July, 2004 Journal:
Hello friends.
Well, we finished shooting 29 episodes of “According to Jim” this season, and I’m finally catching my breath. Sorry to not have written for a while. Things are great here.
We got a Jack La Lanne Power Juicer, and really, life is changed. What a cool machine. I’m a sucker for infomercials. Ridiculous. The sound wasn’t even on. I just saw him smiling and smiling, and his wife was smiling and entire apples and carrots were disappearing down the chute and juice was flowing. So we bought three. Why buy one when you can buy three? We gave one to Mom and Dad for their anniversary, and we kept one in LA and one in Nashville. I even took it on the bus (come on boys, drink your vegetables). Brad loves it too, but we argue over whose turn it is to clean the darn thing. I’m making pineapple sorbet from the pulp in the freezer as I type. Oh yeah, that’s me. Multi-tasker.
So I’m off to Calgary to shoot a movie for Lifetime called Identity Theft: The Michelle Brown Story. It’s a scarey and fascinating true cautionary tale. I’m playing Michelle and Annabella Sciorra is playing the woman who steals my identity. Look for updates on when this will air. I am also co-producing the film.
Cause of the Month: The Shjon Podein Children’s Foundation.
Go visit them at www.team25.com/shjon/. Brad and I just spent a weekend at their annual benefit for some wonderful kids, most of whom are suffering from a rare and debilitating illness called Ataxia. It was as always an emotional and inspiring experience and gave us great perspective on our own lives. There aren’t enough cases in the country for federal funding, so the organization is trying to make up for that in money, information, and mostly, love. I ADORE THIS ORGANIZATION. And for the golfers out there, consider attending the tournament next year if you can (I don’t play, but I drive the kids around in the carts).
Magazines of the Month: InStyle and Redbook.
Hey, I wrote pieces in both of them. That’s a record for me.
Books of the Month: The Known World, by Edward P. Jones.
It won the Pulitzer Prize this year and it’s beautifully written and fascinating. You have to pay attention carefully sometimes though, because there are lots of characters and changes thru time—but it’s a neat touch. Also, for a quick beach read, Little Children, by Tom Perrotta is fun and a little trashy (opposite of my first pick).
I love and appreciate you guys. Stay cool, but not cold. God bless—
Kim