"Thomas Edison's last words were: 'It's very beautiful over there.' I don't know where there is, but I believe it's somewhere, and I hope it's beautiful."
-Looking For Alaska
I believe, too, Miles...I believe, too.
Friday, May 25, 2012
It's Very Beautiful Over There
Remember those posts dedicated to quotes I love from books I'm reading? Thanks, John Green:
Thursday, May 10, 2012
'The Avengers' is a religious experience
Hard to believe it's been one whole week already since the midnight showing of what I like to call the greatest superhero movie of all time. Of course, I could be extremely biased lost in my cloud of Avengers epicness, but since it is now the biggest opening weekend of ALL TIME, I feel secure in my assessment, especially knowing I am obviously not alone. And hey! Disney already announced a sequel. So I will maintain this until that one comes out and overthrows it!
It was amazing. It was perfection. It's everything you could want it to be and maybe more. The opening, the re-introductions, the action, the DIALOGUE--seriously, Joss, be a little more incomparable, could you? I've been a screenwriting groupie of Joss's since the Buffy days, so this was just the icing on the 'Whedon Is Boss' cake-- and the acting! Can we talk about that? Because separate from all of this I'm in love with both Chris's, RDJ, and Tom Hiddleston, and I completely forgot who I was looking at on screen because they ARE their characters. And Clark Gregg! Ugh, my heart... But, anyway, let's not talk about THAT. This movie better be winning all the awards--that's all I'm saying.
Have you seen it in IMAX? Because if not, you haven't really lived yet. It just so happens it's not only IMAX, but IMAX 3-D, and it definitely felt like you could reach out and grab Thor's hammer (if you could pick it up) or hold Captain America's biceps...er...I mean, shield...hold his shield. This means I've seen it twice and it's only been a week. I am DEFINITELY going at least once more (in the next few days), but I don't know if it will reach as many viewings as Deathly Hallows.
I wonder if anything will, honestly. And it's not because The Avengers is not worthy, because oh boy is it, but because Harry came at a time in my life when I needed somewhere to escape to and have something to pin my hopes and dreams on of a better tomorrow; it filled a void. Things happen to be picking up around here (for a crazy, well-deserved, and most-welcome change!), so I don't know that I need to run away to the theater as much this time, which is actually a good thing.
Now, don't get me wrong--after this third viewing I could completely turn around and decide I need to see it once a week until it exits theaters, so don't hold me to anything. This is especially likely given that right about now I should be talking about all the other epic movies coming out in the next few months because it's SUMMER, but I'm in such an Avengers-awesomeness fog that I can't think or see straight enough to focus on anything else. Plus, I don't know that my fangirling heart could take much more, so that all might have to wait, because right now this movie is LIFE and I don't have room for, nor the desire to care about, anything else.
I think the thing that struck me the most was that--with the exception of a few emotional moments--I found myself smiling through the whole thing. I'm not sure if it was because this was an event 4 years in the making, that it surpassed my already high expectations, or the 50 foot close ups of Chris Evans's face, but sitting there with like-minded fans enjoying this incredible film felt...right. It felt like love and happiness and peace and unity and empowerment--it felt like that moment on the bridge when all the Avengers, well, you know, assemble... You wanna get up and cheer and shout and you feel like you're part of something.
And I think that was the best message from all of it: we can each be great on our own, but we're better together.
It was amazing. It was perfection. It's everything you could want it to be and maybe more. The opening, the re-introductions, the action, the DIALOGUE--seriously, Joss, be a little more incomparable, could you? I've been a screenwriting groupie of Joss's since the Buffy days, so this was just the icing on the 'Whedon Is Boss' cake-- and the acting! Can we talk about that? Because separate from all of this I'm in love with both Chris's, RDJ, and Tom Hiddleston, and I completely forgot who I was looking at on screen because they ARE their characters. And Clark Gregg! Ugh, my heart... But, anyway, let's not talk about THAT. This movie better be winning all the awards--that's all I'm saying.
Have you seen it in IMAX? Because if not, you haven't really lived yet. It just so happens it's not only IMAX, but IMAX 3-D, and it definitely felt like you could reach out and grab Thor's hammer (if you could pick it up) or hold Captain America's biceps...er...I mean, shield...hold his shield. This means I've seen it twice and it's only been a week. I am DEFINITELY going at least once more (in the next few days), but I don't know if it will reach as many viewings as Deathly Hallows.
I wonder if anything will, honestly. And it's not because The Avengers is not worthy, because oh boy is it, but because Harry came at a time in my life when I needed somewhere to escape to and have something to pin my hopes and dreams on of a better tomorrow; it filled a void. Things happen to be picking up around here (for a crazy, well-deserved, and most-welcome change!), so I don't know that I need to run away to the theater as much this time, which is actually a good thing.
Now, don't get me wrong--after this third viewing I could completely turn around and decide I need to see it once a week until it exits theaters, so don't hold me to anything. This is especially likely given that right about now I should be talking about all the other epic movies coming out in the next few months because it's SUMMER, but I'm in such an Avengers-awesomeness fog that I can't think or see straight enough to focus on anything else. Plus, I don't know that my fangirling heart could take much more, so that all might have to wait, because right now this movie is LIFE and I don't have room for, nor the desire to care about, anything else.
I think the thing that struck me the most was that--with the exception of a few emotional moments--I found myself smiling through the whole thing. I'm not sure if it was because this was an event 4 years in the making, that it surpassed my already high expectations, or the 50 foot close ups of Chris Evans's face, but sitting there with like-minded fans enjoying this incredible film felt...right. It felt like love and happiness and peace and unity and empowerment--it felt like that moment on the bridge when all the Avengers, well, you know, assemble... You wanna get up and cheer and shout and you feel like you're part of something.
And I think that was the best message from all of it: we can each be great on our own, but we're better together.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Reaching milestones and other life goals
Okay, so I'm sending this over every social media outlet I currently utilize, but it's that significant that it needs to be put out into the world as much as possible and for as much permanency as I can capture. So here it is again:
MY NOVEL IS NOW AT 70,000 WORDS. (See right)
It just happened...not even 15 minutes ago, so I'm still crazy excited and in shock and it's so surreal and I hardly know how to properly express my emotions.
The reason this is perhaps even more thrilling than 60,000 words--which was a feat in it of itself--is because when I was plotting out this novel (as much as I had originally done) and looking into how long this should be, I assumed I'd barely make it to 50,000, but by then I'd be stretching for things to say. Then I hit 60,000 and I figured I'd gone as far as I could because surely this was some fluke and even though I had several more chapters to write, the words were going to shrink and condense and reveal themselves to be more like the 40,000 I always thought it would be, and as much as I could get out of myself. So to hit 70,000--above and beyond anything I ever envisioned this little book I'm writing becoming---is almost as much of a dream come true as getting to Los Angeles.
Because, as I'm sure I mentioned, I didn't think I'd ever be able to write a book...ever. 120 page screenplay? Sure, let's have at it! No big deal! But a book? Uhh.... Books were this mythical, writing Everest that I would forever read and envy those who were able to achieve novel status, but never be able to climb myself. And yet here I am, almost at the summit. Sometimes I catch myself smiling just thinking about it, even when I'm not in the middle of writing, because the realization that I am going to write a book creeps up on me in the strangest places and at the most random times and reminds me that nothing is unachievable if you work hard, but especially if you believe you can do it. (Next, I'm going to tackle nailing jello to a tree.)
This whole 'writing a book' thing is especially entertaining because I have this life list--basically a bucket list but that term sounds so morbid and final to me that I prefer just saying life list--and one of the items on it was to publish a book. Not write, not write and publish a book...just publish. I'm sure that's what I meant, but I still find it amusing. At some point I decided I needed to publish a book in my life--which is true--but I completely ignored the fact that simply writing a book would be just as much of a desirable goal, if not even better. Not to mention, it incredibly bothers me that I won't be able to cross anything off the list once I've finished the book because I only put down to publish one! And adding it now almost feels like cheating.
Really though, the satisfaction of even having started a book that I'm actually going to finish this time (as this is technically my second book) and what I know I will feel in having finally done so, already means so much more than if it ever sees the light of the publishing world. Because I will have written a book. WRITTEN-A-BOOK. And that's something that once it's done can never be undone or taken away--I wrote a book. I did it. It's mine and I completed it. And that will be worth trillions times more than if anyone else ever pays for it.
Some of you are probably tired of hearing about me and this book I'm writing, and normally I'd be remiss not to shut up about it in understanding where your annoyance is coming from, but you know what? TOO BAD. Because I AM WRITING A BOOK, and I want everyone to know it, even if they don't. Because I'm proud of myself...really proud...for maybe the first time ever. That wasn't on my life list either, but it should have been #1, and never crossed off, as a reminder I need to do it on a regular basis throughout my life and not just once. And I'll be damned if I'm going to shut up about that.
It just happened...not even 15 minutes ago, so I'm still crazy excited and in shock and it's so surreal and I hardly know how to properly express my emotions.
The reason this is perhaps even more thrilling than 60,000 words--which was a feat in it of itself--is because when I was plotting out this novel (as much as I had originally done) and looking into how long this should be, I assumed I'd barely make it to 50,000, but by then I'd be stretching for things to say. Then I hit 60,000 and I figured I'd gone as far as I could because surely this was some fluke and even though I had several more chapters to write, the words were going to shrink and condense and reveal themselves to be more like the 40,000 I always thought it would be, and as much as I could get out of myself. So to hit 70,000--above and beyond anything I ever envisioned this little book I'm writing becoming---is almost as much of a dream come true as getting to Los Angeles.
Because, as I'm sure I mentioned, I didn't think I'd ever be able to write a book...ever. 120 page screenplay? Sure, let's have at it! No big deal! But a book? Uhh.... Books were this mythical, writing Everest that I would forever read and envy those who were able to achieve novel status, but never be able to climb myself. And yet here I am, almost at the summit. Sometimes I catch myself smiling just thinking about it, even when I'm not in the middle of writing, because the realization that I am going to write a book creeps up on me in the strangest places and at the most random times and reminds me that nothing is unachievable if you work hard, but especially if you believe you can do it. (Next, I'm going to tackle nailing jello to a tree.)
This whole 'writing a book' thing is especially entertaining because I have this life list--basically a bucket list but that term sounds so morbid and final to me that I prefer just saying life list--and one of the items on it was to publish a book. Not write, not write and publish a book...just publish. I'm sure that's what I meant, but I still find it amusing. At some point I decided I needed to publish a book in my life--which is true--but I completely ignored the fact that simply writing a book would be just as much of a desirable goal, if not even better. Not to mention, it incredibly bothers me that I won't be able to cross anything off the list once I've finished the book because I only put down to publish one! And adding it now almost feels like cheating.
Really though, the satisfaction of even having started a book that I'm actually going to finish this time (as this is technically my second book) and what I know I will feel in having finally done so, already means so much more than if it ever sees the light of the publishing world. Because I will have written a book. WRITTEN-A-BOOK. And that's something that once it's done can never be undone or taken away--I wrote a book. I did it. It's mine and I completed it. And that will be worth trillions times more than if anyone else ever pays for it.
Some of you are probably tired of hearing about me and this book I'm writing, and normally I'd be remiss not to shut up about it in understanding where your annoyance is coming from, but you know what? TOO BAD. Because I AM WRITING A BOOK, and I want everyone to know it, even if they don't. Because I'm proud of myself...really proud...for maybe the first time ever. That wasn't on my life list either, but it should have been #1, and never crossed off, as a reminder I need to do it on a regular basis throughout my life and not just once. And I'll be damned if I'm going to shut up about that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)