Story of my life

It was a sad day for intramural sports today. We got killed in our football game by four or five touchdowns (we stopped keeping track--our goal was just to score a touchdown so we wouldn't get shut-out). The girls also lost their first tournament game, but at least their game was close. We even lost our volleyball game. So now my knees are all banged up, The Office is now over because of the writers' strike (Heroes, Chuck, and Pushing Daisies aren't too far behind), and I haven't even started studying for the midterm I have to take tomorrow. But my classes are already done for Thanksgiving break, so I am going to have a nice vacation.


And I'm trying to think of what else I can do with my blog to make it more interesting, and I was thinking about using it as an outlet for stories and writing. As I talk about my day, I'll also write about how events from my day could be turned into stories--short stories, scripts, whatever. So I'm going to be asking for everyone's help in commenting on the stories: which ideas you like, which ones you don't, and any suggestions you have. I'll just try it out for a week or two and see how it goes.

You cannot find us...

I was so busy this past week that I haven't been able to post anything. There were some pretty fun things that happened though. I got to work on a film set for a Monster Energy Drink commercial. It was a concept designed by several ad students, and some of the more advanced film students helped produce and direct it. They asked me to be key grip, meaning I was basically in charge of setting up and moving around equipment. It was actually a lot of fun, because once the equipment got set up, there wasn't that much to do. So I got to help out in different areas on set, like helping out with stunt safety--there was a stunt involving a guy diving through a sheet rock wall, and I made sure he had a safe place to land and that there was a cushion for his head (regardless of where he landed). I'll try and post a link to the video later.

Some girls in the apartment complex tried to prank us earlier this evening. They rang our doorbell and ran onto the balcony that overhangs our door. They left a little gift-wrapped present on the picnic table outside our apartment, and as soon as I stepped outside to get it, the water balloons started coming down...I'm actually surprised that I didn't get hit, considering they only had to drop the balloons on my head. They ran away before I could see who it was, but they didn't realize that the gift-wrapped present (an empty can of frosting) actually had one of their names written on it...It reminded me of this Calvin and Hobbes comic--http://www.marcellosendos.ch/comics/ch/1990/08/19900829.gif

School spirit--where did that come from?

I was putting together my schedule for next semester, and it's going to be pretty interesting. Two of the classes that I had really been looking forward to taking next semester won't be offered until 2009 (there was a shortage of professors). So I have to find some replacement classes, but the only ones left for me to take are night classes. I'm going to be in class practically every day until nine or ten at night, so we'll see how that goes. One of the classes is a five-hour long upper-division class, and I really have no idea what to expect with that one.

And I have been having a blast going to the football games this year. I don't know what it is--maybe it's because we've actually been doing well these past two years, or maybe it's just because I actually know the people sitting next to me...I remember the first time I went to a football game here, and I just didn't get it. I didn't sing, clap, cheer, or do anything at the football game. Now I spend most of the game on my feet, screaming and whistling and annoying the heck out of whomever happens to be next to me (sorry Jackson). And to think--I didn't even want to go to BYU at first. I blame this new-found school spirit on the BYU/Utah game last year...33-31...Need I say more?

"Why don't we have dates?"

I was bored this afternoon, so I sat down and watched Gattaca (I bought it several months ago from the used bin at FYE for like three bucks, and I just haven't had time to watch it). That was quite a bit different than what I was expecting (of course, it's hard for me to say what I've been expecting with wanting to watch the movie since it first came out ten years ago). Sci-fi movies have almost become action movies in a futuristic setting, so it was good to see something a little more introspective.

The BYU basketball game got boring, just because we were ahead by more than twenty points for the majority of the second half. Part of it too was probably the fact that it was just a group of guys--about ten minutes into the game, we started asking each other, "So why don't we have dates?" Once that topic got brought up, it was hard to really get into the game. So there should be some dating going on next week (at least on my part--I can't speak for the other guys).

Listen

I was finally able to just sit outside and read after a crazy couple of weeks. I think I must have sat outside on the swinging deck chair for a good two hours at least. It was just the perfect autumn day to be outside (and "autumn" sounds so much better than "fall"). I was able to see a lot of people in the apartment complex as they went about their day, and it was fun just watching people from time to time--nothing creepy, mind you, but just wondering how so many different people can have so many different priorities, and to them, those priorities may be the most important thing in the world at the time.

Have you ever tried something like that? Just have a seat somewhere where people go by--at the mall, at the park, or even at a busy intersection. You don't have to do anything but watch and listen. Why are some people hurrying while others simply take their time? What kinds of problems do you think each person is facing? Where are they going, and where are they coming from? Your own life seems pretty darn good when you think about somebody else's.

So try it.

Watch. And Listen.

Audio Doc

Okay, I am seeing if this actually works--this is an audio documentary I did in my class a few weeks ago. Hopefully it works--let me know if it doesn't, and I'll either try to fix it or simply remove the link altogether.