Carly Milne

"You're right. There are limits to my realism. Goodbye, Counselor."

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:47:34 -0800

So it's come to this: I've decided it's time to end the blog.

"Well, darling, you have just sort of abandoned me in this sort of wilderness of potential greatness and fabulousness, haven't you?"

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:30:06 -0800

Is this thing still on?

Yeah, so. Things got kind of busy for a while there... and still are, to be honest. I find I'm spending most of my time writing for people who pay me - which, obviously, is yay - or writing passion projects that will eventually pay me. And then there's Twitter, which is highly unlikely to pay me, but functions as my virtual water cooler. However, I don't want to entirely neglect the blog... so here's some random thoughts on the last month or so:

"Serena has food poisoning. She's too sick to come to your play date."

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 05:58:15 -0800

So India was pretty cool until I got food poisoning.

"I wrote little haiku poems. I emailed them to everyone."

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:42:20 -0800

I'd share with you the intimate details of my camping trip, but I'm distraught to report that there is really nothing to report. Anything that was hilarious was largely a "You Had To Be There" moment, but truth be told, the vast majority of my time was spent sitting and watching. What? Wilderness, mostly, until it was night time, at which point I watched the fire and the stars (which, theoretically, could also count as wilderness. Apparently I still have the brain drain.) I experienced a full-scale shut-down of my senses and lost most of my ability to socialize, choosing instead to stare off into space as my brain worked out such complex equations as, "Hungry, or not?" I'm quite proud to report I didn't wind up having any kind of neurological disorder associated with removing myself from my computer and Crackberry. (That said, I was gone for all of two days. Hardly a Herculean feat, but whatever, I'll count it as a victory. Go me!)

My brain is in somewhat of a melty state, as I've had to jump into hardcore work and prep mode before I take off on an adventure toward the end of this week, which leads into another adventure. Both are experiences I've been wanting to have for, like, at least my whole life. And so I figure the best way to express my excitement over the next two and a half weeks of activity is to share it in haiku:

"The 80s didn't come to Canada til like '93."

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:35:16 -0800

And so it's Canada Day. I don't usually trot out a homeland-specific blog on Canada Day, but this being Update Wednesday and all, I figure why not? Plus, this one marks a milestone for me, 'cause it was 10 years ago today that I celebrated my last Canada Day in Canada. And that fucking blows my mind. I can't believe it's been 10 years since I left... and I can't believe how much has happened in those 10 years! But that's a post for late August. Tonight, I'd rather share five things I both adore and cherish about my homeland:

"I suggest you focus your energy into achieving closure on this matter."

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:19:03 -0800

Warning: long-winded woo woo entry ahead.

"Here I am all depressed, when I'm surrounded by the happiest people in the world, writers."

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:29:58 -0800

Ooh, squeaking this one in under the wire.

I'm gonna be honest and tell you I really don't know what to write about today, because my life as of late has been the following: hike, write, eat, sleep, lather, rinse, repeat. Thankfully there were some social moments in there, or else I probably would've come completely unhinged. Actually, I think this past weekend taught me why a lot of creatives develop substance abuse problems. Spending that much time in your head writing about emotionally ugly things can really screw with you, and yet can create some of the best material.

"The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me."

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:39:10 -0800

Alright, so here's the deal, in case I haven't made it clear: I'm kind of working on a career change. I say "kind of" because it's still writing - that's never going to change. Writing is like breathing to me - not doing it would make zero sense (and, duh, would kill me.) So maybe I should say that I'm looking to change genres from journalism to film and TV.

Can I just say that this is equal parts shit-your-pants terrifying and scream-your-guts-out exhilarating?

"In their resting state, our actives are as innocent and vulnerable as children. We call it the tabula rasa, the blank slate. Now imagine the imprint process filling it. Creating a new personality, a friend, a lover, a... confidante in a sea of enemies. "

Wed, 27 May 2009 21:58:45 -0800

I decided this morning that I need to take a mini-vacation. The reason for this is simple: in the past month I have written more than I ever thought I was capable of in a 30-day period, to the point where I ran myself down enough to get another round on that cold (for those keeping track at home, this is round three.) And despite that, I still kept working. Fast forward to this morning when I tallied up how much work I've been doing (and how little I've been sleeping), multiplied by the amount of mucous my head has been creating, and I figured it might be wise to take a little leisure time.

There's just one problem - I really suck at this.

"I kinda always knew I'd end up your ex-girlfriend."

Wed, 20 May 2009 18:30:01 -0800

One of the things I promised myself when I decided to start blogging in earnest again was that I should write about the things I think I shouldn't write about. And this is one of those things.

I've been having dreams about my ex-boyfriend.

"So then I said, 'In that frame of reference the perihelion of Mercury would have preceded in the opposite direction.'"

Wed, 13 May 2009 22:53:28 -0800

So I'm sitting here knowing it's Update Wednesday, as I've decided to call it, and I'm drawing a total blank. I was up to the wee hours of the morning working my fingers to the bone, and while it was incredibly productive and fruitful, my brain very meanly woke me at 8:30 and insisted I get on with my day. And I've done so quite successfully, but the upshot is I'm feeling a wee bit brain dead. I just can't pull the all-nighters like I used to (oh, pitiful whine! Being a grown up is so hard! Whatevs, it's fun.)

So. What to write about. Oh, I know: a tale of girl getawaying and the joys of Mercury Retrograde!

"I'm writing a paper with soul. It's got lots of soul."

Wed, 06 May 2009 18:58:15 -0800

As an answer to the economic downturn (and, selfishly, my own concern over not being social enough when I essentially work in a vacuum), I contacted some of my favorite female colleagues and friends for what one has termed a Freelancer's Cabal. It's fitting, really. We each bring a dish (or a bottle of wine) and sup, then chat about our work, share contacts, solve gripes, what have you.

At last week's Cabal we didn't do anything overly constructive (on purpose, anyway - one of us had a rad breakthrough on some writer's block), but we did discuss what each of our work days are like. As one put it, "It really helps me to know what it's like for you guys to work versus what it's like for me to work, because I already know what it's like for me to work." This prompted one colleague/friend and I to exchange glances, as just the day before we'd discussed how much we enjoyed having the opportunity to work in our ginch, or - if it's particularly swelteringly hot - naked.

"If you have a one-night stand with a guy and don't get a case of the clap, you consider it a success."

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:19:43 -0800

Dudes. Can we be honest with one another? Although you might say otherwise to your fellow dudes, admit it: being coupled up isn't such a bad thing. But if, in between relationships, a good one-nighter comes your way, that's cool too, right? Problem is, some of you lose your minds somewhere between the bar and the bedroom. So I figure maybe it would help if you had some tips to offer some helpful hints. (Understand that this in no way comes from personal experience, of course. I just... hear things, you know?

Oh, and it probably goes without saying, this is way NSFW. I'm gonna get crass up in here.)

"No other city ever made me glad except New York, I love New York."

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:05:38 -0800

(Actually, I seriously adore L.A. to the ends of this earth, but I couldn't not quote Madge for this.)

I'm in New York while I write this, greatly enjoying the silence that has followed an evening of catching up with friends (and making new ones - Brian, I'm looking in your direction...) So while I'm technically late on my deadline, it's only 10 in California... so I'm still keeping up on my promise! But because I'm up so late on a school night - and one where I have meetings in the morning and afternoon - I feel it necessary to keep it short. Why? Because I've been up since 4am.

"Somehow he has cobbled together a random assortment of other brain waves into a working mind."

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:33:27 -0800

Okay, it's time for Random Thoughts Wednesday! (I don't think there's a trademark on that, right?)