Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Writing Buddies and Tropical Trees
So, I met Andrew C. down at Green's (my local vegetarian place by the Bay) this morning to talk about his screenplay, and to discuss writing in general. It was such fun, so productive for us both, we decided to become writing partners, meet every Tuesday morning at Green's, and assess each other's work. We will drink organic coffee and talk.
Andrew is my upstairs neighbor. From Canada, right outside Toronto, he is adorable, 40-something, bright-eyed, articulate, and very very passionate about film writing, acting, and his gorgeous French girlfriend. They own the most beautiful red setter named Pastis. While Valerie studies to become a Somatic Therapist (hello, San Francisco), Andrew waits tables at a nearby swank eatery and takes a UCLA screenwriting course on line. I've read part of one project he's working on, and now am in possession of an entire screenplay he feels is ready to be shopped around, if only he knew how to do it. As writing partners, I promised him I'd help him find a way.
I like Andrew C. He is very smart about structure, and I can learn from him, even though I am not writing for the screen, because, after all, story telling is story telling, and the elements are pretty much the same, no matter the medium: premise, scene , dialogue, conflict, strategies, denouement, surprise, simplicity, power. How to build tension. How to economically create truthful characters. And it's nice to have someone outside my workshop to discuss these things with. He is smart, is Andrew, and can articulate his ideas well. Since he's studied acting both in Canada and NYC, and believes, as I do, that Sanford Meisner is the best of the modern American acting "gurus", we have more of a common language than usual, and his desires to communicate , I find, are actually very theatrically oriented, so there is an avenue of discussion we can walk down together as we both explore how to become better writers. This is the sort of friendship I find myself developing here in this new city I call home.
Last night, speaking of developing friendships, Peter and I went to an amazingly delicious dinner party at Paul and Stephen's. Six truly nice and interesting members of the San Francisco Insight Meditation sangha (community) were invited to sit around Paul and Stephen's red dining table and share some wonderful food and wine, and, as usual, Stephen outdid himself creating another totally tasty meal for all: trout fillets, done to perfection, an enormous bowl of the most succulent roasted root vegetables, colorfully pretty and totally delicious (he has a way of seasoning that truly enhances vegetables), another steaming bowl of fresh greens, with tomato, garlic,etc...and a new thing he tried: a mushroom pasty, comprised of layers of delicate puff pastry filled with a mixture of chopped wild mushrooms, grains and ricotta cheese...absolutely fabulous! A perfect meal. Hearty, thoroughly good tasting, with textures that enhanced each mouthful. One of those great meals! Dessert was good coffee and two of Stephen's specialties: an apple-dapple cake, topped with a yogurt-citrus sauce(yum!) and a chocolate tofu pie ,fresh out of the oven and melt-in-your-mouth divine! We all sat at table for nearly 3 hours, the food and conversation was flowing like crazy...wines too, although , knowing of my morning meeting with Andrew, I drank water and Diet Coke all night. We all ate too much, but we had to, it was so good.
The main thing from that dinner last night? I could feel important and warmly necessary new friendships germinating, and ones already established, growing. I felt like this was a community we could easily gain from being part of, and we came away truly liking these people. It was a smart table, and knowing their Buddhist practice centers them in compassion and concern for the planet and those who live on it, these are also people who use their intelligence to help others and to improve their own places on the planet as well. In other words, good food, good people: a productive evening for our future here in the marvelous new city of ours.
And, i have a new writing buddy: Andrew C. Good allies are important to have. Never can have too many, especially ones whose intellects you admire. In line with , I am meeting my workshop partner, Chuck H. for a burger at The Grind , near Adair's house, before tonight's workshop meeting.
We will, of course, talk about writing. And the workshop . And then, probably , more about writing.
This makes me happy. Whenever I used to come out West with a touring show I was in, and we'd "sit down" in SF or LA for a series of weeks' performances. I'd wake up every morning, smell the fresh lemon trees and be grateful that I had a job that gave me the privilege of living , even temporarily, in such glorious places. I'd be grateful for the sun, the Ocean, the fresh fragrances of California, the palm trees. This morning , as I was walking to Green's in the 8:00 A.M. mists across Fort Mason Park, I realized something:
I've now given myself this luxury, this privilege, of being in a fine place with a warm and congenial climate and, with this decision to concentrate on writing for now, I don't even have a 7:30 "half-hour call" for a show tonight! I have my life to call my own...in a place with palm trees. I sigh with joy.
Andrew is my upstairs neighbor. From Canada, right outside Toronto, he is adorable, 40-something, bright-eyed, articulate, and very very passionate about film writing, acting, and his gorgeous French girlfriend. They own the most beautiful red setter named Pastis. While Valerie studies to become a Somatic Therapist (hello, San Francisco), Andrew waits tables at a nearby swank eatery and takes a UCLA screenwriting course on line. I've read part of one project he's working on, and now am in possession of an entire screenplay he feels is ready to be shopped around, if only he knew how to do it. As writing partners, I promised him I'd help him find a way.
I like Andrew C. He is very smart about structure, and I can learn from him, even though I am not writing for the screen, because, after all, story telling is story telling, and the elements are pretty much the same, no matter the medium: premise, scene , dialogue, conflict, strategies, denouement, surprise, simplicity, power. How to build tension. How to economically create truthful characters. And it's nice to have someone outside my workshop to discuss these things with. He is smart, is Andrew, and can articulate his ideas well. Since he's studied acting both in Canada and NYC, and believes, as I do, that Sanford Meisner is the best of the modern American acting "gurus", we have more of a common language than usual, and his desires to communicate , I find, are actually very theatrically oriented, so there is an avenue of discussion we can walk down together as we both explore how to become better writers. This is the sort of friendship I find myself developing here in this new city I call home.
Last night, speaking of developing friendships, Peter and I went to an amazingly delicious dinner party at Paul and Stephen's. Six truly nice and interesting members of the San Francisco Insight Meditation sangha (community) were invited to sit around Paul and Stephen's red dining table and share some wonderful food and wine, and, as usual, Stephen outdid himself creating another totally tasty meal for all: trout fillets, done to perfection, an enormous bowl of the most succulent roasted root vegetables, colorfully pretty and totally delicious (he has a way of seasoning that truly enhances vegetables), another steaming bowl of fresh greens, with tomato, garlic,etc...and a new thing he tried: a mushroom pasty, comprised of layers of delicate puff pastry filled with a mixture of chopped wild mushrooms, grains and ricotta cheese...absolutely fabulous! A perfect meal. Hearty, thoroughly good tasting, with textures that enhanced each mouthful. One of those great meals! Dessert was good coffee and two of Stephen's specialties: an apple-dapple cake, topped with a yogurt-citrus sauce(yum!) and a chocolate tofu pie ,fresh out of the oven and melt-in-your-mouth divine! We all sat at table for nearly 3 hours, the food and conversation was flowing like crazy...wines too, although , knowing of my morning meeting with Andrew, I drank water and Diet Coke all night. We all ate too much, but we had to, it was so good.
The main thing from that dinner last night? I could feel important and warmly necessary new friendships germinating, and ones already established, growing. I felt like this was a community we could easily gain from being part of, and we came away truly liking these people. It was a smart table, and knowing their Buddhist practice centers them in compassion and concern for the planet and those who live on it, these are also people who use their intelligence to help others and to improve their own places on the planet as well. In other words, good food, good people: a productive evening for our future here in the marvelous new city of ours.
And, i have a new writing buddy: Andrew C. Good allies are important to have. Never can have too many, especially ones whose intellects you admire. In line with , I am meeting my workshop partner, Chuck H. for a burger at The Grind , near Adair's house, before tonight's workshop meeting.
We will, of course, talk about writing. And the workshop . And then, probably , more about writing.
This makes me happy. Whenever I used to come out West with a touring show I was in, and we'd "sit down" in SF or LA for a series of weeks' performances. I'd wake up every morning, smell the fresh lemon trees and be grateful that I had a job that gave me the privilege of living , even temporarily, in such glorious places. I'd be grateful for the sun, the Ocean, the fresh fragrances of California, the palm trees. This morning , as I was walking to Green's in the 8:00 A.M. mists across Fort Mason Park, I realized something:
I've now given myself this luxury, this privilege, of being in a fine place with a warm and congenial climate and, with this decision to concentrate on writing for now, I don't even have a 7:30 "half-hour call" for a show tonight! I have my life to call my own...in a place with palm trees. I sigh with joy.
Labels: SF Writing
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