The terrorist attack in Bali makes me so sad. I spent a month in Bali about 12 years ago, and it is a beautiful island. I think I even remember where the Sari club is on Kuta Beach, since I spent two weeks at a resort there. The people in Bali are so religious; making offerings to their gods about three times a day. Bali was such a safe place to be. When I was there, there was no violent crime to speak of.

Now it seems that's all changed, and I feel most of all sorry for the Indonesian people and what the attack will do to their already faltering economy. Bali was a big destination for Australian tourists, and many students went to Bali on for their breaks.

I wonder what the people who said that America was to blame for the 9/11 attacks will say now? Are the Indonesians to blame? The Aussies? I wonder if those people who blamed US foreign policy for 9/11 are now ashamed for saying what they said?

I'm tired today. I ate too mucy yummy fattening food at the bbq yesterday. We ended up watching the SF Giants/SL Cardinals game. It's exciting to think that the home team is one game away from getting into the world series. My poor beloved A's are out, but the SF Giants are in, so the half of me is happy at least.

I would love to go the world series game, but tickets are probably going to so expensive. I'm already going to La Boheme on Thursday, and shelled out $70 for that ticket. None of my close girlfriends really like baseball, and would only attend if they get a free ticket. It's kind of drag sometimes to be a girl who likes sports. I really don't know why more women don't enjoy sports. I played sports growing up, so I appreciate people who play sports. But I was lucky that way growing up. Both my parents were sports enthusiasts, and played competitive sports growing up. I'm just a product of their sports attitudes, and their habits since I also grew up watching sports programs on TV.

Sometimes I think most women don't like sports because it's a guy thing, and not a girl thing. Or maybe it has to do with women having to compete for attention with sports with their man. I like watching sports, so I consider sporting events an enjoyable activity you do with your guy. But I'm weird that way I think. I mean, I watch sports on TV whether I'm with a guy or not. How weird is that for a chickie girl?

No Mr. Welsh from Trainspotting unfortunately. The bar was filled to the capacity when we got there, and there was a line going down the block to get in. It was definitely poor planning on our part, but who knew he would get that kind of crowd. We ended up at some bar, where you could buy beers for $3 and well drinks for $2.50. It was my kind of bar; dark, small and the drinks were cheap.

My Tibetan Energy Yoga class was cancelled as well, which bummed me out. To make up for this loss I signed up for another seminar in November, with the man I learned tibetan yoga techniques back in May. His office recommended I attend a companion seminar being held on the previous day with Russell Targ, who wrote Miracles of the Mind. So I signed up for that one as well.

The blue angels were buzzing around yesterday afternoon for Fleet Week, so I got up on my roof and watched them. They fly with so much precision and speed, so they are very cool to watch. I remember watching them as a child, so I'm amazed that the program is still around. They were flying so low, you could see the numbers on the bottom of their planes.

I feel better today. I made myself sleep alot, which always helps my mood because then I dream weird dreams. I think longer periods of sleep help my subconsicous work itself out in dreams. I've gone back to my half hour ritual of praying and meditation again. Last week I was so stressed out about the broken fridge and my screenplay outline, that I stopped. Quieting my mind by prayer and meditation relaxes me and helps to get rid of stress.

My writing group is having a bbq at a member's house this afternoon. It's a sunny day, and it will be fun. My writing friend and her husband just bought the house last year, and although it's in Oakland and not SF, at least they've got a place they can call their own. I prefer not to live anywhere else in the SF Bay area except in the city and county of San Francisco, but with housing prices the way they are here, it's hard to be that picky when you're buying a place.

I just received feedback from my screenwriting teacher. She said my outline was "good", and suggested a few changes.

She didn't like the beginning, which is fine. I could cut three scenes from the beginning, and start where she suggested. Then I'd have three extra scenes to fill in, which I can do since the screenplay as it is now is really tight. I had a question for her about my first two opening scenes, which I'd like to keep. My only other question was if I cut those three scenes at the beginning, then two scenes which I put in at the end to wrap up what happened in the beginning are no longer necessary. At least, that's what my gut instinct is telling me. I have a thing about wrapping all the story lines up. Many writers don't do this, and some writers feel that you shouldn't neatly wrap up all the loose ends in a story because then your story becomes too neat and organized. But too bad. I like my story lines wrapped up. Besides, I think I can wrap a story line up and still make the ending of the story line ambiguous and not neat, so it's not too contrived.

Five new scenes to add in. Interesting. My screenwriting teacher also said that "every man needs a cave", and that my main character should have one. He sort of already does, but it's not straightforward. I could use the extra scenes to give my main guy more time in his cave.

I was dreading my screenwriting teacher's feedback, but it wasn't too bad. Of course, this is the time when a writer realizes that certain things about their work are sacred and can't be touched. I think I'm attached to my opening two scenes. I've managed to let go of having a voice over in the beginning, which I totally love in a movie. My screenwriting teacher convinced me that my voiceover wasn't justified. And now my opening scenes with the baseball team must go too. My screenwriting teacher said from the very beginning, back in February, that she thought the baseball team scenes were unnecessary, and now they're almost all gone. Sad!

But perhaps she's right. Baseball is just the background to the story, and it really doesn't have to be shown. But gosh darn it!!! I loved my baseball team scenes! A friend at one of my jobs convinced me of the wisdom of picking your battles wisely, and that not every battle has to be fought. Maybe I need to heed my work friend's wisdom now. At least now, I don't have to worry about getting permission from the owners of Pac Bell park to use their baseball stadium and facilities in my story. I can just say "Outside of the baseball park", and not say it's Pac Bell park. Using famous places is such a hassle. You first have to get permssion to the use the place in your story, and then if your movie does get sold, the cost of filming at the famous play has to be added to the movie budget. And what's worse, the famous place people might not even give you permission to mention their location in your story or let a movie be filmed there. It's so not worth the bother really.

By taking the baseball scenes completely out, I also won't get the severe scrutiny from the die hard baseball fan community either. Those people are so persnickety about getting the baseball stuff right.

Still, I hate losing my baseball team scenes. Never mind that they weren't very accurate, they were sort of my favorites. Sigh!