Sunday, August 30, 2009

Elysium Is a Wrap!

Yesterday, we finished regular filming of Elysium, the first Solar Shock Pictures full-length film! As Danny Carlson, I play a man who has allowed himself to fall into binge drinking and druging. On one occasion, he overdoses and finds himself exploring the Elysian Fields. Enjoy this fantastic drama from writer/director/producer Brandon Young.

With any luck, we can get some great music (from Brett Moran, if he's available) and prepare for the premier this December. Also, I'm hoping to lose 20 pounds before this showing. I'm sick of seeing my fat ass on screen, and the only way to respect myself again is to lose a lot of this flubber!

Finally, I'm hoping that I can get some biters for my editing and ghostwriting freelance work. I need to get some real money one of these days, and I'm sick of working for a paranoid and dillusional idiot.
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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Back in the Swing of Things

School officially started on Monday, the 24th, and I'm ready for an easier semester than what I've been subjecting myself to. I was extremely excited to have low book prices for my classes; then, I discovered that I would have to buy an external/portable harddrive (I got the external because it was $50 cheaper.), some studio headphones, and all sorts of disks. Including the printing of the first draft of Nomad (hit me up if you would like to edit), I spent over $200 on school supplies so far, and I still need to get a backpack and some subject dividers.

I think the lady at Printing Services thinks I have a crush on her! With my printing and buying course packets, I went into her cave four times throughout the day. It will be a long time before she sees me again, but it's pretty hillarious to flirt with people, especially those who would never have a chance with me. I don't do it to be mean; I just like to see men and women come out of their shells after watching them shy away from others. It's cute, fascinating, and (quite frankly) inspiring.

School beginning has not been all good, though. I am fully convinced that Claire is trying to fire me. Our bitter relationship began when I spoke to one of the professors, a former boss of mine. Claire has convinced herself that my old boss wants her job back (despite the fact that becoming a full-time professor is a huge promotion with a much better paygrade than a tutor manager) and believes that I am helping this woman take her job back. From there, Claire began calling me an outsider and started telling other tutors that I am not to be trusted. I've tried to keep my energy through all of this; I started tutoring for the students, not the paycheck. It's becoming harder and harder to keep that love, though. Call me paranoid, but it's pretty easy to believe someone is out to get me when she tells the tutoring staff that homework is not allowed when I am not around and then tells me that homework is fine as long as I greet the students. She's out to get me! Fortunately, her boss has agreed to meet with me to discuss my options. If I truly am at fault for speaking to the professors whose class I tutor, then I will never speak to another English 955 instructor again, but I thought knowing the professors helps me to know how to help the students.

As a bit of good news, I had many takers from my CraigsList.org advertisement for editors. It always amazes me to see and meet people willing to help just because. I can't pay these people, but since they are helping me, I will help them if they need it.
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Friday, August 21, 2009

Finding Answers

I'm learning that finding answers as a writer is the hardest aspect of life. I want to know the way to go for getting published, either for my Henry Tuesday short stories or Nomad, but no one will give me a straight answer. I'm almost considering changing my major back to Creative Writing just to get the English professors to give me answers.

I'm tired of being a chump. I hate working for an idiot, and I loathe giving my time and energy to a company only to get pennies for every dollar that the company makes. I just want to get some of my work published to make it easier to get a writing job.
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Thursday, August 20, 2009

Late Nights

I watched Coraline tonight with a bowl of popcorn and a glass of wine. I remember when I saw that in theaters, it was the first film I had ever watched in 3D, and I loved it! I didn't know what to think about the 3D gimmick, but unlike Up, this film made it vital and wonderful. From the beginning, the screen was right in my face. But beyond the 3D, the story was amazing. I was actually quite shocked that this was a kids' movie. In the theaters, it scared the shit out of me, and as I watch it at home, I still get a little nervous about what's about to happen. As far as criticism goes, I was not so hot on the DVD release; the 3D just could not hold up on my standard screen, even in a pitch-black room. One of these days, I'll buy the PS3 Slim (Hint: my birthday is on Tuesday the 15th!), and this may be one of the few films that I feel obligated to upgrade to BluRay.

As I watched this fantastic film, Mischief, my black Oriental Siamese, decided that my leg was a scratching post in his dream. Shadow, the grey tabby/Russian-blue mix, seems to be a little frightened these days. I wonder if he's feeling abandoned by Chelsy, who has had to work every day this week. The two kitties were in the cage together, so they know each other and their life here has been much easier with each other to go to.

Chelsy thought Shadow should originally be named Snowball, after the cat from The Simpsons, but he looks nothing like a snowanything. As we went through names, I suggested Shadow after the most awesome character from Final Fantasy VI. But if you ask Chelsy, she'll say he's named after his characteristic of stalking us in the shadows of the couch or dining room table before he jumps out to make his big entrance.

I love my cats. I love Coraline. And to be honest, I'm enjoying this web journal. Although no one is reading it, it feels nice to have a place to type my thoughts and feelings as they come to me.
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1st Draft Finished!

Nomad's first draft is finished! At around 52K words, this is my first novel that I will work hard on getting published. But before I can get this short monster published, I need to get it thoroughly editted. That is the hard part...

I'm hoping to find several people to read and take notes on the story and content. If you happen to stumble upon this blog, please hit me up if you're interested in knowing more about Nomad.

In other news, I interviewed at TopTenReviews.com for a part-time writing position. I need to get out of the tutor center, and I'm willing to do some reviews to get away from Claire. One day, when Henry Tuesday's Shorts gets finished, she might read the second story, "Henry Finds a Job." There, she will see what I really feel about her.

But negative thoughts do not become a Taoist. Instead, I need to recognize that her paranoid dillusions and manic-depressive nature are just part of who she is. There is never anything wrong with being oneself. It's just hard to always be able to appreciate each others' differences.
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Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Nomad Update!

Chapter 35 is finished at last! An epilogue is all this story needs, and it will be finished. I look forward to finally finishing this science fiction. I may not be the greatest writer of science fiction, but I have my story nearly completely told.

Once finished with this, I have a few scripts I'd like to try out and a bunch of Henry Tuesday short stories to write. I'm hoping "Henry's Pioneer Day Adventure" will be accepted to American Short Fiction, so I can call myself a published writer. However, I will be trying to get it into Weber State's Metaphor if I get denied.

My kitty Mischief stayed by my side for the whole writing of this last regular chapter, and I can't help but love him. His brother Shadow just stayed in the kitchen and napped on the herb window (I don't know if that's what it's called, but it's good enough a name for me).

Now, Chelsy is home, so we're going to say goodbye to my little brother.
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Good nap!

I just woke up from my nap, and let me tell you: it was good!

I'm getting ready to finish Nomad, my first science fiction novel. Unfortunately, I just can't seem to find my voice long enough to finish the chapter. I get a page or so written and hit a wall. Don't worry, though; I will not force it out.

Now, I just need to find an editor.
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Welcome to me!

Here I go with another place to put words in front of people. I don't know why I'm doing it, but if I learn a little more about blogging and writing, then I will have considered this experience a success.

I am a Toaist, an acoustic guitarist, and writer. So when I attack this blog, parts of who I am will become apparent. However, I'm sure readers can figure that out on their own as they read on.

On to the news! The PS3 Slim is coming out on September 1st. Also, my birthday is on September 15th. So check it out, if you want to make me the happiest prick on the planet, feel free to drop $300 on someone you may or may not know (me).

Woah! The allergy medicine is catching up with me, so I'm going to pass out. I'll just have to pick this up some other time.
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