Happy Holiday

Today is Memorial Day in the US. It's technically a holiday for me, but since both my bosses are out and I have no idea if this is also a holiday for me, I am--alas--working.

Though obviously not as hard as I should since I am blogging.

It should be noted though that I am getting more emails and even a phone call today, which was deferred to voicemail since I am supposed to be "on vacation" along with the rest of the citizens.

Oh well.

I just found out that Memorial Day in the US is similar to "All Soul's Day" here in the Philippines. This is a new thing, because I always thought that Memorial Day was a Veteran associated event. Kind of like a war thing. Guess not.

I did some studying tonight regarding "my craft" and got a headache again in writing. I think I need a vacation, but I really do know that I'm just thinking too much.

I think it's because while my movie was pegged as "horror" it really is just "fantasy", thus my muse is rearing her (ugly?) head due to this false identification.

One of the advice that i've been handed down with was that I should first start with a genre. Sure you can get creative if you want to, but later. Right now, you want to be pigeonholed and stereotyped. Let them label you and remember you.

Uh-huh. Got that.

When I came out of the Tagaytay Workshops, I was labeled as a "horror writer" and since it's the "in" thing right now I got a nod over that.

But the thing is...I don't think I am a horror writer. At least, not in the Asian sense, which is the current trend. I think I can do it, I think I can come up with a story on that, but I don't think it's something I'm comfortable with.

I think I do fantasy better. Ray Bradbury stuff.

The funny thing is, a lot of people praise stuff like Scream for being absolutely brilliant. I remember after it came out that it resulted in a slew of slasher movies.

But for me, the real slasher movie is something Dario Argento would make. Sure, the film grade seems old, the narration is cheesy, but it's really fuck as scary.

You don't want to buy it when you first see it, but it's after you see it that you start getting scared.

Is there someone out there to get me? Is that tub of water safe? What happens behind me when I am not looking? What hides in the dark?

That's what horror is. And I think i'm just too much of a scaredy cat to make that.