A Boy Meets Girl: Tough Titty (& my writings)

Expressing yourself as a writer can sometimes be very difficult. Sometimes, a huge block, stands between you and actually typing the thoughts and feelings all stored up inside. The case is especially true when you begin to write a story that has been with you for a long time. Or when a very large part of yourself is essential to that story. You feel like you're exposing your insides, and sometimes, that is a very hard and scary thing to do. Even sharing it with yourself can be difficult. I write and I really love it, then I have to read it in class. I might as well be butt naked.

My mother is a strong woman. Growing up, I felt she was harsh. Not in her discipline, just that she had a very hard exterior. She had a thick skin. She was kind of a badass. Way more than I have ever been. She doesn't divulge all the scandalous details, but I just know she got into a lot of trouble and broke a lot of rules. I remember crying over something or another, as a child and her advise to me was this: "Tough Titty, but the Milk's Still Good." I don't know if this is a saying often shared, a Southern thing, or something my mother just totally made up in her colorful way of wording - but I get it. It resonates. Life is really, really hard and sometimes it sucks and sometimes I wish I'd never been born - but then something really incredible and wonderful and spectacular will happen and my faith in life will be restored. I'll feel grateful to living this f%#@'d up life because I experienced something truly beautiful. And human.

I take this advice into my writing as well. It's tough and not for everyone. Robyn, some people will HATE what you write about. Or they'll feign interest like, "Oh yeah, I like that part." But one day or another, the milk's gonna come along and it's gonna be sweet. If you keep on at it, someone will love it. Need it. Understand. And as long as you have one person - and that person could be a loved one or even yourself - then the act of creation is worth doing.

Graduate school is also an excellent excuse to put an end to procrastination because if you don't write, you literally fail. Now that I'm back in school, actively writing and pursuing my goals, I feel like I'm part of something. I have more in common with Jon. I can talk to him on a new level. I watch hours and hours of interviews with writers and filmmakers I admire and I literally feel myself jumping out of my seat screaming, "YES! I want to do THAT!"

So, with all that in mind. I will officially introduce the two projects I am currently writing. Any advice or thoughts, like "that sounds interesting" or "nope, that sounds like crap" or any comment would be very appreciated. :) Okay, please don't tell me if you think it's crap, you can keep that one to yourself, but I'd love for any advice or encouragement would be nice. But only if you feel compelled. Okay, I'm going to stop now. :)

MOTHER MARY & HER YOUNG

A young, single mother of two struggles to prepare her children to meet their estranged father. A short film I would love to direct over spring break (so in like 6 weeks)!!!

Still from Lynne Ramsay's 1998 Short Film GASMAN

Inspirational Song: Carry On by The Mosley's

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NOBODY'S DARLINGS

A recent college graduate is forced to move back to her small hometown and take up prostitution in order to get out of debt and escape to the big city.

I hope this will be my very first feature film. I've carried it with me for years now and I truly, truly hope I get the opportunity to direct it one day. I have so many ideas for this film. I think it will be wonderfully weird and honest and heart-wrenching. Here's a few images that consume me when I write: