Updates . . .

My Dad had his doctor's appointment today and it is mixed news. His lungs are strong enough to withstand the surgery, but currently his heart is not. His heart is functioning at 20% or normal, probably due to 2 heart attacks over 20 some years ago. They are looking to see if they can safely increase its function to 30% so that he can have the surgery but he will have to see more doctors to find out what can be done. They are also looking for a less invasive alternative surgery though the aneurysm appears too wide for the standard stint. So, no surgery scheduled but good that the doctors are not being knife happy and really making sure he is not put at undue risk. I am thankful for that.

The actor's strike. Again, mixed news. The national SAG board met for 30 hours straight and accomplished nothing but ruining their credibility even more. The board is newly elected, since the contract negotiations started, and the new more moderate and sensible majority of that board was thwarted by the old negotiating committee's filibuster tactics that included an 8 hour argument on when to adjourn their meeting among other ridiculous things. The current SAG president and chief negotiator have no idea how absolutely ridiculous they have made their union look to the rest of the industry and public. Now, everyone else is really pi**ed at them, I mean really, really not happy with them at all. All of the other unions have agreed to their contracts, but the actors for some reason feel they deserve more than the directors that direct them, the writers that write for them, the costumers who dress them, the make-up people, the stunt people, the camera and grip crews just to name a few. They would have no job without these people yet they are willing to put them all out of work for their peculiar belief that they are better than the rest and deserve something more than their currently much higher pay. So, most speculate production will remain slow a few more weeks while SAG sends out their ballot for the strike authorization which will unlikely succeed and just waste more time. Very frustrating.

I'm going to bed to watch movies and wind down from a week of wringing hands.