Leaving Phoenix after Christmas (see previous post for details) was the strangest sensation. I was glad to some degree to get out of Phoenix, but I feel like I could have gotten more out of my visit with my own car. (Again, previous post.) When I got back to L.A., I started to settle back into the routine of going to my day job and back home. But the restlessness stuck with me — the sense that I can take more immediate action to further my creative pursuits.
There were two additional things that helped things click into place. First was listening to the Inside Acting podcast, which I believe should be a must-listen for actors of all stripes. In fact, go to their website or into iTunes and subscribe to it immediately. Don’t worry… I’ll wait right here.
Umm… actually, you could just open the links in a new window so that you don’t leave me behind. I get lonely…
Done? Phew… I was beginning to think you weren’t coming back. Where was I? Oh, that’s right.
The second thing was this post on Wil Wheaton’s blog from November (which was brought on from a blog post by fellow author Warren Ellis, etc.) that talks about the idea of “Get Excited and Make Things”. The basic message is to take your creative ideas and make them concrete. Hell, you could be probably make them out of concrete if that’s your chosen motif. But I started thinking about all the things I’ve been meaning to create and continually putting off. And since the best thing for ubitquitous capture (look it up, kids) is to write it down, I starting writing during the bus ride to work.
Thirty minutes later as I disembarked from L.A. public transit, I looked at the havoc I had wreaked across three pages of my Moleskine — outlines, quotes, sketches, mini-flowcharts, tasks, dreams… the list goes on. I was amazed that I had that much piled up in my head but more importantly, I was excited! So now it time for the second half of that… I need to make these things a reality.
I have decided to use this blog to chart my progress as I am adopting “Get Excited & Make Things!” as a personal motto and getting to work in a number of different areas. Most important is listing them all here and I figured I make some sort of formal declaration. Ah-he-he-hemm…
Whereas I, the ActorGeek, having determined that the year Two Thousand and Ten, by the common reckoning, shall be known as “The Year of Getting Excited and Making Things”, do hereby commit to making the following things happen:
(I promise it’ll be normalspeak from here to the end)
- Completely written and produced episodes to complete the Magellan’s Children storyline
- More trips out of town, esp. to visit family (incl 1 trip each to NM & WY and a possible trip to TN)
- Attendance at more Mensa events, including both L.A. & Phoenix RGs and the 2010 AG in Detroit
- Appear for 2nd time on an L.A. stage
- Yoga as a daily practice
- New headshots
- Obtain representation
- Lose 50 lbs
- Minimum first drafts of 3 written works and 1 piece of music
- Gain a basic working knowledge of 1-2 new languages
- Direct a reprise of Touchstone, U.S.A.
- Direct a full production of Gambler’s Daughter
It’s a lot, I know, but as I said, as long as I get at least a few accomplished and make headway on the others, I will consider it a damn good year.