When I was twenty-four, I started working at a theater company. In an attempt to remind myself of where I’d been and everything I’d learned along the way, I made a list of twenty “Rules to Live By,” and taped it up inside my locker at work. While some of these rules have aged wellContinue reading “rules to live by”
Category Archives: life
not trying hard enough
The last few days, I had this wild idea for an art piece that involved stenciling silhouettes, painted canvas, and melting crayons with a hairdryer. However, when I went to melt the crayons, the gust of heat from the hairdryer not only didn’t melt the wax, it detached the stencils from the canvas. Safe toContinue reading “not trying hard enough”
finding the medium
I’m currently working on a novel high school kids in revolt and a play about comic book writers building a universe–two different stories with different characters, engaging with completely different worlds. A friend asked this week, “how do you determine which stories are books, which ones are plays, and which one would be movies?” GreatContinue reading “finding the medium”
rearrange yourself
When I was a kid, I’d rearrange the furniture in my bedroom every summer. Sometimes, it was a simple as switching the placement of the dresser and the bookshelf. Other times, I’d slide the bed across the room, reorient the posters on the walls, and move the light fixtures from one corner of the roomContinue reading “rearrange yourself”
do what you’re doing
While I was in college, I had the opportunity to meet Alan Zweibel, one of the original writers for Saturday Night Live. He told a story about how he got the job at SNL: he’d been writing jokes on his own, collecting them and refining them at open mic nights throughout Manhattan. One night, aContinue reading “do what you’re doing”
psychic scars
A friend of mine is studying to be a screenwriter. The other night, we had a conversation about her graduate program. She’s in her mid-thirties, while most of her classmates are in their early twenties, a disparity she claims is obvious in their writing. Much of the work her classmates produce is imaginative , butContinue reading “psychic scars”
a better future
Nicole Chung in The Atlantic: …write as though there is a future, a more just one—and if I do that, perhaps I’ll be one small step closer to believing in it. In dark days like these, crank some Bowie and get to work making those visions reality…
something to push against
My college roommate and I spent some time recently reflecting on our education and what we learned in college. While he studied Computer Engineering and has gone on to be successful in his field, my education in English, American Studies, and Film was a little less clear cut. As someone once told me, “You’re goingContinue reading “something to push against”
poking the envy
This past weekend, I went to a screening of the film, Poser, an indie feature produced by and featuring artists and musicians from Columbus, Ohio. First, I have to say, I was blown away by the film. It was truly impressive and one of the most original things I’ve seen on screen in quite aContinue reading “poking the envy”
sharing your thoughts
An old friend came to visit me this weekend. Not only was it a joyous time spent catching up and reminiscing, but also a lesson in one of the primary drawbacks of living alone: the importance of sharing your thoughts with someone. I moved into a one-bedroom apartment nine months ago. This is the firstContinue reading “sharing your thoughts”
joshua chamberlain 