Tag Archives: The Throwdowns

YMWW #20: The Ghosts of Writing Future and Past

About two weeks ago, my pathway to a possible writing career grew a bit longer; Cody from FLUX Hawaii magazine called with an assignment for the next print issue! Lisa the Publisher/Editor apparently liked my online trial assignment.  Of course, like I do with any assignment that has a deadline, I put this new one off until the last minute.  And any time I felt I should write another entry for this blog, I reminded myself that I should be writing the article instead.  So I worked on neither.  That’s what happens when you mix a good sense of priorities with procrastination.

I am still baby-stepping my way up to a prime assignment;  this current one is not a feature article but material for the “Green Environment” department.  Every issue showcases some new “green” living development in Hawaii and my subject was sustainableUH, an initiative created by a student-run sustainability group at UH called Help Us Bridge (HUB).  Basically, HUB want to convert the entire University of Hawaii system into a model of sustainability.  I’d go into more detail if I hadn’t just pulled a late-night writing session doing just that.  I guess you all just have to subscribe to FLUX Hawaii magazine and wait for the next issue!

Interviewing The Throwdowns for FLUX Hawaii magazine. Photo by Carrie Hasson.

It’s interesting how I “discovered” that I like to write after graduating from college.  It’s not like it was a new development; I took some writing classes in high school. . .

Dammit!

Alright, so that idea failed.  I was going to lead into the introduction to a new category tentatively titled “From the Vault” wherein I’d share with you writing samples from high school.  I had this grand idea to use those as fillers for the weeks I had nothing to write about, but I LOST THE FILES!  I must have missed the folder when transferring everything to my external hard drive.  (For the computer illiterate: I didn’t take my old writings from my old computer and put it in my new computer.)  Oh well, that will just have to wait until I either awaken the broken beast of what used to be my old laptop, or go home to Livermore and find the hard copies.

I was looking forward to sharing my old stuff with you partly because I thought it would be interesting change of pace, but mainly because it is tough to write about how content I am with everything.  Things are just going well and I don’t know how to write about that without feeling like I’m bragging.  My older posts were more frequent because I was homeless, hungry, and poor.  Now, I have the funds to eat, drink, and be merry.  I guess I have to throw more caution into the wind and see what happens.  Either that or I could start complaining about my love life on this blog, but I swore I’d never do that.

This entry started out as an explanation on how writing has always been a part of me and hopefully always will, but it has turned into an examination of the struggles of a non-struggling artist.  I guess the lesson of this entry is that things rarely go as planned.  Don’t let roadblocks stop you; instead, use them as stepping stones on a pathway to a new adventure.

Roxy model!

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YMWW #19: Side Projects

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Due partially to a busy schedule but mostly to a lack of computer, I was forced into a small hiatus from writing. But now, after acquiring some free time and a new laptop, I’m back. And, boy, do I have some things to share with you!

The Wedding Photographer

Over a month ago, I met an amateur photographer on a tiny island off Lanikai Beach. He asked if I could take a picture of him (because “photographers are never in their own photos”) and we started talking a bit. You know, general small talk nonsense. He asked me to take a look at his website and tell him what I thought. So I checked it out and, well, let’s just say it screamed “amateur.” And that’s sugarcoating it. I told him as nicely as possible that it was crap and suggested a new webpage designing site through which he could create a better website. I eventually helped him design it and, about a week later, found myself tabling at his booth at a wedding convention in Honolulu. Now, this guy has the motivation and the people skills—and the dough—to start a wedding photography business, but I think he’s a few photography classes short of making a real name for himself. With that said, I’m not sure if I will continue to help him with his business, but I at least got paid for my work at the convention!

The Artist

In the #17 blog entries, I related my experience of working on a week-long photo shoot set. Well, in an attempt to hunt down some payment for my effort, I eventually got into contact with the photographer Amit. After settling my payment, he offered me a part-time job helping him complete some art projects he’s been wanting to finish. Since I’d been doing almost nothing with my days but wait around the house until my shifts at Bubba Gump’s started, I happily agreed.
For the past few weeks, every free morning I have is spent in Amit’s house on Diamond Head Crater, doing one random art project or another. So far, I’ve put photographs into an album, sorted through and separated literally thousands of photographs, stenciled poems letter by letter onto fancy paper and photographs, used a typewriter to transcribe his poems onto fancy paper and photographs, and glued random images into a book. Sometimes the work is interesting, sometimes it’s tedious, but no matter what, it makes me feel productive, which is exactly what I was looking for. Also, I get paid $7 an hour in cash every week. You can’t argue extra income.

The Article

In an attempt to pursue my writing opportunities, I contacted FLUX Hawaii Magazine and expressed interest in writing for their magazine. That eventually led to an interview, after which nothing happened for a good while. Then, one day, I was deep into an art project at the Diamond Head house when I got a call from FLUX Hawaii’s Creative Director Cody Matsukawa. He offered me a trial assignment: to interview a band from Maui at their first headlining concert in Honolulu. The interview and concert review would be published on their website and, if they like the result, they’d offer me assignments for the actual magazine.

Well, here’s the article.

The assignment was amazing. I was kind of nervous doing my first ever interview, but as soon as I met The Throwdowns, it was fun as all hell. The magazine paid for my drinks, got me backstage to hang with the band, and gave me access to the VIP section to watch the concert.

I’m still waiting to hear back from Cody to see if this will lead to another assignments. Of course, as soon as I know, you’ll all be the first to hear about it!

The Grand Reveal

Not too much to write about this latest update because, well, you’ve read it all before. Literally.
Check this out: www.YoungManWentWest.com

Later days!

Jarah Mariano also apologizes for taking so long to see you again.

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