Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 144

Why I write

Because these characters wouldn't be born otherwise.

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 9, 2021

This business is alternately exhilarating and disheartening.  Every time I set aside an idea or a script, I can’t help thinking back to Dark Matter and how I spent years developing those characters, their respective backstories and arcs, with no guarantee that they would ever come alive for anyone else besides me.  And I consider the fact that I sat with those characters for over seven years before I got the opportunity to share them with the rest of the world, seven long years peppered with countless instances where I doubted the process.  Not the characters or the story but the process that stacks the odds against you regardless of how hard you work or how great your script or concept.  And so I remind myself that if it happened with Dark Matter, it can happen with TimEscape or Northern Gothic or Fronted or the handful of other projects filled with exceptionally colorful, infinitely lovable characters I’m just dying to share with you.  There’s no giving up.  Just setting aside for the time being until that window of opportunity presents itself.

Speaking of great characters – check out actor Anthony Lemke (Dark Matter’s THREE) as he sits down with amazing author Bruce McLellan (The Powder Mage Trilogy).  A wonderful conversation between these two…

This week on Page Break my guest is actor @ranthonylemke! I ask for advice on how to read a pilot script, and we chat about insecurity, the actor's relationship with script writer, and planning your life as a creative. Give it a listen! https://t.co/bLhtaY5Du5 pic.twitter.com/eXuASoVde3

— Brian McClellan (@BrianTMcClellan) November 9, 2021

Today’s Yes/No…

Pecan Pie Doughnuts? Yes/No
Krispy Kreme will offer pecan pie doughnuts and more this Thanksgiving season https://t.co/4Vk4zKpALn

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 9, 2021

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Trek to Koreatown!

With the end of Daylight Savings Time, now, instead of waking up at 6:00 a.m., Akemi is waking up at 5:00 a.m., thus ensuing that instead of waking me up at 6:00 a.m., she is waking me up at 5:00 a.m.  Suji, meanwhile, is not a fan and doesn’t understand why her meals and bedtime are an hour later.  I’ve tried explaining to no avail.

To make the most of what will probably be the last nice warm day before the cold descends on us like a blanket of frost locusts, Akemi and I made the 40 minute trek to Koreatown for shopping – and lunch.

All in all a fine meal, but going out for Korean in Toronto REALLY makes me miss Vancouver’s Korean restaurants.

After lunch, we walked over to a little shop that makes Korean treats like – Akemi’s favorite – hodo kwaja (walnut cakes), chun buying (Korean senbei), madeleines, and – my favorite – hotteok (brown sugar-stuffed pancakes).  Akemi picked up a pack of 30 hodo kwaja.

Then, we stopped by my favorite mochi donut place where I ordered two of the day’s specials: the haupia donut (which I loved but Akemi found too sweet), and the Okinawa mochi with ube (that Akemi loved but I found not sweet enough).

Whooo-be!

Then, on our way home, we happened by a tiny place called Oni Guy that offers onigiri and spam musubi.  Akemi couldn’t resist and ended up getting three: the white miso salmon, the soy-braised pork, and the wakame tofu.  They will be tonight’s dinner.

And that was pretty much my day.  Since I was up so early, I put the time to good use by doing a rewrite on a pilot that has garnered a lot of interest over the years but has just never managed to make it over the finish line.  I’m hoping this polish will make the difference.

Got some notes on that SF comedy pitch I’ve been working on.  I plan to jump on that next and, once done…

I have to beat out the story for that near-future SF pilot.  It’s part of a two script deal I signed last year, the first script being that SF-Kpop series I’m impatiently awaiting word on.

Today’s Yes/No…

Purple Seoul Beef Burger? Yes/No
Burger King Indonesia Concocts a New "Purple Seoul" Menu https://t.co/YMm5nemKIB King Indonesia Concocts a New "Purple Seoul" Menu

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 8, 2021

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November 7, 2021: Suji Sunday!

Fall is upon us!

Nibbler!

Melty sleepy.

She’s a  dog who enjoys a good egg yolk…

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hi. I'm Sujiすじ子 (@newoldpugsuji)

 

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You’re Blocked!

Although I maintain a fairly accessible social media presence here on this blog, over on reddit, but especially on twitter (P.S. If you’re looking to get in touch with me via linkedin or Facebook, you may be waiting a long time for a response), I’ve adopted a new approach to online interactions.  Namely, the liberal use of the block function.  In the past, I used to be very reluctant to block people as I felt that I somehow owed it to everyone to hear them out, regardless of how negative or offensive their opinions.  But sometime, early this year, I reached a point of no return and decided that Life’s Too Short.  So I started blocking.  And once I started, I couldn’t stop.  I started block people who were rude, those who were disrespectful, those who insisted on arguing past the point the discussion had ended.  Then, I started blocking people I found objectionable for other reasons, be it coarseness, general incivility, or the simple fact that they were proving annoying.  As time went on, I expanded my circle of blockness and found myself visiting trending topics to zero in on offense commenters I could block.  By and large, they were individuals who didn’t follow me and, in reality, would probably never come across one of my tweets – but it made me feel good knowing I had completely excised the possibility of any future interactions from my timeline.  It’s a cathartic process I find myself going back to on a daily basis, blocking an average of 50 accounts a day since early March, usually political pundits and know-it-alls from extreme sides of the political spectrum.  And even though I try to be even-handed and block with equal measure, sometimes it can’t be helped.

Finally, to paraphrase Homer Simpson: “Although I wasn’t able to block everyone I wanted to, I have blocked a lot of you. Wendell is blocked. Rudy is blocked. Janey, you’re gone. Steven, I like your hustle. That’s why it was so hard to block you. Congratulations, the rest of you made the team! Except you, you and you.”

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November 5, 2021: End of Week Blog Extravaganza!

Hitting the gum with Donna Darko.

My left shoulder issues remain, thus eliminating push-ups and dips from my morning routine, but I was back to full running on the treadmill now that my back strain has cleared.  I’m reminded of the time Akemi and I were in a Japanese restaurant and an elderly customer got up to put on his overshoes, lost his balance, and slow-fell down to a sitting position.  The nearby waiter rushed over to help him up and, as the man got to his feet, he muttered: “Getting old is the boot.”.  He was right!

Today’s Yes/No…

Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Latte? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/niPkoYPVkO

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 5, 2021

From the Stargate: SG-1 (Season 6!) vault c/o Production Designer James Robbins…

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November 4, 2021: Fall is Upon Us!

Fall is upon us!  I celebrated today by painfully donning five layers of clothing (I shit you not) so that I could take the 30 minute walk to physio where I painfully shed the five layers so that they could work on my bad shoulder.  Akemi, of course, accompanied me to ensure my safety.  We then returned home for a seasonal matcha eggnog and pistachio chocolates – as is the tradition.

Brings us to today’s Yes/No…

Lay's Sweet & Sour Rose Potato Chips? Yes/No pic.twitter.com/Tqck6prb7c

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 4, 2021

News of note…

Bless his perfomatively virtuous, short-sighted heart.  Unfortunate for those who actual need energy to survive.  Prices of everything are going to get a might spicy.

Also on the economic front…

Remember – only hedge funds and politicians can trade in suspect equities.

Hey, join the #365DaysOfStartage celebration on twitter.  1 episode a day for 365 days!

On 27/07/2021, StargateSG1's 24th birthday, we started our #365DaysofStargate campaign to celebrate Brad Wright's Stargate & show Amazon our desire for more IN-CANON Stargate.
1 ep a day for 365 days.

100 down, 265 to go!
Thank you for taking part!
Keep it up!#WeWantStargate pic.twitter.com/djjx4ay1cY

— Stargate Now Europe (@StargateNow_EU) November 4, 2021

Speaking of Stargate…

Little stop motion preview… pic.twitter.com/bdIK4tgMx7

— Starbrick_SG1 (@Daltema5) November 4, 2021

Okay, off to do an extended deep dive into Artificial Intelligence for my next pilot!

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November 3, 2021: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Jennifer Blood #2 – cover art by Leirix Li

Jennifer Blood #2 – cover art by Jung-Geun Yoon

Primfdial #2 – cover art by Andrea Sorrentino

The Silver Coin #6 – cover art by Michael Walsh

Sheena: Queen of the Jungle #1 – cover art by Rose Besch

Star Wars #18 – cover art by Carlo Pagulayan

Winter Guard #3 – cover art by Phil Noto

X-Men Legends #8 – cover art by Scott Williams

American Vampire: 1976 – cover art by Rafael Albuquerque

Batman #116 – cover art by Jorge Molina

Batman/Superman/The Authority Special #1 – cover art by Rodolfo Migliari

Crush & Lobo #6 – cover art by Nicole Goux

Daphne Byrne – cover art by Piotr Jablonski

Justice League Incarnate #1 – cover art by Jorge Fornes

The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox #4 – cover art by Chip Zdarsky

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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November 2, 2021: Meanwhile, on the home front…

Damnit.  I didn’t get around to watching any horror movies today.  Instead, I spent my afternoon focused on something far scarier – the stock market.

Nog season is upon us!  It may seem pricey, but remember…this is in Canadian dollars which converts to about thirty-five cents USD.

On Sunday, while visiting our local farmer’s market, we came across a guy selling eight different types of garlic.  So, of course, we had to buy them all.  And, of course, Akemi had to roast them all.  And, of course, I had to sample them all.  A terrific line-up through and through, but I think the Persian was my favorite.

Well, this is weird…

Guys, I'm freaking out!
The face of Saint Francis of Assisi miraculously appeared in my pre-omelet! pic.twitter.com/MmnNg91TiH

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 2, 2021

 

Meanwhile on the home front…

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November 1, 2021: Time for a horrorific wind-down?

Yatta!  Delivered the second draft of the Powder Mage pilot today incorporating the great feedback I received from author Brian McClellan and my fellow producers.  One more pass and we’ll be set to go.  Very excited about this one.  It’s a hell of a lot of fun.  You’re going to love it.

As I await word on my other projects, I find myself with a rare window of opportunity.  Actual downtime!  While I really should start rolling into research for that 30’s era feature I’ve had rattling around in my head for over a year now, I’m thinking of taking some time off with a horror movie.

Please help me choose from among the following…

Decisions, decisions…

Today’s Yes/No…

100 Layer Lasagna? Yes/No https://t.co/KhsujQZe7V

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 1, 2021

 

 

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October 31, 2021: Suji Sunday!

Settling down for her afternoon couch nap.

The pre-walk check-out.  Looking good!

Mid-massage.

In our matching sweaters.

Carpet run…

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