Me Write Pretty One Day

The other day I was reflecting back on my early 20's and I realized that somewhere between graduating from college and loosing my job, I lost my love of writing. This had never occurred to me before. It was pretty shocking to work through this. I've been an avid reader and writer since I was little. I was always writing. How do you wrap your finger around something like this? Even in college, I was actively writing. I was one of the "weird" ones who enjoyed writing papers. I even helped my friends write papers. I kept a journal and I freelanced for my college newspaper. I loved creative writing classes and wished I had majored in creative writing instead of English Literature. My senior paper was a screenplay about a bunch of teens who get trapped in a grocery store during a blizzard. The only logical explanation I can come to is my crazy draw to the business world. I loved suits. I wanted to find my spot in corporate America and I somehow decided that the account side of Advertising was where I wanted to be. My love of suits mixed with my Dad's practicality pushed me towards the business world. I suppressed my creative side. I recall my super senior year of college (yes, it took me five years to graduate), a professor asked me what my plans were after college. I said I was going to work in Advertising. She told me that I really should pursue writing. I, of course, didn't listen. I was a naive 22 year old, who thought Advertising was the way to go...the way to make tons and tons of money. That was the beginning of my loss of my love of writing. Looking back, this was the time that my love of writing, should've gotten me through my eight months of unemployment and my decision to go back to school to get an MA in Education. It didn't. I was too hell-bent on finding a job and spending as little money as possible. I was in survival mode.

Four years later, I somehow managed to find my passion for writing. I was back in school and working in retail, where I witnessed several scenes a day that were too ridiculous to not share with others. I was 26 years old working at a big box retailer with a bunch of old woman, who really didn't understand me, and I certainly didn't understand them. This situation practically screamed, "write about me!" With the encouragement of a friend, I decided that a screenplay about retail would be the best thing to write about. That's when my passion for writing returned and it hasn't left. I have the same joy and excitement that I had as a 17 year old co-editor of my school newspaper. In fact, I think the passion is stronger. The past year, I've really decided that writing is what I want to do with my life. I have to have some sort of writing outlet or I go nuts.

Writing truly is what saves me. It's what makes me happy. It's the one thing that I am meant to do.

Why Multi-tasking and Television Don't Mix

I should not be allowed to multi-task while watching television. Last night I was catching up on "Ugly Betty" and I decided I to pluck my eyebrows at the same time. My brows were horribly out of control. Sounds like a good idea, right? Nooooo. I ended up with one perfectly shaped brow and one that looks like half a brow. It's too short and looks nothing like the good one. Ugh. I should know better than to pluck while watching TV. Thank goodness that I messed up on the brow that is half covered by my bangs It could always be worse. I didn't do something really dumb like shave my eye brows off. It's really not that noticeable and will hopefully grow back soon. Cross your fingers. I just feel really, really silly. So much for grooming and television. I will not be doing that any time soon.

Dara's Last Column

I just finished reading Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl last column in City Pages. Wow. It was so well-written and touching. It left me with tears in my eyes. I admit that I am not a foodie, but I love Dara's column. In fact, it's always the first thing I read in City Pages. She's such an awesome writer. So unpretentious and humorous. I wish her the best of luck as she moves onto other projects .

Hooray for Diablo!

I am so excited for Diablo Cody for her Oscar nominations for "Juno." Especially the one for best original screenplay. That is such a huge accomplishment for a first time screenwriter. It really inspires me with my own writing.

I only wish that the Diablo haters would stop with their hatin'. So what if Diablo isn't really "from" Minneapolis. This is the city where she found her creative stride and really became a writer. How many of them wrote a screenplay in two months? It makes me wonder how many of the haters really are true Minnesotans. Probably not a lot. My guess is they're from the Dakotas or Iowa. I am not a true Minnesotan, either. I grew up in the 'burbs of Chicago and Milwaukee, but I do get excited when a resident of Minnesota does something cool. This is just further proof of the love that Minnesotans have for outsiders. Diablo rocks. She's a great example of a good old American success story. So haters, stop your hatin' and be happy for someone outside of your small social circle and show some love.

Ok. I am done ranting. Congrats Diablo!

Natalie Dee's Other Comic

marriedtothesea.com


Natalie Dee has another comic, "Married to the Sea," which is is just as funny (maybe more sarcastic) than her other stuff. This one had me practically rolling on the floor laughing. 'Cause this is so very true. I think everyone knows someone who has a Masters or a Ph.d in something impractical like Medieval Studies or 15th Century British Literature and he or she thinks they are the bomb. Great accomplishment, but it's not going to help you find a job, sweetie. That's why I love Natalie Dee she tells it like it is. No sugar coating of anything.

Shocking!

For once in my life, I am being practical and productive. This year I didn't make my usual crazy creative resolution of finishing my screenplay, selling it, and making it into a movie in 365 days. OK, so maybe I am exaggerating a bit, but I'm not too far off. The past two years, I've set totally unrealistic creative resolutions that were so unattainable. It's like I'm Walter Mitty and I live in some fantasy world. No more. Even though, it's only 17 days into 2008, I feel like I've done more work on my screenplay and my writing than I have in 2007. Wow. I don't know what caused this change of thinking, but it is awesome. This time I think I can actually keep it up. I think this might be the year I finish this sucker. Here's to no more insane creative resolutions.

Clark and Michael

I am sure that most people have already seen at least some of the episodes, but if you haven't you must watch all ten episodes of "Clark and Michael." It is seriously one of the funniest shows I've ever seen. It stars Michael Cerra and his bf Clark Duke and the quest they embark on trying to get their show sold to a network. It works on so many different levels. I like it on the level that they are struggling writers, but it also works from a purely comedic standpoint, too. It's smart funny. When I was finished watching all ten episodes, I wished there was ten more.

End the Mollycoddling!

The big story of the week is the poor kids in Eden Prairie that posted pictures of themselves drinking out of red party cups at parties on Facebook. The savvy administrators did a little Nancy Drew work and discovered the pictures. It's turned into a media circus. Of course the parents are mad at the administrators. How dare they punish their angelic children!

I just don't get it. When did we become a nation where parents are so protective of their kids that they side with their children and not the school officials? The last time I checked the drinking age in Minnesota is 21. These kids were clearly not 21. Plus, a lot of them signed an activities code, which dictates that the students can't drink, do drugs, or be at a party where those things are being done. I recall when I was about fourteen my mom told me that if she ever caught me doing drugs she would take me down to the police station and have me locked up and she wouldn't post bail. Tough love. It worked, though. I am sure if I had been caught in this scandal, my mom and dad would've supported the administrators' decision. I would've been punished at home, too. That punishment would be far worse than being suspended from the tennis team. I am sure I wouldn't have been able to leave the house until I went to college. I am glad that my parents were tough on me. It made me into a responsible adult. I take responsibility for my own actions.

One of my favorite parental comments from this was the mom who made the statement about the red plastic cup: "we don't know there was alcohol in the cup." Wow. She's the naive mom of the year. I can only think of one time in my entire life where I've drank out of a red plastic cup when I didn't have alcohol in it. It was on my Aunt's boat. She always has those cups. I'm pretty sure I had ginger ale in mine because I get boat sick. That is the only time. Every other occasion, I've had alcohol in a red cup.

I really applaud the administration for taking a tough stand on this issue. Kids need to learn a lesson from this: don't put private pictures on a public website. Duh. Also, there are consequences for our actions. They should be suspended from the hockey team or loose their captain position. It's really scary that these kids will someday be adults out in the real world. I wonder if mommy and daddy will rush to their side when the big, bad boss fires them for poor work quality or tardiness.

The World's Longest Cold

I've had a cold for three weeks now. It's driving me crazy. It's not the normal cold that sticks around until it runs it's course, no this one is a half strength cold that comes and goes. I'll be fine one day and then the next day, it's back with a vengeance. The past three days it's been back. Granted, it's not horrible, but it is starting to get sort of annoying. I've been getting more than enough sleep and I think I am nearing a Vitamin C overdose. Grrr.... So frustrating. I am hoping that this is the end of the world's longest cold. It better be.

Closer to 30 than to 29

Today is my half birthday! You know what that means? Six months from today I turn 30! So excited to say goodbye to my 20's and the quarter-life crisis.

Advice for Blake Lewis

After watching Blake Lewis perform last night on FOX's rip-off of Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve, I have decided that he really, really, really needs some help. He seemed like he had such a promising career ahead of him while he was on Idol, but now it looks like the begining of the end. Which is sad. He's a talented performer who seems a bit confused. Here's my list of things he needs to work on:

1. Pick a genre and stick with it. The song he performed last night had quite the multiple personalities. He went from pop to blues to rock to hip-hop in three minutes. YIKES. It was all over the place. If you're going to do something like that, it needs to work with the song and transition nicely from one genre to another. I would rather listen to an album of Maroon 5 covers than listen to him cover multiple genres in one song.

2. Stop with the beat-boxing. Or cut back on it. Seriously, too much beat-boxing is a bad thing. The song, "How Many Words" is such a good pop song that is ruined by the beat-boxing solo. I know that's what made him unique, but it has really gotten old.

3. Hire a Stylist. I am not being mean, but he looked so much cuter and more put together when he was on "Idol." Last night he was wearing some ill-fitting jeans, a black shirt, a grey hooded sweater, and a plaid scarf. Not horrible, but it didn't work with his body type. The scarf added a good 15 pounds. He should be dressed in a solid colors with bright colored accents. Or something a bit quirkier. His hair really shouldn't be spiky. It just looks silly. Way too totally teen. He needs something slightly edgier like an asymmetrical wedge cut. And no more clunky skater sneakers. Ewww...


I should seriously be a music producer. Or at least a stylist.