Ya Give Me Fever...

[Many Baltimore roads and sidewalks are impassable, but when I really needed to shake off the cabin fever, I knew Dougherty's would not let me down. This passageway to their door was cut through a hard packed snowplow pile that was easily three feet tall and six feet from street to sidewalk. Because this is Baltimore, and that's how we roll.]

And more flakes are falling, even as I write this! Though relatively speaking, this is supposedly going to just be "a dusting". We'll see. Even the forecasters are admitting this thing could go either way and they have no idea how much we will get.

All I can say is, thank goodness for neighbors with four-wheel drive. Thank goodness for neighbors, period! One of the many things I love about this town. See, this is my car (a.k.a. C.K. Dexter Haven) at the moment:

Poor Dexter. I miss him. I put the cover on him before the first big storm and haven't seen him since. What was that, two weeks ago? I have lost all track of time. I was doing just fine, had plenty of "supplies", but I was down to the last can of dog food for each of my dogs. So neighbor Pete drove me to the vet for Max's food and the pet store for Timmy's food. Pete even drove me to my hair appointment in Fells Point yesterday, when I couldn't get a cab. Though I guess I will have to find one to and from my class at the Creative Alliance tomorrow night.

Later this week I am going to New York for a couple days, to see some friends and to (bump, bump, BAAAAAAHHH!!!!) take the written test for the Director's Guild of America Assistant Directors Training Program. Which happens to be taking place ONE BLOCK from where a good friend of mine lives, so I will be able to (in theory) get an extra hour of sleep. I have to be there at SEVEN A.M. Ouch. Though my dogs have me up that early all the time. But once I feed them they often let me go back to sleep.

Not so this Saturday. Again, thank goodness for neighbors, as other neighbors, my dogs' "Uncles" Phil & Ron will be taking care of my guys while I am in NYC taking this test. It is 4 to 5 hours long! I'm not scared, though. Writing is my thing, and I've always tested well. Still, the content is unknown and there is no way to study for it. They say it is mostly problem-solving. That is also what I do. I can't wait, actually! I am FAR more excited than I am nervous. I'll be very interested to see the mix of people taking the test. They say that about 300 people apply to the New York Program each year and they only accept 5 to 7. I don't know how many people they cut just from the application stage, but that step was my biggest concern, actually, and I am past that at least.

The snow was kind of stressing me out, though, only in that it might impede me from actually getting to New York. I had planned on taking the Bolt bus, which leaves a few blocks away from my house and would be $40 round trip maximum. But last week I decided I just coudn't chance it, so I shelled out almost 3 times that much, $115, for a train ticket. I prefer traveling by train, But I'd even more prefer having that extra $75 in my pocket, especially as I have less than two weeks left of gainful employment. But I cannot take the slightest chance of not making it to this test.

That's really all I have to say about that for now, though. I'm not the type to wring my hands over, "what if it doesn't happen? What if I don't get in?" The only thing I can do about it is to do my best, and let the cards fall where they may.

In other movie news, there are a couple of indie screenings in town that I am very excited about. Tonight, as a matter of fact, Regina Guy dies a horrible death in the local indie horror, "President's Day," at the Charles Theater, 7:30pm. The only thing Regina likes better than being onscreen is being killed onscreen. I've seen some of the movie stills... and I think I am going to be watching a great deal of this movie from between my fingers, with my hands over my eyes. Next week, "Heaven Burns," is screening in Towson. I know a bunch of people who worked on that and I have heard great things, so I am very excited to check that out also.

The horror short I am working on with Zinnia Films will be kicking off soon, though we have to postpone shooting the exteriors for obvious reasons, not the least of which is, there is no place to park in this town! Side streets where it is legal to park are a mess, and for now it is still illegal to park on the main corridors because it is still a Snow Emergency. They towed 15 to 20 cars off my block of Calvert Street last night, starting at midnight. Bet there were a lot of ticked off people this morning.

It is almost a good thing I will be unemployed in March, because between Jason's (Zinnia Films) movie (10-12 shooting days, including about 48 hours in Bethany/Ocean City), Steve Yeager's movie (probably 6-7 shooting days), teaching my pre-production class at the Creative Alliance on Saturday, March 27th, and attending the Stonehenge auditions in D.C. (shooting schedules permitting) on March 28th, I might have only 9 or so days that I am not committed to something. Plus two other people's projects that I might get involved with on top of those. Oh, well, it should keep me out of trouble at least. Yea, right.

Tune in next week to hear about my jaunt to the Big Apple! Drive safely!

Like the Snowfall...

[Park Avenue in Baltimore - photo courtesy Elizabeth Galo]

...I am on the rise. Putting last week behind me. Sure, I only have three more weeks of employment, but nothing I can do about it. Still have a roof over my head, at least for a few more months anyway. The red light camera ticket isn't that big a deal I guess. At least I got it in DC ($50) instead of Baltimore ($75). And truth be told I ran TWO red lights in DC that night, both accidentally. I am lucky I just got a ticket, I could have had an accident. Right?

Oh, and Kyle Holtgren tells me it is not UNemployed, it's FUNemployed. I'm gonna go with that. And that guy Zeb contacted me and apologized most sincerely, so that is water under the bridge. I would have handled it differently, but if my Facebook page was deleted, I'd flip out, too. What was the other crappy thing last week? Oh, that salesman that I had a screaming match with. I talked to his boss and made sure I never have to see that jackass again (knock on wood). So. Moving on!

Friday night I went out in the snow and trudged to Dougherty's to blow off some steam with my friends. It was loads of fun, I really needed that. Got together with the same group last night for the Super Bowl. Good times.

Though I have to tell you... in the midst of all the crappiness last week, I did get some very good (fiction) writing done. Hadn't done that for quite awhile. It is true that one has to suffer for their art. Unfortunate, but true. I write WAY better when I am miserable. Problem is, I am generally a pretty happy person, and I like to keep it that way. That is what made last week even tougher. Being depressed (as I still am a bit, over losing my job), or angry to the degree I was last week, it is just not natural to me. It feels confusing and I don't know what to do with myself. Me no likey.

The snow has helped to put me in a good mood. I love it, it makes me feel like I am a little kid in Pennsylvania again. The ground would be white for weeks at a time, not days. I stayed over at my friend Alvina's last night after the Super Bowl party, just too dangerous to be walking around on the snow and ice after several drinks. On the walk over there last night and the walk home this morning, it was just eerie.. very few cars, people walking down the middle of the street. Very The Day After Tomorrow. I like it. We're going to have to pay for it later, of course, when this all starts melting it is going to be an even bigger mess. But for now, I think it is very beautiful. And one of the things I love most about snow days in Baltimore... the restaurants, theaters, movie theaters, and shops are closed - but the bars are open. And busy!