Weekend in Review: Totinos, Kentucky and Central Park

You may be wondering to yourself - did Carly have a good weekend? It may have been bothering you all morning, so I shall put you out of your misery and answer: why yes thank you. It was actually quite lovely. And here's the breakdown:

Totinos
There is nothing better than watching Kentucky advance in the tournament with the windows open, the sun shining and the knowledge that a deliciously perfect ratio of gooey cheese to crispy crust extravaganza is waiting for you in your freezer. It actually makes me emotional.

I have long loved Totinos pizza, and chances are, you may be judging me slightly right now. But I ask why? Totinos has done nothing for this world but offer seductive pizza at a more than affordable price all at the convenience of a mild-to-severe hangover or Kentucky victory. Who would you be to say that frozen pizza is less than acceptable when living in New York City? I'll have you know I have both NYC pizza and Totinos on the regular - I'm a pro at this. It's all about rotation and preference. That's the beauty of pizza - it can never get old if you switch it up (like marriage?). Throw in a Chicago-style every now and again for good measure. Life is limitless with pizza.

But when that fateful day comes, when NYC pizza and I must part ways (but never memories!), I will still have the comfort of a little pizza, sold nationwide, that will always want to come party with me. Can you say that? Can you?

Totinos, you're a prince and don't let anyone tell you differently.

Kentucky
Aww my boys looked great didn't they? I mean, there were a few times where it was a bit too close for comfort, but they fought through the mental ups and downs. It's the mental aspect of the game that kills us really. I mean, there's no denying our talent and skill...it's the maturity. Here's to hoping we become men before Friday.

Central Park
And last thought, yes, boyfriend was good to me this weekend. We spent the gorgeous weekend walking, taking photos, listening to some music and thinking about what the next week has in store:

Dream fulfilment. Deep.

Bongos for Banjos

Thought of the day: My life is freaking fantastic.

Tonight Room-dizzle and I will go see Steven Martin for the third time since moving to NYC. We have watched him pick his banjo at Carnegie, read excerpts of his new book in Union Square and tonight we again witness Steve's mad banjo chops. Stevie and the banjo. There hasn't been a greater pairing since peanut butter and chocolate.

And that's just tonight. As I look forward to the next week, I can't believe how cool I am: Kentucky basketball, sightseeing with Flat Stan, Mama and Fasha in New York and my first trip to London. Did you just get goosebumps? Not the R.L. Stine books, I mean the skin ticklers?

It boggles my mind that in one week's time, I will boarding a flight with my parents to a city I've spent my life (well since 2nd grade when I discovered A Hard Days Night) trying to visit/live. And now it's happening. And how/why? Because of a writing contest. Telling myself that will never get old. And I'm also extremely excited to have my parents in my current hometown - New York freaking City! They can finally see what their daughter has been up to for the past few years - it's a good feeling.

But tonight, we focus. Do it to it Steve. Do it to it.

Ohio State? Buck It.

Ever wonder what goes through my head as I walk into work every morning? Well, here it goes, but note, this is the tame of the tame.

So it's my favorite time of year and yet, I have a pit in my stomach about Kentucky. Or actually, it's more like a buckeye. While I may be looking too far ahead, I will make the assumption, along with the rest of the country, that Kentucky will play Ohio St. in the Sweet Sixteen. And who is favored at the moment? Better yet, who is favored to win the whole freakin' thing? Let's just say it's round on the edges and "hi" in the middle.

Of course, this is completely cramping my style as well as my bracket. I mean, not only were we screwed in seeding, but now we have to face the favored OSU in the third round. Third round! Absurd. Since the moment Kentucky appeared on bracket, this game has taken over my thoughts. I both dread and anticipate it. At least I'll be in Londontown for it, so that may give me a boost - a little "UK in the UK" if you will. But sigh. It weighs heavy on my blue heart nonetheless.

And to think, earlier this season I verbally committed to being satisfied with just a Sweet Sixteen appearance. And I suppose I should stand on that, but um, hello - I think Carly-three-months-ago didn't see what we all saw in the SEC tournament, so screw you McLean (three months ago).

Oh, and do you want to know what I think of when I hear the word "buckeye?" Surely not the Big Ten team threatening my basketball wellness. No, no. I think of my grandpa - Pop we called him. He always carried buckeyes in his pocket for good luck. And it makes me wonder - should I carry a buckeye in my pocket if we do indeed meet these boys in the Sweet Sixteen? Would that backfire? Would that betray Kentucky? Considering I can't carry a wildcat in my purse, I think it's okay, but to some peeps in Sexy Lexy, this may not be a wise choice. Ack. Life is hard.

Well that's that for the moment. You may now go back to your worlds, but think about this first: If Kentucky pulls the upset, you won't be suprised will you? Nope, not you. Not now. And why? Because you read this blog post. And now what you will think when the announcer is all "Oh my God - Kentucky has done it again!"

You will think: "Did or didn't she put a buckeye in her pocket?"

My boyfriend, Central Park

I went to Central Park this morning, mostly to take pictures for my niece's Flat Stanley project, but also to test out my new camera. Let me tell you - in addition to Kentucky's win today - I deem it success, especially for a first go around!

I came across these young kids playing and chasing large bubbles. I thought it was so cute, but the pictures came out a whole other thing. Also, this pedicab - I saw it and thought how cool it was, but the pictures take it to a new level.

Examples of why Central Park and I have been dating since 2008.

Inspiration Hide & Seek

So I feel like I've been playing cat and mouse with the book and inspiration lately. As soon as I try to get myself on a writing schedule and committed, I freeze - much like myself with men. I can't force it. My mind rejects being told when to write. And can I just say, that is one seriously frustrating mind game. As soon as I told myself this year would be it for me - the year to finish the book, the year to find a lit agent, the year I make this writing thing official - inspiration said screw you McLean, I'm out. Insert sigh here.

But once I let go and backed off, things started coming back. I found reading other works helped. So here's the deal. I am not going to say I'm finishing the book in the next few months. I'm not saying crap. I'm not holding myself to anything, I'm just going to let it come to me. When it's finished, it's finished. Because when I let it come naturally, that's when I get the good stuff. Force it, and my writing is shoddy at best. So with that, screw my last few posts. This is a new day of Carly finding her way.

I am going to do my best to blog as much as I can, but I can't promise it'll always be about writing. It may be about a rando day, my trip to London, my hatred of dog walkers and love of Kentucky basketball. But I find that in continuing to write, even if mundane observations, I keep my thoughts going. And as my client would say, "that's a good thing."

Where Have You Gone Joe DiMaggio, er Carly McLean?
So I have been writing for the past month, just not on the book. I focused my time on a "Family Guy" spec script I recently submitted to a contest. It was quite amusing to write, full of random flashbacks (we're talking Superman 2, an evil Mickey Mouse, Werther's Original commercial, Bill Clinton speech and Grandpa Jones skits). Essentially the script focused on Meg rising to an inappropriate fame after joining "Teen Mom." This of course led to other girls at James Wood's High wanting to get pregnant so they could be on tabloid covers. Peter was stoked to be a "grandpa," but Lois was furious, and ended up acting like Dina Lohan. It was comical.

The thing is, I rushed the ending, and I'm mad at myself for it. But it turns out there's a similar contest that I think I may go after as well. So now I need to beef this guy up - it needs a better ending. I'm thinking all the children of the pregnant fame-chasers could be adopted by Angelina Jolie or Madonna. Something stupid like that. We'll see.

Oh and the thing about writing a script - I had no freaking idea about the format. All "self taught" - though I will only claim that if it turned out to be correct.

How Stella, I mean, Carly Got Her Groove Back
So I did do a tad bit of writing for the book last night thankfully. I could have done more but was too tired to get out of bed and type. That's the thing - inspiration loves to hang out with me around the time my eyes are closed, cuddled for a good night's sleep. Boom. Wake your ass up McLeaner, we've got some things to say.

I will leave with you an excerpt I wrote last night (yay for figuring out how to paste into this template!). It's set during a conversation between Harper and Oscar after they run into each other in New York. Oscar is complaining about the place where they had met and fallen in love. I'm really excited about it because while I was writing the script the last few weeks, I was frustrated with my novel writing. I felt in comparison to works I like, it was lacking and immature. The writing wasn't strong and the way I was telling the story was missing something. I haven't figured out all the kinks, but I like this excerpt. It gives me hope I'm headed in the direction I want to be headed: Me.

Excerpt:
"I wondered how my memories of Lexington could differ so much from his. We had once thought so similarly. It boggled my mind to look back and remember a past so unlike his. To me, Lexington was opportunity, a new found freedom and independence. It was gooey derbie pie, fizzy Ale 8 and two dollars bets at Keeneland. It was midday country cruises, vast horse farms and Dave Matthews. It was summer weekends at the lake, great friends and dancing in hot rain. It was proudly blue, rabid with Wildcats and relentlessly mad in March. It was innocence, a first love and green shoes. It was everything."

Ch-ch-changes

So as mentioned, I suck at updating, so I thought to myself this weekend, why Carly? Why? And you know what answer I found lurking in my heart? Limitation.

I designed this blog to follow my journey to getting published, so it's weird to talk about all the other things I'm doing unrelated to Lie in Our Graves. So, to change that, I'm slightly shaking up this blog up to suit reality. It will still relate back to writing, and hopefully through it you will see my journey to becoming a published actor, but let's open up a little. You with me? Good because you didn't have a choice. I kid, I kid.

So today I am focused on finishing up the Family Guy script. My trouble, and has always been my trouble in writing, is as a colleague noted, the "it." The thing that drives the story - I mean, I have some good stuff down, funny...hilarious in fact (at least to this skewed reader), but I need the build. Deadline is Feb. 28th, so trying to finish this weekend to leave 2 weeks of editing time. And then the fateful submission. If I could copy and paste with Blogspot, I'd share some of it. But since I am unable, I'll rewrite some of it on here this weekend - it makes me laugh at least.

In other news, I've been reading The Kite Runner which has been really good. It's a bit disturbing in places, but has evoked some inspiration as far as how to tell a story. I have realized that reading other works really helps me visualize how I want my story to come together...that is except when I was reading War and Peace. I'm about half way through, and am learning a lot - creatively and intellectually. The first half takes place in Kabul, an area I'm not too versed. It's been insightful to learn about their culture through the eyes of the narrarator. Very interesting. Suggest you check it out if you haven't already.

Adios for now - once Family Guy is down, think I may submit for a short story (still deciding) and then back to Lie in Our Graves - I write better when I miss it.

Pistol Pete Griffin

So I've been uber lame and lazy, and haven't been updating like I promised. But let me tell you why: Family Guy spec script. Yeeesss!

Turns out I'm entering a writing contest where you submit a sample script for any 30-minute television show, currently on air. It can be anything but reality (because they "don't have scripts"), so I chose Family Guy. Oh yes, I chose Family Guy.

And why did I chose a cartoon? A) Because it's flippin hilarious. B) The flashbacks allow me to say and do so many things I've always wanted a show to do and say C) They show is at times inappropriate, and they makes me happy.

So what's my episode about? Well, I can't say too much until I submit it, but let's just say there's a Superman 2 flash back as well as a strung out Mickey Mouse forcing Demi Lovato to cut herself. Oh and Peter telling the world he hates Betty White.

The contest deadline is Feb. 28, so my focus from the book has been shifted until I complete this. It's been a fun break, and I find myself compiling new ideas for the book naturally, rather than forcing myself to think about a situation. It's nice to still be writing, but not necessarily on the book. Keeps the juices flowin' I suppose.