September 2011
1 post
Blurry but bright!
Exhausted. I didn’t really think this trip through—travel time wise. I caught the latest red eye from LA at 11:45pm (so I didn’t have to miss work.) I thought, hey I can sleep on the plane…
There’s a three hour time difference.
That means I lost three hours of sleep.
That means I haven’t slept but a few dozes in and out between shifting head on left arm...
July 2011
3 posts
7 tags
Hitting home.
It’s another productive day at work. Polishing it off with a great catch-up dinner at a yummy LA eatery. Then it’s back on the road, using my new Waze app to find the quickest route home. Everything is going fine for a while until I realize that I haven’t moved but three blocks in ten minutes. I immediately blame it on the app (Thanks Waze. I thought we were working well...
We're tired of looking at the camera.
Trying to get to Prague
Destination: Czech Republic Part 1
Customer service at US Airways LAX checkin counter is horrible. They ignore people who are asking for help. I decided to check a bag because that was the only way to get someone to come over to me. At security checkpoint, I was picked to go through body scanner. (I never know what kind of facial expression to have in that moment of going through airport...
June 2011
2 posts
Add me on twitter!! →
February 2011
2 posts
Already and still sleepy.
“I think we’re just going to be tired for the rest of our lives,” she said after taking that last final of college. It’s true. I think we’re just going to be tired for a long, long time. We have a lot to do in our short lives.
So many of us wake up, get ready, drive to work, work, eat, work, drive home from work, eat, watch TV, read one page of a magazine that...
using the past to move forward.
I think about my past ALL THE TIME. It happened. It was there. There’s no erasing. It might be a sliver of an instant when I peeled candle wax off a table or left a note for my Grandpa on his pillow or let my Grandma french braid my hair. Then it might be rock bottom moments in different instances, at different ages (wouldn’t you like to know what they are!). Those moments are...
December 2010
1 post
To regain lost promises.
When I catch myself forgetting, I try to focus. Focus on what I learned from it all. So many times, we forget what we promised ourselves in tough situations. ”Please. Get me through this and I’ll do ____ more.”
What was that “____” again??
Try hard to remember.
Sitting in my bed, tonight, feels reminiscent of my days in the Islamabad hotel room. So much...
November 2010
1 post
Cooking marathon!
Well, I’ve been back in America for almost a month now. The day after I returned home, I had a job interview at a fantastic production company in Santa Monica. I got the job and started two days later! She said I beat 499 other people for the position. Yay! That felt really amazing considering I spent the previous three months in the Twilight zone doing pretty much nothing except...
October 2010
5 posts
Fresh Air.
I feel cold. The air conditioner is on and the window is open — trying everything to ventilate my room. The cigarette smoke is seeping through the concrete wall into my lungs. I get so angry that I can’t take one breath of fresh air, so I throw my pillow against the bed. Then I spray air fresher for about 30 seconds longer than I’m supposed to. Why do I want to write when...
Coffee Culture.
Two nights ago, Luke and I were invited to our neighbor’s room for coffee. They are visiting Pakistan from Saudi Arabia to help victims affected by the floods. They taught us the traditional process of making Arabic coffee. Before entering their room, we followed suit and left our shoes outside the door. Reti joined us as we sat in a circle on the floor. They brought their own coffee...
October is a good month.
Happy Birthday, my love. LITTLE LUKE — SO CUTE!
And happy belated birthday to one of my best friends in the whole wide world, Jessi!
Blessings in disguise.
Dear Friend,
Last night as I lied in bed trying to sleep, I started thinking about everyone in my life. You and I are living such different lives. We both started in the same place and ended up on completely different paths.
This afternoon I sat at a table on the hotel’s lawn, the sun was shining. I wrote in my journal and ate eggs on toast and drank green tea. And just kept thinking...
Saalgirah Mubarak! سالگرہ
Happy Birthday, Dad. LOVE YOU.
September 2010
6 posts
"How many people can make you feel extraordinary?"...
That’s what life is about. It’s about surrounding yourself with people who make you feel extraordinary AND who you make feel extraordinary.
I’ve been thinking a lot about money lately. Most people think about it all the time. It’s not invisible, it can’t be ignored. It’s real. We need it for important things - the new iPhone 4, a ginormous house, new...
Pakistani rabbit hole.
Sometimes I just want to scream so loud it would break windows. It’s hard to fix something when you don’t know what the problem is. When there’s a constant knot in my throat and twist in my stomach. So much waiting all the time. Waiting makes the knot in my throat slowly expand like a balloon ready to burst. There’s always an elephant in the room. Everyone wants to...
black and white goodies.
Chess - what a game. I once wrote a script that included Hamlet and Claudius playing a game of chess together and the game itself was a metaphor for their fate. It’s an intimidating competition. I don’t consider it fun… unless I win. Imagine if everyone lived their life like playing a game of chess — it could go two ways. One is constantly thinking about your...
The Cartographer by Sleeping States →
I saw this band at a tiny place called Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco - back in 2008. Their tone is like a familiar hug from an old friend. Their songs subtly inspire me with each beat.
elephant bellaphant.
“When you’re writing it’s rather like going on a very long walk, across valleys and mountains and things, and you get the first view of what you see and you write it down. Then you walk a bit further, maybe up on to the top of a hill, and you see something else, then you write that and you go on like that, day after day, getting different views of the same landscape really. The...
August 2010
12 posts
One is silver and the other gold.
While flipping through the stations on television, I love it when a channel is projecting this jumpy, high-pitched, synthetic sound and I immediately know it’s an 80s movie. And sure enough Arnold makes his on-screen appearance in 1985’s Commando.
Okay, then Twilight comes on and now I see the hype. When Edward stares at Bella, it’s like he’s looking at me. Wow. The...
nothing much.
Been sitting in a hotel room for the last week and a half. Except for the occasional three block walk down to the market for chocolate and snacks.
Here’s my new schedule:
- Wake up anytime between 2:00P-4:00P.
- Lie in bed for a while, turn on television, check my iPhone.
- When the sun goes down around 7:00P, figure out what to eat for dinner.
- Drink water, watch television,...
Click here to donate $5 to the victims of Pakistan... →
Patience is a virtue?
My mind feels like a roller coaster, but I’m not actually moving. I didn’t leave my room once today - not once. It’s too bad because there was probably a lot of Independence celebrations going on - would have been really fun to see it.
Many other guests here are Muslim and their holy month of Ramadan began on August 12. You can only eat before the sun rises and after the...
iPhone photo blog.
Tuesday evening was very exciting. Khizer, Reti, Luke and I took a trip to METRO (it’s exactly like Costco and it’s based all around Europe and surrounding countries). On the way there, using my trusty iPhone, I snapped some photos to share with you.
Here’s a photo of a large pile of rubble. These piles are everywhere - even at entrances to nice restaurants.
This one...
what war?
I’m 23. Not many people I know truly keep up with current events. Why? Is reading or listening to news too stuffy? Is it too complicated? Or is it that you just don’t care? Most would probably say all of the above. Being here in Pakistan has forced me to watch and read the news all the time. It’s a good thing. And guess what? I understand it! Can you believe it? News...
Help Pakistani flood victims. →
tumblrbot asked: WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT ON YOUR PLANET?
strawberries, i miss you.
SO MUCH TO BLOG ABOUT!
Wednesday August 4:
Luke and I went to the bank again with a financial guy from the company. The money I transferred to my account in the States was supposed to clear by Monday, but nothing yet. Finally found out there was a hold on the States end, but will be cleared by Thursday. It eventually worked. But, after we left the bank we had to turn around and go back...
3 August, 2010
Hassaan (Script Supervisor) and I ate DELICIOUS waffles this morning!
Brief recap of the day:
- Wake up at 9am to get ready for a pick-up at 10am
- Get a call at 10am, meeting is postponed, pick-up at 12pm
- Eat waffles, play cards, review script again
- Get picked-up, go to office, wait an hour not knowing why
- 1:30P travel for another meeting: subject: unknown
Side note: Car ride...
Sunday morning writing.
It’s about 1:30P right now and a prayer call echoes outside. There are five formal prayers every day that Muslims observe: when the sun rises, when the sun sets, two in between that time frame and the last one around 9:00P. It’s a constant reminder of God and to seek his His guidance. The call sounds like a gentle song on a loud speaker. I’ll try and record it next time. I...
July 2010
9 posts
more thoughts...
I’ve got nothing but time right now, and trying to write down things so I don’t forget.
The power goes out at least twice a day, sometimes more. But, it only lasts a few seconds then it goes back on. I’m not sure why this happens, but you can count on me finding out.
Coffee and tea are served really hot - like scorching hot. I was trying to figure out why and it’s...
Everything but the kitchen sink.
I didn’t have internet for a couple of days. Here’s a journal entry transferred from my cell phone…
Tuesday, July 27.
We travelled to Mangla late at night to shoot a battle reenactment scene. I was really scared last night. Sleeping in a military compound isn’t the most comforting, but today is a better day. I slept well and had a yummy breakfast. I actually ate the...
7.26.10
Where to begin? While waiting for my flight to Islamabad, I met a nice woman from Manchester. She was going to Pakistan to visit her family for the week. She took off all of her jewelry before her trip so she wouldn’t be a target for robbery. The flight was a quick three hours. When I was stepping off the plane, you walk outside and get on a bus that takes you to baggage claim. I was...
07.22.10
We have arrived in Dubai!! Some people were clapping when the plane landed. Man, after riding on a plane for 16 hours-ish, your body feels weird. Slightly off its regular clock, a little smelly and yearning to exercise, but sleepy from sitting so long. Hmm. I get off the plane, go through a tiny security area, walk up stairs and there it is: STARBUCKS. How can one coffee place be...
Pakistan Entry #2
Nope, not there yet.
But, I finally received money today to purchase a bunch of expendables and gear from Film Tools (http://www.filmtools.com/). See the 13 boxes sitting in my entry way? I have to get it down to 10 boxes under 70lbs each in order to afford the extra costs of getting them all on the flight. Ahhhhh. It’s doable though.
While waiting to fly out, I’ve been watching...
1 tag
Pakistan Entry #1
Well, I was supposed to fly out tomorrow, Monday the 12th, but now it’s pushed to Friday, the 16th. Waiting on money to bring equipment with me on the plane. I’m excited and ready to coordinate and schedule my butt off. I got my shots - typhoid, DTP and polio - and my malaria pills.
Things I’m most excited about:
1) seeing LUKE
2) embracing the challenge of working on...
Oh No by Melati Malay →
wild west wind by Melati Malay →
amazing.
June 2010
4 posts
An indie feature film I produced this Spring! →
1 tag
“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your...”