A Man. And His Blog.

As you probably have noticed, I jumped from the edge of the world for quite a while. No, I am not dead, I didn’t have an accident, I am quite fine. The reason for my month-long absence was an unplanned break from everything, which turned out to be a nice personal experiment for me.

After I’ve finished writing an article for Quotenmeter.de, I instantly knew I needed a little break. With more than 20 reviews per week for this blog, plus the work for Quotenmeter.de, plus my real life and actual work, I figured out fast that I needed a little break to catch up with that damned real life. So, I turned off my laptop, I cut all my connections to the world (especially internet), and I let the real life hit me. And it hit me already a day earlier, when death was about to struck my family. I have experience with death among friends’ friends or family, so I know what to expect when a dear friend is experiencing a loss. Recently, a family member of mine died, and it was one of the reasons why I decided to cut the power and see the light of day. You all might now I’m a nerd, a geek, a TV junkie, and a guy who always hangs in front of his laptop, watching TV shows and movies, writes about it, and spends his time on Twitter all day long. After the bad news came from my sister, and after I’ve finished that one article, I decided to stop everything. Internet work, blogging, Twitter and stuff. Even though it means I will be completely gone, and no one knows if I’m fine or six feet under.

After a few days of so-called freedom (from the world wide web, and if I’m being honest, also from the tragic death in my family), it turned out to be an experiment. I didn’t miss my TV shows, I didn’t curse that I missed SPARTACUS, my already dear SMASH, or giving you my opinions of the fifth season of SUPERNATURAL. I didn’t miss reading about the entertainment business,  didn’t miss any news about pilot castings and greenlit new TV shows (or renewed shows, or cancelled shows). I considered myself a TV junkie, but I didn’t live through a withdrawal. I thought that it would hurt me a bit to not give you my opinions (whether you care about them and read them), but I didn’t waste any minute thinking about it. I thought it would be a problem to explain my absence from Quotenmeter.de, but I don’t even care what will happen in the future – maybe I continue writing for them, maybe not. When I figured out that this freedom (of the three W’s) could be an experiment for me, I decided I will be off for at least 30 days. And in the meantime, I could actually live life.

So, what happened? I grew closer to a couple of friends of mine, who also had some issues to fight. For me, those issues turned out to be visits to the psych ward of a hospital twice, as well as my new-found love for Slurpees (those extra-large ones from 7-Eleven). Also, I was able to find a second part-time job, which means I have more money in my pocket. That also made me realize that many Canadians (or maybe it’s just the case in Vancouver) have two or three jobs to get their life paid. I also read some unknown comics and graphic novels – some I liked (Electric Girl), some I disliked (Spell Checkers – what a mess in storytelling!). Also, I can put three more novels onto my list of “having read”, even though the second one turned out to be a horrific piece of flashback violation during the first 30 pages (which is why I haven’t continued after page 30). In addition, I started a little Sodium diet after reading something about it (with one of my friends telling me right away that Sodium is the way of fighting cancer), but I don’t know if I got some of my fat burned away already. In addition, I made some choices about my life. One of them was moving out of the Vancouver downtown area and finding a place in Surrey. The move hopefully happens in a month from now.

One reason for my trip abroad was finding out what I’m going to do with the rest of my life. Finding my niche, finding my “thing” to do, to make money with, to build a career if possible. I already knew I would probably turn out to be a screenwriter, but I also knew that I won’t get much, when I’m staying the amateur, reading all the blogs and articles about screenwriting, reading scripts. Talking about it all year long, but not doing anything about it. I decided I should take initiative, so I could step my feet into this business. Which basically means: school. Which means: I am planning my return trip, so I can plan to go back to school. Maybe I’m planning to settle in Los Angeles – the mecca of the business, as well as the place everybody is saying to go to and live, when you want to make it in the business. Learning from professionals about the screenwriting business, and somehow finding a way to finish some of my ideas into scripts and selling them, maybe even producing them myself. I know, it’s only a dream at this point, but without a rock-hard and solid plan, I will never get into the business.

I have also decided to do something about this blog. But I really don’t know what I’m going to do. I love TV, I love writing about it, and I love expressing my opinions. But will it be good for me, when I do this every day for around four hours, but can’t live from it? I had a long conversation with one of my friends, who sees life a bit differently than average people, and he made me realize that money is not the most important thing in the world. That working for somebody (or something – in my case, for television) isn’t even the most important thing in the world. As long as you are working for a boss, for somebody higher than you, you might not be able to find the fun in your work. He told me I’m doing the right thing: spending time watching television and creating my opinion for hours per day, without seeing something (to live from) from it. If you do something for fun, and just for yourself, you can have an awesome life. And don’t get me wrong here, I absolutely love TV and writing about it. But I also figured out that I can’t live like that for years. I figured for myself that I can’t do much in the business, when I’m letting my balls hang there and basically do nothing. Except write for myself and let fate decide the year for me. And to be honest, nothing really has happened. Of course, what should I expect after being in my fourth year of reviewing television? Some people (if not most of the current media bloggers in the US and Canada) probably needed as much time or more to get “out there”. Which is why I’m parting myself from the year-long schedule I have created, and will watch, write and post random again – as I did two years ago and after I started my episodic reviews in November 2010. That means, if I have something written, it goes up on this blog instantly, and does not have to wait until a specific day, because I’m so neat, planned and working around a schedule…

30 days of so-called freedom. I needed that. It made me appreciate some things about my life, what I have, what I don’t have, and what I want. It made me see the world around me for a while, and it made me understand facts of life. I’m 25 years old, and some would think I should have done that years ago. But with my way of life, I was only understanding and learning from it through the web. And TV. Now I have a different approach. And who knows, maybe that approach makes me sell my first screenplay in less than ten years, makes me sell my first TV show in less than 20 years? Sounds like dreams for most. Also for me. But now I have reasons to do something to make those dreams become real.

Do you know the story about Al Gore’s efforts to save the world? Do you know all the stories about climate warming, the thawing of the polar ice caps, the storms who shock the Earth, just because mother nature is sick of the upcoming, technological future? Well, I could write a book (and a second one, and a third one) about that topic, but since I am not wandered in things regarding climate and Al Gore, I have to start somewhere to save the Earth.

This post is dedicated to all my German readers, since KaufDa started a project back in 2009 called “My blog is carbon neutral”. Together with I Plant a Tree, KaufDa plants one tree for one blogger to neutralize the carbon emissions of the blogger’s blog – for 50 years!
According to a study by Alexander Wissner-Gross, PhD, physicist at Harvard University and environmental activist, an average website causes about 0.02g (0,0008 oz.) of carbon dioxide for each visit. So, starting today (or tomorrow) my blog will be carbon neutral, in addition there will be a tree planted somewhere in the Plumas National Forest in Northern California.
If you want to do the same and make your blog carbon neutral, just click on this link and follow the instructions. Be part of this project and save a tree. I promise, you will feel a bit better with doing a good deed for a change. And let’s be honest: Where would we be without a few trees here and there?
Oh, that reminds me of one day during 2009, where I planted three trees myself … But that is just a side note.

I am winking back to AlphaOrange (whose blog introduced me to this project), who found this project on Sir Donnerbolds Bagatellen, who found this project on Martins Blog, who found this project on klonblog.com. If somebody wants to keep this line of saving the nature alive, then go for a round of Al Gore.