January 14, 2010
Last night a bunch of friends came over to my house and we shot a short trailer for a movie we are going to be making later in the year. The movie is going to be a documentary style film about this fantasy league we are all involved in. It is called the "Fantasy Fantasy League" and it is basically a Fantasy Football league for fictional characters. There is a website you can go to and check it out, it is www.fantasyfantasyleague.blogspot.com. I write for this blog/website as well, so there should be a link to it through my profile page.
Anyways, the movie is going to be about the 'Watchers' that write the matches. There are now five full time 'Watchers' on the site. This is my first year as an actual 'Watcher', as I used to only do consolation matches and stuff of that nature. The creators of the league have been full time since the beginning. The job of the 'Watcher' is to write the match how they see it. Which basically means that we take the two teams and match the characters up to each other, then after some research, try to figure out who's team would most likely be victorious. It is obviously not an exact science, as personal preferences towards certain characters can come into play. Overall though, I think we do a pretty good job of keeping it fair.
The trailer that we shot last night did not take very long to shoot, but I do think that it is going to look great. Having everyone there at the same time working on it made it go quite smoothly. Though there were times last night where I really did feel outmatched by some of these guys. Creatively, I felt like I was a step behind in everything. Not that this bothers me in that capacity, I mean the footage looks great and everything went perfectly. It is just that I hope they will continue to want to have me back. I am still good for the shooting luckily, as that is what I have always been the best at. One of the reason's I could be lacking is because it has been a while since I have done anything like this. I suppose it takes some time to knock some of the rust off.
If I sound like I am complaining, I'm only really complaining because this is a really good group of guys that I am working with. I just don't want them to think I am of no help. I love working with them and doing projects like this is all I have ever really wanted to do. With that being said, I cannot wait to see how the finished product looks and to start shooting the movie itself.
Sorry again for not finishing the music list. I will try to close it up by this weekend. Until then, have a good day.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Day 18: Shame on you Mr. Leno
January 13, 2010
I normally won't comment on stuff like late night television, but I really can't believe what NBC and Jay Leno are doing. I understand that perhaps he did not want to leave The Tonight Show when NBC told him he had to. I understand that this is a business and that very large sums of money are on the line. I also understand that The Jay Leno Show was a bit of a disaster at 10pm this past fall. What I don't understand is how Jay Leno could literally spit in the eye of not only every talk show host on television, but the entire history of the late night genre.
I know that the real enemy here is NBC. They are ultimately at fault here for even contemplating this idea. The only reason they offered Conan the 12:05am time slot for The Tonight Show. is because they knew he would never take it. Now they are going to lose(and they are going to lose him) the best talent they have.
Back to Leno though. Like I mentioned earlier, Leno was not exactly happy about leaving The Tonight Show and making room for Conan. I can understand this to a point, but it is not like he only had the show for a year or two. He was the host of The Tonight Show for 17 years. The second longest tenure as a host by far, next to the late Johnny Carson of course. He had a long established run at the top and after knowing full well about Conan's 2009 start date, it was time for him to hang up his hat(regardless of whether he wanted to or not). Conan worked his butt off for 16 years on his own show, just to get an opportunity to host The Tonight Show. Now, seven months into his run, he is going to lose it.
Don't get me wrong, it's not like Conan is going to be some broke loser living in some seedy motel. He is already a multi-millionaire and after this whole thing is over with, he is going to be worth a great deal more. There is just something about this whole thing that leaves a foul taste in my mouth. It just doesn't seem right to me that Leno is going to get his old gig back. I can't imagine as a viewer, not taking this whole thing a bit personally. How can anyone watch Jay Leno anymore after this. I can't imagine there not being a boycott of The Tonight Show, once again featuring Jay Leno. For NBC even coming up with the new late night time schedule shows me that they have no regard at all for the show that literally kept them afloat for all those years.
At least have the common decency to fire either Leno or Conan. Though that would imply some honor on the part of a network executive and that's just to much to ask.
I normally won't comment on stuff like late night television, but I really can't believe what NBC and Jay Leno are doing. I understand that perhaps he did not want to leave The Tonight Show when NBC told him he had to. I understand that this is a business and that very large sums of money are on the line. I also understand that The Jay Leno Show was a bit of a disaster at 10pm this past fall. What I don't understand is how Jay Leno could literally spit in the eye of not only every talk show host on television, but the entire history of the late night genre.
I know that the real enemy here is NBC. They are ultimately at fault here for even contemplating this idea. The only reason they offered Conan the 12:05am time slot for The Tonight Show. is because they knew he would never take it. Now they are going to lose(and they are going to lose him) the best talent they have.
Back to Leno though. Like I mentioned earlier, Leno was not exactly happy about leaving The Tonight Show and making room for Conan. I can understand this to a point, but it is not like he only had the show for a year or two. He was the host of The Tonight Show for 17 years. The second longest tenure as a host by far, next to the late Johnny Carson of course. He had a long established run at the top and after knowing full well about Conan's 2009 start date, it was time for him to hang up his hat(regardless of whether he wanted to or not). Conan worked his butt off for 16 years on his own show, just to get an opportunity to host The Tonight Show. Now, seven months into his run, he is going to lose it.
Don't get me wrong, it's not like Conan is going to be some broke loser living in some seedy motel. He is already a multi-millionaire and after this whole thing is over with, he is going to be worth a great deal more. There is just something about this whole thing that leaves a foul taste in my mouth. It just doesn't seem right to me that Leno is going to get his old gig back. I can't imagine as a viewer, not taking this whole thing a bit personally. How can anyone watch Jay Leno anymore after this. I can't imagine there not being a boycott of The Tonight Show, once again featuring Jay Leno. For NBC even coming up with the new late night time schedule shows me that they have no regard at all for the show that literally kept them afloat for all those years.
At least have the common decency to fire either Leno or Conan. Though that would imply some honor on the part of a network executive and that's just to much to ask.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Day 17: The Sounds of Writing Part 6
January 12, 2010
For my number three I chose two albums. They are from the same band and I bought them within a week of each other, so to me they go hand in hand together. Which may be considered cheating if it was for someone else's list, but since I make the rules, I allowed it.
3. Paramore: Brand New Eyes/Riot! 2009/2007
For the past five or six years now I have been doing something that some may consider odd. At the beginning of the year I find something that I do not like and slowly through out the year, I train myself to like it. It is usually with food items such as Tomatoes, Coffee, Tea, things of that nature. This past year though, I decided to set my sights on a different kind of item; a band. The band was obviously Paramore and it took me a good half year to warm up to these guys. The back story to this starts at the beginning of 2009. I had heard of Paramore before I actually heard any of there music and it was not until "Decode", their song off of the "Twilight" soundtrack, that I actually did hear one of their songs. I heard "Decode" in late 2008 and loved it. This made me go out and buy an album by them, which is what I did.
I went to the store and grabbed their first album entitled, "All We Know Is Falling". I put the album on and after two or three listens through, decided it was garbage. I was really bummed to say the least. Here was a band that had this sweet song off of the "Twilight" soundtrack and their album was terrible. I mean, it is a pop/rock band with a female lead singer, how the hell could I not like them. I would periodically check back with the album I bought and it never got better. Never before in my life have I ever listened to an album that I disliked more then this one.
Fast Forward a couple of months. In June I went down to visit some friends in North Carolina. While I was there we went to go see "No Doubt" at this really sweet outdoor venue and low and behold, "Paramore" was the opening act. I was naturally bummed as I figured that they sucked at this point and was kind of willing to waive the white flag. One of my friends on the other hand, was very excited about this prospect as she was a huge fan of theirs. As we were driving around one afternoon she told me about her excitement and decided to put on their album, their second album that is. Now whether or not I knew they had a second album at the time, I don't remember, but after listening to the majority of it decided that maybe there was still a chance for me to like them.
The next night at the concert, they took the stage and literally kicked the crowd's ass. They put on a live show that most main attractions are not able to pull off. Hayley Williams vocals are a sonic wonder and the band sounded pitch perfect throughout the 45 minute set. At this time I was basically reassured again that I would like this band and was ready to get back on the bandwagon. The only problem with that was the next band that took the stage. "No Doubt" was so amazing that it all but erased the Paramore performance, along with my soon to be obsession.
It wasn't until October that I remembered about the band and went out and bought their new album, "Brand New Eyes". As soon as I heard the album though, I was in full Paramore obsession mode. I immediately went out and bought not only the CD of "Riot!", but also the Vinyl(which is white by the way and looks amazing). My roommate can attest to this obsession, due to the fact that I basically listened to nothing beyond Paramore for a good month period. Luckily for him, he doesn't mind the band so much, but I can only imagine how annoying it must have been.
Both albums are pretty similar in style, though "Riot!" is easily more radio friendly than "Behind New Eyes". With songs like "That's what you get", "Misery Business" and "Crushcrushcrush" the album is full of energy and attitude. That's not to say that "Brand New Eyes" is devoid of radio hits. "Ignorance" is just as catchy as "Misery Business" and with "Brick by Boring Brick", the band now has an anthem to go by. "Playing God" has an Avril Lavigne sound going for it, which depending on your opinion of Avril, can go either way(I think Avril rules so it was a good thing to me). There is an overall darker feel to "Eyes", a feel that is most likely a result of producer Rob Cavallo's involvement. Cavallo, who has produced Green Day's "American Idiot", My Chemical Romances "The Black Parade" and Jewel's "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland"(I bet you didn't know that one.), is felt on this album enough to change it up a bit, without taking anything away the band itself.
There are even two slow songs on the album. Though I will admit it took me a while to get used to them. Hayley at first seemed a bit out of her element on "The Only Exception", but with time I've grown to like it. Overall I think I like "Eyes" better as a whole, but after listening to both of them back to back, it is incredibly hard for me to come out with a resounding champion. Though they are not the only band that sounds like this(Hey Monday and Automatic Loveletter do the sound very nicely as well), they are a nice change from the "Nickelback" garbage that has seemed to dominate the majority of this past decades pop/rock scene.
Sorry for the novel again, but this thing kind of wrote itself. See back here again tomorrow, hopefully I can conclude this thing sometime soon. If not, I'll just write about something else. It may not be very constructive, but it is fun being your own editor.
For my number three I chose two albums. They are from the same band and I bought them within a week of each other, so to me they go hand in hand together. Which may be considered cheating if it was for someone else's list, but since I make the rules, I allowed it.
3. Paramore: Brand New Eyes/Riot! 2009/2007
For the past five or six years now I have been doing something that some may consider odd. At the beginning of the year I find something that I do not like and slowly through out the year, I train myself to like it. It is usually with food items such as Tomatoes, Coffee, Tea, things of that nature. This past year though, I decided to set my sights on a different kind of item; a band. The band was obviously Paramore and it took me a good half year to warm up to these guys. The back story to this starts at the beginning of 2009. I had heard of Paramore before I actually heard any of there music and it was not until "Decode", their song off of the "Twilight" soundtrack, that I actually did hear one of their songs. I heard "Decode" in late 2008 and loved it. This made me go out and buy an album by them, which is what I did.
I went to the store and grabbed their first album entitled, "All We Know Is Falling". I put the album on and after two or three listens through, decided it was garbage. I was really bummed to say the least. Here was a band that had this sweet song off of the "Twilight" soundtrack and their album was terrible. I mean, it is a pop/rock band with a female lead singer, how the hell could I not like them. I would periodically check back with the album I bought and it never got better. Never before in my life have I ever listened to an album that I disliked more then this one.
Fast Forward a couple of months. In June I went down to visit some friends in North Carolina. While I was there we went to go see "No Doubt" at this really sweet outdoor venue and low and behold, "Paramore" was the opening act. I was naturally bummed as I figured that they sucked at this point and was kind of willing to waive the white flag. One of my friends on the other hand, was very excited about this prospect as she was a huge fan of theirs. As we were driving around one afternoon she told me about her excitement and decided to put on their album, their second album that is. Now whether or not I knew they had a second album at the time, I don't remember, but after listening to the majority of it decided that maybe there was still a chance for me to like them.
The next night at the concert, they took the stage and literally kicked the crowd's ass. They put on a live show that most main attractions are not able to pull off. Hayley Williams vocals are a sonic wonder and the band sounded pitch perfect throughout the 45 minute set. At this time I was basically reassured again that I would like this band and was ready to get back on the bandwagon. The only problem with that was the next band that took the stage. "No Doubt" was so amazing that it all but erased the Paramore performance, along with my soon to be obsession.
It wasn't until October that I remembered about the band and went out and bought their new album, "Brand New Eyes". As soon as I heard the album though, I was in full Paramore obsession mode. I immediately went out and bought not only the CD of "Riot!", but also the Vinyl(which is white by the way and looks amazing). My roommate can attest to this obsession, due to the fact that I basically listened to nothing beyond Paramore for a good month period. Luckily for him, he doesn't mind the band so much, but I can only imagine how annoying it must have been.
Both albums are pretty similar in style, though "Riot!" is easily more radio friendly than "Behind New Eyes". With songs like "That's what you get", "Misery Business" and "Crushcrushcrush" the album is full of energy and attitude. That's not to say that "Brand New Eyes" is devoid of radio hits. "Ignorance" is just as catchy as "Misery Business" and with "Brick by Boring Brick", the band now has an anthem to go by. "Playing God" has an Avril Lavigne sound going for it, which depending on your opinion of Avril, can go either way(I think Avril rules so it was a good thing to me). There is an overall darker feel to "Eyes", a feel that is most likely a result of producer Rob Cavallo's involvement. Cavallo, who has produced Green Day's "American Idiot", My Chemical Romances "The Black Parade" and Jewel's "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland"(I bet you didn't know that one.), is felt on this album enough to change it up a bit, without taking anything away the band itself.
There are even two slow songs on the album. Though I will admit it took me a while to get used to them. Hayley at first seemed a bit out of her element on "The Only Exception", but with time I've grown to like it. Overall I think I like "Eyes" better as a whole, but after listening to both of them back to back, it is incredibly hard for me to come out with a resounding champion. Though they are not the only band that sounds like this(Hey Monday and Automatic Loveletter do the sound very nicely as well), they are a nice change from the "Nickelback" garbage that has seemed to dominate the majority of this past decades pop/rock scene.
Sorry for the novel again, but this thing kind of wrote itself. See back here again tomorrow, hopefully I can conclude this thing sometime soon. If not, I'll just write about something else. It may not be very constructive, but it is fun being your own editor.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Day 16: The Sounds of Writing 5
January 11, 2010
4. Ingrid Michaelson: Everybody 2009
I just love Ingrid Michaelson. She is my music equivalent of Amy Adams. I don't know what it is about her that makes me love her so much. This is the third album I bought of hers in a little under 18 months and I am going to have to say that it is probably my favorite. I bought her last studio release entitled 'Boys and Girls' in the summer of 2008 and then her b-sides collection 'Be O.K' in the fall of 2008. Both of those albums were fantastic, especially the melancholy beauty of "Be O.K.". I think I had that album playing in my car for over a week when I bought it, which for me is an eternity. It just had so much substance and soul to it that I just could not put it away.
The same can be said for her newest release as well. She has a way with words that feels so profound, yet they go down so easily, without the slightest amount of preaching or whining. A lot of her songs are naturally about relationship issues, but she is never going for a quick cut or even a little revenge. Instead, she sings about the realities of how relationships work, even singing about how she is willing to wait for her true love. These songs would have actually fit in perfectly on an old Sinatra or Billie Holliday album from the 50's. She has a romanticism to her that makes her delivery so sweet and calm, that when she says something like, "They say you're not really somebody/Until somebody loves you/Well I am waiting to make somebody somebody", your heart sinks with just the thought of her feeling that way.
I suppose that is the best way to describe her, she not only writes about all matters of the heart, but she also sings from it as well. I had bought this album right before I went on my first business trip this past fall. I was by myself the majority of the time and anytime I was feeling frustrated, annoyed or alone, I would just put on this album and she would make everything feel alright. As cheesy as that sounds, it is completely true.
It is hard for me to pick out a couple of tracks on the album that are clear standouts, as I basically love them all. If I had to choose though I would say to check out, "Everybody", "Are we there yet?", "Men of Snow" and "Maybe". I am assuming more than one of these tracks will be showing up(if they have not already), in any number of episodes of "One Tree Hill", "Grey's Anatomy" or any other show that tries to give the old heartstrings a tug. My choice for best end of show montage song would be "Maybe". It would be the perfect end of season song for any show in which two characters are not going to be seeing each other for a extended period of time.
With that being said though, this album is really just a fantastic example of a really good singer/songwriter coming into her own. Ingrid Michaelson may have only just come into my musical life, but I am now finding it increasingly difficult to think of what I would do without her.
Catch you back her tomorrow.
4. Ingrid Michaelson: Everybody 2009
I just love Ingrid Michaelson. She is my music equivalent of Amy Adams. I don't know what it is about her that makes me love her so much. This is the third album I bought of hers in a little under 18 months and I am going to have to say that it is probably my favorite. I bought her last studio release entitled 'Boys and Girls' in the summer of 2008 and then her b-sides collection 'Be O.K' in the fall of 2008. Both of those albums were fantastic, especially the melancholy beauty of "Be O.K.". I think I had that album playing in my car for over a week when I bought it, which for me is an eternity. It just had so much substance and soul to it that I just could not put it away.
The same can be said for her newest release as well. She has a way with words that feels so profound, yet they go down so easily, without the slightest amount of preaching or whining. A lot of her songs are naturally about relationship issues, but she is never going for a quick cut or even a little revenge. Instead, she sings about the realities of how relationships work, even singing about how she is willing to wait for her true love. These songs would have actually fit in perfectly on an old Sinatra or Billie Holliday album from the 50's. She has a romanticism to her that makes her delivery so sweet and calm, that when she says something like, "They say you're not really somebody/Until somebody loves you/Well I am waiting to make somebody somebody", your heart sinks with just the thought of her feeling that way.
I suppose that is the best way to describe her, she not only writes about all matters of the heart, but she also sings from it as well. I had bought this album right before I went on my first business trip this past fall. I was by myself the majority of the time and anytime I was feeling frustrated, annoyed or alone, I would just put on this album and she would make everything feel alright. As cheesy as that sounds, it is completely true.
It is hard for me to pick out a couple of tracks on the album that are clear standouts, as I basically love them all. If I had to choose though I would say to check out, "Everybody", "Are we there yet?", "Men of Snow" and "Maybe". I am assuming more than one of these tracks will be showing up(if they have not already), in any number of episodes of "One Tree Hill", "Grey's Anatomy" or any other show that tries to give the old heartstrings a tug. My choice for best end of show montage song would be "Maybe". It would be the perfect end of season song for any show in which two characters are not going to be seeing each other for a extended period of time.
With that being said though, this album is really just a fantastic example of a really good singer/songwriter coming into her own. Ingrid Michaelson may have only just come into my musical life, but I am now finding it increasingly difficult to think of what I would do without her.
Catch you back her tomorrow.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Day 15: I think it's just to late
January 10, 2010
I just got done watching several episodes of '90210'. Not to be confused with the original 'Beverly Hills 90210', I'm talking about the new version which is now in its second season. The first season of the show was unfocused and completely scatterbrained, at times it was kind of hard to watch. After several executive producer changes though, the show is finally on the right path. These latest group of episodes I watched tonight were especially good. In fact, I might even say they were 'Gossip Girl' good, which is pretty much the highest compliment you can get from me.
Why am I writing about this you may be wondering? Well, it's because it is too late for me to write about anything else. I need to start writing in this thing earlier in the night, because I am far to tired to be doing anything but sleeping right now. I still have not finished all of my albums from last year, which is becoming increasingly pathetic as the days go by. I also need to start working on this script of mine, because even though it is only January 10th, this year isn't going to go by any slower then last year. In fact, it is going to be summer before I know it.
I need to write a fully formed story with a beginning, middle and end. I also need to create complete character bio's, so I know who everyone is that I am writing about. Alone this is going to be difficult. There is one person who I really wish I could write this thing with, but getting her to help is most likely out of the question. I'm really hoping that I can do this thing on my own. I need to do this thing, but I also really need to start getting more sleep as well. I know my little coffee cure was great for yesterday, but if I don't start taking better care of myself, I am going to quickly find myself sick for the rest of the winter.
With that being said, I am going to go to bed for the night. If there is anyone out there, I hope you sleep good tonight. Talk to you again tomorrow.
I just got done watching several episodes of '90210'. Not to be confused with the original 'Beverly Hills 90210', I'm talking about the new version which is now in its second season. The first season of the show was unfocused and completely scatterbrained, at times it was kind of hard to watch. After several executive producer changes though, the show is finally on the right path. These latest group of episodes I watched tonight were especially good. In fact, I might even say they were 'Gossip Girl' good, which is pretty much the highest compliment you can get from me.
Why am I writing about this you may be wondering? Well, it's because it is too late for me to write about anything else. I need to start writing in this thing earlier in the night, because I am far to tired to be doing anything but sleeping right now. I still have not finished all of my albums from last year, which is becoming increasingly pathetic as the days go by. I also need to start working on this script of mine, because even though it is only January 10th, this year isn't going to go by any slower then last year. In fact, it is going to be summer before I know it.
I need to write a fully formed story with a beginning, middle and end. I also need to create complete character bio's, so I know who everyone is that I am writing about. Alone this is going to be difficult. There is one person who I really wish I could write this thing with, but getting her to help is most likely out of the question. I'm really hoping that I can do this thing on my own. I need to do this thing, but I also really need to start getting more sleep as well. I know my little coffee cure was great for yesterday, but if I don't start taking better care of myself, I am going to quickly find myself sick for the rest of the winter.
With that being said, I am going to go to bed for the night. If there is anyone out there, I hope you sleep good tonight. Talk to you again tomorrow.
Day 14: Hello, is anyone there?
January 9, 2010
Is it weird that I am writing this blog as if other people are reading it, when in reality nobody has ever seen it? Given, the reason for me doing this is not for acclaim or recognition, but is it still weird that I write it as if people are there? I know that me even posing these questions to the empty void proves its weirdness, but I thought it might be a healthy question for me to ask anyways.
On a completely unrelated note, it is official that I consume far too much coffee. The last time I had coffee before a couple of hours ago was around eleven o'clock at night on Thursday. I did not have any coffee on Friday and felt fine. When I woke up this morning though, I had one of those headaches that just wouldn't go away. On top of that, I felt like I was coming down with the flu. This as it usually does, bummed me out so I tried to ignore it. Then after work tonight, my co-workers and I went out to the bar for some late night snacking. I wasn't actually going to go originally because of my flu like symptoms, but luckily I changed my mind and decided to go.
When I got to the bar, I originally was going to order beer because it is habit, but instead I ordered a coffee. Literally within ten minutes of drinking the coffee I felt completely fine and back to normal. Still, as I type right now, I feel completely fine with not a smidge of flu like feelings. In a way I am happy that I feel so fine, but in another way, it is kind of depressing. I don't want to be tied down so hard to something like coffee. I don't want a drink to control how I feel all the time. I know that half the people in this country are probably in this same boat as I am with some sort of drug(not that this fact makes it better), but it still kind of sucks that it is true.
Now despite all of my whining, I have no plans to ween myself off of coffee anytime soon. I do not feel like dealing with some sort of withdrawal right now, especially when it is not hurting me in some terrible way. It is really just something that I found interesting and mildly amusing to be perfectly honest. Why did I find it necessary to write about it on this blog? Well, that is another thing all together; and if for some reason somebody is actually reading this entry, well, for that I am truly sorry. I will try much harder next time.
Is it weird that I am writing this blog as if other people are reading it, when in reality nobody has ever seen it? Given, the reason for me doing this is not for acclaim or recognition, but is it still weird that I write it as if people are there? I know that me even posing these questions to the empty void proves its weirdness, but I thought it might be a healthy question for me to ask anyways.
On a completely unrelated note, it is official that I consume far too much coffee. The last time I had coffee before a couple of hours ago was around eleven o'clock at night on Thursday. I did not have any coffee on Friday and felt fine. When I woke up this morning though, I had one of those headaches that just wouldn't go away. On top of that, I felt like I was coming down with the flu. This as it usually does, bummed me out so I tried to ignore it. Then after work tonight, my co-workers and I went out to the bar for some late night snacking. I wasn't actually going to go originally because of my flu like symptoms, but luckily I changed my mind and decided to go.
When I got to the bar, I originally was going to order beer because it is habit, but instead I ordered a coffee. Literally within ten minutes of drinking the coffee I felt completely fine and back to normal. Still, as I type right now, I feel completely fine with not a smidge of flu like feelings. In a way I am happy that I feel so fine, but in another way, it is kind of depressing. I don't want to be tied down so hard to something like coffee. I don't want a drink to control how I feel all the time. I know that half the people in this country are probably in this same boat as I am with some sort of drug(not that this fact makes it better), but it still kind of sucks that it is true.
Now despite all of my whining, I have no plans to ween myself off of coffee anytime soon. I do not feel like dealing with some sort of withdrawal right now, especially when it is not hurting me in some terrible way. It is really just something that I found interesting and mildly amusing to be perfectly honest. Why did I find it necessary to write about it on this blog? Well, that is another thing all together; and if for some reason somebody is actually reading this entry, well, for that I am truly sorry. I will try much harder next time.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Day 13: The Sounds of Writing Part 4
More albums is just what you(whoever you is?) wanted, so that is what I will bring you(again, you?).
6. Kelly Clarkson: All I Ever Wanted 2009
Easily the most pop centric title on my list, KC's forth and best album brought her back into pop's good graces. Not that her 2007 effort, "My December" was a bad album at all, it was just a departure(mild departure), from what everyone was used to. With that being said, it still produced my favorite song by her in, "Can I Have A Kiss". I should clarify, it was my favorite song by her until I heard her this album. Now I am going to have to change my number one to "I do not hook up". It may very well be the catchiest song ever produced.
Now I do realize that music like this is meant to be catchy and radio friendly, which it is, but there is something that Kelly just does better then everyone else. I don't know exactly what that "thing" is, but after seeing her in concert this past October I have a feeling it has something to do with her being the most normal performer I have ever seen. I say normal, because she seems so dorky and neurotic that it makes her seem like the loud girl at the library. Meaning, she is a little kooky but ultimately she is normal.
Back to the album though. "All I Ever Wanted" goes back to the similar sound of her 2004 smash "Breakaway", which means a bunch of fast paced pop/rock songs that put you in a great mood. She once again enlisted Kara Dioguardi and Max Martin for songwriting and producing respectively and even brought in Ryan Tedder and Katy Perry for a couple of tracks. You can especially feel Perry's involvement on "Long Shot", as it basically sounds like something off of her album. Kelly's voice is still a powerhouse though, blazing through much of the album with such ease that it makes you wonder how long she would have stayed hidden even without American Idol. I am very glad that this album was not only good, but that it was received so well from critics and audiences alike. I find it impossible not to like Kelly Clarkson and I think I can officially say she is here to say.
Though she might not be as current as Adam Lambert or as popular as Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson will always be my American Idol.
(That last sentence was for my cousin, KC Baby!)
5. Erin McCarley: Love, Save the Empty 2008
This album is proof positive that product placement, whether it be pop, food or music most definitely works. About a year ago I watched a movie trailer on the internet to the film, "He's just not that into you". The trailer was playing on the film's website and once the trailer ended, this incredibly catchy song started playing. The song I am speaking of turned out to be "Love, Save the Empty" by this artist I had never heard of before. Now I never did see that film, but about a week later I found out who sang the song and bought the album. Obviously the artist was Erin McCarley and that song was one among many on the album that were fantastic.
She is by no means completely original on this album, as much of it sounds very similar to Tracy Bonham, Anna Nalick and Rachael Yamagata among others. With that being said though, if you are going to take cues from anyone in this music genre, you chose wisely. My favorite tracks on the album are "Sticky-Sweet", "It's Not That Easy" and the ever catchy "Love, Save the Empty". To be perfectly honest with you, this would have been my favorite album of the year if it wasn't for the extreme similarities to those other artists. If I could show someone an example of my favorite kind of music, this album would be a good example.
Another reason this album stuck with me so much this year is because it was the album I was listening to when I visited some friends down south last summer. It was one of my favorite weekends last year and just popping this disc in brings back some great memories. The last and final thing I would like to mention about this album is that for about three seconds on "It's Not That Easy", she manages to channel a "When the Pawn.." era Fiona Apple. Now I have been searching for other artists that are similar to Fiona, as she is my all time favorite artist, and it is an almost impossible task. So finding someone who can do it for even a second was pretty exciting.
In closing, pick this one up if you like your pop music with a little edge and with a little less cheer. I can almost promise you that you will love this one.
That is all for now, I'll be back tomorrow.
6. Kelly Clarkson: All I Ever Wanted 2009
Easily the most pop centric title on my list, KC's forth and best album brought her back into pop's good graces. Not that her 2007 effort, "My December" was a bad album at all, it was just a departure(mild departure), from what everyone was used to. With that being said, it still produced my favorite song by her in, "Can I Have A Kiss". I should clarify, it was my favorite song by her until I heard her this album. Now I am going to have to change my number one to "I do not hook up". It may very well be the catchiest song ever produced.
Now I do realize that music like this is meant to be catchy and radio friendly, which it is, but there is something that Kelly just does better then everyone else. I don't know exactly what that "thing" is, but after seeing her in concert this past October I have a feeling it has something to do with her being the most normal performer I have ever seen. I say normal, because she seems so dorky and neurotic that it makes her seem like the loud girl at the library. Meaning, she is a little kooky but ultimately she is normal.
Back to the album though. "All I Ever Wanted" goes back to the similar sound of her 2004 smash "Breakaway", which means a bunch of fast paced pop/rock songs that put you in a great mood. She once again enlisted Kara Dioguardi and Max Martin for songwriting and producing respectively and even brought in Ryan Tedder and Katy Perry for a couple of tracks. You can especially feel Perry's involvement on "Long Shot", as it basically sounds like something off of her album. Kelly's voice is still a powerhouse though, blazing through much of the album with such ease that it makes you wonder how long she would have stayed hidden even without American Idol. I am very glad that this album was not only good, but that it was received so well from critics and audiences alike. I find it impossible not to like Kelly Clarkson and I think I can officially say she is here to say.
Though she might not be as current as Adam Lambert or as popular as Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson will always be my American Idol.
(That last sentence was for my cousin, KC Baby!)
5. Erin McCarley: Love, Save the Empty 2008
This album is proof positive that product placement, whether it be pop, food or music most definitely works. About a year ago I watched a movie trailer on the internet to the film, "He's just not that into you". The trailer was playing on the film's website and once the trailer ended, this incredibly catchy song started playing. The song I am speaking of turned out to be "Love, Save the Empty" by this artist I had never heard of before. Now I never did see that film, but about a week later I found out who sang the song and bought the album. Obviously the artist was Erin McCarley and that song was one among many on the album that were fantastic.
She is by no means completely original on this album, as much of it sounds very similar to Tracy Bonham, Anna Nalick and Rachael Yamagata among others. With that being said though, if you are going to take cues from anyone in this music genre, you chose wisely. My favorite tracks on the album are "Sticky-Sweet", "It's Not That Easy" and the ever catchy "Love, Save the Empty". To be perfectly honest with you, this would have been my favorite album of the year if it wasn't for the extreme similarities to those other artists. If I could show someone an example of my favorite kind of music, this album would be a good example.
Another reason this album stuck with me so much this year is because it was the album I was listening to when I visited some friends down south last summer. It was one of my favorite weekends last year and just popping this disc in brings back some great memories. The last and final thing I would like to mention about this album is that for about three seconds on "It's Not That Easy", she manages to channel a "When the Pawn.." era Fiona Apple. Now I have been searching for other artists that are similar to Fiona, as she is my all time favorite artist, and it is an almost impossible task. So finding someone who can do it for even a second was pretty exciting.
In closing, pick this one up if you like your pop music with a little edge and with a little less cheer. I can almost promise you that you will love this one.
That is all for now, I'll be back tomorrow.
Day 12: Meeting of the minds
January 7, 2010
Tonight was the night of the 'Presentation' with my friends. I would say the meeting lasted around two hours and I think it went well. My two favorite ideas were the ones that they all liked the best. I saved them for the end, because I figured I would want to talk about those for the longest amount of time. It was still kind of weird to be talking about these ideas of mine, since I have never really done that before. I mean, some of these ideas I have had since high school and until tonight, have never seen the light of day.
I suppose I am not surprised by the outcome of the meeting, as I figured it would be one of those two ideas that I would be pursuing after tonight. Though, I am still not sure which one I will be writing. I really think that I should focus on one story and just leave it at that. Writing one script is going to be hard enough, let alone trying to figure out two of them.
The funny thing about tonight is that it was supposed to be a freeing experience, one that let me get all of these ideas off of my chest. In the end though, I think I actually feel more closed off, as if expressing myself left me with a feeling of loss. What the hell is this that I am feeling. I should feel good about narrowing it down to two ideas, but instead I am left with a feeling of confusion. Should I use these two ideas or should I try to think of something new. I think what I am describing is someone with a serious case of commitment issues. I can't even commitment to two separate ideas at the same time. How do I expect myself to be able to write an entire screenplay without feeling like I am being trapped by my own creation?
I think this thing is going to be far more difficult then I originally anticipated. I am going to stop for right now, as I think this is starting to become repetitious and boring. Sorry if this was a lousy read tonight, I'm kind of not in the mood to say anything more. Which after a night of talking about writing, seems a bit odd. More tomorrow.
Tonight was the night of the 'Presentation' with my friends. I would say the meeting lasted around two hours and I think it went well. My two favorite ideas were the ones that they all liked the best. I saved them for the end, because I figured I would want to talk about those for the longest amount of time. It was still kind of weird to be talking about these ideas of mine, since I have never really done that before. I mean, some of these ideas I have had since high school and until tonight, have never seen the light of day.
I suppose I am not surprised by the outcome of the meeting, as I figured it would be one of those two ideas that I would be pursuing after tonight. Though, I am still not sure which one I will be writing. I really think that I should focus on one story and just leave it at that. Writing one script is going to be hard enough, let alone trying to figure out two of them.
The funny thing about tonight is that it was supposed to be a freeing experience, one that let me get all of these ideas off of my chest. In the end though, I think I actually feel more closed off, as if expressing myself left me with a feeling of loss. What the hell is this that I am feeling. I should feel good about narrowing it down to two ideas, but instead I am left with a feeling of confusion. Should I use these two ideas or should I try to think of something new. I think what I am describing is someone with a serious case of commitment issues. I can't even commitment to two separate ideas at the same time. How do I expect myself to be able to write an entire screenplay without feeling like I am being trapped by my own creation?
I think this thing is going to be far more difficult then I originally anticipated. I am going to stop for right now, as I think this is starting to become repetitious and boring. Sorry if this was a lousy read tonight, I'm kind of not in the mood to say anything more. Which after a night of talking about writing, seems a bit odd. More tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Day 11: The Sounds of Writing Part 3
January 6, 2010
My original plan was to do this in two parts consisting of 10-6 and then 5-1. Well, as usual I need someone to edit for me as I do not know when to stop. Instead of that original plan, I will most likely be doing it in three segments. Though a forth segment is not out of the question. Without further adieu, here is 7-5.
7. Paula Cole:This Fire 1996
As I mentioned yesterday, not every album was going to be new. This album came out when I was a sophomore in high school and was actually given to me as a Christmas present in 1996. I had asked for the album, as I really liked "Where have all the cowboys gone?". It was a new song at the time and I really liked it. The only thing was that once I received it, I never actually listened to it. I don't know the reason for this, perhaps Fiona Apple and Tori Amos had taken up to much of my time that year. Regardless though, I never got around to putting it in my CD player. Throughout the years, I had always wanted to listen to it, but for some reason I never did.
Fast forward to last January. As I was in my basement trying to finish a project that I was working on, I decided to finally give it a chance. I was a bit weary, as it had been 12 years since I first had the desire to hear the album. Though ultimately, my musical taste had not wavered that much and I figured I had nothing to lose. As soon as I put it on I instantly felt like a teenager again. Then of course I cursed myself for not having this as part of my life for all this time. The album is a perfectly constructed time capsule of the early to mid-nineties. From the opening track it was very obvious what time period and what artists she had been listening to. "This Fire" is right out of the Tori Amos/Sarah McLachlan landscape, full of soul barring lyrics and vocals that will overpower you.
The album was written by Cole herself and from the opening track, it is obvious that she had her fair share of problems with men. Not so much in a relationship sort of way, as it is a "society is screwed up" kind of fashion. In her first single that I mentioned early, she talks about how marriage is basically just an institution to trap woman in. How the security of having a man take care of you, eventually leads to you running the man's life with no sense of freedom for yourself. The first track talks about her going against the conventions of what a woman should be as well. This philosophy is sprinkled throughout the album, which gives it a very distinct voice that is either going to alienate listeners or hook them in.
Though, on my favorite track on the album entitled "Feelin' Love", she talk's about how she can still on occasion, want to feel like a dumb blonde and just play the part. The song moves along with her almost whispering into the microphone over top of a slow drum beat and piano. The song goes down so smooth that even though it is the albums longest song(clocking in at just over five minutes and thirty seconds), I am bummed that it has to ever end. Now she did end up having a huge hit off of this album with "I Don't Want to Wait", the album's closing track. It was a big radio hit and ended up being the theme song for the immensely popular WB show, "Dawson's Creek". I mention that only because I don't want you to think I have discovered some diamond in the rough here. This was a popular album that has probably been reviewed a thousand times by more qualified people then me.
With that being said though, this album is great from beginning to end. A true treasure that was lying underneath my nose this entire time. I am bummed that it took me so long to listen to it, but maybe if I would have heard way back then, it wouldn't mean quite as much to me as it does now. For an album that reminded me of my past, it sure was refreshing to hear it for the first time.
Well, I said it was going to be writing about album's 7-5. I guess I lied. Next time I will try not the write the novelization of these albums and actually just write a review. I will be back tomorrow though, hopefully with less to say.
My original plan was to do this in two parts consisting of 10-6 and then 5-1. Well, as usual I need someone to edit for me as I do not know when to stop. Instead of that original plan, I will most likely be doing it in three segments. Though a forth segment is not out of the question. Without further adieu, here is 7-5.
7. Paula Cole:This Fire 1996
As I mentioned yesterday, not every album was going to be new. This album came out when I was a sophomore in high school and was actually given to me as a Christmas present in 1996. I had asked for the album, as I really liked "Where have all the cowboys gone?". It was a new song at the time and I really liked it. The only thing was that once I received it, I never actually listened to it. I don't know the reason for this, perhaps Fiona Apple and Tori Amos had taken up to much of my time that year. Regardless though, I never got around to putting it in my CD player. Throughout the years, I had always wanted to listen to it, but for some reason I never did.
Fast forward to last January. As I was in my basement trying to finish a project that I was working on, I decided to finally give it a chance. I was a bit weary, as it had been 12 years since I first had the desire to hear the album. Though ultimately, my musical taste had not wavered that much and I figured I had nothing to lose. As soon as I put it on I instantly felt like a teenager again. Then of course I cursed myself for not having this as part of my life for all this time. The album is a perfectly constructed time capsule of the early to mid-nineties. From the opening track it was very obvious what time period and what artists she had been listening to. "This Fire" is right out of the Tori Amos/Sarah McLachlan landscape, full of soul barring lyrics and vocals that will overpower you.
The album was written by Cole herself and from the opening track, it is obvious that she had her fair share of problems with men. Not so much in a relationship sort of way, as it is a "society is screwed up" kind of fashion. In her first single that I mentioned early, she talks about how marriage is basically just an institution to trap woman in. How the security of having a man take care of you, eventually leads to you running the man's life with no sense of freedom for yourself. The first track talks about her going against the conventions of what a woman should be as well. This philosophy is sprinkled throughout the album, which gives it a very distinct voice that is either going to alienate listeners or hook them in.
Though, on my favorite track on the album entitled "Feelin' Love", she talk's about how she can still on occasion, want to feel like a dumb blonde and just play the part. The song moves along with her almost whispering into the microphone over top of a slow drum beat and piano. The song goes down so smooth that even though it is the albums longest song(clocking in at just over five minutes and thirty seconds), I am bummed that it has to ever end. Now she did end up having a huge hit off of this album with "I Don't Want to Wait", the album's closing track. It was a big radio hit and ended up being the theme song for the immensely popular WB show, "Dawson's Creek". I mention that only because I don't want you to think I have discovered some diamond in the rough here. This was a popular album that has probably been reviewed a thousand times by more qualified people then me.
With that being said though, this album is great from beginning to end. A true treasure that was lying underneath my nose this entire time. I am bummed that it took me so long to listen to it, but maybe if I would have heard way back then, it wouldn't mean quite as much to me as it does now. For an album that reminded me of my past, it sure was refreshing to hear it for the first time.
Well, I said it was going to be writing about album's 7-5. I guess I lied. Next time I will try not the write the novelization of these albums and actually just write a review. I will be back tomorrow though, hopefully with less to say.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Day 10: The Sounds of Writing Part 2
January 5, 2010
Making lists has always been a major part of my life. Whether it be favorite movies, books, music, television shows, athletes, etc., I am always making them. Even having a to do list, is something that is part of my life. In my very organized/not so organized sort of way, the lists are a way of keeping my scatterbrained mind on the right track. Over the past week or so I have been working on a list of albums that I have enjoyed immensely over the past twelve months. I will keep the list to ten albums(or close to it) and my only criteria for the list, is that I had to have first listened to it in 2009. That means, the album could have come out twenty years ago and as long as I first heard it last year, it is fair game.
Now this list is not going to hold any big swings in genre or anything, so don't expect anything earth shattering here. Most of the albums are similar in sound and in some cases, could be confused with each other. Without any further adieu, here are my favorites of 2009.
10. Screaming Females: Power Move 2009
I saw this band warm up for Jack White's new band, 'The Dead Weather' in July and they just about stole the show. When my friends and I first heard their name we assumed the worst. When the lead singer walked on stage, she was this tiny thing, no more than five feet tall wearing an old school uniform and looking as plain as could be. We were all expecting the worst performance of our lives; but then she starting to sing. Out of this tiny little five foot nothing girl came this voice that I can only describe as overpowering. She was like a more pissed off version of Patti Smith and the most refreshing thing I have heard in years. The entire 45 minute show was filled with the same high octane energy and as soon as they left the stage, I ran to the merchandise booth and grabbed one of their albums. They have three I believe, so I bought their latest one.
'Power Move' the album translates their high energy live performance very well, especially the first track off of the album "Bell". The entire album is maybe 35 minutes long and for the most part, moves along with the same fast pace from beginning to end. If there is any downside(I don't happen to see this as a downside, but others may), it is that many of the songs are very similar to each other. This could be said for most artists out there with such a distinct sound, but I could understand it being a complaint. Other then that though, it is an album that sounds straight out of the New York punk scene of the mid to late seventies. A great disc and a near perfect live performance.
9. Meiko: Meiko 2008
I believe I first heard of Meiko from either "Gossip Girl" or "90210" last year and though she sounds similar to Sara Bareilles or Ingrid Michaelson, she still had something that made me want to pick up the album. The album is not overly showy or dramatic but it stands the test of repeat listens very well. I think this was one of the first albums I bought last year and just recently was I reminded of how much I liked it. Despite the comparisons to her other contemporaries, the person I liken to her the most would be a young Sheryl Crow. She is much more melodic than Crow, but there are more than one song on this album that could have been on Crow's 2005 album, "Wildflower".
My favorite track on this album is the very Crowesque "Hiding". Is has a very smooth and polished sound to it, without sounding overproduced in the least. The majority of this album is acoustic guitar heavy, especially the first couple tracks on the album. The rest of the album is filled with personal, not exactly dark/but not exactly happy either lyrics that I am always longing for in a song. "Boys With Girlfriends"(the one hit off of the album) and "Under My Bed" are the two upbeat, radio friendly tracks on the album. Not that I mean that in a bad way, as they are both very enjoyable songs. A good slow disc for those who like to actually listen to the lyrics that are being sung to them.
8. Mandy Moore: Amanda Leigh 2009
Laugh if you must, but in her ten years since first coming on the pop scene, Mandy Moore has finally made a disc that she should never have to apologize for. Not that she has always released stinkers, in fact her 2001 self-titled release was one of(if not the best), pop album of the late nineties/early 2000 era. She has sense made a name for herself in movies, which has undoubtedly given her the power to keep releasing albums. Which in this case, is starting to pay off. With her trading in her pop roots for a Joni Mitchell/James Taylor sound, she had finally found a sound that fit her voice. Her 2007 effort "Wild Hope" was a nice beginning to her transition, but it lacked any songs that would make her standout. With "Amanda Leigh", she no longer has to worry about that.
"Leigh" for me on the first listen was unlike anything I had ever heard. It was soft and melodic but also engrossing and epic at the same time. Her voice still sounds like a softer version of the early seventies Melanie, but musically she sounds more like "Seals & Crofts". I have had a couple of other people listen to this and other than them saying it sounds like it would have been on the radio in the early seventies, I still have not heard a direct comparison to it. For me, the sound is incredibly unique. It is soft and folksy but grand at the same time. My favorite track is "Fern Dell", one of only two upbeat tracks on the album. The song is full of life and the instrumentation on it almost feels scattered in its delivery. You don't know quite where it's going, which is part of it's thrill. The only track you may have heard off of it is "I could break your heart any day of the week". An uptempo late seventies pop treat that has a killer video to go along with it. If for no other reason, check it out to see Mandy herself, she looks more amazing then usual.
I don't expect everyone to like this album, as it is a far cry from anything popular these days. If you are looking for something a little different though, I would seriously recommend "Amanda Leigh". Proof that if given enough time, even a cheesy pop singer can make something worth while.
That is all for now, part 3 will be here tomorrow.
Making lists has always been a major part of my life. Whether it be favorite movies, books, music, television shows, athletes, etc., I am always making them. Even having a to do list, is something that is part of my life. In my very organized/not so organized sort of way, the lists are a way of keeping my scatterbrained mind on the right track. Over the past week or so I have been working on a list of albums that I have enjoyed immensely over the past twelve months. I will keep the list to ten albums(or close to it) and my only criteria for the list, is that I had to have first listened to it in 2009. That means, the album could have come out twenty years ago and as long as I first heard it last year, it is fair game.
Now this list is not going to hold any big swings in genre or anything, so don't expect anything earth shattering here. Most of the albums are similar in sound and in some cases, could be confused with each other. Without any further adieu, here are my favorites of 2009.
10. Screaming Females: Power Move 2009
I saw this band warm up for Jack White's new band, 'The Dead Weather' in July and they just about stole the show. When my friends and I first heard their name we assumed the worst. When the lead singer walked on stage, she was this tiny thing, no more than five feet tall wearing an old school uniform and looking as plain as could be. We were all expecting the worst performance of our lives; but then she starting to sing. Out of this tiny little five foot nothing girl came this voice that I can only describe as overpowering. She was like a more pissed off version of Patti Smith and the most refreshing thing I have heard in years. The entire 45 minute show was filled with the same high octane energy and as soon as they left the stage, I ran to the merchandise booth and grabbed one of their albums. They have three I believe, so I bought their latest one.
'Power Move' the album translates their high energy live performance very well, especially the first track off of the album "Bell". The entire album is maybe 35 minutes long and for the most part, moves along with the same fast pace from beginning to end. If there is any downside(I don't happen to see this as a downside, but others may), it is that many of the songs are very similar to each other. This could be said for most artists out there with such a distinct sound, but I could understand it being a complaint. Other then that though, it is an album that sounds straight out of the New York punk scene of the mid to late seventies. A great disc and a near perfect live performance.
9. Meiko: Meiko 2008
I believe I first heard of Meiko from either "Gossip Girl" or "90210" last year and though she sounds similar to Sara Bareilles or Ingrid Michaelson, she still had something that made me want to pick up the album. The album is not overly showy or dramatic but it stands the test of repeat listens very well. I think this was one of the first albums I bought last year and just recently was I reminded of how much I liked it. Despite the comparisons to her other contemporaries, the person I liken to her the most would be a young Sheryl Crow. She is much more melodic than Crow, but there are more than one song on this album that could have been on Crow's 2005 album, "Wildflower".
My favorite track on this album is the very Crowesque "Hiding". Is has a very smooth and polished sound to it, without sounding overproduced in the least. The majority of this album is acoustic guitar heavy, especially the first couple tracks on the album. The rest of the album is filled with personal, not exactly dark/but not exactly happy either lyrics that I am always longing for in a song. "Boys With Girlfriends"(the one hit off of the album) and "Under My Bed" are the two upbeat, radio friendly tracks on the album. Not that I mean that in a bad way, as they are both very enjoyable songs. A good slow disc for those who like to actually listen to the lyrics that are being sung to them.
8. Mandy Moore: Amanda Leigh 2009
Laugh if you must, but in her ten years since first coming on the pop scene, Mandy Moore has finally made a disc that she should never have to apologize for. Not that she has always released stinkers, in fact her 2001 self-titled release was one of(if not the best), pop album of the late nineties/early 2000 era. She has sense made a name for herself in movies, which has undoubtedly given her the power to keep releasing albums. Which in this case, is starting to pay off. With her trading in her pop roots for a Joni Mitchell/James Taylor sound, she had finally found a sound that fit her voice. Her 2007 effort "Wild Hope" was a nice beginning to her transition, but it lacked any songs that would make her standout. With "Amanda Leigh", she no longer has to worry about that.
"Leigh" for me on the first listen was unlike anything I had ever heard. It was soft and melodic but also engrossing and epic at the same time. Her voice still sounds like a softer version of the early seventies Melanie, but musically she sounds more like "Seals & Crofts". I have had a couple of other people listen to this and other than them saying it sounds like it would have been on the radio in the early seventies, I still have not heard a direct comparison to it. For me, the sound is incredibly unique. It is soft and folksy but grand at the same time. My favorite track is "Fern Dell", one of only two upbeat tracks on the album. The song is full of life and the instrumentation on it almost feels scattered in its delivery. You don't know quite where it's going, which is part of it's thrill. The only track you may have heard off of it is "I could break your heart any day of the week". An uptempo late seventies pop treat that has a killer video to go along with it. If for no other reason, check it out to see Mandy herself, she looks more amazing then usual.
I don't expect everyone to like this album, as it is a far cry from anything popular these days. If you are looking for something a little different though, I would seriously recommend "Amanda Leigh". Proof that if given enough time, even a cheesy pop singer can make something worth while.
That is all for now, part 3 will be here tomorrow.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Day 9: The Sounds of Writing
January 4, 2010
When it comes to writing a story or even a term paper for school, I have always found listening to music helps me work through the process. Classical music is usually what I will listen to if I am trying to set the mood for a scene. Lately though, I have been listening to more current music. My musical tastes are usually in the female singer/songwriter category, though anything Jack White does is listened to on a regular basis. 'The White Stripes' are easily my favorite band over the past decade and are a constant companion to most writing projects I have done in the past couple of years.
I will come back tomorrow with a list of my favorite albums that I listened to last year and hopefully go into more detail about how music can effect what I am putting on the paper. In fact, this might be an on going series, depending on how it seems to be working out.
Sorry for the short entry, long day today and for once I will be getting some sleep before work. Part 2 is coming tomorrow.
When it comes to writing a story or even a term paper for school, I have always found listening to music helps me work through the process. Classical music is usually what I will listen to if I am trying to set the mood for a scene. Lately though, I have been listening to more current music. My musical tastes are usually in the female singer/songwriter category, though anything Jack White does is listened to on a regular basis. 'The White Stripes' are easily my favorite band over the past decade and are a constant companion to most writing projects I have done in the past couple of years.
I will come back tomorrow with a list of my favorite albums that I listened to last year and hopefully go into more detail about how music can effect what I am putting on the paper. In fact, this might be an on going series, depending on how it seems to be working out.
Sorry for the short entry, long day today and for once I will be getting some sleep before work. Part 2 is coming tomorrow.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Day 8: Not sad to say goodbye
January 3, 2010
As the holidays come to a close, we naturally reflect upon the past couple of weeks as either a wonderful experience or a miserable one. Luckily for me it was the former, as I had a very enjoyable holiday indeed. The fond memories I made over the past couple of weeks are ones that I will cherish for the coming months of extreme cold and occasional depression. There is one difference this year as I look back and that difference is the fact that we are ending what has been a very rough decade. "The Decade From Hell" as TIME Magazine proclaimed it, was one that was filled with world changing tragedies and a new unease that fill's all of our lives.
Now I could go on for pages about how this decade has been one of very few upsides(Trust me, my friends have heard me do this on numerous occasions and I can tell I am wearing them thin), but that is not what I would like to write about. Instead, I would just like to say a little something about those few who actually had a good decade during the past ten years. How must it feel to be one of the few who can look back on these years as a wonderful time in their lives. As silly as it sounds, I kind of feel sorry for them. It must be strange to hear about this so-called "Decade From Hell" and think the exact opposite.
Looking at it from this stand point puts an interesting spin on things, because it must kind of be a bummer to feel this way. I would imagine that you might feel bad for having it good while others are in such misery. I am not saying this to be condescending in any sort of way, quite the opposite actually. I mean it as I truly feel bad for them because nobody should be made to feel bad for having it good. You should not have to apologize to people just because you are in a good place. I guess what I am trying to say is that it seems like in our society, those who have it good often feel the need to justify the reason behind it.
I wish more people had a good decade but it really does not seem like it was the case. I personally felt like this decade was just one disaster after another. That doesn't mean that there wasn't any high points, because there were plenty. It was just that over all the major things I remember from the past ten years tend to be those of pain and suffering. Now this could be from this being my first decade as an (so-called) adult. That is possible, but it is also not the whole story. When I say this was a terrible decade, I say that because overall, we are no better off then we were ten years ago. If things progressed at all, it was very minimal. If anything, it was just a decade rife with change, often for no other reason as if to just change for the sake of changing.
The other end though, me saying this was a lousy decade is not a negative one at all. I say it has been a lousy decade because I am very positive about the future. I truly believe this next decade is going to be a very good one, filled with less stagnant thinking and a push towards an eventual return to greatness. I say it was a lousy decade because I think in comparison to the teens, it is going to be looked back on as the bumpy road we all had to go through to get to the next place in our lives. I mean this to be taken from a personal journey stand point and as a journey we will all take as a society.
I keep on writing more each day, which I suppose is part of me figuring out what this thing is going to be. I am still not sure and probably will not figure it out for quite a while. Either way though, I am going to continue to write each and every day until I figure it out. Not that I will stop once I do learn the eventual purpose of this thing(if it has one), but it will make it easier for me to understand the "why" behind the reason I am doing it in the first place.
As the holidays come to a close, we naturally reflect upon the past couple of weeks as either a wonderful experience or a miserable one. Luckily for me it was the former, as I had a very enjoyable holiday indeed. The fond memories I made over the past couple of weeks are ones that I will cherish for the coming months of extreme cold and occasional depression. There is one difference this year as I look back and that difference is the fact that we are ending what has been a very rough decade. "The Decade From Hell" as TIME Magazine proclaimed it, was one that was filled with world changing tragedies and a new unease that fill's all of our lives.
Now I could go on for pages about how this decade has been one of very few upsides(Trust me, my friends have heard me do this on numerous occasions and I can tell I am wearing them thin), but that is not what I would like to write about. Instead, I would just like to say a little something about those few who actually had a good decade during the past ten years. How must it feel to be one of the few who can look back on these years as a wonderful time in their lives. As silly as it sounds, I kind of feel sorry for them. It must be strange to hear about this so-called "Decade From Hell" and think the exact opposite.
Looking at it from this stand point puts an interesting spin on things, because it must kind of be a bummer to feel this way. I would imagine that you might feel bad for having it good while others are in such misery. I am not saying this to be condescending in any sort of way, quite the opposite actually. I mean it as I truly feel bad for them because nobody should be made to feel bad for having it good. You should not have to apologize to people just because you are in a good place. I guess what I am trying to say is that it seems like in our society, those who have it good often feel the need to justify the reason behind it.
I wish more people had a good decade but it really does not seem like it was the case. I personally felt like this decade was just one disaster after another. That doesn't mean that there wasn't any high points, because there were plenty. It was just that over all the major things I remember from the past ten years tend to be those of pain and suffering. Now this could be from this being my first decade as an (so-called) adult. That is possible, but it is also not the whole story. When I say this was a terrible decade, I say that because overall, we are no better off then we were ten years ago. If things progressed at all, it was very minimal. If anything, it was just a decade rife with change, often for no other reason as if to just change for the sake of changing.
The other end though, me saying this was a lousy decade is not a negative one at all. I say it has been a lousy decade because I am very positive about the future. I truly believe this next decade is going to be a very good one, filled with less stagnant thinking and a push towards an eventual return to greatness. I say it was a lousy decade because I think in comparison to the teens, it is going to be looked back on as the bumpy road we all had to go through to get to the next place in our lives. I mean this to be taken from a personal journey stand point and as a journey we will all take as a society.
I keep on writing more each day, which I suppose is part of me figuring out what this thing is going to be. I am still not sure and probably will not figure it out for quite a while. Either way though, I am going to continue to write each and every day until I figure it out. Not that I will stop once I do learn the eventual purpose of this thing(if it has one), but it will make it easier for me to understand the "why" behind the reason I am doing it in the first place.
Day 7: Stories pop up everywhere
January 2, 2010
Anytime I think that I am lacking for story content, something comes along and just re-ignites the fire. The thing that is great about that, is the thing that comes along doesn't have to be anything special at all. It can be nothing more than a simple family gathering to remind you that there is never a lack of anything creative in the air. It's actually kind of funny because the thing that always gets me going again is spending time with other people. The only reason I find this funny is because I tend to almost always want to be alone. Though being alone is almost never a source of inspiration to me. I think what I just described is a sort of version of circular logic.
What I am trying to say is that the creative spark is usually never more than a conversation away.
On a completely different note, I am unable to stop myself from repeatedly watching the movie "10 things I hate about you". There is something so refreshing about that movie that makes me constantly watch it. I've watched it at least five times in the last month, one of those times being no less then a half hour ago.
Now it is not too surprising that I love this movie; I mean, one of my dreams is to write and create a teenage high school drama. Josh Schwartz(The O.C. and Gossip Girl) and Joss Whedon(Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) are my hero's for what they have been able to do in the genre. Joss Whedon has done what almost no one else in television has ever done with his combination of virtually every genre into one mind blowing showing. Buffy was able to take everyday teenage emotions and situations and combined them with Science Fiction, Fantasy, crime solving and epic romance. "Buffy" is still to this day my favorite show of all time.
Josh Schwartz on the other hand was able to, in less then one season of "The O.C", turn the eternal nerd, Seth Cohen, into a teenage girls dream come true. With the O.C., he brought the family back into "family drama". He made the Cohen's the most likable family on television, without making it a completely impossible dream to reach for. They were a believable group of people who cared about each other a great deal. He has done the same thing with "Gossip Girl", albeit, in a different sort of fashion.
With "Gossip Girl", he has combined the typical, petty world of teenage drama and combined it with the explosive ridiculous of a Michael Bay film. Now that combination sounds like a strange and almost stupid prospect, but after two and a half plus years on television, it is still the most entertaining and exciting show on the air.
I am almost at a loss for words to why I just explained all of this to you, but I suppose my point is that these three shows are some of the most influential things I have watched over the past decade. Sorry if I kind of went off there for a little while, but those shows along with that movie are what really gets me going. Which is basically the reason why I started this blog, to try to get myself to express the reasons to why I love to write. If I happen to go off into little tangents about the stuff I love, then well, I guess the process is starting to work.
Anytime I think that I am lacking for story content, something comes along and just re-ignites the fire. The thing that is great about that, is the thing that comes along doesn't have to be anything special at all. It can be nothing more than a simple family gathering to remind you that there is never a lack of anything creative in the air. It's actually kind of funny because the thing that always gets me going again is spending time with other people. The only reason I find this funny is because I tend to almost always want to be alone. Though being alone is almost never a source of inspiration to me. I think what I just described is a sort of version of circular logic.
What I am trying to say is that the creative spark is usually never more than a conversation away.
On a completely different note, I am unable to stop myself from repeatedly watching the movie "10 things I hate about you". There is something so refreshing about that movie that makes me constantly watch it. I've watched it at least five times in the last month, one of those times being no less then a half hour ago.
Now it is not too surprising that I love this movie; I mean, one of my dreams is to write and create a teenage high school drama. Josh Schwartz(The O.C. and Gossip Girl) and Joss Whedon(Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) are my hero's for what they have been able to do in the genre. Joss Whedon has done what almost no one else in television has ever done with his combination of virtually every genre into one mind blowing showing. Buffy was able to take everyday teenage emotions and situations and combined them with Science Fiction, Fantasy, crime solving and epic romance. "Buffy" is still to this day my favorite show of all time.
Josh Schwartz on the other hand was able to, in less then one season of "The O.C", turn the eternal nerd, Seth Cohen, into a teenage girls dream come true. With the O.C., he brought the family back into "family drama". He made the Cohen's the most likable family on television, without making it a completely impossible dream to reach for. They were a believable group of people who cared about each other a great deal. He has done the same thing with "Gossip Girl", albeit, in a different sort of fashion.
With "Gossip Girl", he has combined the typical, petty world of teenage drama and combined it with the explosive ridiculous of a Michael Bay film. Now that combination sounds like a strange and almost stupid prospect, but after two and a half plus years on television, it is still the most entertaining and exciting show on the air.
I am almost at a loss for words to why I just explained all of this to you, but I suppose my point is that these three shows are some of the most influential things I have watched over the past decade. Sorry if I kind of went off there for a little while, but those shows along with that movie are what really gets me going. Which is basically the reason why I started this blog, to try to get myself to express the reasons to why I love to write. If I happen to go off into little tangents about the stuff I love, then well, I guess the process is starting to work.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Day 6: It's all about me?
January 1, 2010
Writing that date feels strange, I can't believe it is actually 2010. I mean, this is the year we are supposed to make contact.
Anyways, as a writer you tend to write about stuff you know. Which means when you are creating characters, you may tend to give certain characters the same traits that you yourself may possess. With me it is no different. I tend to always create characters that are similar to myself in some certain type a way. That goes for other people you know too. The only reason I am bringing this up is because recently when I have been writing characters that are similar to myself, it is hard for me to see them as the good guy. Without going into a great amount of detail, it is very difficult for me to see what good I have done of late.
Every time I look back on how I act or treat people it seems like I am never quite acting in greatest fashion towards them. I don't seem to be the nicest guy in the world. Without even realizing it, it seems that I have kind of turned into the worst version of myself. I say horrible things to people without even knowing I am saying it. That goes for how I treat people as well. Over the past year or so I have been much less caring about others then I used to. Given, I have never been the most caring person in the world but over the past couple of years, it seems to be getting worse.
I am only writing this because it worries me. If a character based on me is a bad person, does that make me a bad person as well? I would hate to think that I am not a good person but if I truly am a bad person, is it too late to try and change myself? Or am I just better off basing my characters off of other people and keeping myself out of it entirely? Maybe this is a normal thing that writers go through. Maybe it is why not everyone is able to be creative all the time. If writing creatively means constantly learning more about yourself than you ever wanted to know, then maybe this writing thing is going to be even harder then I first thought.
I suppose either way I am going to learn something. I just hope it is not something that I am not ready to find out.
Writing that date feels strange, I can't believe it is actually 2010. I mean, this is the year we are supposed to make contact.
Anyways, as a writer you tend to write about stuff you know. Which means when you are creating characters, you may tend to give certain characters the same traits that you yourself may possess. With me it is no different. I tend to always create characters that are similar to myself in some certain type a way. That goes for other people you know too. The only reason I am bringing this up is because recently when I have been writing characters that are similar to myself, it is hard for me to see them as the good guy. Without going into a great amount of detail, it is very difficult for me to see what good I have done of late.
Every time I look back on how I act or treat people it seems like I am never quite acting in greatest fashion towards them. I don't seem to be the nicest guy in the world. Without even realizing it, it seems that I have kind of turned into the worst version of myself. I say horrible things to people without even knowing I am saying it. That goes for how I treat people as well. Over the past year or so I have been much less caring about others then I used to. Given, I have never been the most caring person in the world but over the past couple of years, it seems to be getting worse.
I am only writing this because it worries me. If a character based on me is a bad person, does that make me a bad person as well? I would hate to think that I am not a good person but if I truly am a bad person, is it too late to try and change myself? Or am I just better off basing my characters off of other people and keeping myself out of it entirely? Maybe this is a normal thing that writers go through. Maybe it is why not everyone is able to be creative all the time. If writing creatively means constantly learning more about yourself than you ever wanted to know, then maybe this writing thing is going to be even harder then I first thought.
I suppose either way I am going to learn something. I just hope it is not something that I am not ready to find out.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Day 5: The day has been set
December 31. 2009
I, along with three friends own a business. We have been in business for three and a half years and we all agree that it is time we expand. Part of that expanding process involves me writing a script. It is one of the reasons(but not the driving factor), why I am doing this blog. We each were responsible for doing something before the end of the year. My part, though very simple, was to set up a meeting to discuss all of my ideas. I figured that it would be a good idea to throw them all out there, in hopes that they might actually like something that I have come up with.
The meeting for this "Presentation" is going to take place on Thursday, January 7, 2010. Which is a week from tonight. Which means I have one week to put all of my scatterbrained ideas in one place. Now, I have been working on this collection process for a while now, but with a meeting actually set it feels much more real. I know all of this seems unnecessarily complicated and dramatic, but that is because for me it is. I am not a fan of sharing my ideas with others, even my closest friends. I am always afraid that the stuff I create is pure garbage. The easy way for me to not find this out is to obviously never show anything to anyone. Next week that will all change.
This is of course a good thing. Without this disclosure of ideas nothing would ever advance for me. I will never be able to move on creatively if I don't express myself to others. Now I don't mean I am going to do public displays of art like Lady GaGa, but I think sharing my thoughts and ideas with some people close to me will be exactly what I need. I am planning on 2010 being a very good year. I am confident that next year is going to be a big year for myself and my friends. We have so much in place already, we just need to find a way to get ourselves out there.
I will end with a promise for 2010. I promise that I will be in a better place this time next year. I promise that I will finish a script by this time next year. Most importantly though, I promise not to quit or ever stop trying to make this coming year the best year of my life so far. It's a tall order, but I know I am finally up for the challenge. Have a Happy New Year.
I, along with three friends own a business. We have been in business for three and a half years and we all agree that it is time we expand. Part of that expanding process involves me writing a script. It is one of the reasons(but not the driving factor), why I am doing this blog. We each were responsible for doing something before the end of the year. My part, though very simple, was to set up a meeting to discuss all of my ideas. I figured that it would be a good idea to throw them all out there, in hopes that they might actually like something that I have come up with.
The meeting for this "Presentation" is going to take place on Thursday, January 7, 2010. Which is a week from tonight. Which means I have one week to put all of my scatterbrained ideas in one place. Now, I have been working on this collection process for a while now, but with a meeting actually set it feels much more real. I know all of this seems unnecessarily complicated and dramatic, but that is because for me it is. I am not a fan of sharing my ideas with others, even my closest friends. I am always afraid that the stuff I create is pure garbage. The easy way for me to not find this out is to obviously never show anything to anyone. Next week that will all change.
This is of course a good thing. Without this disclosure of ideas nothing would ever advance for me. I will never be able to move on creatively if I don't express myself to others. Now I don't mean I am going to do public displays of art like Lady GaGa, but I think sharing my thoughts and ideas with some people close to me will be exactly what I need. I am planning on 2010 being a very good year. I am confident that next year is going to be a big year for myself and my friends. We have so much in place already, we just need to find a way to get ourselves out there.
I will end with a promise for 2010. I promise that I will be in a better place this time next year. I promise that I will finish a script by this time next year. Most importantly though, I promise not to quit or ever stop trying to make this coming year the best year of my life so far. It's a tall order, but I know I am finally up for the challenge. Have a Happy New Year.
Day 4: Sometimes you write a song
December 30, 2009
I had this professor in college who I used to talk to on a regular basis. She was a writer herself and we often talked about the stuff we were working on. She was a published author, so naturally she had a much better work ethic then I did. She was a great person to bounce ideas off of and most importantly, she was someone that would help me stay productive with my work. I have not talked to her in a good year and a half, which may or may not be one of the reasons why I have not written anything in so long.
The reason I am telling you this seemingly useless information is because of something she used to always say to me. Whenever I would tell her that I had not written anything in a while, she would always tell me the same thing. She would say to me, "Just write. It doesn't matter what you are writing, as long as you are writing something, that's all that matters". Given, during certain times in my life I have obeyed this rule and have ended up with some truly terrible stuff. Though, if what she says is correct(and I am fairly certain it is), then tonight I lived by that philosophy to a tee.
Since I have been 14 years old, I have been in a band with some of my friends. It is not something we have ever taken too seriously, but recently we have started to record again. The recording process for us usually consists of us sitting around and writing new songs. Then after a while, we might record a song. The lyrics have always been easy for us to come by, which is really the point of this story. I have been trying to write a song now for the last month and for some reason I didn't want to put anything to paper. Whether it was because I was afraid of writing something bad or I just didn't feel like doing it, I was still unwilling to put anything down. Tonight on the other hand was different. I don't know if this whole "Turning twenty nine" thing has anything to do with it, but writing tonight felt like it used to.
Not to say that it was easy to accomplish or that the final product was worthwhile in the least, but at least I was able to write again. This of course is all that she was ever trying to say to me. As long as I am able to stay with it, eventually I might actually write something of substance. For that, I am truly grateful to have had her as a teacher and someone that could at least guide me in some way. Of course, if I would have just listened to her advise in the first place, I might not be in this situation to begin with. Live and learn I suppose.
I had this professor in college who I used to talk to on a regular basis. She was a writer herself and we often talked about the stuff we were working on. She was a published author, so naturally she had a much better work ethic then I did. She was a great person to bounce ideas off of and most importantly, she was someone that would help me stay productive with my work. I have not talked to her in a good year and a half, which may or may not be one of the reasons why I have not written anything in so long.
The reason I am telling you this seemingly useless information is because of something she used to always say to me. Whenever I would tell her that I had not written anything in a while, she would always tell me the same thing. She would say to me, "Just write. It doesn't matter what you are writing, as long as you are writing something, that's all that matters". Given, during certain times in my life I have obeyed this rule and have ended up with some truly terrible stuff. Though, if what she says is correct(and I am fairly certain it is), then tonight I lived by that philosophy to a tee.
Since I have been 14 years old, I have been in a band with some of my friends. It is not something we have ever taken too seriously, but recently we have started to record again. The recording process for us usually consists of us sitting around and writing new songs. Then after a while, we might record a song. The lyrics have always been easy for us to come by, which is really the point of this story. I have been trying to write a song now for the last month and for some reason I didn't want to put anything to paper. Whether it was because I was afraid of writing something bad or I just didn't feel like doing it, I was still unwilling to put anything down. Tonight on the other hand was different. I don't know if this whole "Turning twenty nine" thing has anything to do with it, but writing tonight felt like it used to.
Not to say that it was easy to accomplish or that the final product was worthwhile in the least, but at least I was able to write again. This of course is all that she was ever trying to say to me. As long as I am able to stay with it, eventually I might actually write something of substance. For that, I am truly grateful to have had her as a teacher and someone that could at least guide me in some way. Of course, if I would have just listened to her advise in the first place, I might not be in this situation to begin with. Live and learn I suppose.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Day 3: To remake or not to remake
I watched a film the other day that I had not seen in a while called, "The Quiet Earth". It is a science fiction film based on a novel by Craig Harrison of the same name. It is a New Zealand film that I once saw many years back and just recently popped into my head again. I received it via Netflix and found it just as entertaining and engrossing as I did when I first watched it. I am bringing this up because I remember the first time I saw this movie, I instantly wanted to rewrite the script and make a new version of it. Not that I thought the original needed to be improved on or anything, I just really wanted to give it a whirl.
This thought often pops into my head(as it obviously does to Hollywood executives), despite the fact that it seems like a sort of cop-out to creating an original idea. In many ways it is. I can just take this story that I already know and love and just tweak it a bit. Opposed to coming up with something entirely new on my own. On the other hand though, you have immediately set yourself up for failure, as you already have something that can instantly make your story seem inferior. I am still wrestling with the decision of whether or not I should include my remake ideas into my "presentation" that I am still preparing. I think writing one would be an intriguing idea and an interesting exercise on a different form of creativity.
"The Quiet Earth" is not the only story that I have on my remake list, but due to it's obscurity, is probably number one. I have a couple of other film's that I would love to take a shot at but they are much more popular and far more overwhelming propositions at this point. Ultimately I am most likely going to pass on the remake idea for this year's project, but I do think the whole idea of it is very interesting indeed. To remake or not to remake, that is the question; To which I think I already know the answer.
This thought often pops into my head(as it obviously does to Hollywood executives), despite the fact that it seems like a sort of cop-out to creating an original idea. In many ways it is. I can just take this story that I already know and love and just tweak it a bit. Opposed to coming up with something entirely new on my own. On the other hand though, you have immediately set yourself up for failure, as you already have something that can instantly make your story seem inferior. I am still wrestling with the decision of whether or not I should include my remake ideas into my "presentation" that I am still preparing. I think writing one would be an intriguing idea and an interesting exercise on a different form of creativity.
"The Quiet Earth" is not the only story that I have on my remake list, but due to it's obscurity, is probably number one. I have a couple of other film's that I would love to take a shot at but they are much more popular and far more overwhelming propositions at this point. Ultimately I am most likely going to pass on the remake idea for this year's project, but I do think the whole idea of it is very interesting indeed. To remake or not to remake, that is the question; To which I think I already know the answer.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Day 2: Sifting through the garbage
December 28, 2009
The problem with writing for me has never been the actual "Writing" part, it has always been the "Sticking with one idea" part. I suppose I am lucky on that front, as I have never been lacking in the ideas department. I literally have notebooks full of ideas, but that is essentially all they are. It is the same thing in all my notebooks. There are many lists of story ideas, usually followed by a four to five page write up of the basic gist of the story. Never much character development, never much more than the first half of the story. It's not that I am incapable of finishing an entire story(though it often feels that way), it's that whenever I begin to really get into a story, another one pops into my head and I start writing that one.
I believe in laymen's terms this means I am scatterbrained. Which is not exactly the greatest attribute to be associated to a writer. In volume, I could probably produce an entire screenplays worth of ideas and dialogue, it would just be scattered across eleven different stories. Which is why I am going to put all of my favorite story ideas together and do a kind of "Presentation" to a couple of friends/business associates at the beginning of the new year. I've never been too keen on working in tandem with someone, but I think that the only way I am going to be able to settle on one idea(or at least only a couple of ideas), is to receive a bit of guidance in this area.
I am expecting this gathering process to take a good week, as I would like to make it a bit more organized than it is at this moment. I will admit that I am a bit nervous with the proposition of showing other people my ideas, but the overwhelming excitement that I am feeling because of it is a far greater high then the low of them disliking any of my stories. 364 days until I have to be done with whatever it is I am going to create, it sure doesn't seem like much time at all.
The problem with writing for me has never been the actual "Writing" part, it has always been the "Sticking with one idea" part. I suppose I am lucky on that front, as I have never been lacking in the ideas department. I literally have notebooks full of ideas, but that is essentially all they are. It is the same thing in all my notebooks. There are many lists of story ideas, usually followed by a four to five page write up of the basic gist of the story. Never much character development, never much more than the first half of the story. It's not that I am incapable of finishing an entire story(though it often feels that way), it's that whenever I begin to really get into a story, another one pops into my head and I start writing that one.
I believe in laymen's terms this means I am scatterbrained. Which is not exactly the greatest attribute to be associated to a writer. In volume, I could probably produce an entire screenplays worth of ideas and dialogue, it would just be scattered across eleven different stories. Which is why I am going to put all of my favorite story ideas together and do a kind of "Presentation" to a couple of friends/business associates at the beginning of the new year. I've never been too keen on working in tandem with someone, but I think that the only way I am going to be able to settle on one idea(or at least only a couple of ideas), is to receive a bit of guidance in this area.
I am expecting this gathering process to take a good week, as I would like to make it a bit more organized than it is at this moment. I will admit that I am a bit nervous with the proposition of showing other people my ideas, but the overwhelming excitement that I am feeling because of it is a far greater high then the low of them disliking any of my stories. 364 days until I have to be done with whatever it is I am going to create, it sure doesn't seem like much time at all.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Day 1: This is going to be tricky
So here's the thing, I turned twenty nine today and I'm alright with that. By that I mean, I am alright with that as long I can finish some stuff up before this time next year. You see, since I was eighteen years old I have wanted to complete a screenplay. Well, either that or a novel, but I am leaning more toward a screenplay at this point in my life. I had always hoped I would have finished one up by the time I was thirty. I am sure I set this date because when you are eighteen years old, thirty is not an age that seems like it will ever happen. In all actuality though, it has come quicker than I could have ever imagined it would. Since I turn thirty 365 days from now, I suppose I should get to it.
How did this come about you may be thinking(Or not thinking, as I have no idea who would be reading this thing)? Well, I just watched the film "Julie & Julia" with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. In my opinion it is a near perfect film, despite what so many critics said about Amy Adams performance in the movie(Since I am in love/kind of obsessed with her in a good way, I thought she was terrific). In this film, a lost 29 year old played by Adams, decides to start a blog about making every single Julia Childs recipe in one years time. I found her character and story to be very relatable to myself, so much so, that I have decided to completely copy off of her idea. Now, this movie takes place in 2002/2003, so if me doing a blog seems a little bit out-dated, that is because it is(Though I thought 2003 was a pretty good year, so this works out just fine for me).
Now here comes the tricky part. The idea I had was to write a blog about me writing a screenplay, without actually posting any of the screenplay on the blog. This brings up the whole dilemma of, "What the hell is going to be on this blog then?". That is what made this entire thing so intriguing to me; I don't really know. I am hoping that throughout the year, that will become much clearer to me. Until then though, I suppose it will just be me trying to figure that question out. Some people say that age is nothing but a number, but to me, it means so much more than that. To me, it is the deadline that I have so desperately needed these past few years. It means that I have one last chance to finish something before more of me is in the past than in the future. Dramatic as that last sentence sounds, at age twenty nine, I still feel young enough to take the chances that I may not feel comfortable taking when I am in my thirties.
So here's to Day 1 of 365, let me for once finish something that I have started.
How did this come about you may be thinking(Or not thinking, as I have no idea who would be reading this thing)? Well, I just watched the film "Julie & Julia" with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. In my opinion it is a near perfect film, despite what so many critics said about Amy Adams performance in the movie(Since I am in love/kind of obsessed with her in a good way, I thought she was terrific). In this film, a lost 29 year old played by Adams, decides to start a blog about making every single Julia Childs recipe in one years time. I found her character and story to be very relatable to myself, so much so, that I have decided to completely copy off of her idea. Now, this movie takes place in 2002/2003, so if me doing a blog seems a little bit out-dated, that is because it is(Though I thought 2003 was a pretty good year, so this works out just fine for me).
Now here comes the tricky part. The idea I had was to write a blog about me writing a screenplay, without actually posting any of the screenplay on the blog. This brings up the whole dilemma of, "What the hell is going to be on this blog then?". That is what made this entire thing so intriguing to me; I don't really know. I am hoping that throughout the year, that will become much clearer to me. Until then though, I suppose it will just be me trying to figure that question out. Some people say that age is nothing but a number, but to me, it means so much more than that. To me, it is the deadline that I have so desperately needed these past few years. It means that I have one last chance to finish something before more of me is in the past than in the future. Dramatic as that last sentence sounds, at age twenty nine, I still feel young enough to take the chances that I may not feel comfortable taking when I am in my thirties.
So here's to Day 1 of 365, let me for once finish something that I have started.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Something new.
So I think I finally watched every possible film in this house. I have looked everywhere I could think of and I'm pretty sure there is no place left to hide. Though, that will not stop me from searching. The reason I will not stop is pretty much the same reason that made me start looking for them in the first place. I still have not found anything from that cabin. There is nothing at all around here from that place. Which I totally understand in some respect, but it has been over twenty three years since it happened so I also think that it might be time to let it go. It is a different type of "Let it go" though. What I mean is that it should be something that they are both able to discuss by now, if not for their sake, at least do it for mine.
I mean, it is sort of strange that I don't know anything about my father. Part of this is my fault I realize, I could have been more interested in finding out information about him. Which is I guess what I am doing right now. I have always been a late bloomer when it comes to pretty much everything, so what would make this any different. It is probably time for me to take this into my own hands and figure it out for myself. I think that I might try to look up some old friends of his that my mother no longer talks to. It could be a difficult experience that I am about to embark on, but one that I am imaging will be worth while.
I suppose I should get some sleep though, still way too much school work to do. I can't wait for the holidays coming up, I might actually get to see Reagan more than once a week. Anyways, I'm sure with this new adventure I will have many new and insightful things to add. Oh what fun I shall have....or not.
I mean, it is sort of strange that I don't know anything about my father. Part of this is my fault I realize, I could have been more interested in finding out information about him. Which is I guess what I am doing right now. I have always been a late bloomer when it comes to pretty much everything, so what would make this any different. It is probably time for me to take this into my own hands and figure it out for myself. I think that I might try to look up some old friends of his that my mother no longer talks to. It could be a difficult experience that I am about to embark on, but one that I am imaging will be worth while.
I suppose I should get some sleep though, still way too much school work to do. I can't wait for the holidays coming up, I might actually get to see Reagan more than once a week. Anyways, I'm sure with this new adventure I will have many new and insightful things to add. Oh what fun I shall have....or not.
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