Recent Happenings
I'm not sure any one actually follows these posts, but in the off chance any one is bored and comes across this... Well, it's a little light reading to pass the time.
I am nearing the end of my time at my current university, with only two more months until graduation. Right now, we are filming our final project (our thesis, I suppose. Being a film, though, its collaborative nature takes the edge off) two weeks from now. It promises to be grueling, demanding, and challenging in all respects. Never the less, it should be an exciting and gratifying experience. It's hard to believe that a year ago I had nothing positive to say about the school/program. It has become a decision I am glad I made, and I can certainly see the personal growth I have gone through.
Moments like that make life terribly exciting.
So It Goes...
I have begun re-writing a very personal project that I began last winter, but had to abandon because my school schedule got far too difficult to manage. It is a bio-pic for my personal hero, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. For those unfamiliar with the man, he is (in my opinion) one of the greatest contemporary American authors. He was responsible for the books "Slaughter-House Five", "Player Piano", and "Breakfast of Champions" (amongst countless others).
I have decided to attempt to make the narrative as unconventional as his own works were, as a story of his life should be told in no other fashion. I aim to have Kurt (through each stage of his life) break the fourth wall, briefly musing upon each chapter of his life. Each passage will be cobbled together from direct quotes (both from books and interviews), and hopefully serve to punctuate each chapter instead of coming off as a gimmick. That, of course, remains to be seen once all is written and re-written.
Where to go from here?
Now that I am coming to the end of my current educational endeavor, I am faced with one of the most exciting, difficult, and potentially expensive decisions one must face: Where do I go from here?
It's not that Orlando (or Florida in general) is a terrible place for one to find one's self, but it is certainly a different scene than I am accustomed to. Perhaps it is on account of my colleagues in class, but Orlando strikes me as a sort of limbo for the Los Angeles bound. And I'm not referring to the cool, down-to-earth types who live in L.A -- it's more that Orlando seems to be a magnet for people who want to live in the style-over-substance portion of L.A., but they are neither talented or "good" looking enough. Their values, attitudes and scruples are no less shallow.
I am self aware enough to know that I am no perfect being, so I say this all as an observation, not a condemnation.
Some friends have gotten it in their heads to head for Paraguay. Assuncsion (which I've probably spelled completely wrong), to be precise. At the moment I am supposed to be joining them, but now that I have lost my desire to make films... given their plans to do just that... it seems as though I should find another path.
Right now, I am playing with he idea of looking for work in the San Diego/San Francisco area. I remember visiting the two cities when I was younger, and I remember falling in love with them. I don't know if I'd feel the same these days, but one never can say for certain. If any one reads this and has positive things to say about where they reside, please feel free to share with me. The more options I have, the better.
As for now, that seems to be the nuts-and-bolts of this crazy machine. Should anything else come up, I'll probably write about it.
I'm not sure any one actually follows these posts, but in the off chance any one is bored and comes across this... Well, it's a little light reading to pass the time.
I am nearing the end of my time at my current university, with only two more months until graduation. Right now, we are filming our final project (our thesis, I suppose. Being a film, though, its collaborative nature takes the edge off) two weeks from now. It promises to be grueling, demanding, and challenging in all respects. Never the less, it should be an exciting and gratifying experience. It's hard to believe that a year ago I had nothing positive to say about the school/program. It has become a decision I am glad I made, and I can certainly see the personal growth I have gone through.
Moments like that make life terribly exciting.
So It Goes...
I have begun re-writing a very personal project that I began last winter, but had to abandon because my school schedule got far too difficult to manage. It is a bio-pic for my personal hero, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. For those unfamiliar with the man, he is (in my opinion) one of the greatest contemporary American authors. He was responsible for the books "Slaughter-House Five", "Player Piano", and "Breakfast of Champions" (amongst countless others).
I have decided to attempt to make the narrative as unconventional as his own works were, as a story of his life should be told in no other fashion. I aim to have Kurt (through each stage of his life) break the fourth wall, briefly musing upon each chapter of his life. Each passage will be cobbled together from direct quotes (both from books and interviews), and hopefully serve to punctuate each chapter instead of coming off as a gimmick. That, of course, remains to be seen once all is written and re-written.
Where to go from here?
Now that I am coming to the end of my current educational endeavor, I am faced with one of the most exciting, difficult, and potentially expensive decisions one must face: Where do I go from here?
It's not that Orlando (or Florida in general) is a terrible place for one to find one's self, but it is certainly a different scene than I am accustomed to. Perhaps it is on account of my colleagues in class, but Orlando strikes me as a sort of limbo for the Los Angeles bound. And I'm not referring to the cool, down-to-earth types who live in L.A -- it's more that Orlando seems to be a magnet for people who want to live in the style-over-substance portion of L.A., but they are neither talented or "good" looking enough. Their values, attitudes and scruples are no less shallow.
I am self aware enough to know that I am no perfect being, so I say this all as an observation, not a condemnation.
Some friends have gotten it in their heads to head for Paraguay. Assuncsion (which I've probably spelled completely wrong), to be precise. At the moment I am supposed to be joining them, but now that I have lost my desire to make films... given their plans to do just that... it seems as though I should find another path.
Right now, I am playing with he idea of looking for work in the San Diego/San Francisco area. I remember visiting the two cities when I was younger, and I remember falling in love with them. I don't know if I'd feel the same these days, but one never can say for certain. If any one reads this and has positive things to say about where they reside, please feel free to share with me. The more options I have, the better.
As for now, that seems to be the nuts-and-bolts of this crazy machine. Should anything else come up, I'll probably write about it.
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
Nice blog.
I'm an aspiring author as well.
If you're ever in NYC I know a great Matzo Ball soup place.
That stuff's my favorite.
I just bought "Breakfast of Champions" yesterday afternoon.
I just moved here to NYC from South Florida, Coral Springs to be specific. I prefer it immensely.
New York seems like a great place for Matzo Ball soup. Ha ha.
Been thinking about going out to NYC for a loooooong time. I've def gotta get a job that'll make living there possible, though. As much as I dislike Florida (it's not bad, just not my kinda place) I do approve of the costs of living -- comparatively, of course.
Can't go wrong with "Breakfast of Champions", man. Have you gotten to read the two books his estate recently published? If not... Oh, mamma... you've got to.