Meme For Wednesday

Are you more... from this site.

01) Macho or swishy?

Can Ladies be Macho? Machina?

02) Talker or listener?

You're kidding me right? Definitely, listener. What?

03) Intelligent or artistic?

Shucks. Can't I be both? Artistic.

04) Carnivore or herbivore?

Omnivore.

05) A recycling nut or one who doesn't recycle much if at all?

Lazy but guilt-ridden.

06) Nature-lover or cleanliness-lover?

This is an interesting choice. Nature-lover.

07) Elvis or The Beatles?

Well, I remember the Beatles better, but I'd rather be Elvis. The skinny, sexy one, not the fat one on drugs.

08) The Brady Bunch or The Partridge Family?

Oh please.

09) Gilligan or the Skipper?

Hmm. I'm afraid Gilligan.

10) A seeker of truth no matter how ugly or a seeker of beauty even if it's false?

Seeker of truth.

Hack A Pen

I found this link and it cracked me up, so I'm sharing.

It's for a page called Save $200 in 2 minutes and have the world's best writing pen.

Now, I have nothing against fine writing instruments. I do, in fact, enjoy fine writing instruments. I don't have a Mont Blanc. I have a Waterman and a Sailor though. Fine pens on their own merits, still not as expensive as the Mont Blanc.

I went right out and performed the steps outlined here because it appealed to the anti-establishment streak in my nature. Guess I do have a Mont Blanc now, only it's masquerading as a Pilot G2 Pro.

And, yes, the Mont Blanc ink is way smoother than the ink that came with the G2.

I'm still waiting for someone to rediscover the perfect pencil.

Gather 'Round, Wannabees and Hoopleheads

Yeah, that’s the actual Deadwood. But today I’m not about mourning HBO’s fiscal nearsightedness that caused it to cancel nasty old Deadwood’s ticket.

You see, I decided to take a screenwriting class.

Enter screenwriting in a search engine and watch a gazillion hits return.

Try screenwriting class, and get a zillion more.

Pour through the offerings and experience what Deadwood’s hoopleheads must have felt as they marched down the thoroughfare between the Gem and Bella Union whilst Al Swearengen and Sy Tolliver peered down at them.

Prepare to be fleeced.

I’ve often heard screenwriting compared to the Old West Gold Rush where the only lucky souls who made a reliable income were the ones outfitting and otherwise servicing the intrepid dreamers who bet their lives on slaving in dirt for a chance at a fortune.

I’d count how many screenwriting books I’ve bought, but I fear for my sanity.

My hard drive is loaded with off-the-Net articles. How to Pitch, Logline Advice, Beat Sheets, Marketing Secrets, High Concept Strategies, Structure Guidelines, 5 – 7 – 8 Sequences to Riches and Fame, How to Make Hollywood Beat A Path To Your Door Even If You Live In NoPlace Prairieville, Award Winning Guidelines to Screenwriting Success, How To Make A Producer Love Your Work Even If Your Mom Thinks You’re Odd, Guaranteed Success In 3, 5, 87, or 967 Easy Steps, Make Money In Your Spare Time Using Only Your Computer and 3 Rubber Bands.

Blah, blah, blah. Blah. Blah.

So, my dears, you may inquire, why’d she succumb now?

Well, it’s dusty out here in the diggings and a cold beer sounded nice, and I just happened to wander into the Gem when Al was in a rare good mood . . .

One day, I wondered to my self, how long are you planning on doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different outcome?

Furthermore, dear self, how many more soft passes can you stand where they praise the writing and pass on the project?

And Self said back, Jesus, Mary and all the Saints, then do something different.

So, being in a mood that fluctuated between irrational commitment to career and willingness to risk fleecing, I serendipitously followed a link, found a site, perused the classes, checked out the purveyors, forked over the dough and am now committed to five months of class, homework and learning something new.

Previously, I reached the conclusion, that all the formatting, beat sheet adherence, and structure strictures were minor factors in what makes someone want to buy a script. I decided I was missing some important element of STORY and that was what held me back.

We shall see.

Back to the diggings now, fellow hoopleheads. The odds may be favor the house, but somewhere there’s a new strike every day.

Friday Meme

Courtesy of Friday Fiver

1. Have you ever had an addiction?

Does Starbucks Double Shot in a can count?

2. Are you afraid of the dark?

No. I'm afraid of what might be lurking in the dark.

3. What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Chocolate Chip. Chocolate. And Strawberry.

4. Have you ever been to the circus?

Yep.

Been to the rodeo too. Saw a dead whale on ice in a truck once. Who would think a person could make money dragging around a dead whale on ice?

5. What do you think of North Korea testing nuclear weapons?

One more example of how the world is more dangerous now than pre 9/11.

Devilish Design

My good movie ratio keeps getting better.

Saw The Devil Wore Prada this afternoon.

Meryl Streep is divine.

Anne Hathaway, loveable and chic. Note her character, Andy Sachs clutches her Moleskine notebook as she runs after her demanding boss.

I tried to read the novel last week, but stopped a few chapters in when I realized I could have just as much fun pulling out big chunks of my hair.

I am no fashionista. When I worked in an office, you could tell I had dressed up if I was wearing cords instead of jeans. Now, I don't go to an office, figure it out. I found the comment on the fashion industry interesting. Both sides.

There was a good crowd for Sunday afternoon. Women, all ages, with a few obliviously dragged along husbands. All the previews were for football movies. I thought that was weird. Why weren't they bombarding us with chick flick previews? And why are there so many football movies about to come out?