Inside the Brain of E.C. Henry

Back Pain -- What are You Doing for the Holidays?

Yeah, that about sums up how I've been feelin' for the past week!  Last Friday night I slept in a foreign bed (a futon) in the wrong position and woke up with back pain. 

Last Saturday I had numbness in my pinkie finger.  Thankfully that went away.  But then the pain moved over to area in between my shoulder blades.  And that pain's been on-and-off again excruciating for the past 6 days. 

Thankfully my mom annointed my back with oil, and she and my dad prayed to the Lord for my healing.  I bought some Bengay and some back pain pills yesterday, and all told those three things seam to be working at the moment...

Fingers crossed.

On Monday and Tuesday of last week I was in so much pain by the end of my 12 hour shift I was practically crying.  Excruciating pain.  And it was just caused by movement.  Just the slightest movement in the wrong way and zap-zap, back pain.

That's in part why I'm posting right now, I feel asleep early -- as a result of the pain medicine.

Well-p, Thanksgiving is coming up this week.  Are you ready for it? 

I am.  Bought lots of liquor to help me through the day.  You see we're having familyover for Thanksgiving.  Family that I don't particularly bond well too.  Hoping the Ameretto, rum and piña colada mix, and an 18 pack of Budweisers will help my socializing aches and pains go away.

The plan is to take an early morning run with Michah (my aunt's black poodle) and Sam (my aunt's over-zealous, just-getting-out-of-puppyhood lab for a long run, then maybe work on our TV antenna, watch some football, socialize, then stuff myself on turkey...  The running part is of course contingent upon my upper back feeling "good enough" to run on.  But that's always been one of my Thanksgiving traditions.  As has rolling coins while watching football.

Still working on that dark, drama script...  Goal never changes: at least write for one hour during the week, then do some "binge" writing over the weekend.  Am also thinking of carding up a couple other scripts on my docket.  AND getting back into writing that epic fantasy novel I stopped working on about 10 years ago -- just before I took up screenwriting with my first spec., a screwball comedy entitled, "Give It Up for Chimpy."

Later today (as I type this in it's 12:30 in the morning, on a Sunday morning) I'm hoping to do some furniture shopping, and look for a new bed.  Will probably do that AFTER church.  Really need new clothes cabinets.  You see most of my the furniture in my room in old hand-me-downs.  Worse yet they're hand-me-downs from some 10, some 20, and some 30 years ago!  And looking at them now: they're finish is faded and chipped and one cabinet drawer facing is completely off! 

Yeah, that picture about sums it up...  O!  And I need new file cabinet's too, 'cuz when my dad was moving furniture around he somehow bent the fuck out of one of the cheap metal file drawers, it came sliding out and as I just mentioned -- got the fuck bent out of it!  (It looks dented)

Do I sound like a whining, little girl bitching about my furniture and bed?

 "Yes, you kinda do, E.C."

Thanks, Meg, thanks.

But then again I guess as a bastion of the rom-com you're well versed at laughing other people's misfortunes.

Study the genre, steady the art of crafting humor, and you get that; comedic distance: being able to laugh at other people's pain.  Just wish you we're laughing along with me, Meg -- not laughing at me.  Maybe someday...  A guy can always dream...

So what comes next?  Well-p, think I'll dive back into that dark, urban drama.  Sometimes the friction of writing can have the adverse affect -- which I'm now going to try to uses as a positive -- of making one suddenly feel sleepy.  Don't know why that is, but I think every writer fights that; the inner need/desire to write, yet when one attempts to do just that another inner dynamic clashes with that, and you just can't keep your butt in the seat.

Writing is fickle.  It's like you feel the need to be doing more, but then when you try to do just that -- butt and brain pain erupt and you just can't sit still.

 "Ha-ha-ha-ha, ha!  You're a funny guy, E.C.  You so-called writers have all the excuses in the book."

Okay, laugh away, Meg.  Glad to see I'm at least entertaining you!

Talk to you again soon.  Maybe I'll do a Thanksgiving Day post -- if I'm sober enough to write one, that is.  Well, wherever you are, I hope you have a warm, blessed -- and back ache free Thanksgiving. 

Sincerely,

E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

That Horse Be Rode!

Well, I did it!  Just like I said I would.  Wrote for about 2 hours today on that new, dark, urban drama I'm penning.  Started out by listening to what I'd written in Final Draft... then I added a couple new pages.  Surprisingly I was able to write into new scenes.  THAT'S a real plus. 

Hopefully now I can get back into a normal flow, which for me is 1 to 2 hours before my swing-shift job begins.   Plus the Thanksgiving weekend is coming up.  With four days off work I should have plenty of time for some binge writing. 

Moved back into my room today too.  It's new color is called, "buried treasure."  Is that ever cool or what.  I toyed with my mom and asked what the buried treasure in my room was, and she said it was my scripts.  How cool is that? 

My Seahawks even pulled off an upset win today.  22-17 over the Baltimore Ravens.  Can't wait for December 1.  Got tickets to see the 'Hawks play the Philadelphia Eagles on one of those special, NFL Network Thursday night games.  I absolutely love going to Century Link field to watch the Seahawks play.  Garlic fries and Budweiser makes for an agreeable combination. 

Quick, hi-and-goodbye post, for now.  Will try to post something more this week.  See ya then...

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

Getting Back on the Horse Again

Time to get back on that feisty ol' rocking horse again.  Any writer knows the conundrum I'm talking about; it's about getting back to writing after a hiatus.

When I don't write for a while I get cranky.  I get moody.  I get feisty.  I was born to write.  Write well?  Well, you be the judge of that.  But I do endeavor to be a good artist... 

Time to get back to that dark, urban drama I've been working on since July.  My progress so far has been pitiful.  And I'm a bit ashamed of that.  It's not that I don't want to write, it's LIFE keeps getting in the way.  Last week it was my mom's sudden decision to uproot me from my room so that she could paint my room.  Today, it was the fact that I slept on my side and my shoulder was killing all day.  

"What?  You mean to tell me that you're a 40 year-old man living who's still living at home with mommy and daddy?  Does she still pick out your clothes."

Meg Ryan, folks.  She's decided to visit the blog again.   And as you can see she doesn't look especially happy.

"Look, buddy.  You keep claiming to be this romantic comedy guru and yet you're STILL living at home.  Afraid to speak to girl.  And just in general being creepy."

Sorry, Meg.  I'm 42 so let's set that record straight.  And as an FYI I get along great with "mommy and daddy" so please try to give me at least some credit.  And as for being "creepy" lemme just say that ALL writer have to be a little voyeuristic in nature, as that's how complex characters are born.  And ANY of my creepiness is strictly heterosexual in nature.  And another FYI I talk to Jesus about that quite regularly.  He keeps me on track.  Reading the bible is a great remedy to ensure that one doesn't get overly creepy.  So please give me some credit

"Credit for what?  You're a daydreaming moron.  You've written all these stories -- which Hollywood isn't buying I might add.  And how can you possibly write romance with any degree of authority, when you've self-professed yourself as being a romantic retard."

I'll tell you why someone with little real-life experience in romance is EXACTLY who should be writing romance.

"This should be good.  Let's see how good this jackass can b.s."

Come-on, Meg, don't be playin' it like that.  Not everyone gets to live the charmed life you have.  That doesn't mean us commoners can't dream.  Can't imagine the ideal.  That's what's drawn me to you in the first place.  You're the ideal, Meg.  When people watch romantic comedy's their envisioning the ideal romance, not the one that's generally afforded to them in real life.

"Dude, you're making excuses."

No, actually Meg, I'm being quite pragmatic.  When I dream up a romantic comedy I'm dealing with the world of the ideal.  Romantic comedies are not supposed to mirror real life.   Neither "Sleepless in Seattle," nor "When Harry Met Sally" mirror real life.  Not at all.  I mean in real life would you end up with a guy like Billy Crystal?  Bullshit.  You got Dennis Quaid, and now you're on to John Cougar Mellancamp.

"Hey clown, STOP monkeying around in MY personal life.  I'm perfection.  You should be so lucky to be on the same planet I'm on."

Yes, Meg, I do feel blessed to be on the same planet you're on.  And yes your movies have made an impact in my life.  You see every time I watch your movies I get to daydream a bit what it would be like to court a girl such as yourself.

"I knew it, you're a pervert!"

Not at all, Meg.  Why if I was in the same room as you, I'd probably never even work up the courage to say anything to you.  And I certainly wouldn't stalk you, or go out my way in the least to embarrass you. 

...

Okay, looks like Meg's left the building again.  Like I was saying earlier.  It's time for me to get back on the horse again.  Tomorrow I'm going to start writing again.  Two hours is the goal for Sunday.  One hour every day thoughtout the week is the goal.

My mom really wants me to get back into writing that epic fantasy, Lord-of-the-Rings-eque novel which started this whole writing nonsense thing I started about 18 years ago. 

"What?  I thought you were a finisher, E.C.  I thought once you stared a project you saw it all the way though."

I am a finisher, Meg.  I am a finisher.  And someday I will do just as I've purposed in my heart to do; finish that novel and convert it into a two part movie.  The whole reason I switched gears in the first place was because I kept hearing from people in the book business that publishers wanted novelists to self-publish and get a track record of sales BEFORE they would be willing to publish the book of an undiscovered talent who lacks a pubic and an established platform. 

"Sounds like a lot of excuses to me."

Not really, Meg.  You see when I set the epic fantasy novel aside, I had the idea for my first spec. script, which is entitled "Give It Up for Chimpy."  Post-Chimpy I never thought I write anything as good as "Give It Up for Chimpy" turned out, but God has blessed my mind.  He has given me the stories and the time to write others.  "Revenge of the Fat Chicks" is an EXCELLENT teenage comedy -- and it has a poignant message in too.

"O, so you're one of THOSE kind of writers."

Well, if by that you mean someone who tries to provide an inner story with a theme that makes the audience think, you'd be right Meg.  That's me.  I write smart, sophisticated stories that are geared to entertain masses at different levels. 

And I'll never change.   I can't see myself ever writing a dumb story just to break in.  There are enough bad movies out there.  And I will NEVER subscribe to the mind-set of writing stories that are in-step with society just to say, "I did it. I finally got a story of mine to show on the big screen."

I write the ideal.  I write with the intention of shaping and changing culture.  I want to see a better America.  And that doesn't come by writing the next installment of "Bevis and Butthead." 

Dare to be an original.  Have a voice.  Have a take.  And NEVER let someone dictate to you what you should write.  

"Strong words coming from a 42-year-old man who's still living at home with mommy and daddy."

Hey, that luxury gives me more time to write.  And I was very bad at living alone.  Man isn't made to be alone all the time.  Maybe this doesn't register with you, or with other people I come in contact with.  But I hate being lonely.  Writers are by nature introverts.  But even introverts need people in their lives.  I just wish I could find people I could relate to, and connect with.  Meg, you'll never know the heartache I've experienced.  But if you continue to read this blog, you'll get to know me better and I won't be such an enigma to people such as yourself. 

The truth of the matter is, Meg Ryan, is that I want stars like you to shine forever.  And at some point in my life I want to be one giving you stories and lines to read.  So be patient with me, honey.  I'm not as creepy as you think.  Get to know me and who knows, maybe you'll even like me.

"In your dreams, E.C.  In your dreams."

That's why I write, Meg.  'Cuz in my stories, I get to live out some of my dreams. 

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

The Best Romantic Movie I ever Seen: "The Notebook" (2004)

Y'know sometimes you find hidden suprises in the video store.  For some time I've thought about renting "The Notebook" (2004), but I kept passing it by.  FINALLY on Sunday night I got arround to watching this movie.  Soooo glad I did.  "The Notebook" (2004) is the best romantic movie I've ever watched.  Better than "Sleepless in Seattle."  WAAAYYY better. 

The love story between Alley (Rachel McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling) totally works.  Totally carries the movie.  Just watching these two  pour their hearts into their roles is a treat.  And the secondary character, Alley's mother, really adds some kick to the story late.  She's the antagonisnt in the romance.  BUT she has an ACT III reveal that really works and accents the story beautifully. 

Rachel McAdam's "Alley" is the embodyment of the kind of lively, passionate girl every guy wants to settle down with.  Her performace really pops.  Rachel McAdam's isn't the prettiest girl in the pumpkin patch.  I'd still rather go with Meg Ryan.  But gosh in this movie, her passion is undeniable.  As a guy you want a girl like Rachel McAdam's Alley. 

Ryan Gossling is a total stud.  And later in ACT II when he's separated from his beloved Alley, some of the facial he gives with the war widow he's sexual consoling, are just brilliant.  What he can do with his sad eyes speaks volumes of where his character is at.  And his brilliant performance in ACT II really gets you in the audience to pull for the guy. 

And the outter story of the older Noah (played by James Garner) consoling his dimensia wracked wife are moving too.  The end of the movie with them dieing in each other's arms is beautiful.  No, I didn't cry.  But, yes, it was moving. 

I spent all day at work today thinking about this movie.  You see a GOOD movie, will do just that; it will make you think.  And a GOOD romance movie will get you thinking about your own romances.  And gosh, my takeaway from this movie was personally quite profound.    I learned so many things in thinking about Alley and Noah's romance, and how they loved each other that will impact me for the rest of my life.

LESSON #1) Guys need to be the agressor in romantic relationships.  Noah pursued Alley relentlessly from the get-go.  He refused to let her ignore him, and pushed her to give him a chance and let him take her out.

THAT challeged me deeply.  You see as I think back over my failures in romance.  That's a key area where I've failed misserably; I never persued the girls I really liked.  Most of the time if I really like a girl, I gave her the cold shoulder.  Thinking by being coy, and (hopeful) that she was currious about me would make the first move.  BIG MISTAKE. 

Noah taught me that guys are the ones who are supposed to be the pursuers.  They need to push the envelope.  They need to make their intentions clear, and leave no doubt that they are interested in the object of their affections. 

I'm a romantic dumb fuck.  There's no other suitable explaination for how I've behaved in my life up to this point, other than to come to the conclusion that I'm a romantic dumb fuck.  Even if you fail to impress the girl, you've got to try. 

Guys are meant to be the agressors in romantic love.  Girls are meant to be the princesses.  You can't expect them to make the first move.  You need make the first move.  Coy guy in waiting, is a guy who is doomed to spend his life alone.  By God's grace I have been priveledged to come in  contact with some great women .  Women who could have changed the trajectory of my life.  But because I never had the balls to act on what I felt, I missed out and will never know what could have been. 

Right now their is a caulderon of sadness and regret for all the lost opportunities I've had with women.  And what's worse the older you get, the less women you come in contact with that inspire romantic thoughts.  That's just a cold, hard fact, man. 

Lesson # 2) In Romance the grass is never greener on the other side. When you find that girl who makes your heart flutter -- don't accept 2nd best, don't look for fulfillment outside the girl who won your interests in the first place.  Be content with one woman.  That's right George Clooney, I'm thinking about you, buddy.  How can you go from girl to girl?  Brad, how could you lose Jennifer Aniston?   What a fuck-up, dude.  Angelina Jolie?!  Dude, you had the ultimate princess and you traded her in for what? 

Hollywood romances aren't the way to go.  No, you want one girl.  One special girl.  And when you find her you gaurd her as the pupil of your eye.  The grass isn't greener on the other side.  Fooling arround only jeapordizes and cheepens your one true love.  True love and remaining faithful, trumps second best.  

Post "Notebook" I'm left with the dilemma of whether or not one can find a special relationship later in life.  Or is it a window of time, say 12 - 26, then after that forget it pal! 

Ah, the crushing blow of not having connected with your sweetheart in your youth. 

You see the older you get, the more cynical you get.  It's inevitable.  Hence the harder it is to love, and love unandonned. 

Well-p, it's getting late.  Think I'll save this post and work on it again tomorrow.  Think I'll post it now, BUT this post will be editted and added to tomorrow.  Let's just chalk this first draft of a post as "RAW E.C."  Do you like "raw" E.C?  Well-p this is the stuff in my heart right now; for better or for worse...

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

P.S. Just this last week I visited a restaurant and saw a girl from my past.  I was suprised to see her working there.  And when I verified who she was, I turned arround and walked out -- before an awkard conversation could break-out. 

At one point I made a play on this girl.  She rejected me.  This girl is very pretty, but emotionally I don't think I could ever connect with her.  Besides all that I know for a fact she has at least one child, and I believe married another guy.  Whether or not she's still married I don't know. 

One of the strange coninsidences is the fact that this girl is the closest thing to Rachel McAdamms's "Alley" I've ever met.  This girl from my past is very lively, personable, confident.  Still, it's weird how in one breath I'm pouring out an emotional post, then later God brings me back into contact with an old love interest.   Sometimes it's hard to live up to the ideals in your head.  I guess at some point I've got to go back to this restaurant and try to see this girl again.  Just say "hi" and small talk it up.  I think this is a growth opportunity for me.   Romantic baby-steps, if you will.

E.C. Henry's pick for best rom-com of 2011:

On Saturday night I watched what I THINK is the best rom-com of 2011, and that would be "Something Borrowed".  I also liked "Crazy, Stupid, Love" but not nearly as much as "Something Borrowed."

SPOILER ALERT: Everything in this post will be discussed on an open level, best experienced if you've already seen "Something Borrowed" for yourself.  And if you haven't already seen this movie get off your ass and go rent it.  It's worth a viewing.  Trust me.  E.C. Henry has good taste in movies.  I he likes it, there's something of merit in it.  

Now I don't think "Something Borrowed"is overly funny, OR romantic -- and it certainly doesn't crack my top-10 of all-time rom-com favorites.  BUT this does work on a key level.   A level all great rom-com should touch you -- a personal level!.  And these days few rom-coms go for the audience's personal investment like "Something Borrowed" does.

WTF, EC?  (You may be thinking) You're not making sense.   I'm afraid I'm too shallow to follow along.

Okay, Simpleton, I'll try to help you understand the deeper things of film as pertains to evaluating and enjoying a romantic comedy. 

The key attraction of "Something Borrowed" is getting it right with the guy or girl you deeply love, BUT missed on earlier chances to take it to the romance level.  THAT'S the deeper appeal.  The universal, "I can relate to that situation."   Not really high concept.  Rather it's an emotional hook; the central romance is supposed to kindle feelings in the audience of similar romantic feelings they've had, or have seen played in some level in the circle of their lives.

And gosh, that Ginnifer Goodwin is easy on the eyes!!!

O, shit, I mentioned another actress in a rom-com.  I hope Meg Ryan doesn't get wind of this.  I don't wanna suffer her wrath again.  I do love you, Meg.  It's just THIS GIRL is special.  I'm talkin' a kind of Sanda Bulluck of "While You Were Sleeping" kind of special -- at least in this movie any way.  And why if Ginnifer Goodwin was an ice cream flavor at Baskin Robins, you know I'd be havin' two scoups o' dat!

While I was watching "Something Borrowed" a real hopeful revelation came to me: you can have passive protagonists and still have a viable, good romantic comedy.  You see Gennifer Goodwin's Rachel and her love interest, Dex (Colling Egglesfield) are about as passive a romantic pairing as your ever going to see.  Rachel's the shy girl in waiting.  Dex is the rich guy from money, who stands to fall out favor with his parents should he decided to break-off his engagement to Darcy (Kate Hudson).  Dex is certainly eye candy for the girls, but he is also indecisive and passive. 

Neither of these two leads drive the plot forward.  RATHER that task falls on the shoulders of Rachel's best friend, Darcy, the free spirit. 

The strange thing about this movie, "Something Borrowed" is that all through it you're expecting Kate Hudson's Darcy to deliver all the laughs.  But that never happens.  Sure their are parallel's to Kate Hudson's "Andie Anderson" from "How To Loose A Guy in 10 Days" but Darcy is different.  Less sophisticated.  More of a tramp. 

The real laughs come from John Krasinki's "Ethan's" lines in this movie.  He makes a great male buddy for Rachel to soundboard off.  I LOVE John Krasinski.   Wish I could get him to play Brandon Little in my own screwball comedy I've penned which is entitled "Give It Up for Chimpy", but I digress...

Another thing I really liked about "Something Borrowed" was its twist ending.  This movie didn't end the way I thought it would.  It's last second reveals worked on me.  Darcy's twist...  Ethan's secret love...  It worked.  Same can't be said for the Dex character.  Dex almost singlehandedly torpedoes this movie.   Truly one of the worst, stagnant, main romantic leads I can ever remember watching on screen.   Dude may look good, but he's boring as fuck.  The screenwriters needed to give Dex more life.  Of all the characters in this story his was the worst -- by far -- AND he's the main romantic lead!

So there's hope for me, friends.  You see I have a tendency to write passive protagonists.  Good people.  People you can relate too.  THEN it's other outside elements that push the plot forward.  Other people are doing it too.  I'm not alone.  Whew, I feel better.

Anyway I think "Something Borrowed" is the best romantic comedy of 2011.  But it you share a different opinion, please, by all means feel free to post a comment.  

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

P.S. On a personal level my room is being redone by my overbearing mother.  She insists on putting in wood floors and painting the place.  I picked out the color, treasure chest.  Can you believe they a color called that! 

P.S.S. I was making good progress on my dark, urban drama until my parents kicked me out of my room for renovations.  Got derailed last week by a cold and being relocated to the loft.  But I'm back on my computer again.  And hopefully later this week I can pick where I left off and get the ball rolling again.  That's the life of a pre-pro writer.  You gotta keep going.  Dust yourself off, and get back to writing. 

I'll talk to you again soon.  My goal of doing 2 posts a week is still there.  AND I hope to improve this blog's look some time in the near future.  So keep coming back.  Read my posts.  Get to know me.  Get to love me.  And hey, you never know when Meg Ryan will make another guest appearance.   That's always a plus ;-)