scattered

having heard some people still think i'm at the beach, i thought i better write again quick. i have gone to the beach once more, but that's only a total of TWICE. yes the weather is gorgeous, yes i'm very tan for a kansan in february - but i am not yet a bum. :)

thanks to my friend, gail, my room is looking loads better. she helped me select a few furniture pieces at ikea and suggested my new window shades, which have definitely brightened and simplified things. and as donna told me, it's a good thing i love posters so much, as cement walls aren't the best for hanging framed pieces. i'm still holding a space for the mossy trunk piece from my photo show, which i brought with me. and i have to say thanks to mary & kurt for the nice addition my new pride & prejudice poster makes. now if i can just hold out for the dvd release (feb 28)...

i do not have a job yet but am working on two volunteer opportunities. one i mentioned previously is for the movie guide awards show on march 2. still not sure exactly what i'm doing, but have been told i'm for sure helping out that day and am supposed to be involved in coordinating volunteers over the next few weeks.

the second is the 168 short film competition. i did get on a team as a production assistant and will possibly get to act as a script supervisor, as well. this year there are fifty teams. tonight we will all randomly draw separate Bible verses. we have this next week to write a script based on our verse and prepare for filming. starting next wednesday we have a week to produce our film. they have to be under 10 minutes to qualify. every film will be screened at the festival on march 11. my team seems really cool, so i'm excited to work with and learn from them.

connected with the 168 project, there was a workshop this past saturday that i attended. i sat in classes on writing, directing, sound, and editing. bill ewing who just produced "end of the spear" spoke to all of us. and there was a panel discussion with some top christians in the industry. i was greatly encouraged. the director who spoke was greg michael. he's worked with hugh jackman & jackie chan, both of whom he speaks very highly of. he had the best attitude, spoke of how the point is to serve others and see what you can all create together; to be prepared to lead when no one else has ideas, but to always first listen to others before confining things to your own view. he spoke of encouraging your crew, getting to know them, valuing people. it was incredible. exactly what i'd like to do - and i was starting to think i was naive - but he's living it. that's exactly what the panel discussion was like - these industry guys who have worked on regular blockbuster films, talking about sharing Christ on a personal level rather than narrowly thinking only "christian" films can be good. the story is the key. it was a great day.

oh. i cut my hair again. it's what happens when i get in weird moods at 1am. don't think i've had it this short since i was about five and my mom caught me chopping off half my hair at the dining room table; my dad had to fix my hair that time. think i did a little better job this time.