As per my instructions in the instructional writing book, "Plot & Structure: Techniques and exercises for crafting a plot that grips readers from start to finish," I will start this first official post off by making a statement to carry on throughout my illustrious writing career that awaits me right around the corner:
"Today I resolve to take writing seriously, to keep going and never stop, to learn everything I can and make it as a writer."That will fulfill my quota of cheesiness, but surely you've got the over on that, if I've already started out the post on such a cheesy note.
Today, Friday, September 18, 2009, at 1:01 a.m. I resolved to become a damn good writer. I've been writing since elementary school. I used to love sliding away to my mom's office on "take your punk ass kid to work to annoy others" day and sitting on the extra computer (They had Gateways, which ruled the world... till Microsoft put the chokehold on everyone) and pounding out the finest piece of action fiction one kid in his younger years could write. I would write "mysteries" (if you could call them that) that read much like my favorite Power Rangers plots. The main characters were me and my best friend in the world, S.J. (Secret Agent Johnson), fighting crime with our random go-go gadget weapons and getting the girls in the end to run off with us, or just liking us a lot and smiling at us, because that was what was "lurrrve" at the time for us!
If the PC wasn't free, I'd bang out words on a typewriter -- I have an obsession with typewriters, though they're horribly inconvenient and worthless now -- and then read the story to Aaron, just to make him laugh. My mom didn't really care too much for my stories, because it was complete silliness, as could be expected from a little kid with big imaginations who watches Saturday morning cartoons.
I digress.
For years I've plotted and schemed in my mind without actually putting the cogs in motion, but I've started stage two of making a coast shift. D.C. to Los Angeles in a matter of months. I'm trying to keep it hush-hush, because a lot of people who rely on me here will be a bit disappointed. Many of my closest family and friends have lived in this area for most of their lives, and have deep roots they couldn't imagine uprooting.
I, on the other hand, feel a need to shake up my life. I've grown comfortable living here in Old Town, in walking distance to the metro, taking in the sites the old DMV (D.C., Maryland and Virginia for you out-of-town out-of-minders) has to offer. I've seen D.C. during it's ups (Barack Obama!!!) and downs (9/11... seeing the Pentagon missing a whole portion was very humbling) and still have a love for the city/area I can proudly call home. I take pride in our difference from New York, which I've almost made into my arch-rival, because we are similar but very different. Assuming the tires of an 18-wheeler don't find me first, one day I'll spend an extended portion of my life in NYC, and give it another run at my heart. Until then... DMV is where it's at!
Why Los Angeles, you ask? I haven't the slightest. Or, at least, the reasoning is a little scattered right now, so I'll have to write essentially what I wrote to a friend who recently moved out there. My words:
So, the reason I want to head out that way is............ uncertain. Really, it's a mix of things. I'll list in no real order (because I'm unsure which draws me to the west coast more):
> Change of scenery - I've lived in this area for my entire life, other than the 4.5 years I spent at CNU. I've been in and out of most of the big places, seen most of the attractions, visited the local scenes and am at a point where it's all just too routine.I've grown quite obsessed -- maybe not obsessed, but rather, infatuated -- with the idea of becoming a less disappointing version of Hank Moody, from SHO's Californication. I'm sure there are several other writers in L.A. like him, living in some funked up baby momma situation, where she's the muse and he can't seem to be inspired without the love of his woman. He smokes, drinks and fornicates on the regular, and it just comes natural, but you can always tell that he is not completely happy. There's always something else missing... because he keeps pushing away his happiness, which is living in a monotonous, loving relationship with his love and spawn.
> Entertainment draw - I've thought about getting into writing, comedy in particular, and that area seems best for placing myself in the right place at the right time to have a random occurrence happen where I'd receive the opportunity, or a step-ladder to one in some way, shape or form. I've kept the writing bug going by taking part/hosting events at my place the last few months where people read original pieces of fiction or poetry to a crowd of about 40-50 just for fun. The last two went quite well (I think I may've told you about it, if not, just go to www.timothylukehopkins.com and click that first article, "Words Aloud". It's one of the things I really enjoy doing, and I think I'd be motivated more to do it if I were surrounded by an area that was built on creativity. Also, I've thought about dabbling in stage work, as I've told you, and even most recently thought about being crazy enough to play around in the stand-up comedy arena. I've watched it obsessively for years, but never sat down and took the time to write down a few bits and try out on open mic night. Technically, my stories have bits written into them, and they've gone over well at our readings... but of course reading fiction is like drinking alcohol mixed with orange juice.... but stand-up, and stage work, is more like drinking liquor straight-up!! (Tim Hopkins original! haha!)
> Web design/E-marketing jobs - I have been working on web design for a few years now, trying to get better at it, but held back by having to wear 239020 hats at once at my current job. It's a small non-profit, and I love the people and the good things we do a lot. But if I'm going to keep on with this, I need to be more focused and placed in a place that is doing web design projects, or somewhere I can learn from a seasoned vet on how the biz goes. I hope to have a design biz down the line (not too far away) but really need to see a place from the inside show me how it's done. This helps me stay creative, and let's me use some coding skills I picked up the last few years. Also, with e-marketing, I've been able to write a bit of copy for the association here, and design fliers and things that helped me feel like I was getting paid to be creative and write!
> Californication - I've been out there one time, for a week -- mind you, this is after I was convinced I am supposed to live out there, go figure -- and had a really great, relaxing time. The people I met were really cool, friendly, open and I half-credit the beautiful weather, but half-credit the beautiful peoples! It's no South Beach Miami, but the women there were mighty good-lookin as well, and some of the ones I talked to actually knew what was going on in the world! Smart chicks who like the beach... who knew they made them like that?? But the overall atmosphere seems to draw me in... or maybe it's just the crypts or bloods using some sort of mind fishing device!
This last month of participating in Ramadan has given me a different perspective on life that I hadn't predicted. Within this last month I decided I would leave the house I've lived at for the last four years. It may just be a committal issue. Or it could be what I said aloud at some point, where I have reached a maturation point and need to take another step forward. This is the part on the old tape where it makes a weird noise and says "Please flip to Side B". (Sorry if you are too young to comprehend the use of cassette tapes. If you dropped in just on the mp3 era, you are a young piece of shit and I hope you go do your research to know your history... and don't call me old in the process!)
In my post-grad life -- I graduated in December 2004 -- I landed a job after a month of half-searching. My first temp job was at the organization I still work at almost five whole years later. I went from being a temp, to an administrative assistant (glorified secretary of sorts), to the position of "Web and Information Systems Manager," where I can proudly put my title on my resume and boast of the wide-ranging hats I wore at this small not-for-profit company in D.C. But of course, as with many facets of life, I keep looking forward, at whatever that blurry object in the future is that is sure to bring me happiness. Maybe this is one of those things you chase in the dream only to wake up and realize you've only just been imagining things would go that smoothly, or that rocky. In consciousness, you are faced with the real; the practical side of life and thinking. I feel very awake right now; I'm not quite in my jammies, but damnit I've got shoes on right now (don't ask, I think it helps keep me focused and less lazy than when I'm laid out in bed, shoeless and without anything but a comfy pillow).
Ramadan ends this weekend. Sunday is officially Eid, but since I went into this challenge with the goal of remaining quite the practicing heathen, I'll end it Saturday night. I'll go grab food somewhere -- lots of carbs to absorb what is to come -- and then proceed to get back into drinking ze booze. I didn't miss it. I did miss the freedom of being able to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. In order to do something like this, you have to convince yourself you will be struck by lightening if you step out of line. Of course, going in with the heathen approach, you don't really have the same motivation, say, as someone who actually believes in the "eternal damnation" threats and whathaveyou. But still, my discipline has allowed me to get dedicated enough to give up drinking and eating from dawn (5 a.m.) to sunset (7 p.m.) and gain perspective and appreciate the moments when I am able to eat. Granted, I'm staring at a half-eaten McD's chicken sandwich right now, dreading the taste and thought that that's the only think I'll have eaten (other than the 3 PB&Js I had before my nap earlier) until 7 p.m tomorrow night. It's all mental, and hopefully tomorrow will buzz on by when I dive into all the fun missions I plan on accomplishing at work.
So this reminds me to shift back to the Big Move. By year's end, I will be in California. Technically, I'm flying out there next month to visit again and assess the good and bad about the area, and find out where I'd like to call home. Los Angeles is the City of Angels, so I'm hoping it'll guide me to the right area. Right now, I'm doctoring up my resume to ship off to various web and writing jobs. I'll have two different resumes and similarly worded but fun cover letters for the jobs. They won't read like canned scripts, but I'll write the base putting emphasis on my passion for the two subjects. Ideally, I'd write a story and have it illustrated and designed on a webpage. Not with flash, but just using random styles and color schemes and cool ass typography. Maria Kalman from the New York Times does a great job of it. I'll do that on the side anyway, as a little ongoing work of my creative work.
So I'll move in with my longtime roommate and friend, Thad, and save as much as humanly possible these next few months. I think turning 27 will be the perfect time to make the move. It's a finite point in time where I can say down the line "this is where I fucked my life up... right.... here!" and that will be that. I'd like to have a good last run at hanging out with local friends and family. Family first, of course. I have to sit down with Seth and chat with him. He has his own way to him, and he's taken to hanging out with me when he goes out, and I look out for him. I love him, and couldn't bear to see anything bad happen to him. My brothers and sisters are who molded me to be who I am. Funny enough, even as I'm maturing, I've looked at my youngest brother, Stephen, as the example of the composed, cool, level-headed sage. We haven't spent nearly enough time together but I hope to change that starting this weekend. I'll try to hunt him down for any wisdom he can give his older brother. And I need him to assume the role as family mediator and keep the family united as best it can.
As for me, I'm not sure where I'll be as far as work, life and mental health goes, but I've taken the next step toward something I feel drawn toward. I want to write. I want to design. I want to tell stories with both. I think L.A. is a great place to achieve both, using my networking skillz and overall drive. I will not fail. I will get paid to write. I will get paid to design. I will keep up with my east coast family and friends, remembering my roots. My love will just have to be spread across this great country. From fast-paced D.C. socialites to laid-back, hippie Los Angeleans.
Me so excite.
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