http://www.daysofourlives.com/denasblog/

We're All in This Together

June 30, 2008 |

Well, "One Life to Live" won a Daytime Emmy for writing last night. I was included in the list of writers, as was Mark. I worked on the show last year for half the year and Mark was on staff a little longer than that.

I didn't go because it wasn't my moment. I'm so happy for Ron and his team.

I'm glad I have this blog so I can, in a cyber-public way, thank Frank and everyone at One Life for a great (almost) three years. They were good to me even when I wasn't good back. Sometimes I buckled under the pressure and wasn't... um... always pleasant to be around. I guess I can still be that way. But I'm making more of an effort these days to be aware of the graciousness being poured out on me by others and responding in kind.

I love being back at DAYS. I sometimes complain on this blog because I always want to be as honest as possible. You all deserve that from me. But that doesn't mean it's all bad. There's a lot of good too.

Despite my fear of social events, I went to the NBC party last night after the Emmys. It was delightful and we all felt like family. Bruce Evans threw a heck of a shindig. I looked around the room and my heart was full of gratitude to Ken and Ed and Bruce for giving me the chance to write for DAYS. I'm lucky to work with such talented and gracious people who push me to do the best work I can even when I resist with all my might.

And now I'm getting ready to go back to NYC to do the TODAY show with Renee and Jim and talk about the Autism storyline. I want everyone to know that NBC came to me with this story idea (props to Rebecca McGill and Bruce). This wasn't my initial idea. I would never presume to foist my own agenda on the public. But with a nurturing environment, our writers are going to go to town to write a pretty powerful story. And Renee and Jim are beyond great and ready to commit body and soul to this story. How fabulous is that?

Congrats to Rachel, Darin, Thaao and Judi on the nominations. How can you compete in such an artistic category as acting? All our actors are winners in my book... probably yours as well.

And our Hair Dept. won an Emmy. Yeah!

I also want to thank everyone who's posted a response to this blog. I take you all very seriously. Thanks to the EJAMI fans. You guys are so dedicated. And to those of you rooting for John and Marlena. And to those of you who love Steve and Kayla and all you others. I love your enthusiasm. I care. I really do. I'm doing this for you. And those of you who struggle with marriage, motherhood and all that goes with it. We're all in this together.

I love how she admits that she's one big bitch behind the scenes...

i know shes dispised and should be stoned and maybe hung accoding to some but...

whats wrong with this blog?

I thought it was elegantly put.

It was frank and honest, which impresses me.

i know shes dispised and should be stoned and maybe hung accoding to some but...

whats wrong with this blog?

Nothing, but she admits to less than professional behaviour behind the scenes, which I agree is very bold of her. I love how she seemed to admit her mistakes at OLTL, and said the Emmy win was Ron's night.

I though those of us who discussed in the Writers/Directors thread why she wasn't there on Emmy night should see this.

As much as she seems like a nice person, she's not a great writer and this won't change my or anyone else's opinions on her.

Edited June 30, 200817 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I'm so happy for Ron

I'm glad I have this blog so I can, in a cyber-public way, thank Frank and everyone at One Life for a great (almost) three years. They were good to me even when I wasn't good back.

my heart was full of gratitude to Ken and Ed and Bruce

LOL!! *shakes head at Dena* She's so fake here! What lies!

write a pretty powerful story. And Renee and Jim are beyond great and ready to commit body and soul to this story. How fabulous is that?

Then why didn't WE SEE Abe and Lexie BEING TOLD Theo was autistic!! How could you leave such an important beat like that out?

i know shes dispised and should be stoned and maybe hung accoding to some but...

whats wrong with this blog?

Oh trust me, people will find fault in it.

Because its HACKley, and she is just evil incarnate.

I care. I really do. I'm doing this for you. And those of you who struggle with marriage, motherhood and all that goes with it. We're all in this together.

Now where have I heard THIS before? It's almost like it's been in another blog...

Edited June 30, 200817 yr by brimike

I've said before, Dena could be the nicest person in the world, still doesn't change the fact that I don't like her writing and probably never will.

That said, it was a very nice blog entry by her. If this blog is an attempt to "humanize" her, then I guess it's working for some people. I wish her the best of luck with DAYS, and I hope that one day I can find something that really interests me while she's writing.

And to the person who PMed me about my "Dena Hate" let me just say one thing. I don't hate the woman. I don't know her personally and quite frankly, don't want to. My problem with Dena is her writing and her alleged actions during the writer's strike. I dislike plenty of head writers, and yet I continue to watch the show. Why? Because there is something that entertains me when I watch it.

I watched her stint on OLTL until I couldn't watch anymore. The same way I have done with the other shows I've stopped watching.

As far as I'm concerned, when your professional reputation is already controversial to both fans and critics and when your open your self to the public through a network supported blog, then you should expect and welcome all the criticisms in the world. There's always going to be a backlash against her.

I catch a lot of flack for supporting some of JFP's traits, but we can all find traits we like in "hacks," I guess. I'd still venture to say that the worst of JFP is still better than the best of Dena Higley, but that's just my opinion.

Then why didn't WE SEE Abe and Lexie BEING TOLD Theo was autistic!! How could you leave such an important beat like that out?

Days has been pulling that for a while, leaving out important moments. Even when Hogan was writing.

"Sometimes I buckled under the pressure and wasn't... um... always pleasant to be around."

And by "buckled under the pressure," she means "when I wrote anything."

Her last year at OLTL was bad. I like DOOL right now.

I guess people who call her a byotch, a fake and a liar know her personally and therefore are justified in those type attacks. She seemed sincere in her blog. I don't recall anything in the constitution that required her to write that or say kind things about Saint Ron. I assume she did it because she wanted to.

Her last year at OLTL was bad. I like DOOL right now.

I guess people who call her a byotch, a fake and a liar know her personally and therefore are justified in those type attacks. She seemed sincere in her blog. I don't recall anything in the constitution that required her to write that or say kind things about Saint Ron. I assume she did it because she wanted to.

I don't really care what she cared to do. I don't care about her as a person. She could be Mother Theresa in her personal life; doesn't matter to me. She can't write worth [!@#$%^&*] and she's never been able to. Ever.

I've said before, Dena could be the nicest person in the world, still doesn't change the fact that I don't like her writing and probably never will.

That said, it was a very nice blog entry by her. If this blog is an attempt to "humanize" her, then I guess it's working for some people. I wish her the best of luck with DAYS, and I hope that one day I can find something that really interests me while she's writing.

And to the person who PMed me about my "Dena Hate" let me just say one thing. I don't hate the woman. I don't know her personally and quite frankly, don't want to. My problem with Dena is her writing and her alleged actions during the writer's strike. I dislike plenty of head writers, and yet I continue to watch the show. Why? Because there is something that entertains me when I watch it.

I watched her stint on OLTL until I couldn't watch anymore. The same way I have done with the other shows I've stopped watching.

This could not be stated any better. Kudos for putting into words excatly how I feel about this woman.

I admire her for her actions as a mother. I'm glad that she decided to be honest about her backstage persona (as if most of us didn't already know..) There are plenty of good mothers and honest people who suck at their jobs, and Dena happens to be one of them.

It's not personal or vendictive with me. I WANT to enjoy Days. I really do. I love this show, and I enjoyed the last half of 2008, and the first two months of this year, but now it has no direction, and once again, all she can do is have characters slut around and call it romance. Maybe "romantic" in a "Red Shoe Diaries" sort of way, but not in the Days way we are accoustomed to seeing. Not in the angsty, passionate way this show has been written for forty years (give or take a few bad writers..). She has this show drifting in an aimless oblivion, like a ship hit by a hurricane at sea. No direction, no focus, things are happening, but they are not good, and no progress. Thats a drifting ship if I ever saw one, and thats Days right now.