Lets take today to get as much writing done as possible before I go have fun for two weeks. I assume that I will have more opportunities to write while I'm in the sunbathed islands of Hawaii, but I will have more alcohol at that point, so it's safer to get a good start now. I'll start with a list.
In no particular order of priority:
1. Work on screenplay. If I can get the ball rolling with 10 pages or so then I can keep it back in the forefront of my mind for the rest of the summer. I'd like to finish the movie at some point, and it has a good start, but pure apathy has kept me away.
2. Work on skit and video ideas. I can set an arbitrary goal of 5 or 7, but I just want to come up with as many as possible before my vacation is done. The month before I go on the trip would be a good time to try out my 1 - 30 seconds 30 day challenge, and that would take a TON of back planning. It would also take 30 ideas, which is a challenge in itself. I can start with a brainstorming session or a facebook post asking for ideas. I'll keep a running list as soon as this blog is over.
3. Stand up comedy. Freewriting and developing opinions for stand up is always productive and fun. I think this will come more from my experiences on the trip and can be a focus when I'm on the way back, although I will assume that part of trip will leave me fatigued and unwilling to write.
4. Jesse Gardner Has Ideas. The Onion-esque blog I started has been ignored after three posts. My bad. Not a huge deal, of course, but it would still be good to get another article out. I set the goal for 20 before the school year ended, pretty pathetic that I never even started an article after that. A post or two there would be good to add to my article-writing resume. Maybe I can get a freelance writing job for some stupid satire website in the future. Practice is all I need now, though.
5. Smash Trip ideas, planning, documentary script. I think it would be cool to write some vlog scripts related to the smash trip. Getting some pre-trip footage to add to the documentary archives could never hurt, and it could help get a lead into some sort of narrative regarding passion, improvement, competition, etc. Maybe I should save that for the end of June. Maybe not.
Between those five subjects I'm sure that I'll have plenty of writing opportunities on this trip. If I land 12 hours from now with pages of material and writing done I'll feel like I deserve the next couple of days to relax and keep my mind off things. This writing and work isn't ruining my vacation, it's letting me have one.
Follow my travels at jesseontheroad.blogspot.com
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Actually writing some shit
Alright, third day in a row. Instead of doing the usual nonsense meta-writing I always do on this blog, I'm gonna try to actually write some shit. Let's get it started
Yesterday I realized the first time I could ever use sign language without deaf people. I was in a dorm, right by the side entrance where there's a big glass wall with a big glass door. My buddy went outside to smoke a cigarette, but because of this bullshit May weather we're having it was too cold to go outside. There he was, only five feet away, but there was no way we could communicate. Unless we had sign language, of course. Then we could have been keeping the conversation going from two completely different auditory spaces. We would have been legends to anybody who passed, two mysterious young men who spent countless hours learning ASL just to talk while one was smoking a cigarette and the other was being a pussy.
Meme songs are one of my favorite things now. A meme song is a ridiculous, repetitive, annoying, or otherwise hilarious song that can be busted out in most situations for the sake of a joke. The first of these songs was "Who Let the Dogs Out" by the Baha Men. This song is so timeless and transcendent and will always be a good option if you're trying to piss somebody off. I would recommend learning the words in order to add another layer of silliness to the mix. The lyrics might seem stupid as hell, but it really is brilliant insight into the undertones of patriarchal dominance in the music industry.
The next song I stumbled upon was actually recommended by my girlfriend, "I like to move it move it." I think she was trying to get me to leave her house. The Madagascar version is the one you want to shoot for here, but make sure it's not the Madagascar cover but the Madagascar version. It gets slightly ruined with a non-professional singer trying to move it move it. Play this one at your own risk, as it is about 6 minutes long and sounds like it's going to end about seven times.
Another song that is perfect for any occasion is "Cotton Eye Joe" for obvious reasons. There is nothing more powerful than hooking up your Samsung s6 to the party's speakers and blasting some 5th grade dance music. If there's a large enough gathering, sometimes you get to see every different reaction at the same time. Some "cooler" people might hold their ears and screech like banshees, protecting their ears from the only song that can possibly kill their vibe. Those more willing to try new things will attempt to recall the dance moves from when they were younger. These people will look up and to the right, as that part of the brain is where dance memories are held. Be careful, though, as if they look to the left they are trying to figure how to best murder the DJ with an ice pick. The brain works in mysterious ways, huh?
Right now there is one king of meme songs. I Got Bitches by A2M. I don't know anything about the artist other than he has created one of the best pieces of art ever conceived in this mortal realm. Once you listen to I Got Bitches, your heart craves for similar masterpieces by the same artists, but alas, there are none. Look up A2M on Spotify and you find one song. It seems as though this song is all our species deserves right now.
I could go at length about the mysteries of "I Got Bitches" but I think you should just listen to it yourself. It has the sustainability of Cotton Eye Joe, the catchiness of I Like to Move it Move it, and most importantly, the misogyny and objectification of women previously exclusive to "Who Let the Dogs out." This song is brilliant. Listen to that right now, damn you.
Yesterday I realized the first time I could ever use sign language without deaf people. I was in a dorm, right by the side entrance where there's a big glass wall with a big glass door. My buddy went outside to smoke a cigarette, but because of this bullshit May weather we're having it was too cold to go outside. There he was, only five feet away, but there was no way we could communicate. Unless we had sign language, of course. Then we could have been keeping the conversation going from two completely different auditory spaces. We would have been legends to anybody who passed, two mysterious young men who spent countless hours learning ASL just to talk while one was smoking a cigarette and the other was being a pussy.
Meme songs are one of my favorite things now. A meme song is a ridiculous, repetitive, annoying, or otherwise hilarious song that can be busted out in most situations for the sake of a joke. The first of these songs was "Who Let the Dogs Out" by the Baha Men. This song is so timeless and transcendent and will always be a good option if you're trying to piss somebody off. I would recommend learning the words in order to add another layer of silliness to the mix. The lyrics might seem stupid as hell, but it really is brilliant insight into the undertones of patriarchal dominance in the music industry.
The next song I stumbled upon was actually recommended by my girlfriend, "I like to move it move it." I think she was trying to get me to leave her house. The Madagascar version is the one you want to shoot for here, but make sure it's not the Madagascar cover but the Madagascar version. It gets slightly ruined with a non-professional singer trying to move it move it. Play this one at your own risk, as it is about 6 minutes long and sounds like it's going to end about seven times.
Another song that is perfect for any occasion is "Cotton Eye Joe" for obvious reasons. There is nothing more powerful than hooking up your Samsung s6 to the party's speakers and blasting some 5th grade dance music. If there's a large enough gathering, sometimes you get to see every different reaction at the same time. Some "cooler" people might hold their ears and screech like banshees, protecting their ears from the only song that can possibly kill their vibe. Those more willing to try new things will attempt to recall the dance moves from when they were younger. These people will look up and to the right, as that part of the brain is where dance memories are held. Be careful, though, as if they look to the left they are trying to figure how to best murder the DJ with an ice pick. The brain works in mysterious ways, huh?
Right now there is one king of meme songs. I Got Bitches by A2M. I don't know anything about the artist other than he has created one of the best pieces of art ever conceived in this mortal realm. Once you listen to I Got Bitches, your heart craves for similar masterpieces by the same artists, but alas, there are none. Look up A2M on Spotify and you find one song. It seems as though this song is all our species deserves right now.
I could go at length about the mysteries of "I Got Bitches" but I think you should just listen to it yourself. It has the sustainability of Cotton Eye Joe, the catchiness of I Like to Move it Move it, and most importantly, the misogyny and objectification of women previously exclusive to "Who Let the Dogs out." This song is brilliant. Listen to that right now, damn you.
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Upcoming developments, stream, smash skits
Today I wrote two more smash related skits. Writing them is fun, but producing them is difficult. Yesterday I had the chance to make my first smash skit and I think it was a success. It got some attention on my Instagram and on Melee Hell. It was a short scene, and didn't take too long to make, but we are definitely just getting started.
It does feel good to create some kind of content, even though it wasn't too long. It's an important first step, and now I wanna make another skit more than anything else. Lucky for me it got a lot of attention and a solid amount of praise, so now I'm craving it more. This alongside my 10 minutes of paid stage time i was offered in less than three weeks makes me very excited for the future. I just need to make sure I'm putting in my fair share of work every day. I need to keep writing.
But what do I care about right now? I'm at work, finishing my second to last shift at my summer job, and I feel completely uninspired to write anything for stand up. I wrote two more skits for smash that I just want to start working on. What else is there to do? I guess I need to finalize housing for the last remaining days of the trip, but I don't want to be pushy. That really is a necessity, though, so I guess it's my next move.
Another thing coming up is a 8 hour (or something like that) stream with me and Chess. We don't have a set agenda yet, but some ideas to make the stream actually entertaining and memorable is important. Nobody gives a shit about 2 unknown players playing melee, but if there are fun activities involved then we could definitely get some interest. Maybe we both take half an hour to write diss raps about the other. Maybe we do physical challenges or get chess really drunk. Either way, it should be a fun weekend and an exciting start to our adventure. Let's just hope that we get a good amount of donations coming in!
For now that's all I have to say. I'm very excited to keep working on producing content and (hopefully) build a following. The next video we make will definitely need water marks or something with our instagram handles so people can follow us. There is more work to be done in finding housing but I feel like that will come in time as well. The wheels keep turning, graduation crawls near, and every day brings me one step closer to my dream. Lets do this.
It does feel good to create some kind of content, even though it wasn't too long. It's an important first step, and now I wanna make another skit more than anything else. Lucky for me it got a lot of attention and a solid amount of praise, so now I'm craving it more. This alongside my 10 minutes of paid stage time i was offered in less than three weeks makes me very excited for the future. I just need to make sure I'm putting in my fair share of work every day. I need to keep writing.
But what do I care about right now? I'm at work, finishing my second to last shift at my summer job, and I feel completely uninspired to write anything for stand up. I wrote two more skits for smash that I just want to start working on. What else is there to do? I guess I need to finalize housing for the last remaining days of the trip, but I don't want to be pushy. That really is a necessity, though, so I guess it's my next move.
Another thing coming up is a 8 hour (or something like that) stream with me and Chess. We don't have a set agenda yet, but some ideas to make the stream actually entertaining and memorable is important. Nobody gives a shit about 2 unknown players playing melee, but if there are fun activities involved then we could definitely get some interest. Maybe we both take half an hour to write diss raps about the other. Maybe we do physical challenges or get chess really drunk. Either way, it should be a fun weekend and an exciting start to our adventure. Let's just hope that we get a good amount of donations coming in!
For now that's all I have to say. I'm very excited to keep working on producing content and (hopefully) build a following. The next video we make will definitely need water marks or something with our instagram handles so people can follow us. There is more work to be done in finding housing but I feel like that will come in time as well. The wheels keep turning, graduation crawls near, and every day brings me one step closer to my dream. Lets do this.
Monday, May 8, 2017
I think this is when I step it up
These last few weeks of college have been... strange, to say the least. Nostalgia is everywhere, there's sadness mixed with excitement with a dash of regret. Stranger than all the emotions is the sheer speed of the days, each one melding into the next with accelerated speed. This morning, for the first time since high school, I looked at myself in the mirror in an almost meditative way. I didn't let myself stop looking until I promised that I would work harder and make the most of the opportunities I have. I saw myself, and I was scared. I was jittery and lacking confidence. I wanted to look away and distract myself immediately. I can't allow myself to do that. I need to stay the course.
Whenever I go more than a week without considerable writing or hard work I tend to go into one of two schools of thought. The first and most frequent mindset I develop is that of guilt. "I need to be working harder" or "At this pace I'll never make it". Thoughts like this fuck me up, my confidence and self esteem suffer somewhat, but they're pretty good short term motivators in getting me to work harder.
The second mindset is forgiveness. I let myself take a second to breath and pull myself together, then bank on the fact that eventually I'll make my way back to productivity and on the path to success. This mindset is easier and more fun, but overall I think it's way more dangerous. It's like being hard on myself is putting lead into gasoline and going easy is just having a big carbon footprint. It's easy to understand why harsh self-criticism can be harmful, but letting yourself off the hook and being okay with mediocrity is failing to see the problems in the future. I need to work harder, and I need to consistently remind myself that. But I can't put lead in the air, either. It's all just confusing and hard to handle.
This is the problem with a lot of artists, I think. What will motivate me to work? Love of the craft is no question, I never feel more alive than when my own ideas come to life and succeed in making people laugh. But more often than not i will occupy my time with idle games or other distractions. I choose instant gratification over a long effort to be happy. Not a unique problem by any means, but it is definitely a big deal.
But here I am now, trying again to be productive. With this road trip coming up and some strings to be tightened there is still a lot to do. This week I have no real excuse to slack off. I have an opportunity here to set myself up for success. The path i make is completely up to me. This shit is really exciting omggg
What I want to do today is write a couple of short (super short) film ideas that are smash/comedy related. Something just to get my feet wet with instagram videos. I need to start somewhere with smash skits, and a 20 second thing is way more digestible and easily produced. I can make 5 before I go back home, and release them every couple of days. The editing is the hardest part.
So let's get started. Hopefully soon there will be more fun content coming out from ya boy and we can get a foundation for this trip to thrive. Only time will tell.
Whenever I go more than a week without considerable writing or hard work I tend to go into one of two schools of thought. The first and most frequent mindset I develop is that of guilt. "I need to be working harder" or "At this pace I'll never make it". Thoughts like this fuck me up, my confidence and self esteem suffer somewhat, but they're pretty good short term motivators in getting me to work harder.
The second mindset is forgiveness. I let myself take a second to breath and pull myself together, then bank on the fact that eventually I'll make my way back to productivity and on the path to success. This mindset is easier and more fun, but overall I think it's way more dangerous. It's like being hard on myself is putting lead into gasoline and going easy is just having a big carbon footprint. It's easy to understand why harsh self-criticism can be harmful, but letting yourself off the hook and being okay with mediocrity is failing to see the problems in the future. I need to work harder, and I need to consistently remind myself that. But I can't put lead in the air, either. It's all just confusing and hard to handle.
This is the problem with a lot of artists, I think. What will motivate me to work? Love of the craft is no question, I never feel more alive than when my own ideas come to life and succeed in making people laugh. But more often than not i will occupy my time with idle games or other distractions. I choose instant gratification over a long effort to be happy. Not a unique problem by any means, but it is definitely a big deal.
But here I am now, trying again to be productive. With this road trip coming up and some strings to be tightened there is still a lot to do. This week I have no real excuse to slack off. I have an opportunity here to set myself up for success. The path i make is completely up to me. This shit is really exciting omggg
What I want to do today is write a couple of short (super short) film ideas that are smash/comedy related. Something just to get my feet wet with instagram videos. I need to start somewhere with smash skits, and a 20 second thing is way more digestible and easily produced. I can make 5 before I go back home, and release them every couple of days. The editing is the hardest part.
So let's get started. Hopefully soon there will be more fun content coming out from ya boy and we can get a foundation for this trip to thrive. Only time will tell.
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