“Three words summarise the English Seaside. Cigarettes, Strollers and Carling.”

— Moi

“If you feel stuck, always do something.”

— Ellen Nyland

“It’s mercury retrograde ... nothings going to happen till after the 25th.”

— Grace Cross

“When I’m fishing for a compliment I’m not wanting a minnow, I’m wanting a fucking salmon.”

— Moi

“A cliché is a cliché for a very cliché reason.”

— Moi

This is me ... at the moment. 

I'm in a sort of holding pattern.  A developmental phase of daily 'Don Drapers' (my self appropriated name for a 2pm nap), rock climbing, reading books and watching TV series I've always wanted to.  

I'm not ashamed or even embarrassed to admit that lately my biggest achievements are nothing more then a few emails, updating this site and cooking dinner for Grace.  You see this is perplexing period in my career ... to me it's more about percolating my thoughts of how it will all click together then actually doing anything.  Luckily, as Mike White so eloquent states, in the above piece, this is part of the creative process and not just me procrastinating.

Don't get me wrong I've got plenty on the go - at least everyone says I'm always busy.  Maybe I just want to achieve more then physically possible on my own?  Who knows.

Do believe me when I say I am highly motivated and I undoubtedly know what I want and what I need to do - heck I just finished my 1, 3 and 5 year plan (sidebar: this is me rationalising all my previous statements above).  In more specific terms I've got my Kickstarter project almost finished (bout bloody time), two more spec ads planned, a short film idea brewing and a TV series in development with my writing partner Matt Gray.  Plus, there is actual commercial directing work mixed in there too ... not reel worthy, but it's affording me the luxuries of building a reel I want to join with a production company who help me do the work I want to do. 

So, staring blankly at the ceiling is starting to pay off and hopefully carry me forward.  But what I really need to do is fire a few shots across the bow and get it all going.  No one has ever achieved anything by not actually doing anything - well maybe except for the Kardashians.  

People wiser then myself have told me I work off of momentum.  "A rolling stone gathers no moss" as I think the expression goes.  Stopping and starting is incredibly detrimental to me and my work, but unfortunately it's woven into the very fiber of my industry.  Personally, I like a barrage of challenges and the waves of adrenaline that carry me over the line.  This can't be healthy, but I think it speaks loads about the creative process, especially in relation to what Mike White has to say.  

I'm not exactly sure what's been achieved with this post.  Maybe it's me giving you some insight into what’s been happening with me or maybe it's me trying to feel like I'm making progress.  Whatever it is it has to be better then me just posting random videos, quotes and links ... plus it's almost nap time.

I've always consider myself to be a George kind of guy and in this particular excerpt from 'The Abstinence' episode I find myself connecting with him on a whole new level.

GEORGE
No, no, no. Just lately I've been thinking a lot
clearer.  Like this afternoon, (to Jeopardy on TV) 
What is Chicken Kiev,(to Jerry) I really enjoyed
watching a documentary with Louise.  

JERRY
Louise! That's what doing it. Your no longer
pre-occupied with sex, so your mind is able to focus.  

GEORGE
You think?

Jerry's conclusion doesn't just nail it on the head (no pun intended) with why George has suddenly blossomed, he nails it on the head for every red blooded adult male.  Basically, Sex stunts our focus ... it stops it dead cold. 

I in particular suffer from loosing focus from time to time and by having a 'moment' to look forward to, on a predetermined night helps me focus like a laser beam all week.  Sunday is set in stone, so there's no need to negotiate.  Which provides me a goal to strive towards - like a dog being rewarded with a bone (pun intended). 

So, I just wanted to take this opportunity to give a special shoutout (especially since it's International Women's Day) to all the ladies that keep it to a tidy once, with a chance of two, a week.  Louise even if it was mononucleosis the world economies still thank you.