Crazy Busy

Sometimes when I get so busy that I can't even feel desire for the things I am supposedly working for, I wonder...

You know that story that gets circulated about the guy who gives the lecture about filling up your time. He has a bucket that represents your life, and he puts some big rocks in first--to show the big lumps of time, like working and family, or whatever your priorities are. When everyone in the audience thinks bucket is full and can't hold anymore rocks, he takes pebbles and fills in the gaps between the rocks. Then everyone in the audience is sure the bucket is full. But then he pulls out a container of sand, and pours that into all the tiny places between the rocks and the pebbles. Now it's really full, but the lecturer has one last trick up his sleeve, he reveals a container of water, which of course fits in between the grains of sand..

The lesson,according to the inspirational emails I have received, is not that you can always fit more in (which is probably what I would get out of it), but that "you have put your big rocks in first." in other words, you have to know what your priorities are and allocate your time accordingly.

All I know is the bucket is too heavy, and I'm just biding time until I can put it down.

I told myself when I got to Los Angeles I was going to take care of myself--write well and eat well and live in a clean house and exercise and keep up with my friends.

But then there was that internship...I didn't want an internship, but it was Participant, the only place I'd ever vocalized wanting to work. And it was do-able. I couldn't go to writing group, adn I had to work all weekend every weekend, but eventually the rocks and pebbles shifted and settled, and it was do-able.

Then one faculty got ill, and needed some assistant work done for a week or so, and I like this person and it was temporary...

I figured out the other day that between these two occupations and my in class hours, I have allocated and average of 43 hours per week. This is before transportation or eating or laundry or researching twelve page papers and shooting scenes for class. And of course before WRITING anything--for class or otherwise.

I SWEAR I put the big rocks in first...but it's like they evaporate or maybe they get ground down. I look in the bucket and it's full of a bunch of rocks I don't remember putting in there.

paper blah...

yes I'm writing a 12 page paper this weekend...actually today, since somehow tomorrow and monday I need to come up with two treatments...not sure how it's going to get done, and that's not my favorite feeling.

So my post for today is boring, but I'd like to encourage you to check out one of the newer blogs on my sidebar, written by a classmate here at USC, Laura on the Left Coast.

paid in parking

Happy election day!
I'm not going to say anything about the election, except that, for someone like me, who can feel the beginnings of an ulcer just from watching the olympics, or a spelling bee documentary, this has the makings of a long day...

But on an unrelated topic, have I ever mentioned the rates at the parking garage where I intern in Beverly Hills? $2.10 for 15 minutes. Today is my half-day. So in four hours, when I insert my little card, the display will tell me $20.00 (that might be the limit). Fortunately, although I don't get paid, like all employees, I do get validated parking. I wonder if that is calculated into the benefits package when one estimates the value?

What's up?

I'm falling behind on my unofficial once a week blog post schedule. Also, way behind on my Li'l Greenpatch returns (I've accumulated about 40 I believe) on Facebook, and have only played on game of Scramble since moving into our house two months ago...so that gives you some idea of how truly full my schedule must be!

So what's the hap? Mid-terms, writing assignments, various, usually film-related, extracurricular activities. Last weekend was the Hollywood Film Festival, which I attended on a few nights with our new roomie Max. He had a film in the fest which he directed and co-wrote with Paul, so I would say THEY had a film in the festival, except that per some not atypical political shenanigans at the FSU Film School, Paul's name was removed from the credits under duress in the final days of post production and no one can explain exactly why--or how that could possible happen. Even writing about it makes my blood boil. It's sad, because Paul learned a lot about production the school, and even now with some USC classes under my belt, I can honestly say my best writing class so far was there...and yet the first lesson that comes to mind from our experience is the importance of having a good lawyer. That's not how I want to think, and I don't want to be bitter...but there you have it.

Breathe...think of white light...

What else? I sent my absentee ballot in this week. I'm writing a short screenplay with a retired zookeeper, a taxidermist who's going blind, and a dying giraffe. The idea's not mine, we came up with it in class. It could have been a comedy, but for some reason it's coming out more sad, I was crying last night as I wrote. We need to buy kleenex--my nose hurts from blowing it on cheap toilet paper and paper towels.

I got to see Alexander Payne do a Q and A the other night.

Saw a Swedish movie today called Let the Right One In, which I recommend...Their press says it's playing at the Miracle in Tallahassee in December.

Paul's at a poker game tonight but sadly I can't go because I haven't done my five pages yet. Someone told me the other day that one writer they talked to said that he writes five pages a day, and then he's done, whether it takes one hour or ten. I think in general, if keep my nose to the grindstone and don't check my email too many times, five pages roughly translates to five hours. But it's hard to tell really, because I so rarely do sit for that amount of time without getting distracted, paying a bill, doing some research, making a phone call, making some food.

But I think a five page average could be enough to keep me caught up with most of my endeavors, so I'm trying to do that.

And thus at 8:03 pm, I take my leave of you...three pages to go. I could be done before 11pm.

But maybe I should warm up that eggplant...