Another good day at the community college. Although I am sick (again), but despite that we had a good class. I know I'm doing things differently from what other teachers are doing but I like what's going on in the class. I'm taking them step-by-step in the process of writing a paragraph with guidance and help from exercises in the book before they have to turn in their first of 8 paragraphs for a grade. This Friday we'll start working with grammar. I'm serious. This could be it for me. My calling (for the day job, you understand).

I enjoy teaching screenwriting, but I know there's no real future for me at the Other School on the Hill as far as possible full time work. I feel like there is more for me to mine at the community college. I'm building bridges, gaining experience there, etc. Although I don't want to settle in this area permanently, I will definitely need a full time gig for Bizarro to attend grad school full time.

Despite being sickly, I'm in a good mood. The weather this week is fantastic - high 70s and sunny. I plan to hit the lake up this weekend in any way possible.

Tonight is Leverage - one of the TV shows that inspires me to write. And the Red Sox are playing the Rays tonight - they won last night so let's see a repeat performance!

Sunny

Today was sunny inside and out. Had a lovely time at the farmers market this morning, got a new pair of casual sandals, tasted wedding cake with PMP, then went on a walk in one of the many gorges in this part of the state (also with PMP). Now watching the Red Sox beating the Yankees (13-11 bottom of the 8th). I plan to get some frozen yogurt when the game's done and watch "Rushmore" later.

Last night saw "Wristcutters," which is a brilliant dark romantic comedy. My goal is to watch more films this summer, in theatres and on DVD. This is to feed my own writing, as well as to inform my teaching.

My manager friend in LA is interested in representing me with a couple more saleable scripts under my belt. I gotta get a romantic comedy and something thriller-ish to add to the sci fi. Then I can get out to LA for meetings when the time comes. I'm really pumped!

Things are starting to feel like they're coming together. My phone interview with the community college went pretty well yesterday, I think. I know that even if don't get that job, I have a new in-road into the English department there, and there looks to be possibility of a screenwriting class where I teach now, so I'm not too worried.

I still have some personal things to work out for myself, though, and I'm planning on taking some time at the beginning of June while I'm in Mass for a change of scenery and a chance to do some soul-searching. As soon as the semester is over I'm doing a complete cleanse and detox program. Oh, and also I am happy to say my exercise regime (PMP!) is going well. It's all about taking care of myself, and getting back that which I lost over the last year or two (mental, physical, emotional health).

Boston is now up 16-11 bottom of the 8th!

Tim Wakefield is a Loser

The Sox got stomped by the Rays in the 4th game of the ALCS and it's Tim Wakefield's fault. Him and his stupid knuckleball. What the hell?

Things don't bode well for the Red Sox, but remember, folks, they were in the same spot last year - won the first game then lost three in a row to the Indians, and we all know what happened - Cleveland got handed their little white towels.

GO SOX!

The end of an era

"The Red Sox last night beat the moribund Yankees in their terminal ballpark, 7-3." (from www.boston.com) Read the entire article here.

Happy Fourth (or, SUCK IT YANKEES!)

Two weeks down, four to go. So far I am well-pleased. My boss is great about recognizing the teachers' abilities and responsibility to tailor the workload to our students. This year we have a lot of 16-year olds (just out of sophomore year of HS) who are really struggling with all the academic vocab that is being thrown at them. I have mostly 16-year olds, as do a couple of the other teachers, so I have had to amend parts of the schedule. It's nice to know my professional judgment and expertise are appreciated and trusted.

Also nice to know - I have a teaching gig for the fall semester! The screenwriting program at the Other School on the Hill needs me, and I have heeded the call. I'll be teaching advanced screenwriting, as opposed to the intro class I've taught for them before. This will be fun - all or most of the students are screenwriting concentrations, and they will work on one project all semester. I am grateful for the opportunity and look forward to getting myself back in the fold.

I've been trying to work on the script for the Korea doco. It's hard. Hm... I'm starting to lose focus and wonder what it is I'm trying to say... I re-read some of my journal entries from that year and it's uncomfortable to remember some of the shit I went through, personally and professionally. I actually endured a lot of hard times, and if I've realized anything, it's that my memory sure has romanticized a lot of that year. I remember all the good stuff, not the shitty stuff. I suppose that's a good thing - but at the same time, will my film be honest without the dark stuff?

Tomorrow we're both getting massages, then I have to get some work done for school. Going to MZ's on Sunday.

And can I just say that I don't know how to feel about the new X-Files movie. Bizarro says with copious levels of scorn, "In this day and age, who gives a shit?" But there's a part of me that wants to see it... I suppose that's what they're counting on. Sentimental schmucks like me who can't get enough UFO-conspiracy theory and will they/won't they?

Oh, and for the record, Coco Crisp DID catch that ball in the 9th inning and Jeter should have been out. Red Sox should have won 6-3, not 6-4.

Let's Go Red Sox!

They are on top so far this season, and will remain there, I'm sure. What sucks is that I can't see many games here - we don't have a deluxe cable package. The only baseball we usually see is Yankees and Mets, and who the hell cares? Ha ha. Well I know some people care about those teams, but I sure as hell don't.

I'm psyched for Drew that he's having his moment to shine with Ortiz out of order for a while: Sox Roll.

Carz Suck

Last weekend when I was in Boston, I had to bring my car into a mechanic because when I got off the highway it sounded like a Harley. $213 later it was fixed. By the time I got off the highway coming home, it sounded almost as bad, but in a different area of the exhaust. So I brought it in this morning to my usual mechanic, and $340 later (in about an hour from now) it will be fixed. Throw in an oil change and winterizing, and the final bill will be around $400. That's a grand total of over $600 put into the car in the last week.

Just in time for the holiday season to strike us down. But in all honesty, the exhaust was all factory original parts, and it's a 10 year old car, so it was bound to happen. Better to have it done now than to have pieces falling off on our way to Cleveland next month. Ugh.

But this still cheers me up:



Click on it - I dare ya, esp. if you're a Yankees (or an Indians) fan!

(thanks to Mike Z. in Rockland for the spiffy grafix!)

Red Sox Triumph

They did it. I stayed up to watch and am in tears. What a series. The Rockies made them work for it, but they fought hard and held it together.

I want to see Papelbon (and Becket) do a victory Riverdance.

----------------
October 28, 2007
Red Sox win World Series!
By Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff

For the second time in four years the Red Sox have won the World Series.

With a 4-3 win over the Rockies in Game 4, the Red Sox have swept their second straight Series, winning eight straight Series games.

Jonathan Papelbon closed it. The final out came on a Seth Smith strikeout swinging.

Jason Varitek had the ball, in case the Hall of Fame is looking for it.

A RED SOX PRAYER

OUR FATHER, WHO ART AT FENWAY...
BASEBALL BE THY GAME.
THEY KINGDOM COME,
THE WORLD SERIES TO BE WON,
ON EARTH, THEN ON TO THE CASK 'N FLAGON.

GIVE US THIS DAY A PERFECT PAPI,
AND FORGIVE US OUR LOSSES,
AS WE FORGIVE THOSE,
LIKE BILL BUCKNER.

AND LEAD US NOT INTO DESPRERATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM ANY LOSSES.

FOR THINE IS THE POWER,
AND THE GLORY,
TO BEAT THE ROCKIES,
FOREVER AND EVER....THE YANKEES SUCK

A-MEN.

GO SOX