Where The Eff Has Lapplander Been?
I often e-mail myself links to stories that I want to subsequently post on the blog, but my mailbox is now so full of so many outdated little nuggets that I'm going to scrap the whole enterprise for now and just tell a few stories that may or may not make you grin. You have no idea what a relief this is.
To begin: The Washington Monthly, where I had a stint as a proofreader when I first got to town, is hiring a new staff reporter/editor and I am applying. I already called one of the people I "know" there -- the one who sort of brought me on board in the first place -- and I hope to have some exciting news soon. Of course there are no guarantees, but I can't help thinking it must help a LITTLE that they all know me already.
To continue: Pirates of the Caribbean is a huge mess, as you've probably heard by now. What isn't a mess, and what you must see if you get the chance, is Once, a very well-told story about a street musician in Dublin making friends with a girl who hears him playing and what happens in their lives, especially him trying to better himself and her trying to help him. It's one of those things you can't explain succinctly without cliches, but I remember one review saying it "will reinvent the movie musical genre," which would be the truth if only more people would pay attention. All the music in the movie is part of the story and is blended seamlessly in with what is happening. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.
Also surprisingly good is Knocked Up, which I invite you to learn more about at your leisure. Every fear you could fear about it being crass or trite -- all wrong.
Moving further: I've been writing scripts for a sitcom my friend and I are trying to develop the last several months. This has taken up many of my weekends. Unfortunately, I have it from a trusted critic that my plots have lacked a little needed structure. I haven't decided what to do with this, at least not entirely, but I think the scripts might go on the back burner for a while. I've been thinking and thinking I should start a new novel I've been planning. If there's anything you should do when you hear your plots are too loose, it's start a much bigger project with more plots to handle. There's no time like the present, right? It's not like I can go to plot camp and come back ready for battle. If someone told Hemingway his plots were loose, he probably would have slugged a whiskey, shot an elephant and written The Sun Also Rises just to prove them wrong. We are very different people, Hemingway and I, and The Sun Also Rises has a very loose plot, but I can at least tangentially learn from his mythical example. I will not discuss this novel of mine unless it goes well. Then you might hear a few hints. I've always wanted to be a writer, as many of you probably know, and I've tried a few times before (in college, when most people just are not ready to write a novel), so I feel good about this new project. A lot of the spadework has already been done in my head.
An aside: My new yet older-model camera is working fantastically. There were several weekends when it ruined my and Stephanie's day because it would jam or something, and then I'd get hot with it, and then I'd be in a sour mood because it kept happening for no apparent reason and I like taking pictures. Anyway, that's all over now. It's a film camera, so don't expect a ton of photoblogging, but maybe there's a way to transfer a particularly good roll to CD or something. I'd like to be able to share a few that I think are especially good. I don't think DC has its official photo chronicler yet. Maybe I could step into those shoes.
Further along: Tomorrow my friends and I are planning to go to a wine tasting out in the countryside. Twenty dollars all you can "taste." More after that develops.
And at the moment: Stephanie volunteered for an event at work this morning, so I'm here in the room listening to new music. Please see these lyrics and set them to an upbeat Irish rock setting to have some idea of what my mind is reeling from.
Look, I spared you any mention of current events! You might not be so lucky next time...
To begin: The Washington Monthly, where I had a stint as a proofreader when I first got to town, is hiring a new staff reporter/editor and I am applying. I already called one of the people I "know" there -- the one who sort of brought me on board in the first place -- and I hope to have some exciting news soon. Of course there are no guarantees, but I can't help thinking it must help a LITTLE that they all know me already.
To continue: Pirates of the Caribbean is a huge mess, as you've probably heard by now. What isn't a mess, and what you must see if you get the chance, is Once, a very well-told story about a street musician in Dublin making friends with a girl who hears him playing and what happens in their lives, especially him trying to better himself and her trying to help him. It's one of those things you can't explain succinctly without cliches, but I remember one review saying it "will reinvent the movie musical genre," which would be the truth if only more people would pay attention. All the music in the movie is part of the story and is blended seamlessly in with what is happening. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.
Also surprisingly good is Knocked Up, which I invite you to learn more about at your leisure. Every fear you could fear about it being crass or trite -- all wrong.
Moving further: I've been writing scripts for a sitcom my friend and I are trying to develop the last several months. This has taken up many of my weekends. Unfortunately, I have it from a trusted critic that my plots have lacked a little needed structure. I haven't decided what to do with this, at least not entirely, but I think the scripts might go on the back burner for a while. I've been thinking and thinking I should start a new novel I've been planning. If there's anything you should do when you hear your plots are too loose, it's start a much bigger project with more plots to handle. There's no time like the present, right? It's not like I can go to plot camp and come back ready for battle. If someone told Hemingway his plots were loose, he probably would have slugged a whiskey, shot an elephant and written The Sun Also Rises just to prove them wrong. We are very different people, Hemingway and I, and The Sun Also Rises has a very loose plot, but I can at least tangentially learn from his mythical example. I will not discuss this novel of mine unless it goes well. Then you might hear a few hints. I've always wanted to be a writer, as many of you probably know, and I've tried a few times before (in college, when most people just are not ready to write a novel), so I feel good about this new project. A lot of the spadework has already been done in my head.
An aside: My new yet older-model camera is working fantastically. There were several weekends when it ruined my and Stephanie's day because it would jam or something, and then I'd get hot with it, and then I'd be in a sour mood because it kept happening for no apparent reason and I like taking pictures. Anyway, that's all over now. It's a film camera, so don't expect a ton of photoblogging, but maybe there's a way to transfer a particularly good roll to CD or something. I'd like to be able to share a few that I think are especially good. I don't think DC has its official photo chronicler yet. Maybe I could step into those shoes.
Further along: Tomorrow my friends and I are planning to go to a wine tasting out in the countryside. Twenty dollars all you can "taste." More after that develops.
And at the moment: Stephanie volunteered for an event at work this morning, so I'm here in the room listening to new music. Please see these lyrics and set them to an upbeat Irish rock setting to have some idea of what my mind is reeling from.
Look, I spared you any mention of current events! You might not be so lucky next time...
posted by Lapp at 9:55 AM
1 Comments:
The Monthly! If you told me about this two weeks ago when I was blasted, I apologize. In fact, I apologize for that whole thing. I hope you were entertained by my drunken neighbors, because I recognize that I was past the entertaining stage and well into the staring-at-the-wall-and-wondering-if-I'll-fall-down-when-I-eventually-get-up stage. Then Audrey had to drive you home, and that was probably not confidence-inspiring either. Guys, I'm sorry.
But do tell me what happens with the Monthly.
Since you have not posted about the Balkans, I gather Pusha gave you no astounding revelations. Too bad.
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