I’ve been so busy lately that I’ve totally forgotten one of the handy little gadgets I carry around with me everywhere, my smart phone.
I love gadgets!
So even though I really don’t like being filmed, I’ll step out on a limb for the sake of progressing technology. I created a message and I’ll post it here. Just for the fun of it!
I guess the next thing I should do is learn how to edit video. Sorry about the beginning and the end!
A dérive (or drift) is a journey, purposely unplanned, through what is usually an urban landscape. The purpose of it is to open the traveler’s eyes to the patterns that exist; patterns that we usually miss because we are so caught up in a rush to get from point A to point B.
Here are my results:
I walk through my neighborhood every day with my Schnoodle,
pulling her away from flower gardens, avoiding houses with cats, and keeping a
sharp eye out for delivery drivers since the sight of one will send her into a
frenzy of high-pitched barking.
I heard about it through a phone call.
My daughter, who attends the University of Washington, received a phone call from her friend’s mother, and she then called me to check on her sister. She was reassured when I told her that her sister was not at school today.
That was when I turned on the television and watched the breaking news stories. There had been a shooting and Roosevelt High School was in lockdown. The shooting had not happened at the school, but in easy walking distance to it.
I still cannot believe it. Two people killed and three others critically wounded. Just down the street from my daughter’s school. A little over a mile from my house.
I don’t think everything is over yet, since I can still hear the helicopters overhead.
My heart goes out to the victims and the victim’s families. It is surreal that something so tragic could happen right in my very own, usually peaceful neighborhood. I am unable to understand how a person could be so messed up that he could do something like this.
What really scares me about the whole ordeal, though, is that it happened right at lunch time. My daughter’s school has an open campus policy that allows students to visit neighboring stores and restaurants during lunch. There is such a flood of students in that area during lunch time that I purposely avoid doing any shopping during those hours. The lines are just too long.
So when I heard that the shooting happened near lunch I immediately became concerned. What about all those students who had been getting lunch. Would they be locked out?
Fortunately, one news reporter explained that as soon as the police arrived they made sure all the students were “swept” back to the school. I’m not 100% sure what that means, but I was glad to hear that there was a procedure in place to handle off campus students during a lockdown.
Then, as if this shooting wasn’t bad enough, there was another shooting downtown, just a few minutes later. A woman was killed.
Which really makes me wonder, since we are only six miles from downtown.
The descriptions of the suspects don’t match very well. But could there be such a coincidence?
UPDATE:
It wasn’t a coincidence. The suspect in the Roosevelt shooting and the downtown shooting were the same man.
When he thought he was about to be caught he shot himself. So he killed 4 people and critically wounded 2 more, and for what?
Today has been a very sad day.
I don’t know if I should admit this or not, but…um…I finished the extra credit homework yesterday.
I told you I had trouble setting aside my writing projects!
What happened was I thought about the extra credit and determined that it was only busy work. That it wouldn’t really improve the script at this point. So I set it aside, since I detest busy work.
But then…
Scenarios kept going through my head. Different things I could try with those last two scenes. Ways that might, or might not, improve the script. I played with changing the setting, characters, even tweaks to the plot.
I hit on an idea that I loved, and that was that. Before I realized it I had gotten my computer out and completed the assignment (I notice that here it sounds like a quick thing, but I spent several hours rewriting).
Oh well! I guess there are worse things than being addicted to writing!
I’m at that stage in writing that is very difficult. The rough draft is finished but the rewriting is yet to be done. So, in order to do a really good job, I need to distance myself from the project for a while.
Its kind of like fixing a computer. It is amazing how often turning a computer off and unplugging it for a minute fixes a problem. It allows all the extra stuff to clear away, so the computer once again can figure out what to do.
The human brain is also like that. We need to allow our brains a time of rest, a time away. Then we can see our projects with fresh eyes. Oh, and the things we can see then!
And since I’m not a computer one little minute won’t cut it. I need to take at least a week away from a writing project for my brain to reset.
When I’m in the throes of writing, forcing myself to set it aside for an entire week is pure torture. I want to mess with the project, make it better, finish it! So as I attempt to twiddle my thumbs I find they get all twisted up. Instead of twiddling, they want to type.
The other problem I have currently, that I don’t normally have, is that I still have classwork to complete. I’ve done everything for this week except one extra credit assignment. The assignment is to do a major rewrite of the last scene, restructuring the action and rewriting the dialogue.
I would love the extra credit, because hey, I might as well admit that I am motivated by grades. A little bit of cushion wouldn’t hurt.
Besides, I hate leaving anything undone. It feels so…so…so unfinished!
But my gut instinct tells me I should set the script aside and tell my brain to go outside and play.
What to do? What to do?
Will have to stay my little secret.
I was caught by my daughter linking to her senior project video. At her request, I’m removing the link. So the only way you can find it now is by knowing how to search for it.
Good luck with that! YouTube only contains about a gazillion videos. I’m sure it will be easy to find one little video amid the multitudes. If you know the keywords to use and what the video looks like.
Which you don’t.
To make it especially hard she didn’t connect her name to the video in any way.
Sigh. It’s a shame. The video really is as cute as can be.
This pencil drawing (which unfortunately means it won’t scan well) was given to me today by one of my daughters. I don’t know how she did it, but she managed to capture this particular bit of motherhood perfectly.
If you’re curious to know which daughter drew this I’ll give you a clue. Look closely at the pregnant me in 1994. Notice the writing on the t-shirt I’m wearing? It says “My Favorite Daughter Is Under This Shirt”.
Talent and wit!
Oh, and to all you moms out there who have, or do, change diapers, kiss boo-boos, read bedtime stories, sing songs, teach manners, hug away blues, drive to appointments, deliver forgotten homework, run to the store, cook meals, chase away monsters, help with homework, clean up after, listen, give advice, provide a safe haven, give unconditional love…and all the zillion and five other things moms do for their kids every day–HAPPY MOTHER’s DAY!
Just one minute ago I finished the rough draft of my screenplay.
I had not planned on finishing yet. But I got on a roll and I think it would have taken a earthquake to make me stop. I saw the end and nothing was going to stop me from reaching that end. Nothing.
I really did feel I was driven to keep writing. I guess it was having the finish line in view that made all the difference.
Now don’t get me wrong, the script is not finished. I’m not 100% happy with the last scene, and I’ve done no rewrites so far.
But still, it feels good. Very, very, very good!
This program is an interesting experience. Not that I haven’t done similar things before, but every time the worst appears to be over, they ratchet it up a notch.
I am talking, of course, about the multi-tasking practice the program provides.
This month we are studying animations, so I will be going through the process needed to write an animated short, which includes 2 character biographies, 3 springboards, a premise, an outline, a storyboard, and a script. One of the requirements is that everything is newly created. I cannot use anything that is related to my thesis, or that I created previously in the program.
But wait! That’s not all!
During the same time period I’m required to finish my thesis project, which is a full length live action film. I’ve done all the preliminary work on it (research, character bios, outline, first 70 pages, etc.), so now all I have to do is write the final 40 or so pages.
Which means focusing a lot of time and effort on two different stories concurrently.
Because of the tight deadline, I find myself flipping back and forth between the two projects. I’ll write a few pages on the animation, then ‘take a break’ by writing on my thesis project. Back and forth.
These are two very, very different stories.
Which is forcing my brain to switch gears rather quickly.
I hope I don’t break a cog!
Anarchists Unite!
Then do something really unique. Build a spaceship and fly yourselves off of Earth. I’m sure there is a planet out there, somewhere, just perfect for you. One where you wouldn’t be expected to do a day’s work and you could swing your little hammers around all you want.
Maybe one of the gas giants? Like Neptune?
I’m only suggesting this because it is obvious you are unhappy here on Earth, and no one wants you to be unhappy. Especially those of us who actually work to try to build a better world. We have to put up with your temper tantrums, and they are getting a little old.
By the way, didn’t your parents teach you any manners? Because, not to be rude, but you don’t seem to know how to play nice or clean up after yourselves. You’re kind of bratty.
So it’s settled then. I’m sure you’ll build a beautiful spaceship.
Anarchists on Neptune.
It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?