September Morn

Even though it's 11 AM and I'm having lunch at my favorite cafe in Costa Mesa called The Gypsy Den, it's still morning to me, right? I thought of one of my favorite Neil Diamond songs, "September Morn", which is kind of melancholy and sad. That's not necessarily what I'm feeling. It's beautiful and cloudless this morning in Orange County. I'm on my way back from San Diego and I thought I'd stop and do a little reflecting on the year-to-date and to see what's ahead of me.

I set out this year trying to do a different writing challenge each month. I think the original "challenge" was to do two writing challenges, then one other challenge that could be physical or mental or spiritual. I've been far more successful in the writing challenges than the other stuff, although I did do a few of those as well.

JANUARY - Rewrite Something You Wrote Last Year - I rewrote a pilot
FEBRUARY - Play Rewrite Challenge - I finished the play I started writing in October
MARCH - "Other" challenge - I ended up working on the outline for my first script on the first TV show I wrote on; outline for new draft of January pilot; I think there was a 21 day mediation challenge in here as well.
APRIL - Wrote the TV script; rewrote a play for an upcoming reading in May; outlined the second TV script
MAY - Wrote the 2nd TV script; continuing rewrites for the May reading; started Whole 30 challenge
JUNE - started an outline for another pilot that my manager wanted me to rewrite; continued Whole 30 challenge
JULY - another meditation challenge; rewriting play for a reading and workshop in August; production on the TV show started
AUGUST - play workshop - lots of rewriting; wrote a ten minute play for a production in October; rewrote the pilot that my manager wanted me to rewrite

In the first eight months of the year, I've come up with 1294 pages written/rewritten. I have a pilot completed and a play I'm starting to send out. As a result of those accomplishments the following things have happened:

• I worked on my first TV show
• I became a member of a theatre company
• I'm a calmer person
• I have a manager
• I now have production experience producing my own episodes
• I'm becoming a member of the WGA
• I have an expanded community, which includes actors, directors, crew members, executives, producers
• I have money in the bank
• I'm teaching - something I've been wanting to do again for awhile

All because I decided to challenge myself this year. Then another set of challenges presented themselves. I did all of these things while going through a break up, while teaching in San Diego once a week, while staffed on a show and in production for a show, and while trying to live my life. This is the life I've always imagined for myself and this is the year it all started to come to fruition. Instead of worrying about if I can sustain this good fortune, I'm going to continue to do what I've always done. I'm going back to work in the cafes, korean spas, libraries and living rooms I've always done work in.  My curiosity doesn't stop because all of these wonderful things are happening. All of these wonderful things are happening because of  my curiosity and if I continue to be curious, I'm excited to see what else can happen.

Now looking forward to the rest of the year. Everything that happened was unexpected. So I'm planning to get this work done and we'll have to see what unexpected things occur. For now, I'm teaching at SDSU once a week and I'm going to finally finish work on this pilot.

I have no other new ideas for the rest of the year. I have no idea what's going to be capturing my imagination after this pilot is done. But four months to focus on teaching and rewriting a pilot that I'm hoping to finish puts me at a nice leisurely pace. As I know from the productivity of the past year, I'm not usually at a nice leisurely pace for long. I'm excited to catch up on a lot of TV and film and reading to feed my creativity again. It's nice to feel spent, but to be invigorated by that. I've got play submissions to complete in September and October. I'm probably going to do as many of those as I can in as short a period as possible so that they're all done. I'm excited about that.

There's plenty to keep me busy. I'm not worried about being bored. I'm excited to set on the next adventure.

My intention is to soar high above.

My intention is to be fearless.

My intention is to expand.

My intention is to get on another show.

My intention is to create my own show.

My intention is to see this play produced.

I am grateful for my friendships.

I am grateful for the ability to take a breath.

I am grateful for full Netflix and HBO Now queues.

I am grateful for the weekend.