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[ This post was written the last week of the fall semester. ]

It’s the holiday season and time to let loose. Oh yeah! We actually have an excuse to abandon all those things that stifle us as responsible adults and embrace this magic time of year.

However we sometimes slip into bad habits. For example, have you ever gotten a text or voice mail and then over-analyzed it? What did he or she MEAN by that wink?! Why did they reply with “lol?” I didn’t make a joke. We do it all the time. But we’re more prone when we don’t have the voices of classmates and professors keeping us focused. We go on vacation and then regress.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking I hate vacations. Well nothing could be further from the truth. I love vacations. But I hate regressing. That stifling stuff I talked about earlier is really the discipline we call upon to overcome mental obstacles. It’s us building our skill set. But we all need a break, right? Tell me…what do I do? How do I decompress and still keep the momentum going that I built over the semester?

Here’s an idea. Plan accordingly.

Do you like that answer? I’m pretty fond of it. It’s pithy. And it’s a good idea. I’d like to plan the break so I remain sufficiently stimulated. So what should I do?

I’ll observe. Think about it. Lights, colors, holiday bliss all around. There is a story in there somewhere. This is when defining memories are formed. Like when I was nine, and we went to visit my Grandma for Christmas and forgot all the ornaments. That year they were all homemade. Construction paper chains, popcorn necklaces, and candy cane ornaments. Had I known then that I’d become a director I would have sketched a storyboard of the whole event. But real stories are happening all around.

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I’ll do a little location scouting. Why not? I don’t care that I’m not shooting. It’s nice to have an idea of what places are visually stimulating…and cheap. Looking now only helps.

And if I’m scouting why not go ahead and just shoot something. Keep the creative juices flowing and put the lessons to practice. I don’t have to use the vast amounts of equipment provided by Columbia. I’ve got a phone. I can edit on my computer. If not, I can save it and edit at the lab when I get back. Heck, they even have camera phone film festivals and 48hrs movie competitions. No better chance to practice.

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At the end of the day (or the break) the idea is to have ideas at your finger tips ready to be explored. But we can do this every day. Give yourself a friendly challenge; be aware of your surroundings in your personal life and monitor it carefully. Then when you write or direct, layer your stories with meaning in every way that you can. After all, isn’t that the point. And the good part is that at the end, the story can mean anything you want. Go nuts.