A good day

Today was one of those days that was just all-around good. Nothing spectacular happened, it wasn't my birthday, I didn't win any awards, it was just a good day. I got up and had time to read a script for class - an assignment but also a luxury, time to read. And then I volunteered at Homeless Lunch and had fun talking with people and enjoying being outside. (Yes, there was a fight between a couple of the guys there but it de-escalated quickly and I chalked it up to Ang and Sus getting a little show for their buck).

Then we drove Susie up to Mulholland Drive to see the views and take pictures, it really was a nice, warm day to do this. Then we went to the Grove and window shopped and had another celebrity sighting (Kelly Osbourne - we also heard Gwen Stefani and her crew were there but we didn't actually see them). Also, we spent some time at the bookstore where I got some new paperbacks and Harry Connick Jr's new Christmas CD. I had a gift certificate from my birthday so it was fun to get to spend that! Also, I didn't even know HCJ had a new Christmas CD out - another exciting part of my day!

We had a good Mexican dinner at Chipolte (I LOVE LOVE LOVE their chips) and then I headed off to class. I got there super early so I had time to visit the script library and pick up some more reading material and spent some quiet time reading a new "textbook" about life as a Hollywood Assistant. And then there was my table read...

Again, I can't tell you how excited I was for this - I had 20 pages I'd written, rewritten, edited and edited some more. I worked really hard on this - going back and rewriting the first 15 pages, adding characters, killing off characters, making sure my writing served the character's and my purposes. And I was still excited tonight, until they started reading...

And I got really nervous. Like my face felt like it was on fire, my head started pounding, I couldn't help but obsess over what my teacher kept scribbling furiously on his pages. It wasn't good. But then again, it happened, I started listening. I started marking where they laughed with smiley faces. And I relaxed and enjoyed the "show". And everyone's really getting into the table reads now - they're starting to know the characters and the plot and they're having fun, "getting into character" so to speak. I know I am when I get to read. And it went well, so well.

Here are a few of the responses (and yes, I know I'm tooting my own horn but I'm excited and want to share my excitement!):

• It's taking shape!
• Your characters are bonding and it's working well - there are changes in relationships, exactly how it should be.
• I loved the sense of detail, how you create a real world here.
• And the marriage relationship and it's troubles, great.
• And the rest, it's just, it's really kinda lovely.

So yeah, it was a good day. A day that ends with rain splashing on the windows as I crawl into bed to sleep. A day that was full of friends, happiness, expressions of faith and thanksgiving, and most of all, for me, a day full of accomplishment and encouragement.