What Are You Doing Today? (an SKMB greatest hits)

Hedda Gabler

Hedda Gabler said:

I’m embracing my inner squirrel today. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. 

I’m working on Aaron Sorkin’s Masterclass— 8 hour class! It’s the longest one i’ve done so far and absolutely full of information.  Big tips to little things, just full of great stuff. 

I have absolutely no interest in play writing/screenplays of any kind, but i am intrigued how they do that.  I wish i could read the Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid screenplay. 

I think by casting my net wide and listening to people from all sorts of fields and genres of writing — that can help me be a better writer and communicator in general.  So, I love these classes.

one big thing he brings up frequently — the rules of writing drama are in Aristotle’s Poetics. He says, if your drama story isn’t working, you’ve broken one of those rules.  Go back and find which one.

a small tip — and I loved this one — when writing a screenplay, give everyone a name.  No matter how small the part. 

Don’t have someone called “Elevator Operator” or “Lunch Counter Girl #2.”   Give everyone a name and give the actors dignity so they can go home and tell family, I play Sheila (who just happens to run the elevator).  I thought that was such a small kindness to give someone working so hard to realize their dreams. 

And, having babbled all that, have any of you watched The West Wing? 

Not long ago, I asked Bev or anyone who could answer — how do you write something and know you are done? How do you leave it alone? Because I change and mess and rework stuff forever. I always feel it can be better, especially as I learn new things.   

Aaron looked at a scene from The West Wing— it was already filmed and out there— we see the scene, he’s looking at the screenplay in his hands and says, “ I wish I could rewrite that. “  

I felt validated. 😄

Hedda Gabler

Finished my Aaron Sorkin.  He gives a mention of Stephen King.  

Now I'm continuing on with NK Jemisin, science fiction writer.

World building is serious stuff.  Did Ray Bradbury go to this extraordinary length to research world building?  I don't think so.  He absolutely built a world, and may have given some attention to the believable science to some degree, but mostly I'd say no. He invented his own world, his own science, his own rules.  

But listening to NK, you don't f**k with scifi world building.  And boy oh boy, don't appropriate any culture in your made up world.  Your FICTION world.   

Oh my lord, please stop choking creative people.   If everyone sits around and worries about offending this group or this person, nothing new and exciting is ever going to be written.  Everyone will be so damned constipated.  

Rule 1:

1.  Don't tell creative writers what they can and cannot write.  That's not saying creative people can't be sensitive and only use what they really have to use to tell their story.  If you are throwing offensive shit in just to be offensive, okay, you might deserve some backlash.  But if it serves the story, the greater good (the greater good) then use it.

2.  As a reader, If it offends you, put it down and walk away.  Or burn it. Or tear it to shreds.  But quit controlling creative works.  Quit.  Please.  Stop.

GNTLGNT

....me?....I'm working on Labor Day, while the rest of the crew has a family get-together...one of the suckiest things about health care....beaucoup missed holidays....

Hedda Gabler

GNTLGNT said: TV

....me?....I'm working on Labor Day, while the rest of the crew has a family get-together...one of the suckiest things about health care....beaucoup missed holidays....

Scott, do you take care of the same group of people or are you shuffled around? I can see pros and cons for both situations. 

cat

I defrosted a deep freezer yesterday and did all the laundry. So today have to wipe the freezer down. Hopefully we'll have some deer meat to put in it, in about a month. Last year was a bust, too many out of staters. Hopefully this year will be better, I'm really hungry for some. 

Have another freezer to do but think I will wait a week or so before I do it. 

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

GNTLGNT said: TV

....me?....I'm working on Labor Day, while the rest of the crew has a family get-together...one of the suckiest things about health care....beaucoup missed holidays....

Scott, do you take care of the same group of people or are you shuffled around? I can see pros and cons for both situations. 

...I have "my" Cottage, but we also help out on the other two...one is the more severely developmentally disabled group and extra hands are always needed there, because the med pass and tube feedings are horrendous....

GNTLGNT

cat said:

I defrosted a deep freezer yesterday and did all the laundry. So today have to wipe the freezer down. Hopefully we'll have some deer meat to put in it, in about a month. Last year was a bust, too many out of staters. Hopefully this year will be better, I'm really hungry for some. 

Have another freezer to do but think I will wait a week or so before I do it. 

...just remember, don't wipe it down with your clean laundry...........follow me for more helpful household hints....

GNTLGNT

....last two days at work were difficult to put it mildly.....and we are under quarantine again because two staff tested positive for the Vid....so today, all I wanted to do was sleep in, but no!....Scotty had to renew his driver's license and tags, go to the bank, stop at the pharmacy and pay half a year property insurance.....it was an impatient bastards dream though, believe it or not....I got up at 7:30 and was back at the house before 9....so later today, old fat bastard NAPS!!!!!....Tracy is visiting our daughter, so I won't be losing time with her....

Hedda Gabler

GNTLGNT said:

Hedda Gabler said:

GNTLGNT said: TV

....me?....I'm working on Labor Day, while the rest of the crew has a family get-together...one of the suckiest things about health care....beaucoup missed holidays....

Scott, do you take care of the same group of people or are you shuffled around? I can see pros and cons for both situations. 

...I have "my" Cottage, but we also help out on the other two...one is the more severely developmentally disabled group and extra hands are always needed there, because the med pass and tube feedings are horrendous....

I seriously don’t know how you do it. Such a tough, tough job. 

Hedda Gabler

Hedda Gabler said:

Finished my Aaron Sorkin.  He gives a mention of Stephen King.  

Now I'm continuing on with NK Jemisin, science fiction writer.

World building is serious stuff.  Did Ray Bradbury go to this extraordinary length to research world building?  I don't think so.  He absolutely built a world, and may have given some attention to the believable science to some degree, but mostly I'd say no. He invented his own world, his own science, his own rules.  

But listening to NK, you don't f**k with scifi world building.  And boy oh boy, don't appropriate any culture in your made up world.  Your FICTION world.   

Oh my lord, please stop choking creative people.   If everyone sits around and worries about offending this group or this person, nothing new and exciting is ever going to be written.  Everyone will be so damned constipated.  

Rule 1:

1.  Don't tell creative writers what they can and cannot write.  That's not saying creative people can't be sensitive and only use what they really have to use to tell their story.  If you are throwing offensive shit in just to be offensive, okay, you might deserve some backlash.  But if it serves the story, the greater good (the greater good) then use it.

2.  As a reader, If it offends you, put it down and walk away.  Or burn it. Or tear it to shreds.  But quit controlling creative works.  Quit.  Please.  Stop.

Thinking further on this, i’ll offer up 2 examples that i’ve just recently yammered about. 

Pink Flamingos and Nicole Kidman’s The Beguiled are two total trash pieces I hated. Hated for very different reasons.  Even though i think they should be burned at the stake while we all chant, “witches…Witches!!!”, is it all about me? Nope. There are people who think these pieces are brilliant .   Poor misguided things they are, but still entitled to enjoy the art they want too.  I can champion them on one hand, and slap their mothers for giving birth to the creators with the other.  

In the end, I will walk away and pray for their very souls. 

🤣😂🤣😂😜

GNTLGNT

...here's a wish for them Deej.....

Kurben

I have been rearranging my bookshelves in the crime and SF department. It was a bit messy.... Its better order now. I always feel better when rearranging my books.... but never with anything else. What does that say about me as a person?

Hedda Gabler

How’s your baby bird kurben?

Kurben

Hedda Gabler said:

How’s your baby bird kurben?

The baby bird has flown, or at least left the nest but the mother is still hanging around so i guess he, pr she, is in training camp. Did see the mother but not the baby when i looked yesterday. They grow quickly the little rascals....

Hedda Gabler

Kurben said:

Hedda Gabler said:

How’s your baby bird kurben?

The baby bird has flown, or at least left the nest but the mother is still hanging around so i guess he, pr she, is in training camp. Did see the mother but not the baby when i looked yesterday. They grow quickly the little rascals....

Is mom thinking about laying another egg ?

GNTLGNT

Kurben said:

I have been rearranging my bookshelves in the crime and SF department. It was a bit messy.... Its better order now. I always feel better when rearranging my books.... but never with anything else. What does that say about me as a person?

Hedda Gabler

🤣

GNTLGNT

...my bookshelves have action figures crawling all over the books, so they're at least SK fans right?....

Hedda Gabler

@cat — did you get all your remodeling done? I bet it looks great. 

Anymore with crazy neighbor guy?

And your daughter’s bully issue okay this year? 

Hedda Gabler

Scott - remodel all done now?

cat

Hedda Gabler said:

@cat — did you get all your remodeling done? I bet it looks great. 

Anymore with crazy neighbor guy?

And your daughter’s bully issue okay this year? 

We're done except for the stairs. Still need to pull the carpet and put the vinyl flooring on them. Scott is going to do those himself. I am still slowly working on getting stuff back in place in the kitchen. Kind of wanted to shop for new canisters, and something different to set on top of the cupboards. So I have been dragging my feet. Before, I had Scott's small collection of antique bottles up there. Because the kids were small and that put them way out of reach. A few of them are valuable. But now I want something different. But I don't really have anywhere else to put them. So they will probably just go back up there. 

Hoping to put a fence up in the next year. No further issues with looney neighbor but we are constantly getting teenagers cutting through our yard, front to back and then up through another person's property to get to the next block. Happened again the other night. We were outside and 3 of them come walking into our backyard. Even after Scott told them to turn around, that it was NOT a public thruway, one just kept on a going. Didn't give 2 figs what had just been said. I ask again, when did it become ok to be so entitled? To disrespect others to such an extent. 

And Ali is still hearing about the rumor some. She is handling it fine, she just says that was not true let's move on.  But Ty has been asked about it too, since he is at the HS now. And Brandon, who is a district employee, learned something in a meeting last week that totally made him livid. Something about how the teacher and principal handled it that was clearly against protocol. He has not spelled it out for me but I think because he is an employee and he can't...but he took it to someone in admin, and we're supposed to be hearing from that person. It will be up to Ali if she wants to proceed, but it will depend on what this person tells us before she makes a decision. And we haven't heard from him yet. 


I wish there was a whole lot less drama. It is all wearing me down. 

Hedda Gabler

cat said:

Hedda Gabler said:

@cat — did you get all your remodeling done? I bet it looks great. 

Anymore with crazy neighbor guy?

And your daughter’s bully issue okay this year? 

We're done except for the stairs. Still need to pull the carpet and put the vinyl flooring on them. Scott is going to do those himself. I am still slowly working on getting stuff back in place in the kitchen. Kind of wanted to shop for new canisters, and something different to set on top of the cupboards. So I have been dragging my feet. Before, I had Scott's small collection of antique bottles up there. Because the kids were small and that put them way out of reach. A few of them are valuable. But now I want something different. But I don't really have anywhere else to put them. So they will probably just go back up there. 

Hoping to put a fence up in the next year. No further issues with looney neighbor but we are constantly getting teenagers cutting through our yard, front to back and then up through another person's property to get to the next block. Happened again the other night. We were outside and 3 of them come walking into our backyard. Even after Scott told them to turn around, that it was NOT a public thruway, one just kept on a going. Didn't give 2 figs what had just been said. I ask again, when did it become ok to be so entitled? To disrespect others to such an extent. 

And Ali is still hearing about the rumor some. She is handling it fine, she just says that was not true let's move on.  But Ty has been asked about it too, since he is at the HS now. And Brandon, who is a district employee, learned something in a meeting last week that totally made him livid. Something about how the teacher and principal handled it that was clearly against protocol. He has not spelled it out for me but I think because he is an employee and he can't...but he took it to someone in admin, and we're supposed to be hearing from that person. It will be up to Ali if she wants to proceed, but it will depend on what this person tells us before she makes a decision. And we haven't heard from him yet. 


I wish there was a whole lot less drama. It is all wearing me down. 

Everyone is wound tight, disappointed, discouraged, angry, scared — it’s gonna get better.   I hope with added information you guys can have a good outcome with Ali’s sitch.

good with looney and yes ! Good fences make good neighbors. 

The place will be just perfect. Take your time and make it so. ❤️

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

Scott - remodel all done now?

....except for the kitchen, and if Tracy ever gets a minute to get her "album" put together, I'll throw it out on the photo site......still working on landscaping as well, and that will take a colossal amount of time.

GNTLGNT

cat said:

Hedda Gabler said:

@cat — did you get all your remodeling done? I bet it looks great. 

Anymore with crazy neighbor guy?

And your daughter’s bully issue okay this year? 

We're done except for the stairs. Still need to pull the carpet and put the vinyl flooring on them. Scott is going to do those himself. I am still slowly working on getting stuff back in place in the kitchen. Kind of wanted to shop for new canisters, and something different to set on top of the cupboards. So I have been dragging my feet. Before, I had Scott's small collection of antique bottles up there. Because the kids were small and that put them way out of reach. A few of them are valuable. But now I want something different. But I don't really have anywhere else to put them. So they will probably just go back up there. 

Hoping to put a fence up in the next year. No further issues with looney neighbor but we are constantly getting teenagers cutting through our yard, front to back and then up through another person's property to get to the next block. Happened again the other night. We were outside and 3 of them come walking into our backyard. Even after Scott told them to turn around, that it was NOT a public thruway, one just kept on a going. Didn't give 2 figs what had just been said. I ask again, when did it become ok to be so entitled? To disrespect others to such an extent. 

And Ali is still hearing about the rumor some. She is handling it fine, she just says that was not true let's move on.  But Ty has been asked about it too, since he is at the HS now. And Brandon, who is a district employee, learned something in a meeting last week that totally made him livid. Something about how the teacher and principal handled it that was clearly against protocol. He has not spelled it out for me but I think because he is an employee and he can't...but he took it to someone in admin, and we're supposed to be hearing from that person. It will be up to Ali if she wants to proceed, but it will depend on what this person tells us before she makes a decision. And we haven't heard from him yet. 


I wish there was a whole lot less drama. It is all wearing me down. 

...landmines in the backyard will cure the problem......

GNTLGNT

...the last of this season's Monarch babies are being born and I think we will have had about 17 butterflies to release this year....less than normal because the oddball weather had everything delayed....