2014 To-Do List Extravaganza!

Really?  Is it that time again?  Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and he wants you to make a daunting, perhaps impossible, list of New Year's resolutions and/or tasks to be completed in the coming year.

Well.  It's Christmas Eve, and I am taking this lovely and relaxing down time to make my list for my my now-annual "not really resolutions per se, but a massive to-do list of mostly writing tasks which need to be completed in the next 12 months".

But as always, I have to review what headway (if any) I made on last year's list.  So let's begin there.

Here's a link to last year's list.  Then we'll address each of them one by one (cuz you care and cuz I have nothing better to do).

http://klugula.blogspot.com/2012/12/2013-to-do-list-extravaganza.html

1)  Complete first draft of A. FAMILY PORTRAIT.

          This happened.  Believe it or not.  COMPLETE.

2)  Complete first reading of A. FAMILY PORTRAIT (which means I'll need more than the first draft!)

          This is in the process.  It has been discussed.  A venue has been found and I am discussing actors w/ my friend, Ms. Baker, who has agreed to help out.  ALSO, I have completed a SECOND draft on this piece.  So there's that.  However:  INCOMPLETE.

3)  A. FAMILY PORTRAIT--query letters

          INCOMPLETE.

4)  A. FAMILY PORTRAIT--5 festival/competitions

          INCOMPLETE.

5)  FRENCH TOAST--one more festival

          INCOMPLETE.  But frankly not very concerned on this one.  That project has officially been put to bed.

6)  first draft of CLARE, THIS IS JULIA

          INCOMPLETE.  However, I did do some outlining and brainstorming on this one throughout the year.  

7)  first draft of HE MUST SMELL MY DOG

          INCOMPLETE.  Based on the non-work I did on this piece, it would seem as though it had never existed in my brain to begin with.

8)  first draft of FURNISH

          COMPLETE.  Not only the FIRST draft, but an adt'l THREE drafts have been accomplished.  In addition, this has been entered into 2 competitions, and a very few query letters have been sent.  Nice.

9)  first draft of U.L.I.F.T.B

          INCOMPLETE.  A taddy bit of brainstorming, but that's it.

10)  NMM website COMPLETELY updated

         I'm gonna mark this as a COMPLETE.  It's been worked and re-worked to death.  There's always room for upgrades and changes, so this will be an ongoing project...forever and ever.  I will not add this to another list again.  The site's up, it's moving and as far as I'm concerned, it's done.

11) 53 ZOMBIE MOODS--shot

          INCOMPLETE.  Don't get me started on the utter failure I throw in my face each and every day.  Time, life and drama have all kept this project's completion at bay.

12) 53 ZOMBIE MOODS--website COMPLETELY updated

          INCOMPLETE.

13) LINDSAY'S LOCKER--protected

          COMPLETE.

14) LINDSAY'S LOCKER--2 festival/competitions

          INCOMPLETE.  

15) HOUSE UP THE STREET--fleshed-out outline

          INCOMPLETE.  Not so much as a looky-loo on this project this year.  Well, that's not necessarily true.  I think I typed up a couple of short stories from eons ago, and placed them on this blog...a small step toward this project.  However, certainly not a "fleshed-out outline" as was required.

16) SID'S APPLE--new draft

          INCOMPLETE.  But, on this, as with FRENCH TOAST, I've retired it.  I see no further need to work on this, when other new projects require my attention.  So not feeling guilt on this one.

17) TISLYS--3 festivals/competitions

          COMPLETE.  And, of the three we entered, we received two "placements".  One "Finalist" and one  "Quarter-finalist".  Not to shabby!

18) READY TO GO--complete sound design

          INCOMPLETE.  Can't get anything done on this project.  But I'm not ready to retire it.  Perhaps this year, but I am not placing it on my list for 2014.  Other projects take priority.  But one day.  One day.

19) READY TO GO--3 festivals

          INCOMPLETE.  See #18.

and finally--

20) Travel!  Very little travel done this year, and I am missing it.  This year, we change that!

          I'm giving this a big fat INCOMPLETE.  Other than a quick weekend to Vegas somewhere in the first half of the year, I went nowhere.  Must remedy that, but quick!

There you have it, folks.  Out of my massive list of 20 to-do's from last year, I completed only FIVE.  Not great.  However, for my own piece of mind, and to show that I'm not a total loser, I must point out the other accomplishments of the year, which surely took away time from my original list.  I completed THREE drafts of a feature spec script called SILVER SPOON with my friend Jarrod...and that began in June, so that was a pretty good turn-around.  I completed three drafts of a one hour drama pilot with my friend Aaron...just since September...as well as lots of brainstorming for future episodes.  So, even though I didn't hit some of the stuff from last year's list, I'd like to think I had a reason.  Take the projects as they come.  I also worked on other random pieces, which have yet to reach any kind of useful milestone.  There.  That's the wrap-up.  Let's look ahead to the days of 2014.

2014 To-Do List Extravaganza

1) Third draft of A. FAMILY PORTRAIT (prior to reading)

2) Reading for A. FAMILY PORTRAIT

3) Fourth draft of A. FAMILY PORTRAIT (post reading)

4) Entry of A. FAMILY PORTRAIT in to minimum of 3 festival/competitions AND The Nicholls Fellowship

5) Complete THE 53 ZOMBIE MOODS: A BOOK FOR YOUR COFFEE TABLE (all parts still outstanding)

6) First draft of CLARE, THIS IS JULIA

7) Second draft of CLARE, THIS IS JULIA

8) Third draft of CLARE, THIS IS JULIA

9) Reading for CLARE, THIS IS JULIA

10) Completed second episode of STRUCTURE

11) Completed third episode of STRUCTURE

12) Complete outline for season one of STRUCTURE

13) Complete outline for ULIFTB

14) First draft of LOTTO

15) LINDSAY'S LOCKER -- to two festival/competitions

16) Fourth draft of SILVER SPOON

17) FURNISH -- to three adt'l festival/competitions

18) Write, produce a short film (a few different options -- and of course this is 800 separate steps, but okay)

19) Produce trailer for TONIGHT I SHALL LEASE YOUR SOUL

20) Take a long-ass (and much needed) vacation! 

Let's get back to this list in a few short weeks (about 53--since I'm penning this blog early!).  See where we are at that time.

I wish you all wonderful 2014's, and raging success on your own resolutions or your "To-Do List Extravaganza"!

2014.  I'm gonna kick your ass!