This might strike you as an odd observation or comparison, but bear with me. These flights of imagination are what make me such a excellent writer.
When I was hanging outside the Washington Court Hotel yesterday in the muggy heat of another Washington summer, having a cigarette and watching the valets in their gold corded uniforms greet cars, I was reminded of Africa. Maybe it was the fact that the valets were African, or the heat, but I felt as though I had been transported across the water in a second. Then, I started to create a fantasy story for myself, to fit into the feeling I was having. Here is the story.
I imagined us as journalists and photographers who are antsy and waiting for the real work to begin. But for now we are cooped up in what passes for a luxurious hotel, where our agencies have put us up. Despite the nice surroundings and the guests who are coming and going we are casual, loud and fighting off boredom as though it were the enemy. Inside it is cool and fans whirr, creating a white noise for our conversations to harmonize with. Outside the street is a little hazy with heat and people hurry to get off the street. Something is happening. We know it, that is why we are there, but we don't know exactly what it is. In the basement, the makeshift office is buzzing. Everything is makeshift, thrown together in a moment's notice, torn down as soon as the action moves elsewhere. We know our jobs will be starting soon and we will get to actually work but for now we are forced into relaxation.
Sitting around the hotel, hanging out with young people like myself, falling asleep on couches, not fitting into the slightly worn down posh surroundings. Always waiting; waiting for word to come across the scratchy walkies to move. Moving quickly, sweating but at least we're working.
I've always had an interest in the subculture that is the news industry. Not the newsanchors but the people who actually go out and find the facts for us. The ones who hunt down the contacts and risk life for the adrenaline of getting the picture. Theirs is an exciting world, but when the action stops the boredom sets in. They take over hotels and hole up together, waiting for something to happen. They are like vultures in that way, but intriguing all the same. What is the death wish they seem to carry? And the black jovolity or jaded sense of the world? I have seen a small side of it, studying photojournalism, but I would like to know more. What is it like to sit in that hotel, knowing people are dying and you are going to go into that mess to get the story? Is it cannibalistic; or necessary to let the world know what is going on? And to be able to travel everywhere, not being a tourist, but not quite fitting in wherever you go. It must be hard, but it must be amazing and exciting.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
TV Fun Times
After my ridiculous day at the Memorial Day Concert production yesterday I swore I'd never accept another tv gig unless some dream job fell into my lap. Let me tell you.
At first I was offered a job working on the Memorial Day Concert and possibly the Fourth of July show too. I thought it was great, I could come home and see all my friends, have a couple of days off in between and make some money. It was good. I told my job I'd be leaving and my roommates I'd be moving out.
A few days before I left New York I got a call from one of the production managers. She asked if I had a car and when I said I didn't she got worried. She said they might have to cut back some of my days if I couldn't get a car. I honestly didn't care. It would give me more time to hang out with my friends and get stuff done. She called back on the day I was coming down, planning to start the following day and told me they had to cut my days back to starting on the 18th. Then it became the 21st. I was a little pissed about that. I could use the money.
Yesterday I get up and make my way downtown. This means I get a ride to the bus stop, take a bus to the metro, ride to the South Capitol stop. Once I got out there I realized I had no idea where I was supposed to be going. I called the number I had and the woman who answered was rude and unhelpful. She gave me a number for the hotel the production office was at. I had to call a second time to get the actual hotel name. I walked across the Capitol lawn and up to the hotel. I was late but there was nothing else I could do. I walk into the production office and introduce myself to Lindsay. She gives me a helpless smile and says, "Did you get my messages?"
"Umm. No."
"I'm so sorry. We actually don't need you."
"What?!"
"Yeah, because you don't have a car we can't use you."
"You've got to be kidding me."
I told her I wished I had known this before I had taken the job but that it wasn't her fault, it was my phone that didn't get the messages. She got me some coffee and an orange and I left. Outside the hotel I was fuming. I was so fed up with the whole feeling of being jerked around by this company that I decided never to do tv work again. Except maybe for Mr. Barber.
I take the subway home, get a ride home from Ashleigh and make myself an omelette. I sit down and start eating. I get a call and who could it be but Rod from the Kennedy Center Honors. He appologizes for the mix up and says they can still use me for credentials. I considered it and decided I could use the money.
"So do you want to come back down?" He asked.
I almost laughed in his face.
Today is Tuesday. I came in this morning a little late. I couldn't give a shit about this stuff. I go into the trailers by the Capitol and sit around for about an hour. Rod and Paul weren't back from their meeting with the police. As soon as they come back I'm told what I need to do and I get my stuff together to take back to the hotel where I'd be working. I ask Paul a question and Paul asks Rod. All of a sudden they're in each other's face, yelling at each other and swearing. At first I thought it was a joke and then I realized they were serious. I don't know what happened or why but Rod was telling Paul to shut the fuck up and Paul was shouting about how he wanted a respectful answer. I got out of there fast.
And now I'm left wondering why I want to be in this industry at all and what is next to come.
At first I was offered a job working on the Memorial Day Concert and possibly the Fourth of July show too. I thought it was great, I could come home and see all my friends, have a couple of days off in between and make some money. It was good. I told my job I'd be leaving and my roommates I'd be moving out.
A few days before I left New York I got a call from one of the production managers. She asked if I had a car and when I said I didn't she got worried. She said they might have to cut back some of my days if I couldn't get a car. I honestly didn't care. It would give me more time to hang out with my friends and get stuff done. She called back on the day I was coming down, planning to start the following day and told me they had to cut my days back to starting on the 18th. Then it became the 21st. I was a little pissed about that. I could use the money.
Yesterday I get up and make my way downtown. This means I get a ride to the bus stop, take a bus to the metro, ride to the South Capitol stop. Once I got out there I realized I had no idea where I was supposed to be going. I called the number I had and the woman who answered was rude and unhelpful. She gave me a number for the hotel the production office was at. I had to call a second time to get the actual hotel name. I walked across the Capitol lawn and up to the hotel. I was late but there was nothing else I could do. I walk into the production office and introduce myself to Lindsay. She gives me a helpless smile and says, "Did you get my messages?"
"Umm. No."
"I'm so sorry. We actually don't need you."
"What?!"
"Yeah, because you don't have a car we can't use you."
"You've got to be kidding me."
I told her I wished I had known this before I had taken the job but that it wasn't her fault, it was my phone that didn't get the messages. She got me some coffee and an orange and I left. Outside the hotel I was fuming. I was so fed up with the whole feeling of being jerked around by this company that I decided never to do tv work again. Except maybe for Mr. Barber.
I take the subway home, get a ride home from Ashleigh and make myself an omelette. I sit down and start eating. I get a call and who could it be but Rod from the Kennedy Center Honors. He appologizes for the mix up and says they can still use me for credentials. I considered it and decided I could use the money.
"So do you want to come back down?" He asked.
I almost laughed in his face.
Today is Tuesday. I came in this morning a little late. I couldn't give a shit about this stuff. I go into the trailers by the Capitol and sit around for about an hour. Rod and Paul weren't back from their meeting with the police. As soon as they come back I'm told what I need to do and I get my stuff together to take back to the hotel where I'd be working. I ask Paul a question and Paul asks Rod. All of a sudden they're in each other's face, yelling at each other and swearing. At first I thought it was a joke and then I realized they were serious. I don't know what happened or why but Rod was telling Paul to shut the fuck up and Paul was shouting about how he wanted a respectful answer. I got out of there fast.
And now I'm left wondering why I want to be in this industry at all and what is next to come.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Introducing...
The Amazing! The one of a kind! You can't see it anywhere else! We here at Silverscreen Pipe Dreams are proud to announce the new addition to our family! The One and Only One Date A Week Blog!
No, but seriously, kids, read all about it as I work my way through the dating scene in NOVA. One boy a week, one date a week, one blog all about it.
No, but seriously, kids, read all about it as I work my way through the dating scene in NOVA. One boy a week, one date a week, one blog all about it.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
You Can't Go Home Again...Because You'll Have to Pay Rent
So I'm back in Reston, hopefully just for the summer, although we'll see. It's a little odd being home but it's funny how quickly you can readapt to a place. New York seems like a fuzzy dream from here, looking out my window into a wall of sunny trees. My house is fully loaded and we're ready for the adventures to start. Hanging out with my friends again seems like nothing changed, but in a good way. I do miss New York but it is kind of nice to be back home where I know things and can take walks down my favorite paths. I went with Julia to the Diner the night after I got back and got coffee with Sofia yesterday. We went to Uno's for Carla's birthday and it was quite fun.
I'm determined that my time here wouldn't be wasted and I will enjoy myself to the fullest extent possible. It will be a great summer to remember. I want to do things that I've been putting off for ages and I want to have fun with my friends. So, one way of doing that is getting some male involvement into the summer. I began realizing that I never date because the guys I like never ask me out and it's only guys I have no interest in dating that do. I pondered this and thought maybe it is just because they're shy, they don't know me or what to say. I'm shy too but I need to make some changes here so I have officially embarked on a trial. It's called Operation Meredyth Asks Out Boys or OnceAWeek or growing some balls, whatever you want to call it. And last night in its inagural run I scored. I chatted up a cute French boy sitting alone at the bar at Uno's. Why would a cute French boy be sitting at a lame bar in Reston, VA you might ask. I asked it too. Imagine my luck. I smiled at him, he smiled at me, I made excuses to go up to the bar, I finally introduced myself. He reminds me a little of the boys in this previous post and that makes me very happy. So, be sure to check out my newest blog for all the details.
I'm determined that my time here wouldn't be wasted and I will enjoy myself to the fullest extent possible. It will be a great summer to remember. I want to do things that I've been putting off for ages and I want to have fun with my friends. So, one way of doing that is getting some male involvement into the summer. I began realizing that I never date because the guys I like never ask me out and it's only guys I have no interest in dating that do. I pondered this and thought maybe it is just because they're shy, they don't know me or what to say. I'm shy too but I need to make some changes here so I have officially embarked on a trial. It's called Operation Meredyth Asks Out Boys or OnceAWeek or growing some balls, whatever you want to call it. And last night in its inagural run I scored. I chatted up a cute French boy sitting alone at the bar at Uno's. Why would a cute French boy be sitting at a lame bar in Reston, VA you might ask. I asked it too. Imagine my luck. I smiled at him, he smiled at me, I made excuses to go up to the bar, I finally introduced myself. He reminds me a little of the boys in this previous post and that makes me very happy. So, be sure to check out my newest blog for all the details.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
List o' Celeb
So, since this is a blog essentially about my life as a cog in the film industry I thought I'd make a little list of all the "famous" people I've seen lately. Some more so than others.
1. Max Weinstein from the Bruce Springsteen band and Conan O'Brien. Came into the restaurant with his wife and daughter. Looks like a lawyer.
2. Christy Turlington carrying her son to daycare, giggling together and looking adorable and perfect.
3. Uma Thurman and a bunch of people in the bar after a screening. She was with some other actor who's name or movies I don't remember. Very pretty and tall. Both of them. She and he were very flirty. Sometimes I feel bad that celebrities get pictures taken of them when they're just being friendly with a guy but when I see this ridiculous PDA I think they're just asking for it. Even if they're in a private restaurant. You're still going to get gossip. Leave it at home. Or just don't care.
4. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinz Jr. She's cute, he looks even more dull in person. Shorter than I expected. Came into eat and when they were leaving some idiot at the bar pretended to think she was somebody he knew and asked Freddie "is that...Meredith?" To which Freddie in an overly protective way said "No. It isn't" and ushered her out the door. Lame.
5. Jimmy Fallon sitting at the bar during midday.
6. James Gandolfini going to the pizza place across the street.
7. Adrien Grenier going up to the door of the grill as I was leaving and then going to Jin Mart where I go every day after work. Of course I followed.
8. Whoopi Goldberg coming down from a Juror's Lunch as I was waiting for the elevator. I smiled at her and she smiled back.
9. Anna Paquin, Mary Stuart Masterson, Thomas Haden Church at the Grill for cocktails with a company that is a Tribeca Film Festival sponsor. Anna did a good job of looking interested in what a bunch of most likely boring businesspeople had to say. Mary looked surprisingly chic. I always imagine her as tomboyish due to the movies I've seen her in (Some Kind of Wonderful, Fried Green Tomatoes, Benny & Joon) but she's really pretty and very cool seeming. Both of them chatted happily together for a while and I wished I could be friends with them. Thomas Haden Church looked a little confused as to why he was there but the open bar didn't seem to disuade him from staying. He looked affable. That word perfectly describes him.
And there, you have it. My list o' celeb. I may or may not be in some pictures taken at the party. If so we will post them and laugh at my dumb expressions.
1. Max Weinstein from the Bruce Springsteen band and Conan O'Brien. Came into the restaurant with his wife and daughter. Looks like a lawyer.
2. Christy Turlington carrying her son to daycare, giggling together and looking adorable and perfect.
3. Uma Thurman and a bunch of people in the bar after a screening. She was with some other actor who's name or movies I don't remember. Very pretty and tall. Both of them. She and he were very flirty. Sometimes I feel bad that celebrities get pictures taken of them when they're just being friendly with a guy but when I see this ridiculous PDA I think they're just asking for it. Even if they're in a private restaurant. You're still going to get gossip. Leave it at home. Or just don't care.
4. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinz Jr. She's cute, he looks even more dull in person. Shorter than I expected. Came into eat and when they were leaving some idiot at the bar pretended to think she was somebody he knew and asked Freddie "is that...Meredith?" To which Freddie in an overly protective way said "No. It isn't" and ushered her out the door. Lame.
5. Jimmy Fallon sitting at the bar during midday.
6. James Gandolfini going to the pizza place across the street.
7. Adrien Grenier going up to the door of the grill as I was leaving and then going to Jin Mart where I go every day after work. Of course I followed.
8. Whoopi Goldberg coming down from a Juror's Lunch as I was waiting for the elevator. I smiled at her and she smiled back.
9. Anna Paquin, Mary Stuart Masterson, Thomas Haden Church at the Grill for cocktails with a company that is a Tribeca Film Festival sponsor. Anna did a good job of looking interested in what a bunch of most likely boring businesspeople had to say. Mary looked surprisingly chic. I always imagine her as tomboyish due to the movies I've seen her in (Some Kind of Wonderful, Fried Green Tomatoes, Benny & Joon) but she's really pretty and very cool seeming. Both of them chatted happily together for a while and I wished I could be friends with them. Thomas Haden Church looked a little confused as to why he was there but the open bar didn't seem to disuade him from staying. He looked affable. That word perfectly describes him.
And there, you have it. My list o' celeb. I may or may not be in some pictures taken at the party. If so we will post them and laugh at my dumb expressions.
Carpe the Fucking Diem
Sorry it's been a while since I've posted. As some anonymous person said I should do I've 'been living my life in the moment.' Sorry, can we stop a minute and ponder the level of bullshit that trite saying is? How do you actually do that? Can anyone actually do that all the time? Because I'm constantly registering the things that go on around me for later. I write, and so all these things get back somehow to what I'm writing. I'm always weighing or observing things so that I can adequately describe them later. That's why I don't live in the moment constantly. And between living in the moment and writing well...let's just say I'd rather write. I'm sorry, I just think that in this day and age a majority of our time is spent on self reflection. Do I look alright? Am I being funny? Is this a good place to stand? Is that person looking in my direction? Am I telling this story well enough?
Even if you're not so self absorbed as to wonder whether the music/clothes/movies/books/comics/furnishings you like are cool enough you're still wondering about other things that make up who you are. And yes, of course you're living in the moment. Everyone is actually living in the moment. But after whatever event that just happened is over, even if it's just strolling through the park you're thinking and categorizing that stroll in the park. "The leaves sure were green today. I wonder if that's what Frost's line "Nature's first green is gold" refers to. I love walking in parks when the trees are first green and the dark bark contrasts against it. And the people in the park today sure were interesting. That busker playing the violin made this moment one you'll look back on, when you no longer live in New York, as a quintessintial New York spring moment. I'll always remember the park this way." See? Even when I'm doing nothing I'm quantifying it afterwards! So, sorry if that's not living in the moment. I've got plenty else to do.
Even if you're not so self absorbed as to wonder whether the music/clothes/movies/books/comics/furnishings you like are cool enough you're still wondering about other things that make up who you are. And yes, of course you're living in the moment. Everyone is actually living in the moment. But after whatever event that just happened is over, even if it's just strolling through the park you're thinking and categorizing that stroll in the park. "The leaves sure were green today. I wonder if that's what Frost's line "Nature's first green is gold" refers to. I love walking in parks when the trees are first green and the dark bark contrasts against it. And the people in the park today sure were interesting. That busker playing the violin made this moment one you'll look back on, when you no longer live in New York, as a quintessintial New York spring moment. I'll always remember the park this way." See? Even when I'm doing nothing I'm quantifying it afterwards! So, sorry if that's not living in the moment. I've got plenty else to do.
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