Friday, August 15, 2003
My exciting weekend plans
It's Friday, but I'm totally hooked on this Blog, so I have to write something before I leave work. Yes, it's 7pm on Friday and I'm still at work. What a loser.
I've been writing a lot more this past week, largely due to this Blog, but I'm also continuing to write in my handwritten journal. I've been chatting with this UC professor about a screenwriting group (free!) that will meet once a month to take a "premise" through to maturity. I probably already freaked him out because, in making arrangements to meet, I said I wouldn't bring a rose, but I'd bring a premise that was almost as scary. Anyways, he hasn't confirmed our "date", so maybe I just voted myself off the Screenwriting Group Island.... *Sigh* figures.
Anyhow, my weekend plans... I'm very tired and not feeling very sociable. I'd like to read, maybe go on a bike ride, go to the art museum (it's free now!) and do some other low-key free things. Do you catch a theme in here, blogalongs? Yes, I'm having some financial difficulties. That's why I'm thankful this blog is FREE, and all the neato things attached to it, like that groovy webcounter and guestbook -- all FREE FREE FREE! Late last night, I finished my fed and state taxes. I filled out the automatic extension form back in April, mostly because I was too lazy before 4/15/03 to gather up all the receipts for the rentals -- and I hate doing the math on the depreciation part. Further, last year was particularly a tax bitch because I did one of those gnarly 1031 exchanges where you buy and sell rental property but don't have to worry about paying capital gains taxes. At least in theory. Another thing which adds to my frustration and I'm sure makes me so singularly me is that I refuse to pay good money to an Accountant. I'm sure you'll hear that tune change once I get my Audit notice.
I finished HM "The Air-Conditioned Nightmare". You know, it got very tedious. I was particularly disappointed with the chapter on Alfred Steiglitz, a photographer I've always admired. B*O*R*I*N*G, it instead replayed a dream sequence in which Modern Man (or something like that) tries to interview Steiglitz about Art (I think, I probably got it all wrong, it happens when you're falling asleep). Also, I skimmed through an entire chapter or three where it seemed like all HM droned on about was his car. I suppose it provided nifty pastiches of American life. But it also seemed to reproduce in excrutiating detail small-talk conversations with hitchhikers and children.
My friend Dave lent me Edmund White's "The Married Man". So far, I have no comment, but I approach it cautiously. I read "The Beautiful Room is Empty" twice -- once when I was first coming out, and perhaps right after it was published in the mid 1980s, and again a couple of years ago with the book club. Who wants to read a bunch of self-obsessed crap about someone who sluts around America AND Europe, never making a real connection with other human beings. Someone who whines about wanting to have a relationship and yet blows it every time. Uhmmmmmm, hmmmmm,, welll,,,,,,, hmmmm.
Doesn't sound like anyone I know, noooooooo.
So -- this weekend: reading, going to the art museum, and oh yes! Finishing painting my furniture. What could be better? I hope it's not too hot, maybe I'll take my dog Grace on a nice little walk in a nice little park around town. Relaxed, low-key, FREEEEEEEEEEEE..
Nighty night.
I've been writing a lot more this past week, largely due to this Blog, but I'm also continuing to write in my handwritten journal. I've been chatting with this UC professor about a screenwriting group (free!) that will meet once a month to take a "premise" through to maturity. I probably already freaked him out because, in making arrangements to meet, I said I wouldn't bring a rose, but I'd bring a premise that was almost as scary. Anyways, he hasn't confirmed our "date", so maybe I just voted myself off the Screenwriting Group Island.... *Sigh* figures.
Anyhow, my weekend plans... I'm very tired and not feeling very sociable. I'd like to read, maybe go on a bike ride, go to the art museum (it's free now!) and do some other low-key free things. Do you catch a theme in here, blogalongs? Yes, I'm having some financial difficulties. That's why I'm thankful this blog is FREE, and all the neato things attached to it, like that groovy webcounter and guestbook -- all FREE FREE FREE! Late last night, I finished my fed and state taxes. I filled out the automatic extension form back in April, mostly because I was too lazy before 4/15/03 to gather up all the receipts for the rentals -- and I hate doing the math on the depreciation part. Further, last year was particularly a tax bitch because I did one of those gnarly 1031 exchanges where you buy and sell rental property but don't have to worry about paying capital gains taxes. At least in theory. Another thing which adds to my frustration and I'm sure makes me so singularly me is that I refuse to pay good money to an Accountant. I'm sure you'll hear that tune change once I get my Audit notice.
I finished HM "The Air-Conditioned Nightmare". You know, it got very tedious. I was particularly disappointed with the chapter on Alfred Steiglitz, a photographer I've always admired. B*O*R*I*N*G, it instead replayed a dream sequence in which Modern Man (or something like that) tries to interview Steiglitz about Art (I think, I probably got it all wrong, it happens when you're falling asleep). Also, I skimmed through an entire chapter or three where it seemed like all HM droned on about was his car. I suppose it provided nifty pastiches of American life. But it also seemed to reproduce in excrutiating detail small-talk conversations with hitchhikers and children.
My friend Dave lent me Edmund White's "The Married Man". So far, I have no comment, but I approach it cautiously. I read "The Beautiful Room is Empty" twice -- once when I was first coming out, and perhaps right after it was published in the mid 1980s, and again a couple of years ago with the book club. Who wants to read a bunch of self-obsessed crap about someone who sluts around America AND Europe, never making a real connection with other human beings. Someone who whines about wanting to have a relationship and yet blows it every time. Uhmmmmmm, hmmmmm,, welll,,,,,,, hmmmm.
Doesn't sound like anyone I know, noooooooo.
So -- this weekend: reading, going to the art museum, and oh yes! Finishing painting my furniture. What could be better? I hope it's not too hot, maybe I'll take my dog Grace on a nice little walk in a nice little park around town. Relaxed, low-key, FREEEEEEEEEEEE..
Nighty night.