Waiting is Hard…

~ Melissa Bianco ~ Leave a comment

So I’m waiting for my book to appear on Amazon.com.   They said one to two weeks, but it feels like forever.  I should be patient, but it’s not one of my strong suits. 

You’d think after 5 years of letting the manuscript sit in my closet that I wouldn’t care.  Well, now that it’s print-ready,  I CARE!

It’s available on PrintSurge.com but Amazon.com is a much more recognized website so I don’t want to do anything until it’s on there.  I should be updating my website (I have the new layout for it and everything), but I ended up making post after post on my blog until after midnight last night.

Not my fault.  It was FUN.

I’ve done two searches three times today:  “melissa bianco” (a wine book keeps coming up) and “real life” (the movie Dan in Real Life keeps popping up, along with some music CDs).  So nothing yet, but I’ll let you know.

Mayan Adventure Trailer

~ Melissa Bianco ~ Leave a comment

I wrote the script and co-produced this short Christian film.  It was made on a shoestring budget (enough money for paint and videotapes), with amateur actors, and a completely volunteer crew.  Dave Huwe directed.

I wrote the script from February to May, 2007 and then we went into rehearsal and filming until October.  The film premiere was November 7th at Family Community Church in San Jose, California.

Music Videos – “Angie” vs. “Melissa”

~ Melissa Bianco ~ Leave a comment

My sister and I both have videos by famous musicians.  Hers is by The Rolling Stones and mine is by The Allman Brothers.  Whose is better?

Well, I’m partial to hers, but I’m also a big Stones fan, so…  But hey…The Allman Brothers are pretty good, too.

So, what’s your take?

Angie by the Rolling Stones

Sweet Melissa by the Allman Brothers

My Job Requires Hazard Pay

~ Melissa Bianco ~ Leave a comment

So, you think you work at a game company and you’re there to be serious.  Make a game.  Be a game developer.  Serious stuff.  Game stuff.  (This was before City of Heroes was released, by the way.)

I was the unsuspecting victim of a videotaped punking.  (I’m the moron at the end – the only girl.)

And…just so you know…my co-worker (he-who-shall-not-be-named…in a lawsuit) said he deleted it.  Yeah RIGHT!!!

But, it’s pretty funny and my twitch has nearly stopped.  (I do, however, still jump every time I see movement out of the corner of my eye.  Seriously, ask my co-workers.  I don’t trust ’em either.)

Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates

~ Melissa Bianco ~ Leave a comment

…that get stolen by the kid up the street.  Sure, I was 8 or 9, but I still remember!  I STILL remember!

Pot of Gold by Hersheys
Pot of Gold by Hershey's

I got my eye on you!

(Actually, I should thank Parndeep’s brother, the one who swiped them.  They were Pot of Gold chocolates and those really aren’t that great.  In fact, I probably would have chipped a tooth.  Maybe I should thank him for pushing me to strive for excellence and not settle for dime-store candy.)

…

Nah, I’m still cheesed.

Mi Familia

~ Melissa Bianco ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been playing with PhotoShop Elements (until I can afford a copy of CS3 for home) a little and created this fun nostalgic pic of my family:

Mi Familia
Mi Familia

 

Don’t we all look adorable?  I love black and white images.  They always looks so much…better than colour.  I’m in the middle of updating my website (for the zillionth time) and this image is part of the header.  It’s Flash and all very complicated. 

I bet if I actually knew Flash it would be much easier.

Back Home Again

~ Melissa Bianco ~ Leave a comment

I’m heading back to Vancouver next month and I have to say I’m pretty excited about it.  Even though this gas price “issue” has strangled my ability to travel somewhat, I’ve managed to accumulate enough Alaska Airlines Air Miles to fly back for free (mostly).

I had my 20-year high school reunion last September so going back again this September is kind of nice.  I’ve come back a few times and it’s good to see my family again.  I’m hoping for rain.  While I love the sunny California weather, even in February, it’s nice to have some honest to goodness RAIN for a while.  Just enough to annoy the heck out of me and make me appreciate the sun and ‘golden hills’ of San Jose.

They’re not really golden, you know that right?  Those babies are brown.  But no one here admits it.  Know why they’re golden?  Because the grass is dead, people!  Dried up deadness!  But I guess golden sounds nicer.  It’s all about the media spin, I guess.

I don’t care.  I love the weather, I just miss the old weather, too.  But trust me, I’ll be back in Vancouver for a day, it’ll rain, and I’ll be whining about that, too.

Anyway, so I’m excited.  I’ve missed my friends.  They’re the ones who really know me, the ones who remember what I was like when I was a teenager.  Not some grouchy militant step-monster or a professional part-time student or a game designer or fledging novelist.

Nah, these girls remember me with pimples and tragic crushes on guys I’d never get.  They knew me when I was “spinny” and silly and, well, thinner.  You can’t buy that.  Not once you hit your 30s.  It’s harder to find deep and meaningful friends, ones who’ve known you for years.  So it’s made me appreciate the girls who still yap with me when I visit and get excited and plan get-togethers so they won’t miss out on seeing me.

I mean, how cool is that? 

So to the following ladies (I don’t know who else’ll be there so…):

  • Tanya
  • Moira
  • Leslie
  • Melanie (hopefully!)
  • Mom
  • Angie

See you soon!