Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking
When you fall everyone sins
Another day and you've had your fill of sinking
With the life held in your
Hands are shaking cold
These hands are meant to hold

Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
Move along

So a day when you've lost yourself completely
Could be a night when your life ends
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving
All the pain held in your
Hands are shaking cold
Your hands are mine to hold

Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along

When everything is wrong we move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
When everything is wrong, we move along
Along, along, along

When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through

(Move along)
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
Right back what is wrong
We move along

- "Move Along," The All America Rejects

Bada Bing!

Yesterday I took the director's chair. It was super cool. I'm in the Introduction to TV, Film, and Video Production class this semester, and we just started actually working in the studio. The first of the three units (Film, Video, and TV) that we're doing is Video. We had a three minute interview that we were filming live for tape and we were all going to rotate the positions, director, AD, tech director, floor manager, camera people, etc. etc. We marked up all our scripts for when we're the director, and I even practiced the commands aloud. I was going to be fine, I was sure, as long as I wasn't the first one.

We got our rotation charts first thing in class on Wednesday. I was most definitely the director for the first set.

In a live (or live for tape) TV show, the director calls all the shots as they're happening. We had a monitor in the control room with all three camera shots going and a bigger picture of what was actually going out. So the director gets to sit there and say things like, "Ready [camera] 1. Take 1. (pause) Ready 3. Take 3." and so on, trying to make the three minutes of people ad libbing look interesting. That's not the hard part of the director's job. The hard part is getting into the program and getting out. In a three minute program we had the clock set for three minutes and ten seconds, and when the AD got to "2" in the ten count, the director starts spewing forth all the ready and real commands to fade up picture, sound, graphics, open mics, cue talent, take camera 2, fade music down, lose graphics, etc. etc. etc. That was so stressful because the talent doesn't talk until they're cued and you can just read the commands in one big breath until you get past the intro into the actual segment. Getting out is stressful because you have to get out AT ZERO and sometimes the talent isn't quite done talking. We rehearsed the segment a couple of times before actually filming it for my grade, and we never nailed the ending quite right. And I'm already nervous because I'm the first one, and our instructors have been assuring us over and over again that we're going to make mistakes. Well, really -

I nailed it.

I wasn't perfect, but as soon as I cried "Fade sound and picture out!" because the tension at this point is ridiculous as you have your AD counting down next to you like an atomic bombs about to go off, the audio guy all the way in the other room, the talent on screen rambling about something, and your professor in your ear whispering instructions and warnings - really, quite a lot of stimulus for an already overstimulated girl. But we faded out, and my professor goes "Great job! This girl is one cool cat!" (Or something along those ridiculous lines. I love the phrases older people use. My boss sent me an email the other day and ended it with "You're a GEM!" It made me smile. Yup, that's me. I am one freaking precious rock, baby!). I think everyone else was relieved, too, that the first shoot went pretty well, because it was their first time working their positions too.

Next week I am going to be the host of the show. Oh I am so excited.

We have been having gorgeous weather out here. My favourite type, really, occasional rain notwithstanding. Thursdays are a little stressful for me because it's really go go go from 830 to 5, and then I have a TON of Spanish homework because I neglected it all week. But I have an excuse to enjoy the weather with a picnic instead of doing homework, and I finally got to see the army guys repel down the side of the dental building, which I've heard about extensively but never actually seen. I couldn't stop and watch, because that would just be awkward, but I got in a few backward glances. It was impressive, but really, I think I could have repelled down a little quicker. : P

I am Jack's Dry Sense of Humor

I really need my eyes to get better. No, that's not true. They are better. They haven't been red, painful, or watery since the day it all happened. What I need is to be able to wear my contacts again. I have been inaccurately estimating strangers' attractiveness and failing to recognize friends.

So my friend knows Future Husband's manager (Future Husband being Mat Kearney, c'mon people, keep up). That makes things *so* much easier on me.

I have two classes that are going to rock, one that is mediocre, and two that will be a disappointment, I'm sure (I'll give you a hint: one of the disappointing ones is Spanish, though the fault there is my own). The two classes that are going to rock also intimidate me a lot, but I think we've all learned by now that without a little bit of struggle and stretch there is no progress.

My guy friends have all suddenly discovered my age and consider this to be old. This would not be such a big deal because I *have* recently discovered that if you haven't made it in your career by the time you're 23 you still have a chance. However, as I've been keeping up with all my old friends via Facebook on engagements and weddings, I find myself in a shrinking... equality? with other girls my age. Never fear, I was also reassured today by one said guy friend that there was no way I could possibly find a guy I might think about spending the rest of my life with before I graduate college. Two years, apparently, is just not enough time.

On the other hand, I've been mistaken for someone older than myself twice in the past month. Once was in a class where the girl next to me turned and asked if I was a GSI. The other was in the Metropolitan Museum of Art with H.D. An elderly man approached us and asked me if I was German. When I said no, he told me that I looked remarkably like Assistant Professor Matilda Burgendorf at the University of Munich, or something along those lines. He talked with us for a few minutes and left without trying to sell us anything. Apparently, I just look wise beyond my years.

On the writing front, I have several ideas bouncing around in my head. I hashed out ten pages today on a story I really feel has potential, though the tone of those ten pages is not quite right. I read an amazing piece about the difference between contemporary Rom Coms and ones of the Jimmy Steward, Katherine Hepburn, and Cary Grant era. Hopefully I'll be able to find it again and post the link, because it was really great, and inspired me to try and write a Rom Dram (because I'm not so good with comedy on the written page, though I am truly hysterical in real life) in the tone of Katie and Cary's playful, equal battle of wits. So we'll see how it turns out, but I will be definitely giving it more time and energy to make sure that it comes out better than my last two scripts. (More on my thoughts on my terrible scripts later, because I have been thinking about those too). I actually spent several days just ruminating on this idea, and though everything's not worked out yet, I do feel pretty confident about what overarching themes and plots there will be and what I want to happen in the first half, at least.

The other two scripts I have bouncing around will be built at a slower pace. One is a collaboration piece, so it will take some time working on how to collaborate and the time lag between us. The other is a study of college life, so I will be gradually gathering real life antidotes. It's going to be great, I think, though a little sad and more than a little critical.

Ever buy plastic cutlery for a friend?

Esther

"And who knows but that you have come to (royal) position for such a time as this?"

Things should be different

I went into South Quad today to buy some food, and I was shocked and appalled to see this sign on the wall: "Elevators ---> Because we're not West Quad."

They're just jealous that they always lose to us in the snow ball fight.

Not for sensitive eyes

Or the story of how I went blind for 5 hours.

On Labor Day, I didn't really have anything to do besides get ready for classes the next day, so I got up, got a lazy start, hung around my room. about ten minutes after putting my contacts in, I noticed that everything seemed a little... hazy. After about half an hour of wondering if all those horror stories I heard about your contacts slowly causing eye damage were true, I took my contacts out, washed them, and put them back in. It didn't do anything. Not only did it not clear up my vision, but everything was still hazy without my contacts in at all. It was driving me crazy, so I just took them out and went about the rest of my day with very limited vision.

I tried to ignore the fact that my eyes were burning. It wasn't much at first, but by late afternoon when I was out drinking my peppermint mocha frappucino and plotting out my next screenplay on the Diag, I had to close my eyes.

And then I couldn't open them. It was only for a few minutes, but I decided that it was time to give up on the beautiful day and head back inside while I was able to keep my eyes open. When I got back to my room I took a look in the mirror - my eyes were bloodshot like Frankenstein's bride, really. However, I was still able to keep them mostly open at this point, and so went out to meet up with a friend and go hang out at her house (instead of going to the movies like the original plan was. At least I was smart enough to realize that sitting in a dark room with a huge blindingly bright screen shining in your face would not be good for sensitive eyes). But when we got to said friend's house, I sat down, closed my eyes, and that was pretty much when my 5 hours of legal blindness started.

Long story short, be careful to not wear contaminated contacts. They cause double eye infections. Diane had to lead me around by the arm in CVS on our way to the pharmaceutical counter, my sunglasses on, my eyes tearing and my nose running like I was having an emotional breakdown. Two rounds of eye drops and a sound only version of "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" later, I could open my eyes enough to walk home by myself. I bet everyone was wondering, though, who that pompous girl was to think it was cool to wear her sunglasses at night.

Matthew 5:43-48

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Would you believe that a quiet game could last for fifteen minutes in a car three adults and two teenage boys that are all overstimulated and over tired? Yeah, I was surprised too..

I started watching "Bones" and now I'm hooked

If you give your college age daughter a gift card to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast one day, you'll never see it again. Or maybe if that's just if you give it to me...

I just saw a "It's ten o'clock. Do you know where your children are?" ad. They still have those?

So in my previous post I talked about how I feel that, since the last two of my three scripts have sucked royally, I really need to make the next one count. Lucky for me, the next one will probably be a collaboration piece with a friend who came to me with a great idea. But a thread sprang up on Wordplayer that has to do with self doubt that I've found helpful. Some people are like, "Well, get it out, even if it sucks. It's all practice." Other people are like "I've never understood that. It's only practice if you're practicing the right things and it will be good." Bill M. had a great response here about how everyone makes mistakes as they learn. Anticipate the mess, but don't get sloppy. I should know this. I've been writing long enough to know that what I'm doing now will not be as good as what I'll write later. It's part of perfecting the craft. Everyone's going to doubt now and then. It's all in about how you handle it.

Films/Theatre I've seen recently:

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare in the Park - Good. I always enjoy Shakespeare in the Park, and I really liked the main story. I always have mixed feelings about the play within a play, because they did it really well and we laughed a lot, but at the same time you're like, why? I'm sure there's a grand interpretation, but that was the only time I got fidgety.

Trust the Man - Really, I want to love this movie. I like it. This is the second time I've seen it. It's just, can we deal with relationships and be funny without being crass? It's just the last scene - it saves the entire movie. I love that scene, it's perfect, especially what Billy Crudup's character says. This gives us an important lesson about the last scene and how crucial it is. It can swing your viewer/reader (as long as they've made it that far).

Mary Poppins, Broadway - Not my favourite Disney movie, but they offered us reasonable tickets. And I was absolutely delighted. Really a fun, amazing show, and even with all we know about the tricks of Broadway, I found myself wonder about how they did things. I definitely recommend it for anyone visiting New York. Great singing, great acting, great numbers. Not that I've ever had any experiences like that, a nanny in England...

Factory Girl - Sad movie. Fascinating and engaging (though here, too, are scenes that...) And Hayden Christensen looks great. ; ) Good movie, but definitely not a light one.

I have Russian Ark sitting by my bed. A movie shot all in one take, a choice that amazes me. I really want to watch it, but... I'm going to go back up my poor, beat up computer instead. I found out I'm eligible for a battery recall. That's great because my battery can only hold ten minutes. But it's not being recalled because it can't hold a charge. Oh no, it's being recalled because it tends to catch fire.

What can I say? It's a Mac. It's hott.

I forget who I stole this from...