Dialogue Diamonds: The Finder

I come across lines of dialogue on a regular basis and have found myself wanting to "collect" them. I'm not sure why - I'm not much of a collector of anything, except books and dust. But when I read or hear a line of dialogue that strikes me, I want to remember it because I feel like I've just uncovered a rare gem. So I've decided this blog will be a great place to share these little dialogue diamonds - and maybe you'll feel compelled to share some of your favorites with us, too.

A disclaimer - these dialogue diamonds I share may not be deep or profound or extraordinary. But for whatever reason, they caught my attention, and that's enough for me.

Today's diamond is from a short-lived but delightful TV series, The Finder, starring Geoff Stults, that's currently available on Netflix.

In this particular episode, someone had committed suicide, and Stults' character, Walter, says,

"I can think of at least 10 people I'd kill before I killed myself."

I laughed when he said it, and it's still cracking me up this morning.

Do you have a favorite line of dialogue? Care to share?

UPDATE: We finished watching THE FINDER, and were very disappointed in the final episode, which seemed more like the writers were angry and getting revenge, rather than tidying up a story line. So viewer beware - the end is rather disturbing.

Speaking Truth is Not Always Popular

Decades ago, a counselor taught me about the importance of speaking truth in love. Over the years, I've pondered this many times and have learned some important lessons.

When we speak the truth, people tend to react one of three ways:

1. they accept what we're saying and, if necessary, take any necessary actions; 
2. they deny what we're saying, sometimes by a flat-out denial, sometimes by avoidance of the issue or avoidance of the person speaking truth;
3. they justify their version of the truth in an attempt to make you think the truth you speak isn't correct. 

When we speak truth, even when doing it with the utmost love and respect, it may still hurt.

When we speak the truth in love, it sometimes makes us an outcast - folks don't want to hear the truth, so they avoid people who speak it.

People want honesty - until they don't. They want honesty, until it forces them to face the truth about themselves, their situation, or their loved ones.

Sometimes I feel like God has made me the way I am so that I can speak truth to people. I don't like it at times - most of the time, in fact. Not because I don't want to speak truth, but because I don't want to cause pain or trouble. And most of the time, when I feel God nudging me to speak the truth to someone about something - I know it's going to cause pain for that person and strife between us in the relationship.

I recently found myself in a difficult situation. In a group setting, I became aware of some things that weren't very positive. Instead of speaking out and causing problems for those involved - and those I care about, I bottled my emotions inside, and when bedtime rolled around, I was so bottled up, I couldn't sleep. But I continued to keep my mouth shut the next day as things continued to happen. When everyone had gone on their merry way, I finally had a discussion with someone, alerting them to what was happening. The tension was palpable, and my speaking the truth in love was not received very well.

But I said what had to be said.

Speaking the truth is not always easy.

"We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." ~ Ephesians 4:14-16 (NASB)

Uniquely You

My hubby and I like to watch some reality shows. (I know they're the bane of a writer's existence, so my apologies if I offend anyone.)

If you watch enough reality TV, you pick up on patterns from season to season with the cast members: the hunky one, the bombshell, the geeky one, the awkward one, etc.

Recently, I commented that one particular cast member was quite an odd duck. Hubby made a silly comment, which made me re-examine my words, and something struck home.

We all are made to be unique and original, yet culture lumps us into categories just like casting does on these reality shows. I don't like cookie-cutter houses or cookie-cutter cars - why would I like cookie-cutter people?

I realized I don't. My family and friends are all unique and different, in their own special way. And I love them for their uniqueness. I tend to pull for the unique and different on the reality shows, too. (Tim always roots for the cowboy!)

I'm unique and different too - I'm one of those "quite odd ducks." Sometimes, it's hard to like myself because of those oddities.

Over the years, I've tried to embrace my uniqueness, but today, I recognized that I haven't been lately. As I'm getting older, I'm harder on myself than ever - and I need to stop.

We need to embrace our uniqueness - let our lights shine from within. Be weird. Be creative. Be you. And I'll be me. The best me I know how to be.

Update, Refresh, Restart

Whew! These last three years have flown by. When I entered grad school, I "planned" to blog my journey here, sharing books and insights as I earned my MFA in screenwriting.

But life had other plans for me, and the blog sat idle.

I'm now in the final stretches of my degree - the end is finally in sight. I've completed all my class work and am currently working on my final portfolio. This project lasts for two semesters - this first semester I must write and defend the proposal, then next semester I must write and defend my script, and will graduate in December of this year.

The proposal defense is scheduled less than a month away, and I've set a personal deadline to have it written by the end of next week so there will be time for edits and rewrites before turning it in to the committee overseeing my project.

As busy as that sounds, I feel my time isn't as crunched as it has been for the past 7 years, since I started the whole back-to-school journey. I seem to now have the time to create - time to think - time to write, and it feels freeing.

Summer is a great time to start something new, don't you think? Have you started something new lately? Feel free to share with us!