It's been almost two months since I posted. Yes, things have happened that have merited posting; I just haven't gotten around to it. Last night really warranted an entry.
I went to my first acing class.
There is a series of classes held at the Burt Reynolds and Friends Museum in Jupiter. I don't really know if "museum" is really what this place is; it's more like Burt's closet. It is a collection of all kinds of memorabilia and probably every award Burt has ever won.
In the midst of all this is a series of classes run by professional actors and teachers. Since this was my first "real" acting class I decided to start in the shallow end with a class which goes through the basics of "The Method" as taught by Sanford Meiser and Stella Adler. (Google them if you have no idea) I was nervous and slightly intimidated as about 10 other actors showed up. A few got on stage and talked about why they wanted to be an actor. Some of them had real experience, some had been through community theatre, a few students and one guy who just tried too hard.
I was called to the stage to do a repetition exercise. I was seated opposite another actor and we were told to simply repeat the same word or phrase the other person started back and forth over and over again. The purpose of the exercise is to get beyond the words of a script and to the real emotions and create a relationship between these two characters.
And we did.
We repeated the same words over and over again. First it was "tired" and then "stop". These two words turned into a tense scene between one person reaching out to another troubled person. I focused directly on the other person and completely forgot the other people were there. It was just him and me and the emotion between us the the reality of the moment got stronger.
It was amazing and it continues to affect me. All day today I was walking around rerunning the scene in my mind; imaging it going on longer and all the different angles I could have taken. Taking this class may have been one of the choices I have made recently. While I do like my 9 to 5 job I never find myself walking around thinking about it days later. I was in my element and it felt right.
As I said before, some things have been going on in the past two months and I will update you and keep up with my postings.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
My lack of posting in these first few weeks of 2008 does not mean nothing has been happening. I’ll catch you up.
The best story is a wet one. I woke up one Wednesday morning for work bright and early at 7AM. I stumbled to the bathroom and reached in to turn on the shower. In stead of the usual torrent all I got was a trickle.
This was not going to be good.
My mind raced through the possibilities of what could be the problem. Staying at Jason’s was my first experience dealing with well water but I knew enough to first check the breakers on the fuse box to make sure there hadn’t been some problem during the night. Everything there was OK.
Now…panic set in.
Since this was not my house no plumber or electrician or plumber would work on the house without Jason’s approval and with his being in California , contacting him could not happen until somewhere around noon so, effectively, my day at work was cancelled. Jason usually uses his cell phone, which has some very bad coverage where he is living, and was out exploring northern California every time I tired calling their house number. It wasn’t until late Thursday night that I was able to reach him. Arrangements were quickly made with the company name found on the pump hardware for a repairman to come by Friday.
This had made two days without running water. Dishes started petrifying in the sink and I used the pool as a reserviour to keep the toilet running; filling the tank by hand for each flush. Showers? Yes, I took showers through the generosity of my friends two doors down. I would wake up a half hour early to walk down to their house and use their shower. It was either that or use the pool, and since the pool wasn’t heated I wasn’t looking forward to the shrinkage; my testicles would have ended up somewhere around my throat.
The repairman showed up Friday and stood for a moment looking at the collection of tanks and pipes in the garage. Within moments he said, “You problem is the pump, that’s not our equipment.” I think he saw the panic in my eyes and quickly said, “Hold on a moment.”
He went to his truck and returned with a screwdriver. Within thirty seconds he bent over the equipment, found what he was looking for, took the screwdriver by the shaft, swung it and tapped the pump twice.
The pump sprang to life!
“You’re shitting me!” I swear I could hear the pump laughing at me.
The repairman too his scientifically designed and calibrated uber-screwdriver and drove off to save another mechanically inept person.
With my luck, if I had tried the same thing, the house would have flooded. With each shower I take now I am secure in the knowledge that if it happens again I can respond like Bob Villa with my own expertly calibrated screwdriver.
The best story is a wet one. I woke up one Wednesday morning for work bright and early at 7AM. I stumbled to the bathroom and reached in to turn on the shower. In stead of the usual torrent all I got was a trickle.
This was not going to be good.
My mind raced through the possibilities of what could be the problem. Staying at Jason’s was my first experience dealing with well water but I knew enough to first check the breakers on the fuse box to make sure there hadn’t been some problem during the night. Everything there was OK.
Now…panic set in.
Since this was not my house no plumber or electrician or plumber would work on the house without Jason’s approval and with his being in California , contacting him could not happen until somewhere around noon so, effectively, my day at work was cancelled. Jason usually uses his cell phone, which has some very bad coverage where he is living, and was out exploring northern California every time I tired calling their house number. It wasn’t until late Thursday night that I was able to reach him. Arrangements were quickly made with the company name found on the pump hardware for a repairman to come by Friday.
This had made two days without running water. Dishes started petrifying in the sink and I used the pool as a reserviour to keep the toilet running; filling the tank by hand for each flush. Showers? Yes, I took showers through the generosity of my friends two doors down. I would wake up a half hour early to walk down to their house and use their shower. It was either that or use the pool, and since the pool wasn’t heated I wasn’t looking forward to the shrinkage; my testicles would have ended up somewhere around my throat.
The repairman showed up Friday and stood for a moment looking at the collection of tanks and pipes in the garage. Within moments he said, “You problem is the pump, that’s not our equipment.” I think he saw the panic in my eyes and quickly said, “Hold on a moment.”
He went to his truck and returned with a screwdriver. Within thirty seconds he bent over the equipment, found what he was looking for, took the screwdriver by the shaft, swung it and tapped the pump twice.
The pump sprang to life!
“You’re shitting me!” I swear I could hear the pump laughing at me.
The repairman too his scientifically designed and calibrated uber-screwdriver and drove off to save another mechanically inept person.
With my luck, if I had tried the same thing, the house would have flooded. With each shower I take now I am secure in the knowledge that if it happens again I can respond like Bob Villa with my own expertly calibrated screwdriver.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
A good new years?
The girl I have been "seeing" for the past three months is apparently spending her New Years with her family, including her ex-husband. Earlier in the week she had mentioned having some sort of small gathering at her house and had asked me to attend. As today closed in she talked more about her step-son still being in town and probably having to do something with that part of her family. I can deal with that...somewhat.
If you've known me or read enough, I sometimes set myself up for disappointment in such situations. Those of you who have known he long enough are shaking your head at me because here I am in my usual situation. I can deal with that...somewhat.
My son saved the day; mostly by being in the same boat as me. At around 12:15 the phone rang. He was at home. His original plan, and the reason he was not here with me over the weekend, was that his girlfriend was having a party. His mother and stepfather apparently were not to happy about those plans. As we talked I could still hear the anger in his voice. I don't know all of the details but, it was some sort of a big blow out between the three of them. My son was honestly pissed off at his mother. I can deal with THAT!
"Well, son," I said to him, "Us Eaton men suck at this girlfriend thing, don't we!"
"Yeah Dad," he grumbled "I guess so."
"Ain't genetics great, son?"
"Yeah, thanks Dad."
But he had gone out of his way and called me for something as inconsequential as New Year's Eve. Yes, it was partly because he was at his mother but he went out of his way to call me just to talk. I can deal with THAT!
So while other things in my life may be in question I still have my son. I sat that makes for a damned good New Years Eve.
After he hung up I put the Sinatra channel on the satellite, turned up the volume, opened the sliders to the pool, filled a glass with bourbon, lit a cigar and sung away in the hammock while Frank sang.
Yup.....a pretty damned good New Years!!!!
The girl I have been "seeing" for the past three months is apparently spending her New Years with her family, including her ex-husband. Earlier in the week she had mentioned having some sort of small gathering at her house and had asked me to attend. As today closed in she talked more about her step-son still being in town and probably having to do something with that part of her family. I can deal with that...somewhat.
If you've known me or read enough, I sometimes set myself up for disappointment in such situations. Those of you who have known he long enough are shaking your head at me because here I am in my usual situation. I can deal with that...somewhat.
My son saved the day; mostly by being in the same boat as me. At around 12:15 the phone rang. He was at home. His original plan, and the reason he was not here with me over the weekend, was that his girlfriend was having a party. His mother and stepfather apparently were not to happy about those plans. As we talked I could still hear the anger in his voice. I don't know all of the details but, it was some sort of a big blow out between the three of them. My son was honestly pissed off at his mother. I can deal with THAT!
"Well, son," I said to him, "Us Eaton men suck at this girlfriend thing, don't we!"
"Yeah Dad," he grumbled "I guess so."
"Ain't genetics great, son?"
"Yeah, thanks Dad."
But he had gone out of his way and called me for something as inconsequential as New Year's Eve. Yes, it was partly because he was at his mother but he went out of his way to call me just to talk. I can deal with THAT!
So while other things in my life may be in question I still have my son. I sat that makes for a damned good New Years Eve.
After he hung up I put the Sinatra channel on the satellite, turned up the volume, opened the sliders to the pool, filled a glass with bourbon, lit a cigar and sung away in the hammock while Frank sang.
Yup.....a pretty damned good New Years!!!!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Christmas always brings back memories of some of the best presents I ever got.
I still have one of my first toys; a train engine ride-on toy. It is jet black with a gold bell and a little bellows operated whistle I would pound on to announce my arrival.
To prove that I've always been a geek there was the year I got the GIANT 4 foot tall model of the Apollo 11. This was the complete Saturn V rocket that was taller than me that came apart in stages and had a separate lunar module so I could recreate an entire Apollo mission.
I have been scouring Ebay and trying to save a few bucks to collect another geek toy from my childhood; Major Matt Mason. He was a posable rubber action figure in while space suit and helmet. This was not as articulated or durable as a GI Joe because the rubber body was built over a wimple wire skeleton which would give out and poke out of an arm or leg after a few months use like a sickly broken bone. He had a cool jet pack, spider moon crawler, 3-story moon station and alien friend with a green see-through skull.
My belief that I had musical ability was probably seeded in the electric chord organ I got when I was either 11 or 12. An instrument that sounded more like and asthmatic bagpipe than a musical instrument, I would pound away "Beautiful Dreamer" for hours on. I was confused, years later, by sheet music that did not have letters and numbers in it.
The months of fall just before Christmas were Mission:Impossible time for me. I would search every inch of the house searching for my Christmas stash. My mother was done with her shopping my August so I knew that my gifts were wrapped and ready even before I went out Trick or Treating. I would set off on my safari armed with the double edged Gillette blade from my father's razor and a roll of tape. Once I would find my booty I would carefully slice through the tape just enough to either see what the gift was or, in the case of an anonymous gift box, slide the gift out to open and see the hidden treasure.
The other side of this was it was also honing my acting skills as each year I gave a stellar performance that would garner applause from Larry Olivier. OK....yes, I was a little shit about it and I did feel very bad the one year my mother found out what I had been doing. I was 16 and I was getting a 35mm camera. I was overjoyed to get it and it became one of my most used gifts ever. I don't remember how my mother found out but I clearly remember she was more upset that my father had been so excited about getting the camera for me. My feigned surprise that Christmas was an extra good performance not only because I really liked the gift but because the entire time as I opened the gift my mother's eyes were locked on me with a wild homicidal glare motivating me with simple self-preservation.
I still have one of my first toys; a train engine ride-on toy. It is jet black with a gold bell and a little bellows operated whistle I would pound on to announce my arrival.
To prove that I've always been a geek there was the year I got the GIANT 4 foot tall model of the Apollo 11. This was the complete Saturn V rocket that was taller than me that came apart in stages and had a separate lunar module so I could recreate an entire Apollo mission.
I have been scouring Ebay and trying to save a few bucks to collect another geek toy from my childhood; Major Matt Mason. He was a posable rubber action figure in while space suit and helmet. This was not as articulated or durable as a GI Joe because the rubber body was built over a wimple wire skeleton which would give out and poke out of an arm or leg after a few months use like a sickly broken bone. He had a cool jet pack, spider moon crawler, 3-story moon station and alien friend with a green see-through skull.
My belief that I had musical ability was probably seeded in the electric chord organ I got when I was either 11 or 12. An instrument that sounded more like and asthmatic bagpipe than a musical instrument, I would pound away "Beautiful Dreamer" for hours on. I was confused, years later, by sheet music that did not have letters and numbers in it.
The months of fall just before Christmas were Mission:Impossible time for me. I would search every inch of the house searching for my Christmas stash. My mother was done with her shopping my August so I knew that my gifts were wrapped and ready even before I went out Trick or Treating. I would set off on my safari armed with the double edged Gillette blade from my father's razor and a roll of tape. Once I would find my booty I would carefully slice through the tape just enough to either see what the gift was or, in the case of an anonymous gift box, slide the gift out to open and see the hidden treasure.
The other side of this was it was also honing my acting skills as each year I gave a stellar performance that would garner applause from Larry Olivier. OK....yes, I was a little shit about it and I did feel very bad the one year my mother found out what I had been doing. I was 16 and I was getting a 35mm camera. I was overjoyed to get it and it became one of my most used gifts ever. I don't remember how my mother found out but I clearly remember she was more upset that my father had been so excited about getting the camera for me. My feigned surprise that Christmas was an extra good performance not only because I really liked the gift but because the entire time as I opened the gift my mother's eyes were locked on me with a wild homicidal glare motivating me with simple self-preservation.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
My ex-wife surprised me today.
We were on the phone comparing notes about holiday plans when, for some reason she said, "Oh! I was thinking of you the other day! She said it with a smile in her voice so I knew it was nothing with legal entanglements.
"What?" I asked, still pensively.
"We're having our kitchen cabinets redone."
That was all she had to say and we both broke out into laughter.
Back in 1980 I was working at WHIM, a country radio station in Rhode Island. My ex and her family were regular listeners. Actually, that's putting it mildly; the were fanatics. On either my first or second day on the job I was told about her family and was quickly added to their list of DJ's they call on an almost constant basis.
My ex was in high school at the time and had a crush on almost every male on the air staff. Jim O'Brien was first; her pubescent heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of his name and I swear still does to this day. Mike Bessette and I seemed to be second choice, and we were happy to be; it was a safe place. Kevin O'Connor seemed to fall into the older cousin she wished really wasn't a cousin and they have developed a strong friendship over the years. Chuck Hinman was older and seemed like an uncle of sorts.
All of us, though, we constant targets of almost endless phone calls, meeting them at almost every remote broadcast and numerous visits to the station. Needless to say, our relationship ended up going a little further than that, but that was years after leaving that station and could be a whole series of blog entries on their own. All the time I was working there we flirted with each other. I was a little bit older and I'm sure the attention from one of her crushes made her feel good. One of the first times our relationship stepped outside of the radio station was when he mother was looking for someone to redo their kitchen cabinets.
I was making little money working part time at the station and was going to college so the offer of a few extra bucks for simple stripping, re-painting and lining of cabinets seemed like an easy enough job and I got to hang out with my ex; which, at the time, seemed like not too bad a thing.
I must have gone there a half dozen time and gotten about half of the job done. Then, something came up and I never got back to finish. It's been so long that I don't even remember but it eventually became a joke between my ex and I. Of course, our relationship ended up like the cabinet job and I don't think she's ever mentioned it before today.
It was nice to hear the nostalgia in her laughter. She seemed to actually look back on something in our shared past with affection. There have been times, since our divorce, when we could not be in the same room for more than three minuets without breaking into shouting matches of insults and recriminations. Suddenly, I was back in the cramped studio in East Providence talking with a giggly teenager 2 minuets and 30 seconds at a time in between country western records. The "passionate" love is long since dead and gone but I can honestly say that I do love my friend after all these years.
It was the nicest present she never knew she gave me.
We were on the phone comparing notes about holiday plans when, for some reason she said, "Oh! I was thinking of you the other day! She said it with a smile in her voice so I knew it was nothing with legal entanglements.
"What?" I asked, still pensively.
"We're having our kitchen cabinets redone."
That was all she had to say and we both broke out into laughter.
Back in 1980 I was working at WHIM, a country radio station in Rhode Island. My ex and her family were regular listeners. Actually, that's putting it mildly; the were fanatics. On either my first or second day on the job I was told about her family and was quickly added to their list of DJ's they call on an almost constant basis.
My ex was in high school at the time and had a crush on almost every male on the air staff. Jim O'Brien was first; her pubescent heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of his name and I swear still does to this day. Mike Bessette and I seemed to be second choice, and we were happy to be; it was a safe place. Kevin O'Connor seemed to fall into the older cousin she wished really wasn't a cousin and they have developed a strong friendship over the years. Chuck Hinman was older and seemed like an uncle of sorts.
All of us, though, we constant targets of almost endless phone calls, meeting them at almost every remote broadcast and numerous visits to the station. Needless to say, our relationship ended up going a little further than that, but that was years after leaving that station and could be a whole series of blog entries on their own. All the time I was working there we flirted with each other. I was a little bit older and I'm sure the attention from one of her crushes made her feel good. One of the first times our relationship stepped outside of the radio station was when he mother was looking for someone to redo their kitchen cabinets.
I was making little money working part time at the station and was going to college so the offer of a few extra bucks for simple stripping, re-painting and lining of cabinets seemed like an easy enough job and I got to hang out with my ex; which, at the time, seemed like not too bad a thing.
I must have gone there a half dozen time and gotten about half of the job done. Then, something came up and I never got back to finish. It's been so long that I don't even remember but it eventually became a joke between my ex and I. Of course, our relationship ended up like the cabinet job and I don't think she's ever mentioned it before today.
It was nice to hear the nostalgia in her laughter. She seemed to actually look back on something in our shared past with affection. There have been times, since our divorce, when we could not be in the same room for more than three minuets without breaking into shouting matches of insults and recriminations. Suddenly, I was back in the cramped studio in East Providence talking with a giggly teenager 2 minuets and 30 seconds at a time in between country western records. The "passionate" love is long since dead and gone but I can honestly say that I do love my friend after all these years.
It was the nicest present she never knew she gave me.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Apparently, I'm gonna live!
Of course, the results were met with the usual response.
My friend, Sondra, from the health clinic at Shawshank called when the results came in, "I'm shocked and amazed!"
"What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"You numbers are perfect! You're in great condition. I never would have expected it!"
"Oh, you mean I only look like shit?!"
I still haven't followed up with my doctor but after going over them with the clinic staff and google'ing the numbers myself everything does look pretty much text book. Which is a great relief to me. My cholesterol is normal, I am not diabetic and my PSA numbers (the one I was really nervous about being my first test for this) were normal.
The reason I haven't seen my doctor yet is because he is waiting for the results from the heart monitor I had to wear for 24 hours. While it was annoying enough to have wires stuck to my chest and an over-sized tape recorded hung on my hip not to mention the joy of trying to sleep and not dislodge any of the wires and contact the real fun was removing the five glues on contacts.
I felt so sorry for the technician when I removed my shirt and she saw the contacts glues not only to my chest but the fur like chest hairs. If you've ever seen Robin Williams in "The Fisher King".....well, I could have been a body double for him! Knowing the pain it would inflict, the technician suggested I remove the contacts myself. Figuring the good, old fashioned band-aid-one-quick-tug-and-it's-over would work the best. The girl jumped each time I yanked a contact off with it's own little clump of hair attached.
It really wasn't that bad. I finally got the damned monitor off me but I was left with five little bald spots.
Of course, the results were met with the usual response.
My friend, Sondra, from the health clinic at Shawshank called when the results came in, "I'm shocked and amazed!"
"What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"You numbers are perfect! You're in great condition. I never would have expected it!"
"Oh, you mean I only look like shit?!"
I still haven't followed up with my doctor but after going over them with the clinic staff and google'ing the numbers myself everything does look pretty much text book. Which is a great relief to me. My cholesterol is normal, I am not diabetic and my PSA numbers (the one I was really nervous about being my first test for this) were normal.
The reason I haven't seen my doctor yet is because he is waiting for the results from the heart monitor I had to wear for 24 hours. While it was annoying enough to have wires stuck to my chest and an over-sized tape recorded hung on my hip not to mention the joy of trying to sleep and not dislodge any of the wires and contact the real fun was removing the five glues on contacts.
I felt so sorry for the technician when I removed my shirt and she saw the contacts glues not only to my chest but the fur like chest hairs. If you've ever seen Robin Williams in "The Fisher King".....well, I could have been a body double for him! Knowing the pain it would inflict, the technician suggested I remove the contacts myself. Figuring the good, old fashioned band-aid-one-quick-tug-and-it's-over would work the best. The girl jumped each time I yanked a contact off with it's own little clump of hair attached.
It really wasn't that bad. I finally got the damned monitor off me but I was left with five little bald spots.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Last night was our company Christmas party. For the past few years they have held it under tents in our parking lot and have always had a fantastic set up. This year was no exception. However, they promoted it as a "formal" event. Usually, it is set as a semi-formal, I'm guessing, as a celebration of our being merged with a bigger company.
Still, I wondered, did they expect some of us to afford formal wear on what we make at our jobs. I searched high and low and was able to find just the right "formal" attire that would reflect a Shawshank paycheck.
The gentleman in the photo with me is my pal, Mel. He and I are the two surviving members of our training class from 10 years ago. He and I now have more seniority on the job than ANY member of upper management. We have seen CEO's come and go and to go from a company of 200 employees in a privately owned company to 2,000 employees of a division of one of the largest pharmaceutical corporations ion the country.
It is amazing that a dope who wears a tux t-shirt has survived 10 years in the coprorate world!
Well, at least until Monday!
Still, I wondered, did they expect some of us to afford formal wear on what we make at our jobs. I searched high and low and was able to find just the right "formal" attire that would reflect a Shawshank paycheck.
The gentleman in the photo with me is my pal, Mel. He and I are the two surviving members of our training class from 10 years ago. He and I now have more seniority on the job than ANY member of upper management. We have seen CEO's come and go and to go from a company of 200 employees in a privately owned company to 2,000 employees of a division of one of the largest pharmaceutical corporations ion the country.
It is amazing that a dope who wears a tux t-shirt has survived 10 years in the coprorate world!
Well, at least until Monday!
Thursday, December 06, 2007
I gave in to my age to day and went to the doctor for the 50,000 mile check up.
It has been two years since I've actually been in the office and that was all I heard from each nurse, office clerk and the doctor himself. You'd think they'd be happy I've been healthy enough NOT to have to be there. I had been planning on this visit but have been experiencing an odd reaction to, of all things for me....eating.
Since my gastric bypass, every time I would have either pasta of dairy products I would experience a major fluctuation in my blood sugars, my hear would race and I'd end up taking a nap to let my body get back to normal. I've gotten used to it and it really wouldn't happen all too often. Occasionally, I would even use it as a cheat to get to sleep; a little Ben & Jerry's and I'd be off to la-la-land.
OK, not the best thing to do, but effective and lots cheaper then Ambien.
So I have had a couple of pints of blood drained out of me along with a few other bodily fluids and will be heading back to the doctor's office to get a heart monitor.
Ahhhhh.....the joys of being middle aged!
It has been two years since I've actually been in the office and that was all I heard from each nurse, office clerk and the doctor himself. You'd think they'd be happy I've been healthy enough NOT to have to be there. I had been planning on this visit but have been experiencing an odd reaction to, of all things for me....eating.
Since my gastric bypass, every time I would have either pasta of dairy products I would experience a major fluctuation in my blood sugars, my hear would race and I'd end up taking a nap to let my body get back to normal. I've gotten used to it and it really wouldn't happen all too often. Occasionally, I would even use it as a cheat to get to sleep; a little Ben & Jerry's and I'd be off to la-la-land.
OK, not the best thing to do, but effective and lots cheaper then Ambien.
So I have had a couple of pints of blood drained out of me along with a few other bodily fluids and will be heading back to the doctor's office to get a heart monitor.
Ahhhhh.....the joys of being middle aged!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
It's decorating time again at Shawshank and I dove in as I usually do. There is something missing from my display this year....54 Santas. In moving a box crammed full of the Santas I have collected so far has been misplaced. It is my mission this weekend to scour the garage to find them.
Until then.....
This year I was very Martha Stewart when it came to the wrapping paper. I spent a total of 2 hours matching the pattern.
And I'm glad I spent the time.
Now if I can only find those danged Santas!!!
Until then.....
This year I was very Martha Stewart when it came to the wrapping paper. I spent a total of 2 hours matching the pattern.
And I'm glad I spent the time.
Now if I can only find those danged Santas!!!
Monday, December 03, 2007
If you're a Beatles fan you fall into one of two camps; you either like Paul or you like John. There's no middle ground. You either think Paul was a master songwriter and John was a trouble maker who went astray mixing politics and music or you think John was a poet and Paul wrote jingles.
As I was driving around doing some Christmas shopping today Paul's "Having a Wonderful Christmas Time" came on the radio. I was in just the right relaxed mood that I started singing along with it. Suddenly I started listening to the bouncy electronic piano and repetitive lyrics.
Ding, dong, ding, dong
Ding, dong, ding, dong
The mood is right
The spirits up
Were here tonight
And that's enough
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
The word is out
About the town
So lift your glass
And don't look down
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
That last part of the chorus is repeated 10 times.
Compare that to John's Christmas song, "War is Over"
So this is Xmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Xmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Xmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Xmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Xmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun
And so happy Xmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over, if you want it
War is over now
Hmmmmmmmmm......Which song carries as much relevance today as the day it was written?
Damn, I miss John!
Paul sucks!
As I was driving around doing some Christmas shopping today Paul's "Having a Wonderful Christmas Time" came on the radio. I was in just the right relaxed mood that I started singing along with it. Suddenly I started listening to the bouncy electronic piano and repetitive lyrics.
Ding, dong, ding, dong
Ding, dong, ding, dong
The mood is right
The spirits up
Were here tonight
And that's enough
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
The word is out
About the town
So lift your glass
And don't look down
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
That last part of the chorus is repeated 10 times.
Compare that to John's Christmas song, "War is Over"
So this is Xmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Xmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Xmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Xmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Xmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun
And so happy Xmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over, if you want it
War is over now
Hmmmmmmmmm......Which song carries as much relevance today as the day it was written?
Damn, I miss John!
Paul sucks!
Friday, November 30, 2007
A hero has died.
No one stands out more in my memories of age 9 - 13 more than Evel Kenievel. He was Superman brought to life. He had the super hero costume complete with cape.And THAT hair! He wore a damn helmet and still had a do that wouldn't quit.
He defined swagger. He looked at each stunt with as much fear as a normal man would look at walking off the curb. He spoke plainly and straightforward. He was also damned good looking. I had no real understanding of it at that age, but something in me knew he got all the girls because of the way he acted.
As I got older and learned more about him and how he lived his life I admired him more. Yes, he was flawed and yes, he made mistakes. But, he stood right up for each decision he made in his life; good or bad, and said to the world, "Fuck you if you don't like it." I like the fact he too a bat to the knees of the guy who wrote an unauthorized biography filled with nothing but lies. I like the fact he hired limos for all of the guys getting out of jail the same day he did to take them home.
This guy was chutzpah defined.
Thinking of Evel brings back other good memories from that time. In the 6th grade my friend, Al McCall and I were avid Evel fans. We watched every jump on ABC's Wide World of Sports. We has September 8, 1974 marked on our calendars from the moment the Snake River jump was announced. I can still picture myself planted in front of the TV watching the jump while playing with my Ideal Evel Kenievel "gyro-energizer" stunt motorcycle.
These wimps in the X-Games owe everything they have to Evel. As they make piles of cash from winnings and product endorsements for simply flipping a dirt bike 20 feet in the air they are riding on the back of a giant who hurtled himself 10 times that distance and speed.
All they while they yelling, "Party on, dood!"
Before each jump Robert Craig Kenievel would tell us to believe in ourselves and believe on our dreams.
Gee...which sounds better to you?
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
The reason I haven't posted for quiet some time is, honestly, not that much has been going on.
Until today.....
I got a call from KC, the guy who runs the sound studio where I have been doing all my voice over jobs for the DAVE School. He had an outside job for which he thought I would be prefect. It is for a water taxi/tour boat business in the Virgin Islands. It has a pirate theme to it and for some odd reason when KC thought of pirates he thought of me!
This water taxi will ferry tourists around the Virgin Islands in an open boat decked out with all kinds of pirate artwork. As they go around there will hear sounds of pirates, battles and a scripted story will tour them around the area.
We had tried for the last week to work out a time which fit into my work schedule and with the holiday happening as well things didn't fall into place until this morning. To me it was a perfect sign of how much this means to me. I left an email for my boss telling her I wouldn't be in to work until late in the afternoon and would make up my hours. While almost any day I get ready for work at Shawshank I am dragging myself every step of the way; for this job I was up at 5:15 and out of the house and hour later for the 90 minuet drive to the studio. I even made it there before KC.
For almost two hours we created a world of pirate noises. From an evil pirate captain, to a drunk singing pirate on the dock, background people and 10 minuets of nothing but "Arrrggggggghhh's" and pirate laughter. And that's what it was, creating something. We tossed ideas around, twisted voices around and created a world to surround this water taxi.
I was in heaven.
And I got paid for it as well!!!!!!
I had gotten up before the sun, driven almost 200 miles round trip within 6 hours and still gone to my job at Shawshank...all to be able to do this recording session. When KC first offered my the job he couldn't get over the fact I was willing to do all this. I simply said to him, "Look, it's a job and I'm hungry for the work. This is what I want to do and if you're offering me a paid gig; I'm there." No, it's not the kind of job that is going to really build my resume but I have just proven to my first producer outside of the DAVE School my dedication to the work and maybe someday a casting director from Nickelodeon or Dreamworks will ask him about my work ethic and at least he'll be able to say, "Yeah, that crazy bastard will do anything for a job!"
It's something Billy West said the time he and I got to talk. He spoke about how some people are overwhelmed by the volume of work he has and the variety and number of jobs. He said, "There's never a job that isn't worthy. If someone is willing to pay for your talent and you're able to go there and create something, then it's worth it. It's always about the work."
That's what today was.
Until today.....
I got a call from KC, the guy who runs the sound studio where I have been doing all my voice over jobs for the DAVE School. He had an outside job for which he thought I would be prefect. It is for a water taxi/tour boat business in the Virgin Islands. It has a pirate theme to it and for some odd reason when KC thought of pirates he thought of me!
This water taxi will ferry tourists around the Virgin Islands in an open boat decked out with all kinds of pirate artwork. As they go around there will hear sounds of pirates, battles and a scripted story will tour them around the area.
We had tried for the last week to work out a time which fit into my work schedule and with the holiday happening as well things didn't fall into place until this morning. To me it was a perfect sign of how much this means to me. I left an email for my boss telling her I wouldn't be in to work until late in the afternoon and would make up my hours. While almost any day I get ready for work at Shawshank I am dragging myself every step of the way; for this job I was up at 5:15 and out of the house and hour later for the 90 minuet drive to the studio. I even made it there before KC.
For almost two hours we created a world of pirate noises. From an evil pirate captain, to a drunk singing pirate on the dock, background people and 10 minuets of nothing but "Arrrggggggghhh's" and pirate laughter. And that's what it was, creating something. We tossed ideas around, twisted voices around and created a world to surround this water taxi.
I was in heaven.
And I got paid for it as well!!!!!!
I had gotten up before the sun, driven almost 200 miles round trip within 6 hours and still gone to my job at Shawshank...all to be able to do this recording session. When KC first offered my the job he couldn't get over the fact I was willing to do all this. I simply said to him, "Look, it's a job and I'm hungry for the work. This is what I want to do and if you're offering me a paid gig; I'm there." No, it's not the kind of job that is going to really build my resume but I have just proven to my first producer outside of the DAVE School my dedication to the work and maybe someday a casting director from Nickelodeon or Dreamworks will ask him about my work ethic and at least he'll be able to say, "Yeah, that crazy bastard will do anything for a job!"
It's something Billy West said the time he and I got to talk. He spoke about how some people are overwhelmed by the volume of work he has and the variety and number of jobs. He said, "There's never a job that isn't worthy. If someone is willing to pay for your talent and you're able to go there and create something, then it's worth it. It's always about the work."
That's what today was.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
I LOVE HALLOWEEN!
Gee, is that a shock?!
Again, this year I went all out. First was a party this past weekend. We had 15 people here; most from my Trek club and two friends from Tampa. As I said to them, "My friend's house is yours!"
We had a great time with food, costume contest, a showing of "Monster House" and lots of friendly conversation. For decoration we had come up with the idea of floating Jack O'Lanterns in the pool. It worked out so well. My son John and the neighbor's daughter did the carving and we put glow sticks in them for light. There were two of them that sunk down below the water with just the stems sticking out, but, because they had the glow sticks in them, they continues to glow under the water!I wore my "Planet of the Apes" makeup which meant another yearly shaving of the beard.
Here is a link for photos from the party.
Since I had already shaved off the beard, I decided to put that to good use since Halloween itself was a work day. Here is how I went to work today!
Gee, is that a shock?!
Again, this year I went all out. First was a party this past weekend. We had 15 people here; most from my Trek club and two friends from Tampa. As I said to them, "My friend's house is yours!"
We had a great time with food, costume contest, a showing of "Monster House" and lots of friendly conversation. For decoration we had come up with the idea of floating Jack O'Lanterns in the pool. It worked out so well. My son John and the neighbor's daughter did the carving and we put glow sticks in them for light. There were two of them that sunk down below the water with just the stems sticking out, but, because they had the glow sticks in them, they continues to glow under the water!I wore my "Planet of the Apes" makeup which meant another yearly shaving of the beard.
Here is a link for photos from the party.
Since I had already shaved off the beard, I decided to put that to good use since Halloween itself was a work day. Here is how I went to work today!
As you can see, I was well within dress code and was allowed to stay in my outfit all day. The jokes flew all day of course. It is getting harder and harder to top myself each year. I'll probably need all year to come up with something.
I can just hardly wait for the damned beard to grow back in!!!!!!!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Well, here's something that hasn't happened in quite a long time.
I was sitting watching TV earlier tonight when the phone rang; it was Julie. No, that wasn't what I was talking about. As the conversation went along she asked what I was doing for the evening and wanted to know if she could take me up on an offer for dinner.
Up[ until now, due to work schedules, her kids, illness and more we have been doing little more than lunch together almost every day. While that isn't a bad thing, of course, it is little more than a rushed 30 minuets trying to digest and talk at the same time. No the best way to get to know each other.
I had occasionally made suggestions and we would have tentative plans but something would seem to come up. And just like I worried how much my son might have been drifting apart from me I also worried that things might never really take off with Julie. All those worries flew out the door the moment I got that call.
Well, the worries went out the door and panic took over!
We agreed on dinner and she ended up having to bring two of her daughters with her; oh, good....the kid test! I hung up the phone and raced through shower, shave and finding something to wear. I think I was ready within 8 minuets when it took her almost an hour to arrive. She had Olivia her 18 month old Gerber Baby of a child and Nicki, her 5 year old clone. A 2 foot tall carbon copy of her mother, she played the shy child, hiding behind her mother every step of the way into the house. The minuet she saw my Spongebob Squarepants throw pillow and all of the stuffed animals and doll house in the girl's room she was apparently sold on me.
We went to the local Carraba's when I continued to win Nicki over. The waitress gave her a pile of pizza dough to play with and we spent the evening making all kinds animals but somehow making nothing but animal's butts. She laughed out loud at using the word and with the twinkle in her eye a child gets when they can get away with something a little "bad" with the approval of an adult. Yes, I seemed to have won her over.
Julie, on the other hand turned red each time her daughter said the word "butt". My 16 year old parenting skills might have earned me some points with her as well.
Time will tell.
Something else that hasn't happened in a while was the first kiss. There's this wonderful moment in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall" :
ALVY
Hey, listen, listen.
ANNIE
What?
ALVY
Gimme a kiss.
ANNIE
Really?
ALVY
Yeah, why not, because we're just gonna
go home later, right?
ANNIE
Yeah.
ALVY
And-and uh, there's gonna be all that
tension. You know, we never kissed before
and I'll never know when to make the right
move or anything. So we'll kiss now we'll
get it over with and then we'll go eat. Okay?
ANNIE
Oh, all right.
ALVY
And we'll digest our food better.
ANNIE
Okay.
ALVY
Okay?
ANNIE
Yeah.
They kiss.
ALVY
So now we can digest our food.
I had something in mind to say. Not quite as clever as Woody Allen, but still, I thought, cute and humorous enough to break the tension of the moment. Or, so I thought.
What happened? Well, let's just say it may need a re-write. We talked about it a little and I hope there will be a chance to have a do-over for that moment. We both agreed it had been a while since we've dated and that may have led to some nervousness on both our sides.
Again, time will tell.
I was sitting watching TV earlier tonight when the phone rang; it was Julie. No, that wasn't what I was talking about. As the conversation went along she asked what I was doing for the evening and wanted to know if she could take me up on an offer for dinner.
Up[ until now, due to work schedules, her kids, illness and more we have been doing little more than lunch together almost every day. While that isn't a bad thing, of course, it is little more than a rushed 30 minuets trying to digest and talk at the same time. No the best way to get to know each other.
I had occasionally made suggestions and we would have tentative plans but something would seem to come up. And just like I worried how much my son might have been drifting apart from me I also worried that things might never really take off with Julie. All those worries flew out the door the moment I got that call.
Well, the worries went out the door and panic took over!
We agreed on dinner and she ended up having to bring two of her daughters with her; oh, good....the kid test! I hung up the phone and raced through shower, shave and finding something to wear. I think I was ready within 8 minuets when it took her almost an hour to arrive. She had Olivia her 18 month old Gerber Baby of a child and Nicki, her 5 year old clone. A 2 foot tall carbon copy of her mother, she played the shy child, hiding behind her mother every step of the way into the house. The minuet she saw my Spongebob Squarepants throw pillow and all of the stuffed animals and doll house in the girl's room she was apparently sold on me.
We went to the local Carraba's when I continued to win Nicki over. The waitress gave her a pile of pizza dough to play with and we spent the evening making all kinds animals but somehow making nothing but animal's butts. She laughed out loud at using the word and with the twinkle in her eye a child gets when they can get away with something a little "bad" with the approval of an adult. Yes, I seemed to have won her over.
Julie, on the other hand turned red each time her daughter said the word "butt". My 16 year old parenting skills might have earned me some points with her as well.
Time will tell.
Something else that hasn't happened in a while was the first kiss. There's this wonderful moment in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall" :
ALVY
Hey, listen, listen.
ANNIE
What?
ALVY
Gimme a kiss.
ANNIE
Really?
ALVY
Yeah, why not, because we're just gonna
go home later, right?
ANNIE
Yeah.
ALVY
And-and uh, there's gonna be all that
tension. You know, we never kissed before
and I'll never know when to make the right
move or anything. So we'll kiss now we'll
get it over with and then we'll go eat. Okay?
ANNIE
Oh, all right.
ALVY
And we'll digest our food better.
ANNIE
Okay.
ALVY
Okay?
ANNIE
Yeah.
They kiss.
ALVY
So now we can digest our food.
I had something in mind to say. Not quite as clever as Woody Allen, but still, I thought, cute and humorous enough to break the tension of the moment. Or, so I thought.
What happened? Well, let's just say it may need a re-write. We talked about it a little and I hope there will be a chance to have a do-over for that moment. We both agreed it had been a while since we've dated and that may have led to some nervousness on both our sides.
Again, time will tell.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
I can tell I am NEVER going to grow up.
On Tuesday I rushed to the store to buy Kid Rock's newest CD "Rock and Roll Jesus". One of the cuts on it is "So Hott". It is a heavy rock flavored song that kicks off with a thumping drum intro, rolls into screaming guitar and lyrics that are juvenile and sexist.
I sat there in my car with the music blaring as loud as I could make it. The speakers crackled as the sound overwhelmed them. The rear view mirror shook in rhythm and my seat vibrated with each hit of the drums. Kid's voice screamed and I'm sure I saw someone in the lane next to me sneering at me the same way I find myself doing at ghetto wannabe's with their bass boxes the size of Connecticut. This time, though, it was me being the noise nuisance.....and I didn't care.
The driving strength and raw quality of the song energized me. I felt adrenalin in my blood like I hadn't in a long time; and then, I remembered. Kid Rock had tapped into a memory from when I was a hormonal teenager listening to Kiss' "Flaming Youth". It was a little know track buried on the 2nd side of "Destroyer" that was released as a single but only got to #73 on the charts in 1976. To me, though, it was an anthem. It was as close to pubescent rebellion I had gotten at 14. Every time I had some disagreement with my parents I would close the door to my room and put "Destroyer" on the record player dropping the arm on "Flaming Youth". Whatever my seething anger aimed at my parents was channeled through that song.
My parents think I'm crazy and they hate the things I do
I'm stupid and I'm lazy, man, if they only knew
How flaming youth will set the world on fire
As I sat there in my SUV with Kid Rock shaking my car the each side on every side of me, I felt that same adrenalin I felt back in the small bedroom with the light blue walls covered in Star Trek and Kristy McNichol posters. In some posts I have bemoaned the fact that I am not in the same position in life that others my age are. As I sat there swinging my shoulder length hair to such a ridiculous song it didn't matter to me. I was alive and a piece of music had revived a primal reaction. There are some in my life who haven't had a primal reaction in years. I felt sorry for them and reveled in what I was feeling.
On a side note, "Rock and Roll Jesus" is easily Kid Rock's best work. There is classic rock, hip hop, country and heavy metal all mixed together proving that this guy is a real artist. To see how far he has come from scratching beats in Detroit clubs to such a well rounded musician is amazing. If this doesn't get an Grammy there is something wrong in the universe.
If you'll excuse me I'm going to go driving around in the car listening to the CD an annoying as many people as possible.
On Tuesday I rushed to the store to buy Kid Rock's newest CD "Rock and Roll Jesus". One of the cuts on it is "So Hott". It is a heavy rock flavored song that kicks off with a thumping drum intro, rolls into screaming guitar and lyrics that are juvenile and sexist.
I sat there in my car with the music blaring as loud as I could make it. The speakers crackled as the sound overwhelmed them. The rear view mirror shook in rhythm and my seat vibrated with each hit of the drums. Kid's voice screamed and I'm sure I saw someone in the lane next to me sneering at me the same way I find myself doing at ghetto wannabe's with their bass boxes the size of Connecticut. This time, though, it was me being the noise nuisance.....and I didn't care.
The driving strength and raw quality of the song energized me. I felt adrenalin in my blood like I hadn't in a long time; and then, I remembered. Kid Rock had tapped into a memory from when I was a hormonal teenager listening to Kiss' "Flaming Youth". It was a little know track buried on the 2nd side of "Destroyer" that was released as a single but only got to #73 on the charts in 1976. To me, though, it was an anthem. It was as close to pubescent rebellion I had gotten at 14. Every time I had some disagreement with my parents I would close the door to my room and put "Destroyer" on the record player dropping the arm on "Flaming Youth". Whatever my seething anger aimed at my parents was channeled through that song.
My parents think I'm crazy and they hate the things I do
I'm stupid and I'm lazy, man, if they only knew
How flaming youth will set the world on fire
As I sat there in my SUV with Kid Rock shaking my car the each side on every side of me, I felt that same adrenalin I felt back in the small bedroom with the light blue walls covered in Star Trek and Kristy McNichol posters. In some posts I have bemoaned the fact that I am not in the same position in life that others my age are. As I sat there swinging my shoulder length hair to such a ridiculous song it didn't matter to me. I was alive and a piece of music had revived a primal reaction. There are some in my life who haven't had a primal reaction in years. I felt sorry for them and reveled in what I was feeling.
On a side note, "Rock and Roll Jesus" is easily Kid Rock's best work. There is classic rock, hip hop, country and heavy metal all mixed together proving that this guy is a real artist. To see how far he has come from scratching beats in Detroit clubs to such a well rounded musician is amazing. If this doesn't get an Grammy there is something wrong in the universe.
If you'll excuse me I'm going to go driving around in the car listening to the CD an annoying as many people as possible.
Monday, October 08, 2007
I apparently have a new addiction.
Chlorine.
I can't stay out of the pool. I have been in almost every day since moving in. Even on days when it rains I try to get some time in the pool. The weather here in Florida does make this easy as day time temperature is still in the 90's. However, the times when it rains more than one day in a row the water temperature does chill of a little.
But still I go in.
I have taken some days to lounging in the jacuzzi with a cigar. I use an old SPAM tin as an ash tray. If balanced just right it floats upright in the water.
I have learned to look before getting in the pool. After all; this is Florida. I went to get in the Jacuzzi recently and there was a small land crab sitting at the bottom. After some careful manuvering hand skimmer I had lifted him out of the water and tossed him over the hedge in to the canal. I'm sure he was pissed off. Not as pissed off as he had been if I hadn't noticed him before sitting down in the Jacuzzi!
Julie says she is expecting to see my hair turn blonde any day now. Another friend at work was kind enough to point out that "the grey hairs don't turn color like that any more!"
My son even had the last word about the pool recently in a conversation that brings into question the odd of his reaching his 17th birthday. He was supposed to come up here this past weekend but had to cancel at the last moment due to ROTC obligations. Since it was school related I was the understanding father but took advantage of the opportunity to bust his chops.
He took advantage of the conversation to prove genetics.
ME: That's OK. I'll just stay here this weekend and relax in the pool.
JOHN: I have a pool, too.
ME: Mine is bigger.
JOHN: Yeah, but I have friend to go in mine with me!
My only consolation is that he is so much like me it must drive him mother nuts!
Chlorine.
I can't stay out of the pool. I have been in almost every day since moving in. Even on days when it rains I try to get some time in the pool. The weather here in Florida does make this easy as day time temperature is still in the 90's. However, the times when it rains more than one day in a row the water temperature does chill of a little.
But still I go in.
I have taken some days to lounging in the jacuzzi with a cigar. I use an old SPAM tin as an ash tray. If balanced just right it floats upright in the water.
I have learned to look before getting in the pool. After all; this is Florida. I went to get in the Jacuzzi recently and there was a small land crab sitting at the bottom. After some careful manuvering hand skimmer I had lifted him out of the water and tossed him over the hedge in to the canal. I'm sure he was pissed off. Not as pissed off as he had been if I hadn't noticed him before sitting down in the Jacuzzi!
Julie says she is expecting to see my hair turn blonde any day now. Another friend at work was kind enough to point out that "the grey hairs don't turn color like that any more!"
My son even had the last word about the pool recently in a conversation that brings into question the odd of his reaching his 17th birthday. He was supposed to come up here this past weekend but had to cancel at the last moment due to ROTC obligations. Since it was school related I was the understanding father but took advantage of the opportunity to bust his chops.
He took advantage of the conversation to prove genetics.
ME: That's OK. I'll just stay here this weekend and relax in the pool.
JOHN: I have a pool, too.
ME: Mine is bigger.
JOHN: Yeah, but I have friend to go in mine with me!
My only consolation is that he is so much like me it must drive him mother nuts!
Monday, September 24, 2007
So...what do I do in my spare time?
Used to be a time when I would come home from work and unwind with an episode of General Hospital. Now, weather permitting, I don't even get to GH until after a good dunk in the pool! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh........
This weekend hasn't been good for pool time as we have had a lot of rain come through the area. That makes most of the water cold rain water and no sunlight to warn the water makes for quite a chilly swim. Not as if that has stopped me much!
Believe it or not, I was even upset at the nasty weather this weekend which stopped me from mowing the lawn again. Yes.....I WANTED TO mow the lawn.
There goes my father laughing at me again. You'd think he'd get tired of that!
Used to be a time when I would come home from work and unwind with an episode of General Hospital. Now, weather permitting, I don't even get to GH until after a good dunk in the pool! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh........
This weekend hasn't been good for pool time as we have had a lot of rain come through the area. That makes most of the water cold rain water and no sunlight to warn the water makes for quite a chilly swim. Not as if that has stopped me much!
Believe it or not, I was even upset at the nasty weather this weekend which stopped me from mowing the lawn again. Yes.....I WANTED TO mow the lawn.
There goes my father laughing at me again. You'd think he'd get tired of that!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
I that every time I go to Orlando I come back talking about some sort of epiphany I have. Well...tonight is no different. Tonight I met one of my heroes. I met a guy I wish I were. I guy I want to be. I met voice actor Billy West.
Billy does about a million voices, most notably Fry on "Futurama" and Ren from "Ren and Stimpy". He had done work on the latest project at The DAVE School. (More on that later) As we waited to get into the theater I was introduced to Billy, gave a basic fanboy response and then said, "I think I have the same genetic defect you do because I want to do what you do!" He smiled, laughed and then dove into a 10 minuet dissertation on just the defect. We spoke the same language; and it only got better as he talked about the greats of today he works with; Rob Paulson, Maurice LaMarche and others. Google the names if they don;t ring any bells. For Billy and me, we were talking about some of the most creative and talented people on the planet. And it was just him and me. My idol, Dawes Butler, dies almost 20 years ago, but if I had had the opportunity to meet him I am sure it would have felt much as it did as I sat there talking shop with Billy West. He was attentive, funny and, most importantly, encouraging of my interest in getting into voice acting.
To add to this whole thing, the graduating class project I was there to see was a mock episode of "Tofu, The Vegan Zombie". This is the project which my friend at the DAVE School is trying to sell to Nickelodeon.
To see the characters come to life along with a killer theme song was just another adrenalin boost to the evening. The possibilities for this seem even clearer and clearer. I know not to get my hopes up as there are hundreds of pilots pitched every day but the energy and momentum building on this seems too good. A toy of Tofu will be in the stores by November and there are negotiations brewing for a comic book. The next step is a trailer for the show which will include my character. More on that as work progresses. Tofu may be coming to a TV near you soon!
Last night was the prefect counterpoint to the funk I've been in over work at Shawshank recently. Billy talked about sitting across the table from people with absolutely no ideas in their head and then being around and working with people who had some of the most imaginative ideas possible only made me think of Shawshank. Each time I pass my hand through the hand scan time clock I mutter, "Nickoledeon". With every mindless business email I get I whisper, "Tofu". While it doesn't make it easier to suffer through a day there it does give me hope for the day I can finally shake off the mausoleum dust of that place off of me and do what I am feeling more and more that I was meant to do.
Billy does about a million voices, most notably Fry on "Futurama" and Ren from "Ren and Stimpy". He had done work on the latest project at The DAVE School. (More on that later) As we waited to get into the theater I was introduced to Billy, gave a basic fanboy response and then said, "I think I have the same genetic defect you do because I want to do what you do!" He smiled, laughed and then dove into a 10 minuet dissertation on just the defect. We spoke the same language; and it only got better as he talked about the greats of today he works with; Rob Paulson, Maurice LaMarche and others. Google the names if they don;t ring any bells. For Billy and me, we were talking about some of the most creative and talented people on the planet. And it was just him and me. My idol, Dawes Butler, dies almost 20 years ago, but if I had had the opportunity to meet him I am sure it would have felt much as it did as I sat there talking shop with Billy West. He was attentive, funny and, most importantly, encouraging of my interest in getting into voice acting.
To add to this whole thing, the graduating class project I was there to see was a mock episode of "Tofu, The Vegan Zombie". This is the project which my friend at the DAVE School is trying to sell to Nickelodeon.
To see the characters come to life along with a killer theme song was just another adrenalin boost to the evening. The possibilities for this seem even clearer and clearer. I know not to get my hopes up as there are hundreds of pilots pitched every day but the energy and momentum building on this seems too good. A toy of Tofu will be in the stores by November and there are negotiations brewing for a comic book. The next step is a trailer for the show which will include my character. More on that as work progresses. Tofu may be coming to a TV near you soon!
Last night was the prefect counterpoint to the funk I've been in over work at Shawshank recently. Billy talked about sitting across the table from people with absolutely no ideas in their head and then being around and working with people who had some of the most imaginative ideas possible only made me think of Shawshank. Each time I pass my hand through the hand scan time clock I mutter, "Nickoledeon". With every mindless business email I get I whisper, "Tofu". While it doesn't make it easier to suffer through a day there it does give me hope for the day I can finally shake off the mausoleum dust of that place off of me and do what I am feeling more and more that I was meant to do.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
The sound you hear is my father laughing!
I have just finished mowing the lawn. I have not mowed a lawn since somewhere in the 1970's. Granted, it was a little easier with Jason's self-propelled mower. Although, we didn't have the 30 degree sloped swails in my yard or the 90 degree heat either! I figure it's a fair trade for staying here rent free.
Yes, the one thing that made up for it all was being able to drop on the pool as soon as I was done.
The reason I'm doing this is one of the other bits of news that has happened since my move.
Julie.
She is a 27 year old single mom who works in my office. A few weeks ago we started talking and I finally got up the never to offer my phone number which she happily took. We have gone out to lunch once so far and she is supposed to come over for a swim sometime today.
It's very early on and only something very casual at this point but I still had to make the place presentable to make an impression. Speaking of which....I have some dusting to do.
DAMN! There goes my father laughing again!!!!!
I have just finished mowing the lawn. I have not mowed a lawn since somewhere in the 1970's. Granted, it was a little easier with Jason's self-propelled mower. Although, we didn't have the 30 degree sloped swails in my yard or the 90 degree heat either! I figure it's a fair trade for staying here rent free.
Yes, the one thing that made up for it all was being able to drop on the pool as soon as I was done.
The reason I'm doing this is one of the other bits of news that has happened since my move.
Julie.
She is a 27 year old single mom who works in my office. A few weeks ago we started talking and I finally got up the never to offer my phone number which she happily took. We have gone out to lunch once so far and she is supposed to come over for a swim sometime today.
It's very early on and only something very casual at this point but I still had to make the place presentable to make an impression. Speaking of which....I have some dusting to do.
DAMN! There goes my father laughing again!!!!!
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