Made in China

Week became a blur.

It's so great to actually be together with my family. But its also easy to forget the little things. Like blogging... or writing... or sleeping...

The show continues to move forward. Everyone seems to be very happy with me and with the results of my work - but honestly - what else can they say? They so desparately want something to get on the air - they have little to no choice but to use what I'm giving. It has taken way longer than I figured to get this done - but seeing how corporate we are - I don't think it could have happened any faster. Especially across two cultures and languages.

My producer is now in Spain - working on his other films. He does a couple over there a year. He hadn't heard back from anyone by the end of the week - so we are still waiting. When he gets back - we continue the push. I've played this game before. And I've mentioned on here - optioning and selling the script are exciting - but are in no way indicators that you are near the end of the tunnel. If anything - you're just entering it - and in all probability will never see the light of production at the other end.

Probably just end up crashing and burning somewhere along the line.

Sigh. That doesn't at all sound bitter and cynical does it? Really? I thought I just sounded like a pragmatic writer...

Since we got rained out on the first trip - we spent Saturday trekking to the Great Wall. Now my Chinese friends laugh - kind of like we do when someone wants to go see the Statue of Liberty. It's nice - but who wants to deal with the crowds and the tourists. But my kids really wanted to whole experience - and far be it from me to deny them this - when I so readily deny them so much else.

There are a lot of places to see the wall - but the one most people go to is Ba Da Ling. The two times I've been there have both been to Ba Da Ling. Most tourists go there as well - as its the closest spot to Beijing.

If you have a choice - Don't go there.

We went instead to MuTianyu. Its a bit farther - but only by 30 minutes or so. The wall is in a lot better shape - and the scenery is way better as its more up in the mountains. You can see forever on a clear day.

I recommend getting up early to head out. We left at 7 - and there were only 30-40 people there when we got there. By the time we were leaving - buses were arriving.

The great thing about MuTianyu is that you get to take a ski lift up to the wall location - and then toboggan down. The wall is basically like climbing a thousand of the steepest steps you've ever been on in your life - so you'll get enough exercise - but the ride up and down are really great.

My kids went nuts for it. Nervous on the way up at how easily you could fall off the lift - and thrilled on the way down at the prospect of slamming our sled into the one in front of us.

The toboggan is a little lunge type sled with a brake. You ride on a silver tube track all the way down.


Here's a little video to give you an idea. Its actually much faster if you don't use the brake...

Friday I played ball for two hours. Actually did OK for a guy my age. Scored well and played decent defense. Paid the price though as my knee kept me awake all night. Wore my brace on the wall and did OK and managed to make up for my lost sleep on Sunday.

Time to jump back in. Only 5 days till the family heads back to the states. I hate to see them go - but they start school soon.

My daughter asked me if I would ever be home for the first day of school for her. I told her - I don't think we're that type of family. We miss some of the little things - but we get to do big crazy things - like sledding down the mountain by the Great Wall instead.

She didn't look impressed.

Time to make the donuts....