The Uncomfortable Lightness Of Being - Charlie Tries to Relax

Writer and director Jeffrey Gerein writes about the inspiration for Charlie's third outing.



Stress can be a powerful motivator... sometimes in the most unexpected ways.

‘Charlie tries to relax’ was based on some very true events. Aside from the obvious punch line of the audio tape being turned into a last day on the job fiasco, I was quite bemused by some of the things people say during these ‘relaxing’ guided meditation CD’s.

I had been having some trouble sleeping, I’m still in University dealing with many courses, papers, research, trying to get paying jobs and writing a great deal of screenplays. As such, I was a little stressed, so I turned to late night guided meditation for the sleepily troubled. The first few times it worked wonders, simple exercises of breathing was enough to help me relax enough to get to the point of sleeping, usually after four hours with only one or two before I had to get up in the first place. But I gradually got my internal clock back under control.

I tried a few, and most had some pretty obscure ways of making you feel relaxed.

In one I was consistently being reminded that I was very safe, that no harm could come to me, and that I was loved, very loved. At one point the author of this particular CD informed me that I was able to transcend space, and time. At which point I opened my eyes somewhat confusedly, he then went on to say that I was an all powerful, inter-dimensional being. I smiled and rolled up in my snuggie and enjoyed the rest of this illusion.

That was, in all honesty, what inspired the episode. My colleagues giggled a bit as we discussed the crazy scenario, what sorts of things the person could say and then finally the concept of having a employer/employee spat on the CD. A special thanks to my good friend David Proulx who left for Thailand the other day to start his new life abroad, and as well to the lovely Kyla Murphey who provided the voice of the disgruntled Susan.

p.s. I don’t actually have a snuggie, I turned my housecoat inside out, something tells me that it’s not quite the same.