Chew Your Food

INT. Grace's office at Brooklyn University - 3:25pm

Grace, wearing an outfit bought entirely at upscale second-hand stores, sits at her desk, eating a yogurt. She licks the spoon and sucks on it for awhile, deep in thought, then goes in for another spoonful. She chews her yogurt.

Sebastian, impeccably dressed, bespectacled, sits at the desk across from her.

Sebastian: Are you chewing that yogurt?

Grace: Yeah.

Sebastian: Why the hell would you do that?

Grace: I don't like yogurt.

Sebastian: What's not to like? It's good for you. You won't get osteoporosis when you're old. Sorry, I meant, even though you're old.

Grace: The consistency. I don't like the consistency.

Sebastian: You're one of those people who chews soup, aren't you.

Grace: "Those people". You make us sound like degenerates.

Sebastian: You probably already know this but it's a pet peeve of mine, people who chew soup.

Grace: Well, you don't have to sit there and watch me.

Sebastian: You've chewed that one bite 17 times. Your average number of chews is 15.5.

Grace: There is something seriously wrong with you.

Sebastian: So, you're eating it now because -

Grace(Smiling at him): Because it's good for me.

Sebastian glares at her for a moment. Then pretends to work.

This just in-

As you might have noticed from the previous posts, I used to pursue acting professionally. In fact, this very blog used to be called "Acting in Traffic". Well, no more. I'm on the rocky road of career change, a very good time for some re-branding. I devote this blog to writing about whatever I darn well feel like writing about.

For example, I came across this by William Safire (who is sorely missed, even by those who read his work periodically):

Do not put statements in the negative form.
And don't start sentences with a conjunction.
If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a
great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.
Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.
Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.
De-accession euphemisms.
If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.
~William Safire, "Great Rules of Writing"

I have vivid memories of my Dad reading Safire articles at the kitchen table on Sunday mornings (how very Norman Rockwell of us). As a kid and then a teenager, I rarely grasped all the concepts and most of his grammatical somersaults were lost on me, but I understood that I was hearing brilliance, a voice from the pinnacle of writing. Much to be learned from him-- although some basic grammar lessons might be a better place to start.

Back in NYC

Well, technically, I'm visiting San Francisco for a week, but I'm actually living in Brooklyn now.

Let's see...What's happened since last I wrote:
- Left L.A. for San Francisco
- My boyfriend shattered his collarbone but is in one piece again
- Had illness in the family while my boyfriend was recovering
- Family member made a full recovery and dodged a bullet
- My boyfriend PROPOSED (and I said "Yes!")
- Left San Francisco for New York
- Drove across the country with my Mom
- Stayed in a studio in Queens for a month
- Found a place in Brooklyn
- Been planning the wedding
- Decided to leave acting world and pursue a more stable career

That pretty much spells it out. I am incredibly fortunate and so happy that everything has turned out so well. It's been a very nutty 2010 and I'm happy to start 2011- which is already shaping up to be busy in a wonderful way.

So far, since I've been in NYC, I've worked on one feature length film as a Production Assistant and worked as Associate Producer on a short. I've continued working on one feature comedy and finished a pilot. I've also done some editing work both for essays and scripts.

The goal now is to figure out what career path is next. Also, I'm most likely going to transfer any writing I do to another blog but until then, check back for the next action-packed installment.