Reading For Pleasure

I need to start reading more for pleasure. It makes me more creative. It's been incredibly long time since I've anything out of genuine curiousity, as opposed to research or trying to learn a new skill. Well, actually, I have read stuff for pleasure the past couple of years, I'm just able to enjoy it now.

Right now I'm working on reading two books: Virginia Woolf's The Waves and Alanna Nash's Golden Girl, a biography of Jessica Savitch. The former is an austere inner monologue (or monologues) about a group of friends, the latter a biography of Jessica Savitch. I became interested in reading Golden Girl after someone linked to the following video at this board:

Some other things I would like to read:

The New Science, Giambattista Vico: I bought this book after Christmas 2004, and have already attempted to read it twice. Now that I think I have enough background, I'm ready to read it, or at least I am gravitating toward it.

Metamorphoses, Ovid: Here's another one I've been "In the mood for". Having dug deep enough into mythology, I'm very interested in learning more about the more surrealist aspects of mythology, which is harder to get from more general books.

Aeneid, Virgil: I'm still on a Greek kick. Other than that, I'm not really sure why I want to read this one.

Tomorrow I'll be going up to my sister's to attend the Gordy Hoffman seminar on Sunday. The last time I dealt with my screenwriting with other people, it burned me, and at that time, I almost lost interest. I felt like the people involved in the group were more interested in the career aspects of screenwriting, which at that time wasn't my thing--and still isn't. I can understand proper format, like to make sure that you put the directions and dialogue in the right spots, but who really cares if they put "we go back to..." instead of "BACK TO SCENE"? I'll keep an open mind, though.

Nothing's right, I'm torn!

At the end of last week, I placed interlibrary loans on two books as part of my book project. Yesterday, I copied a bunch of articles at the Warren Hunting Smith Library, mainly because my dad was escorting me around and I had time to kill.

Last night, I was looking at two books on narratology, thinking that their ideas can help me out for my book. But at this point, I'm torn. On one hand, I'd like to read these books, for the reasons I mentioned previously. At the same time, I'm starting to feel like I'm carrying around dead weight--that to read these books would be a regressive act, at least for the time being.

I spent the last couple of days reading Joe Eszterhas' book, The Devil's Guide to Hollywood: The Screenwriter as God!, and after reading his book, coupled with the upcoming Gordy Hoffman seminar I'll be attending, I really just want to get writing.

In other news, I've been driving to work. I feel comfortable with it.

Drive to solve all your problems. Or something.

Before my first driving lesson yesterday, I went to the Warren Hunting Smith Library at Hobart & William Smith College. I printed out a list of academic criticisms (the kind you cite in graduate papers) for my book project.

There was no ephiphany. I have decided to wait until the time is right to continue with the research for the book. At this point, I'm confident that I'm going to finish the book eventually, but right now, the research might be more than I can handle. With that being said, I will be going back tomorrow to print out more articles, and I plan on reading the books I have already checked out. Then I will copy all the important information, then return the books and put my notes and copies away.

I'm a little frustrated right now. I'm sure I'm heading in a direction I want to head in, I just don't know if it's going to pay, that's all. I know that once I have my license, I am not going to stay with my parents. Besides, I don't like my job--it's distressing. While I'm not fatalistic about my options, I'm very frustrated about not being able to find a solution.

I asked Dad if I can drive to the library tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be doing that. I need to get comfortable with the idea of driving, and I need to learn how to incorporate it into my life. And maybe then I can reach a decision about the source of my income?

Just Breathe...and Drive

Today was my first driving lesson. I was very nervous when I got behind the wheel, but as the lesson progressed, I felt better. I just need to remember everything, that's all.

Now that I'm finally working on my driver's license, maybe It's time to set certain things aside. That's not a bad thing, just that those things might need more attention than I can give to it right now.

Earlier tonight, I saw a collection of films by Maya Deren, and I have to say that this is the first DVD I saw since I've started this blog that really got me thinking about what I want to create. Two of those movies in particular: Meshes of the Afternoon and At Land. The latter has some incredible, breathtaking locations shot on Long Island. The opening scene reminded me of the opening scene of something I've seen before. Hmm...

I have a lot to think about right now.

Love, Liza

When I was a junior in college (Eell, actually I was a third semester Sophomore--it was the fall semester, I was six credits behind.), I took a one credit weekend course whose main draw was cave paintings. The gentleman was Clayton Eshleman, an autodidact who'd spent seven years translating Cesar Vallejo and another 17 decoding hieroglyphics in caves in the south of France. Anyway, the assignment to complete the course was to saturate ourselves in something for four weeks. Knee deep in Camille Paglia's Sexual Personae, I chose "decadence", examining the poetry of Rimbaud, Swinburne, and the works of the Marquis de Sade and Oscar Wilde.

I had been doing this type of thing for years (mostly with movie stars), but taking a course put a definition on that idea for me, and taught me how to saturate myself in a more constructive manner than I already had been doing. I still think about that course everytime I'm immerse myself in something new, which, for the first time in a couple of years, I've been able to do.

Remember when I said that I couldn't spend much more time trying to find stuff to back up my book with? Well, I was part right. However, I've read two books pertaining to the subject matter I've been investigating about in the past week--John Boardman's The Oxford History of Greece & the Hellenistic World, and Carl Jung's Four Archetypes, which I got for $5 at the Strand. So what I'm saying here is that it's okay to immerse myself in projects, but it doesn't need to be my whole life. I need to think about other things, too.

In other news, hopefully I'll be taking a screeenwriting workshop with Gordy Hoffman (Philip's brother) in Rochester September 30th. Because I was paying PayPal, I had to transfer the registry fee into my savings account--otherwise it would've overdrawn. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and hopefully everything will be okay. If it all pans out, I'll be workshopping The United States of Love.

Books: All Fact, No Heart

Yesterday, I went to Cornell's Olin Library, to look up some info on Plato and Alan Watts. Aside from getting a few of Watts' reviews from The New Republic, the whole thing was a bust. I had a limited amount of time to look stuff up and copy it, then I pulled out the microfiche for the articles, only to realize I only had half of what I needed.

On my way back, I thought, "What am I doing?" I'm not sure if spending hours in a library doing research even on a subject I find worthwhile is something I want to be doing right now. I want to get out and go somewhere, and I'm not talking about going to a bar or going to see a movie. I want to get away, go somewhere alone.

The Rest of It

How did my show go?

One person showed up. Fortunately, that one person was The Film Panel Notetaker, who does a good job of explaining the show so I don't have to.

Friday and Saturday, I hung out with my friend, Frank. We were supposed to go see Dandi Wind at Studio B. They cancelled out right before the show, so I got my money back. Frank was disappointed, since he'd seen the band before and had been all dressed up for the occasion.

The next afternoon, I met up with Frank and his girlfriend, and we hung out at Coney Island, since it's going to be "renovated" (re: gentrified). I shot plenty of video, so I preserve it while I still could. (I also shot some footage Labor Day.) Then we got on the F train, eventually parted ways, and I went back to my apartment and started packing.

I finished packing, then went into midtown Manhattan for the last time just to walk around. I left the apartment @ 9:20am. It was a pig to lug all my luggage around, but other than that, my ride back went okay.

I wouldn't mind moving down there, but I'm not sure if I'd want to be in that neighborhood in particular. It's not a bad neighborhood necessarily, but what given what you're paying for rent, I don't know if it's necessarily worth it. Maybe Fort Green? Mott Haven? Sunset Park? Harlem???

Finally, I made some videos, and I'm hoping to get one or two of them uploaded soon.

I HAVE THE CAMERA!!!

Today I stopped off at B&H Photo & Video and saw the camera that I am going to shoot my movie on.

The Canon XH G1 HD is so rich and clear with lots of details. The guy was showing me all the frills, telling me how well it works at night, and showed me the night vision part of it.

I'll be heading back in that direction tomorrow, so I plan on stopping by again, and ask a few more questions. There's only one problem: the camera costs $6K. I suppose there has to be some place where I can rent it from.

Happy Birthday Dave & Joe Swanberg! Yay1!!

My trip to NYC so far has been okay. I've been down to New York many times in the last decade, but this is the first time I've had a chance to experience what it feels like to be a New Yorker--conversations with random people, jumping on trains without a second thought, and so on.

After I arrived at my apartment Friday afternoon, I took a nap, then went over to Greenwich Village, bought the movie tickets, ate a pizza, then headed back over to the IFC Center.

The first movie I saw was Aaron Katz's Quiet City, which was really good. An awkwardly adorable slice-of-life piece set in New York. A girl comes up to visit her friend, whom she can't get ahold of. She meets up with this guy and ends up spending time with him.

After the screening, Aaron Katz, the cast, and crew answered questions about the movie. When that was over, I came to the front, gave him a copy of Are You From Bingo?, and told him what an inspiration he, Joe Swanberg, and Andrew Bujalski are. I told him that I hoped that we would meet again. He said the same.

The next movie I saw was Hannah Takes the Stairs. That movie was AWESOME, but before that, I saw the movie's director, Joe Swanberg, outside, talking on his cell phone. I would've gone down and given him a copy of my movie as well, but he left before I had a chance to get him.

Anyway, as I said, Hannah was RAD. Greta Gerwig plays the title character, and we see her going through relationships with three men. The movie seamlessly transitions from one relationship to the other. If this movie comes out to your neighborhood, run out and see it! If not, put it at the top of your Netflix Queue.

I'm really tired. I would like to take the opportunity to say "Happy Belated Birthday" to Mr. Swanberg. He recently married his longtime collaborator (and frequent co-star), Kris Williams. Below I have linked to his wedding video, along with Hissy Fits a short film of his that I uploaded.

Finally, I'd like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my friend Dave. He also turns 26 today (it's after midnight as I write this), so HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!! You, Mr. Indie Rock, you! Yippee!!