It's Official...

It's a official, y'all. I'm the African American Strategist for Iconoculture. Basically, my job is to observe trends within the African American community, so businesses can create strategies to better approach their African American clientele. It is the best of both worlds for me, as I get to write to my heart's content, while I scratch my business itch by studying the African American consumer. Remember what I said about disappointment creating new opportunities (re: NBC/NAACP Fellowship)? Well, here's proof.

I'm ready to go, and although my official start date is on September 5th, I'm already beginning to work.

Taking a meeting...

The little boy was dressed in his smart Catholic uniform for his first day of school. My son is absolutely wonderful, and smart as a whip. HOWEVER, he's been lip syncing part of the prayers, and at a Catholic school, that's a no-no. I can't have that, since that makes me look bad. So it's ten Hail Mary's a day for him.

Today, I had a great meeting with a sister who goes to the USC film school. She's in the Stark producing program, and I think we really vibed. As I write or develop projects, I look for producers in the UCLA program that I can work with. At UCLA, I have two, and now I have a person at USC. She really likes Men of their Times, and thinks with some tweaks, it can sell. I was very impressed.

With the job beginning on next Monday, I'm changing my schedule a tad. From now on, I'm going to bed at 1am, versus my mad early morning hours. I'll start my day at 7am. Six hours of sleep and I feel like I'm on vacation.

The background check is done,and the reference check will be done tomorrow. I have a conversation with the CEO of the company tomorrow morning. After everything is finished, I will then start contacting my contacts. I've got a BILLION contacts in my roladex, so it's going to take a bit.

Added about 500 words to the book. I think I'm going to average about 1000-1500 for the rest of the time. On the weekends, I'll do a little bit of editing to make sure this thing makes sense.

For the NBC scenes, I've taken a script I'd already written, and mined it for a good scene. A little craftwork, and it'll be good to go. My other scene will be created from Bestseller, while the third scene will be a dramatic one from MOTTs. I'll finish them, send them out to my boys for critical notes, and then re-write them. No muss, no fuss.

After a few stumbles, TheYack.com continues to develop. I will see a draft tomorrow morning.

In My Head...

He's John Basedow...he's gonna show you how...to reach your potential...and to turn your...whole life around! Fitness Made Simple!

John Basedow is either making a gazillion dollars or he just wants to indoctrinate us into his mullet and muscles cult. I just don't know.

Making progress on the book. Just wrote about 1500 words, and I'm not even done. It's 1:17am, my normal writing time, and I feel footloose and fancy free. I think I may write about one thousand more words, and then relax on Sunday.

I've been invited to write two new comedic scenes for an NBC Diversity Showcase, so I'm thinking about a few different situations. They're not due until late September, so I can write them at my leisure.

As for UCLA, I'm a mentor for three eager first year students, and I talked to one of my mentees two days ago. I think it's difficult to explain what you get out of UCLA until you actually experience it, because then your goals will become very clear. Does that make sense? Anyway, I tried to give her some good advice.

Yesterday I talked with one of my frat brothers about applying to the producer program. He will excel, but I think he's not sure about spending two years in school. I made the pitch, but I'll have him talk to a couple of producers in the program.

Next week, I'm going to talk to my agent about my fiction project at Kensington. Can't say now, but I want a few changes. More later.

The new job is doing their background check. That should be done next week. My background is pretty sterling, so no worries. My start date is Sept. 5th. I'm itching to start.

Manchester United has won three out of three to begin the season, Arsenal has only one point, and Chelsea has already lost a game. I know that doesn't mean crap to most of you, but believe me, it makes me as happy as watching the Lakers win by forty.

The little boy goes to school on Monday, and of course the ole Catholic school changed the uniform, crest, and everything else, so it's a whole new wardrobe. Thanks St. B's!

No chocolate. No exercise. But still lost three pounds to 214lbs.

Been going over my daily schedule. With the new job, I need to keep my schedule nice and tight. I think I'll get up at 6am when the wife does, and head to the gym for a good hour workout. That gets you up and ready for the day. After that, I'll break the day up with research, writing and then class. For the job, I have to use my contact to find things, and I literally have about one thousand of them. So as soon as I get the okay, I'm going to start calling them and telling them what I'm doing. That will be a part of my schedule. And instead of staying up until 2 or 3 in the morning, I'm going to go to bed at 1am. I only need five hours of sleep a night, and I can get a lot of rest in on the weekends.

More later...

Slaveryland...

I opened Slaveryland for the first time in a while. I started writing it over a year ago, and then put it up because of my other fiction/non fiction work, but I read it and although it's not finished, it's pretty damn good. And with the current controversy around Mark Burnett's decision to divide teams by race, Slaveryland moves from an absurdist piece to one rooted in reality, which is mad strange. But that's why writers are tasked with writing about things that are absurd. You never know when the absurd will turn into the everyday normal. So getting it's own progress bar once again is Slaveryland. It's an extreme low priority compared to my other projects, but it'll be the next fiction manuscript I submit.

Good News...

Hey all,

Good news! I accepted a formal offer from the company today. The only thing left is for them to talk to my references, which is a formality, and then I start on September 5th. I'm ready to go. Once everything is official, I'll tell you who I'm now working for.

No Writing Last Night...

Last night, I decided to rest. But today, two thousand more.

Back on schedule...

Said two thousand words, and did two thousand words. It's 3:45am right now, and I'm going to stop. But feel another two thousand for tomorrow.

Iraq=Quagmire...

Can we say that our president is insane, and that Iraq is a quagmire? I mean, Jesus, one hundred Iraqis are dying each day and we keep on keeping on. So frustrating. And I swear that our current administration doesn't care.

Two Thousand Words...

I'm going to write about two thousand words today.

Big Day Tomorrow...

After four interviews, a writing sample, and a credit check, I have a conference call with company executives where my sample will be grilled. Sort of like having to defend a thesis, I imagine. I look forward to it.

Hey, have you ever learned something simple, but so damn helpful, that you wonder how you survived before you learned it? I got my dreadlocks washed at Heroik Entertainment in Leimert Park by my boy Akeem. He had has locks tied in a way that kept them off the back of his neck. Now, I've been trying FOREVER to get them off my neck, particularly when it's touching 100 degrees in LA. My locks go to the middle of my back, which is cool and all, but when it's hot, my neck feels like it's on fire. So he showed me a tie up that works, and daggumit, I can't stop putting my locks up. I'se free y'all.

Writing tonight? Still thinking about it. No chocolate today, but I made a delicious batch of chicken chili for the fam. I may play a bit of dominoes, and then open up Money Shot. If I feel like writing, I will. If not, I'll give myself the night off.

An Addict...

Maybe it was all of those Pepperidge Farms Soft Baked Milk Chocolate Cookies I bought at 2 for $5? Maybe it was that bag of Doritos? I don't know, but whatever it was, I think I've had my fill. 217lbs and feeling fat. No, make that hot and fat, and there's nothing worse than that. My chocolate has been helping me write, at least that's what my brain has said, but the old waist band is beginning to stretch. So it's cold turkey once again. Back to eating healthy Kashi bars and eight bottles of Dasani water. The gym, a place I haven't visited this month, has an appointment with me. The goal this time? Purge the taste of that evil chocolate from my mouth, eat nothing by chicken for the next few months, avoid carbs like the plague, get back on the situp/pushup regiment, and go to the gym for 45 minutes of Lifecycle per day, at least three days a week. I HAVE to do this because in two weeks, the danger period of my life begins. That's the start of football season and the delicious foods and drinks associated with it. So goodbye bad munchies, and hello healthy food. In reality, it's really not that bad. I think I only stop eating healthy when I get bored, and this time, it probably won't happen until the winter. 210lbs, here I come.

Listening to...

Inglewood's own Jazzyfatnastees...Underrated and underappreciated.

Pandora.com

Go there. My boy from film school, Dan Johnstone gave me the word about six months ago, and it's the bomb. Do.it.now.

Today...

I think I'm going to get a massage. There's a place in Brentwood, right around the corner from UCLA, called the Massage Place, and are the best. I played soccer again last night, and I feel stiff. My wind is getting a bit better, but damn, I still can't get used to the fact that I'm not 21 years old, or even 30. A brotha is getting wore out.

I had my pen ultimate interview with the company I hope to work for. Again, things went great. So now, I only have an hour conference about a writing sample. That's on Tuesday. Hopefully, things will be settled after that.

On the writing front, I have a bunch of stuff ahead of me. So I will write tonight, through the morning, and through Saturday. I think I'll stop on Sunday and take the fam out for Mexican food.

Another Photo from the Way Back...

One of my frat brothers sent me this photo. It's my sands Marty Smith (smiling) and me (pontificating), after we just finished running our annual stepshow. A beer or two may have been consumed. Caption not my own, but of course, it's quite true. lol

Car Trouble...

Nothing better than driving the Jeep up to the Dodger stadium parking lot, and then smelling acrid smoke. And then having the Jeep stop in its tracks...with about one thousand cars behind me.

Took the little boy to the Dodgers/Giants game last night, but we didn't see one minute of the game. Had to call Triple AAA and get the Jeep towed to the Jeep dealership. Hopefully, it's something minor, but I think my clutch is fried. So that's a chunk out of the old budget.

Miss Snark...

Is the best damn blog on the book industry in the world. Seriously. Miss Snark is a literary agent and she, like most agents including my own, is blunt and straight to the point. I suggest ANYONE interested in writing a book click on the link to the right.

More writing tonight. Word count to be updated soon.

Joe Had To Go...

It was a happy day yesterday, as Joe Lieberman was defeated in Connecticut. To often, he's been out for himself, and I don't care what people say, his public love fest with George Bush hurt the Democratic Party. Too often, he presented himself as a person who would take the sting out of Democratic criticisms of George Bush, and for that, Joe Had Ta Go.

Now, Democrats are starting to get away from the Democratic Leadership Council's Republican-lite philosophy and are starting to gain a backbone. And I for one will continue contributing to candidates who show a backbone. It does me no good to elect Democrats who are too scared to believe in anything. And I think Lamont's win got the attention of the Democrats who've been so insulated in DC that they don't understand the pulse of the country. The Republicans are pulling out the same old crap about cutting and running, but as my Texas grandfather used to say, that dog don't hunt anymore.

Phase One of the Killer App...

Phase one of my killer app for authors and book lovers is underway. In about five weeks, it will be complete, and I promise you, it will be the talk of the nation. Seriously. That's all I'll say.

Today, I've been writing. I haven't updated the word count, but I will at the end of the night. The goal, get to 15,000 by Friday, and 20,000 by Monday. Not a problem.

Sorry I haven't Blogged...

Took the son to a Dodger game two days ago. Looked over my Money Shot notes. It's 2:30am and I'm not writing right now, but the idea is to write about five thousand words between tomorrow and Friday, and then roll with about five thousand over the weekend. By next Monday, I should be at 20,000, which would be a good point to be.

Tomorrow, I have to talk to a few people that I've been trying to interview for months. One is that porn talent scout I meant to interview. I left a message, but nothing.

It's all coming together, but I think I'm just in the writer's blah mode. I was talking to my friend and fellow writer Eric Dickey, and he was saying he's in the same place. Can't fight it, just gotta go with it.

Still don't know what's happening with my manuscript at Kensington.

Reading...

I'm reading the 48 Laws of Power, and in this modern version of Machiavelli's The Prince, you really see how ruthless one must be to gain power. I guess that's why it appeals to a lot of hip hop artists, who are attracted to its principles. With anything, you have to make a decision whether the ends justify the means. But it's a great read.

It's 2am...

It's 2am and I haven't started writing yet. I've been watching a Discovery Channel documentary on three sistas who are video dancers. They all live in Toronto and each comes from a different circumstance. One is a single mother on welfare, another is in college, while another has danced since childhood. Each thinks that being in hip hop videos will make them stars, so they chase their dreams, sometimes working for nothing. It's obvious that these women are being exploited, and you might even think they're delusional thinking that they'll find fame as video dancers, but that would be wrong.

Everyone has to have a dream, something to get themselves up in the morning. The sista who puts on too much makeup and too little clothes, has a dream. It's just whether you understand the best way to make your dreams come true. What saddens me is that people get on their dream path without preparation, so they are doomed to fail. It doesn't matter how rich or poor you are, or how educated you are, if you don't have an informed plan, then you will either fail or spin in circles. And that's why one of the dancers ended up still dreaming, another deciding to travel the world, and another on tour with Missy Elliott. Guess which one had an informed plan?

Had a great time...

The wife and I went to my friend Dana's fortieth birthday (any brothas out there looking to meet a sweet and good looking sista, holla at me and I'll forward your info to her) and had a ball. Her fam is from New Orleans, so they second lined around the club. Hadn't seen that since my boy Rob and I would spend summers down in the Westbank eating gumbo, fried fish, crawfish, drinking Jack and playing golf while fighting red ants. Much fun had by all.

We found a babysitter in our neighbors daughter. She just has to be the sweetest thing on earth and did a great job. Langston was in bed, and on time. She's about to make a LOT of cash babysitting.

Time to get back to work. This weekend, I think I'm going to try to get to the 15,000 word mark.

I'm Rollin' Y'all...

It's 1:47am, I'm well rested, and I feel like my groove is back. I'm in Chapter Three of Money Shot. So far, I'm written about 700 words, but I think I can hit the 10,000 word mark by the end of the night. That means I'll be one eight done, and over a bit of a hump. I'm still on schedule, but can't have anymore lapses.

On another front, Johnathan Rodgers from TV One emailed me today. To say that Mr. Rodgers is a role model for any black man thinking about working in television is an understatement. He ran the Discovery Channel and put it on the map, and then became the CEO of TV One, BET's rival. He said there may be a possibility to work together and so I'll keep an eye on that. Remember what I said about keeping your head up for more opportunities?

Wrote a little bit on Bestseller. Not much because Money Shot has been flowing. Time to get back writing.

Today's Output..

Only about four hundred words today, but no sweat. Tomorrow, I'm going to contact one of the porn talent agencies and see if I can interview a few of their women clients. I'm looking for a woman who's about to start her first scene.

Good news on the NBC/NAACP scene. Even though I didn't get the fellowship, the fellow from NBC said that he wanted to meet with me after he got back from vacation. That's TREMENDOUSLY generous of him, and I'll meet with him in two weeks. See? Never get down because something doesn't go your way. Keep plugging away. I know this is cliche, but it takes many, many hammer strokes on marble to make a sculpture.

I need to see what's happening with my fiction project at Kensington. With Karen gone, they're going to assign another editor to it. When I last talked to Karen, she'd said that I'd receive the manuscript back with her notes around this time. Obviously, things have changed. So I'll call Manie.

It's 2:44am, and I think I'm going to write a little bit more on Bestseller. I SOOOOOOO have a better grasp of what I'm doing now. I've had a full year of watching movies (which I don't normally do) and the light bulb has come on in so many areas. Begining my 434 script now does a bunch of things. One, I'm going to do twenty units so that I can coast in the winter with only my 434 left to graduate. After that, I can figure out if I want to pay for my Spring quarter or just prep for book releases.

But I can also relax by writing Bestseller now. The ten weeks is pretty stressful, so why not see how it works when the stress is off? Lastly, I can use the 434 time to rewrite the script according to my 434 teacher's instructions.

Another thing. Kevin Smith (Clerks, Jersey Girl, et al) is teaching a podcast type of class this quarter. I applied and my writing partners in the program (Phil, Simon, Dave, etc) have applied too. This is going to be a good class.

Finished for the Night...

I did about one thousand words tonight. Not bad. Again, if I do about one thousand words a day, I'll be cool. I'm almost done with chapter 2, which is a sex scene. All of this is really a rough draft. If it gets to close so that I'm not able to turn in a polished manuscript by October 15th, then I'll ask for a few more days. Maybe to November 1st or 15th? Usually folks build that in anyway.

Also, if anyone wants an autographed copy of The Divine Nine: hard or soft cover, let me know. Or is you'd like a copy of Friends With Benefits, holla. My publisher just sent me a couple of boxes. The Divine Nine hard are $33 plus about $5 shipping, with the soft being $17 with $5 shipping. Friends is $14 with $5 shipping.

Ah...Fiddlesticks...

Well, I didn't get the NBC/NAACP Fellowship. My boy Yule got it, and honestly, I can't complain. He's a good brotha and a great writer. It's disappointing, but if I've learned one thing in the past is that I still need to keep my eyes open and ready for the next opportunity. I'm a great believer that when something doesn't go the way you want, another opportunity is right there waiting for you. Call me an optimist, but that's how I stay sharp. And that has guided my career so far.

Anyway, getting sick is a great weight loss program. I'm currently 213lbs, and feeling like shit. But I'm light as hell. I had a craving for smothered steak, garlic and butter rice, and french cut green beans, and damned if I didn't make slap ya momma good smothered steak, garlic and butter rice, and french cut green beans. Boy, that felt good.

Alright, time to write more porn tonight. I'm back on the word count, and I'm going to stay up late. The goal tonight: 3000 words to get the count to 10,000.

NBC/NAACP Fellowship Interview...

I had my NBC/NAACP Fellowship interview yesterday, and my cold was still going strong. The interview was held at the NAACP offices on Wilshire, the same building where my frat brother Brian Dunn works. He's a partner in Johnnie Cochran's law firm.

The interview went well I think. I met with Ted Frank from NBC and Vic Bullock from the NAACP. If I get the fellowship, Frank would be sort of a mentor at NBC, and I would work on social issues as it pertained to Hollywood via the NAACP. Also, I would be able to work on the production side of the Image Awards. That appeals to me because I envision myself as being a writer/producer.

They said that they'd make a decision soon, so that's cool. I need to figure out my schedule for next year. Likely, I'm going to take about twenty units for the Fall, and then only eight for the winter. That will complete my degree requirements, and I can spend the Spring promoting Money Shot. And speaking of Money Shot...

I'm spending the week with Lexington, beginning this morning...Time to get my ass in gear.