Best Original Screenplay

My image board-made this in 2011

Wow! Before I start thanking everyone, let me just say this - image boards work! (audience chuckles). Secondly, all you bloggers out there, persevere, keep writing. Even if I never ended up standing here tonight, my blog was always a place to go to express myself. It is a creative adventure that has fed me for years...and that alone is worth the effort to keep it going. Some people paint or sing or dance - I blog.

This screenplay would never have manifested without the characters in the story and since this is a true story, I want to thank all of you, especially my sweet daughter and my Mick for filling my life with the only thing that matters - love. (camera pans to Steve and Emma sitting next to each other in the audience-they are smiling and I make tear-filled eye contact with them). 

Thank you John Madden, your genius direction made my story unfold truthfully and authentically...so grateful you "got" me. Thank you to Drew Barrymore for recognizing a love story that needed to be told. Thank you to the awesome cast - Rachel, Bruce, Richard - all of you! Thank you to the Academy for voting with your heart.

And last but not least, I thank the great poet Rumi whose words lifted me through my most difficult days and pushed me to face my fears and follow my intuition and listen to my gut. "Gamble everything for love or leave this gathering.  There is some kiss we want with our whole lives." 

That was fun. Have you ever imagined your acceptance speech if you won an Oscar? This is the first time I ever actually wrote it down. 

Now I need to write the damn screenplay. 

Right after I figure out what I am going to wear to the ceremony. 

:-)