2025-W20 EOW Report
Anti-Goal Cycling
- No update here. Chasing hard on prj:WAITE. Not going to finish and will just have to submit whatever I can to Cat by EOD today. I still can’t just write with square brackets. I’m sorry. I really don’t know if it’s just my style or if I’m being avoidant about it. I keep looking things up and filling every sentence, every paragraph with dense imagery, references, and easter eggs. I can’t help myself. I have two scenes done as I write this. I spent two hours at Starbucks wrapping up scene two and it was only about 200 words at most (the cap, now the entire scene). But the end of that scene is so rich now. Just a thick layered cake.
- No update on prj:MUSIC. Maybe I should print out the comments or read them at least.
- I seriously need to think of a way to increase or add writing blocks. I’m moving too slow. Kill more comic pulls? There’s an energy issue here too. Maybe lunch breaks? I eat while I’m in meetings… is there a way to block of 30m and just draft? I need more drafting time. That’s it.
Four Thousand Weeks
| Wks Lft | HP |
|---|---|
| 1694/4000 | 42.350% |
- Two slights on Friday, but both ambiguous. One I’m fairly certain was on purpose due to avoidant behavior with words exchanged over text that were delayed cover ups. The other one simply because I was being selfish and her being overly generous and/or thoughtful, but seemingly always deprioritizing me.
- Saturday morning, the dichotomy between someone who needs clear expectations and plans and what’s going on versus a more loosey-goosey approach where you can navigate the world not knowing all the deets.
- At work, seething at idiocy Monday to Wednesday, then on pins and needles until Wednesday, then on the receiving end of a full load of anger for thirty minutes. I’m juggling man. I’m juggling and moving things along and it’s this nonstop balancing act.
Story Introspection
- Saw SIX on Friday night and was thoroughly entertained. Found some of the melodies derivative of Hamilton or maybe all musicals use similar melodic patterns? Some of the jokes and play on the wife’s background via music genre also felt a little obvious (German wife, German industrial). Regardless, Catherine Parr’s story wraps it up nicely, the message also lacking subtlety, but then again, it’s a musical ferchrissakes, they wear their emotions on their sleeve and on the staff, so I don’t know what I’m asking for her. This is literally the genre. Sing your psychological and emotional interiority out loud in blatantly obvious lyrics of what you’re going through. I don’t know why I’m being nitpicky about it. It’s good. Just shut up. It’s a good musical.
- Burned through N.K. Jemisin’s Far Sector finally. Was slightly peeved at how page one of each issue was a reference to seminal piece of sci-fi pop culture, but at the same time, totally and exactly what I would do as well, so alike the offside commentary above for SIX, I don’t know why I’m pointing this out. Am I pointing it out because it’s what I would do and for some reason, that bothers me? Because, yes, I would also reference eleven different cyberpunk/sci-fi things if I was writing something like Far Sector. Because yes, if I came up with the idea of a musically-driven thing for the six wives, I too, would’ve used German industrial for Anne of Cleves and Britney Spears for Anne Boleyn. I dunno. Maybe I’m just in a mood.
- Finally started in earnest on the Triangle Era of Superman. Orway, Jurgens, and Stern. Sounds like a law firm.
- Finally finished White Lotus S3. Was really hoping White would keep Lochlan dead because I thought the premise of the show is that good, innocent people get hurt due to careless rich white folk. I mean, Chelsea dies because of Rick. OK OK. Belinda and Zion got away with it… but then once she got the money, she ditches Pornchai. So that still fits the premise. Gaitok got the job and the girl, but he got it by shooting Rick in the back and because Sritala kept yelling at him, so he’s still a coward and won’t act unless pushed to, so did he really win? There’s more to think about and write about… but I don’t want to delve into it right now. It was a strong season. Where will Mike White convince HBO to send him next?
- A lot of disappointing short stories this week as I wrap up Appendix N. A lot of OTAA (one thing after another) plots where yes, the scenes were full of imagination, but there was no micro tension, no internal stakes, no arc. I wonder if in lieu of immersive video games and film, this imaginary lushness was all audiences had and that was good enough for them. Probably. Everything can be replicated with CGI/SFX now.
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