Every damn time

Every damn time

Everytime I sit down to do a paper on a computer, I just sit there and stare at a hypnotically white screen for an amount of time that would make any normal human's eyes bleed. And God help me when I'm on a computer with Internet. I simply cannot write a paper when I know that I could look up a word whose definition isn't quite concrete in my head, figure out where Monaco is in relation to the rest of Europe^*, and look at Photoshopped images of Advertisements of the Christ (Do you have a passion for great shampoo?). It's not that I can't take that which stares back at me from the abyss. It's that I don't have the attention span to fill the abyss.

In addition, I can't listen to any of the music I've had in my playlist for the past two weeks anymore, probably because I've been listening to the same stuff for the past two weeks. I feel the same about most of my other music because I've been rotating about six or seven albums a week for a while now without stockpiling anything new. I did, however, randomly pick up The Now Decades Box Set, and it's gotten to the point where I'm actually listening to it. It's got all of my favorite hits from such artists as Frankie Goes To Hollywood! Soul II Soul! UB40! And Many, Many More! I had a middle school flashback when Oasis played.

So I guess my questions are these: how do people cope with writer's block? What are some good bands I should be listening to? Does the Internet make you stupid?

I'm going to stop this post here to do some work and hope to sleep at some point. It doesn't matter if I fall asleep at my keyboard. At least I'd have died an honorable death.

D

Listening to:

The Now Decades Box Set (As Seen On TV!)

David Bowie, Heathen

David Bowie, Diamond Dogs

Rolling Stones, Beggar's Banquet

Watching:

Stolen Kisses (you will love this movie)

Phantom of the Paradise (Brian De Palma's glam rock musical based on Faust and Phantom of the Opera.)

Dawn of the Dead (when it eventually arrives at my house)

Seconds (A whack-ass John Frankenheimer film with some fantastic and unsettling cinematography and Rock Hudson [also fantastic and unsettling]. And yes. I did say whack-ass. I'm not sure I used it correctly though. The movie's great. That's what I want to say.)

^*It's on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea bordered on three sides by France. It's also just a scant 12 km or so from Italy. And, what's this? "Gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center"? We're going to Monaco, baby!

I'll pay anything you want. Anything. Just...just give them back safely.

I'll pay anything you want. Anything. Just...just give them back safely.

I've been missing my Sin City comics for quite some time. Normally I can keep track of who has what stuff of mine, but I just realized that they were missing the other day. If anyone has information on their whereabouts, contact me...you know, here.

D

Did anyone get the number of that cement truck?

Did anyone get the number of that cement truck?

My mind is being stretched in a thousand different directions this week, and the week hasn't even started yet. It's going to be pretty daunting for a while, and here's why:

I've an outline for a twenty page paper due to my thesis advisor due tomorrow morning; I already have a rough draft of a bibliography that stretches to just eight pages.

For German Cinema, I have 1) a two-page critical summary of a b. ruby rich article, 2) a one-page response to the film, Girls in Uniform, and 3) an eight-page take home midterm, all of which are due this week.

I've got a five-page paper due for French Cinema on Thursday, and I still have to watch the movie for that class that I missed last Friday.

I've got a video critique coming up with Naomi on Tuesday night, and we still have to put the--possibly extensive--finishing touches on it.

I've got my sister in town.

There are still some things about going to LA this Spring Break that are bothering me (Will I have enough money? Will we need to rent a car? Am I going to hate the city?)

The thing that worries me the most about this stuff is that I'm not very worried about this stuff. It's not like I've gone through my dayplanner and budgeted my time for the week or anything. To paraphrase the doctor in an episode of The Simpsons, "In my medical opinion, steam should be shooting out of my ears." The fact that it's not is a little disconcerting. Oh well, I've got to get ready to head back home. I'll see most of you sometime tonight, hopefully, if I get a chance to go out. Until then,

D

Listening to:

Mos Def, Black on Both Sides

Beastie Boys, Paul's Boutique

Watching:

No Man's Land (the last half, anyway)

Undercover Brother

Before Night Falls