However, that is not to say life has just been a series of obligatory academic events either (as they usually are when you are in college).  In a way, college mirrors the life of a writer.  Just as college allows you to make mistakes, experience different things and protect you from the real world, writers often live in their own bubble.  When it comes to stepping out of the zone, that’s when the terror really hits you.  There’s the hype, the anticipation and the preparation, but then comes the step of actually trying to do something.

So, I am currently seeking new pathways for my career.  Internships, lectures and more writing may seem like grunt work at the moment, but it is the first time in a long time that I’ve felt energized by what I do.  As the prospect of graduation looms ever closer, chances are my free time will continue to decrease or simply, my online commitment will have to be set aside.

I will try my best to continue broadcasting my thoughts, so I hope those of you who are actually listening will continue to wait for good news on my end.  Trust me, when the good news come in, you will know.

When I reminisce, I tend to question the choices I made, especially since my first choice ended up taking me on a path beyond my comfort zone.  For the sane, changing majors is an improvement.  For me, the game is a silent scoreboard where I’ve just spent a decade not doing what I am supposed to do.  I did not know when I was three that I wanted to be a writer.  There were no clear cut signs.  So, we’re left with a sense of lost time.  Psychology, piano and writing.  As much as they interest me they are different paths which require different training.

However, a curious thing happens when you start taking in your experiences and figuring out a bottom line.  You see patterns.  As I began to summarize my choices, I realized that even with exploration there is an underlying sense of self brimming beneath the doubt.

You see, whether I am a pianist, therapist or writer, I need a good ear.  My training comes from active listening, from hearing the details.  A note, a thought or a word, the process begins with a good ear.

What does this mean?  It means I can rest knowing that my previous life as a muscian also comes into contact with my current life as a writer.  Nothing goes to waste and nothing is a wrong turn, it’s basic discovery.  Therapeutically, I can begin to solidify my identity and refrain from fragmenting the good choices from the bad ones.

My point is–and I do have one– is this.  We cage ourselves based on what we do.  Somehow, we expect the writer self to be better than the student self, and the muscian self is erased because we determine it is so.  What I sometimes forget is that the self comes in one package.  There is a connection between all our choices; remembering that is one way to improve the writer self without neglecting everything we’ve accomplished along the way.

I call this self-listening.

Yes, there are some killer Christmas-themed sitcom episodes out there.  One of my favorites is a Will & Grace episode titled ‘All About Christmas Eve’ where everyone carols to hotel maids.  Last year’s Big Bang Theory Christmas episode was also one of my all time favorites when it comes to the show.  The Office has a handful of Christmas episodes that are hilarious.  Still, you have to invest to really care about these episodes, and everyone have their favorites.

So, I will display some good ol’ fashioned bloopers instead.  There’s something about seeing actors screw up that really humanizes them as performers.  As a personal rule of thumb, the funnier the bloopers, the funnier the sitcom.  So, enjoy!

Will & Grace.  Warning: the very last blooper is…fresh.

The Office

Remember Friends?  Who doesn’t?

Arrested Development

Have a wonderful Christmas!

I’ve written dramas, science fiction, horror and even a dash of romance.  Nevertheless, I have always enjoyed comedy in all its glory.  I’ve even written spec scripts based on reputable sitcoms.  Still, when it comes to my own creation, something about comedy seems to slip my mind.

I can’t find the balance between the jokes and the emotional connection to the characters.  A sitcom doesn’t work if one doesn’t care about the characters, but comedy rarely gives room for character development.  Thus, a story either becomes too light or too serious.  In a perfect world, the writing can have equal shares of comedic moments and depth.

As a writer, this is actually the first real obstacle that I can’t get my mind around.  So, I seek the wisdom of fellow writers.  From your personal experience, what is the key to writing a comedy?

Based off the play of the same title by Frank Wedekind, the work was written in 1890 but did not premiere until 1906.  Its controversial portrayal of sexuality, suicide, child abuse, abortion and other taboo subject matters led to it being banned, as it continues to be in certain occasions.

When Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater came together to put contemporary music to this story, the result was a Tony award winning musical about the folly of ignorance that continues to touch people’s hearts and minds.

It’s All in the Details

Given its modest beginnings, the set and production remains intimate in atmosphere despite its transfer to much bigger venues.  Thus, the choreography and lighting are heightened in detail and pacing.  Everything is timed to a tee and the result is a tight yet breathtaking example of music aided by everything around it.

Yes, this is musical theatre (meaning everything above should be a given), but Spring Awakening manages to design its lighting with the unique tone of a rock concert mixed with Romeo & Juliet romance.  Just like the clash of the period story with its modern music, there’s something familiar yet exhilarating about the production that–not surprisingly–is a big reason why the musical stands out in the first place.

Spring Awakening is not extravagant like Wicked, but it is equally, if not more exciting as a visual piece that only adds to the emotional impact of the music.

Musical Chairs

In keeping with its original in-the-round set-up, the show has roughly 20 seats planted on the stage with a live band in between.  While some are saved for incredibly fortunate theatre-goers, the rest of the chairs are actually for the actors.  They represent an oddly voyeuristic audience (especially from my perspective) who would regularly break into song and eventually transition smoothly into choreography before taking a seat when dialogue begins.

While some of the intimacy and energy is lost on those of us seated in the perscenium, it nevertheless emphasizes a collaborative experience that encourages audience participation, at least in the form of cheering and bobbing our heads.  Even more experimental is dressing a few actors in modern clothing and singing backup like members of the audience have actually caught the rock fever.  Since they don’t feel quite involved in the story and they are not really part of the audience, they tend to get lost in the shuffle, but remain another interesting element of the show.

The Warning

As I entered the Buell Theatre, a warning post forewarned me of semi-nudity and adult themes.  As I progressed to the second floor, another sign cautioned the heavy usage of strobe lights in the show.  By the time I got the third floor (where my seats were), I unsurprisingly received a third notice of the adult nature of Spring Awakening.  OK, point taken.

However, even with my thorough knowledge of Spring Awakening, certain parts of the musical still managed to make me feel uncomfortable.  There will always be the few who have unknowingly walked into a show which they later consider to be a travesty.  Ultimately, Spring Awakening is unapologetic in its portrayal (visually or otherwise) of its contemporary themes, and it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

The Impression

Spring Awakening is not what I would call subtle.  Rather, it is a piece I admire for the opposite reasons.  While some would call it abrasive, I applaud the weaving of brilliantly sentimental music mixed with a period that we’ve never experienced.  It exposes thoughts and sentiments that many of us can relate to but have never displayed in such a direct manner.  It has made an impact at the Buelle Theatre.  How you take it is up to you.

Anybody a fan of The Office?  Of course you are, or if not, I highly recommend it.

At the beginning of season 5, Pam spends 12 weeks in New York in order to take graphic design classes and see what New York has to offer for her passion.  After 12 weeks, she discovers that she’s failing and has to retake a course, in other words, spending another 3 months away from her fiance.  Upon this fateful day, the disappointed Jim leaves work only to discover Pam waiting for him in the parking lot.

“I’m coming back the wrong way,” she says with a wholesome smile.

Despite the sentiment behind the action, my love for Jim and Pam wavered at this crossroad.  She chose Jim over New York and a real chance at making it as an artist.  Is this the kind of sacrifice the show is advocating?

The sacrifice part is where everyone differs.  People, especially artists have to constantly weigh their options.  The very nature of juggling finances, careers, family and education means the battle is to keep them all in sync.  When they’re not, we often have to choose our luxuries.  As a writer, it can mean choosing a menial job to pay bills over dedicating your time with your true passion or, choosing to pursue your dream but having to suffer the backlash of financial obstacles.  People will tell you time and again how difficult it is to be a writer.  The rejections, the writer’s blocks and the sacrifices we have to make in order to write the thing that could make us a success.  The question becomes why?  Why should we put ourselves through heartbreak and misery for a probability?

In the Beginning…

Whenever I have my doubts, I go back to the beginning.  Sometimes, to figure out the future you have to look at the past.  Why did I start writing?

My story–like anyone else’s–is a long one.  The bottom line is that I wanted to take a chance.  I didn’t want to wonder anymore, and truly, my thought was that writing would make my life better.  Happier, more complete.  This seems naive in hindsight, but I thought an external factor would make me better, not the other way around.

I look back and realized that despite the many, many tough decisions and the life-changing alterations to my life, I remained in the middle.  My life didn’t drastically get better or worse, I just realized it had been here all along and expressed what I saw with words.

The Business Model

Should a writer write so they could be famous or rich?  Well, there are certainly successful writers who are rich (J. K. Rowling, now there’s a success story).  While these ideas may seem shallow, the alternative is to write because it makes you happy.  Here’s an alluring thought…

Over the years of pursuing a career as a writer, the spite, the anger and the jaded persona tend to grow out like vines.  Suddenly, you wonder where the happiness has gone.  After all, you made a commitment.  Where’s the reward?  Did you not try hard enough?  Are you just not that talented?

No matter how metaphysical writers get, the underlying desire to be happy cannot escape them no matter how much they try to scribble the feelings out.  Comparing this to the Hollywood industry or the publishing world is like comparing a warm, red sweater and the washing machine.  After so many cycles, it’s hard to remember how red the sweater used to be.

On the other hand, I look at the many showrunners and television writers I admire and I think: there’s no way in hell their life is perfect.  I don’t write to be happy, and the reason for writing is different for everyone.  If you’re looking for a good mood elevator in the writing field, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

The Equation

So, to Professor Beej and anyone else who might be reading this rambling, I offer my personal, inexperienced perspective.  Rather than looking at all the reasons you can’t write, look at all the reasons you do or should write.  Compare that to the other thing you’re doing or could be doing.  Well?  How badly do you want these two things to fit together?  Which one do you prefer?  The trick is convincing your neurotic brain that the choice you make is OK.  No matter how tough, no matter how stressful, I believe there is a way to see that prize that is your overly worded life and not some far-reaching dream is that somebody else’s imperfect journey at the moment.

Hey, it’s what Jim and Pam did.

Friends

No explanation needed.  In short, the box set has all 10 seasons combined into one.  It has all the extra features of the individual seasons but nothing more.  Right now, I believe a few Amazon sellers have it from $100 to $120.  $10-$12 per season is not bad in my book.

Six Feet Under

Before Alan Ball created True Blood, he was famous for another oddball dark comedy series, Six Feet Under. The series is closer to the tone of American Beauty, and right now all six seasons is going anywhere from $75 to $88 (brand new).

Arrested Development

Because the fantastically witty series only lasted three seasons, no box set has been made for Arrested Development. However, all three seasons are out on DVD. I do NOT recommend buying it brand new for $100. Personal sellers have it for exactly half the price ($50 for all three seasons). Personally, I think this is a great deal, but the DVD’s are fairly lacking on special features.

If you’re looking to buy one season at a time, there are some decent deals for that as well. Again, I don’t usually recommend buying from Amazon directly but through their affiliates. You can find seasons of The Office for around $12 per season if do it this way.

For all you Lost lovers, there is still time to pre-order season five for a discounted price ($32.99 rather than $59.99). I always recommend pre-ordering DVD’s you know you want ahead of time. Comparing the prices to places like Best Buy, the pre-ordering prices are fairly substantial saves.

Also, keep in mind that Black Friday prices will be going on all week with heavy discounts (upwards of %70) on products for a limited time. If you want to avoid the insanity elsewhere, online shopping is definitely a nicer way of grabbing your holiday favorites.

Black Friday Deals here!

Since I’m salivating at the sight of so many box sets, I will bid you farewell for now. Happy hunting!

When you figure out that life is more than a series of random events, you’re left with one option: life happens for a reason–or at the very least–you have control of your future.  But, when you become aware of the fact, there’s no turning back.  Every decision you make and every action you take, it’s you.  That means you alone are responsible for the consequences as well.

If I had the aptitude to be an accountant or some type of office worker, perhaps the system will guide me as I go.  Unfortunately, it just so happens that everything I’ve ever had a passion for remains firmly in the arts.  So you take every opportunity with a grain of salt and continue to take chances wherever it seems fit.

But that’s just it.  Reality all too often sinks in before you have time to rejoice.  Every opportunity you find becomes the thing that could potentially get you in the door.  For me, a healthy college student, life just seems like one big opportunity, shifting and moving everyday.  It’s not just writing or academics; everything becomes the thing that could take you to the next level.

And so you set yourself up for disappointment.  The more you aspire, the farther your goals become.  How else do you stay driven?  But, with great expectation also comes the problem of self-fulfillment.  You forget to stop and smell the roses.  You forget about parties and slacking off and having fun.  Suddenly, everything is a test that you have to pass in order to get somewhere better.  Every script becomes the masterpiece, and when they’re not, you’re crestfallen just long enough to start all over.

It’s not easy (I would know), but finding a balance between striving to be great and appreciating all the small steps in between definitely equates to your happiness.  Otherwise, great expectations will be the only thing you’ll ever know and the feeling of accomplishment can forever escape your grasp.  Sometimes the greatest accomplishment is to remember why you began the journey in the first place.

Evil, Pure and Simple

This is why Lord Voldemort dominates!  Like a plain and simple hero, sometimes a villain works best if that character is just evil, no further explanations needed.  Drama stories often use this archetype to clink out dispensable characters for bullet fodder.  But, let’s face it, we love evil because 99% of reality gives us the gray area.  There’s a reason and it’s realistic, but sometimes realism is not synonymous with entertainment.

My appreciation for this type of villain comes from my fascination with abnormal psychology.  Sociopaths are truly very rare, but they are almost the bridge between fantasy and reality for me because they don’t behave like normal human beings.  So, when a baddie comes along with this untainted background of malicious enjoyment, it’s juicy to watch because we never, ever want that in real life.

The Tragic Villain

Self-aware, intelligent, and dark, the villain with a history often gets our sympathy because their story hits closer to home.  They are not villainous be nature, but through a series of unfortunate events, they end up on the wrong side of the bench.  Benjamin Linus from Lost and Alex Karex from Grey’s Anatomy are good examples of why this type of antagonist works.  It’s not that you’re rooting for the bad guy.  Very much a reflection for our own desires, you’re rooting for others to understand why they are a bad guy.  If done just right, the villain can grab our attention and make us feel all the complications of life and its circumstances.

Not everyone sits well with paradoxes like these characters, but they also ensure an interesting journey for viewers.  After all, with villains often come the good ol’ redemption story, and suddenly the bad guy becomes something else altogether.

What do you think?  Why are villains so darn interesting?

While a writer should be a professional at gaining thick skin, the anxiety of exposing your baby, your writing, your words.  Well, it’s a risk that can make you feel like you’ve been kicked in the groin.

Yesterday, I gave two of my professors and a classmate a pilot that I recently finished.  It’s been a while since I’ve polished a work enough to get second opinions, but the rush of anxiety hit me like an anvil.  On one hand, positive reactions can reaffirm my direction as a writer.  On the other, well…it could suck.

That’s the gamble that writers will always face.  The trick is to want the positive outcome enough to keep going and never give up when someone gives you a thumbs down.  So, do you love it?