Would I Jump Off a Bridge If Everyone Else Was Doing It?

I guess the answer is yes. That's right, gentle reader. I have joined the dark side. I am now on...Twitter. I'm a tweeter. I'm tweeting. Whatevs. I'm there. I never thought I'd do it. Twitter seemed too new fangled for my liking. However, a dear friend convinced me that it was a good move for my writing career. She was incredibly persuasive and the more I thought about it, the more I realised that she was right. So, I guess there's nothing else to say except:

Elisabeth Fitzgerald on Twitter

Don't worry, I'll still be updating this blog frequently. 140 characters? Please. It takes me that long to explain what I do for a living.

Think Before You Speak

Hey, I admit it. I'm the first person to make a joke in an uncomfortable situation. Humor is my defense mechanism. My sister does this, too. We've discussed it at length, and we're pretty sure it comes from our father. Sometimes it's easier to just go for the joke.

However.

I need to remember that words can be hurtful and sometimes making "light" of a situation can really be making it worse. Check out my newest piece for Commentarista, and you'll see what I mean.

Stick and Stones May Break My Bones...And Words Can Hurt, Too

One of the most overused phrases of this decade has got to be "in this economy." Nevertheless, IN THIS ECONOMY we should all try to be extra sensitive to the problems of our friends.

I'll Take Door #2, Please

There are two sets of frosted glass doors to enter the floor where my office is located. I have a key fab for one of them, and go in and out of those doors several times a day. However, across the elevator bay sits another set of doors. They look the same as the first set, but they are not. I don't know where they lead. I've never seen anyone go in or out. They are the Mystery Doors.

What wonders lie behind the Mystery Doors? A balcony overlooking Wilshire Boulevard? A break room filled with coffee and donuts and (possibly) booze? A magical resting place with couches and a TV that plays nothing but Family Guy, The Office and Absolutely Fabulous? Oh, the possibilities!

Yes, I know it's probably a conference room or an executive office suite. However, I spend the majority of my day sitting at a table that doubles as a desk organizing other people's lives. Let me dream.

Online Dating and Catholic Mothers

What do they both have in common? Guilt trips (sorry, Mom. I love you!). Seriously, it's easier to break up with an actual partner than it is to cancel a dating profile. Don't believe me? Check out my latest article for THE ZEROS BEFORE THE ONE.

Warning! Deleting This Dating Profile May Lead to a Solitary Life and Dying Alone

Does this count as a science experiment?

Table for One

While I have a preference for solitude, I don't often do things alone. Maybe it's because I'm in a long term relationship. Maybe it's because I don't really do a whole lot unless one of my awesome friends invites me. Whatever the reason, I'm not much of a "for one" girl. However, that all changed on Friday night.

Let me set the scene for you. Friday night. Beverly Hills, California. I was meeting a friend in Santa Monica for a 7:30pm movie and my work day ends at 5:00pm. The commute time between downtown BH and the movie theatre is roughly 40 minutes. So, I had some time to kill. And, due to a crazy pre-production schedule, I hadn't eaten since 8am. Cranky is not a strong enough word to describe my mood. Flaming bitch might have come a little closer. Translation? I needed to eat, pronto.

My friend was having drinks with former co-workers, so I was on my own to find sustenance. After parking what felt like a mile away I trudged my giant bag, laptop and weary bones to a small cafe on Montana Ave. Any trepidation that I had about eating alone was overshadowed by my intense hunger.

Thankfully, my waitress had a good sense of humor and didn't blink an eye when I greeted her not with "Hello," not with "Good evening," but with "white wine, please!" The wine appeared almost instantly and I suddenly realised that I was sitting in a crowded restaurant...all by myself. Ordinarily, I would have worried about looking "uncool," but I'm not 18 anymore. So...who really cares if I'm uncool? I pulled out my trusty Kindle, loaded up a script and sipped my wine. Other than a brief conversation with the older couple sitting next to me about said Kindle, I enjoyed my BLT and wine(s) in solitude, And, you know what? It was pretty awesome. I never felt awkward or embarrassed to be alone. If anything, I felt in control and mysterious. Plus, everything moved at my pace, no waiting for anyone else. That alone was worth the price of the meal.

I've never been to the movies by myself. I kind of want to see HORRIBLE BOSSES. Hmm...