Hey everyone!
So, as promised, here are the reviews of the movies that I've seen since my last post. I'll have a blog up later about what's happened in the last week.
'Easy A'
This movie was billed and advertised as the next 'Mean Girls', though I would say this film could really stand on its own! About a girl who builds up a deceitful reputation as the school girl who will sleep with any guy for a little reciprocity. Any discussion of 'Easy A' should talk about how Emma Stone is an A-Lister who everyone should really be prepared to see a lot more of. She's incredibly talented, very charming, and is one of those actresses that makes me want to see more of her every time she's on screen; she seems very familiar. Her performance in this movie was outstanding, full of layers and surprising depth to a role that, had it been played by say... Lindsay Lohan, would probably have been a bit one-dimensional.
The supporting cast was amazing as well, working together to make likable characters who seemed real enough for a teen comedy. Her family was great, and this movie also shows that Amanda Bynes should work more.
The script is very well done, and was pretty original for a teen comedy. Hilarious and full of unexpected twists, I was satisfied throughout the movie. Pacing was pretty good too.
I would recommend this movie to anyone! It's tons of fun, captures modern young people very well, and is worth the time and money spent on it. The only criticism that I have would be that it's too short, and the one sided characterization of almost all of the guys in the movie. Also, more could have been made about the difference between the sexual expectations and allowances of males and females.
A-
'It's Kind of a Funny Story'
I went into this movie expecting it to be another quirky, semi-funny film that didn't live up to its trailer, and I was partly correct. Quirky? Yes. Semi-funny? Yes. But it was a lot better than I expected in some aspects.
The main character, Craig (Keir Gilchrest of 'US of Tara') is suffering from depression and checks himself into a mental ward. He meets a colorful cast of characters while trying to sort out his own feelings of numbness and inadequacy. Gilchrest does an ok job as the main character but I don't really see a difference between him in this movie and as Marshall from 'US of Tara'. He fits the character, I guess, but I can't help but think that a better actor would have made this performance more effective in bringing out the comedy and tragedy of a character who is dealing with some issues that, I expect, many of the disconnected and dulled younger generation are going through.
The real bright spot of this movie was Zack Galifianakis. His performance as a father struggling to overcome mental illness and better his life was poignant and moving, while bringing a charm to a subtle performance I would never have expected. Honestly, Galif. was the best thing about this movie, and if I had an Oscar vote, he would lead it right now. Emma Roberts was also in it and did a perfectly adequate job, making her brief, depth-lacking character likable enough. The script did a pretty good job of having a nice flow and I loved the art direction of the film. There were a lot of good factors that didn't really come together, but Galifianakis' performance is what made this movie really worthwhile.
B-
'Red'
Three words to describe this movie: So. Much. Fun! A perfect movie it is not, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie. The script was perfunctory, a typical action movie. The added twists of the former CIA agents with a rousing cast made me laugh and cringe in the best way possible. There's not much to say about the film- it's about a group of former top CIA assassins who are now themselves being hunted for unknown reasons. But this movie stars Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, and Bruce Freeman, and it has Ernest Borgnine. Ernest Borgnine! Will it win an Oscar? Helk no. (Yes, I mean Helk. Deal with it.) But this movie was-again- so much fun that you don't care. You want a movie that you can just go see and unwind, I would highly recommend 'Red'.
B+
'For Colored Girls'
I'm a bit confused as to how to grade this one. I'm a big fan of Tyler Perry, and I feel as if many of the criticisms heaped upon him are, though partially valid, are more due to a lack of understanding of African-American culture, or, as in the case of Roger Ebert, a distaste for the way that Perry portrays it.
Me? I love it. I'm obviously not African-American, but TP's movies remind me of home, of my family and faith, and while saccharine to the point of cloying, they usually are known for strong, complex female characters (a particular weakness of mine) and happy endings. 'For Colored Girls' delivers on that, so naturally I enjoyed it. As a matter of fact, if I were grading this film purely on acting, I would hand it an A+. Listen to this cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Loretta Divine, Thandie Newton, Kimberly Elise, Janet Jackson, and Tessa Thompson. Let that set in. That cast kicks your cast's ass. And they acted the pants off (literally?) of themselves in this movie. The performance drew out so many emotions in me as I watched that it made me want to watch it more.
If I were to compare films to football, I would say that acting and direction are the offense, screenwriting and cinematography are the defense, and everything else is special teams. All three parts are equally important but the saying goes: offense sells tickets, defense wins championships. I would say that the screenwriting in this is the reason why it is so poorly received and will not get much acclaim. Tyler Perry has, perhaps admirably, tried to stay faithful to the theatre show, with dialogue befitting of a play. Therein lies the weakness of the script. Perry has his basis in theatre, and is known for stepping out of his box and trying new things. However, his inexperience shows in the script; the slam poetry-esque monologues stop the flow of the film, and while beautiful, take away from the realism that the script is presenting, with real women and real struggles. The only effective one is a voice over, a trick that Perry would have been wise to employ more. Still, it seems as if every character has more than one slam monologue (with the same background music playing, no less), and it really takes away from the film. Still, I don't think that this begats the terrible reviews from the same critics who gave Transformers a passable grade.
I'll say B for this, though you should see it for the acting.
'Skyline'
The worst movie of the year. The acting was stilted, the script pedantic, but I guess the effects were cool. No, I'm not talking about Avatar, but I'm sure that if James Cameron had his name on Skyline it would probably be up for some awards. Soapbox done.
Anyway, there's not much to say about this film except it was terrible. Absolutely atrocious, in every way. I feel very much as if it was a hasty response to District 9 and Cloverfield, sans the talent in screenwriting and plus a lot of indulgent, unoriginal tropes with twists designed to surprise and challenge that do nothing of the sort.
If bad but cool looking alien invasion movies are your thing, then by all means see this movie. But for everyone else, this movie gets:
F.
----------------------------------------------------------------
That's all for now! Meanwhile, I want to see the following movies soon:
127 Hours
Four Lions
Conviction
Howl
Never Let Me Go
Burlesque
Harry Potter
Black Swan
Let me know if you want to go! Peace out.
Brian
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
When the Going Gets Tough...
Hey all,
So it's been almost two months since my last post... sorry! I put off posting because I was waiting to hear about a job that I applied for and ended up not getting. What's been happening since? Here's the lowdown:
I applied for a job back home in Wharton, and I didn't get it. sadface.
Texas Football has been underwhelming and breaking my heart. sadface sadface
Submitted my musical for New Works Fest. Didn't get it. Soulcrushing.
Good news: I did get into graduate school at Concordia, and I'll be starting as a Masters of Education student in January! My mom and I are also going on vacation to New York in a few weeks, so that's something I'm looking forward to. It will be good to get a vacation and then start grad school. It sounds weird but this actually helps my bank account, as well! (I know, sounds crazy, but it does!).
Some people might be confused as to why I'm getting a Master's Degree in Education, and it's because this offers me a lot of opportunities. It lets me teach, and it gives me a Degree that I will be very dedicated to and have a chance to get good grades in. A GPA of 4.0 in a Master's is more impressive than a 3.0 in undergrad degrees, right?
Anyway, it's felt like life has kicked my face in the ass lately. Aside from my bills completely overwhelming me, and the rejection from jobs/festivals, I've also just felt pretty alone up in my area. Living far away from campus where most of my friends live secludes me from really being able to hang out with people, and most of my friends are gone at this point. I really may just need to go somewhere new to make new friends, I'm not sure. I'm terrible with social stuff, though, so I doubt it's location so much as just me. I realize more as I get older just how awkward and socially impaired that I am. I love being around people and hanging out with friends, but I think it's just being being around people makes me comfortable. I am terrible at making conversation and always feel like I'm just a big, intruding pile of awkward. But it doesn't matter, I guess. I've always lived and had friends for 'now', and that works for me.
Driver's License Challenge
I realized the other day that my Driver's License is due for renewal in February (I know, I'm old. Womp womp). But as I have been struggling to find a weight loss goal that works for me, I have come up with one! I want to be back to the same weight that I was when I first got my DL in 2004. That will require me to lose 10 pounds a month for the next 4 months. This is completely possible, and doable, and is already been a bit effective. I'm down 3 pounds for sure, and have been going from 3-6 off for the month as of yet. I figure that 2-3 pounds a week is pretty good and on track. If I can do this then I can hopefully start a pattern that will get me to my goal weight of 157. So, if you see me, do not let me drink sodas or eat crazy bad foods. The big thing is not eating foods that don't match nutrition and flavor, as well as not in excess. I don't like wasting food and so now I need to learn to pack stuff up sooner. This is gonna happen, can't wait to see it.
Movie Stuff
I'll say it again- Scott Pilgrim is the best film of 2010 and one of the defining films of my generation.
Also, I saw RED, and it was great! I'll probably have a separate post in the next week for the movies that I've seen since September.
So, I don't think many people read this blog, but if you do, please feel free to leave comments! I'll get back to them as soon as I can.
I'm going to post more, especially with my live becoming more interesting in the next few months. Love y'all!
Brian
So it's been almost two months since my last post... sorry! I put off posting because I was waiting to hear about a job that I applied for and ended up not getting. What's been happening since? Here's the lowdown:
I applied for a job back home in Wharton, and I didn't get it. sadface.
Texas Football has been underwhelming and breaking my heart. sadface sadface
Submitted my musical for New Works Fest. Didn't get it. Soulcrushing.
Good news: I did get into graduate school at Concordia, and I'll be starting as a Masters of Education student in January! My mom and I are also going on vacation to New York in a few weeks, so that's something I'm looking forward to. It will be good to get a vacation and then start grad school. It sounds weird but this actually helps my bank account, as well! (I know, sounds crazy, but it does!).
Some people might be confused as to why I'm getting a Master's Degree in Education, and it's because this offers me a lot of opportunities. It lets me teach, and it gives me a Degree that I will be very dedicated to and have a chance to get good grades in. A GPA of 4.0 in a Master's is more impressive than a 3.0 in undergrad degrees, right?
Anyway, it's felt like life has kicked my face in the ass lately. Aside from my bills completely overwhelming me, and the rejection from jobs/festivals, I've also just felt pretty alone up in my area. Living far away from campus where most of my friends live secludes me from really being able to hang out with people, and most of my friends are gone at this point. I really may just need to go somewhere new to make new friends, I'm not sure. I'm terrible with social stuff, though, so I doubt it's location so much as just me. I realize more as I get older just how awkward and socially impaired that I am. I love being around people and hanging out with friends, but I think it's just being being around people makes me comfortable. I am terrible at making conversation and always feel like I'm just a big, intruding pile of awkward. But it doesn't matter, I guess. I've always lived and had friends for 'now', and that works for me.
Driver's License Challenge
I realized the other day that my Driver's License is due for renewal in February (I know, I'm old. Womp womp). But as I have been struggling to find a weight loss goal that works for me, I have come up with one! I want to be back to the same weight that I was when I first got my DL in 2004. That will require me to lose 10 pounds a month for the next 4 months. This is completely possible, and doable, and is already been a bit effective. I'm down 3 pounds for sure, and have been going from 3-6 off for the month as of yet. I figure that 2-3 pounds a week is pretty good and on track. If I can do this then I can hopefully start a pattern that will get me to my goal weight of 157. So, if you see me, do not let me drink sodas or eat crazy bad foods. The big thing is not eating foods that don't match nutrition and flavor, as well as not in excess. I don't like wasting food and so now I need to learn to pack stuff up sooner. This is gonna happen, can't wait to see it.
Movie Stuff
I'll say it again- Scott Pilgrim is the best film of 2010 and one of the defining films of my generation.
Also, I saw RED, and it was great! I'll probably have a separate post in the next week for the movies that I've seen since September.
So, I don't think many people read this blog, but if you do, please feel free to leave comments! I'll get back to them as soon as I can.
I'm going to post more, especially with my live becoming more interesting in the next few months. Love y'all!
Brian
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
I Promise I'm not a Slacker...
Hey there, everyone!
OK, so I realize that it's been a long while since the last time that I posted but it's not because I forgot...
To get you all up to speed, here's what's been happenin:
I applied to a job back home (at WCJC) and I really wanted it. The problem is that you never know what people read these days when they're looking at applicants for jobs and I didn't want to blog about the job situation while I was waiting to hear back from it. Which I did- I didn't get the job. I was pretty depressed for an afternoon; it was a job that I am pretty qualified for and had sort of begun really wanting. I haven't been contacted at all for a few weeks, and that's always frustrating, though I think the real thing is that I don't like to fail at things, and I especially like to know why I've failed so that I can fix my mistakes.
Regardless, if there's one thing that I take solace in, it's that God is always looking out for me and making sure that whatever happens to me, it's for the best. That belief was really tested last week though. My brakes went out on Tuesday of last week and the car shop dented my wallet a good 700 dollars. Which of course, I don't have, so thanks to my parents for helping out and to temporary loan services. The short of it is, I need to get another source of income. I'm looking for part-time jobs right now, something that will work with my full time job, but it's tough. My big fear is that I just need to find a new job.
I don't like this thought. My job is awesome, and I love it. The salary, though, is just not livable. (Which, yes, I get is an incredibly privileged, and seemingly ungrateful thing to say, but bear with me.) After my rent and student loans, I'm left each month with approximately 500 dollars to pay for all of my bills (about 220), gas (about 80), groceries (about 100) and whatever else I want to do/save is what's left over. I'd be fine if my student loans weren't a third of my monthly paycheck but obz that's not an option for me. So... I need a way to make more money a month. This means that most of you will probably start seeing a lot less of me. (Though don't count your chickens before they hatch!) I have to get a second job first, which will be task number 1 for the next month.
And hey- don't feel sorry for me. I'm not writing this to make anyone pity me, I'm writing it to motivate myself and get my thoughts out. BUT you can definitely help me by clicking the adds anywhere on the blog- every little bit helps! :D
Aside from that, things are good. Texas football is back and my life is a little bit brighter in the last few weeks! I have season tickets for the first time and it's a beautiful thing- no more finding cheap ones on craigslist or hoping that they don't check my student ID. We've gotten off to a slow start, but there's a lot of talent there, with tons more potential. I trust our coaches and think that this year will be a good one.
Oh, and Glee comes back in one week and I am ecstatic beyond belief. I'm trying to keep an Empire State of Mind the next seven days!
Lastly, I'm applying to grad school, officially. I had put it off in my thought process because I really wanted to get this job, but I'm going for it. Yay wish me luck.
Movies
I saw four movies in the span of time between the last post.
1. Despicable Me- It was good! No Toy Story 3, of course, but an enjoyable film nonetheless. It was very much a movie for right now, with jokes that made sense to those of us seeing pop culture right now. Give it a few years and it's going to be a very dated movie, though the little yellow creatures in it were fun. The story was good, and it was especially good for me because I'm a softie when it comes to adoption and orphans and, lack of said orphans breaking into song about living a hard knock life nonwithstanding, I was entertained through the entire film. Grade: B
2. Charlie St. Cloud- I honestly don't know how I felt about this movie. The first hour was frustrating, with little glimpses of a great story that would lose their sheen upon their fruition. The third act, though was amazing. If the entire movie had been like the last 30 minutes, it would have been one of my best movies of the year. Zac Efron, btw, is an amazing actor. I mean, he could end up being one of the outstanding actors of our generation if given the chance. And by if given the chance, I mean if he goes back to choosing movies that fit him for a few more years. His acting skill was on display in this movie and was evident in 'Me and Orson Welles' but idk... he's a bankable star, as proven by HSM and Hairspray. 17 Again was great, and he also showed his ability in that movie too. I understand his desire to get edgier roles for the future, and that it's not like I'm picking movies or anything, but if he's gonna try to get past the Disney image, he may want to do some indie films a la Joseph Gordon-Levitt's 'Brick' or 'Mysterious Skin'. If you want to get some edge, you have to go full out, not just wade into it. But I have high hopes for him- he's talented enough to deserve a long stay in Hollywood. Grade: C+
3. The Other Guys- I did not enjoy this movie in the least bit. In fact, my group of ten friends who I saw it with were apparently the only people in America who hated it but alas- hated it we did. The only things I liked about this movie were Will Ferrell (because I think he's always funny, even if he's always the same) and Samuel L. Jackson. Samuel is gone after five minutes. It seemed to me like some hipster fresh out of RTF school got high and thought, 'What if I tried to make a satire of the cop buddy movies' and just wrote whatever he thought. I hated the writing, the delivery of most of the jokes, the story, and the acting. Honestly, I don't understand what people found entertaining about it. We were all perplexed. (Though I'm glad Will Ferrell had a success- cross your fingers for Anchorman 2!) Grade: D-
4. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World- OK people, rant time- THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE THAT I HAVE SEEN THIS YEAR. What is that you say? Inception? Sure it was awesome. But not awesome like Scott was. Toy Story 3? Heartbreakingly beautiful. But Scott has better (and more attractive) toys. I loved this movie, and I truly believe that everyone in my generation will too, if they just see it. It's so amazing. So good. I'm going to see it for a third time sometime soon, after Easy A (which incidentally looks amazing. I cannot wait). Grade: metA+
Finally
That's all for now. I promise to be better at posting, and I hope you'll all keep reading!
Brian
OK, so I realize that it's been a long while since the last time that I posted but it's not because I forgot...
To get you all up to speed, here's what's been happenin:
I applied to a job back home (at WCJC) and I really wanted it. The problem is that you never know what people read these days when they're looking at applicants for jobs and I didn't want to blog about the job situation while I was waiting to hear back from it. Which I did- I didn't get the job. I was pretty depressed for an afternoon; it was a job that I am pretty qualified for and had sort of begun really wanting. I haven't been contacted at all for a few weeks, and that's always frustrating, though I think the real thing is that I don't like to fail at things, and I especially like to know why I've failed so that I can fix my mistakes.
Regardless, if there's one thing that I take solace in, it's that God is always looking out for me and making sure that whatever happens to me, it's for the best. That belief was really tested last week though. My brakes went out on Tuesday of last week and the car shop dented my wallet a good 700 dollars. Which of course, I don't have, so thanks to my parents for helping out and to temporary loan services. The short of it is, I need to get another source of income. I'm looking for part-time jobs right now, something that will work with my full time job, but it's tough. My big fear is that I just need to find a new job.
I don't like this thought. My job is awesome, and I love it. The salary, though, is just not livable. (Which, yes, I get is an incredibly privileged, and seemingly ungrateful thing to say, but bear with me.) After my rent and student loans, I'm left each month with approximately 500 dollars to pay for all of my bills (about 220), gas (about 80), groceries (about 100) and whatever else I want to do/save is what's left over. I'd be fine if my student loans weren't a third of my monthly paycheck but obz that's not an option for me. So... I need a way to make more money a month. This means that most of you will probably start seeing a lot less of me. (Though don't count your chickens before they hatch!) I have to get a second job first, which will be task number 1 for the next month.
And hey- don't feel sorry for me. I'm not writing this to make anyone pity me, I'm writing it to motivate myself and get my thoughts out. BUT you can definitely help me by clicking the adds anywhere on the blog- every little bit helps! :D
Aside from that, things are good. Texas football is back and my life is a little bit brighter in the last few weeks! I have season tickets for the first time and it's a beautiful thing- no more finding cheap ones on craigslist or hoping that they don't check my student ID. We've gotten off to a slow start, but there's a lot of talent there, with tons more potential. I trust our coaches and think that this year will be a good one.
Oh, and Glee comes back in one week and I am ecstatic beyond belief. I'm trying to keep an Empire State of Mind the next seven days!
Lastly, I'm applying to grad school, officially. I had put it off in my thought process because I really wanted to get this job, but I'm going for it. Yay wish me luck.
Movies
I saw four movies in the span of time between the last post.
1. Despicable Me- It was good! No Toy Story 3, of course, but an enjoyable film nonetheless. It was very much a movie for right now, with jokes that made sense to those of us seeing pop culture right now. Give it a few years and it's going to be a very dated movie, though the little yellow creatures in it were fun. The story was good, and it was especially good for me because I'm a softie when it comes to adoption and orphans and, lack of said orphans breaking into song about living a hard knock life nonwithstanding, I was entertained through the entire film. Grade: B
2. Charlie St. Cloud- I honestly don't know how I felt about this movie. The first hour was frustrating, with little glimpses of a great story that would lose their sheen upon their fruition. The third act, though was amazing. If the entire movie had been like the last 30 minutes, it would have been one of my best movies of the year. Zac Efron, btw, is an amazing actor. I mean, he could end up being one of the outstanding actors of our generation if given the chance. And by if given the chance, I mean if he goes back to choosing movies that fit him for a few more years. His acting skill was on display in this movie and was evident in 'Me and Orson Welles' but idk... he's a bankable star, as proven by HSM and Hairspray. 17 Again was great, and he also showed his ability in that movie too. I understand his desire to get edgier roles for the future, and that it's not like I'm picking movies or anything, but if he's gonna try to get past the Disney image, he may want to do some indie films a la Joseph Gordon-Levitt's 'Brick' or 'Mysterious Skin'. If you want to get some edge, you have to go full out, not just wade into it. But I have high hopes for him- he's talented enough to deserve a long stay in Hollywood. Grade: C+
3. The Other Guys- I did not enjoy this movie in the least bit. In fact, my group of ten friends who I saw it with were apparently the only people in America who hated it but alas- hated it we did. The only things I liked about this movie were Will Ferrell (because I think he's always funny, even if he's always the same) and Samuel L. Jackson. Samuel is gone after five minutes. It seemed to me like some hipster fresh out of RTF school got high and thought, 'What if I tried to make a satire of the cop buddy movies' and just wrote whatever he thought. I hated the writing, the delivery of most of the jokes, the story, and the acting. Honestly, I don't understand what people found entertaining about it. We were all perplexed. (Though I'm glad Will Ferrell had a success- cross your fingers for Anchorman 2!) Grade: D-
4. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World- OK people, rant time- THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE THAT I HAVE SEEN THIS YEAR. What is that you say? Inception? Sure it was awesome. But not awesome like Scott was. Toy Story 3? Heartbreakingly beautiful. But Scott has better (and more attractive) toys. I loved this movie, and I truly believe that everyone in my generation will too, if they just see it. It's so amazing. So good. I'm going to see it for a third time sometime soon, after Easy A (which incidentally looks amazing. I cannot wait). Grade: metA+
Finally
That's all for now. I promise to be better at posting, and I hope you'll all keep reading!
Brian
Friday, July 23, 2010
What's Been Happening
It's been a few weeks since my last post, which is more than I'd like. There just hasn't been much to blog about and I would rather spare y'all from boring blogs about nothing (well, if you didn't enjoy that, you probably would not be reading this blog, but whatever).
Movie Stuff
Anyway, first thing first: "Inception" was just as good as everyone told you. Well, about 99% as good as people told you. The problems that I had with it were minute and totally forgiveable; it's by far the most original movie that I've seen in a long time (read: a few years), though the more that I think about it, the more I realize that it progressed ideas from some of my favorite movies, particularly 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. These films actually share a lot of the same concepts, with the main difference being that 'Eternal Sunshine' is a romance and 'Inception' is a thriller.
Regardless, 'Inception' has been one of the best films of the year. Definitely an 'A', but not yet an A +. I think it's slipping from 2nd to 3rd on my list of best films this year, which as of yet is:
1. Toy Story 3
2. Shutter Island
3. Inception
4. TiMER.
For me, this has been a great movie year. I've enjoyed almost all of the movies I've seen (though that's probably because I've only seen movies that I expect to enjoy). Still, there have been a lot fewer disappointments for me than other years. I've yet, however, to have a movie stand out to me like 'Up' did last year as my favorite film. 'TiMER' is probably at the top, but that's because something has to be. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing movie, I just need something with an extra pop.
Good-bye?
Why is everyone leaving? Within the period of a month I've had about ten friends move to New York and a good number of others go to various places. I'm no stranger to attrition- it's a natural consequence of graduating, and I'm very familiar. It just seems as if there's more people leaving this year than others, and most of them to New York.
It's weird and I'd probably be fine with it if it weren't people that I always kind of expected to be around. That added to my growing feeling that Austin isn't where I'm supposed to be anymore, and I'm getting pretty antsy.
Now hear this- I LOVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND IT WILL FOREVER BE MY HOME. I'm pretty sure that Austin is the best place in the world. Just right now... it's like when you really love something, you have to let it go. And I need to go, preferably to LA.
I mean, my family really doesn't want me to go. My mom and grandma make sure to pepper in every conversation the fact that they think it would be a bad decision; not so much as that I couldn't handle it (though Nanny says I'm too trusting) but more that they just want me to be close. I just want to go for a few years at least. I could go for a year and hate it and move back and live happily ever after in Texas (which is kind of my plan on a much shorter scale, anyway) and that would be fine. But I need to get out, and try my hand while I'm young.
You may be sensing a theme in the blog: me going to LA and trying (thought-read that- or verbally read it, if you must- with emphasis on TRYing) to get work in the entertainment industry doing varied jobs. I just figure that there's really only a few more years that I have to go and try. But my family is my biggest support system and I don't want to hurt them/lose that support... it's a conundrum.
Anyway, I've decided to take a stand of sorts and am putting a pin on next year's calendar. I want to move to LA next August. It's about 60 percent right now; I need to get a second job here in Austin to build a big savings before I head out there, not to mention get a LOT more experience before I do. I'm waiting to hear back on a few, but nothing doing. If any of you have suggestions as to what I should do... please let me know.
Things I need: Prayer, more than anything. I want God to be backin me up on this, and I'm pretty positive He is, which is why I'm being so adamant about it. Still, James let's us know that He still wants us to pray and ask and He'll work!
More acting lessons: My acting is gradually coming back and I do think that I'm almost back to what I used to be, but experience is key. Plus, I can only see what I'm doing from my own, albeit hypercritical, viewpoint. I need an outsider who knows what they're doing to help me. One of my strengths is fixing flaws (when I see them as a flaw, which is one of my weaknesses) and teachers always help me find them so that I can eliminate them. If you're reading this and want to help me out there, well, I make some awesome quiches and desserts, we can figure something out.
A second job. Do you know anything I can do? Have suggestions to find things? It has to be in addition to my 8-5 and that complicates a lot of things. But it will work out.
To win the lottery: Hey, a guy can dream!
I know that I'm just a cliche guy with a dream to be a performer, but dang it, this is the only thing that I really want to be doing and I'm gonna go for it. Help is always welcome!
Weight Loss
Hokay, last part of the post: I'm losing weight. Kind of. Here's what I'm doing-
1. Right now, I'm on a diet. I'm eating 1600-1800 calories a day, which is 700-800 less than what I'm technically 'supposed' to be eating. Also, striving to eliminate sodas and very fatty foods (though I broke down and got some Church's Chicken last week- don't judge, you know you can't resist either). Also, I'm buying more beans and leafy greens and lean meats to cook. These are all things I eat normally; I'm actually a relatively healthy eater, I think, but my problem is that I eat too much and don't exercise enough. My diet is more about moderation and frugality (because the less food I eat, especially fast food, the more money I save!).
2. Exercise. I move into my new apartment complex next Sunday and the fitness center/pool are all right downstairs from me. I've got an exercise routine planned and will be doing an hour to an hour and a half of exercise everyday, plus having fun in the pool occasionally. This is the biggest part of my weight loss goals and I'm sticking to it. It's going to be a regular part of my day and I'm prepared for it.
3. HealtheTrim. I know what you're thinking, supplements? *Side-glance-eye-roll* Still, I've been looking at all the ingredients and they're all good things, particularly the dose of green tea. And the results that others have had (particularly the people in the Bobby Bones Weight Loss Challenge) is pretty undeniable. I figure I'm gonna give it a month and if it works, then I'll continue.
That's it for right now. I'm gonna try to post again in the next week, but it's gonna be hectic, what with moving and preparing for the Bobby Bones Name-That-Tune tournament.
Talk to you soon,
Brian
Movie Stuff
Anyway, first thing first: "Inception" was just as good as everyone told you. Well, about 99% as good as people told you. The problems that I had with it were minute and totally forgiveable; it's by far the most original movie that I've seen in a long time (read: a few years), though the more that I think about it, the more I realize that it progressed ideas from some of my favorite movies, particularly 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. These films actually share a lot of the same concepts, with the main difference being that 'Eternal Sunshine' is a romance and 'Inception' is a thriller.
Regardless, 'Inception' has been one of the best films of the year. Definitely an 'A', but not yet an A +. I think it's slipping from 2nd to 3rd on my list of best films this year, which as of yet is:
1. Toy Story 3
2. Shutter Island
3. Inception
4. TiMER.
For me, this has been a great movie year. I've enjoyed almost all of the movies I've seen (though that's probably because I've only seen movies that I expect to enjoy). Still, there have been a lot fewer disappointments for me than other years. I've yet, however, to have a movie stand out to me like 'Up' did last year as my favorite film. 'TiMER' is probably at the top, but that's because something has to be. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing movie, I just need something with an extra pop.
Good-bye?
Why is everyone leaving? Within the period of a month I've had about ten friends move to New York and a good number of others go to various places. I'm no stranger to attrition- it's a natural consequence of graduating, and I'm very familiar. It just seems as if there's more people leaving this year than others, and most of them to New York.
It's weird and I'd probably be fine with it if it weren't people that I always kind of expected to be around. That added to my growing feeling that Austin isn't where I'm supposed to be anymore, and I'm getting pretty antsy.
Now hear this- I LOVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND IT WILL FOREVER BE MY HOME. I'm pretty sure that Austin is the best place in the world. Just right now... it's like when you really love something, you have to let it go. And I need to go, preferably to LA.
I mean, my family really doesn't want me to go. My mom and grandma make sure to pepper in every conversation the fact that they think it would be a bad decision; not so much as that I couldn't handle it (though Nanny says I'm too trusting) but more that they just want me to be close. I just want to go for a few years at least. I could go for a year and hate it and move back and live happily ever after in Texas (which is kind of my plan on a much shorter scale, anyway) and that would be fine. But I need to get out, and try my hand while I'm young.
You may be sensing a theme in the blog: me going to LA and trying (thought-read that- or verbally read it, if you must- with emphasis on TRYing) to get work in the entertainment industry doing varied jobs. I just figure that there's really only a few more years that I have to go and try. But my family is my biggest support system and I don't want to hurt them/lose that support... it's a conundrum.
Anyway, I've decided to take a stand of sorts and am putting a pin on next year's calendar. I want to move to LA next August. It's about 60 percent right now; I need to get a second job here in Austin to build a big savings before I head out there, not to mention get a LOT more experience before I do. I'm waiting to hear back on a few, but nothing doing. If any of you have suggestions as to what I should do... please let me know.
Things I need: Prayer, more than anything. I want God to be backin me up on this, and I'm pretty positive He is, which is why I'm being so adamant about it. Still, James let's us know that He still wants us to pray and ask and He'll work!
More acting lessons: My acting is gradually coming back and I do think that I'm almost back to what I used to be, but experience is key. Plus, I can only see what I'm doing from my own, albeit hypercritical, viewpoint. I need an outsider who knows what they're doing to help me. One of my strengths is fixing flaws (when I see them as a flaw, which is one of my weaknesses) and teachers always help me find them so that I can eliminate them. If you're reading this and want to help me out there, well, I make some awesome quiches and desserts, we can figure something out.
A second job. Do you know anything I can do? Have suggestions to find things? It has to be in addition to my 8-5 and that complicates a lot of things. But it will work out.
To win the lottery: Hey, a guy can dream!
I know that I'm just a cliche guy with a dream to be a performer, but dang it, this is the only thing that I really want to be doing and I'm gonna go for it. Help is always welcome!
Weight Loss
Hokay, last part of the post: I'm losing weight. Kind of. Here's what I'm doing-
1. Right now, I'm on a diet. I'm eating 1600-1800 calories a day, which is 700-800 less than what I'm technically 'supposed' to be eating. Also, striving to eliminate sodas and very fatty foods (though I broke down and got some Church's Chicken last week- don't judge, you know you can't resist either). Also, I'm buying more beans and leafy greens and lean meats to cook. These are all things I eat normally; I'm actually a relatively healthy eater, I think, but my problem is that I eat too much and don't exercise enough. My diet is more about moderation and frugality (because the less food I eat, especially fast food, the more money I save!).
2. Exercise. I move into my new apartment complex next Sunday and the fitness center/pool are all right downstairs from me. I've got an exercise routine planned and will be doing an hour to an hour and a half of exercise everyday, plus having fun in the pool occasionally. This is the biggest part of my weight loss goals and I'm sticking to it. It's going to be a regular part of my day and I'm prepared for it.
3. HealtheTrim. I know what you're thinking, supplements? *Side-glance-eye-roll* Still, I've been looking at all the ingredients and they're all good things, particularly the dose of green tea. And the results that others have had (particularly the people in the Bobby Bones Weight Loss Challenge) is pretty undeniable. I figure I'm gonna give it a month and if it works, then I'll continue.
That's it for right now. I'm gonna try to post again in the next week, but it's gonna be hectic, what with moving and preparing for the Bobby Bones Name-That-Tune tournament.
Talk to you soon,
Brian
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Relationship Wednesday
Let me preface this by saying a few things: 'Relationship Wednesday' is not necessarily going to be a recurring thing, I just liked the title. Also, the point of this blog is for me to come to understand myself and my views on other things more, not for me to brood or talk about being lonely or my own social inadequacy. Though my life is very far from perfect, I have a lot to be thankful for; I'm also of the belief that you don't need someone to live a life that is full.
Having said that, yesterday was just filled with stuff that had to do with relationships and where I'm at in thinking about them, thus the post was born. (Metaphorically, not physically.)
We'll start off with a movie review. I finally got to see 'TiMER', a movie that I've been wanting to see for a long time.
The premise of the film is intriguing; a company has come up with a device (the nominal 'TiMER) that helps you find your soulmate. There are a few caveats, of course- you will only know if the other person is your soulmate if you both have a TiMER, and while you may know your soulmate, it may not necessarily be love at first sight. In comes Oona, played by the wonderfully sardonic Emma Caulfield. Oona's had her TiMER since she was fourteen, and it's completely blank. She takes new boyfriends to get TiMERs and find if they're her 'one' but to no avail, and commiserates with her step-sister Steph, who is not destined to meet her soulmate until she's very late into her life.
Feeling added pressure from her parents, friends while also wondering about time (Oona's about to turn 30), our heroine decides to have a fling with a grocery store clerk that randomly hits on her as she's checking out. Mikey has a TiMER that's counting down for 4 months till he meets his soulmate but he and Oona decide to have fun for a while, at least until they should meet their 'ones'. The result is a very fun and surprisingly insightful look into short term relationships and the notion of 'one true love'.
I really enjoyed this movie, and not just because I identified a lot with Oona. Caulfield, (Anya from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) brings such a believable charm to the role of a Type-A woman who longs deeply for her one but is beginning to see time escaping and wondering if there is even someone out there for her. Oona is played as a no-nonsense, exasperated-but-fun woman and goes beyond being a stereotypical husband hunter; she does long for her one true love but she also has a good living and a great family. It's a great commentary on the social pressure for people to be in relationships.
There were also great turns by Michelle Borth (who I could have sworn was Anne Hathaway) as the acerbic and smart alec Steph, the sister who enjoys helping guys on TiMER countdown "sow their wild oats", and by John Patrick Amedori, who surprised me with the realism, depth and cleverness that he portrayed as Mikey, the slacker musician who falls for Oona.
The film itself was greatly intriguing, challenging, and heart-provoking (it made me think and tugged at my heart. It's a new phrase- use it!) Witty writing added to the film's subtle intensity, always drawing me in with jokes and the occasionally cliche indie-film pretention while simultaneously having lots of depth and truth to the humor. I really enjoyed this movie and am sad that it wasn't promoted further. Grade: A
Also, whilst speaking about relationships, two things:
First, I had a friend on facebook who was overjoyed at the fact that Hawaii vetoed same sex civil unions yesterday. His status ended up having comments mostly consisting of "YES!!!!!1!1111!!!!", which disgusted me on multiple levels (one of which being a lack of typing ability).
The other reason I was disgusted, or rather- disconcerted was the overwhelming joy that he and his friends felt about oppression and the theft of civil rights from people who are in love. I completely understand being in opposition to gay marriage; I don't agree with that stance, but I understand. A few years back (well, in high school) I was all about keeping marriage as God wanted, etc, etc. My faith in God is the most important thing in my life and I am not gonna judge people who want to glorify Him and see this as obeying Him.
Where I get discouraged, however, is with the joy that comes with oppressing. Marriage is a civil right- there are also rights and privileges awarded with that right. For me, personally, considering marriage and its consequences/rights as provided by the government the same thing as marriage defined by the Bible is the most offensive and dangerous thing to Christian marriage there is. What is marriage? Biblically, it's a way for Christians to reflect the love that Christ has for the Church. So if we're going to keep gays from marrying in the states (which, btw, are NOT religious- they're secular), then why are we allowing non-Christians to get married? That's by definition a non-Christian marriage. And divorce? That's definitely not supposed to happen. But did you know that marriages in the Church are more likely to end in divorce than not? We should be focusing on our own marriages and not taking joy away from people (and more importantly, civil rights) simply because they happen to have the same genitals.
I say, let the gays marry. Let them marry and let us as Christians really get into what marriage means for those of us in the Church. It's not going to hurt us, but it is hurting our fellow Americans and that's unacceptable.
So... that turned out to be a rant. Well, a rant and a movie review. I hope you (if anyone reads this) enjoyed it, and feel free to leave comments!
Having said that, yesterday was just filled with stuff that had to do with relationships and where I'm at in thinking about them, thus the post was born. (Metaphorically, not physically.)
We'll start off with a movie review. I finally got to see 'TiMER', a movie that I've been wanting to see for a long time.
The premise of the film is intriguing; a company has come up with a device (the nominal 'TiMER) that helps you find your soulmate. There are a few caveats, of course- you will only know if the other person is your soulmate if you both have a TiMER, and while you may know your soulmate, it may not necessarily be love at first sight. In comes Oona, played by the wonderfully sardonic Emma Caulfield. Oona's had her TiMER since she was fourteen, and it's completely blank. She takes new boyfriends to get TiMERs and find if they're her 'one' but to no avail, and commiserates with her step-sister Steph, who is not destined to meet her soulmate until she's very late into her life.
Feeling added pressure from her parents, friends while also wondering about time (Oona's about to turn 30), our heroine decides to have a fling with a grocery store clerk that randomly hits on her as she's checking out. Mikey has a TiMER that's counting down for 4 months till he meets his soulmate but he and Oona decide to have fun for a while, at least until they should meet their 'ones'. The result is a very fun and surprisingly insightful look into short term relationships and the notion of 'one true love'.
I really enjoyed this movie, and not just because I identified a lot with Oona. Caulfield, (Anya from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) brings such a believable charm to the role of a Type-A woman who longs deeply for her one but is beginning to see time escaping and wondering if there is even someone out there for her. Oona is played as a no-nonsense, exasperated-but-fun woman and goes beyond being a stereotypical husband hunter; she does long for her one true love but she also has a good living and a great family. It's a great commentary on the social pressure for people to be in relationships.
There were also great turns by Michelle Borth (who I could have sworn was Anne Hathaway) as the acerbic and smart alec Steph, the sister who enjoys helping guys on TiMER countdown "sow their wild oats", and by John Patrick Amedori, who surprised me with the realism, depth and cleverness that he portrayed as Mikey, the slacker musician who falls for Oona.
The film itself was greatly intriguing, challenging, and heart-provoking (it made me think and tugged at my heart. It's a new phrase- use it!) Witty writing added to the film's subtle intensity, always drawing me in with jokes and the occasionally cliche indie-film pretention while simultaneously having lots of depth and truth to the humor. I really enjoyed this movie and am sad that it wasn't promoted further. Grade: A
Also, whilst speaking about relationships, two things:
First, I had a friend on facebook who was overjoyed at the fact that Hawaii vetoed same sex civil unions yesterday. His status ended up having comments mostly consisting of "YES!!!!!1!1111!!!!", which disgusted me on multiple levels (one of which being a lack of typing ability).
The other reason I was disgusted, or rather- disconcerted was the overwhelming joy that he and his friends felt about oppression and the theft of civil rights from people who are in love. I completely understand being in opposition to gay marriage; I don't agree with that stance, but I understand. A few years back (well, in high school) I was all about keeping marriage as God wanted, etc, etc. My faith in God is the most important thing in my life and I am not gonna judge people who want to glorify Him and see this as obeying Him.
Where I get discouraged, however, is with the joy that comes with oppressing. Marriage is a civil right- there are also rights and privileges awarded with that right. For me, personally, considering marriage and its consequences/rights as provided by the government the same thing as marriage defined by the Bible is the most offensive and dangerous thing to Christian marriage there is. What is marriage? Biblically, it's a way for Christians to reflect the love that Christ has for the Church. So if we're going to keep gays from marrying in the states (which, btw, are NOT religious- they're secular), then why are we allowing non-Christians to get married? That's by definition a non-Christian marriage. And divorce? That's definitely not supposed to happen. But did you know that marriages in the Church are more likely to end in divorce than not? We should be focusing on our own marriages and not taking joy away from people (and more importantly, civil rights) simply because they happen to have the same genitals.
I say, let the gays marry. Let them marry and let us as Christians really get into what marriage means for those of us in the Church. It's not going to hurt us, but it is hurting our fellow Americans and that's unacceptable.
So... that turned out to be a rant. Well, a rant and a movie review. I hope you (if anyone reads this) enjoyed it, and feel free to leave comments!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Songs Brian Likes, Part 2
I'm also pretty sure that this song is the theme song for my life. Don't know yet if that's a good or bad thing.
Songs Brian Likes
This song ('Not a Day Goes By', written by Stephen Sondheim) has really been hitting me. Love love love love.
I'm the World's Worst Blogger
So it's been about a year since the last time that I made a post on this blog. To be honest, I think that I kind of forgot about this. Between Twitter/Facebook, my online life has been pretty full, and the rest of my life has been no float down the river.
A rundown of the last year:
1. I got a job! I'm employed at UT in Admissions, helping incoming freshmen and transfers with their questions. It's been a great 9 months and I really enjoy the job for right now.
2. Applying to grad school, and God willing that I get in, I want to go to UCLA. I finally got to go to LA with the boys for the Natty Championship (not talking about that) and it was just like I dreamed it would be. Wonderful city and I know it's where I want to be, at least for the next decade.
3. Writing a musical- 'Super Mario Bros: A New *Unauthorized* Musical' with my friend Lindsey. It's gonna be off the chain in so many ways that can't be described as of yet.
That's currently What's Happenin', though this past year has held so much for me. It's been cool for a lot of reasons and nightmarish for others. Mostly it's been a year of balance- I've sought clarity and found it, only to have more questions thrust upon me. I've got to know myself more, only to realize that there's so much that I've still got to learn.
Looking back, a lot of the things that I felt last year still trouble me. It's true that I enjoy my job, though working full time is so much different than everything else I've ever done. It's freeing in some ways and restricting in others. It's definitely nice to have some income (though after my bills and my freaking student loans, it's pretty meager), and great to be responsible for myself. It also makes keeping up relationships and non-work stuff difficult. Working on this musical, trying to hang out with my friends- it's tough! You get up at 6:45, shower, go to work, sit at your desk for 8 hours, go home and want to just pass out on the couch.
And let me tell you this- working 8 hours a day in an air-conditioned room sounds really non-exhausting but this is false to the highest degree. I have no idea why but it drains you to the core. I don't want to do anything when I get home, and that sucks. Ugh. What happened to the Brian who could stay up til 5 in the morning and go to class at 8? I'm 23, dammit, it's not like I'm geriatric or anything. This is why I'm supposed to be rich, so I can work for my parents and not really do anything so I can just go to LA and not worry about loans.
Speaking of LA, it's still my plan. Right now, here's the sitch: As I mentioned, I'm applying to UCLA, USC, Pepperdine, UC Irvine, UCSB and basically any LA school I can find with a graduate Acting degree. This is exciting and terrifying at the same time. I'm not a terrible actor, but I don't have much experience in college (though community theatre credit- I'm a big deal.) :) Still, I'm worried. Anyway, if I get in, I may try to get a job at the school so that I can make bank whilst in classes, but that could be tough. We'll see.
The other option (which I'm increasingly considering) is taking a year off, regardless of whether I get into a school or not, and honing my craft- taking lessons, doing more community productions, getting in great shape and work at a job back home, living with family and not paying bills (except loans, phone, etc) and just saving up money/making big payments to my student loans. This is an attractive option except for a few things:
a.) I'd be away from my friends. This one is actually not as big a deal as the others. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends a lot, but so many of them have become married and/or adults who don't live here or have completely different lives as a result. Plus I'd have my family back home, and it would be great to have a year with them to reconnect and be close with all of them, especially if I'm going to be leaving for LA.
b.) I'd be away from theatre/acting possibilities. Bay City, TX is a great many things, but one thing that they are not is known for theatre/film. In fact, they recently closed the movie theatre there. This is bad as movies are a large part of what makes me happy. Not to mention, seeing as this is what I want to do, it's kind of important to have access to them. A large part of my problem now is that all that I learned in high school has become atrophied from not using it. I've forgotten many of the things I knew about acting and didn't learn more, meaning now I'm catching up/having to relearn stuff. Not fun.
c.) I'd be away from my church. My mom's church is fine, and the ones in Bay City are well and good but I've been fed so much from the Stone and I'm not sure what I would do back in Bay City. It's tough to think where I would go, but it's safe to say that I wouldn't drive to Houston for a church.
d.) Finding a job. Not impossible, but who knows what I'd do? Teach, find a random job?
Eh. Anyway, my dreams are still intact. If anything, this year has confirmed them. I know that there's nothing else I want to do, and that I have to go for it. I'm working hard to make them a reality and they will happen. I heard a line in some play or movie the other day in which they said that dreams 'aren't supposed to happen, because they keep your mind off the present and give you a place to escape'. I find that extremely cynical, which is something coming from me. No, I think that dreams are something you go after and never let out of your sight. Why would you dream about something that you knew you'd never have a chance at? It's fine if you go after it and fail- there's nothing to be ashamed about failing. But never going after your dreams? That's not living!
So I'm going after my dreams. Everything I'm doing right now is with the goal of achieving them in mind.
And they will happen.
As will more blog posts. Now that I have my website (flavors.me/brianboy) I'm planning on updating regularly. And hopefully making youtube vids. We shall see.
peace and love,
Brian
A rundown of the last year:
1. I got a job! I'm employed at UT in Admissions, helping incoming freshmen and transfers with their questions. It's been a great 9 months and I really enjoy the job for right now.
2. Applying to grad school, and God willing that I get in, I want to go to UCLA. I finally got to go to LA with the boys for the Natty Championship (not talking about that) and it was just like I dreamed it would be. Wonderful city and I know it's where I want to be, at least for the next decade.
3. Writing a musical- 'Super Mario Bros: A New *Unauthorized* Musical' with my friend Lindsey. It's gonna be off the chain in so many ways that can't be described as of yet.
That's currently What's Happenin', though this past year has held so much for me. It's been cool for a lot of reasons and nightmarish for others. Mostly it's been a year of balance- I've sought clarity and found it, only to have more questions thrust upon me. I've got to know myself more, only to realize that there's so much that I've still got to learn.
Looking back, a lot of the things that I felt last year still trouble me. It's true that I enjoy my job, though working full time is so much different than everything else I've ever done. It's freeing in some ways and restricting in others. It's definitely nice to have some income (though after my bills and my freaking student loans, it's pretty meager), and great to be responsible for myself. It also makes keeping up relationships and non-work stuff difficult. Working on this musical, trying to hang out with my friends- it's tough! You get up at 6:45, shower, go to work, sit at your desk for 8 hours, go home and want to just pass out on the couch.
And let me tell you this- working 8 hours a day in an air-conditioned room sounds really non-exhausting but this is false to the highest degree. I have no idea why but it drains you to the core. I don't want to do anything when I get home, and that sucks. Ugh. What happened to the Brian who could stay up til 5 in the morning and go to class at 8? I'm 23, dammit, it's not like I'm geriatric or anything. This is why I'm supposed to be rich, so I can work for my parents and not really do anything so I can just go to LA and not worry about loans.
Speaking of LA, it's still my plan. Right now, here's the sitch: As I mentioned, I'm applying to UCLA, USC, Pepperdine, UC Irvine, UCSB and basically any LA school I can find with a graduate Acting degree. This is exciting and terrifying at the same time. I'm not a terrible actor, but I don't have much experience in college (though community theatre credit- I'm a big deal.) :) Still, I'm worried. Anyway, if I get in, I may try to get a job at the school so that I can make bank whilst in classes, but that could be tough. We'll see.
The other option (which I'm increasingly considering) is taking a year off, regardless of whether I get into a school or not, and honing my craft- taking lessons, doing more community productions, getting in great shape and work at a job back home, living with family and not paying bills (except loans, phone, etc) and just saving up money/making big payments to my student loans. This is an attractive option except for a few things:
a.) I'd be away from my friends. This one is actually not as big a deal as the others. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends a lot, but so many of them have become married and/or adults who don't live here or have completely different lives as a result. Plus I'd have my family back home, and it would be great to have a year with them to reconnect and be close with all of them, especially if I'm going to be leaving for LA.
b.) I'd be away from theatre/acting possibilities. Bay City, TX is a great many things, but one thing that they are not is known for theatre/film. In fact, they recently closed the movie theatre there. This is bad as movies are a large part of what makes me happy. Not to mention, seeing as this is what I want to do, it's kind of important to have access to them. A large part of my problem now is that all that I learned in high school has become atrophied from not using it. I've forgotten many of the things I knew about acting and didn't learn more, meaning now I'm catching up/having to relearn stuff. Not fun.
c.) I'd be away from my church. My mom's church is fine, and the ones in Bay City are well and good but I've been fed so much from the Stone and I'm not sure what I would do back in Bay City. It's tough to think where I would go, but it's safe to say that I wouldn't drive to Houston for a church.
d.) Finding a job. Not impossible, but who knows what I'd do? Teach, find a random job?
Eh. Anyway, my dreams are still intact. If anything, this year has confirmed them. I know that there's nothing else I want to do, and that I have to go for it. I'm working hard to make them a reality and they will happen. I heard a line in some play or movie the other day in which they said that dreams 'aren't supposed to happen, because they keep your mind off the present and give you a place to escape'. I find that extremely cynical, which is something coming from me. No, I think that dreams are something you go after and never let out of your sight. Why would you dream about something that you knew you'd never have a chance at? It's fine if you go after it and fail- there's nothing to be ashamed about failing. But never going after your dreams? That's not living!
So I'm going after my dreams. Everything I'm doing right now is with the goal of achieving them in mind.
And they will happen.
As will more blog posts. Now that I have my website (flavors.me/brianboy) I'm planning on updating regularly. And hopefully making youtube vids. We shall see.
peace and love,
Brian
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)