Sunday, August 21, 2011

Just Say No!... to the end of summer

Everywhere I look, something or someone is trying VERY hard to convince me that summer is already over. Seriously! It's only the 21st of August. Summer doesn't end for another entire month!

It began with swimsuit clearance in July. The stores weren't quite ready to stop making money off the surfers, swimmers & sunbathers so they rolld out new lines of swimwear mid-July labeled "Resort 2012"; as though you'll only need a swimsuit in July if you're planning some vacation to the islands in January. It's baloney.

Then all the back to school nostalgia from when kids went back to school after the summer harvests, before they went to year-round school that has them back-2-School during the summer. People don't like to think of poor kids having to sit in classrooms during the summer, it ruins their fantasy of summer vacation as a free-for-all & also ruins the idea of new back to school sweaters, crisp apples & chilly mornings. It's easier to pretend it's already fall...in July.

But now the weather itself is conspiring. I don't remember a summer before that had such cool mornings in August. But they are already cooling off. The days are getting shorter too...even though Halloween is still 71 days away. I expect the fashion magazines and Walgreens to be ahead of the seasons but the weather itself is working against me.

I'm determined to soldier on and see summer out to the end. I will keep swimming in my pool & eating ice cream until it gets too cold. I will continue to wear tank tops & flip flops by day and a single sheet & double fans at night until it really gets too cold and Halloween & the end of Daylight Saving's are closer.

I plan on squeezing every last drop of summer in the next 4 weeks until it really turns to fall on September 22 or so. Enjoy. The rest of your summer! Don't let corporate advertisers short you of your most relaxing, gloriously fun filled, low key, inexpensive month from you. Hold your ground with me & let's jump back into the pool!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Ummm...

I've been busy. Sorry. I'll return with something mesmerizing soon I'm sure. I'm trying to get a focus on what this space means to me...

Is it a soapbox for ranting? A forum for art? A dumping ground to complain? A spot for shits and giggles? I'm figuring it out. As soon as I do, this space will reborn. :)

Monday, May 30, 2011

California Love: Repost of Last Year's MySpace Blog!

Im showing love to my home state, which bore me, raised me and was essential during my formative years. I miss it and here are some reasons (in no particular order) why:

Sunshine year round (okay Bay Area is overcast alot)

Oakland Hills

Skaters

BART
Burrito Trucks


2Pac

Green Day

The Sunset Strip

Tower Records (R-I-P)
Jack London Square
California knows how to party
Fred Segal

The Lost Boys (on location in Santa Cruz)
Riots!

Spanish names of cities and streets

San Francisco fog
Snoop Dogg
Francis Ford Coppola

Counter-culture

Haight-Ashbury
Gap

Guns-n-Roses
Compton
The Rainbow
Poison
Wish they all could be California girls
Amoeba
Richmond High School
Chris Isaak

Surfers

In-n-Out Burger
The Castro
Graffitti (sometimes...the good stuff not general tagging)
The Whiskey

ILM (Industrial Light & Magic)
Skywalker Ranch
Sublime
Hollywood Walk of Fame

Good Sushi (and Sake)
The Beach Boys

The Fillmore

Pier 39

Good Chinese food
Heritage festivals
Metallica
The State bear on the flag
The Barrymores (I heart Drew)
Cal Mex

vintage cars for general use
winding hilly streets
Harvey Milk

Berkeley
Motley Crue
Baja

Mullholland Drive
Red Hot Chili Peppers
DISNEYLAND!

Mount Shasta
Garlic Festival in Gilroy

Death Valley

Wind Turbines
Cowboys and Indians
Chicken & Waffles

Tai Chi in Golden Gate Park
Napa Valley and Sonoma County Wineries

Malibu
San Francisco Victorian Houses (the "painted ladies")

Tea salons
Californication
Elusive element of Cool

Diversity

Dr. Dre and NWA
Solano Avenue
Smoke shops
Racers
Baywatch

Drifters
Gold Rush
Chinatown
A's, Giants, Raider's, 49er's and the Sharks
Great America (in Santa Clara)

I might've left off some, I'll add them as they come to me. Much love Cali! I don't care about your dirty streets and problems with the homeless, drugs or immigration, I don't care if San Francisco smells like urine or if there's graffitti on the Neiman Marcus...I don't care if panhandlers shake cups at me or the air is smoggy or hookers proposition you on Hollywood Boulevard. I love it!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

My Script

Well I'm still sorting the script out. I have a lead character and a basic premise. My lead character has also evolved from a platinum blonde, alpha female; to a feisty red-head girl ready to break free from her opressive home life and find out what she's made of. All by page 4. Nice.

I can't help it, I have to let these things unfold organically. I am an intuitive writer and I have to let the characters tell me what they are like...I get that  that has a kind of new-agey vibe, but its my method, I don't have another one. =)

I'll be posting updates periodically!

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Book Review

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat TillmanWhere Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


My mind is blown. I'm not sure I have even had the time to process this book thoroughly yet, but here are some impressions:


The book is several things. It is a portrait of a man who left an impression on everyone he met. It is a war story. It's also part social commentary, part investigative reporting.

Author Jon Krakauer seamlessly weaves between the details of Pat Tillman's life and the rise of US involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan. He has a rich writing style that draws the reader in, immersing them in the worlds he writes about, taking his time to give details without weighing the story down.

The story of Tillman's life is interesting, but kind of normal. The story of his death is both fascinating and horrific. The realities of combat and service are shocking to the average civilian reader who suddenly becomes aware that they are "the public" and "the American people" while reading this behind the scenes look at war, government, and public relations.

This book was recommended to me by a friend; I don't normally read war or military books, but this one I will recommend to everyone. I can't believe how little I knew about what is going on in the world, and what our country/government is/was doing in other parts of the world and why.


View all my reviews

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Script Frenzy

I've always wondered what would happen if I ran Hollywood. And that, for me, begins with the screenplays that are being written. You have to have to start somewhere and so I'm very excited/nervous about attempting Script Frenzy this year because although I have started many writing projects- I haven't finished any (with the exception of term papers and a personal rap segment from my 90s girl group B. E. G. 4 Funk). Also, I have never written a script at all. I have to learn the formatting and everything. So if you wonder what has happened to me, come April, now you know...I will be busy creating my cinematic masterpiece. Wish me luck!
Click here for more information on Script Frenzy!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

I'm sorry...

Oh, Blog! I've been neglecting you...I promise to get caught back up with you soon...xoxo
~K