I guess we all know what Jackie's doing tomorrow night...

Looking for a date for Friday night? Want someone to read thepoliticker.com with and talk to about Eliot Spitzer's fiscal policy late into the night?
Like-minded city singles are looking to tonight's Barack Obama fund-raiser as more than just a politically charged soiree: It'll be a raging pickup scene.
The rally from 5-8 p.m. in Washington Square Park, promises to draw a young, intelligent crowd. And what better time to hook up than a beautiful fall evening while waving a banner for democracy?
"You are likely to have similar political views, and those often cross into other things that aren't politically affiliated," says Colleen Kluttz, a 29-year-old TV producer who's hitting the event tonight if work allows. "It will give you something to talk about. It gives you a reason to have conversations that aren't just about yourself." But what kind of guy are you going to find at an Obama rally?
"A socially conscious liberal - probably a well-dressed, well-groomed hipster," Kluttz says.
But when the sun goes down over NYU, the party really starts about 20 blocks north- the rally after-party.
The Obama campaign is in no way affiliated with the Official Barack in NYC After-party, set for 7:30 at the 4-0/40 Club in the Flatiron District, but you can bet the young and the restless will file up Fifth Ave. from the park to continue, well, showing their support.
Even the invite for the event reads like a singles bash:
"Hope hits the Big Apple! Join us at Jay-Z's 4-0/40 Club on Thursday as we ride the winds of change from the hottest rally in New York. Move to the music, socialize with friends, and let your voice be heard as we celebrate with audacity."
Lindsay Schaeffer, 25, may even skip the rally for the nighttime bash.
"Look, you never meet good guys in a bar," she reasons. "Something like this naturally weeds out the losers for you. You aren't going to get some pickup artist at a political after-party."
One ardent Obama supporter (who declined to give his name because he works in politics) says he'll attend both the rally and the after-party, and he doesn't expect to be going home alone.
He's confident for a reason.
"Let's face it: Leftie girls are easy," he says.

iranian ruthless leader spices up my 10 block radius

So, I was at work all the while, but none the less, roomate Kate was taking fast and furious notes for me on the Ahmadinejad spectacle at Columbia today. The whole area was filled with protest and counter-protest.

Here is the inside skinny:
What we couldn't see on tv was that the whole space was arm to arm covered in Iranian gun toting security and secret service. Kate pointed out that the demographic in the room was largely International Studies Grad students, who are a very international group. So, there were some really conflicting reactions going around. Many thought that Bollinger was grand-standing to appease his critics (and Jewish philanthropic alumni) and thought slamming Ahmadinejad was out of line, others were sickened to the point of walking out because they didn't feel he was treated harshly enough.

I have to say that I am pretty proud of the position that Columbia president, Bollinger took in standing up to Ahmadinejad..I mean, nobody else is doing it. He didn't only take him to task, but he gave him challenges to meet, such as allowing a discussion of this nature at the Univerity system in Iran, with Bollinger, himself as the uncensored speaker.
At the end of Ahmadinejad's philosophic ramblings about angels, education and intellectual curiousity for 'researching' the holocaust, he ended by inviting Columbia and Bollinger to Iran saying you could come to any Univervisity and speak...I'll send you a list of acceptable Universities. ....wait a minute.....sneaky mo fo.

The rest of the week is going to be crazy and my commute to work doubled in length b/c of all the street closings/ congestion from the UN General assembly. Did you know, by the way, that you can still smoke in the UN General Assembly? It's not prohibited, but 'discouraged'. I know mother Mary knows this bit of trivia.

My big break!


(I had to write that mindless show - (or starve) How many ways can a person say "sexy"? - Oh, I found out! (The answer is 7)
And believe you me, it made me feel even more like a prostitute than Ms. Sushi Tray herself. But uhm, scariest question: How did I look?)

Susie,
So good to see you and your new pooch. (Looks more than a little like a big grown-up Mac!!!)
Imagine my surprise while watching some mindless show on E the other night, when they started interviewing guests at a party where the sushi was being served off of naked bodies, there was Susie! Not the serving platter, the guest. Thank God for DVR and the ability to rewind so Kate and I could share it with Taryn. We watched it over and over, very fun. And I was glad you were the guest and not the platter!
Kate is in Chicago for a few days on job interviews, wish her luck.
Love you all!!!

Not sure if that worked but here's my new doggy.

Hello McDonnell Ladies!

And what an attractive bunch, I might add... Anyone here from Cleveland?
Booyah!
So glad for this as I feel so out of touch - thank you, Jackie!

What's shaking?

My Answer: The tail of my adorable doggy who I was lucky enough to find at the pound - why it was as if I'd dreamt up the perfect dog and there he was! (How do I post pictures?) He's really so ridiculously cute and full of personality that people have said I should train him for the movies, but I don't know. Not sure I want him getting into drugs.

In other news, a new writing partner and I wrote a drama pilot about a family of bootleggers in Kansas, circa 1921. After many weeks of consideration and passing it about - the nice ladies at HBO finally passed - but it was a very, very kind and considered pass which was full of compliments so we're hoping to get hired on one of their other shows. And we've moved along to writing a new spec feature script called "Birth Mother" - based on my new writing partner's experience of meeting hers.

And that's all I got.

What's new with all of you?

HOORAY FOR JACKIE!!!

Thank you, Jackie, for getting this started. I'm happy to have an easy venue for keeping up with everyone. I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUSIE TO START WRITING FOR US!!! And I look forward to hearing stories and seeing pictures from everyone. Nothing exciting to report from here except that Kate is home (briefly) but we'll let her tell you all about that.

Everything I ever needed to know I learned from Joanne

Welcome to the McDonnell family blog. I am excited to have a place to share updates, memories, gossip, pictures, and randomness with my fabulous Irish mafia. Post away!

I'm trying to run more. Here's my map today...