Category Archives: general

February 21, 2011 · 7:29 am

It’s Late: A Blog of Exhaustion That I Hoped Was Delirium

It’s only 11:18pm but it feels much later and I guess that means that I’d either working hard or getting old.

It’s probably a combination of both.

I found a new blue pen.  I lost one of my blue pens and it wasn’t a great pen, but I have a real co plex about losing things even if they suck.  I once search for over two years (for real, that’s not hyperbole) for a tool kit that I had every reason to believe was thrown away.  I did find it, by the way.  It was in storage.  So I lost this crappy blue pen and it torqued me, but I found a new blue pen and it’s better than the pen I lost, so I guess that’s a decent trade!

I’m re-writing my D&D character sheet tonight on high caliber paper because the old sheet is old and starting to wear through.  I’m hoping the new paper, a card stock, will hold up a little bit better.

Rene’s birthday is tomorrow (Monday the 21st) so I hope you’ll wish her a happy birthday on her Twitter Feed.  Here’s a picture from her in the show “The Book f Liz” at The Costa Mesa Playhouse:

To bed!

See you tomorrow!

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February 6, 2011 · 9:23 pm

Super Bowl Sunday for a Non-Super Bowl Guy

You know what a guy like me does with a Sunday where a major sporting event keeps most kinds of business from getting done?  You do all the other stuff you’d usually ignore while you’re working.  Today will be all about cleaning, laundry, washing the dog, organization, tax prep and God knows what else I’ll have time for.

Is that too personal?  Maybe, but I’m really enjoying having the time to myself.

Not sure what picture to use, maybe this one:

See you tomorrow!

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January 13, 2011 · 8:59 am

Perspective

I was listening to my podcasts in the car, as I’m want to do, enjoying Matt Fraction, the current writer of “The Invincible Iron Man”, on Word Balloon hosted by John Siuntres.  The interview was mostly comics and pop culture, but Mr. Fraction mentioned something while talking about… geez, I don’t even remember the subject, but that’s not the important part… he said, “when you realize nothing matters you realize everything matters.”  It’s a very simple way to say that we are a very small part of this universe with a very short time in it.  In the end our actions have very little effect in the overall result of all things, but for that reason, if for no other reason, we should take advantage of all the time that we have to do the things that we are driven to do and enjoy that time to the highest degree.

I think that’s a good thing.

Unfortunately I’ve now run into a bit of a problem since I remember I started this post with a larger point and now I can’t seem to articulate it.  I’m blaming it on exhaustion and calling it a night.

See you tomorrow!

P.S. The Venus statue above is made of white chocolate.

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December 31, 2010 · 2:58 am

The Most Important Part of Sundance 2011 – The Sundance Beard

I’m growing a beard, but not just any beard A SUNDANCE BEARD!

Why a beard for Sundance?  It’s a bit of a story, see I grow facial hair like a sixteen year old girl.  Fer reel!  I’ve tried on a few different occasions to see what I’d look like with some kind of mustache or beard, lots of guys do, and every time it has ended in failure.  Sure the hair grows, but not in a full, lush way like on Burt Reynolds instead it looks like Shaggy from Scooby Doo.  My Dad has a full beard and has had one since his early twenties so I manage to trick myself into thinking that eventually I’ll be able to grow one too, but with every attempt no dice.

Then came November 2010.  I had not shaved for a week and had a bit of fuzz on my face.  As I was getting ready to shave I thought, “Sundance is coming up and my face freezes every year.  Other guys have beards, I bet that helps.”  The light bulb dinged.  I decided then that it was time to attempt to grow a Sundance beard!  I forgot to mark the day that I stopped shaving, since I stopped before I made the decision, but I’m pretty sure it’s been about five weeks.  I look like this as of today:

There’s some trimming that I should do and it could stand to grow in a bit more, but I’ve got about three more weeks before the festival and my hopes are high that I’ll have a manly beard in time for the snow.

Of course if I have an audition between now and then it has to go – but I’m pushing for a Sundance debut!

The beard might live Tweet from the festival.  No promises, but maybe.

See you tomorrow!

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Filed under general, projects, sundance '11

December 28, 2010 · 8:33 pm

It Is December 28th – This Is Not A Top Ten List!

It’s the end of the year and after a long rest over the last two days I’m starting to feel recharged and ready to attack the new year!  I am shamed to say that I tried getting started yesterday on stuff, but after Rene’s head shot shoot and a few phone calls I was completely exhausted (the remains of my cold may have contributed as well but I hate to admit when I’m sick.)

This morning I woke up ready to attack the world and I looked like this:

OK, that picture is mildly posed, but I think you catch my drift.

In other news, working on the documentary has led me to watch some strange reality T.V. – some as research and some just because I didn’t change the channel fast enough.  Right now I’m watching “Hoarders: Buried Alive” on TLC.  I’m completely fascinated.  These stories don’t seem like they could be real, but they are and it’s shocking to see how out of control things can get.

I’m going to go now, things to do.

See you tomorrow! 

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Filed under business, general, making movies

December 30, 2009 · 7:00 pm

End of the Year Blog

This is a fun little year end questionnaire that I stole from the lovely Rene Bordelon which she stole from another blogger who stole it from another blogger and I imagine it will be stolen from me as well.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
I saw the redwoods.  24 years in California and I had never been.  There are things you don’t realize will impress you until you visit them and nature regularly does that to me.  I’m not a camping guy and I consider myself a city-boy but when you’re looking at ancient trees that are as tall as buildings it affects you.  It was a reality check too.  I had heard of the General Sherman tree before, but seeing it was at first a bit disappointing (I imagined it being as large as the Empire State Building – like I said I’m a city-boy) but then seeing a branch that had fallen off of the General that was 50 feet tall… It was mind blowing.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next this year?
I don’t make them.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Uh, yeah.  Rene’s friend Karen had a baby boy, my friend Darcy had a baby girl, my friend Liz had a girl and my sister had her second boy!  And that’s just counting people in the state.  My cousin had her first boy… actually I think there were two cousins who had kids this year?  One of my students.  There were lots of kids.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, but there were quite a few deaths.

5. What countries did you visit?
I didn’t leave the country this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Money.  Money for films.  Money for me.  Money in general.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 23rd, the day we got confirmation that the initial funding fell through  for “Cheerleaders Must Die!”  But it also started the process that has allowed the project to grow into something much bigger than we originally planned, so it’s a mixed bag.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
New, effective business relationships.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Well, there was no funding for any film projects this year.  That sucked.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
A minor case of swine flu and the wimpiest case of strep throat ever.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I don’t buy things, I have debt to pay, but I was able to get Rene an HD Flip cam for her documentary, and that was pretty cool.

12. Where did most of your money go?
Debt, food, debt.

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Work!  When I was actually working it was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!  Sundance was GREAT!  Christmas was GREAT!  And being with Rene and Frankie!

14. What song will always remind you of 2009?
I know it’s a Lady Gaga song, “Paparazzi”, “Poker Face” or “Bad Romance.”

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
Happier
b) thinner or fatter?
Heavier but more fit.
c) richer or poorer?
Much, much poorer in finances and much richer in relationships.

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Found more financing.

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Sitting around wondering what to do.

18. How did you spend Christmas?
Spent Christmas Eve with Rene’s family and spent Christmas day with mine. All was good.

19. Did you fall in love in 2009?
No. I was already in love and stayed that way.

20. What was your favorite TV program?
Doctor Who, what there was of it, Castle, Attack of the Show, V, Glee, and I feel like there’s more but I don’t remember.

21. What was the best book you read?
This year I didn’t complete a single book.  It is sad.

22. What was your favorite film of this year?
If I’m picking one as my favorite then I choose “District 9”.

23. What did you do on your birthday?
I don’t remember!  Yikes!

24. What kept you sane?
I don’t know that anything did.

25. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I didn’t, but I have a high regard for Lady Gaga and how she does her stuff.

26. Who did you miss?
No one, I hit everyone I aimed at.

Doesn’t seem like much of a year once you write it down.  It wasn’t a bad year, but it wasn’t exceptional either.  I’m looking forward to 2010.

See you tomorrow!

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Filed under general, year in review

December 28, 2009 · 7:09 pm

Mid-Holiday Lull

It’s that weird time between Christmas and New Years where it’s still kind of a holiday, but it’s also a half-assed work week.  I let myself sleep in this morning and then hopped right to work as soon as I work up (ah, the benefits of working from home) but, while there are a few “busy work” assignments that need to get done, there isn’t all that much that I can be proactive about on the bigger projects.  It’s a bit frustrating, but relieving at the same time, there’s only so much that can get done and, as long as I do those things, I really can’t be mad at myself.

What is this lull like for you?  I bet you folks in retail have no slow points in the immediate future!  And what about regular business?  Is this a wasted week?  Leave a comment about your lull time – I’d like to know.

See you tomorrow!

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Filed under general, holidays, work

December 27, 2009 · 12:03 am

December: I may not have been writing, but I was active!

Hey y’all, it’s December 26th and I have been a poor blogger, but I’m not going to waste space complaining about that.  Instead I’m going to wax on about other stuff. 

For example December was SHOCKINGLY BUSY!!!  I can be counted on to be a bit of an exaggerator, it’s a specialty of mine, but I was truly caught off guard by how much activity December tried to contain, and the holidays did nothing to slow it down!  I did a play this month, a Christmas show titled “Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart, But The Very Next Day You Said You Were Gay” for Theater Out in Santa Ana, CA.  I played the only straight guy in the show.  It has been a Christmas tradition for Theatre Out for three years and the show is really funny and a lot of fun!  With any luck it will run again next year!

Business-wise there’s been a lot going on – the hunt for film funding never ends and there have been a lot of in roads made… that I can’t actually talk about until they are finalized.  It’s a bit like the space program, for every successful launch there have to be 100 failures.  The good news is we’re running out of ways to fail, 2010 is looking good.

The holidays, including both Thanksgiving and Christmas were wonderful – quick but wonderful.  Christmas in particular had the same feel to it that the Christmases of the past used to have.  I was a very giddy adult this year and it has set me up really well for the new year.

Now I’m going to go eat and then Rene and I have some stuff to shoot – YouTube stardom here we come!

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Filed under general, update

November 11, 2009 · 7:00 pm

Random Facts(?)


Here is a list of random facts(?) that I got in my email. These are supposed to be the stories behind how the referenced phrases came into being. The reason there is a (?) is because I have not taken the time to verify any of this, but I think the stories are good and, to paraphrase an old John Ford movie, if the legend is good you print the legend. See you tomorrow!

They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & sold to the tannery. If you had to do this to survive you were “Piss Poor,” but worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn’t even afford to buy a pot. They “didn’t have a pot to piss in” & were the lowest of the low.

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn’t just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500s:


Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell, brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the
babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the Bath water!”

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying “It’s raining cats and dogs.”

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That’s how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt… Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, “Dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way. Hence: a thresh hold.

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot.. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, “bring home the bacon.” They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus,someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer…

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Filed under general, history, random facts, rumor

November 2, 2009 · 7:00 pm

Uh Oh.


CNN just posted the “12 Most Annoying Facebookers”. Some of these sounded a bit too familiar. Look upon yourself! Are you, like me, guilty of at least ONE of these actions?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!!!?!?!!?!!?!?!!?!?!!? *Evil LOL’z

Here are 12 of the most annoying types of Facebook users:

The Let-Me-Tell-You-Every-Detail-of-My-Day Bore. “I’m waking up.” “I had Wheaties for breakfast.” “I’m bored at work.” “I’m stuck in traffic.” You’re kidding! How fascinating! No moment is too mundane for some people to broadcast unsolicited to the world. Just because you have 432 Facebook friends doesn’t mean we all want to know when you’re waiting for the bus.

The Self-Promoter. OK, so we’ve probably all posted at least once about some achievement. And sure, maybe your friends really do want to read the fascinating article you wrote about beet farming. But when almost EVERY update is a link to your blog, your poetry reading, your 10k results or your art show, you sound like a bragger or a self-centered careerist.

The Friend-Padder. The average Facebook user has 120 friends on the site. Schmoozers and social butterflies — you know, the ones who make lifelong pals on the subway — might reasonably have 300 or 400. But 1,000 “friends?” Unless you’re George Clooney or just won the lottery, no one has that many. That’s just showing off.

The Town Crier. “Michael Jackson is dead!!!” You heard it from me first! Me, and the 213,000 other people who all saw it on TMZ. These Matt Drudge wannabes are the reason many of us learn of breaking news not from TV or news sites but from online social networks. In their rush to trumpet the news, these people also spread rumors, half-truths and innuendo. No, Jeff Goldblum did not plunge to his death from a New Zealand cliff.

The TMIer. “Brad is heading to Walgreens to buy something for these pesky hemorrhoids.” Boundaries of privacy and decorum don’t seem to exist for these too-much-information updaters, who unabashedly offer up details about their sex lives, marital troubles and bodily functions. Thanks for sharing.

The Bad Grammarian. “So sad about Fara Fauset but Im so gladd its friday yippe”. Yes, I know the punctuation rules are different in the digital world. And, no, no one likes a spelling-Nazi schoolmarm. But you sound like a moron.

The Sympathy-Baiter. “Barbara is feeling sad today.” “Man, am I glad that’s over.” “Jim could really use some good news about now.” Like anglers hunting for fish, these sad sacks cast out their hooks — baited with vague tales of woe — in the hopes of landing concerned responses. Genuine bad news is one thing, but these manipulative posts are just pleas for attention.

The Lurker. The Peeping Toms of Facebook, these voyeurs are too cautious, or maybe too lazy, to update their status or write on your wall. But once in a while, you’ll be talking to them and they’ll mention something you posted, so you know they’re on your page, hiding in the shadows. It’s just a little creepy.

The Crank. These curmudgeons, like the trolls who spew hate in blog comments, never met something they couldn’t complain about. “Carl isn’t really that impressed with idiots who don’t realize how idiotic they are.” [Actual status update.] Keep spreading the love.

The Paparazzo. Ever visit your Facebook page and discover that someone’s posted a photo of you from last weekend’s party — a photo you didn’t authorize and haven’t even seen? You’d really rather not have to explain to your mom why you were leering like a drunken hyena and French-kissing a bottle of Jagermeister.

The Obscurist. “If not now then when?” “You’ll see…” “Grist for the mill.” “John is, small world.” “Dave thought he was immune, but no. No, he is not.” [Actual status updates, all.] Sorry, but you’re not being mysterious — just nonsensical.

The Chronic Inviter. “Support my cause. Sign my petition. Play Mafia Wars with me. Which ‘Star Trek’ character are you? Here are the ‘Top 5 cars I have personally owned.’ Here are ’25 Things About Me.’ Here’s a drink. What drink are you? We’re related! I took the ‘What President Are You?’ quiz and found out I’m Millard Fillmore! What president are you?”

I took out all the other commentary from the article because I didn’t care. It’s a slurry puff piece, but the “types” listed here – I know all these folks on FB, and you do too! And I can admit to being at least a few of them, and you probably can too! Now watch as you spend the rest of the day fitting all of your friends into one of these twelve arch-types!

See you tomorrow!

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