I figured I'd start with a tale from yesterday's writing class. To let you know that my life is not all self-doubt and gloom.
Each of the students had to read off one of our exercises, and when we were done the teacher asked us whose had the clearest language, was the most evocative.
Remember, this is a happy story.
I glowed for the rest of the class. It wasn't like they were awarding me the Oscar or anything, but I was proud that my work was singled out for compliment, especially by another student.
So life is not all doom and gloom. Periodically I get some good feedback. It's the kind of stroking that inspires me just enough to keep plugging away. I respond to external influences, both for good and bad, unfortunately. I know bad reviews will affect me just as much, if not more, than positive ones.
Luckily, I have a wonderful coach and supporter in Darin -- let's just put it this way: I thought about going to film school for 10 years, I didn't do it until I was with him.
In other news: there's a malady I've termed "Silicon Valley Disease" but which is found everywhere. Most of the people in Silicon Valley were the smartest kids in their class, and the other kids were stupid and didn't know anything. Well, you get into a mode where you always know the answers before everyone else or instead of everyone else.
Imagine what happens when you get a room full of those people.
I'm not like that. At least, I don't think I am. I give people the benefit of the doubt. One time I clearly remember acting like a know-it-all I got told off: I was in Ireland and I started explaining what a modem was to my Aunt Sheila. My Uncle Barney said, "Of course we know what modems are! They were invented in Ireland!"
Yesterday, I posted something about Monday night's class and some of the things the teacher said about copyright law to a mailing list. What did I get for my troubles? What do you think? Know-it-allism. Such as that obviously the teacher is a total idiot if she doesn't know that you have copyright from the moment you write something (in fact, I'd said nothing about that...and the teacher had gone over, in excruciating detail, the difference between having copyright and registering copyright).
I hate that. I hate belligerent, confrontational, know-it-all attitudes. There are other ways of determining what level of information everyone in the conversation has.
Have I mentioned that there are lots of cars on the freeways that shouldn't be? On the freeways, on the roads, barrelling through alleys at top speed. One car passed me on the road outside USC this morning that had no front. No hood. No headlights. No front frame to hold any headlights. Every day I see cars that have sides or fronts crumpled like tin foil, and the vehicle is somehow operational.
Scares the hell out of me. You get the definite idea that these drivers don't have insurance. And they obviously don't have anything to lose if they hit you.
On the radio yesterday I heard the DJ say that the new Ivan Reitman movie that's in production was looking for a 1000 extras for a movie being filmed in Griffith Park Zoo tonight. They needed 1000 people dressed as hip, punk, or grunge for about 8 hours, for which they will pay each person 40 dollars.
What a rip, I thought. Only forty dollars for 8 hours work? That's ridiculous, that's criminal, that's only...
Higher than the minimum wage.
Whenever you wonder about how much money these horrible welfare level people, remember that yearly salary is computed by hourly salary times 2080 (for number of hours worked per year).
Tonight I have to read the script for Reality Bites -- after I finish watching Die Hard. I'm in an action/adventure kind of mood: I watched Lethal Weapon last night. Die Hard is the better movie, by the way -- Lethal Weapon is klunkier and less well structured. Die Hard is incredibly well done. If you haven't seen it recently, and you like action movies, watch it. Every detail planted is used.
There is a reason why every action movie now is "Die Hard on a ()".
This is a good movie.