Office Hours

I had an office three years ago that I kept for about six months, which was as long as I could afford it without having to get a day job to support me getting an office which would make having an office useless because I'd never have time to spend in the office.

It was a great productive time for me. I wrote five scripts that year and probably three just in the time I had the office.

It's 8 AM on a Thursday and I'm in my office. This office is my office on campus at SDSU. It's a room with a door and that leads into a hallway. In a deserted part of a building, which is a theatre. So that means there is NO foot traffic. I'm here early because the friend I stay with was going for a run with her kid at 7:30 and I'd be in her apartment until 10 because I don't have a key. I don't like being locked in, so I got here early.

I have five hours of uninterrupted work time before my first student meeting at 1 PM.

However, I only have five hours of uninterrupted work time because of yesterday. Wednesdays are the days I have no classes. And I didn't schedule any social time this week. So I got here at 9:30 AM and worked until about 9:45 PM. I did some work in the morning until my meetings from noon until 3:30 PM. Then I had the rest of that time to write. So I wrote. I worked on these two treatments I've been working on. Then I moved on and did some work on the play that we're producing in the Spring of 2018. I got bored of that so I started grading papers. Then I wrote the recommendation letters I needed to write. I finished all three of them. I went back to the papers and finished them - I was going to work on those this morning during my class prep. Then I went back to the treatments and did all the work I could do on those. I did some lesson plans. Then I had two hours left. So I started reading the script I'm teaching in class today. I was going to save that for the four hour window I had today. Then I finished that and took all of my notes. So by 9 PM, I was done for the day and for the next day. That meant I would have all day tomorrow before 1 PM to write! And here I am.

I got to my office an hour earlier than I had planned, so I'm writing this blog. I'm going to start journaling on one of my pilots. I started taking notes on the walk to Starbucks this morning. So I want to get those notes into my project journal. Writing in a blog or a journal just helps me warm up my hands and get my brain started so that by the time I'm ready to write in a couple of hours, I'll be ready to go. Some people do this warm up with coffee - I don't drink coffee. Others do it with meditation or yoga - those are good too. But I needed to be dressed and ready for the day early. So I'm in my tight black jeans, a grey t-shirt and high tops. I've got my Larabar half eaten - apple pie and some grainless granola waiting for me. I'll take a lunch break around 11:30 - either to the Faculty Staff Club or to one of the outdoor vendors on campus for the Thursday farmer's market - and then I'll keep working until my first meeting at 1 PM. That will take me straight through to 3:30 where I'll have half an hour to chill out before my 4 PM and 7 PM classes.

I'll do my morning check in emails in a few minutes. Get the business out of the way. And then I'll be ready to work on some more story features for this new pilot. I want to get my story structured today. Then I will be ready to start an outline.

I will also be working on a "secret pilot" - something I am excited about writing, but I know that my manager might take issue with because it veers toward camp. He always seems to be reminding me to  not make what I write camp. But I want to work on one of Ryan Murphy's shows so there's some high operatic storytelling going on there and whether or not you want to call it camp or satire is up to you. But my work can go in that direction. I don't mind that. The other pilot does not head into that direction at all. And my last two plays don't either. But I get it, there's stuff out there that feels like it treads on that ground. I'm not bugged out by that.

All right. So now that work begins. After I have my morning tea.

My intention is truth.
My intention is hard work.
My intention is focus.
My intention is clarity.
My intention is expansion.
My intention is forward movement.
My intention is to make money.

I am grateful for this office.
I am grateful for five hours of uninterrupted work time.
I am grateful for ideas.
I am grateful for a declared space.
I am grateful for a clear mind.
I am grateful for a healthy body.
I am grateful for community.
I am grateful for this play we're working on.
I am grateful for the opportunity to direct.
I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to do the things I love.