Sunday night, five chocolate chip cookies in... and I just finished writing a short. For my last semester in undergrad I am going to be making a short film (meaning 3-12 minutes). I have been thinking about it all summer. I knew inspiration would hit me, and have been on the verge for the past couple of weeks. Finally, tonight it all came together.
It's been a work in progress for the entire summer. The story is inspired by a few experiences from the last 6 months, and also inspired by the awesome music of 'The Format' (specifically their songs 'I'm Actual' and 'The Compromise').
The goal is to have the film finished in November. Hopefully before then, but I need to pace myself. These things usually only get better with time. And then...Film Festivals here I come!
8/30/2009
8/26/2009
A Lighthouse and a Revelation
I visited a lighthouse... That's my never done task for the week. It was beautiful, and something I could have done a long time ago, but never did.
It inspired me creatively as well... Which I will be putting onto paper shortly.
But back to the Lighthouse. Of course these days the beacon is operated by an engine, but way back when they had lighthouse keeper's. These people had a serious job to do. So serious that they would get a year off for every two years they worked.
And there's something romantic about the whole lighthouse lifestyle. I mean these people lived apart from society, but at the top of this lighthouse you can see all that's going on below. I'm sure it could be very lonely and difficult. It's not really a glamorous job considering they had to carry 50 pounds ( of gasoline in a bucket) up 300 plus stairs every two hours... but still, it's appealing. Maybe it's the solitude.
There's definitely substance there for a story...many stories really. I just have to choose what story I want to tell.
And my revelation for today...
A friend and I were talking today, both aspiring film makers, and after seeing Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds we realized the reason we could excuse all the blood and guts is because you can tell Tarantino doesn't do it because he wants to be showy...but rather because that's what HE would want to see in a movie. So now, when making a movie, I'm going to be sure to ask myself 'what would I want to see?'. It may sound selfish, but it's guaranteed to have more passion behind it than if I were to solely worry about pleasing my audience. So thanks Tarantino...
8/23/2009
What...do you want?
This is my secret board. If you've never heard of "The Secret" I'd recommend seeing the movie, or reading the book.
Basically these are the things I want. Either to have, to do, ect. I put this up in February of 2008. Since then I have taken down a few pictures because it's stuff that has been accomplished! And that's the best feeling ever.
Still a few of the pictures are from my first posting in Feb. 2008. (Such as NYC, Love, the diploma, and travel.)
It really helps because you stay focused on what you want, and things just kind of happen.
8/21/2009
My Movie Week
I have watched so many movies this week. Probably more than I ever have in one week. This is due to my roommate and I deciding to live without cable. Mainly to save money, but also as to not distract us from doing more productive things. And since I aim to work in the movie industry I can write off watching movies as investing in my career...right?
At this moment I am watching Idiocracy. Some of my friends love it. It's a good concept, but it hasn't kept my attention considering I am writing this as it plays. I made it about halfway through. But here are some movies I recommend that I have really enjoyed from this week:
American Teen
Jesus Camp
Half Nelson
The Squid and the Whale
The first two are documentaries. Jesus Camp is disturbing...depending on your beliefs I suppose. Half Nelson is one of Ryan Gosling's first movies and it was produced by an awesome woman I met at the Cannes Film Festival so I've been wanting to check it out, and it was definitely worth the time.
Another week is almost up, so I'll have to be thinking of something new to experience... planning on posting some pictures tomorrow.
8/17/2009
Stepping Up to the Oven
Today I made my first homemade pasta sauce. A simple task, but nonetheless one I've never done.
At the age of 22 I haven't done much cooking. My mom wasn't much of a cook, and now looking back I wonder what I ate for dinner most nights growing up.
Thankfully I have been surrounded by good cooks most of my life. From grandmothers to friends. So I personally never saw much of a need to learn myself. And I also think it was partially due to me not wanting to to play into the ideal womanly role of cooking and cleaning all day.
As time has gone on I am beginning to see it as more of a necessity, and something I want to learn so I can not only enjoy the eating process, but also the creation. Now, I don't think I am ever going to be someone who loves cooking all the time, but when the mood hits I want to be able to hold my own in the kitchen.
However...I still demand to hold the right to enjoy my friends' meals who really do love to cook. Maybe now I'll just learn a bit more by watching them than just eagerly waiting for the end result.
PS It turned out well, for my first time. Could have used some basil, but I was out.
At the age of 22 I haven't done much cooking. My mom wasn't much of a cook, and now looking back I wonder what I ate for dinner most nights growing up.
Thankfully I have been surrounded by good cooks most of my life. From grandmothers to friends. So I personally never saw much of a need to learn myself. And I also think it was partially due to me not wanting to to play into the ideal womanly role of cooking and cleaning all day.
As time has gone on I am beginning to see it as more of a necessity, and something I want to learn so I can not only enjoy the eating process, but also the creation. Now, I don't think I am ever going to be someone who loves cooking all the time, but when the mood hits I want to be able to hold my own in the kitchen.
However...I still demand to hold the right to enjoy my friends' meals who really do love to cook. Maybe now I'll just learn a bit more by watching them than just eagerly waiting for the end result.
PS It turned out well, for my first time. Could have used some basil, but I was out.
8/16/2009
A Serendipitious Coincidence
So I have this tendency to become nostalgic about a specific time in my life. And I need to keep moving on and on. I mean, I am. But I wonder why it is that when things are slow, I always find myself thinking about this time. I guess it's because I learned the most about myself during this time. It's when I grew up. It was really the hardest time in my life because I was being affected by things that were forcing me to make decisions about myself and figure out my own morals and what I believe as opposed to what I was taught to believe. It was my first time to stand completely on my own.
So I certainly stumbled, as we all do when figuring ourselves out. Still, this time in my life left wistful debris. I don't know how to explain it. Does anyone else feel this way about a specific time in their life? Even though it was the most difficult for me because of the emotional exhaustion I went through, there were still some amazing times and some of my favorite memories. I never thought that some of my best memories would also be some of my worst. I know all this doesn't make much sense to you, reader, without knowing the details. But then again, maybe it does. Because maybe you understand where I am coming from, in some aspect. Big or small.
I really love it when my life has that kind of magical feeling. To you that may sound a bit ridiculous, but let me rephrase it for those more cynical types... replace the word magical with serendipitous. (Maybe that word still isn't good for cynics, I wouldn't really know since I'm not one.)
And there are all these things that happened back during this time that I still don't understand. Seredipitious things that now appear to not have been serendipitous, but instead just a string of coincidental events. That disappoints me.
It disappoints me because I don't think our life is left up to chance. So I still feel like I don't have some questions answered. Questions that I've had since this bittersweet time. But I really still have faith that they'll be answered. Some of them, well most of them, I've had to answer for myself. I would just like some validation. That's something I feel I haven't completely gotten. Not yet at least.
I guess the dust is still settling.
So I certainly stumbled, as we all do when figuring ourselves out. Still, this time in my life left wistful debris. I don't know how to explain it. Does anyone else feel this way about a specific time in their life? Even though it was the most difficult for me because of the emotional exhaustion I went through, there were still some amazing times and some of my favorite memories. I never thought that some of my best memories would also be some of my worst. I know all this doesn't make much sense to you, reader, without knowing the details. But then again, maybe it does. Because maybe you understand where I am coming from, in some aspect. Big or small.
I really love it when my life has that kind of magical feeling. To you that may sound a bit ridiculous, but let me rephrase it for those more cynical types... replace the word magical with serendipitous. (Maybe that word still isn't good for cynics, I wouldn't really know since I'm not one.)
And there are all these things that happened back during this time that I still don't understand. Seredipitious things that now appear to not have been serendipitous, but instead just a string of coincidental events. That disappoints me.
It disappoints me because I don't think our life is left up to chance. So I still feel like I don't have some questions answered. Questions that I've had since this bittersweet time. But I really still have faith that they'll be answered. Some of them, well most of them, I've had to answer for myself. I would just like some validation. That's something I feel I haven't completely gotten. Not yet at least.
I guess the dust is still settling.
8/14/2009
Life List
The pastor's son, at the church I grew up attending, has been in a horrible car accident. He's only 19 years old. Actually he's 19 today. On his birthday he is in the hospital, on life support.
This is one of those things that doesn't make any sense whatsoever. And there is no way to make sense of it. There is still hope that he will pull through. So that's of course what everyone is going on....hope. The other option just doesn't make any sense.
So it's got me thinking, at the age 0f 19, I had barely done anything I wanted. At 19 I moved away from everything familiar to me. And now, at 22, I've barely scratched the surface of things I want to do, and see, and experience. So it's hard for me to ever understand anyone being taken away from something as mundane as a car wreck at 19 years old.
I'm hoping the best for him. And for his loving family.
So what are the things that you wouldn't have accomplished if you were to die today? We all have our lists.
Here's a few from mine:
I guess that's how quickly life can change.
This is one of those things that doesn't make any sense whatsoever. And there is no way to make sense of it. There is still hope that he will pull through. So that's of course what everyone is going on....hope. The other option just doesn't make any sense.
So it's got me thinking, at the age 0f 19, I had barely done anything I wanted. At 19 I moved away from everything familiar to me. And now, at 22, I've barely scratched the surface of things I want to do, and see, and experience. So it's hard for me to ever understand anyone being taken away from something as mundane as a car wreck at 19 years old.
I'm hoping the best for him. And for his loving family.
So what are the things that you wouldn't have accomplished if you were to die today? We all have our lists.
Here's a few from mine:
- Make a film- that changes the way people think about an issue.
- Make many films
- Produce films
- Travel the world:
- Write a memoir
- Write another screenplay
- Become fluent in another language, probably French
I guess that's how quickly life can change.
8/13/2009
Wait Lead
Still on the hunt for a new job as a waitress. Got a lead tonight. My roommate and I ate at a new pizza restaurant in town. I could definitely waitress there. It's my kind of job- laid back, and an easy menu to remember. That is one of my main concerns. Memorizing the menu. I have friends who tell me they were tested before they were hired on the menu alone! No thanks. However I have no problem memorizing the difference between Sicilian, stuffed crust, and white pizza.
They told me to come back next Tuesday. So this will be a task I'll have to update on. In the meantime I am going to try to think of some new 'never done' tasks for myself.
And of course there are some majorly obvious ones, but I'm a student with a budget so sky-diving won't be on it for a while.
They told me to come back next Tuesday. So this will be a task I'll have to update on. In the meantime I am going to try to think of some new 'never done' tasks for myself.
And of course there are some majorly obvious ones, but I'm a student with a budget so sky-diving won't be on it for a while.
8/10/2009
I Did It!
Week one's feat is officially accomplished...and it's only Monday!
I went to the car dealership again today, after talking with my financial advisers (i.e. my grandparents) and struck up a deal! I excitedly began the 40 minute drive, when I realized I'd probably need my title. So I turned around, and 15 minutes later I was on my way again.
When I arrived the salesman I spoke with yesterday was on lunch break, so I opted to wait for 30 min. Number one: I was comfortable with him. He was not at all sketchy. Number two: I figured if I stayed with him he would be grateful since I could have gone with any other salesman there...and thus be more apt to help me get a good deal.
At the last minute I changed my mind on the type of car I wanted. I was planning on the Corolla, but then, in all its glory, appeared the Scion. I didn't even know it was part of the cash for clunkers deal. I loved the interior. It's a bit more trendy. And I like the exterior. I prefer the unconventional.
And AC! After living in Florida for 3 years sans AC, that's definitely what I am most excited about. (Ironically enough my AC went out a month after I moved to Florida.)
Now that I have accomplished my first "Never Done" task...I'm going to add another to this week's. I am looking for a job as a waitress. After three years of retail, I'm ready to make some more bucks. And honestly this is probably something I should have tried a while ago.
Let's see how it goes!
I went to the car dealership again today, after talking with my financial advisers (i.e. my grandparents) and struck up a deal! I excitedly began the 40 minute drive, when I realized I'd probably need my title. So I turned around, and 15 minutes later I was on my way again.
When I arrived the salesman I spoke with yesterday was on lunch break, so I opted to wait for 30 min. Number one: I was comfortable with him. He was not at all sketchy. Number two: I figured if I stayed with him he would be grateful since I could have gone with any other salesman there...and thus be more apt to help me get a good deal.
At the last minute I changed my mind on the type of car I wanted. I was planning on the Corolla, but then, in all its glory, appeared the Scion. I didn't even know it was part of the cash for clunkers deal. I loved the interior. It's a bit more trendy. And I like the exterior. I prefer the unconventional.
And AC! After living in Florida for 3 years sans AC, that's definitely what I am most excited about. (Ironically enough my AC went out a month after I moved to Florida.)
Now that I have accomplished my first "Never Done" task...I'm going to add another to this week's. I am looking for a job as a waitress. After three years of retail, I'm ready to make some more bucks. And honestly this is probably something I should have tried a while ago.
Let's see how it goes!
8/09/2009
Week #1: buying a new car
I've been inspired to start my own blog. I want it to inspire. Hopefully it will inspire others, but even if it's just me that it inspires then so be it. (Wow. That's a lot of inspiring.)
I've been wanting to do this. The final straw came when I went to see the movie 'Julie & Julia' just a couple of days ago. If you've seen it then you know exactly what I mean. If not, well then you should see it. Meryl Streep is never a let down. And I'm partial to Amy Adams as well.
But what am I to make my blog about? If I want it to be inspiring to me then I don't just want to make it about something I already know a lot about. (Although, there's not much I know A LOT about.)
Long thought process short- I've decided to make it about doing things I have never done before. I'm a big believer in trying things. The more experience you gain, the more knowledge, and knowledge is power. Plus new experiences are just fun! (At least that's what I aim for.)
This week has already kicked into gear without me having to put much thought into what new situation I will be experiencing: Buying a new car. So here it goes...
Today I went to the dealership for my first time. Sure, I have been to a dealership before, but not for my own purchase. Today I went all alone, ready to be preyed upon.
It was not a process I enjoyed. As I expected, I felt like prey. And I told the salesman straight up that I was not going to be buying today. I didn't want to be pressured into anything. But that is what they do best. However I didn't walk away with a car today. So I prevailed! But I do plan to take a car home by the end of the week.
Overall today was a good experience for me to have on my own. A 22 year old female is probably one of the easiest targets to dupe over, but I am determined to get a good deal!
The rest of the week I'll just be trying to figure out the best path to choose for obtaining a loan. Another feat I have never done! This week is turning out to be an easy write.
(And all this came about thanks to the new government deal 'cash for clunkers.' Yes, I will definitely take $4500 for my car that is only valued at $750. Thank you!)
I've been wanting to do this. The final straw came when I went to see the movie 'Julie & Julia' just a couple of days ago. If you've seen it then you know exactly what I mean. If not, well then you should see it. Meryl Streep is never a let down. And I'm partial to Amy Adams as well.
But what am I to make my blog about? If I want it to be inspiring to me then I don't just want to make it about something I already know a lot about. (Although, there's not much I know A LOT about.)
Long thought process short- I've decided to make it about doing things I have never done before. I'm a big believer in trying things. The more experience you gain, the more knowledge, and knowledge is power. Plus new experiences are just fun! (At least that's what I aim for.)
This week has already kicked into gear without me having to put much thought into what new situation I will be experiencing: Buying a new car. So here it goes...
Today I went to the dealership for my first time. Sure, I have been to a dealership before, but not for my own purchase. Today I went all alone, ready to be preyed upon.
It was not a process I enjoyed. As I expected, I felt like prey. And I told the salesman straight up that I was not going to be buying today. I didn't want to be pressured into anything. But that is what they do best. However I didn't walk away with a car today. So I prevailed! But I do plan to take a car home by the end of the week.
Overall today was a good experience for me to have on my own. A 22 year old female is probably one of the easiest targets to dupe over, but I am determined to get a good deal!
The rest of the week I'll just be trying to figure out the best path to choose for obtaining a loan. Another feat I have never done! This week is turning out to be an easy write.
(And all this came about thanks to the new government deal 'cash for clunkers.' Yes, I will definitely take $4500 for my car that is only valued at $750. Thank you!)
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