The Right Stuff

I just finished reading an interesting article on Big Hollywood about conservative values in story - especially film. It did not espouse (as I supposed it might) the notion that we as storytellers should leverage our position to "do good" (or some such hogwash), but talked instead about telling stories about imperfect people making tough decisions in difficult circumstances. Love it. Those are the kinds of movies I want to see, and the kinds of stories I want to write. Good stuff.

Read the article here.

"Get in Shape" - Robert McKee

I recently read an interview with story guru Robert McKee. The interviewer asked all the typical questions one might want answered by one of the stalwarts of the story-telling community, including this one:

Q: What's the best advice you can give for emerging screenwriters today? Is there one thing that you could say is most important when trying to break in?

His answer surprised me.

Robert McKee: Go to the gym and work out. Writing burns you out, but then you have to get up off your tired ass, put your script under your arm and knock on every door 'til your knuckles bleed. That takes the energy of a five-year old, the concentration of a chess master, the faith of an evangelist and the guts of a mountain climber. Get in shape.

Well put.

New Leaf

Day 1

220.1

That's what the scale said when I stepped on it this morning. My family just returned from a fantastic week in Florida (my son's Make-A-Wish trip to Disneyworld - check out my son's site at julianxane.com), and we ate pretty much whatever we wanted. I have to admit, it was fun. But my wife and I agreed that July 1 would be the day we got back on the wagon, and started our weight loss in earnest.

So today I have to actually start paying attention to what I shovel in my mouth.

I have a faded memory of how good it felt to be down at my "fightin' weight," which for me is right around 190. Sometimes it's hard to believe it's possible to feel that way again. But what other options are there?

That's what I thought.

So here goes.

Road Trip

I made the road trip from Denver to Phoenix again this weekend, and passed by "the spot" at about 9:30 last night. No sign of the fanged furry beast this time. I wonder if he was waiting in the median for an easy meal. I'll make the return trip again on Sunday.

I'm preparing a revised draft of Road Kill for NPR's This American Life. I'll post when I submit it, as well as if/when anything happens with it.