A Dollar Here, A Dollar There

How was my first week of not spending? Easy! I didn’t even break a sweat. While at the 99 Cents Only store, I simply stuck to the produce and food aisles and avoided the rest of the store. A penny saved is a penny earned, right? Or 99 cents earned in this case.

Here are some other ways I realized I could save or make a few dollars here and there. It adds up – trust me.

• Library Fines – I used to justify them as donations to a public institution I value immensely. No more! The books go back whether I’m done or not. I can always check them out again.
  
  
• Recycle Ink Cartridges – Staples Rewards will give you $2 for every ink or laser cartridge you bring in. I went hunting for old cartridges left by the trash around my office and found two. Score! Those free dollars are definitely going to come in handy later this year when I need to replenish office supplies.
  
  
• ATM Fees – Never again. I can go the extra three blocks to find a Chase. Besides, I don’t need to get cash that often!
  
  
• Piggy Bank – The oldest trick in the book. That rattling noise is mighty satisfying.
  
  
• Recycle Cans & Bottles – You know that empty water bottle you’re throwing away? That’s money! (Not that I ever threw water bottles in the trash before, because that’s not where they go!) Before I started taking my cans & bottles to a recycle center instead of recycling curbside, I was basically throwing money away every time I had a drink. The extra errand is worth it!

And so I continue forward on my thrifty new year’s resolution. If you have any micro-ways to save money, leave them below!

Until my next update, here’s to all the dollars staying in my wallet.

Fiction Friday: Adventurer

Perhaps you remember my brief attempt to write six word fiction? Well, I’ve discovered a new flash fiction challenge – six sentence fiction. Easier to write yet harder at the same time, though all around more satisfying to read. Peruse the offerings at Six Sentences and you’ll see what I mean.

The idea of crafting a beginning, middle, & end in six sentences excites my creative mind, so I’m going to try as many as I can until I’m published on Six Sentences. Here’s my first attempt, written late at night:

Adventurer

The globe in her father’s office was old, fading, and from an age of self-education and discovery that had long since moved online, but it was her father’s, so it always been her favorite thing as a child. She spun it lazily with the tips of her fingers, taking in all the countries that no longer existed – Yugoslavia, the USSR, one Korea – remembering all the nights she’d spent memorizing the places her father had traveled, preparing to regale him with her extensive knowledge of the exotic locales which he’d just been experiencing firsthand. It was a futile exercise – she could see that now – but her father had indulged her each time, smiling pleasantly through his pain, listening with all the focus he could muster in his exhausted state. “Being me has its downsides,” he’d always said, even though he’d be back out the door days later. She stared at the globe now, wondering where her father had lost his way so many years ago, and praying for the millionth time that he would eventually find his way home. Twenty-five years was far too long of an adventure, even for him.

Exercising My Thriving Television Imagination

When I was a teenager, I wrote episodes of Scarecrow & Mrs. King in my head. They usually featured me as a brilliant young spy working with Agent Lee Stetson on an international undercover operation. My cover was often an accomplished concert pianist or a modern dancer. Lee would act as my demanding yet dashing teacher while Amanda tagged along as my daft chaperone. Together, we would infiltrate embassies and investigate leads, often getting discovered and taken hostage. We would always escape before the end of Act 3.

And even though the show was called Scarecrow & Mrs. King, I was the one who would take down the Russian arms dealer or Libyan terrorist in the end. My fierce intelligence and spy savvy would save us every time. And at the close of each episode, I would share a romantic moment with the Scarecrow. That’s right, I got the handsome spy.

They were really great episodes.

Little did I know that all that fantasizing was early practice for the task I’m about to dive into – writing a spec script. A sample episode of an existing television show meant to showcase my writing skills. Coming up with a story that matches the voice of an established series, yet has my original stamp on it.

My sole purpose for writing a spec is to apply to writing fellowships around town in the spring. Because otherwise, spec scripts are dying a rapid death here in Hollywood. Agents, studio suits, & development execs all want to see original pilots as writing samples now. They’re tired of reading Grey’s Anatomy specs, I suppose.

The new feeling is that an original pilot is a much better snapshot of a writer’s unique voice and technical ability. Plus there’s always the hope that a Desperate Housewives will emerge from the field. (DH was an original pilot that saved ABC in 2004 – more on the challenge of writing an original pilot later...)

But despite its declining usefulness in the biz, a spec script is still the key to getting into these writing fellowships, which are highly coveted gateways into the inner circle of television writers.

So here I go. I haven’t decided which show to spec yet – The Good Wife, Castle, & Fringe are all contenders. If you have any opinions on which I should choose or any story ideas to offer, leave them in the comments below. I’m still in the brainstorming phase right now.

Though I know I will not be featured in any of them as an international spy. I’ll leave that character in my imagination.

My Radical New Year's Resolution

In 2011, beyond necessities such as rent, utilities, gas, & food, I will not buy anything. Zip. Zilch. Nothing. No cute new shoes, no new mascara...nada.

Because the truth of the matter is this – I don’t need anything. I have a closet full of clothes, plenty of extra shampoo & toothpaste in case I run out, and so much stuff in my apartment that I don’t know where to put it. I live in blessed abundance – all my needs are met – I want for nothing.

So the buying stops today and will remain halted for an entire year. No more new stuff. Unexpected needs will likely come up throughout the year, but that’s when my resourcefulness will have to kick in. A friend’s birthday? I’ll make them a card from my ample stock of craft supplies. Something break? I’ll fix it. Want to make waffles? I’ll borrow a waffle-maker from a friend.

The goal is to heal myself of the stinking entitlement of excess that I believe plagues the country and put us into economic woe. You may say I’m not being a good US citizen by supporting the retail industry, but I have to believe that being an educated, working, and voting tax-payer who volunteers and donates to charity has more positive impact on the national community than buying a new toaster. Besides, everything is made in China these days – buying that toaster only supports an economic dependency that’s going to bite us in the ass later in a big way.

My hope is that the time I would be spending driving to stores or price comparing can now be spent writing & furthering my life goals. You know, the important stuff.

So here goes. My no frills, no purchasing year of inventiveness and creativity. Follow my blog now for all the tales of my adventure and feel free to leave any questions or challenges in the comments below. There are probably many things I haven’t thought of, but I’m confident I can figure them out as I go along.

After all, I have everything I need right here.

2010 Video Distractions Roundup

The videos I couldn't stop watching this year when I was supposed to be writing.

First, a gem for the ladies from Sarah Silverman on Conan:




ClaraC just released her first album, but she also records covers & mashups right in her apartment - a real DIY inspiration.




The great John Lopez was cinematographer on this tasty tidbit. Short, sweet, and funny!

1-555-LIVE-LYNX - watch more funny videos

Nicole Scherzinger & Tracie Thoms on the Hollywood Bowl stage. I saw the show live, but watch this whenever I wanna feel fierce.




Max Adler plays a gay-hating bully on Glee who is secretly gay himself. This video he made for The Trevor Project made me cry. I now want his body.




An animated tale from Mike Birbiglia, the best Moth storyteller / comedian / sleepwalker ever.




And finally, just because...




Curse you, online videos. Why are you so damn watchable?

2010: The Numbers

# of blog posts written: 70

# of blog comments: 75

# of blog followers: 18 (won’t you follow too?)

# of dollars raised by my blog: 0 (donate via Paypal on the right!)

# of followers on Twitter: 125 (follow me there too!)

# of acting auditions: 25

# of acting jobs booked: 12 (so grateful!)

# of scripts written: 1 (very bad)

# of scripts started: at least 12 (better)

# of applications to writing fellowship programs: 6

# of acceptances into writing fellowship programs: 0 (try again next year)

# of industry events attended: 30

# of new industry contacts made: over 100

# of short films produced: 2

# of short films written & directed: 1 (see my Interpretations short here)

# of days spent feeling discouraged: 365

# of days spent revitalizing & refocusing on my goals: 365

Thanks 2010! Here’s to an even more creative and productive 2011!

Happy Holidays from Teresapalooza!!