Well, I guess I just have to avoid costumes and tall buildings to live forever.

I will leap from a tall building in my superman constume



How will you die? Take the Exotic Cause of Death Test

I take it back.

I take it back.

A little while ago, I mentioned writing, and a screenplay I submitted to a contest sponsored by Miramax. When I mentioned this, I hinted at maybe the script was garbage and that it was being “puked over”. I know. Mature. This was me being negative about….well, me. And low and behold, I found out today that the script actually made it past the first round. Sure it’s one of 90 scripts to do so in the current competition, but that was in fact, what I hoped for in the least. I mean, if you can make it out of the slush pile, you’re on the right track. I’m not suggesting that I’m guaranteed to succeed. I was just looking to see if I was close to the mark. Is this something I can learn? Am I going in the right direction as far as trying to develop the skills needed to tell a story. (in this case, storytelling in the form of a screenplay). Making it past the first round tells me that I have in fact absorbed something from the classes I’ve taken. Which is what I needed, considering that the script I’m currently writing is a furball of a first draft. This “little victory” is a positive boost for me during those frustrating, lonely nights spent trying to write in a coffee shop with no heat.

Having said all that, I must stress that this Blog is by no means an example of my writing skills. I don’t spend time editing this. It’s off the cuff, it’s expression. Venting. Ranting and/or raving.

Speaking of raving……

I’m loving “The Cloud Atlas”, by Liam Callanan. It’s engrossing. I’m not that far into it, but I’m having trouble putting it down. The bus pulls up to my stop, and I’m disappointed I have to put the book away. (Sorry Mr. Callanan, but I won’t risk frostbite for any book). I’m at work and I’m looking forward to getting out so I can continue reading. (Holy shit that’s depressing. I need a life). I’ll probably go into greater detail about the book and why I think it’s great at a later date, after I finish it. So there. A rave. Something positive.

Test, Playlists and Rant

Ok, this is just a test since I changed some settings. For one thing, anyone can post comments now. And I can update via email. Why? I don’t know.

Ripped 3 FSOL albums (ISDN, Dead Cities, Lifeforms), a Download album (Effector), DVOA’s Piss Frond, and a couple of Synaesthesia albums (Desideraturn and Ephemeral). Just transferred them all to the player, but I’ll probably still end up listening to a Buckley or Frusciante album instead. Speaking of which, it’d be nice if the stupid HMV in Sherway Gardens would actually get albums on their release date. I realize Frusciante ain’t Britney or Justin, but c’mon. Are you a record store or a shit store. That’s what I get for being out in the bloody burbs. “Curtains” came out on Tuesday January 25^th, and it looks as though I’ll have to make the trip downtown to get it.

I remember when “DC EP” came out and some asshole at Music World in Sherway told me no store in Canada had any of Frusciante’s albums from the latest series and that I’d have to wait until a box set was released. I already had “Will to Death” and the Ataxia disc, so who did this prick think he was, telling me I’m wasting my time. Too bad they closed down, cause the rest of the staff there were cool.

Anyhow, I gotta get to work. Time to be a door mat for people with money.

Playlists and Reading

I’m thinkin’ of programming some playlists for the reading on the bus. Yeah. That’ll help. Sure.

“The Cloud Atlas” will be accompanied by “The Long Walk Home” by Peter Gabriel. An awesome soundtrack he did for “Rabbit Proof Fence”. (Which I’ll admit to not have seen…yet)

I’m wayyyy behind with electronic music. I like instrumental/ambient stuff for reading or writing, but what I have – however out of date – will have to do for when I get into “Dhalgren”. Thinkin’ I’ll make a mix of Future Sound of London, Synesthesia, and some of the more sedate tunes from Autechre (“Bike” comes to mind) and Aphex Twin (“Rhubarb” from “Selected Ambient Works, Vol 2”). That kinda stuff seems to fit the bizarre world of “Dhalgren”. And I’ll have to toss in some Dead Voices On Air, from the only album I got of his (Piss Frond).

Any suggestions?

Awe....no time...poor baby

And I’ve been racking my brains trying to come up with a theme for this Blog. What’s the point? Have you seen what people put up on these things? Still wanna come up with a name for the site though.

Anyhow. Kinda disappointed with how I spend my time. I mean sure, I get stuff done. I’m writing. Have I mentioned that yet? Got a rough draft of a novel, a few short stories and a screenplay currently being puked over at a competition sponsored by Miramax. I get stuff done, but as an aspiring writer, I should also be doing a ton of reading. Makes sense, right? But there doesn’t seem to be time, unless I read on the bus on the way to work. (I take three buses to get to work) But sometimes that makes me feel sick. How pathetic and lame is that? Pretty damn pathetic.

Well, that’s it. I guess I gotta make the time, somehow. On my reading plate:
1) The Cloud Atlas - Liam Callanan
2) Dhalgren - Samuel R. Delany
3) Survival - Julie E Czerneda
4) Iron Council - China Mieville
5) Valis – Philip K. Dick
6) Cat’s Crossing - Bill Cameron
7) Pale Fire - Vladimir Nabokov

Let’s see if I can read one a week. Har.

Nameless and Useless

Getting a sense of what I want on the website that this here Blog will be moved to. Got the list of pages done, but the inclusion of an “Images” page is up in the air. Biggest problem is trying to come up with a name.
1) Website
2) Nobody cares but everyone’s doin’ it anyway
3) Dan’s Site
4) Ebay.com
5) I like to be sued.org
Oh I guess it doesn’t matter. Not like I’m gonna get a domain any time soon.

This post brought to you while revisiting “Asleep In The Back” by Elbow.

Who’s your DJ? (a dumb post - #1)

I love my MP3 player. (I only got it recently)
A cool thing I discovered the other day was, stumbling onto great mixes that I hadn’t really considered before. For example: I was queuing up some tracks from “Shine A Light” by The Constantines, and decided to follow those tracks with a few songs by Fugazi, off their “Red Medicine” album. It KICKED ASS.

Of course I forgot to save that playlist, but another cool thing is, it’s painless to recreate it.

My brain feels like jelly.

Anew

Here we go......
January 20, 2005.
Just got over a deadly viral infection and am preparing to re-enter the seedy corporate world, covertly of course. My enemies will not be pleased that I survived thier latest attempt on my life. And using bio weapons!! Ha! I'm stronger than they thought.

My excursions into the dangerous world of "brands" and stupid abbreviations will be documented here, on my digital, global tracking, networkable, Journalizer 2005SE!
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I got over the bloody flu. I go back to work today. I started a Blog.