Writing Quote of the Week

"I felt that I had to write.  Even if I had never been published, I knew that I would go on writing, enjoying it and experiencing the challenge."
--Gwendolyn Brooks

Photo: Elle Afro 2

Elle Afro 2, a photo by Ran Walker on Flickr.

This is a photograph I took of my wife blowing me a kiss. I used my iPhone 4S and the Simply B&W app.

What Do Vertigo and Boogie Nights Have in Common?

I probably would have never noticed this if I hadn't watched both Boogie Nights and Vertigo recently.  (I know that's an odd combination, like Tuna and peanut butter.)  Still, I felt a little Hollywood chill ease up my spine--as if I might have been getting a decade's old inside joke.

In Vertigo, there is a scene where Midge (who really wants to be with Scottie, although Scottie is smitten with Madeline) paints a portrait of herself as Carlotta Valdes, a deceased woman whose painting hangs in a museum that Madeline frequents and whom Scottie believes might be possessing Madeline.  In other words, Midge paints a picture of herself posing as a person Scottie already has very strange feelings about.

As a result, Scottie leaves Midge's apartment, disgusted with the portrait.  After Scottie leaves, Midge torments herself by saying, "Idiot...stupid! Stupid!  Stupid!"

Now, let's look at Boogie Nights.

We have another scene of unrequited love involving a person with blond hair.  Ironically, the slighted guy's name is Scotty.  (Hmmm.)  Scotty (played by Philip Seymore Hoffman) is wearing a red leather jacket (not unlike Midge's red sweater) when he approaches Dirk (played by Mark Wahlberg) to inform him that he likes him.  This is very much like Midge's efforts to show Scottie that she likes him.  Scotty is rebuffed by Dirk in a scene that results in Scotty beating himself up by calling himself an "idiot"--just like Midge did in Vertigo.

See the scene from Boogie Nights here.

Coincidence?  In Hollywood, where writers and directors sometimes pay homage to other films in their own?  I seriously doubt it.

Boogie Nights and Vertigo?  Who would have thought?

* I googled this topic to see if it had been touched on before.  I didn't come across anything, but if someone else beat me to the punch on this, that's cool.  I was just putting it out there.

Writing Quote of the Week

"Not only is your story worth telling, but it can be told in words so painstakingly eloquent that it becomes a song."
--Gloria Naylor

Writing Quote of the Week

"The act of writing requires a constant plunging back into the shadow of the past where time hovers ghostlike."
--Ralph Ellison

I Got Time On My Hands!

When you teach composition and creative writing throughout the academic year, the end of the semester can be a very exciting time.  Three months off!  All the time in the world to dig into new projects!  Hell, I'll write a book this summer! Maybe two!

That's what I think when the semester nears its end--and yes, it's truly wishful thinking.

Granted, I do realize that my summer needs structure.  (I've spent a few too many weeks sleeping late and making an event of just going down the street to the post office.)  Still, I've got to be a realist and realize I can't conquer the world in three months of down time.  Instead, I am realizing that I just need to keep a schedule that, in some ways, mirrors my regular work day.  I figure as long as I am consistent, things will take care of themselves.

My schedule so far looks like this:  exercise, write, spend time with my wife, and write some more.  Granted this is still a work in progress, as I plan to work on my iPhoneography and my music, too.  But the most important thing is just having the down time to spend with my wife, without the threat of grading papers hanging over my head.  The writing and reading I will do is just so that I can keep from driving her crazy. :-)

Hats off to those of you who are teachers!  How will you be spending your summers?

Writing Quote of the Week

I have decided to institute a weekly quote to help motivate writers and aspiring writers to get going with their works.  Here's the first one:

"If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write."
--Stephen King