New Day, New Attitude...

(From Tuesday, March 24, 2009)

I’m troubled by the news. Unemployment, AIG, plane crashes... starving elk near Mt. St. Helens. Not too long ago I was advised to quit watching the news because it was too negative. This just left me completely uniformed and looking like a complete idiot when conversation would turn to current events.

I’m not going to get down, though. For what it’s worth. Keep on trucking, right?

My weekend in Baker City was amazing- highlights include good food, amazing wines and the opportunity to meet even more amazing and fascinating people. Brett and I’ve often discussed moving out there but then it comes back to employment... followed by AIG, plane crashes and starving wild life. A great place to visit, even better place to live if you have means to support yourself out there or find work in the region.

I’ve been dreading returning to work. After a picture/file naming snafu last week that spiraled out of control and ate up everyone’s time- let’s just say I bought a generous amount of lotto tickets looking for the easy way out. I’ve no problem with taking ownership for my mistakes, it’s the dissection and careful analysis of my mistakes and faults that I struggle with. I’m notorious for having to have the last word and I’ve become better at biting my tongue. New day, new attitude- not going to let it bother me...

I’m pretty excited over some of the projects materializing as of late... fingers crossed things fall into place. I’m on page 97 of my script- the last 10 pages though have been a mess. I knew I was going to struggle with these scenes- looked great on paper in outline/treatment form and talking the scenes through out loud but now I’m not so sure I made the best decisions. I know there’s an answer- an easy solution 10x better than what I have I just don’t see it right now. Thank God for rewrites.

Meanwhile, I’m hassling Brett over the story he came up with. The story is so simple, execution of the project fairly easy, two great roles... now all we need is time. And money.

Which leads to the last little piece for today that goes with my “turn that frown upside down” attitude adjustment pep talk. A year or two ago on some news show they interviewed a young woman- the inventor of Spanks- about how it all came to be.

She used to sell copy machines business to business, sometimes kicked out/escorted out by security. Some people would really get down by this. But everyday her father would ask her, “How did you fail today?” This wasn’t about dwelling on the negative, it was a chance to reflect on what didn’t work and try a different approach. It was more of an opportunity to figure out how to succeed.

Take it or leave it.