Weekly progress report

I don't have charts yet. Give me a month, alright? For now I'll resort to Roman Numerals to organize. Sorry.

I. Joe and I went to D.C. last Monday to talk to a ThinkTank about doing short animated films to promote their PRO-ENVIRONMENT (by way of the free-market) AGENDA. It seemed to go pretty well. Then we talked to them in a conference call yesterday, which covered basically the same stuff as last week's meeting. When you would think it would cover new stuff. A week isn't a long time, but it is some time. Hard to say how it will turn out.

The trip to D.C. was a nice uniting of the Liberteaser crew either way. We've got a new documentary project in the works that can't be anything but a triumph. Here we all are, together in person for the very first time:

Joe and Greg, on the far right, are of course Teaser #1 and Teaser #2, respectively. The guy I'm next to in the photo is the mysterious "Fourth Teaser" - a man so sure of the correctness of his beliefs, and the imminence of their universal acceptance - that he never even writes a word. Behind us in the photo is the infamous Anti-Teaser. Boo.

II. I finally finished the new draft of the alpaca script. It was due last Thursday, and I got it to Robyn yesterday. I think it's pretty good. Not the dark comedy I wrote them two weeks ago, but also not the gooey, cutesy, teary eyed friendship tale that Mereyl originally wrote.

I hope Mereyl likes it, because she's been the real loser in all of this so far. She must feel like a victim of Stalinist psychological mind games, what with how Robyn dramatically shifts her take on what Hollywood wants the alpaca story to be. One minute Robyn's giving substance to Mereyl's dream, telling her she's finally got it and it only needs a little polish. Then she gets a new email from some Hollywood burnout who says it's crap, then Robyn informs Mereyl that she's out of touch with the modern kid, and the story needs to be more edgy and lewd. What is Mereyl to do? More on this later.

Robyn hasn't said a word in response to my latest (late) draft, when usually she's calling me in to the apartment last minute every weekday morning. Now that I think about it, Robyn mentioned something about possibly going to L.A. over the weekend to hype up the new (re-written by me) script. She might really have been counting on me to work fast. Huh. Crap. Makes me wonder if my alpaca days are spiraling to an inglorious finish.

III. Which my vegan restaurant days definitely aren't. I've got Phone Guy at Angelica down. Even though I dropped a ton of seaweed on the ground the other day, by far the most expensive thing we serve. That stuff comes all the way from some guy's swimming pool in Maine, and it's probably the only food we've got that has even a trace of B-12. In my defense, another employee was distracting me as I put the seaweed away, which is why I dropped it. "This is not good," I lamented. Feeling some guilt himself, he responded, "Toss it and keep it quiet." Which is exactly what I did.

IV. The need for an office job with internet goof off time is becoming all more pressing, however. There seems to be no other way for me to make all the money I need, and yet still have time for projects.

V. Jeremy Coon and Jensen Ackles both hit the jackpot last week, making my job even harder - but at the same time giving me even more motivation to achieve.

VI. I had some really foggy days last week. It got so bad that I considered becoming a coffee drinker for the next two years. I've never had coffee before, always shunning it as a stimulant that only becomes necessary for waking up once you're addicted. But on Thursday I wasted an entire day staring at a computer screen and not writing because I couldn't think. I was supposed to be finishing the alpaca script that day; I didn't finish until Monday because my concentration has been so bad. An actual day off at home is really rare for me. It's not worth remaining drug free if it means tossing my free time into the garbage.

I previously pondered beating Jeremy Coon at his own game by being a more creative and productive Mormon than him. But maybe the opposite approach is better. I could play on the disadvantages that his Mormonism gives him, using Mormon no-nos like coffee, tea, and premarital sex and to get ahead. I asked two coffee drinkers at Angelica what they thought I should do. They both agreed: espresso.

But then I balked. Something just didn't seem right about it. I figured green tea would work as well. Joe suggested a fake coffee version of Emergen-C. And I'm hoping that kombucha tea - the miracle drink with just about every nutrient - will come back on the market soon. What sort of government demands a recall on a miracle?! Also, I should try sleeping for a change... starting right now.

See you in the morning.

Comments

[Nick]

Roman numeral six says to me that you are about to have a breakthrough. I find the concept of filling the gaps where Jeremy's religion restricts him milding amusing. A rival of a childhood friend turned successful filmmaker drives himself into a downward spiral of unbridled sexual addiction (i.e. bondage/slave and master) and double espressos after a life of passive, vegan observation.

[Dad]

Tea has caffine in it. That's how the Brits conquered most of the world. The three o'clock tea. I don't think it was the scones.

[rachel]

Rhys with an expresso habit and a sexual addiction? Great suggestion, Nick. That would be awesome.
Just when you thought Rhys couldn't get any better...

[lily]

As VP and President (respectively)of the Caffeine and Sex Addicts Club, Emily and I would be thrilled to welcome you to the fold. Our last secretary ditched us for the Vodka and Vegas Club, and really, who can blame him? You know steno right? Of course, there are certain *other* requirements...

[who said that?!]

Also, there are all sorts of "hot cup o' Joe" jokes to be made.

[Nick]

Rhys, if I were you I would join that Caffeine and Sex Addicts Club immediately, BEFORE the problem gets out of hand.

[pete]

try 'yerba mate'... it's a green tea variant from south america.
I created many fans of the stuff at my shop, though I was still the only one in the state selling the stuff. uplifting, without the jitters. tons of anti-oxidants... all around good stuff.