Weblog Sin Pies

By Charley Daniels

Whew! Wheeehew! I did it, man. NaBloPoMo didn’t defeat me, even though it tried. And my November journey came full circle, as yesterday I was finally able to lay down a long, loud honk of solidarity for the writers whose trust I abused earlier this month. I’d tell the story, but it’s essentially the same as the one I linked to above, except instead of there being no writers, there were at least two dozen. Oh, and I was in the left lane for this version of the story (the studios are on the right), so it didn’t have the maximum effect, but I needed a coffee and that was on the left on the next block. I don’t think that’s too big of a deal, though, and neither did they, because my honk was still accepted with enthusiasm

It’s a victory all around.

Tonight I’ll be watching Bender’s Big Score, which I’m so effin excited about that I forgot how to swear properly. Tomorrow I’m going to a screening of No Country for Old Men, followed by a Q&A with Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin. I’m pretty excited about that, too.

Perhaps my most important plan for tomorrow, though, is I’ll not be posting a blog entry here. In fact, my posts here may be pretty sporadic through the rest of December, as I’m still super busy and likely to be swamped right up through the new year. Come January, however, blogging is basically all I’ll be doing. I plan to get this bad boy in shape, like I’ve said so many times before. The difference is, it looks like I’m going to have the time and, Josh willing, the energy to do it.

By Charley Daniels

Been paying attention to job postings a little more closely lately for whatever reason, and some of them are pretty interesting. Take this one:

We need a creative, corky, romantic and fun writer to help with our online site for Friday 11/30/2007 and Monday 12/3/2007.

That is the entire text of the listing. But no more needs to be said. You can tell all you need to know about the company from just the one sentence. First, they have an online site to work on. So that’s good. Very now. Their online site is in need of something to be written, obviously. So they’re looking for a writer who’s creative — a creative writer. There are plenty of those. But how many creative writers can say they’re fun, romantic, and corky? Not many. Plenty are fun, several are romantic, and some are corky, but all three? Could be tough.

This ad is perfect. It took just one sentence for them to ask for a writer and leave no doubt that they need one.

By Charley Daniels

Well, I did it. Or I’m doing it. Giving up my full-time job to pursue those ever-elusive “other things.” Excited? Yes. Apprehensive? Yes. Ready for anything? I’d better be, because who knows what’s going to happen.

I’ve been running myself ragged this month, and it’s starting to show in all of my work. Let’s recap. For starters, there’s this NaBloPoMo ordeal, which hasn’t really taken a lot of effort (as if you couldn’t tell), but knowing there’s one more thing to do each day is mentally draining, even if the task itself doesn’t usually amount to much. So there’s that. Then I’m at the office from 10 a.m. to at least 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The last few weeks have been especially busy there, so I arrive at work, sit at the computer, begin editing, eat a sandwich while editing, find a place to stop editing, turn off computer, go home. Once I get home, it’s BuzzDash and Digital Theatre time.

Lots to do, not enough hours in the day. So getting rid of the full-time gig is the best option. At this point I’m uncertain about my future with the Nielsen Company. We’re trying to work out an arrangement where I can become a part-time employee, but to be honest it sounds like a long shot. And even if they get the bosses to agree to allow me to be part-time, there’s no telling if we’ll be able to come to an agreement that suits me and the company. They’ve asked me to stay at least until they find a replacement, and I said I’d do what I can, but that come January, I need to have at least three days a week off (that’s work days, not weekends).

So I’m doing it. I’m leaving stability and comfort for instability and happiness. In theory. To be honest, I have no idea how this is going to work out. I’m really excited and, honestly, scared to death.

By Charley Daniels

Man, the last few weeks have been kicking my ass. It’s been like this: Work work work NaBloPoMo Work Work BuzzDash BuzzDash work work work Blog NaBloPoMo work work blog BuzzDash work work.

But the end is in sight for a lot of that, so no more complaining. Well, maybe a little. I got two games in the last five days that I haven’t had time to really get into. I mentioned Rock Band in a previous post — though that one’s more Isabelle’s, even though I love it — and the other is Assassin’s Creed.

The reviews for Assassin’s Creed have been mostly positive, but there’s one question/complaint that keeps popping up: They set the game in the present and have the protagonist do a genetic-code time-warp thing (it’s complicated, just go with it) to make it so you control a character in some medieval era. Why not just set the whole thing in the era where all the action takes place?

To which I say, “Duh!” This way they can make innumerable sequels set in all different time periods, with a storyline unified by the genetic-code time-warp phenomenon. It’s genius! In fact, you could technically be the same character in any time period throughout history with this backstory. I like it. Hypothetically.

Now I’m going to go start playing it to see if there’s any way my theory is plausible.

By Charley Daniels

I looked up from my keyboard today and said aloud, to no one in particular, “I’m wasting my life.” But after some careful thought and some self-directed pep talks, I started to feel more optimistic. I came to the conclusion that yes, I am in fact wasting my life today, but what would my life look like right now if it weren’t being wasted? What would I be doing that I’d consider worthwhile? It made me feel better to realize that there’s no answer to that question at this point, so this waste of time is more like the type of hiatus you must fill while you’re in line at the grocery store or while you’re waiting for water to boil. It’s necessary. Unavoidable. Because what would your life look like if it were all boil and no buildup? Maybe James Dean’s? Elvis Presley’s? Jimi Hendrix’s? Chris Farley’s?

Not that I think you should stick yourself in a rut to avoid dying young. Not at all. I don’t really know what my point is, but as far as justification for my own rut, I like how dramatic this explanation is.

The real story is I’m lazy and I’m comfortable and I’m scared to upend all that. But not quite afraid enough to not do it, which makes it even scarier.

In other news, our company holiday luncheon (sounds fun already, huh?) is on a Tuesday at noon. We go to press on Tuesdays, so guess who has an excellent excuse not to go? Someone up there [points to corner offices] loves me. Or hates me but inadvertently made me happy. I win again!