29 December 2007
Beginnings and Endings
And thus 2007 comes to a close... What an interesting year it has been, full of changes and adventures. Thus I leave 2007 with a "when one door closes another one opens" mentality. May 2008 be filled with many more open doors.
18 December 2007
Reprise to Numbers
According to me, about 6 months ago, Numbers scared me. They do, and they have every right to.
Something has happened though, and Numbers, though they scare me are not quite as enigmatic as they once seemed. Last week when I was temping at this one company, I continuously managed to make calculations in my head (and not 2+2 or 6*7... large numbers).
Go Figure
Something has happened though, and Numbers, though they scare me are not quite as enigmatic as they once seemed. Last week when I was temping at this one company, I continuously managed to make calculations in my head (and not 2+2 or 6*7... large numbers).
Go Figure
02 December 2007
The Story Continues...
A close personal friend of the Princess came to her rescue and brought her home to the costal town where they grew up. Together they traveled through the draining Heartland, up into the mountainous Pennyville and down into the Valley of Duke. There they rested for the night and reminisced with friends from school, before finishing their journey to the coast.
They arrived home and with in three days the Princess was on the road again, this time she was on a mission. Armed with an old military duffel bag, a computer case and her purse she boarded a bus to the city of lights. She was traveling in disguise, though, in case the evil Witch caught on to her travels. The Witch was bitter enough to try and ruin the Princess’s plans.
When she arrived, her two brothers, Tec the third and the Masked Cavalier, intercepted her. They took her in, fed her after her long travels and helped her to her temporary home off of the Army Plaza. The Masked Cavalier did not approve of her accommodations, but a very generous friend of the Princess was letting her stay free of charge until she found more permanent accommodations. Despite the fierce sounding name, the Masked Cavalier was sometimes a baby (it fit being that he was the youngest of the three). The Princess thanked her brothers but bid them an early goodbye as she had a big day to prepare for. It would be the start of her new life, living her dreams and bringing stories to life.
The next day was certainly grand, but the Princess could not let on who she was, in fear that the evil Witch might some how be keeping tabs on her. She was in a new city with new people, who didn’t know her as the Princess, and so as she started her new career she would be known as Bella.
Bella arrived early to the crew meeting point, but people were already there. She played meek and slightly shy; it was easier that way as she tried to get her bearings straight, she was after all only a lowly Set P.A. A long time ago, she learned that it was better to admit you knew nothing so then when you actually knew more than everyone expected you too, you’d impress them. The first person she met was Flower, a fellow P.A. He was also quiet, more because that’s the way he is, the strong silent type who stands over in the corner smoking a cigarette instead of working. Unfortunately, he was no help to her because he knew little of what was going on.
She next approached a tall, slender guy with a short curly hair and a blue plaid shirt, “I’m Bella, is this where the Hooked In crew is meeting?”
“Yup, that’d be here,” He said with a slight Texan accent, “I’m Dusty, the 2nd Assistant Director.” Dusty directed her to a short Asian boy in all black, “That’s Jack, our 2nd 2nd… you’ll mostly be answerin’ to him.” Bella shook Jack’s hand eagerly as he made some comment about this going to be a great shoot. Then Dusty directed her to a guy in baseball cap and cargo shorts, sitting on the stairs. He looked tall but she couldn’t quite tell as he was staring down at a binder resting his arm on a box. “Phil,” the boy on the stairs looked up as he heard his name.
For an instant he and Bella made eye contact. He had the most amazing green eyes she had ever seen and she was struck. It took only a second for her to come back down to earth, though. She was here on business, she was here to live her dreams, and she was here to follow her heart. She was NOT here to fall in love, so instantly she resolved with herself not to let her attraction to this guy, affect her plans in any way. She was going to be completely professional, and so she was.
“Phil, this is Bella, our other Set P.A.” Dusty continued. “Bella, this is Phillip, he’s the 1st AD.”
They shook hands, “Nice to meet you,” Phillip said, “the whole A.D. team’s here now, I’m looking forward to an awesome shoot.”
“I’m excited too,” was all Bella could get out.
And so began the shoot that would be the introduction to her film career. The first day was a whirlwind, Jack immediately realized Bella caught on quickly and gave her more responsibility than the other P.A.s. He took her under his wing to teach her as much as he could, and she willingly accepted the experience. Bella learned the paperwork, the walkies, how to run things on set, how to lock up during takes, how to speak on the walkies, what kind of coffee everyone liked etc… Before long, no one was able to tell that it was her first day ever on the job.
When the basics were covered, Dusty pulled Bella off Jack’s assistance told her to shadow Phillip. As Dusty explained, it was the first day of shooting, they were in a fairly compact space, and Phillip was going to need extra help.
So Bella did; she followed Phillip around and tried to help or figure out how to help, but she seemed more in the way than anything else. Defeated, she went back to help Jack. It was soon apparent that her efforts had not gone unnoticed; Phillip had recognized her skill and initiative. Over the walkie, he would always ask her on set to help or to run errands when he needed something important done. She was turning into Phillip’s right hand man (rather woman).
The Evil Witch in the dying city had not given up her mission of destroying Bella or the Dancer though; she had hench-critters everywhere searching for them, always hoping they would turn up with something. To her satisfaction a small skunk came back with information one night. He had wandered on to set and saw Phillip giving Bella instructions. It was when Phillip was flustered by her that the skunk recognized Bella immediately as the Princess. With Bella located, the Witch could begin to work her evil plot again. She couldn’t have Bella succeeding in this new city, with a new job and a possible prince. No, that would never do, and with that the Witch sent rain to the city of lights, rains that sent the dying city in to a drought.
The next morning Bella walked out the door to torrential downpours and she had to run back in for her rain jacket. All would have been well except she was now running late and just hopped on the first train that happened to be at her station. This train was not the one she needed, but didn’t realize it until she was half way up the wrong side of town. She hopped off and immediately called Dusty to let him know that she was on her way. It was too late, all the trains had stopped and she was out of luck. Dusty told her to take the train from Town Center Station instead of the crew van. Bella quickly made it over to Town Center Station and met up with the Actors. These trains, too, stopped running because of the rain.
They were all stranded, but Bella took charge and kept Dusty informed as to the train situation. Bella had foiled the Witch’s plot to foil her. They all arrived on set and made their day. Both Jack and Dusty admitted to her it was sheer luck she missed the crew van, they needed someone responsible on the water logged side to keep things going.
Bella was a star, and Phillip was beginning to notice as well. The two often found themselves around each other, like one was being drawn to the other. The hench-critters again reported back to the Witch, and so she threw another curve ball at Bella.
A few days later, Dusty came up to Bella. “Bella, Jack’s not here today, do you think you can handle your job and his job?”
Jack had already showed her all the paperwork, so why not? Bella took on the job. It was a little shaky at first, but worked out in the end. When Jack didn’t come back the next day, or the next day, or the next day Bella was always there to fill in. Dusty had never had a better assistant and Phillip had never seen anyone catch on so quickly. The two of them were all set to give Bella an official promotion.
On that day, though, the Witch sent a little bee to sting Phillip. Already a hot and exhausting day, the sting sent him over the edge and when Bella made one small mistake Phillip publicly reprimanded her. In the crew’s eyes it was offensive and uncalled for. Flower was up in arms when Phillip was out of sight, but Bella kept her cool, told them not to worry and went back to work. The Witch thought it would fluster her enough to jinx her, but Bella knew better than that. It happens, sometimes you slip up, but you have to keep going. No more than ten minutes later Phillip realized what he had done, found Bella and apologized.
At that moment, it was too late. No matter the deal she made with herself, no matter that she was determined not to deviate from her mission in life; Bella had fallen, seamlessly, perfectly and without warning, for Phillip.
Their friendship blossomed with each little moment they shared. He called her to pick up the van from him one day, she comforted him after a rough night on set with a mishap of hers, he gave her high fives and made fun of himself for it, she always had coffee ready for him… And, every now and then she would draw him out of his world of film for a moment to get a glimpse of who he really was. Of course, the more she learned the harder she fell. She could never act on it, though, while he was her boss.
Then it happened, the moment he completely and totally fell for her in return. On one of the overnight shoots, Bella was all set to stop pedestrians from walking through the shot. It was, however, three in the morning and no one was on this particular street. They were taking forever to set up the shot, so Bella amused herself by stepping at cockroaches. She didn’t want to kill them, just get them to scurry away. Phillip looked over and saw her, he drifted away from set and loud enough for her to hear said “Nice lock-up.”
Bella looked up at him and blushed, they locked eyes, he smiled slightly and they both went back to work.
The cockroaches brought word of this back to the evil Witch. She was livid that Bella had it all. Then she began do something unexpected; she began to laugh for she realized that it could still be remedied. She would lay low for a while, help things along between the two and then strike when the moment was right.
Somehow Bella had broken through to Phillip, their random meetings on set were no longer consumed with talking about set or film but rather about the city, hopes, dreams, where Bella was planning on moving to (and Phillip being genuinely excited that it might be near him), quirky moments they both had, music and more. The more they each fell, the more everyone else could see it.
The funny thing about it was that neither Bella nor Phillip could see it, or maybe they refused to see as they were both so driven and focused.
On the night of the wrap party, Bella was overtaken by butterflies, the same butterflies that filled her just before she moved. They are the ones that are nervous but empowering all at the same time, that make you feel like anything is possible. She didn’t want whatever it was she and Phillip had to end. Bella didn’t care to what extent they remained connected, just as long as they were in some way in each other’s lives. She was more nervous going to this party than she had ever been before.
He wasn’t there when she arrived, and so she socialized with as many people as she could. When Phillip finally got there though, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. They were together most of the night just talking. For a moment when they weren’t together, someone else whisked her away to the dance floor, and Phillip’s heart sank. Bella was only interested in one person and made it blatantly clear to the mysterious dancer. Upon the end of the dance she walked over to Phillip and remained with him the rest of the night.
When the party ended they stayed out, like they were somehow holding onto those moments, like they were racing against time and fate. The night drew on and as she started talking about her past, he kissed her without warning. To steal the words of Ingrid Bergman, “A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.” Neither expected it and neither wanted it to end. He innocently asked her to come away with him; they both knew that wasn’t possible. She was starting a new job the next day and he was working as well. He said they’d see each other soon, and kissed her again before putting her in a cab home.
This played into the Witch’s plot all too easily; she sent a tiny mosquito to follow him home and bite him just as he fell asleep. It wasn’t an ordinary mosquito; she enchanted it to make Phillip forget all about Bella.
The Witch made sure the first week of Bella’s new job was extra tough: she had to learn all new paperwork, she didn’t know the city well enough to navigate, she was always running late, her boss said she didn’t take enough initiative and her friend said she needed to find a new place to stay. All that kept Bella going was the prospect of hearing Phillip’s voice on the other end of the phone at some point. She sent text messages, an e-mail and tried calling. To no avail, Phillip never responded.
Bella was left heart broken and jaded. She tried to stifle thoughts that she might indeed just be another pretty face to him; just someone he thought was easy. Then she remembered that he was starting another job as 1st AD, maybe he was just too busy to call her. And so she rode on this hope that he was still going to call, that maybe she hadn’t fallen for nothing.
Bella was never one to fall often, but when she fell for someone, she fell completely for them.
It would seem the Witch had succeeded. She knew Bella all too well, and once she falls it is not easily reversed. Even from the distance, as Bella suffered the Witch grew stronger and stronger.
They arrived home and with in three days the Princess was on the road again, this time she was on a mission. Armed with an old military duffel bag, a computer case and her purse she boarded a bus to the city of lights. She was traveling in disguise, though, in case the evil Witch caught on to her travels. The Witch was bitter enough to try and ruin the Princess’s plans.
When she arrived, her two brothers, Tec the third and the Masked Cavalier, intercepted her. They took her in, fed her after her long travels and helped her to her temporary home off of the Army Plaza. The Masked Cavalier did not approve of her accommodations, but a very generous friend of the Princess was letting her stay free of charge until she found more permanent accommodations. Despite the fierce sounding name, the Masked Cavalier was sometimes a baby (it fit being that he was the youngest of the three). The Princess thanked her brothers but bid them an early goodbye as she had a big day to prepare for. It would be the start of her new life, living her dreams and bringing stories to life.
The next day was certainly grand, but the Princess could not let on who she was, in fear that the evil Witch might some how be keeping tabs on her. She was in a new city with new people, who didn’t know her as the Princess, and so as she started her new career she would be known as Bella.
Bella arrived early to the crew meeting point, but people were already there. She played meek and slightly shy; it was easier that way as she tried to get her bearings straight, she was after all only a lowly Set P.A. A long time ago, she learned that it was better to admit you knew nothing so then when you actually knew more than everyone expected you too, you’d impress them. The first person she met was Flower, a fellow P.A. He was also quiet, more because that’s the way he is, the strong silent type who stands over in the corner smoking a cigarette instead of working. Unfortunately, he was no help to her because he knew little of what was going on.
She next approached a tall, slender guy with a short curly hair and a blue plaid shirt, “I’m Bella, is this where the Hooked In crew is meeting?”
“Yup, that’d be here,” He said with a slight Texan accent, “I’m Dusty, the 2nd Assistant Director.” Dusty directed her to a short Asian boy in all black, “That’s Jack, our 2nd 2nd… you’ll mostly be answerin’ to him.” Bella shook Jack’s hand eagerly as he made some comment about this going to be a great shoot. Then Dusty directed her to a guy in baseball cap and cargo shorts, sitting on the stairs. He looked tall but she couldn’t quite tell as he was staring down at a binder resting his arm on a box. “Phil,” the boy on the stairs looked up as he heard his name.
For an instant he and Bella made eye contact. He had the most amazing green eyes she had ever seen and she was struck. It took only a second for her to come back down to earth, though. She was here on business, she was here to live her dreams, and she was here to follow her heart. She was NOT here to fall in love, so instantly she resolved with herself not to let her attraction to this guy, affect her plans in any way. She was going to be completely professional, and so she was.
“Phil, this is Bella, our other Set P.A.” Dusty continued. “Bella, this is Phillip, he’s the 1st AD.”
They shook hands, “Nice to meet you,” Phillip said, “the whole A.D. team’s here now, I’m looking forward to an awesome shoot.”
“I’m excited too,” was all Bella could get out.
And so began the shoot that would be the introduction to her film career. The first day was a whirlwind, Jack immediately realized Bella caught on quickly and gave her more responsibility than the other P.A.s. He took her under his wing to teach her as much as he could, and she willingly accepted the experience. Bella learned the paperwork, the walkies, how to run things on set, how to lock up during takes, how to speak on the walkies, what kind of coffee everyone liked etc… Before long, no one was able to tell that it was her first day ever on the job.
When the basics were covered, Dusty pulled Bella off Jack’s assistance told her to shadow Phillip. As Dusty explained, it was the first day of shooting, they were in a fairly compact space, and Phillip was going to need extra help.
So Bella did; she followed Phillip around and tried to help or figure out how to help, but she seemed more in the way than anything else. Defeated, she went back to help Jack. It was soon apparent that her efforts had not gone unnoticed; Phillip had recognized her skill and initiative. Over the walkie, he would always ask her on set to help or to run errands when he needed something important done. She was turning into Phillip’s right hand man (rather woman).
The Evil Witch in the dying city had not given up her mission of destroying Bella or the Dancer though; she had hench-critters everywhere searching for them, always hoping they would turn up with something. To her satisfaction a small skunk came back with information one night. He had wandered on to set and saw Phillip giving Bella instructions. It was when Phillip was flustered by her that the skunk recognized Bella immediately as the Princess. With Bella located, the Witch could begin to work her evil plot again. She couldn’t have Bella succeeding in this new city, with a new job and a possible prince. No, that would never do, and with that the Witch sent rain to the city of lights, rains that sent the dying city in to a drought.
The next morning Bella walked out the door to torrential downpours and she had to run back in for her rain jacket. All would have been well except she was now running late and just hopped on the first train that happened to be at her station. This train was not the one she needed, but didn’t realize it until she was half way up the wrong side of town. She hopped off and immediately called Dusty to let him know that she was on her way. It was too late, all the trains had stopped and she was out of luck. Dusty told her to take the train from Town Center Station instead of the crew van. Bella quickly made it over to Town Center Station and met up with the Actors. These trains, too, stopped running because of the rain.
They were all stranded, but Bella took charge and kept Dusty informed as to the train situation. Bella had foiled the Witch’s plot to foil her. They all arrived on set and made their day. Both Jack and Dusty admitted to her it was sheer luck she missed the crew van, they needed someone responsible on the water logged side to keep things going.
Bella was a star, and Phillip was beginning to notice as well. The two often found themselves around each other, like one was being drawn to the other. The hench-critters again reported back to the Witch, and so she threw another curve ball at Bella.
A few days later, Dusty came up to Bella. “Bella, Jack’s not here today, do you think you can handle your job and his job?”
Jack had already showed her all the paperwork, so why not? Bella took on the job. It was a little shaky at first, but worked out in the end. When Jack didn’t come back the next day, or the next day, or the next day Bella was always there to fill in. Dusty had never had a better assistant and Phillip had never seen anyone catch on so quickly. The two of them were all set to give Bella an official promotion.
On that day, though, the Witch sent a little bee to sting Phillip. Already a hot and exhausting day, the sting sent him over the edge and when Bella made one small mistake Phillip publicly reprimanded her. In the crew’s eyes it was offensive and uncalled for. Flower was up in arms when Phillip was out of sight, but Bella kept her cool, told them not to worry and went back to work. The Witch thought it would fluster her enough to jinx her, but Bella knew better than that. It happens, sometimes you slip up, but you have to keep going. No more than ten minutes later Phillip realized what he had done, found Bella and apologized.
At that moment, it was too late. No matter the deal she made with herself, no matter that she was determined not to deviate from her mission in life; Bella had fallen, seamlessly, perfectly and without warning, for Phillip.
Their friendship blossomed with each little moment they shared. He called her to pick up the van from him one day, she comforted him after a rough night on set with a mishap of hers, he gave her high fives and made fun of himself for it, she always had coffee ready for him… And, every now and then she would draw him out of his world of film for a moment to get a glimpse of who he really was. Of course, the more she learned the harder she fell. She could never act on it, though, while he was her boss.
Then it happened, the moment he completely and totally fell for her in return. On one of the overnight shoots, Bella was all set to stop pedestrians from walking through the shot. It was, however, three in the morning and no one was on this particular street. They were taking forever to set up the shot, so Bella amused herself by stepping at cockroaches. She didn’t want to kill them, just get them to scurry away. Phillip looked over and saw her, he drifted away from set and loud enough for her to hear said “Nice lock-up.”
Bella looked up at him and blushed, they locked eyes, he smiled slightly and they both went back to work.
The cockroaches brought word of this back to the evil Witch. She was livid that Bella had it all. Then she began do something unexpected; she began to laugh for she realized that it could still be remedied. She would lay low for a while, help things along between the two and then strike when the moment was right.
Somehow Bella had broken through to Phillip, their random meetings on set were no longer consumed with talking about set or film but rather about the city, hopes, dreams, where Bella was planning on moving to (and Phillip being genuinely excited that it might be near him), quirky moments they both had, music and more. The more they each fell, the more everyone else could see it.
The funny thing about it was that neither Bella nor Phillip could see it, or maybe they refused to see as they were both so driven and focused.
On the night of the wrap party, Bella was overtaken by butterflies, the same butterflies that filled her just before she moved. They are the ones that are nervous but empowering all at the same time, that make you feel like anything is possible. She didn’t want whatever it was she and Phillip had to end. Bella didn’t care to what extent they remained connected, just as long as they were in some way in each other’s lives. She was more nervous going to this party than she had ever been before.
He wasn’t there when she arrived, and so she socialized with as many people as she could. When Phillip finally got there though, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. They were together most of the night just talking. For a moment when they weren’t together, someone else whisked her away to the dance floor, and Phillip’s heart sank. Bella was only interested in one person and made it blatantly clear to the mysterious dancer. Upon the end of the dance she walked over to Phillip and remained with him the rest of the night.
When the party ended they stayed out, like they were somehow holding onto those moments, like they were racing against time and fate. The night drew on and as she started talking about her past, he kissed her without warning. To steal the words of Ingrid Bergman, “A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.” Neither expected it and neither wanted it to end. He innocently asked her to come away with him; they both knew that wasn’t possible. She was starting a new job the next day and he was working as well. He said they’d see each other soon, and kissed her again before putting her in a cab home.
This played into the Witch’s plot all too easily; she sent a tiny mosquito to follow him home and bite him just as he fell asleep. It wasn’t an ordinary mosquito; she enchanted it to make Phillip forget all about Bella.
The Witch made sure the first week of Bella’s new job was extra tough: she had to learn all new paperwork, she didn’t know the city well enough to navigate, she was always running late, her boss said she didn’t take enough initiative and her friend said she needed to find a new place to stay. All that kept Bella going was the prospect of hearing Phillip’s voice on the other end of the phone at some point. She sent text messages, an e-mail and tried calling. To no avail, Phillip never responded.
Bella was left heart broken and jaded. She tried to stifle thoughts that she might indeed just be another pretty face to him; just someone he thought was easy. Then she remembered that he was starting another job as 1st AD, maybe he was just too busy to call her. And so she rode on this hope that he was still going to call, that maybe she hadn’t fallen for nothing.
Bella was never one to fall often, but when she fell for someone, she fell completely for them.
It would seem the Witch had succeeded. She knew Bella all too well, and once she falls it is not easily reversed. Even from the distance, as Bella suffered the Witch grew stronger and stronger.
Once upon a time...
Today, boys and girls, I am going to tell you a story, rather part of a story. It all started a long, long time ago, back in August of 2007. There was this Princess, or at least that's what everyone called her. Her mother, her father, her brothers, and even her coworkers referred to her as Princess. Who could blame them though, with her charisma, drive, ability to dream big but live practically, efficiency, and ultimately her cuteness. She brought new meaning to the word Princess.
Now, prior to August of 2007 this Princess lived and worked in a dying city. It was her choice to go there, to try and change the world through Art and Entertainment. She lived in the smallest room of a turn of the century house with two other women, a Beautiful Dancer turned teacher and an Old Hag turned social worker, also looking to change the world. To add character to her living situation, her room was the former servant's quarters and had no heat, and one of her roommates was an evil witch driven to make the Princess and the Beautiful Dancer suffer through her own pain and agony. It was a regular Cinderella story.
As much as the Princess loved her work at the Theatre, bringing joy through art to low income areas while bringing to light social issues of the community, both she and the Beautiful Dancer knew that they had to escape this peril and ultimately follow their dreams. For, no matter how hard they tried, at this point in their lives they were incapable of reviving the dying city. They needed life experience first. So, come August, the two quietly packed their things up and secretly escaped the prison that had become their house.
The two, through all the pain they suffered, would remain close; after all, when you go through hell with someone, you will always love them for the support they gave and they will love you the same in return. They bid farewell and parted ways, the Beautiful Dancer to follow heart's desire being a doctor, and the Princess to live her dreams making movies in the city of lights.
Thus is the end of one story, but only the beginning of something much, much more grand...
Now, prior to August of 2007 this Princess lived and worked in a dying city. It was her choice to go there, to try and change the world through Art and Entertainment. She lived in the smallest room of a turn of the century house with two other women, a Beautiful Dancer turned teacher and an Old Hag turned social worker, also looking to change the world. To add character to her living situation, her room was the former servant's quarters and had no heat, and one of her roommates was an evil witch driven to make the Princess and the Beautiful Dancer suffer through her own pain and agony. It was a regular Cinderella story.
As much as the Princess loved her work at the Theatre, bringing joy through art to low income areas while bringing to light social issues of the community, both she and the Beautiful Dancer knew that they had to escape this peril and ultimately follow their dreams. For, no matter how hard they tried, at this point in their lives they were incapable of reviving the dying city. They needed life experience first. So, come August, the two quietly packed their things up and secretly escaped the prison that had become their house.
The two, through all the pain they suffered, would remain close; after all, when you go through hell with someone, you will always love them for the support they gave and they will love you the same in return. They bid farewell and parted ways, the Beautiful Dancer to follow heart's desire being a doctor, and the Princess to live her dreams making movies in the city of lights.
Thus is the end of one story, but only the beginning of something much, much more grand...
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