Scheduling and conflicts

My girlfriend, whom i speak so highly about, signed me up for the UnCab Lab. Its a writing workshop to develop your personal essys/creative non-fiction into something more substantial- a one-person show, a sit-com script, a collection of essays, open mic performances, or the ever ready stand-up comedy routine. Basically, the class consists of four three-hour sunday sessions where you get in front of the microphone for five minutes and talk about....whatever you want. You have five minutes to talk about yourself. They put extra emphasis on the fact that if you tell a story about a friend or relative, you need to explain how the story relates to yourself. Some(most) people have things they are working on, a large number of people are aspiring comedians, and some just show up and use it for therapy. On top of that, its an INCREDIBLY diverse group of people. Psychologists, TV executives cum struggling parents, middle school teachers, criminal lawyers, and a varied spattering of actors and writers. This past Sunday was the third meeting of the class and I sort of prepared, but really didnt. I relegated myself(somewhat succesfully) to complaining about how effecient of a planner I am, and how that leads to never having any interesting stories to tell in class. Heres my point: Beth, the teacher, suggested that even though I do interesting things, it may never seem like it to myself. She suggested I take a day and NOT PLAN ANYTHING. Just wake up and say, Surprise me! Sounds like great advice, but with one hitch, I thought to myself, I dont really plan that often to begin with, so how is this going to be any different? I left class somewhat confused as to how I was going to carry out my assignment. And then, this morning, as I sat in Starbucks, writing, waiting to return my tux(see previous entry), I tore off a piece of scratch paper and started listing a few things that I had to do today. Write some e-mails, charge the camera batteris at work, return my tux, get information about Wanda Jackson at Amoeba this week; and then I realized I was totally planning! I make lists like these every day, mostly to remind me of things I should, have, or want to do. Holy shit. I plan fucking everything. I never STOP planning, or figuring out, or deciding, or researching, it goes on and on and on. Of course I didnt think that I did all this planning- DENIAL is the first step to realizing you have a problem! Im the least spontaneous person on the PLANET. Seriously, I think my teacher brought up a very good point, psychologically more than creatively(though both may go hand in hand), it really would be a dramatic change if I didnt plan anything at all, for an entire day. Im sure I would realize just how much I do plan. I may not be able to handle it. I may just break down in a slobbering heap and cry. Whats worse is that I want to PLAN when the day is that Im not going to plan. AAAAAHHHHH!!!!! I CANT DO IT!!! [jeffs head explodes all across his computer screen]

Rented Tuxedo

My girlfriend was nominated for a Director's Guild Award, for being a part of the daytime serial directing team, of television's "baby-killer" soap, Days of Our Lives. That's pretty impressive, lucrative, amazing, and all sorts of assorted hyperbole that I can't hunt down. She's quite the awesome lady and I am proud to be dating her. Since she is part of the nominated directing team, she is invited to the HUGE awards dinner at the Century City Hyatt Regency. I did not receive an invitation and thought I was going to stay at home on Saturday night and play videogames. Instead, I get a call from my girlfriend Thursday afternoon saying she scored an extra ticket and asking if I wanted to go. "Sure- that sounds like fun!" "Can you rent a tux?" Hmmm...can I rent a tux? This question should be preceded by, "Do I WANT to rent a tux?" As much as I like dressing up, I feel like the tuxedo pales in comparison to a nice suit with a sweet tie, and a modest, but sharp-looking vest. The problem is that I've never been to one of these things so I don't know how important it is to wear a tux and I assume that everyone is going to be in their nicest attire. It is, and they are. So I roll down to "Tuxedos by Mike" Friday morning, the day before the event, hoping that he will have something for me. I walk in right when "Mike" opens up shop(he's standing on his storefront's stoop, smoking a comically large cigar and reading the Hollywood Reporter), and I tell him I need to rent a tux. Mike(thick armenian accent): What kind of tuxedo would you like? First of all, this is the second time I've ever rented a tux. The first was for my junior prom. Somehow, I've figured out how to make it to 23 years old having rented a tux ONCE. Looking back, I remember half a dozen occurrences when I would have had the possibility of wearing a tux. For instance, I was a groomsman at my college roommates wedding; except we wore khaki pants and white shirts with yellow lillies pinned on them. Needless to say, I'm aware of only one kind of tuxedo- the regular one. And since I don't know how strict they are at the Century City Hyatt Regency, I opt for the all black, vest and bowtie, traditional penguin style tuxedo. I change clothes and put on the shirt, the bow tie and the pants and emerge from the dressing room. I'm a young guy, I've got some metal pinned into my face, I was unshaven and probably hadn't showered since the previous morning, and maybe I looked a little ridiculous in the tuxedo, but not like a hobo or anything. "How do I look?" I ask the PROFESSIONAL tuxedo technician(engineer? taylor?) "What event are you going to?" Mike asks me. "The Director's Guild awards." "Oh yes..." as he looks me up and down "Are you working?" So in case you see any press photos of Jake Gyllenhaal or Clint Eastwood or Steven Spielbeg and you recognize me and say, "Hey! Jeff's a banquet waiter! He got to work the DGA awards! That's so cool!" Fuck off, Tuxedos by Mike! Epilogue: Days of Our Lives did not win the award. My girlfriend and I, were a little late(she had to work) and because of that, we didn't receive the following items- salad dressing a wine glass a napkin wine an entree If anyone can find these at the Century City Hyatt Regency, please let me know because the filet mignon Clooney was eating looked really good.

Exhaust

I've been exhausted for the last few days, after having worked for 36 hours straight through the weekend to finish Rob Schrab's Death Cab for Cutie "Crooked Teeth" video. However the final product was well worth the intense effort put into it. I don't think any more stops could have been pulled out for this thing. It's part of a compilation DVD featuring a video for each song on their new album. Apparently, Crooked Teeth is going to be the next single released on the radio and while the DVD will (supposedly) be released in April, they are releasing all the videos online starting next week. I'm proud of the work I did as well as the work of my peers Rob, Morgan, and Sevan. (Not to mention all the other people that came and helped shoot or puppet.) There are some great shots in this thing and I think people are going to be excited to see this insane, drawless animation masterpiece. I don't know when it will appear online for public consumption, but I'll be sure to let MySpace know...