Is This A Confusing Review?

So I'm not sure if it was the movie, Up In The Air, that made question career choices I've made in my life or just my complete absence of financial stability. I also was seized by wanderlust whilst watching the movie last night. So, just to reiterate - I thought it was a charming movie, but it did make me want to fly somewhere with the money I don't have from the careers that did not choose in my life.

My Fantasy Life

Recently I finished reading the 3rd and final book in the Watershed Trilogy. I read all 3 books back to back; 1,335 pages. It was quite the undertaking.

Now some people may not understand why a 35 year old man, such as myself, still reads sword & sorcery books. That's okay. I am only slightly embarrassed by my choice in science fiction/fantasy. When I lived in Chicago I would find ways to hide the dragon-themed, sword decorated front covers of the novels as I rode the EL through the city. Part of me was always nervous about somebody discovering my guilty pleasure and announcing it to the trainload of judgmental commuters. There was always the thought, too, that a group of D & D playing dorks would see the book in my hands and try to seduce me into their coven.

That being said I do enjoy reading the fantasy novels from time to time. This trilogy was epic, not quite on the Tolkien level but an engrossing read. I spent the last 2 and 1/2 months working my way through the adventures in the 3 novels. I may have sat in a hellish commute on my way home from work but once in my apartment I could always escape to the lands of the Watershed. I find that I stress out less about employment, debt, and life issues when I'm thumbing through a highly fanciful work of fiction. At times I prefer knights, and elves to the dragons and goblins of everyday life.

I've had the week off from work - I'm between semesters - and was able to finally finish the book. I've been splitting my time between straightening up the house, getting my car fixed, watching the World Cup, sitting on my butt, and reading Douglas Niles' fiction. Once school starts up again my reading opportunities will be a fewer and farther between, and I may not get to sit down with a good book for quite some time. Thanks to family gift certificates to bookstores, my library card, and my involvement with paperbackswap.com I will always have a retreat from the stressful task of being myself... at least temporarily.

Storm Watch

Last night Sara and I drove into Baltimore for the screening of yet another Running Storm Production. This time our film, 'Time In A Trash Can' was being screened as part of the 48 Hour Film Project: Baltimore at the Charles Theater.

This years film was challenging for the genre choice that I've mentioned in previous posts. Our time travel movie was kinda pieced together by myself and Dean, and then shot in a very hectic manner - at least from my perspective. At the end of the shoot, I have to admit that I was a bit nervous. I wasn't sure that we'd captured all the shots we'd needed. I didn't know if the story arc would be there once all of the footage was pieced together. Dean had seemed especially antsy and, several times appeared exhausted, during the filming for this project.

It turned out great! The quality of the editing, the feel of the film. Granted it's still a 48 hour festival so nothing is especially refined or spot on but this movie turned out surprisingly well. There our 4 groups of films being screened over 2 days. Ours was the last film in the very 1st group. It seemed to be well received, got some laughs and a big round of applause at the end. Also, the fact that it's the last film the audience saw should be a bonus. We'll see how the film does when the official results are released.

Father's Day (In 2 Parts)

Before - We're planning on heading down to North Beach to grill out with my dad, and Reb's family. We're going to celebrate Father's Day out on the dock, and have a little birthday party for Savannah, as well. That's the plan.

After - We just got back from our day on the Bay. It was hot and sunny but a beautiful day on the Chesapeake. We grilled out, and then had some cake and ice cream for the birthday celebration. Then I sat out on the dock and smoked a CAO America with my brother and just watched the boats sail by. I hope you had a good Father's Day, Pops.

Schools Out!

It's that time of year again. The school year is done. Students rushed out to their buses screaming, and smiling. The last week of school stretched into an eternity as the teachers struggled to maintain control, and the students realized that the teachers were at their wits end.

I looked back at my blog to see what I had written last year around this time and there was nothing. It's odd. Last year this time I was wrapping up what I thought was going to be my last year teaching. Sara and I had plans to move back to Chicago, and hoped by the end of the Summer to make that happen. I wrote nothing of this. I didn't mention leaving the School, granted I had planned to still work the Summer School session, but I didn't comment on leaving, or the students or even what I would do next. I don't know why.

Shortly after that my mother went back into the hospital and never came out again. My Summer was spent preparing for and then grieving the loss of my mom. I guess I didn't have time to focus on my feelings about leaving the School. Then, over the next 7 months or so I struggled to find a job, struggled to make money, struggled to get back on track. The plan to move back to Chicago was put on hold for the foreseeable future. Talk of grad school faded, washed away by a deluge of debt. Things didn't seem to be going our way.

Then I found my way back to teaching. Granted, I am not teaching drama and music as I was before but I was able to substitute in the classroom. Suddenly, I was Mr. Cobb again, and the students had missed me. Now I'm back to being a contracted employee, and working with students on a daily basis and most of the time it feels right. Money is still an issue. The commute is draining me and killing my car. The economy has snatched away my 2nd job, at least for the next few months, and I don't know what we're going to do to improve our situation. I guess we'll keep plodding along, and hoping for the best.

I'm happy to be back at the School. I'm happy to have a teeny tiny break, a week, before I have to go back and get ready for the Summer session. It will go by to fast and before you know it I'll be in the thick of things, halfway through the school year but I guess that's just how life goes.

It's All About Time

Yesterday, once again, I headed up to Charm City to work with my good buddy Dean on a submission film for the National 48 Hour Film Festival. This is my 7th collaboration with Running Storm Productions (6 Films and 1 Viral Video), and it's always an experience. This year we were thrown for a loop with the genre picks. Apparently out 1st pick was for a Western Or Musical. We gave up that pick for a Wild Card, and ended up with Time Travel or Doppelganger movie. Not what we were hoping for.

Friday night I was up til after 1 Am working on a treatment and discussing the project with Dean. He was up for another 6 hours turning my treatment into the script for our 8 Minute movie on Time Travel/Doppelgangers. I woke up early yesterday to review the script and then headed up to Baltimore for filming.

It was a long day. We got a late start. We filmed the exterior scenes 1st to avoid a rainy afternoon and then of course it never rained. So we spent the hottest hours of the day filming out in the sun, and then filmed our interior scenes during the afternoon. This project seemed to be a difficult one for everyone to visualize the final product and much time was spent trying to figure out difficult scenes, and logistics of the script. In the end we wrapped after 7PM, had some pizza and then left Dean to his editing.

It's funny though, last night when I got home from the shoot Back To The Future, which we briefly referenced in our film and often joked about on the set, was on TV. Today I get up and ABC Family is doing a Back To The Future marathon. Time travel has suddenly taken over my weekend. I am hopeful that Dean will be able to put together an amusing film from all of our footage. We will have to wait and see if the audience is as appreciative of our silly little film at the screening. I'll update you after the show.

Plaid Dogs Throughout Time

Last night we went to invited dress for Colonial Player's production of 'Dog Logic'. Tonight we took in 'Forever Plaid' at the Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre. Tomorrow, and some of tonight I will be dedicating to working on an original film for the National 48 Film Festival up in Baltimore. Our wild card selection of 'time travel or doppelganger' movie may throw a wrench into the works but we'll come up with something.

Lazy Day In Naptown.

Got the car worked on, did some light shopping, some light reading, and messed around with my camera phone.
This is supposed to be a panoramic view from my porch.

It Was A Bad Decision.

I should've known better. This little voice inside my head kept saying,"I'm not sure about this. Maybe you shouldn't." But I did!

I held those hamburger patties in my hand, noticing the odd color, and just an unhealthy appearance but I decided to grill them anyway. They were only a few days old, weren't they? Let's see. I bought the 4-pack of burger patties a week ago. Sara and I immediately grilled 2 burgers and ate them. I packed up the remaining burgers and threw them into the fridge to have a few days later. They should've been fine.

They weren't. I woke up Friday morning feeling sick to my stomach. I was in and out of the bathroom all morning. I kept burping up the burger all day as I fought off wave after wave of nausea, and a constant headache. Finally, around 3:30 yesterday Old Faithful blew. I rushed into the bathroom to vomit profusely and violently.

This has always been my problem with vomiting. I envy the casual regurgitator. I wish I was one of those fortunate souls who simply, and gracefully spit up the contents of their stomach, then go about their day. I am not. When I puke I end up on my knees, heaving, and shaking. The force with which I vomit has been known to pop blood vessels in my eyes, and I wake up the next day with sore abdominals. I'm also not very accurate with my aim when I throw, so it was not a pretty sight. Luckily all of the students had gone home for the day so no one was around to witness me cleaning the bathroom stall, or rinsing out my beard at the sink.

I then sat in traffic for almost 2 hours, came home, crawled in bed and slept for several hours. When I did wake up I had a persistent headache, couldn't really eat anything and was pretty much a bump on a log all night long as Sara kept the ginger ale flowing. We did not have an exciting Friday night.

I Bought A Purple Ruffle!

Memorial Day Weekend is over too soon. It just flew by. Friday through Monday evening are one big blur. Bumming around the house watching movies. Shrimpfeast in North Beach. Chillin' on my folks' dock. Swimming in the Severn. CAO America. Drinks at Mangia's to maybe say goodbye to a friend. Now it's over.

It's Tuesday morning, I'm fresh from the shower and I am anticipating an average morning commute of 'too long'. I do own a new basil plant, however. It was an impulse buy in North Beach. It's purple! I already own a basil plant; a Mammoth Basil but I thought the purple one was kinda cool. Did I need another basil plant? Sure, why not?

The niece & nephew were curious about the purple basil. I nibbled on one of the leaves and then let them split a leaf. Apparently, they really liked it because after that they wanted to pick my Ruffle clean. The nephew also thought it was funny that my middle name is an herb.