My knee is still swollen and the yellow areas in the photo are really black in person.

My knee is still swollen and the yellow areas in the photo are really black in person.

This last weekend I got to hang out with 19 other bloggers for the Disney DreamWorks Event in Los Angeles to learn more about “Real Steel” and “The Muppets Movie.”  But unfortunately for me, the weekend started out with a bang….literally.

I’d barely been in LA more than an hour when as a group we visited the Universal Studios Citywalk area where we spotted Jim Carey with his family.  While walking back I face-planted into the pavement.  To do so is embarrassing enough, to do it in front of a group of bloggers, all packing cameras, was beyond embarrassing.  Thankfully, none of them captured my finest moment on camera and I limped back to the hotel feeling like and idiot.

Within the hour we were headed to the lobby to meet up to see a sneak preview of DreamWorks Studio’s soon-to-be-released movie, “Real Steel.”  I’ve been looking forward to this part of the trip because although I’m not a boxing fan, and in fact not a fan of any kind of violence generally, I’d been reading about the truly fabulous story this movie includes, so I was ready for a fabulous evening with my blogging friends.  Sadly, within just a few minutes of the ride I knew something was wrong.  I wasn’t feeling well and although I do get motion sick, this was definitely different.  Within minutes I had to request the driver pull over, which is impossible on the LA freeway.  He found an exit and we parked in front of an adorable bungalow, where I tried to pull myself back together.

Some of the others from the van came out to check on me. Liz from Thoughts of a Mommy (thoughtsofamommy on Twitter) took over immediately and was so kind and caring.  I know there were others but it’s all really foggy what happened there. I really wanted them to leave me there on the side of the road where I could wait for a cab, but they wouldn’t.  After much discussion and a lot of insistence on Liz’s part to leave my lunch on these very nice people’s front lawn (which it turned out the house was empty and for sale), I agreed to be driven to a restaurant where another van could pick me up.

Long story short, we found a cab, I hopped into it, and within a block had pull over again….30 minutes later we continued the trip only to have yet one more emergency and this time nowhere to pull over so I made use of a plastic bag begrudgingly turned over by the driver (“I’ve just started nights and have many bad experiences.”).  I assured him, again, that I was not drunk between filling his bag and the front of my shirt with the contents of my stomach and the very expensive Margarita Pizza I’d had for lunch.

I loved these glasses....there were bent beyond fixing sadly. Did I mention I they're bi-focals and I need the to see up close and far away? :)

I loved these glasses….there were bent beyond fixing sadly. Did I mention I they’re bi-focals and I need the to see up close and far away? 🙂

As I was jumping out of the car, now stopped in front of the entrance to Universal Studios (thankfully closed for the night) so I could finish puking,  he said, “You pay now?”  Yes, while I was puking.

After another 30 minutes and after losing I think the last 10 meals I’d eaten, I was ready to get back in the car, humiliated and covered in stinky stomach contents.  I got my card out and paid him. Cost? $45 Trip length?  70 minutes…. distance?  3 miles….  Mishap?  Crushed my glasses.

Worst humiliation?  Walking into the hotel with my lunch down the front of my shirt and on my pants with no stairs in sight.  I hid behind the elevator bank waiting for an opening that never came.  The couple I finally rode up with in desperation are probably still talking about the drunk lady staring at the door trying to hide herself in plain view.  Why was I so sick so quick? I realized later I’d taken 9 Ibuprofen tablets in less than 4 hours because of my fall so I’m pretty sure my stomach’s violent reaction was caused by that.

The next day was better and started out with a secret movie screening and then the “Real Steel” junket.  Sadly I got news my grandmother died and it tinted the day in sadness for me.  I will post about her in a few days.  She had an amazing life.  And then the next day was spent with the Muppets.

Mayhem?  I missed it.  It was bull riding and drinks on Saturday night..you know, Bloggers on Bulls….Here’s Louise from Mom Start on her bull.

So, that’s how my weekend went.  How was yours?

This very inappropriately funny photo was taken by fellow blogger, Deals4Dummies - it just feels like the perfect way to end this post :)

This very inappropriately funny photo was taken by fellow blogger, Deals4Dummies – it just feels like the perfect way to end this post 🙂

Special thanks to the 19 fabulous bloggers I got the great pleasure of hanging with this weekend and most especially to the amazing and wonderful Marshall Weinbaum ,Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Publicist – Digital Marketing and Publicity and the Disney and DreamWorks companies for a fabulous weekend.

Interested in blogging for Disney?  If you’d like to be added to the press list for all Walt Disney Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures films, please email the following information:

WEBSITE, E-MAIL ADDRESS, FIRST NAME, LAST NAME (optional), STREET ADDRESS (optional), SUITE / APT # (optional), CITY,  STATE, ZIP CODE, PHONE # (optional), T-SHIRT SIZE (optional):

to: Marshall Weinbaum Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Publicist – Digital Marketing and Publicity  Marshall.[email protected]

Marshall is AWESOME to work with – you’re welcome to tell him where you found his info.

:reelmuppetsevent: