Portland Fun and Creative Boredom

I went to see Jeff Hoffman a couple weeks ago now. It was an amazing trip.
Simon picked me up around noon and we went back to his house. It was so good to blast Infected Mushroom in a car and be comfortable again. I'm still slightly uncomfortable with all of my friends here. It's probably because I don't have too many guy friends here and everyone is obsessed with whiny emo bands.
Anywho, so at his house we played some Halo 3 and listened to some music. Halo 3 is a very well made, theatrical game. I was impressed, good story and game play. So, we did that all night. In the morning, his mom made us eggs. I love eggs: real, honest-to-goodness eggs.
We took Mac (his little brother) over to his grandmothers. Mac walks now! He's an awesome little kid. When we finished that, his mom drove us up to Exeter to the Amtrak terminal.

We picked up our tickets at this machine in a small convenience store/diner. I love diners, theres something so cultural and human to them.
The train was neat. I'd never been on a train before. I enjoyed looking down the train seeing the cars sway... it looked like a camera/monitor loop.
Simon and I talked when we weren't listening to music. He made a neat point. The cities were built upon the train tracks. Now, we're all told this and understand it, but to visually pass all these towns and noticing how much more developed they are from the towns I've been to that aren't near the tracks. Thinking about stuff like that is cool.

We arrived at the station (yes a proper train station) and headed to find the bus. We did not know where we were going at all, just MECA (MainE College of Art). The bus pulled up in five minutes, and our train ticket stubs let us ride free, VERY APPRECIATED. He told us about the bridge that stands in place of a bridge called the "million dollar bridge" due to it's maintenance costs. He showed us things and places. We thanked him as we left.
Simon and I walked the streets for a few minutes, when he decided to call Jeff. It was one of those times when you call to find out where someone is, only to find them right in front of you. Big awesome man-hugs.

Jeff looked like he was doing really well for himself. We ate and conversed before he took us to his room. We swapped lots of music, played some Soul Caliber, went to the bathroom. We took a lot of silly photobooth pictures on Jeff's Macbook. Theres just something so silly about making pompadours.

Portland has so much beautiful graffiti. In the elevator of his dorm there was a little face that would peek out of the sliding door when it closed inside. There was one building whose entire face was covered with urban art. There were red buildings on a black sky, an explosion, V for Vendetta inspired Guy Fawkes masks and lots of words (which i didnt take the time to try and read). Too bad I don't have better pictures.

Jeff showed us around town. I gave us some groovy walking music with the huge headphones Simon made for me. Jeff missed my music taste I'm sure. We went to art galleries, coffee shops, record stores, even this amazing vintage clothing store.
There were so many neat hats there, but sadly they were all too small for my head. Hoffa picked up this great corduroy jacket that fit him perfectly. I saw a brown leather jacket that looked a million dollars on me, but it was too short. The sleeves were tight. Too bad, I thought it looked amazing, but you don't spend money on something that doesn't fit.
We ate twice during the trip at this place called Portland Pie Co. It was really good pizza, quality pie. We had pepperoni with 3 cheese, sweet barbeque chicked with bacon, and Spicy buffalo chicken (not all at once). I will never forget such food. *chuckle*
I got to wish Emma a happy birthday. She seemed ecstatic.
Heading home, I took us down to catch the 7:10 bus because I knew we'd miss it. Waiting for the 7:30 bus, we got a little worried, and my keen eye spotted a cab with the cab phone number on the side. We were calling for the taxi, just as the bus pulled up. We made it to Exeter safe and sound. Simon's uncle drove us back to Simon's and it was way too late to drive me home so we hit the hay.
In the morning, I went home to see my little sister. My dad offered to drive me back to school, which wasn't a bad idea seeing how tired Simon looked.

We basically just had a guy's weekend, which is something we had far and few between, but something we needed real badly.

***

So lately I've been really tired, in the morning I find it hard to get out of bed. My dreams are like comfy blankets. This is a real annoyance, because I like to get up early and get my day going.
Also, I've been getting that creative bug. I've been writing or feeling like I need to film/write and I haven't. That changes now.
I've decided to cut back on TV shows, Video Games, Music, and a couple other things. I need to think when I'm bored. I have to stop blotting out my thoughts with escapism. Sensory overload. Al these things aren't bad, but too much is too much. Especially my music. Its on when I'm at my computer, its on when I'm walking with my iPod, in class I get songs stuck in my head. Boredom is important. Up until high school, my most creative things were made when I was bored.
I feel very unaccomplished when it comes to making movies. I plan and plan and plan. I get the camera, I write and revise the script, but I hardly ever go and film it.

I made tons of Lego films. I am proud of what I could do back then, but it's a little painful to watch now, as with all childhood film clips.
I worked on things with Nick Pascoal. I am extremely proud of what I made with him. Such creativity, comedic improvisation, and vision. This man is a visionary genious that brings out the creative best in me.
I did one scene of Theta, and didn't have the script with me... so it's not so much mysterious as confusing.
I filmed a scene of Rose Colored Blue, but I haven't edited it yet, and I'm not sure how it will compare to what was in my head.
I did lots of silly things with Noah. those I am proud of.
I've made and edited countless school projects, I am very proud of that work.
Now is the time I need to go out and find my film. Something I can do now, with everyday events, and believable characters.

I need to relax. I need to stop being so melodramatic. I need to allow myself to be bored. Boredom is more valuable than I ever anticipated.