Category: Thoughts

Happy Star Wars day. The original film, released in 1977, was nominated for Best Picture. But lost to Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall”. It seems likely that more people have seen Episode IV than Allen and Keaton’s romance, though it was still quite popular. It also had small appearances by young Sigorney Weaver and Jeff Goldblum, so check it out just for that!

It’s hard to think that something like “Star Wars” could be made today, but the talent in the filmmaking community is no less that it was then. Who knows what could be coming from the imaginations of young filmmakers everywhere.

I did some work a couple of weeks back, and had a conversation that echoed a conversation from not long before that. It was regarding effective communication skills.

Communicating is basically conveying a message, and ensuring that the message is received adequately. Now, we all think we know how to communicate. But I’ve found that the latter half of the communication matrix – namely, ensured understanding – is often times overlooked.

If a supervisor tells someone something multiple times and it doesn’t get accomplished, too often the supervisor will raise their voice, shout, take “corrective action”, or just let the employee go. Without any indication as to whether the instruction was understood.

Sometimes, no further inquiry is needed. The employee ignored or was incapable of following the instructions. But there are many times when the instruction isn’t understood. In that instance, the fault isn’t with the employee, but with the supervisor.

While I spoke about it in regards to the workplace, any relationship can have failed communication. The ensured understanding is just as important as the meaning in the message, and more often than not, that’s where communication falls apart.

In a sort of trade-off for not creating, I have been attending a number of screenings. I’ll likely share some write-ups I’ve done for films here, though I can’t ever guarantee anything when it comes to writing.

Spending a goodly chunk of time at the Atlanta Film Festival this week. Panels, meet-ups, and films. It’s a good use of my days, at this stage in the game.

Come Monday, though, back to the regular grind.

It’s been a struggle to remain consistent. With anything. The past few months (or nine, if we’re being honest) have been a period of adjustment for me. Adjusting to Atlanta. Adjusting to job inconsistency within my industry. Adjusting to a smaller apartment, and a growing social circle, and increased requests for me to assist with projects.

I have told some of those closest to me that I am selfish with my time, so that I can make room for creating. Even still, I’m just not getting the work done.

Here, we try to start yet again. And plan to make time to write, create, and nurture others’ creative projects that I am in a position to help with.

The day can fly by unceremoniously, without notice at times. If you didn’t take control at the onset, it can leave you with nothing to show for it.

Leave time to create. Better yet, make time.

You’re the only one who can.

When one lacks focus, even the best of intentions can become muddled. And focus, like most things, can be developed.

It starts with paying attention.

I think this can be hard for many of us. There’s so much that presses in. And during this week, I notice just how much time I lose.

So, that’s a start. Seeing where time goes. And figuring out how to reclaim just a bit of it.

The balance.

“Everyone has a plan till they get punched in the mouth.” – Mike Tyson

Try as we might, something will go wrong. How we deal with it is more important that what actually happens.

Stick with it. Keep a positive outlook. And don’t give up.

When figuring out what needs doing, you first have to figure out what you’re already working on. Peter Drucker once said,” what gets measured, gets managed”. And if you’re going to rework your life from the ground up, measuring as many aspects as possible is going to be very important.

Since I’m starting from scratch, the next step is to take stock. So, as I’ve done numerous times in the past, I’m taking everything that I can, and putting it in an “inbox”.

In David Allen’s Getting Things Done, it’s listed as one of the first steps in becoming more productive.

So, it’s a good next step.