:: Quiche of the Day ::

:: 04.29.2004::

So I realize that there's a pattern to my webpage updates. I'll not write anything for weeks, maybe even a month, and then suddenly I'll get back into it again and blog daily for about two or three days with promises of frequent updates and then let it fall into inactivity for another month or so.
Well, they do say that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.
I'm sure they also say that you shouldn't make excuses for yourself, but I'm going to anyway. The reason I've been neglecting this webpage, and by extension all of you who read it, is that I have had a TON of writing to do. When I came back from spring break I had to basically write a feature length screenplay from little more than notes and a vague outline, and write the final 3/4 of my script for a 60 minute TV drama, although at least I had a solid outline for that. The rule of thumb is that each written page generally equals a minute of screentime, which means I had 45 pages of the TV show and 120 pages of the movie left to write once I returned from Oregon.
For those of y'all who can read but not add, that's a total of 165 pages, not counting rewrites. Would you like me to tell you that I want you to write a novel of moderate length and hand it in to me on the 4th of July? Because I will, if that's what you want -- I aim to please and all that -- but chances are, you can't be BOTHERED to write that much that quickly. Well apparently, I can. Because I have to write that much and it IS bothering me. But fortunately not as much as it had been.
See, by depriving myself of a social life and you all of webpage entries, I've been able to write quite a lot. I've actually written over a hundred pages in the last month and you can bet that I feel pretty darn good about that. As I'm majoring in (screen)writing and hope someday to make it my livelihood instead of sitting around watching a computer lab and writing about how I hope to make writing my livelihood, which is currently my livelihood, it's nice to know that I can actually write, and write in considerable volume as well!
So I still have a lot to do, but I'm over halfway there and in the last two days I've almost finished the climactic 30-page chase scene for my movie that includes lots of motorcycles, vampires, werewolves, secret government agencies and punkrock. While the subject matter may seem like nothing new to those of you who know me, I've never written anything on this scale before and it is quite a rush.
Perhaps I'll post the scripts up here for you guys to read once I finish them, but just be aware that they're long. Ha! I love being able to say that.

:: Aaron Humphrey 11:33 AM ::
...

:: 04.20.2004::

So you know you’re a film student when you spend nine hours on your only free day of the week running sound for a friend’s movie. You know you’re working on a student film when five of those hours are spent shooting every possible angle of scene that involves a) a guy running on a treadmill watching TV and b) that same guy falling off of the treadmill. It will seriously take up 30 seconds of the movie . . . and yet it took up 18000 seconds of my life. I’m not complaining, though, it was kind of fun. You know, like how going to the beach on a bright sunny day and having a picnic is fun because sand gets in all your food and you have to either spend an hour picking it all out by hand or you say “screw it” and end up with a bunch of sand in your mouth.

:: Aaron Humphrey 12:31 AM ::
...

:: 04.16.2004::

What do you wear to meet a spiritual leader in exile?

So today I went with a bunch of Honors kids to go see the Dalia Lama speak at UCI. Woke up about five minutes before we were supposed to meet, threw some clothes on, figuring the Dalia Lama probably wouldn’t be too concerned with current fashion trends, (but did wear a hat as I figured he would be as likely as anyone to laugh at my hair), grabbed my ticket (which the honors program was giving out to anyone who wanted one), and was out the door.
Actually, I forgot my ticket and had to run back and get it, but whatever.
I had done nothing to merit this opportunity to see such an important man, standing in like with kids cracking jokes about waiting to see “the Lama” made me feel a little strange, like I should have been driven there by more of a purpose than, “that would be cool.” It should be noted that I made only two jokes out of the Dalia Lama’s very punable name, namely, “when I meet him I want to say “Como se llama, Lama?” and the venerable, “Hello, Dalia.”
When we got inside we waited for everyone to make their way to the stadium (there were around 5000 people there) as a video of students talking about why they love going to UCI played up on the stage. Their mascot is an anteater, what other reason do they need? The program opened up with a monk saying a prayer he described as being like “ice cream for the heart,” a purposeful chant of “Let people be kind to each other.” This was followed by a flute song which was intricately beautiful and I couldn’t help be close my eyes and feel at peace. The performer then switched to a long, didgeridooish instrument which made low, deep sounds that were hard to listen to. It felt like my brain was being emptied. Fortunately, more of the flute music followed and I felt peaceful again.
Then the Dalia Lama came out, dressed in the traditional yellow and red robes, greeted the audience and sat in a nice looking chair they had placed on a nice looking rug. He had a translator with him who he only used a few times, and the translator had a nice chair, too.
I would love to tell you what the Dalia Lama talked about, but I couldn’t really understand most of it. He was very humble, and had a vibrant sense of humor, and I think started and finished by telling us that he had nothing to teach us, and I believe said the crowd of students was fresh like orange blossoms and bumble bees. His main theme seemed to be compassion, and also patience.
Additional wisdom I recall: We’re all the same person and all have the same potential. You should oppose violence, but still respect and try to understand everyone: once you solve your problems with them, you could end up being great friends!
He also did a Q&A session where his translator read questions from high school students - many of them were the same, along the lines of “what do you think of other religions?” (he thinks all world religions have things to offer, but suggests that people stick with the traditions they were raised with) and “what’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?” (I didn’t really understand his answer to this question or its variants), but someone asked him about fixing watches, which I guess it one of his hobbies, and he seemed very happy to talk about that. He also was quite impish while telling us that when he was a student he would rather play than study. And I think he said he sometimes considered cheating on his instructor! I think it’s great that this guy was picked to be the political and spiritual leader to Tibet when he was two and he still was able to have a fun childhood. Actually, in spite of everything, he also seems to be having a fun adult-hood. He hammed it up for the crowd by putting on a UCI visor and if anyone bowed low to him, he would smile and try to bow lower. Seemed like a good guy.
He also told us that when we get married we shouldn’t get divorced, and to get to know someone before we get married, instead of marrying after just two or three days. He told a story about when he was a young man and went to see a friend and his wife and was shocked that the wife was not beautiful. “Your wife is not very attractive,” he told his friend. His friend smiled and replied, “physically, no, not so attractive. But personality very attractive. So kind.”
Basically, the Dalia Lama was like a grandpa, giving advice we probably already knew, but telling it in a way that was so sincere and caring that even I couldn’t roll my eyes.
I did role my eyes when “special guest” Sharon Stone appeared at the end of the event and talked to us about “appreciating the karma of the moment.” A handful of kids had taken the stage earlier representing various charity organizations and giving gifts (mostly paintings, but also a pair of work gloves) to the Dalia Lama, but I’m not sure why Sharon Stone was there. I’m also not sure why she used the word karma in every other sentence. The Dalia Lama, who is about as Buddhist as you can get, never used the word once (as far as I can tell). “Does she know what karma means?” my friend Andy asked afterwards, “because apparently she doesn’t.”
But to be fair, I don’t know much about Sharon Stone and it’s possible she’s very involved in charitable events and had a good reason to be up there. I sarcasm and cynicism are no way to end a piece about a man who promotes peace by being sarcastic and cynical, so here’s something else: I climbed a tree today! and it was wonderful.

:: Aaron Humphrey 9:04 PM ::
...

:: 04.15.2004 (again!)::

I like working in the Beckman Computer lab. People come to me with problems that are completely impenetrable to them but totally transparent to me. I don’t even think I understand computers that well, but it’s pretty gratifying to be able to solve someone else’s “life or death” problem with a few lucid mouse clicks. I’m just lucky this equipment works for the most part and no one’s having serious or unsolvable dilemmas.
***
Two quick things that I’d like to point out to you all, if I may be so bold:
-Today is National High Five Day! So high five someone.
-A girl in the computer lab is wearing a “Free Comic Book Day” tee shirt! That one’s not until the first week in July, but it’s still another awesome day to look forward to.
---
And leading credence our hypothesis that every day is spectacular in its own way, tomorrow is Dali Lama day, at least for me and some other people who will be going to Irvine to see him speak! I’ll write about it.
Also, I broke a nail a few minutes ago, which means I’ve let them get way too long. So today is also “cut your blasted fingernails day.”

:: Aaron Humphrey 1:21 PM ::
...

:: 04.15.2004 ::

If there’s one thing I don’t often have a problem with, it’s sleeping. I can sleep in cars, on airplanes, in school, at the movies, I’ll take pretty much anywhere that will have me. When I was younger and couldn’t fall asleep in my bed I would go someplace weird to sleep, like the closet or the living room couch or the middle of the floor and that usually did the trick.
Last night I had a bit of a problem falling asleep because the girls in the room next door kept laughing hysterically, and I had to go ask them to keep it down, but that’s really the only time in recent memory that I’ve had to do any amount of work in order to go to bed. And in the girls’ defense, they were cracking up because one of them had asked “have you ever noticed that the Kool-Aid Man and L. L. Cool J look alike?” which also made me laugh hysterically. Comparing pictures, I’d have to say that she’s right. But for those of you who do have trouble hitting the old hay with any degree of satisfaction, our friends at the National Sleep Foundation have come up with a list of sleeping tips. Most of them are things to do before you actually go to bed and one in particular has seemed to help me in my waking life. It is tip number nine: Associate your bed with sleep and sex only.
I don’t qualify for the sex part, but I associate my bed with a lot more than just sleeping. My bed is the part of my room that I actually use. The rest of my room, my desk, the floor, my stereo, are just places I put my stuff, but my bed is where I have lived for the most part. I type there, I read there, I talk on the phone there, I live there. But there’s something kind of wrong with living in bed. So I’ve relocated my life and started using my desk again. br> Suddenly, I can write again and I feel a lot less lazy. Now when I hit a block I go for a walk instead of taking a nap! br> Good thing, too, as I’ve got around 150 pages of screenwriting to finish before the semester is over. Which means I’ll be seeing a lot less of my bed from here on out. And even the National Sleep Foundation would say that’s a good thing.

:: Aaron Humphrey 12:47 AM ::
...