I think that perfectionism is a concept I'm trying to wrap my head around. Well, maybe not perfectionism, but imperfectionism. I'm not a perfectionist, but I set high high standards for myself. Some of which are probably not the most realistic expectations from someone suffering from imperfectionism. Which would be all of us. Because imperfectionism is part of being human. I'm trying to remember that and be kinder to myself. Burning out is no fun.

A final thought. Lately I have been getting even more frustrated at the way I see humanity treating each other. I truly believe that my job here on earth isn't to judge people, it's to love them. I'm working on it—I may not have an issue with loving some of the demographics that are often societally oppressed, but I sure do have a hard time loving people who hate. It's hard to love people who are apathetic. It's hard to love people who don't care. It's hard to love people who hate. I think that hate can be louder—not more powerful than love, but louder. Hate can be screamed but love is best communicated over a lifetime. The best way to teach love is through a life well lived. And sometimes that can be quieter. It can take longer. But we can live our lives well. We have the choice to live our lives with love. And that's a way we can change things. We can change people. We can change everything.

I spent the last four days up in the mountains with my favorite kind of people: film people. I attended a writer's retreat for BYU's Media Arts students—although technically referred to as a writer's conference, it was more of a conference for storytellers. Regardless of whatever process you study in filmmaking (like editing, sound, directing, screenwriting, cinematography, vfx, etc.), every single one of them is a form of storytelling.

What I think encapsulates this weekend, the program, the people, perfectly was the closing event of the retreat—a screening of the incredible film Ida, followed by a panel discussion with BYU's film faculty. I love the film program so much. I'm grateful to be a part of it every single day. Easier than trying to delineate all the reasons why that statement rings true to me would be using this screening of Ida to represent what the program is all about. More important than writing workshops or plot structure or accolades is a discussion about faith and doubt and love.

I think that that says it all.

I updated the header of this little online journal of mine to reflect the fact that I've always been 90 years old at heart and I love it. I've been so unbelievably busy lately but I have been trying to make time for the things that I love.