I logged in and got a little notice saying I had last updated 6 weeks ago. Why thank you, LJ, for being so kind as to point out my deficiency.

Anyway, I have finally uploaded a version of Duke's Revenge that does not have a washed out beginning.

Duke's Revenge is my first produced student short film, based on a 5-page script written for a class and selected to be produced. To be totally cliche, it was a learning experience. There is a certain thrill to hearing actors speak words you wrote. Actually, working with the student actors was probably my favorite part after writing the initial script. When I started doing dorky things like role playing and making up characters, I always imagined discussing character motivations someday for pay. Well, this shit was free, but you get the idea.

The actual shooting of Duke's Revenge was a nightmare thanks to one asshat on my crew who decided to impersonate Orson Welles and treat everyone like shit while simultaneously trying to usurp my position. However, I did get to know the actors, and bonded with my fellow crew mates. So it wasn't a waste, despite everything.

Best of all, I learned a lot about turning pages into images. That shit is hard, hard work. We spent a lot of time and energy making 5 minutes worth of video. Blah blah blah. Without further ado, the reason why it's been six weeks since I've posted..



In the words of Erykah Badu - "keep in mind that I'm an artist, and I'm sensitive about my shit."

Current Mood: artistic

Why is it I always get the urge to catch up on The Wire when I have a shitload of writing to do? The world may never know.

Okay, usually I think whatever stupid internet joke is going around is annoying as shit, but I can't stop being amused by the rick rolling phenomenon. Maybe because his videos are so goddamn hilarious. Maybe because I've always found childish glee in tricking people. Either way, I think I actually giggled earlier when I got a couple of my friends (and my sister) with it.

Know how much it costs to fly first class to Australia from LA? $16,000. Yes, the decimal point is in the right place. I e-mailed the travel agent handling BU's booking for Sydney Abroad, and I figured I'd ask about first class. I'll have to fly 6 hours from Boston to LA, then a cool 15 hours to Australia. I figured I'd try and save my legs from atrophy if possible. Anyway, that's a no-go, unless I happen to scratch off three cherries or something in the next month.

I hate this Red Sox opening the season in Japan thing. Can I just say that on record? Hate it. Don't get me wrong, I love Japanese baseball (Ham Fighters ftw), but flying all those hours + jet lag afterwards = fail. I can see them playing like ass for at least a week afterwards.

Random, I know, but I can't stand obvious/overused headlines. I know it seems minor and anal, but really, it drives me crazy. Mary Anne from Gilligan's Island getting busted with pot reminded me of this, because it immediately spawned hundreds of "Mary Anne caught with Mary Jane." Ho ho, aren't you clever. Here's a list of my top worst fucking offenders:

1. Tres Jolie - any article involving Angelina Jolie. I've seen this one so many times I twitch when I read it. I could Google "Tres Jolie" right now and find more stupid magazine articles about AJ than french websites.

2. Material Mom - any reference to Madonna. This one has had really fucking annoying staying power. Doesn't it seem like the kind of offhand cute phrase you might use in an article one time and forget about? No such luck with this piece of shit.

3. Damn Yankees! - self-explanatory, ie any loss to the Yankees by another team, notably a game of great import. This was probably amusing the first, second, third and fourth times it was used.

I know there are more of these, but I can't remember them right now. I'm going to start keeping a list. I know I'm the last breathing human watching the L word, but this last week's episode really makes me wish I had someone to discuss it with. Oh yeah, and it will be back for a final sixth season.

Current Mood: busy

Beckett is pissy about his back.

Injuries, ugh. I swear, I took it for granted last season when we were basically injury-free. It's such an annoying crapshoot. I love the way the reporters were trying to get Josh to blame the grounds crew and/or the mound for his injury. Way to be a bunch of fucking assholes. Josh is funny when he's testy with dumb questions.

And of course, if you need to be further charmed by the Red Sox youngsters, check out the RS diaries. The kids are so cute and hopeful. Kinda sad when they get sent back to the minors.

Oh yeah, and I realize I'm a little late on this, but I didn't want it to go by uncommented on: Hank Steinbrenner, shut the fuck up. Now, I'll be the first one to say that "Red Sox Nation" got bastardized by our illustrious ownership for profit. I'm sorry, I don't need a fucking $10 membership card to be a Red Sox fan. I'm pretty sure I covered that when I was crying in a ball on my livingroom floor in 2003. Or when I briefly (and seriously) thought God hated my baseball team in 2001. HOWEVER. The actual term "Red Sox Nation" was coined by the fans, not those hacks at ESPN, and it wasn't for profit, it was for pride. So stuff it, asshole. Everyone knows ESPN is full of Yankee boyfriends, so I don't even want to hear it. One more thing. Until you accomplish something other than being the unholy spawn of the real Steinbrenner and winning the genetic financial lottery - SHUT THE FUCK UP. These aren't your fathers Red Sox, asshole.

I'm trying to figure out what Red Sox t-shirt to buy this season. I usually buy one around Opening Day and thusly endow the chosen player with my chi for the season. The player I wanted - Jacoby Ellsbury - might have to be a hell no, because he's been adopted by the squealing fangirl contingent (SFC). You know, the pink-hatted ones who spend games discussing Varitek's thighs. I don't think I can go there, much as I'd like to. Jacoby is my Pawtucket hero. Other options: Pedroia, Varitek, or Buchholz. Decisions, decisions.

Anyone interested in some beginner fantasy baseball? I was thinking about trying it this season. I could set up a league.

Tags: red sox
Current Mood: lazy

Taking a break from beat sheet-ing my Cashmere Mafia episode to get something off my chest.

I love Andy Pettitte. I'm just about as sick as any real baseball fan is about all this steroids crap (the day Anthony Nomar Garciaparra's name gets mentioned is the day people should start a suicide watch on me. just saying) - and I'm not shocked that all these names are coming out. I also realize Andy wasn't totally forthcoming when the scandal first broke - but to actually tell the truth and not act like a lying, wronged douchebag about it...I seriously, I just got a little weak-kneed. My (disgusting) weakness for 46 has been long documented, but it's really hard to hate a guy like Andy, despite his preference for pinstriped pants that don't flatter his ass.

Cashmere Mafia: I hate you

Actually, I more hate myself. See, I could have picked any one-hour drama to do a spec script on. House, Brothers and Sisters, Dirty Sexy Money. I decided on Cashmere Mafia for a couple of reasons. One, I liked the idea of writing smart dialogue for four successful women. I figured I could sneak in at least one Fellatio Alger reference. Two, the focus wasn't on the $600 Christian Louboutin's (I'm looking at you, Carrie Bradshaw) - it was on the working world and the women who surf through it like modern day Xenas, if you will. Sure, they're always wearing Stella McCartney, but one has to look good in order to trounce board rooms, no? Finally, I thought that maybe, just maybe, there could be a lesbian character on television that wasn't treated to the usual zealot's quest for a baby, with inexplicablly horrible ends to each and every relationship, or the sweeps lesbian foray which lasts about two weeks.

Plus! Lucy Liu, who is always entertaining (and non-white, thank god). Was I rewarded for my faith? No, I wasn't. I was treated to glimpses of what *could be* and shovelfuls of what *was* from the crap truck. I won't go into the details, because I'd rather watch The Tudors instead.

My first portfolio spec script will most likely be from a canceled show, albeit it one with so much "potential." Fuck you, Darren Star.

THANK GOD FOR SPRING TRAINING. Also, I think I'm starting to lose my Bostonian-bred tough skin. For a moment earlier I longed for the days when everyone didn't loathe Boston as a sports town. The good old days - when I thought Todd Walker was trying to kill me. This is surely a sign that the apocalypse is nigh.

Current Mood: contemplative

Before I mention the lovely wonder that is the Super Bowl gut punch, I must get this one thing off my chest:

Why in the holy fuck do men go to beauty salons to get their hair cut? Why? Isn't that what a fucking barbershop is for? Case in point, Saturday morning my sister and I head down to the local salon, a block or two from my mother's house to get our weekly eyebrow waxing. I decided to get my hair trimmed and blown straight, for a change of pace, and because I wanted to feel hot and sexy. We walk in and there are four guys in the salon chairs getting all manner of buzzcuts/trims, and two more waiting to go, with a mix of women waiting amongst them.

Look, if you're a man who gets your eyebrows waxed, power to you. I have no problem with that - or hell, even getting a manicure. You deserve to be at the salon. What I do have a problem with is fucking morons creating an hour long wait by getting a boys' regular in a *beauty* salon when they could get that shit down the street at the building with the giant fucking striped pole out front. You know, that place *men* go to get their hair cut. It's not like I can walk down the street and have Vince trim my layer cut and wax my brows, so don't take up valuable chair time getting your coarse-ass hair chopped off at a salon, thanks.

The Super Bowl: Surprisingly, I Don't Want to Kill Myself

I don't want to spend too much time on this, because obviously it still sucks. However, I took last night's gut punch surprisingly well. Probably because a) we had that coming, and b) I never kidded myself into thinking this magical ride was a given. I hold out hope that now the pink jersey wearing contingent will go away permanently, and also, we don't have to hear about the stupid streak and people's complaints any more. We lost, so go away. In a sick, twisted way, I'm used to misery. It's almost my comfort zone, so here's a horrid loss for old time's sake.

I will say that those commercials were by and large the worst set I can remember for the Super Bowl. What the fuck was the Naomi Campbell/Geckos commercial about? Seriously, no.

Tags: ranting
Current Location: mission control
Current Mood: bitchy

I had high hopes for Cashmere Mafia. So high, in fact, that I chose it as my semester TV spec script project. Unfortunately this week's episode left me bald and bloody from simultaneously tearing my own hair out and throwing myself against walls.

The main reason I was excited about Cashmere Mafia is that I knew it had the high potential to be a fun show. Not earth-shattering, groundbreaking, or intensely thought-provoking - fun. A show where successful, beautiful women make witty remarks over Cosmos in Manhattan. I'm imagining impressive board room victories, over-analyzing the vagaries of family vs. work, and live-in nanny shenanigans. I must admit I was never a SATC disciple. Something about Sarah Jessica Parker always has (and always will) piss me off. Carrie Bradshaw was about as deep as a puddle. Plus the show was - hmmm, how do I put this delicately? - as white as Wonder Bread. Seriously, that bugged me.

I love Lucy Liu, and I loved the idea of Caitlin (Bonnie Somerville) being a lesbian - yay diversity. So why are they fucking this up? This week's episode (1/23/08) - featured let's see:

- Caitlin horrified at a lesbian bridal shower, where the lesbians excitedly discussed sperm options, and Caitlin runs toward the nearest straight man
- Juliet forgiving her husband's lying (for about the 80th time in 4 episodes!!!!), even agreeing to a "happy power couples" photoshoot (she finally did dump the douche at the end of the episode)
- Zoe saving her inept co-workers for about the 5th time in 3 episodes - really, how do these people stay employed?
- Mia's mother setting her up on a date with a "nice chinese doctor"

Argggghhhhh. I'm taking hope and solace in the fact that some shows take a little while to get their footing. I mean, people say that about a lot of shows, right? Right? Oh dear god.

Tags: cashmere mafia, writing
Current Location: work
Current Mood: annoyed

I felt like updating this thing again.

Probably because I have a lot of work to do. Funny that.

Current Location: the computer
Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: television

Well, I passed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) rider course today. I am now an officially licensed motorcyclist in the State of Massachusetts. Holla. 10 hours of riding over 2 days = sore ass. We had a couple of morons in our class, but otherwise it was awesome and totally worth it. Am I going to hell for giggling at the MIT kid who fell? Likely.

I have to admit that I don't want to say much about the Red Sox for fear of jinxing them. Yes, I caught ayrdaomei's baseball neuroses. We'll just say that I'm....quietly pleased.

Probably not the smartest idea ever to move during Memorial Day weekend, but hindsight is...well, more than the $79 bucks I paid for the uhaul rental.

WHEN WILL IT STOP RAINING.

Oh yeah, my sister got into BC law with a boatload of money because she's a genius like that. I can't fathom why anyone would want to study law for the rest of their lives (unless it was all like a giant Phoenix Wright video game), but I'm proud of the little buttmunch nonetheless. Plus free legal advice forever = v. good.

All right, going to sleep off my saddle ass.

Tags: motorcycle, moving, msf
Current Location: desk
Current Mood: pleased
Current Music: maddox snoring

The NFL draft is sometimes hilariously cruel. Watching Brady Quinn drop like a rock was actually uncomfortable. The feigned smile, the shock of the announcers, and Roger Goodell actually looked a little apologetic every time he called a name that was not Brady Quinn.

Anyway, we got Randy Moss. Oddly enough, my first reaction was "hell yes!" I'm imagining the Randy Moss without the associated crap, and I'm seeing blazing speed up the sidelines and someone for TOM BRADY TO THROW TO. Jesus, I'm excited about this season. Seems like the Pats have shifted into high gear for another SB run.

I keep having these strange, anxious dreams about grad school. What's funny is there's a couple of recurring themes. One is, I'm at grad school at Brown. Always. Secondly, I've always registered late, or come to school late, and somehow missed the first 1-2 weeks of class. So I'm scrambling to get into classes and catch up on work, and there's this whole associated stress with getting professors to sign slips to let you into their class (is that just Brown that does that, I don't know). It's obviously some greater metaphor for my nervousness, but the dreams keep getting weirder and weirder. Friday night I dreamt that my dean was Jennifer Beals.

Today's game against the Yankees - I was thinking this'd be a big old L because Julian Tavarez sucks, but the bats got cranking against Wang. Have I mentioned I'm really loving this early dominance by the Red Sox? Anyone who says April means nothing is getting their ass beat in April. Winning is ALWAYS fun, no matter the month. The resident Obnoxious Yankees Fan at Work has had nothing to say to me except "A-Rod is on fire!"

Tags: grad school, nfl draft, red sox
Current Location: the bedroom
Current Mood: awake
Current Music: maddox eating some crunchy food

God, LJ has so many fucking options now. It's almost too much for me.

So I've decided to come out of retirement. Not like Michael-Jordan-with-the-Wizards, though.

I went to a Barack Obama fundraiser/talk at BU Arena in Boston on Friday evening. I always think political rallies are so cheesy - the slick slogans, the lemmings waving the requisite signage, little depth of discussion, etc etc. Not that Obama had none of this - but for the first time in forever, I felt like a politician wasn't talking out of his ass.

This is hard to define, since it's mostly an impression thing. He's an incredible speaker. Clear, confident, charismatic. I think it's also that he comes off very human, very real. Again, this is something you just sort of feel. At one point someone handed him a Red Sox cap to wear on stage, and he totally shot it down. He proudly declared himself a White Sox fan and said that any self-respecting baseball fan sticks with his team, votes or no. At another point, he said he needed the people to pick up the torch with him. That he'd get weary, that he'd get weak, that he'd make mistakes. It was a short event, but it was enough to maybe spark some hope in me that politics and dishonesty may get divorced some day.

All right, yuck, I feel a film of douchebaggery on me now that I've gone off waxing political. ayrdaomei asked me to tell her what I thought, so there it is.

Is anyone else grossed out by the sudden change in the way Yankees fans act about A-Rod? Fairweather fucks.

Current Location: my bedroom, contemplating sunday chores
Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Jay-Z f/Pharell - Excuse Me Miss