I understand there’s this overwhelming feeling that all things plastic will destroy the planet but thanks to Pen and Teller, I no longer believe in recycling…well tin cans are still good. But come on, how can you not love Red plastic cups? Drink, Dump, Repeat. Nuff said.
It’s raining at the moment and the thunder woke me. I took this pic earlier as the dark clouds rolled in bringing with them lightning, thunder and wet deck furniture. It made me think of “Thunder” this fantastic script Dean Lorey and I wrote together which is now sitting on a shelf because those who make movies are presently scared to death of anything not based on a book, comic, video game, TV show or previously made film.
In all honesty, I’m not that worried. It’ll get made. It’s too good. The boneheads driving the boat through this silly business are currently navigating through the Islands of Previously Made Material but eventually they’ll circle back up through the Coast of Originality.
Currently you got one of two options as a writer. You can build a fire, drink coconut juice and wait it out or you can carve a canoe and paddle south toward the islands.
Me you ask? I’m writing comics, video games and have recently started contract negotiations to write a film based on a successful video game. Next week I start pitching a Ghost Story based on book inspired by a true story. I’m paddling.
Couple months back Mel and I visited the Redwoods. Big suckers. Mel and I have been spending alot of time together lately. Yeah, we were separated. After eleven years we’d decided to call it quits. Although we’ve succeeded at just about everything we’ve tried over the years, we failed miserably at separating. We really did try. Thought we’d both be happier. But we were both miserable. Took us a while to figure that out though. I chalk it up to ego and boneheadedness but I’m sure the list is long and complex. In the end, staying apart simply wasn’t fair to each other and certainly not to those we tried to date. Not to mention I was slowly going insane.
But live and learn. We came out on the other side stronger than we could ever imagine. We learned about each other and learned a thing or two about true friendship. It’s easy to have friends through the good times…but those who stick with you through the darkest times? Well, words just don’t describe.
Dean, you’re a better friend than either of us deserve.
The simple fact is, I love my wife and nothing’s ever going to change that.
Bugsy has now taken possession of the Bean Bag. I’d like to say I will one day get it back but the outlook ain’t so good.
He’s also started writing. Well, says he wants to write. If I had a dime for every time I’ve caught him passed out at the computer…
I mentioned comic books before. Not only are films based on comics a hot item in the city of the Angels…well comics are just plain fun. My dad gave me a box of coins he’d collected as a kid and although I still have them and will pass them on to my lil’ Farmer one day I started collecting comics. No offense, pop, but comics are a bit more fun. And I’ll also have a few comics to pass down in which my little brain helped create. So, I’m still working with the very cool, Steve Niles.
And our partner in crime, Actor Tom Jane…whose wife just won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in A Drama Series. We watched the premiere of Medium last night (gotta love TiVo). It’s a great show.
And speaking of Emmy winners, a buddy of ours, Jim Vallely and the show’s showrunner Mitch Hurwitz won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.
I won one of those giant stuffed animals at Six Flags once. For throwing a Styrofoam soft ball into a milk jug. It was a highlight.
Our buddy Dean Lorey is also working on Arrested Development this year so we rewatched season one on DVD and would have watched Season Two in preparation for last night’s premiere had Fox released it. Sigh, the boneheadedness of Hollywood. We’re lucky, we got TiVo. We’ll let this season’s shows collect on the TiVo and on October 10th we’ll grab Season Two and tear through it before starting on this season. I know, it seems silly but it’s an obsessive compulsive thing. But it really is an amazing comedy. I rarely laugh so hard I cry but I have several times while watching Arrested.
Been watching a bunch of new series as they’re popping up. I liked Barely Legal. Threshold won me over on the first night. And Reunion was surprisingly good. Bones was okay but still needs to find itself. I’m sticking with Rome cuz I like blood and nudity. And As for Surface?
I’d rather take a nap. I was disappointed. It seems a bunch of new shows are jumping on the Lost bandwagon. That whole mystery series thing where the answers won’t come anytime soon if ever.
Still spending time between LA and PG. I gotta stay close to LA. I have meetings. I have friends here. But PG is cold and the ocean is clean and it’s quiet and the people are…normal. Nothing against LA…it is what it is. And I ain’t saying I’m normal…far from it but at least I feel normal when I’m there. Not to mention I get three times as much writing done there as good ol’ Mother Angeles.
Not sure what it is about the ocean. I’ve never considered myself an ocean kind of guy but I was clearly wrong. Oh, I got no real desire to get in the ocean…well, I got no desire to pop into a bathing suit and swim in it but I am looking into diving. I’ve never gone diving. And I grow’d up on Van Halen’s Diver Down. It just seems like the right thing to do.
I’m also starting the path that is Brazilian jujitsu. I’m told that of all the Martial Art techniques out there jujitsu is the best for beating up old people and children.
Another great thing about PG is the food and drink. Simply amazing. The freshest fish on the planet. Now granted, all you gotta do is stand near me and I can tell you your temperature due to the plethora of Mercury coursing through my veins but good food is good food.
I really am looking forward to the coming Christmas which will be spent in the PG. Hollywood will shut down for the most part just after Thanksgiving and I plan on rewriting a couple of specs which I can easily do there without the standard big city distractions…distracting me. I’ve also started a brand new spec and I’m currently mapping out another. Yeah, I realize we’re still in the Islands of Previously Made Material but I smell a change coming.
Of course, PG is haunted. As a matter of fact, the script I’m in negotiations on currently takes place in the area. We took this pic while walking back from Monterey one night. Them there glowy things is eyes. And that’s the doorway to a church. We’ve since joked that the glowy eyes belonged to Satan…but that was just a joke. I know the eyes don’t belong to Satan. I’m thinking a lesser demon of some sort.
Seriously. You blame me?
Contrary to overwhelming belief. I am not Superman.
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