Get The Words Out Of My Head

That Kanye West song "Stronger" really speaks to me right now.
I'm trying desperately to get a draft done of the Mars play but even though I now know how the second act ends I have this suspicion that it might not be the end of the play. Which would suck. You would think I would have control over these things but no. Oddly enough.
Also doing another pass over "Nothing But the Truth" which it needs but theres something about that play that hurts the brain.
Or, you know, it could be the fact that I keep banging my head against my desk.
It's days when I pass up skiing with my brother to write that I wonder if I made the right choice in life goals.

Discovery Day

Pilates has made me a better snowboarder. Seriously.

Best Song in the 'Verse

So sometimes you're freaking out about finals and important people call but don't ask you how you're doing and just ramble on about themselves for hours and you're feeling shity and panicked.
And then Float On comes on the radio and you smile and you know its all going to float on okay.

Don't Forget to Catch Me

Back in High School my friends and I were obsessed with this German movie called Bandits. Bandits is about four women who form a rock band while in jail. They then escape from jail just as their cd is hitting the big time. So while they're on the run from the police their fans are everywhere. What will they do!? It’s like “prison break” crossed with “spice world.” It’s pretty wonderful. I still know all the words to the songs even though it’s been a good four years since the last time I saw it.

Anywho, I decided to rewatch it and see if 3 and a half years of training in story structure and other such bullshit had killed it for me.
NO.
I mean, I could tell you everything that is ridiculous about it (it is sublimely ridiculous) but my love for it stands the test of time.
So here I present the 6 things I love about Bandits.
6. Music: I love it when Germans sing in English. Never makes much sense but it sure do sound pretty.
5. Eye Candy: can we have male models with limited speaking skills in all films?
4. Reversal of punishment: in most movies if a female character screws up she will be punished while male characters tend to be excused. Here, if a man makes lewd comments to you he gets the smack down!
3. Dance sequences: In the middle of a crowded street.
2. Jumping: off of bridges and buildings causes hardly a bruise.
1. When in doubt light a car on fire: works every time.

Classes are Over...

All that stands between me and vacation bliss is one Warfare in Africa take home final. Which is sitting right next to me looking at me in a rather shifty manner. Really if I just did it I could have it done in five hours or less. But the weather is gross out and on days like today my self pity reaches amazing highs. All I want to do is lie in bed and read comic books.
Which I'm not doing either. Procrastination just makes me more unhappy. Which is why I thought I would post here.
Pity me.

Can we talk about how the world is AWESOME!

Scientists have discovered the long-eared jerboa in the gobi desert. Also known as the coolest rodent ever.
Via BBC

The Missoula Chicken Controversy

Shall I get this for you for christmas?

"Protect our troops - from the womb to the war. What if the fetus you were going to abort would grow up to be a soldier bringing democracy to a godless dictatorship?"

Yes. This is serious.
I kind of love the religious right. I mean, when they're not busy scaring me to death and burning down the homes of people I love.
Go here if you want to order one for your own Hanuka bush.

what did I do with out the internet?

The internet has been out at my home which is why the posts here have not been as frequent this past week. Apologies.
When you can only get on the internet for about 5 minuets at a time it makes you realize what your internet priorities are (as opposed to when I should be working on my play and then I will read EVERYTHING THAT HAS EVER BEEN POSTED. EVER) My internet priorities are:
1. Email. Duh.
2. Livejournal friends list and the blogs of Sushi, Theresa, Emily, and Slaney.
3. facebook. I am having my ass kicked in 3 different scrabbulious games. I don’t actually care if you changed your profile picture.
4. Icanhascheezburger. Yup. That’s what I miss when I don’t have the internet.

What actually was surprised about is how little I care about gawker, jezebel, and gothamist when I'm not procrastinating or at work.

Mission to Mars

So this is a scene in my new play in which one of the characters talks to God. I have a feeling that in the next draft of the script I'm going to have to cut it which is why I'm posting it here. I really like it and its going to make me sad to kill this baby.
Anyway, all you need to know is that Elena is on Mars and she's been hearing music that no one else can hear.


Elena listens to the music. After a moment a beautiful Indian man appears playing the violin, we’ll call him KRISH. Elena watches him. After a while the song ends.

ELENA
Hey.

KRISH
Hey.

ELENA
It’s you.

KRISH
Yes.

ELENA
Are you really here?

KRISH
I think so.

ELENA
You could just be missfiring electrons in my brain.

KRISH
I could.

ELENA
But you’re not?

KRISH
I don’t know. You could be a brain in a vat.

ELENA
True.

KRISH
How do you know you’re not.

ELENA
I think therefore I am.

KRISH
How do you know?

ELENA
I don’t know. I try not to think too hard about that.

KRISH
Why?

ELENA
It’s too scary.

KRISH
People used to think about things like that more. Why do you think that is?

ELENA
Scientific method.

KRISH
Perhaps.

ELENA
Are you saying it’s not?

KRISH
I’m not saying anything.

ELENA
What are you saying?

KRISH
Nothing. I’m just talking.

ELENA
To me.

KRISH
Yes.

ELENA
Am I crazy?

KRISH
What is crazy?

ELENA
Am I delusional? Am I hallucinating?

KRISH
What is delusional--?

ELENA
Fine. Don’t answer. (pause) Will you play again?

KRISH
In a minute. My hands are sore

ELENA
Oh. Want me to rub them for you?

KRISH
Sure.

She starts massaging his hand.

ELENA
What is the meaning of life?

KRISH
Why do you ask that?

ELENA
I dunno. I thought that’s what you’re supposed to ask in these sorts of situations.

KRISH
What do you think the meaning of life is?

ELENA
Continuation of the species.

KRISH
Is that the meaning of your life?

ELENA
No.

KRISH
What is the meaning of your life?

ELENA
Dunno.

KRISH
Give it a try.

ELENA
I want to know things.

KRISH
So it’s pleasure.

ELENA
No... I just.. Learning things seems noble. Like, the more you know the easier it is to solve the worlds problems.

KRISH
Is that true in your life now? Are you solving the worlds problems?

ELENA
No.

KRISH
So why do you keep learning things?

ELENA
Pleasure I guess. Other hand?

KRISH
Thank you.

She starts massaging his other hand.

KRISH
You’re hands are warm.

ELENA
I know. I radiate heat through my hands. So what is it?

KRISH
What?

ELENA
The meaning of life?

KRISH
Oh. Would you believe me if I told you I made it with out meaning? I was so enraptured by the beauty of it that I never thought to give it a point.

ELENA
So there is no meaning?

KRISH
It’s sweet of you to try.

ELENA
So why...?

KRISH
Why what?

ELENA
Don’t you stop it? Stop whats going on. Bad things are happening.

KRISH
It’s not in my power.

ELENA
What do you mean.

KRISH
I can’t uncreate something. It’s like writing. Once its been written it’s there. You can’t get that ink back up into the pen no matter how much you may want to.

ELENA
I heard this theory... well, you would know if its true or not.

KRISH
Go ahead.

ELENA
Well you know how time and space are connected.

KRISH
Yes.

ELENA
And how the universe is expanding.

KRISH
Yes.

ELENA
Well when the universe stops expanding and starts to collapse in on itself time will run backwards. The dead will be born out of their graves and live their lives again until they die in their mothers womb.

KRISH
Poetic.

ELENA
Well.

KRISH
Well what?

ELENA
Will that happen?

KRISH
Time only runs one way. But then I only know this universe.

ELENA
The universe is expanding though.

KRISH
Sure.

ELENA
“sure?”

KRISH
Sure. Would that make you feel better? If all this came undone?

ELENA
No.

KRISH
You’ll never know it all.

ELENA
All what?

KRISH
All there is to learn.

ELENA
I know.

KRISH
Why’d you come here?

ELENA
I was sent--

KRISH
Why did you come here?

ELENA
To learn. To know things before everyone else.

KRISH
Fame?

ELENA
God no. Just... satisfaction.

KRISH
Oh.

ELENA
What?

KRISH
You’re weird.

ELENA
I’m sure you’ve seen weirder.

KRISH
Why’d you do this to yourself.

ELENA
What?

KRISH
Close yourself off from humanity--

ELENA
I did not close myself off--

KRISH
You’re on Mars. How much farther can you run?

Elena drops his hand and walks away.

KRISH
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout.

ELENA
You don’t have to apologize.

KRISH
Yes I do.

ELENA
Alright. Apology accepted.

KRISH
I’m just curious.

ELENA
About what?

KRISH
Why you left the world behind.

ELENA
Aren’t you ominichant? (he shrugs) I mean I don’t know.

KRISH
People are nice.

ELENA
Ha!

KRISH
What?

ELENA
Do you know people?

KRISH
Why this bitterness?

ELENA
Stop it.

KRISH
What?

ELENA
Stop with the psychoanalyzing question bull shit.

KRISH
Oh. Okay. (pause) I am just curious.

ELENA
Can I ask you a question?

KRISH
Sure.

ELENA
Why don’t you stop it?

KRISH
What?

ELENA
Anything. Pick one. The holocaust, pol pot, Armenians, Rwanda Bosnia, Stalin, Congo ---

KRISH
With what? Locusts? Plague on the first born son.

ELENA
Maybe. It is in your power isn’t it.

KRISH
Yes.

ELENA
Well?

KRISH
I keep hoping you’ll learn. It doesn’t mean anything if I stop it.

ELENA
You know that’s not going to happen.

KRISH
It will someday. Is that why you’re here?

ELENA
No.

KRISH
Ever been to the Congo?

ELENA
..yes.

KRISH
Really where?

ELENA
East. By lake Kivu.

KRISH
How do you still believe in me after that?

ELENA
I believe in you. I believe in science. I believe in rocks.

KRISH
But...

ELENA
People just aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

KRISH
You like music.

ELENA
Yes.

KRISH
Music is people.

ELENA
No.

KRISH
Music is the best part of people. Music is on of my favorite surprises about you. Music and art and writing. You people can make someone fall in love with you with sound. Not pheromones or hormones but sound. Listen
(He plays a note on the violin.)
Doesn’t that make you’re chest ache.

ELENA
They say the music is signaling certain parts of the brain that are connected to emotion centers---

KRISH
So?

ELENA
So what?

KRISH
So it still doesn’t make any sense. Listen.
(He plays the note again)
That serves no purpose for food or procreation or survival. It just is. And it’s human.

ELENA
It’s you.

KRISH
I didn’t invent this. I didn’t even create the potential for it. But here it is.
(He starts to play)
What do you feel in the music?

ELENA
It’s just music.

KRISH
What do you feel?

ELENA
Heart break.

KRISH
Why does your heart break? Why not let it fall in love?

ELENA
I don’t know. It’s what I hear.

KRISH
Play with me.

ELENA
I’m just human.

KRISH
So am I.

ELENA
No you’re not.

KRISH
Aren’t these hands human. Isn’t this instrument wood? There is nothing divine here but the sound. Play with me.

She sits down at the piano.

ELENA
My parents used to play together, my mom on the piano and my dad on violin. I would build a fort under the piano with pillows and blankets and all my stuffed animals. The sounds would reverberate through my whole body, warped and deeper than they should be. In their music I could hear love. And as my body vibrated with the deep notes it was as though I was that love, given form and shape. As though I could feel nothing else in the world but love. It was how I imagine heaven feels. But heaven lasts forever and those moments slipped away so fast.

KRISH
What happened to them?

ELENA
What happens to all living things.

She pushes down the keys. They start to play together. Sad sad music, something similar to “Spiegel im speigel” by Arvo Part. Elena is very good.
The lights flicker off. They continue to play. When the lights come back on Elena is alone.

No I do not want your blood of innocents

I hate the ads for Kay’s jewelers so much that if any person I am dating every buys me a “journey diamond necklace” I will break up with them on the spot for their utter lack of creativity.
I mean, if anyone ever buys me diamonds period we have a problem. Those sparkles come from the blood of innocents.
No like seriously, they do.
In doing research for this post (because I am responsible blogmistress) I explored the Kay’s site which does have some information on conflict diamonds if you look really really hard. Mostly along the lines of “Kay’s doesn’t buy diamonds from conflict countries” and “less than 1% of the worlds diamonds are conflict diamonds.” To the first I am sure Kay’s does what ever they can. But one of the reasons why diamonds are so useful to non-government fighters is just how easy they are to smuggle. To the second point: I have no idea where that statistic came from. There is no way to tell where diamonds came from and conflict diamonds are difficult to track (obviously). Therefore, no one actually knows what percentage of the world’s diamond market is tainted with blood.
Regardless, don’t buy diamonds. It’s trite if nothing else