MONIQUE profile picture

MONIQUE

dance through life as if it's your last day

About Me

Well, alright - here's a few things : I'm a writer - been writing since I was 12 years old now almost 26, I'm at a point where I long have found my voice as an artist and wouldn't trade any other proffession for what I was given to do. BACK in Europe - in my childhood I was often depressed and told by almost everyone around me to give up the writing and focus on something serious(as becoming a doctor or whatever else people wished me to do with my life insteadt of following my dreams) - which then questioned me often as to what the meaning of my life is when myso called friends, family and neighbors were telling me to quit I held on cause to me it was and still is the one thing that completes me - to be able to write. To write is like being able to stop life around you and enter this place where there's only yourself, your thoughs and a million beautiful things surrounding you that you try to put in words./ IF you'd happen to meet in me in the real world I would be the girl sitting in the libray learning something about the world or I'd be the girl sitting in the corner at a coffeeshop writing as I'm observing the world around me for as a writer I'm always looking for caracters or a story to tell. IF you'd meet me at a social party - I wouldn't be the girl all dressed up fancy - chatting with everyone. I'd be the most quiet's person in the room that doesn't reveal much of herself. Because I'm in need to step back and be alone at times - mostly in moments like these you'd find me mountain biking up the santa monica mountain or on the roof of a building catching some fresh air while I'm finding peace with whatever troubled my soul at that moment.SOMETIMES there's moments when I'm not talking at all - lost in my mind I am for maybe a short amount of time questioning my life, the world and the meaning of everything. But then moments later I'm like a car speeding on the Autobahn filled with thoughts that I'm typing like crazy.But here's some things I'm very passioned about - filmmaking - the whole procces from writing to scheduling to accutly filming and editing the projects is what I love to do. You get to work with all kinds of creative people and work on things that mean the world to you. - life - I'm quite passioned about life, the meaning of it. I love reading and learning more about different cultures, religions, and human nature. - music - when I first started writing it was song lyrics that were my focus and music has and still is this huge insperation to me. - humanitarian cause - as a former runaway kid, having been abused, beaten and pretty much hurt by a good 90% of all people that have been in my life it is very important to me to give a voice to those who can't be heared. No matter how much money I will make or how my life will change one thing I will never forget is what it's like to have nothing, no family, no shoulder to lean on, no love and no home. I know too well what it's like to be hurt and for that now being a writer I think I'm in a position to make a difference to give a voice to a stranger who like me 10 years ago is not been given a voice. Cause seriously I could have ended up the bad way easily,there were many moments in my childhood when I either ran away or thought about throwing it all away and do what everyone else does, take drugs or become addicted to alcohol....my drug of choice was MUSIC AND WRITING....and it still is what makes my life so colorful.What else is there's to say about me ???Some random things - I speak german and english fluent, can read and understand african/dutch so you can write me in any of those language. Well, when it comes to african/dutch I most likley will have to write you back english or german since I'm still in the learning stage of the language.(Just baught one of those teach yourself books...maybe in a few month...but I'm getting there.) - I'm shy, extremly shy, sometimes a bit afraid to get close to people because deep in my mind there is the thought that what if I will get hurt again. - I'm nice to everyone I encounter, always offer my help to stranger without expecting anything from them. I don't really expect anything in life at all but to wake up and be able to do what I love to do. - I'm not perfect - I do make mistakes and some things I've did in life shouldn't have happend and I do wish to make things right but not always your given a second chance. For expamly in life we find ourself in situation where we are under pressure to pay bills or do things faster than expected and right then as any human being we make choices that are not smart and right but at that moment that we did the choice we didn't had time to think it through and sometime it leads to losing a friendship, losing a Job or losing a chance to be forgiven. The best we can do is learn from our mistakes and take them with us.FOR MORE ON MY WORK YOU CAN SIMPLE SCROLL DOWN TO MY FRIENDS LIST AND CLICK ON "TMAUSFILMS" THAT WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO MY PRODUCTION COMPANYS PAGE OR JUST EMAIL ME DIRECTLY TO MY YAHOO EMAIL - "[email protected]" ----- LAST I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY AS AN ARTIST I'm interested in telling the human side of a story. I don't think I'd be able to write a sifi story or something from out of space - I'm better and more interesting in capturing the many human emotions and film and music are simple the most beautiful language one can tell a story - simple because it is understood on every corner of the world. For example currently I'm writing on a love story that takes place in Sudan/Africa in the mids of the conflict - I must say writing a story as this is an interesting journey not only because I'm generaly interesting in learning more about the world but because while I'm working on the final draft of the script I do get to learn a some african languages and something about the people over there other than the fact that there is war. So far I've been reading a good 20 books on Sudan, it's history, some people's storys and of course United nation reports from there. That's the most beautiful thing that writing gives me is that I learn something about life, the world and that is what I guess make me so passionet about what I do - it's not work cause whatever I'm working on it's something I will remember someday - look back to and say I had a good time working on this cause not only did I wrote the 90 pages down I did learn something that will have a place in my heart forever. WRITING makes me think, question, wonder, and look for answers most of all it fills my life with so much colour and meaning. --- Layout Provided By CodeMyLayout.com - Myspace Layouts

My Interests

First of all there is music and dancing one huge passion of mine....some who know me say I dance through life because if at work, at home or wherever I am I like to dance - even if by myself when I'm cleaning up or just lost in thoughts. Then there is photography...I love how some artist manage to capture moments in a picture. I'm a huge fan of national geographic. "Ashes&snow" was and still is a wonderful show - generaly I love nature pictures or pictures taken in places such as China, India, Africa....pictures that tell a thousend words. Pictures that inspire me to write about it all. ------Now here's some other interest of mine -- Writing, cinemathography, film editing, directing, producing, supporrting artist's of any kind in any way I can just help them...cause I will never forget that someone once gave me a chance to live a life filled with art. -- Different Cultures, Languages, People, History, Cults, Animals - to make it short- by the time I'm old and grey and u know look back at my life I'd like to be able to say that I have written about all that life stands for, traveled the world, meet the most amazing people, worked with creative people, learned at least 5 more languages and made movies in all of them - and most of all I'd just liked to be able to say that I did all the things I loved to do - for there won't be a single day where my tears washed away the smile that I have in my eyes when I feel complete. HERE'S A FEW COUNRTY'S I'd love to vistit sometimes : Tibet, Cambodia, Thailand, Africa, Afganistan, India, Brazil, Argentina, China. I just love learning more about life - it's different faces and get to know the beauty of it. OTHER THAN THAT I 'm interested in the works of the United Nation's(Unhcr, Unicef, Unesco...UNaids), Doctors without Boarders, Operation Smile, Red Cross, Care, "I have a story to tell" Foundation - there are millons of people who devoted their life to give and have founded or work for Charity's and I love reading/studying about them - their work - the lifestorys of the people who gave their life for it and about all the struggle the have to overcome to do what they do for a living. WELL, last but not least I'm a bit of off a mountain bike addict. There's just something about that kind of peace you feel withing your soul when you are in the middle of nowhere (on a mountain, Kenya'n desert...)that's just beautiful and to me that's like food to my soul. When I'm not feeling well - I just go up the Santa Monica Mountain and all the stress and things that were on my mind are gone, left is that kind of peace that fills you and make you feel complete.

I'd like to meet:

Creative people - Actors, Directors, Writers, Musician's, Poet's - any kind of person who's life is filled with Art. Worldtravelers, People who love to travel and learn more about other cultures, People who devoted their time and life to help others such as aidworkers, war-journalist's...generaly I'd love to meet people who can hold a interesting conversation - are interested in the world.--- Real People who are not afraid to say hello but also not to shy to say what's on their mind. People who found or are on their way to find peace in life and would love to share their thoughts on their journeys. Or People who's Soul feel lost for I'd love to try to fill that empty space in their hearts:) People from China, Africa, Afghanistan, Colombia, old friends that I've lost touch with from Europe. ---

Music:

Well, it really depends on what mood I'm in...at times I could feel like salsa, lovesongs, soul and moments later I could feel like going to a Rock Concert and when I'm really lost in god knows where I could end up dancing to techno/dance music a whole weekend through. But here's a few artist who's work I do love..... Robert Downey jr(has a really beautiful voice - if you have'nt heared that yet go to youtube and find some clips from his peformances on Ally Mcbeal), Die Toten Hosen(German Rock Band), Jennifer Hudson(you know I accutly had a hard time voting back in American Idol - she and Fantasia are both amazing singer but each found their stage in the end or?) House Jacks(one of the best acappella bands in the world go see top friends list Austin- member of that amaizng rock band) , Austin Willacy,Bob Dylan,Cheb Kahled, Tarkan, Roxette, Bon Jovi, Bono, Marj J Bligde, Earth Wind&Fire,Take That, Robbie Willams, Andrea Bocceli, U2. Jon Escada, Ricky Martin, DJ Bobo, Journey, Tina Turner,Madonna, Motown Music, Janet Jackson, Usher, John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, the Cranberries, Haddaway, 90's Dance Music, Oldies(50's , 60.'s), Disco Music(studio 54 soundtrack is really cool), Enigma, Vangelis, generaly I love listening also to all those various soundtracks that are out there. OH and did I mention yet FALCO growing up in the 80's with his music....he was one of many great insperations to me. -- The past few month I found some great music here on myspace - Dizzy X, AM, Cary Brothers, Kelly Mantle, Libbie Schreiber,Red Car, Faithless Grey, Sarah and many more I will get to listen to in my life. Oh and before I forget I loooooove accoustic and soul music...or good old fashion blues. For example have you heared the soundtrack of "the lady killers" there one song called "let the light from the lighthouse shine on me" this song is what I need when I'm depressed will lift my spirit within seconds... HERE'S A FEW SONGS that I carry in my heart: "Bono &Mary J Bligde - One"( Great version of this Bono Song...Mary J B. brings sooooo much Soul into this song)"Unchained Melody- Righterous Brothers"(One of the greatest love songs out there...not only because it was also on "ghost soundtrack"...it just really makes you feel that ...you know, one of those songs that to me clearyly describe what music can do...it makes you feel what the songs is about),"We are the world- Usa for africa" (It's long ago they recorded that one..but I could listen to this song 20 times in a row and ...makes you want to get up and take the next plane to a place where someone need a helping hand), "girls just wanna have fun- Cindy lauper"( I love this song...If I don't feel good or when I wake up in the morning this is what I listen too, make me feel good, give me the energy I need to overcome my day)"I will always love you- whitney houston"(....I remember being at a whitney houston concert back in germany and here she sing this song...and she just touched every single souls heart that was there...which gave me the meaning for what music / art in general can do..it can reach into people heart and soul...wonderful song.)WELL there are so many more songs that have a certain meaning or just make me feel good - this page is too small to write them all down.-------------------

Movies:

--Here's a couple of movie 's I loved/enjoyed watching: Constant Gardner, Jaws, Unfaithful, Don't Move(Spanish movie), Dirty Dancing, Innocent Voices, Hotel Rwanda, Sometime in April,Machuca(chilean movie) Beyond Boarders, Sex and Lucia, Rent, The Hours, The Interpreter, Seven Years in Tibet, Lord of the Rings, Princess Fanthaghiro(Itialia Mini Serie's), While you were Sleeping, Pretty Women, Riding in the Car with Boys and millons more...I always loved watching movie, back when I was a kid I'd go sit in the theatre and escape from all the the trouble I was surrouned with - escape into the movie. Films and Music - have this quality to make you feel for caracters or dive into a story...just escape from the world for the two hours you're sitting in that comfortable theatre seat .BUT generaly I love watching movies that entertain, make me laughs, cry or feel for the caracter and most of all I love watching moves like Hotel Rwanda...things that are based on a true story - story that have to be told. I just love storys about life and all it has to give- if bad or good -the struggle to overcome challanges in life and to find roads that lead us to peace. These are the kind of movies that move me, that touch me and make me feel ...just feel that certain thing that any kind of great Art makes you feel.

Television:

Well, there is CSI - great show,great writing....(it's hard to write for television and special to keep a show interesting after all those years..CSI does that for me...I'm hooked on that show. Thursday night - I buy some chocolate, make myself some coffee and do nothing but learn something about DNA) great cast even down to the guest actors everybody is doing a great job and you get to learn something about sciene's which is another passion of mine, something I'm eager to learn more about. Cold Case, Nip/Tuck, "untold stories of the ER". THEN THERE IS "the simpson's" - I've watched that since the beginning - always loved and always will. Great writing ...I love it when they write in things as polictial issues that are happening right now or when famous people gueststar. GENERALY I love watching all the programms that run on National Georgaphic Channel and the Disocovery Channel. I love learning about all these animals, sciene's, africa wildlife - very interesting stuff. And then of course I loved watching Steve Irwin's show...he was, had sooo much passion for all these animals and truly braught lots of Joy to me and millions of people out there. Sad that it got him at the age 44, he was still so young ...and then it was not the crocodile that got him. Maybe his daughter will get in his footsteps...I loved and still watch the re-run's of his show on animal planet. OTHER THAN THAT I do have to say that HBO has some very cool and orginal programms, their mini series and tvshows and their documantary's are very very very good. I loved that mini series "angeles in america" - great play- I've read the book for it and seen the tv show. HBO!!!!

Books:

Now, being a writer....I've read many books. I started reading when I was 12 years old...been through all Stephen King Books. Nowadays I love reading Biography's of intersting people such as Bill Clinton, Angelina Jolie, Poet's. Writer, worldtravler, people who's life changed as they traveled to countrys like africa and well I do love reading history books. Recently I've been reading on the history of Cambodia, Inida, Afganistan, Sudan and many more african countrys.THIS page is way too short to list all the books I've read and loved....So I just end this with I love reading Books!!!!Here's some recent books I've read..."Love in the driest season" by Neely Tucker, Ung Loung's "first they killed my father", "sudan's blood memory"....for more see in my blog under UN documantary.

Heroes:

A HERO ...someone we look up to and admire is found in just about every corner of the world, it could be the homeless guy you just gave a dollar who become a hero or an inspiration to you as he tells you his life story, it could be the man who jumped in front of you as a car is about hit you or the everday people who pour out their heart and soul on television telling us what they've overcome ....and in the end of the day we even find a hero in ourself as we say no to things like drugs, violence or we may just look at ourself and find the faith we though we lost.... and we'll find that things that makes us feel we are a hero for that moment.We see a HERO standing on top of the monutain and we think ...we will never be there, we will never be as strong as he is...for all we have to do is look at him, see where he came from, what he been through to understand where to find that strenght to walks road we never thought we can walk."Life is like a mountain - you climb it and you know you fall and think about giving up but then you get up again and climb and you fall again and think that's it - you will give up now, but soemhow you find strength again and you climb and this will go on and on ...that's life. We make a mistake or we get hurt and fall, and it's in our own hands to get up and seek for strenght to walk again. And the the very en of our life - when we are standing on top of that hill we look down on the raods we walked or climbed and we will find a smile in our hearts...and share no tear for the things we overcome to get to where we are, because everything that happened, every action we took, every time we get hurt we learned something, we grew a bit wiser and older and what we see in the mirror today is who we are for what we've been through.:)"

My Blog

Filming schedule

Hi, I've posted the filming dates of "white shinning" on my tmausfilms page:) www.myspace.com/tmausfilms If you are interested in working on set or would like to know what roles for actors we still ha...
Posted by MONIQUE on Fri, 27 Apr 2007 08:24:00 PST

music you need to know of!!!!!!

Hi, I thought I dedicate this blog to someone else than me....if you like seeing good live music then check out some of these profile of great peformers. SALON K ...they are playing a couple of shows ...
Posted by MONIQUE on Thu, 05 Apr 2007 07:20:00 PST

ICH LAUFE UND LAUFE

  I thought I write something in my native language:) Something I wrote back in my childhood, found it recentlt it's about the times I spend hitchhiking through Europe/running away from home jus...
Posted by MONIQUE on Fri, 23 Mar 2007 04:09:00 PST

some thoughts

I've been thinking a lot latley about life, my childhood, life and well what got me to do what I love to do in the first place. I had a conversation the other day with a fellow filmmaker and I haven't...
Posted by MONIQUE on Wed, 07 Mar 2007 01:42:00 PST

WHEN THINGS FALL APART

HERE'S SOMETHING i WROTE SOMETIME AGO, JUST FOUND IT ALSO THE OTHER DAY AS I WAS LOOKING THROUGH SOME OLD NOTES AND SCRIPTS. NOT SURE YET, WHAT I WILL USE IT FOR, SHORTSTORY OR POEM OR RE-WRITE INTO A...
Posted by MONIQUE on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 02:13:00 PST

changing path's

HERE'S A SHORTSTORY THAT I WROTE A WHILE AGO - I RECENTLY FOUND THEM IN MY CLOSET SITTING THERE LONESOME WAITING TO BE REWRITTEN. IT STILL HAS TO BE REWRITTEN, THIS IS A FIRST DRAFT I WROTE A GOOD 8 Y...
Posted by MONIQUE on Thu, 22 Feb 2007 10:03:00 PST

writing, re-writing and re- writing again...

Being a writer, you've get confronted sometimes. Well people ask you what are you writing...that is if you live anywhere else but los angeles. In this town the first thing being said to you before you...
Posted by MONIQUE on Tue, 20 Feb 2007 07:41:00 PST

so alive

It's weird but I feel so alive, not sure why. Now, I'm not drunk - haven't honestly been out partying for month, I'm not overworked cause I accutly had a day off but well maybe I'm just happy. But tha...
Posted by MONIQUE on Sun, 18 Feb 2007 07:53:00 PST

U.N./Links - something to read:)

Now, I know we are all busy living our life's and worrying about the so called problems that make our life so difficult. But if you do have a moment and would like to know more about some people that ...
Posted by MONIQUE on Sat, 17 Feb 2007 11:03:00 PST

LOCAL ARTICLE ON my film

Well, I've got my first article on my work in the paper....it was/is printed by the glendal focus thanks to a kind reporter who attended our recent screening of "Big Bear Park", my latest film that I ...
Posted by MONIQUE on Sat, 09 Sep 2006 05:07:00 PST