DAMN YOU, MR. CHAVEZ!

So I have found a potential story. I'm excited about the research that I will have to do. And I was all set to start today, but all of the libraries were closed. Something about Cesar Chavez day around here. Who is this guy and why does he get a day? All I know is that his park in downtown San Jo has free concerts during the summer. O.k. So I looked up his Wikipedia page and I guess he did some pretty cool things. It would be interesting to see where he would stand with regards to GWBush's immigration groans.
This frustration leads to something else I'd like to rant about for a sec. Is it just me or does it seem like every month is 'national (insert whatever cause/minority/illness you want here) month.' This month is National Autism Awareness month. I know this because my bookstore has a display table set up and Joey Travolta (yes, John's bro) will be coming to push some book or something. I'm not going to be totally insensitive and say that this ailment doesn't deserve some recognition; however, I have two points I want to present to you, my happy readers:

• First: it seems like a lot more people are being diagnosed with some form of autism lately. Someone at work even told me about a young girl who became autistic after she received too many booster shots at one time. Huh? Are people really autistic? Or is just a way to explain different or problematic behavior. Is autism becoming the new ADHD?
• Second: do people really become more aware during these themed months? Or is this just a means to get on soap boxes and sell books. Please understand, I'm not trying to be insensitive here. But when you work in a bookstore, you learn a lot about people. And the biggest realization I've made is that humans are very much herd animals. They like to 'flock' to some cause or fad just because someone on TV said something about it. I can't tell you how many times people have spent money (sometimes lots of moolah) because (insert celebrity name here) told them they need this book/dvd/cd. I guess I shouldn't gripe too much. It does keep me employed.
  

So how many people 'remembered' Cesar Chavez today? Who knows. Inevitably, this 'holiday' will grow to have the same meaning as all the rest: just another day that people can't go to the library/post office/bank.

WHAT I WANT...

So I was rereading my last post and I realized something. Of the four movie quotes I listed, three are from original scripts. My problem with writing a screenplay is that I want to write lines like those. They are truly amazing. And I try so hard to create that one line that will capture everything, that it cripples me. I learned somewhere that that is the one thing you (as a screenwriter) should never do. But it is nearly impossible for me to follow. Let's face it. Anyone who is a movie fan like me can recite some line from a movie, or knows a great monologue. Lines as simple as, "I'll be back," or "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," or whole speeches like Marlon Brando's "I coulda been a contendah," or Al Pacino's amazing homage to everything evil in "The Devil's Advocate." I would love to be standing somewhere and overhear someone quoting something I had written.
What I need to do is start a new script. I have a few ideas, but both require a ton of research. One I have begun research on and one I have only a vague idea for, but that I think could be very interesting. What I need to do is get off my ass and do something. So that's my challenge. I will take any encouragement or help I can get. But inevitably, I need to do it. Stay tuned...I'll keep you informed.

BLISSFUL MELANCHOLY

This will be the third time I've tried to write this blog. I'm having a hard time finding the words to express my feelings at the moment. In fact, screw it! I don't want to. I found a movie quotes site that's pretty cool, so I'll just use other people's words again. And I'll share this picture I took a while back when the waves were crazy. I'm hoping to go see some pretty flowers on Wednesday. Maybe I'll post some pics from that.

• "Me, I didn't mean anything. About anything, to anyone. And I knew that guaranteed me a long, depression-free life." About A Boy
• "Nothing is more necessary than the unnecessary." Life Is Beautiful
• "Vice, virtue, it's best not to be too moral - you cheat yourself out of too much life. Aim above morality." Harold And Maude
• "...you finally hit bottom, and you realize that you can't go any lower. When you find a friend you wouldn't have found anywhere else.... sometimes you see the world so clearly. And you know just what to do, and just when to do it. Just what you should've done and when you should've done it." The Salton Sea