Sorting Pieces: A Short Story

How is it already January 6th? Really? The first week of the year is ending already? Damn.

I haven't forgotten about the blog, despite my lack of entries this week. I just don't have anything in particular to say quite yet. I've got a list of topics ranging from the election to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, passive racism in the workplace and the possibility of a new Will & Grace, to say nothing of my other obsessions like Steven Universe and the works of Elizabeth Gilbert and Eckhart Tolle. I've internalized the long-form of my opinion for most of my interests and reserved most judgments for short outbursts on social media, but 140 characters aren't enough to get certain points across. I just have way too much to say, really.

Ironically it's the need for a bigger platform of expression that's creating yet another unexpected and contradictory challenge: figuring out my writing process. It's really easy to see something on social media and respond immediately, sending your 140-charactered opinion out into the ether and using plenty of emojis to demonstrate your point. (I know I'm not just speaking for myself here; I see you, Twitter.) It's another thing entirely to sort the pieces of preparation that are required for the moment that inspiration strikes, two factors of the equation which rarely meet at the same time with me for whatever reason. 

Sometimes I'll start thinking about something while I'm driving and the words for a blog post will just come out of nowhere like those motorcycles riding up between lanes on the freeway, but there's nothing I can do about it because I'm driving, so I'll try to remember them for "later." Or I'll be watching a show or film and notice something, and make a mental note to write about it "later." Unfortunately "later" arrives but the words skip the party like assholes and I'm left with a mountain of frustration and empty bags of potato chips and Oreos.

Normally I'd be giving myself a really hard time about not writing every day, but I'm determined to let that habit go and concentrate on the work. Sometimes that work is just sitting down at a keyboard and letting whatever wants to come forward, come forward. And as the work comes forward, I move forward, and by the time these two things finally meet, I'll have the pieces sorted and I'll be ready. That's the goal, anyway.

Day 2: Rise of the Block

I really have no motivation to write in this blog tonight because today drained me to within an inch of my sanity (how I wish I was kidding). But I have the desire to write and I made a commitment to attempt to write in this thing every day, and I can't very well give up on the second fucking day because that would be USDA-approved Grade A Bullshit (if the USDA still exists, pending the incoming presidential administration). So I'm going forward and keeping up with my commitment, difficult as it is.

That was fun. See you tomorrow.

In the Beginning

I've decided to attempt daily blog posts as one of my goals for 2017. The main intention of these posts is to actually make good on the title I gave it: exploring entertainment. I'm pretty sure that I'll veer off onto other topics at times, but I'll cross those bridges when I come to them, if I come to them (there's no "if" about it really). Now, I said 'daily' a moment ago, but that's dependant on having compelling topics to write about, so who knows how things will turn out as time goes by. Regardless, this is the first entry, so I've got to start somewhere. To kick this party off I'm going to share my excitement about an upcoming event, since this blog is part of my preparation for things to come.

In the final weeks of 2016, Shonda Rhimes announced that she is teaching a Masterclass on Writing for Television in 2017  (I'm fairly vocal of my adoration for her work on social media, but as I've been lacking in updating this blog on a regular basis, you'd never know it if this page is your lone source for learning more about my creative sensibilities.) When I first saw the announcement I was... well, exhilarated; she has established herself as a master storyteller with incredible business acumen whose career is certainly worthy of study, and she is certainly on the list of people I'd love to learn from, so the potential here was clear. But I hesitated because of the damned enrollment fee, which is truly idiotic when you count the considerable value of the materials included with the class. And come on, this is Shonda Rhimes here, so why the hell was I delaying this?