update

Just thought I'd post something since I haven't posted anything for a while. I've been busy with school and work (which actually isn't "work" because I'm not getting paid yet, but that doesn't mean I'm not working) and not a whole lot has been going on around here. Classes are going well. I have wonderful teachers, as usual. Since coming to USC, I've had wonderful teachers. My wonderful teachers this semester are wonderful both in their personalities, and in their knowledge of the field. I'm taking a couple of Russian classes to complete my minor in Russian Area Studies: Modern Russian Literature and Foreign Policy of Russia and the Soviet Union. My professor of the latter worked at the Pentagon for ten years during the Cold War, analyzing the Soviets' moves and advising our country's leaders what moves to make next. Needless to say, he's got a pretty interesting background and foundation for teaching the course. My other class is Writing for Business, which is a required course, and the only requirement left for me to graduate. It's too much work for my liking, but our professor is forcing us to go above and beyond the comfort zone, and any time you're forced to do that, you learn. You stretch beyond what you thought you were capable of. That's happened for me in many of the film production courses I've taken, it happened on my mission, it happened in high school basketball practice - you push yourself beyond what you can take, and you find that you're able to go that far the next time you push yourself. We're also working with non-profit organizations as a part of the class, and I chose to team with the Pasadena Birthing Project, an organization that is trying to combat the infant mortality rate in the black community. They provide pregnant girls with "sister friends," mentors who help them through their pregnancy and stay with them for a year after the birth of the child, making sure they're going to their doctors' appointments and staying healthy, etc. It's a great cause, and I'm helping with writing some of their job descriptions and putting together an employee manual. The last class I'm taking this semester is called the Art and Industry of the Theatrical Film. It's a case study of Spider Man III (of all movies!). Every week, we get some of the professionals who worked on the set to tell us about what a nightmare it was to work on the set, and then we get to ask them questions. It's rather enlightening!

So on top of the classes, I'm here at WhiteLight Entertainment, answering phones, running errands, and doing my own homework, as well as writing a script for Jason Berman and Mike Jenson. I'm on the third draft right now, and hope to be DONE in the next couple weeks. It's been a long and arduous process, more so than I thought it would be. Hopefully, it'll pay off $$$...

Other than all that, I've had the privelage of spending time with Frances. Every spare minute we have, we spend together. And that, I must say, is the perfect remedy for heavy load I bear throughout the week. She seems to be able to take it all off my back the second I see her smile as she gets off that bus. And the load drifts upward I walk her home through the dark streets of downtown los angeles. It's a beautiful thing. She's a beautiful thing...