Kinda like in the movies....

I see movies everywhere in everything...mostly while 'people watching' and general observations. Normally what I see and hear are quite comical or otherwise enterataining.  I wish they all were.

Yesterday I went visited Disneyland with a friend and really had a great time.  We're both 'Mouse House' veterns, so we didn't feel the need to rush around to each and every single ride, attraction or show like chickens with our heads cut off.  It was a leisurely day of trying out "lesser" attractions for the first time and visting recently added rides.

One attraction I wish I hadn't seen was the one where an SUV unknowingly drives over a man lying in the middle of a major highway.  It was very disturbing...like in a thriller movie.  Except it wasn't a movie.

On the drive home, we were having a good laugh about the day, singing songs and (like normal) dreading having to wake up early for work the next day.  We closed the park down...and were glad to do it.  

A little over halfway home, I saw a car parked on the shoulder.  I glanced at it and briefly wondered what happened.   Then it became clear.

I drove past a MAN'S body lying the in lane to my right.  A man's lifeless body.

It was dark.  The highway was six lanes of pretty steady traffic, despite the late hour.  Speeds were set well above a meandering pace.  Just when the realization hit that an ACTUAL PERSON was in the highway, an SUV sped over him.    He stopped, we didn't.

Our speed, location and surrounding drivers prevented me from doing so.  We all would have been compromised if I did.  I can't even fully describe what either I nor my friend felt.  I continued to drive and urged my friend to take my phone to call 911.  She did.  Stunned, dismayed, appalled are all inappropriate descriptions for what we felt.   I immediately prayed for all involved.    

We made it home purely by the Grace of God.  I dropped my friend home then continued on to the (longer) street route home.  I was done with the highway for the night.

Showered and safely in my bed,  I thought about how the tragedy we witnessed was kinda like a movie.  But not at all.  There was no stunt man, no carefully placed cars, no fake blood, no intricate choreography.  It was real.  A man was dead.  And at least two cars ran over him.

Later in the morning...this all happened about 12:45am (as I said, we closed the park down)...I researched more about the accident, despite my better judgement.  I found one article that  pointed to the same event.  Apparently a man was running in the highway and a lady (in the car on the shoulder) struck him.  She pulled over and reported it.  Then, because he was still in the middle of the highway, other cars ran over him.  It is not clear why the man was running in the street.  The woman who initially hit him was not injured nor cited for any wrong doing...which is good, because I'm beyond traumatized by seeing it.  I can't imagine if I was actually a part of it.  I thanked (and am thanking Him continuously) that I did not runover or hit him.  I don't think I'd be able to handle it.  I know I wouldn't have.

Life is precious.  I am ever grateful to my Creator that he spared mine yesterday [and then].  Prayers again to all involved and the family of the deceased.

Something Has to Give.

It's been a while.  I've finished writing my first book.  I went to my first Star Trek Convention.  I sat in box seats at the Hollywood Bowl for the first time.  I recieved my first demotion.  Not an actual demotion, but as far as pay is concerned, yes.  Of course the powers that be made it seem like I was getting a raise.  A raise that pays less.

Looking at the number in my bank account, I was more than feeling some sort of way.  And because I don't want to focus on the negative, that's all I'll say about that.

All I will say, is there HAS to be something BIG coming soon.  VERY SOON.  A BIG idea from my head.  A BIG opportunity.  A BIG situation. (And for the first time - in a long time - an external situation that actually puts me in a better place than before the situation occured).   A BIG...something.  

Because (and as much as I dislike the overly excessively use of this phrase)....I can't even.

Pressing on.

Vacations and Such...

It seems I've been gone for a while, though my vacation was just ten days.   (And while the vacation was nice, I need a vacation from my vacation, but eh. Whatever.) 

Florida and family were delightful.  I wasn't super excited to come back to California.  But I'm back and each day getting more and more productive!!!  The book is almost done.  I have part two of the vacation coming up next week.  My plan is to have the book done and in my mentor's hands before I leave.  I'll count it as a bit of reward...and inspiration, as I'm going to the Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas!  Nerdy, yep.  Do I care?  Not really.  It is what it is and I think it's going to be fun!

Over the first vacation, I spent SO MUCH time with the family and friends.  It was absolutely great! (even the hospital visit for a cousin, which turned out well for his diagnosis.) Our unity factor was upped a bit, and that's an answer to a long time prayer.  I know there's a harmony within my family that will only grow more and more melodic.  

While I didn't get to ride, I did get to visit a horse friend's horse, Max!  I love the smell of horses.   love being in the country.  I love the smell of rain in the country.  

All of the love from the vacation festivities have given me a little more umph to make my 'mogul' me to the next level.  So back to work I go.  Stay tuned.

My Own Boss

I have been busy which essentially means again falling away from blog updates.  Doing this and that, celebrating my birthday and entertaining family and friends.  It's been a fun few months, and even somewhat productive.  I'm no where near where I wanted to be at this point in the year...on a many number of things, but I am here!

I will cautiously say that my boss' resigning has proven to be quite beneficial...now that the shock of it all has all but dwindled away.  I was nervous about finding a new job by what I thought was the time I would be let go.  As it turns out, no such time exists.  That is truly a blessing.  I should have known better...all things are in His hands.

There have been some changes at the office.  At first I was vehemently opposed to them.  But again, it seems it's all for the best.  Five new people are in the bungalow now, in addition to our crew.  One producer and his assistant, and a writing team with their assistant.  I was giving the choice  of where I wanted to be among the assistants in the common area.  I chose to relocate to the copy room, and now I essentially have my own office.  Also, I guess I squeaked enough that I (finally) got a permanent parking spot.  (The squeaky wheel gets the oil!)

So while I'll miss seeing and meeting new people as they come through the door, it is nice to have my own space.  The writing is going well...I mean, it's only been a day or so, but at least I am back to updating the blog.  Well for today anyways.  I can here my own music (without having to use earphones), a bright sunny window to look out and the hum of the printer when it's actually used.  It's not a bad set up and I will take full advantage.  How many aspiring writers can say they are given office space by a top network, pay with benefits and a parking space?  I don't know, but I will take this time to write, build my other business and make the most of this divine opportunity.  I am my own boss.  Stay tuned.

Socialite

The past few weeks I have mostly been a recluse.  Not in the way that I normally am...I mean, I enjoy spending time alone.  (I enjoy spending time with [certain] people...I just really like my 'me' time) But these last weekends I've been working really hard, and sleeping very little, to finish the submissions for several TV writing programs.

Even though I've had a great deal of time to write at work, I still have managed to procrastinate...leaving me to finish things at the VERY last minute.  I really hate when I do that...even though sometimes it is necessary to my writing process.

This weekend however, I was a bit of a socialite.  Well, not really, but I was out of the hangsuite a good deal of the weekend; I was not stuck behind a computer desperately trying to write, so that was a nice change from recent weekends.  I was out at brunches and dinners and bowling and volunteering and movies.   And it was nice.

It was great way to celebrate having a free weekend and finishing projects!  And now that those project have finished, I have more time to work on other projects...including an attempt to keep the blog updated.  Stay tuned.


On another, quick note.  I saw SPY this weekend, and it was super fun!  It's not for those easily offended by foul language (and it has more than it's fair share) but it's a pretty original take on the spy genre, which I enjoy very much!  Also, can't ever have too much Melissa McCarthy in my humble opinion...and the rest of the cast...icing on the cake!!!

I look forward to (someday soon) creating something just as fun...but slightly more COLORFUL.

Friends, United

I have a friend getting married in a few months, and a friend who's working towards becoming a wedding photographer.  I made some introductions. The engaged friend now has a wedding photographer!  The wedding photographer has her first wedding gig!  There's nothing like unity. Unity in the family.  Unity among friends.  Unity for a mutually benefical cause.   I can't wait to see how it all turns out.  One thing's for sure, I am positive that the day will be a wonderful celebration and everything will be beautifully imortilized.  Stay tuned.

Freedom to Choose

Over this past Memorial Day Weekend, I thought a great deal about the men and women of the armed forces who selflessly give their lives and time in devotion to our country's freedom.

I text one of my military cousins to thank him for his service, and happened to take a look at some of our prior text chains.  One of the things he said to me was "just like the clothes God allows us to choose each day, He also gives us the choice to have a good attitude or a bad attitude."

Those words
got me to thinking about my career.  (It's an odd cross over, I know.) Ultimately I would like my career to be wrapped around the word 'Mogul'.  But for the entertainment part of my lively hood, I've been thinking a lot lately about getting back to what I marginally went into all this for: movies.

Somewhere along the way of pursing a career in film, I fell in love with TV and writing for TV.  I didn't fall out of love with writing films or making films or anything film related.  I just expanded my interests to include TV.  I wonder sometimes, if I should choose to focus on film over TV for the time being.

I've been told on numerous occasions that the writer is KING in television.  [And that's not an inaccurate statement, as MEN overwhelmingly hold the TV writing positions in this industry, but this isn't about that.]  I do enjoy TV, and so much of it is good; it's basically like watching an extended movie.   But is that why I'm so invested in TV right now?  Because it's the 'hot' thing right now?  Or because I genuinely enjoy the idea of writing a character week after week? Or is it because TV has a much quicker process?  I don't know.

But on the weekends, I find a particular solace in going to the actual movie theater and investing a block of time to one story line and a group of characters.   They both have their specific appeals and I'd like to be able to do both.  I choose to do both.  I choose to do a great many things, novels included.  (I will complete my first young adult novel prayerfully by summer's end.)

I see the choices of my peers everyday and how some of those choices are based on fear.  I have a friend who desperately wants to move back to the east coast, and build a career/life there. Her fear of missing out on something on the west coast keeps her here...and often in tears.

My choice is not as life threatening, life affirming or life altering as those of the in the military.  It would be asinine for me to compare my choices to theirs.  I am in the business of giving people a short reprieve from their demanding (or mundane) lives.

I have to remember, just like I have the freedom to choose to wear jeans or a dress, to speak up or keep quiet, to work or to sleep, to have a good attitude or a bad one, that same freedom of choice exists for my career.  Movies or Television?  Not an 'or', simply rather a matter of what I will choose to take priority.

There are a great deal or choices to make here in the coming days, weeks, months.  Stay tuned.

And many, many thanks to the men and women devoted to the military and our country's freedom.

It only takes one

I've been meeting with studio executives, show runners, writers and executive producers in the past months and I've gotten a great deal of advice.  I think the advice I remember the most was "It only takes one yes."

The person who told me that is an executive producer with several shows on the air.  He told me about his long journey here in the entertainment industry and how after just one person told him yes, his career jumped off.   A great deal of "no"s came his way.  But when that one "yes" showed it's lovely face, that was all that mattered.

Yesterday I received yet another "no".  I was slightly bummed for about two seconds.  I mean, it was an opportunity for me to get my feet wet in a writer's room on a show that would likely get a third season order.  It would also give me a feeling of belonging.  The chance to be on a team again. This particular position would only be for five weeks, but it would have been good for my resume.

I have been looking for a new job for a good two years, now.  I've learned a lot about a great many things (both about the industry and about people) where I am, but I've always known this position was a stepping stone.  I didn't want to stay on this one step too long.  I hate being stagnant.  I even hate the word stagnant.  I only like 'pause' when it's attached to a button on my remote control or music playing device, or when it's eloquently placed in a piece of music.  But sometimes, it's just how it is.

A few months ago my boss resigned.  The hows and whys of it aren't important.  But it has put me in an interesting position.  I'm not exactly sure how long I will have the opportunity to come to "work," write, basically do what I want and collect a paycheck.  So this position on this show would have been nice.  It would have been forward movement.  I could finally take the 'pause' off and press play!

Then I remembered that advice...it only takes one.  Only one yes.  And this one, wasn't the one.  I have to believe that it's all for a reason...and that my 'yes' is very imminent.  That play button is itching to get pressed.  Stay Tuned.  

Well, hello there....

A funny thing happened today.

I was at work, writing.  During my procrastination time (a necessity to my writing process) I went to the Internet and found that my blog page was up.  I didn't remember clicking on it.  But there it was. Clear as a glass of water, with the last post made sometime November 2013.

I read the post.  It recalled that year's Thanksgiving that I spent with a friend.  Then I scrolled through a few more posts and realized how much has happened...and not happened.  How much has changed...and how much remains stagnant.

So I decided maybe I would do what I've been promising for some time.  Perhaps this was a sign to restart the blog and make it a priority to keep it going...like when I first started it back in grad school.

This is the first attempt.  It may not be everyday.  It might not be very interesting.  But here's to another round of first steps.   Stay tuned.