Wednesday, September 12, 2007

My birthday trip to DC

I had a great time in DC, despite the oppressive heat. And it's funny cuz everyone said that while I was there - that it was actually cooler then than it had been recently. I was like, huh? Cooler? Once you figured in the humidity it felt like it was 120 degrees. How on earth could THAT be cooler?

Livin out here for the past seven years, I forgot just how freakin hot & swampy DC gets in the summer. And it's like the heat has been stickin around longer and longer lately. Back in the day, by Labor Day there was a hint of chill in the air, and we hadta take jackets w/ us to school. Not anymore. We didn't even need a jacket at night. Global warmin, indeed.

This time around I managed to see several of my cousins, my uncle, my aunt. One of my cousins threw a cookout and we had a ball!

I also got to see one of my best friends since 7th grade. She made it over to the house the day before I left. She still looks the same. It was great seein her.

I didn't get a chance to see my Grandmother, though. I wanted to but since I didn't have a rental car, I was at the mercy of other drivers in the house, and somehow we never made it down there. She was really lookin forward to seein me, and I her. I'll have to muster up enough courage to give her a call and apologize.

The day I left my folks made me some seafood. Fried soft-shell crab, shrimp, fish - but cuz I wasn't that hungry I just at the softshell crab (Mmmmm) and the shrimp. A coupla days earlier they made some deeeeeeelicious fried Channel Bass. Mmmmm, that's some good fish.

I got absolutely NO writin done while I was there. First off, it was too freakin hot to do much except sit around and practice shallow breathin, and also I was barely able to get online. See, my lil bookie (my nephew) couldn't remember the security key which I needed to get online usin my laptop (wireless signal). So I hadta resort to usin some neighbor's signal, which barely registered one bar. So it was rare that my lil laptop was able to get online. So there was no way I was able to finish writin our horror piece (it's currently stored online). Guess it's just as well, cuz the heat was so oppresive that God only knows what I woulda added to the script. LOL!

My lil bookie is drivin by himself now! He got his license in June and he's been drivin everywhere since. I wanted to take some pics of him drivin, but he didn't want to. He's actin all shy in front of the camera now, but when he was a lil kid you couldn't keep him away from the camera. Heck, he even asked if he could be in the pic w/ me - the pic that I took for my license. I thought that was so cute. Now he acts like he doesn't like takin pics. The joys of teenagehood.

Been chattin w/ this cool cat that I'm diggin. He's from Atlanta but he lives out here in Cali now. Been out here as long as I have. He's handsome, charmin, intelligent (he recently obtained his doctorate). Coinkeedeenkally, he was home in ATL durin the same time that I was home in DC. More than once, I wondered how long it'd take to drive from ATL to DC :-)

We spoke almost every night. Incidentally, he's the inspiration for my puttin up the video, "Bed", by J. Holiday. And also Raheem DeVaughn's poetic stuff. In short, he's fire.

Here's a link to some pics durin my trip.

http://tinyurl.com/2ph5cy

Mariama

Monday, August 13, 2007

Mish Mash

I FINALLY got a chance to get caught up on the HBO series, ENTOURAGE. I only have one word for it - brilliant. It's simply brilliant. Actually, I shouldn't say I got caught up on it, cuz I've only seen up to part 1 of Season 3. I haven't seen the rest, and I won't watch the most recent episodes that're airin on HBO, cuz I don't wanna watch 'em outta order. So I'ma wait til they release part 3 (in October, I believe). So it looks like I'll always be a lil bit behind the current season. But behind it or not, I'm just thrilled that I'm finally able to catch it.

I'm back in the swing of things on eHarmony. Currently e-chattin w/ several guys - and for the first time ever, I'm actually gonna date more than one guy at a time. See, in the past I'd weed out all but one and focus my time and energy on him, but not this time around. This time I'm actually gonna use the site for what it's there for - to date a variety of folks until things progress to the point where you think he's the one.

So instead of closin out matches, I'm gonna keep 'em open and actively date the ones I think would be potentially good mates. I know it's gonna be awkward at first, cuz like I said, I've never dated more than one guy at a time, but I'm sure I'll be able to pull this off, especially considerin they're guys and most likely they will be openly datin multiple girls as well.

In between episodes of ENTOURAGE and DISTURBIA, I managed to get some writin done this weekend. Still not finished w/ my short story - gotta polish the endin - but I managed to get some stuff done on the low-budget horror piece that E and I are finishin up. Things would be so much easier if I hit the lottery and could devote virtually all the time that I now spend at work - if I could then spend that time writin. That'd be sawweeeeet! Iain and I would have our scripts done in no time.

But as it stands, we've got ideas just sittin there waitin for us to develop, cuz we got full time jobs which eat up lots and lotsa time (and energy).

Don't get me wrong, we're doin OK, but I'd like for us to be doin better, in terms of the number of stuff we complete in a year… Although technically, he hasn't even been gone 2 months yet - and we're 3/4 done w/ the horror piece, and - like I said earlier, we've got 11 other projects we came up w/ while he was out, and of course we're anxious to get to 'em, one of which is an animated piece that we're downright giddy about. Plus there's the erotic noir. So we're doin okay. We just need more time.

And still we march on.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Down At The Beach

At least once a week I go down to the beach and walk for an hour. Before I started walkin home from work back in April (about a 30 minute walk) I used to go down there more often. But since I started walkin home I get my exercise that way, and now I usually only go down to the beach once or twice a week.

I strap my iPod to my arm and walk at a brisk pace. I had intended on joggin, but I thought that might be too hard on my knees, so I walk instead. I dig the ambience down there, plus I love the way the ocean breeze feels on my skin. It's like a gentle kiss.So I went down there yesterday mornin. It wasn't that crowded, thankfully, and it wasn't too hot... that is, until I noticed my temperature start to rise.

I looked up from the ocean view and that's when I saw 'em. A group of men in shorts and tee shirts joggin toward me. Big strappin men. Some were young bucs, others were seasoned vets. I knew who they were before they even spoke.

Firemen.

(MMMMMMMMmmmmmm)

It was about seven of 'em, and all of 'em were fine. I had my iPod strapped to my left arm so I knew I wouldn't be able to engage them in a convo. That is, unless I was really obvious and pushed pause, which I didn't wanna do. So I didn't wanna say too much, cuz I wouldn't be able to hear their response that well. So I simply said, "Firemen! My God! I love me some firemen."

Sike. LOL! I didn't say that. I wanted to say it, but I choked. I blinked, then smiled. They smiled, and a chorus of "Good morning"s followed, in various tones of bass and tenor.

And I said, (Thank you, God!) "Good mornin," right back. As I passed 'em I saw LBFD on their shirts. I knew it. Long Beach Fire Department.

Mmmmmm.

Later durin my walk - my radar was on again. Cuz I turned around and damn if one of those cuties wasn't joggin right behind me, smilin. He waved, and I smiled right back. But he was joggin and I was walkin, so he passed me and that was that. I wanted to run after him and strike up a convo, like, "So you're a fireman, huh?" But I didn't.

Maybe if I see 'em down there this Sunday - and you can bet my ass will be down there on Sunday - I'll work up the nerve. Cuz God knows I love me some firemen.

Mariama

Saturday, July 14, 2007

We're Quarterfinalists

Just got an email today. One of the screenplay contests that I entered Iain's and my script (s) in has just announced that one or more of the scripts that I entered has advanced to the Quarterfinalist round. 3411 scripts were entered, so that's a pretty big pool. Only thing is - you're gonna love this - I don't remember which 2 scripts I entered.

D'oh!

I narrowed it down to 3 possible scripts, but I don't remember which 2 of those 3 I entered. See, I entered tons of contests, castin the net far and wide. But due to my limited cashflow, I mixed and matched which scripts I sent where. So I don't remember which ones I sent to 'em (there were sooooo many contests). AND I don't know whether one or both scripts advanced. The email didn't specify. It just said one or more of the scripts you entered. Lovely.

It's funny, cuz Terry always says to send your stuff out and then forget about it. He always warns against ridin the emotional rollercoaster. But I never ever woulda thought I'd actually forget which scripts I entered.

Anyway, the semis will be announced on July 30th, so wish us luck!

Meanwhile I havta finish my short story for the anthology, and I also havta get back to work on Iain's and my low budget horror piece. We're aaaaallllllmost done w/ the first draft. Yay!

Mariama

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Shame The Devil


I finished the first draft of my short story which I wrote for the Retreat Anthology
http://retreatanthology.blogspot.com/

I wrote it in longhand in one of the moleskins I just bought. I prefer writin in longhand. I mean, in addition to its bein more convenient, it's also easier on my fightin off carpal tunnel syndrome right wrist.

My piece is a fantasy short, and it's still in rough shape. But that's okay, because rewritin is infinitely easier (to me) than writin that first draft. Writin the first draft is a summmmmbitch.

To ease the flow, I usually write to music. With my iPod strapped to my left arm, I wrote away to a playlist which I created specifically for this story. I used Guns N Roses Greatest Hits, 2 songs by Metallica (Enter Sandman and Unforgiven), and Linkin Park's Meteora. I set the playlist on repeat and wrote away. Last night I finshed the first draft.

I'm currently calling it Shame The Devil.

And in other news I switched my eharmony settin and asked 'em not to send me anymore matches right now. I'm gonna focus on my writing for a bit, before really diving back in the pool.

Oh and I also bought my ticket for my trip back to DC. Whenever I'm able, I like to spend my birthday w/ my twin sister, since it's her birthday, too So the first week of September, I'll be home w/ my fam. I haven't seen 'em since April, when I went back for my Momz birthday. So it's time.

Mariama

Friday, July 6, 2007

Premonitions

I'm officially single again. Yup, the guy that I was seein - we recently broke up. It wasn't an angry or fiery kinda break up. It was pretty calm. He's just not ready to commit the way I want him to. He admits he's bein selfish, but at the same time he isn't ready or willin to change his behavior. So we're just gonna be friends. I'm glad we're still gonna be friends, cuz I do consider him a friend, albeit a selfish one :-P


I would say it took me by surprise, except the night before we broke up I had the oddest dream. I dreamt I was back on eHarmony and out on a date w/ one of the prospects. The guy I was with was diggin me, but I wasn't digging him. I felt repulsed, and guilty - like I was cheating on my then b/f.


I woke up and was like, wtf? Later that day we broke up.


What's really weird is I rejoined eharmony and one of the matches looked *exactly* like the dude in my dream. I was hesitant to respond to his request to communicate, but I did anyway. I don't think I'll pursue that one much longer though, not based on how I felt in my dream.

As one of my girlfriends just reminded me, dating can be scary. And dangerous. I've seen (and avidly watch) those forensic shows, where tons of women innocently go out w/ guys, only to be discovered a coupla days later - hacked to death in their homes… or not discovered at all. No doubt that weights on my mind, as I venture back into the land of the dating.


I'll try to be cognizant of the warnin signs, especially their eyes. One thing I've noticed about those murderers from the forensics shows is their eyes don't lie. They may seem charmin, handsome, suave, caring, considerate, etc. But they *all* had eyes that were ... dead. No warmth, no humanity. Just coldness. Evil. So I'll be sure to pay special attention to their eyes. And also to my dreams.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

My celebrity Look alikes

So I'm Odysseus?


Your Score: Odysseus


66% Extroversion, 33% Intuition, 100% Emotiveness, 47% Perceptiveness



You are a generous entertainer, an observer of tradition, and you are an enthusiastic leader. You are most like Odysseus. You meet transgressions with swift retribution but you are, in the end, just and fair. You're also pretty astute -- it's hard to pull one over on you.

You're a very detail oriented person, you take your responsibilities very seriously, and you're highly dependable. You aren't particularly idealistic, and are more apt to practice a kind of situational morality, albeit a pragmatic one that you ensure is amenable to the situation at hand. Your externally defined morality also means that you have a lot of regard for law, tradition, and social structure.

Because you're a sense-oriented person, you may lack the ability to weigh your externally defined morality on a theoretical basis. This can be harmful if you aren't versed enough in the ways of the world to compare the value-system you were raised in against some of the other social and ethical systems in practice around the world. On the other hand, if you were nurtured in a non-sociopathic setting, you will find that you can be a very fair and just leader. Because your ethical code is so contingent upon your upbringing, you may find yourself in staunch and violent opposition to other Odysseus types, as well as the more analytical personalities (such as Hermes, Prometheus and the Oracle).

Leadership and tact are your strongpoints. You are adept in exploiting these to such an extent that, when you make a strategic or ethical error (as the Odysseus type is prone to do from time to time), you can recover and regain your footing in short order. This makes you a natural head of state or military brass.

Famous people like you: Bill Clinton, George Washington
Similar Personality Types: Atlas, Apollo, Pan
Personalities to Avoid: Prometheus, The Oracle, Hermes

Link: The Greek Mythology Personality Test written by Aleph_Nine on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Baah Bah Black Sheep

One of our New Zealand Wordplayer buddies did something that my writer friends and I would also love to do. He had a movie released this past weekend. It's a horror-comedy called BLACK SHEEP and he didn't just write the film, but he directed it, too. To celebrate this great achievement we got together this past Saturday up in LA to catch his film.

It didn't disappoint. It was really well made. It was bloody, but in a funny way. Hard to believe but it's true. The actors played it straight, which helped, I think, w/ the humor. There's something inherently funny about a mad weresheep that's chasin after you. We laughed and laughed and laughed s'more.

After the movie we were invited up to Terry's, where we got to kick back, chat and just enjoy each others company. We laughed, we debated (something about the plausibility of an iPod connectin to a vibrator), we danced … well, Terry danced, his girlfriend danced, but the rest of us … we sorta just nodded our heads and tapped our feet. I woulda danced if I had a drink or 3. But I only drank water that evenin, so my shyness ruled the night.


Funny thing about goin up to Terry's. I was reminded of just how long I'd been out here in Cali.

(It's easy to lose track of time out here in the land of sunshine.)

I was also reminded of how Terry used to throw these fabulous parties at his house - and we'd all go up there and drink and dance and have a really good time. I saw a remnant of one of the parties – and this was a toga one that he threw about 7 years ago. I saw a remnant from that night. It was a wreath, one of many which Mel made for a bunch of us to wear durin the toga party. I spotted that wreath, sittin on one of his shelves, and I smiled. Then I pointed it out to Mel. She smiled, too.

I've been out here for seven years, y'all. Maybe soon we'll have a movie up on the big screen, too. Lucky number 7?

Oh and before I forget, here's a link to the pics from the party:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=5ssimamh.4jqmun3d&Uy=q39qic&Ux=0

Monday, June 4, 2007

Corkboards


Iain and I are makin good progress w/ our low budget horror piece. Since he leaves next week, we've been tryna spend every moment we can workin on our script.

It's much easier to work on the script when we're in the same room, as opposed to doin it via email. Cuz when you figure in the time difference, it could easily take us a coupla days to resolve things which are now takin us no more than an hour. So we're scramblin to get as much done as we can before he goes back to England.

To that end, we finally hopped on the Corkboard wagon and bought us a corkboard. Though it's not as big as the one that TnT use (4'x5') it's big enough (3'x4').


The moment the cards went up, I knew that I'd never flesh out (or write) another script w/out one. Yeah, it's THAT good.

I can't believe how valuable it's been in terms of helpin us see our story. It's enabled us to more accurately determine when somethin is missin, superfluous, or in the wrong place. Had I known it was gonna be this useful I woulda bought one years ago.


TnT also use these boards to pitch. We haven't gone in to pitch any ideas yet, but you can bet that when we do, we'll be usin one of these boards. They're tremendously helpful.


Mariama

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Pirates Party!

The Restaurant



This was one of the best (if not THE best) Wordplay parties that we've ever had. I'm so happy Mel came outta retirement to put this together. About 55-60 folks showed up, but despite the high turnout it was still easy to hear & talk to your neighbor (in some spots that we've gone to in the past, it's so loud that it's difficult to hear; but not there). It was also possible for folks to move around and chit chat w/ folks at other ends of the table (or at the other tables).

Not me, though. I mean, physically it woulda been easy for me to move around and chat w/ others, but ... well, believe it or not I'm actually kinda shy in person, so I sorta sat in my one lil spot and watched everyone around me... that is, when I wasn't chattin (and laughin) w/ Jacquelyn (Storyteller), Stella, Iain and Pre-Pro.

I did take an occasioal break to snap some pictures, though. They're linked at the bottom of this page. Terry did his thing w/ the readin of the reviews, stoppin after every one to raffle off a gift.

See, when we first got there we all wrote our names on a piece of paper, and later Susan put 'em all in a pitcher and pulled one out after each review was read (thanks for the King :-)

Not surprisingly, both Tia Dalma's and Jack Sparrow's names were called. Surprisingly, they were both called back to back.

In between the readin of the reviews - and most of 'em were downright mean - Ted interjected and told us how abyssmal the state of film criticism is in our country. I was happy to hear him say that, cuz I've never really placed much credence in what the critics (Boooooo! Hisssssss!) hadta say anyway. As far as I'm concerned, screw 'em. As the sayin goes (somethin like) No one has ever put up a statue of a critic.

Ted also told us that he shared this lil jewel re:the state of film criticism in a recent interview in Variety... perhaps that's why the reviews are so awfully scathin? Perhaps. But it's funny how none of the reviews had any meat; they never mentioned any real story elements. They skated around the periphery, but never delved inside, thus provin Ted's point. Ironic, huh?

The Movie was s'pose to start at 7, but we were still standin in line outside at 7. It wasn't til later that we figured out the most likely reason: the folks from the previous showin were prolly stayin til the end of the credits, so they could see the final scene. That prolly threw the cleanin crew off, makin 'em wait, which threw us off, makin us wait outside when we shoulda been inside gettin seated. So we're thinkin the management just said fugettaboutit. It's already after 7. Let 'em in. And so they did.

This audience was a bit more subdued than the Long Beach audience w/ whom Mel, Iain and I initially saw the movie on Thursday night. True, folks who saw it Thursday night were hard core fans, but still... they even cheered ... um, WE even cheered durin some of the previews - especially the one for THE TRANSFORMERS. And once the film started, of course we cheered (we cheered then, too), but the Long Beach audience laughed more throughout the film. Funny.

Both audiences cheered at the end of the movie, and as they were scurryin to get out, I wanted (at both showins) to tell the audience to stay - that there was a scene at the end that they'd really wanna see. But I didn't say a word. I let 'em hurry on out, while I listened to the fantastic score.Speakin of which, bravo (again) for the Pirates Anthem, Hoist The Colors. That song is hauntingly beautiful. I got chills both times I heard it sung.

After the movie, Terry asked some of us what our favorite scene was.


**************************************

BEGIN SPOILERS BEGIN SPOILERS

While Terry was askin someone else, Iain and I discussed it and we both said that the Weddin Scene was our favorite. Someone asked Terry what his favorite was and he said it was the weddin scene. Then he asked a coupla more folks, then me. I said it was the weddin scene, but since that was already mentioned, perhaps I shoulda added a couple more. Only thing is I couldn't think of any right then off the top of my head. So lemme add a couple more here:

The scene where Davy Jones' tentacle reaches up and grabs that single tear from his eye, then Davie goes above board and - while spottin the chest which contains his heart - says somethin like: Get that infernal thing out of here.

The Tia Dalma & Davy Jones scene

Will (lookin so delicious in all that black) at the helm of the Dutchman, comin to the rescue of the Pearl.

Multiple Jacks stuff

The parlay scene, which reminds me of a western. Great shots of 'em struttin toward Will, Becket and Davie (standin in a pale of water). Will's stance durin that walk is classic.

Some of my favorite lines:

When Norrington says: Our destinies were intertwined, but never joined. It's such a heartbreakin line. And I love the way Norrington looks at Elizabeth when she pleads w/ him to come with her.

When Elizabeth says: Kiiinnnng!

When Jack says: Not among us (in answer to Elizabeth's "Where's Will?")

That's all I could think of right now.

END SPOILERS END SPOILERS****************************************

All in all, we had a great time. As usual, we Wordpayers were a kind, considerate lot; generous (Thanks, Terry!) and sure, we're witty and ... well, some of us were downright smartasstic, but we're writers, and many of us have known each other for eons, so that's to be expected. Besides, there was no bloodshed or bruises; there was just bondin. (Or somethin like it.)

It was almost ... dare I say it, magical. There's not been a gatherin like that for ages.

Here's a link to the pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=5ssimamh.9ctrg809&Uy=-7z7zjn&Ux=1

Saturday, May 19, 2007

A day off

Feels good to have a day off from work. I've been working from 6:30 to 6 all week (OT) and I woulda worked for 6 more hours today, but we weren't allowed to come in cuz no supervisor was available. I was annoyed and overjoyed at the same time. Annoyed cuz that's less money in my pocket, and overjoyed cuz it's more sleep for my body.

So since I'm off I'm gonna take advantage of the free time and get some much needed research and writing done. That is, before I meet up w/ Mel this afternoon. We're gonna catch a movie and grab somethin to eat.

I also need to go to the post-office to drop off Iain's & my script. We're actually gonna enter the Austin Film Festival this year. I'd planned on making their May 15th early entry deadline, but somehow it slipped my mind. On second thought, I guess I don't need to go to the post office. The deadline isn't 'til the 1st of June, so I could wait a lil bit longer...

... and that's prolly how I missed the early entry deadline, huh? Thoughts like that. Perhaps I should carpe the diem?

perhaps.

In any event, I do need to get some writin done today. So I should go in a bit.

Oh, this marks my first post on blogger. I've been meanin to check it out for a while now, but since I barely have time to keep my MySpace thingee up to par, I didn't think I'd have time to maintain another one as well. But for whatever reason I signed up anyway. Maybe I just love challenges.

Maybe.