A strange and unusual update from your neighborhood downer, who says unequivocally: "Screw depression!"

There is immense satisfaction to be had in good music. There is a hard rock band named Dead Poetic that I discovered more than a year ago, and I thought they could be far better than they were. I longed to give this band a chance because of their name, but they screamed far too much.

Well, their second album came out earlier this month. I decided to test it out, since I liked the single. I have an uncompromising report to give: they rock. I am going to buy this album at the earliest opportunity.

In matters of other interest, I have begun writing a play. To be perfectly honest, poetry doesn't always cut it. I find myself breaking into new forms of storytelling, now that I have more resources on hand: my films are becoming bigger, more ambitious projects; I have written a novel; I am forced into either complete innovation or dire repetition with my current poetry. The way to keep your art alive is to avoid the same patterns, the same expressions--you will notice I do not say anything regarding style. Style and flavor is an excellent thing to have, a signature. However, having a style does not entail repeating one's works over and over.

Thus, I am writing a play. I wrote the first scene yesterday night, and was impressed with the characters. Naturally, they are not fully fleshed out yet, but two of them have already taken on their own lives in my head, which means that the writing begins to do the work itself, and skates along more effortlessly.

Isn't it grand?