Friday Post

Working on a pilot called Shylock.  It’s about a loan shark trying to go legit in Los Angeles.  Will update blog soon.  Hopefully with good news.

Discipline

I think one of the key disciplines in writing is to stop asking yourself is this good and instead to ask yourself is this finished? In fact, any question is better than is this good? Is it honest? Is it succinct? Is it as simple as it can possibly be? Is it necessary and relevant? Good is too hard to quantify.

I hope this blog isn’t becoming a self-help thing.

The Third Act

The third act is a bitch. That’s where you have to confront what it is you believe and what it is you’re trying to say. It’s also where you begin to suspect that your structural plan might be at fault: perhaps the journey you set out on has no end.

The trick, I believe, is faith. If you know you did a proper set up — if you know you didn’t take any short cuts along the way — the ending is waiting for you if you have the equipoise to find it. Try not to get too flustered, and don’t expect it to be easy to find. The fact that the third is the shortest of the three acts does not mean it will take less time to write. In my experience, it can take longer to write the third act than it does the rest of the story.

I hope this advice serves someone other than myself.

Health Care

I’m watching Obama as he prepares to sign the bill. This is history. This is real progress. This is what we hoped for when we elected this man. Of course the bill isn’t perfect, but it’s a damn sight better than what we had before. Mazul Tov! People will be alive tomorrow because of what is being done today. This is truly a mitzvah.

En Route

Going to New York in the morning. Hate flying. Me and everyone else. I always get this awful thought in my head when I take my seat that the face of the person sitting next to me will be the last one I ever see.

Watched Sugar tonight. Good film. Touching. Americans aren’t so bad, are they? We’re good to Dominican baseball players. At least the ones who throw over 95 and don’t fool with our white women, who want nothing more than to bring Jesus to their pagan souls.

Write every word like it’s your last.

What do I pack? I wish I had nicer clothes. My mother’s going to tell me how fat I am, whether I’m fat or not. My brother’s going to tell me how fat I am, same.

Do they show movies on planes anymore? I guess not. Hollywood movies got so bad no one would watch them anymore. Everyone just plugs into their little devices and entertains his or her self. No food either. You have to buy it. And pay for your luggage to fit under the plane. And pay for a headset so you can listen to this loop of music that comes in with static. Always that innocuous set of hits by U2 and Keith Urban. Or that awful music they play at the gym. And half the time the entertainment package isn’t working. They apologize for the inconvenience. Fuck your apology. I paid good money for this ticket, I want to hear those Goddamn U2 songs that I haven’t heard since I parked my car. Partial refund for the lack of in flight entertainment. Partial refund for the delay and the fact that my bag didn’t arrive at the airport when I did. Good luck. The customer is always right became the customer will always give in.

We’re good people, Americans. We just let it slip away. Got too greedy. Started to believe our own myths.