Crazy Eyes

Trust me.

You don't wanna make this guy mad.

I heard a great quote while I was in China.

We don't have enemies. We just have friends that are more successful than us.

Sigh.

That's for Ryan and David - both punks who are kicking it hard - finishing up dramatic reworkings of earlier scripts. Good for them.

As for me - I suck. But if you come here often enough - you already knew that.

I did the impossible yesterday. I actually stayed up all day and fell asleep at night. Watching Happy Gilmore - if you must know. Geeze that is some funny stuff. I made snot come outta my nose twice.

And unfortunately - that snot came back to haunt me as I have another killer cold. Woke up on the hour every hour from 3 on to blow out the foul stuff. My new place sits all alone near a bridge with no drug store anywhere close and all my cold medicine was used up in China - so I'm hanging by a thread. But I'm sure it'll all be good.

Went and saw Smoking Aces yesterday. I was really excited about the film - but really felt let down. Just not my cup of tea - I suppose. And it should be. It has all the things I love in movies - but it just didn't gel for me. Narc was a lot better.

Today I jump back into the fray. I'm producing a big shoot Friday and Saturday - and apart from budgeting it - I am ashamed to call myself producer. I'm sure my shame will spread out further as the day goes on...

Till then... don't make me angry... you wouldn't like me when I'm angry....

Holla....

Oh blessed internet - I missed you so much. I promise I will never take you for granted again. I will love you and squeeze you and take you home and call you George...

Uh. Sorry.

Wow. I am stateside. Not home. But the flight from China to SF is only 10 hours compared to the 14 to Chicago. And once I hit Chicago - I have four hours till my next flight - and then an hour drive home - usually bringing the trip total to around 20 hours. 10 hours is nothing. Chump Change.

So my company now had me in an Executive apartment. Which really means a one bedroom hotel room with a kitchen. Its actually quite nice. If it didn't take me an hour to figure out how to hook up the internet - it would have been nicer.

I dropped all my stuff in the room and walked next door to a little overpriced deli to get the essentials for apartment living: toliet paper and detergent. I came back - and noticed that the door to my "apartment" was not all the way closed. Its a weighted door - but it seems it didn't shut all the way. I had my arms full of groceries - so I pushed the door open.

The bathroom is immediately inside - and I noticed the door was closed. I remember it being open when I left. The door was sort of opening and closing - like doors will do if there is a draft in the place. So I'm standing there watching the door - and wondering if it was possible someone came in cause I didn't close the door all the way - so I push the bathroom door open -

AND THERE WAS THIS BLACK DUDE STANDING THERE.

And for some reason I'm ashamed to admit - I scream like a little Japanese Schoolgirl.

Thankfully he is the building guy - apparently coming to fix a door that doesn't shut well - the bathroom apparently... And he actually seemed to be quite forgiving... which is a good thing. But he did tell me he'd be back - so that's got me a little nervous. Who know how many times I might return home to find a black guy standing in the bathroom waiting...?

A man can only dream....

So there was that.

And let me apologize. It was quite humbling that the one or two of you who swing by regularly were actually concerned about me. While I was not dead - I was in China - and the internet there is wanky. As I left today - the paper said it should be better in a couple weeks. We shall see.

My China trip summary:

Meeting Meeting Meeting. 15 hours a day. Stay up all night cause you can't sleep.
Watched illegal DVD's. Get on a plane and come home - sick with cold cause you got no sleep for 9 days.

And now I have a shoot here on Friday and Saturday.

But I feel blessed.

I know my script was hand delivered to one of my top choices of actors at Sundance and he is reading it. I was approached by another company that is planning on doing a big historical film in China - and we're supposed to conference call the producers this week.

I did a little writing while I was there. Key word being a little.

Last night in Beijing was a long day. Finished up at 10pm. I walked the mile back to the Hotel - and I was really tense. A bit angry at some of my team. Decided since I'd be on a plane all day today - I'd go in and get a massage.

Not that kind you perverts.

So I went in - laid down - and literally - within a minute - I don't remember a thing. The girl woke me up and told me I was done and that I was snoring. And handed me the bill.

Bill told me I was lucky I didn't lose a kidney...

So I feel bad - this blog hadn't been dark for almost a year straight... and now.. down for a week.

But I'm back baby... Thanks for the support... I swear there's more excitement to come...

This is how we roll

Holy crap!

It's 3 am - and maybe that's why this is working.

In the history of this blog - there has never been a 10 day holiday. Never even a two day. But 10 was unheard of. But China is its own beast.

In January - there was an earthquake off the shores of Taiwan.

Every since then - the internet here is really wanky.

I had no idea - but apparently the way we are all connected globally to the internet is by 4 inch wide cables that stretch under the ocean and connect the continents.

For 10 days - it takes me at least 3-5 minutes to pull up a blog with no pictures. 10 minutes or more to open my own. And it would never accept a post.

For some strange reason today it does....

Probably because its 3 am.

But imagine a five star hotel - like the one I'm staying in - telling all its business customers that the internet sucks and they have to live with it. Heck - imagine telling an entire country!

So this is like a bottle in the ocean - with a note in it - going out by way apology and a desparate cry for help. I hope it gets through.

BTW -

See that picture? That's how things get done in China. Safety? Who cares? Just get the trucks to where they're going. It'll be fine.

That's why Chinese will rule the world. Got a problem with that?

If this works - more later.

Its Monday here... i head back to SF tomorrow....

take a dip

China.

Interesting country. Great people. Great place.

Enormous potential.

But still we only wanna dip our toes in there. Just see what the waters like - not actually get wet. We wanna do enough to see if it actually warrants doing more - but not enough to actually see if we've done enough to do it right.

Just take a little dip.

Easy to see why.

Except for opium - there hasn't been a lot of successful imports. The Chinese are really smart and don't make it easy. Even now - at a time when the country is really opening up - and even that is debatable - people don't know. They say they know - but they don't.

This company lost a lot of money when they went in years ago - and so they know they could lose a lot again. So they are cautious. Going softly and slowly where others fear to tread. Sad to say - I am their guide. I wouldn't be the farm on an idiot like me... :)

And now they have me dipping my toes in here as well. I'm producing a shoot here domestically for them too. So right off the plane from China - I'll hit the ground running with a two day shoot here.

Love it.

But today may be the day I get put back in my place.

We shall see.

Last night I spent the evening in a small room in LA with a bunch of people watching the show turning little dials. A big focus group guy who does a lot of work for the President was running it. As people like what they see - they turn the dial up. As they don't - the dial goes down. We watch in real time as the graph goes up and down based on their dials... Interesting and not interesting. You immediately see that group think affects everyone. And they were consistant across the board. But inconsistant as to why they liked things and didn't.

Got back at about 1am. That's closer to 4 am my time. Although I'm becoming less and less sure what my time is. This has been a busy week.

Sigh.

I wanna see my kids.

Still Swinging

And I thought the Midwest was dysfunctional.

I was back in the office the last two days - and so far - no one has seen fit to bring up last weeks incident. We don't talk about it.

For now - that's cool. I'm cooling down - so I guess for now I can let it pass.

Today we're heading down to LA for the day. Big presentation in Santa Monica on the Japanese celebrities. Sounds like fun.

Afterwards - we're heading over to a focus group run by some big wig republican talking points guy. Should be interesting.

But for me - it means a 6:30 pick up and a proposed midnight return.

More later - but things are good for now.

For now....

Turning over in his grave

Like every bright shining good intention - there is a dark underbelly of exceptions.

Tried to blog yesterday - but the Fort Wayne Airport decided to keep me off their server. After various delays - I did finally return to SF - feeling older and none the wiser.

Just an observation.

When I lived in Virginia - a bastion of Southern Hospitality - we always celebrated the great Doctor Martin Luther King's birthday. Every Year.

In Indiana - the small town that I live in - where I have actually seen porcelin statues of small black kids fishing and black jockeys holding lamps in front of peoples houses - they have no work or school on MLK day.

In San Francisco - the liberal mecca of the world - work goes on as normal.

How does that work?

Went in for the last two hours yesterday. Still feeling shakey about being there. Mix of anger and anxiety. But I think I can try to choke it down for a couple more months of savings. I can try...

In honor of inappropriate talk - I leave you today with my three favorite stories of crazy talk. I have been guilty most of my life for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time - but these three are my complete favorites.

1

A friend of ours was out with a bunch of people - family and friends. He was meeting them and talking - and they were in this slightly dark restaurant. He was talking to this kid about 12.

Hey dude...There's something on your lip.

Uh...No. That's just my lip. (The kid had a hairlip....)

Oh...Yeah. Um. That's cool. That's cool.

(Whoops)

2

Pulling into the local mall for lunch - two guys from the local production company. The mall is in the more "urban" area of the town.

Hey man - make sure you lock you car here. The blacks will take your stuff.

When you say black - you mean black like my wife?

(And he did mean like his wife. I can't imagine how awkward that lunch was afterwords. But it does make me smile everytime I think of it.)

3

A friend has a friend who was a waiter at a downtown restaurant. Everyone knows in food service - you balance that cynical streak with a customer service streak - and sometimes one overcomes the other.

This guy was kinda a smart ass - but a good worker - playfully teasing his customers and having fun all night. Till this night.

He's bussing food - and its busy. Stopping by tables to offer a little cutting remark and head to the next one.

Stops by a table with a couple out on the town. The wife is cutting up all her husbands food.

OH - what's this? Does mommy need to cut your food for you?

The wife looks up - horrified - as the husband slowly lifts his arms revealing -

STUMPS. NO HANDS.

Waiter goes to the kitchen and never comes out.


So.
There you go.

Have a great day and don't say anything stupid. But if you do - let me know - I'll add you to the list....

Blah Blah Blah

Sorry. I promise the conclusion to "Shawn's" story will come.

But I'm a bit beat up right now.

I never should have answered this ad...

We who work - even loosely - in the entertainment field have a strange work ethic. It is usually a semi-relaxed atmosphere that is very jokey - sarcastic and fun - until shoot time where it gets crazy and busy and you don't sleep and people can get really grumpy and angry and use lots of drugs and sleep with each other and destroy their lives and their families.

I work on the fringes of this. And - occasionally - when I pick up a job that calls for my experience with China - I work on the outer fringes.

The problem with me - as I have said before - is that I can be seen as middle finger. I do my job - and do it well. I work really hard. But I don't play a lot of political games - and this usually bites me in the ass.

Being the China guy usually puts me out on a limb. It is a very hard position to control - since you can't control China. No one knows anything about the country or they wouldn't have hired me - and they don't understand what goes one there - or they wouldn't have hired me - and so they have to rely on me to tell them what's going on.

And then -

They still can't control it. Nothing they know about here applies there. And I can see how this can be very frustrating. So usually this results in them trying to put their thumb on my back in very unhelpful ways.

I'm in the middle of one of those.

I'm getting yelled at for something that was previously agreed upon as fine - and now is being looked at as a bad thing. And I don't care for this attitude. Its one of those things that might happen to someone who's a secretary - but not someone who they want to move out there in a senior producer position. Not that I think I'm all that - and those of you who show up here know full well that I'm not - but it just a bit patronizing and demeaning and it really tires me out.

It's one of those where you don't know what to yell at so you pick one thing that you shouldn't but its the only fight you can think of so you choose that one at this moment kind of fights.

Sigh.

So I don't know how much longer I can do this one. I do like the work - but this pettiness is taking its toll. And trust me - I'm sure all of you have someone just like this where you work - and I'm not pretending I'm special. But it's a long way from family to keep having these fights - so I don't know how much longer this can last.

In other, happier news:

My agents called me twice last week. That's two times more than they called me in the last 6 months.

My Paramount producer wrote me to say that there is a guy who has distribution with Sony that really likes my script and wants to talk as well.

So maybe there is a backdoor.

So for now - I keep working.

For now.

A simple story concluded

If you only knew the images that seared my eyes looking for a picture of a man in the shower. It's nothing that will be easily recovered from.

More in an hour or so...

Ok... Look. I didn't mean for things to get this outta control. Not like I really wanted to wait this long - and now - it's sorta becoming like the hatch in Lost. It was a nice set up - and you really think that things are gonna be great - but then the season ends with you looking down the hatch - and that's it.

No idea what's inside.

Well.

I really thought I might have more time then I thought to finish this post today - but things are a bit outta control here. What with all the shoots and travel and editing. So I'm not the man I thought I was. I actually have a job. One where they don't like to see me writing about convicts and hot soapy love.

Really. I'm sorry.

So it ends up being like the Monster at the end of this book.

I know you're waiting with baited breath. And is it because you want to see Shawn - whose name may or may not have been changed to protect his innocence - or guilt - anally raped? Or is it because Gay Will is such a sympathetic character?

So - to clear up whatever little suspense is left -

Shawn was showering. Gay Will approached him. Started showering right next to him. In a giant empty room of showers - he picked the faucet next to Shawn. And started showering. And staring.

You know who I am? he asked.

No. Replied Shawn.

I'm Gay Will. He says.

(And how cool is that that he ends up using that as his name. Gay Will. Like Kill Bill. Or Joe Cool. It's Gay Will. What else do you need to know?)

Shawn at this point is trying to set the record for fastest washing in the world. Suds are flying as he is moving at Kung Fu speed trying to get the shower turned off and get out of there.

Uh huh. Shawn mutters.

Gay Will - still staring - not at all washing or anything - with the water running down his gut - says:

Boy. You gotta pretty mouth.




Sorry. He didn't say that.

He said:

If there's anything you need - or anyway I can help you while you're here - you just let Gay Will know, and he'll see what he can do.

Shawn grabbed his towel and slowly backed out of the room.

And that was the end of that.

I promise - tonight will be the conclusion of the tale - with the poker story.

Sorry bout the wait - you sick bastards.

A Simple Story Continued

Just because there are responses to the questions in the comments from yesterday's post by someone named Punky Jam Jams - it in no way infers that this person is real - or that this story about a kid named "Shawn" is in any way a real person.

Maybe this could best be described as "fan" fiction.

Maybe.

So Shawn is arrested and taken to jail.

It takes almost 4 hours to get him through booking and then he is giving his orange jumpsuit and brought into the general population cell. In this particular jail - like most, I would assume - there is the cell for violent offenders - and then the cell for drug user/traffic offenders.

Needless to say - Shawn was brought into a cell block that held over 70 people at 4:30 in the morning. He was handed a bin with a bar of soap and a roll of toliet paper. At this point he has just gotten off of a 20 hour flight from a country that is awake while we sleep and asleep while we wake.

And now he does the walk of shame through 70 guys yelling "Fresh Meat."

The good thing about Shawn is that when he gets really tired - he looks really grumpy. Angry even. So being in this really tired - about to pass out state - works for him as he crosses through the guys - not responding to the catcalls.

He makes his way to the back of the block - goes in a room and says to the three guys in there - Where's my bed? They point to one - at which point - Shawn climbs in the bunk and proceeds to sleep for about 12 hours.

He sleeps through breakfast.
He sleeps through lunch.

Each time they wake him to eat - he says he ain't getting up - and gives his food to someone in his cell. Pretty smart - since he happened to choose the cell of the cell blocks ringleaders.

Now - this being a midwestern state - the whole cell block is talking about the mysterious "Japanese" guy who shows up in the middle of the night and isn't afraid to just go to sleep. They say they've never seen "no Japanese" here before - and the legend of Shawn begins. Everyone is talking bout this guy and is really curious about him.

Shawn finally wakes up on the afternoon of New Years Day.

He talks to the guys in his cell who tell him to watch out - cause this guy named Gay Will would really like a Japanese guy like him. Shawn explains that he's not Japanese. They say - it might be better if you only speak Japanese - then Gay Will won't bug you.

And this is where we hit the obligatory shower scene.

Who takes a shower at 4pm in jail?

Happens to be when Shawn woke up - so that's when Shawn takes a shower.

Shawn goes in - and just like many locker rooms in many schools - there are four sets of bars - each holding for showers - all open in a big room.

Shawn picks one and starts his shower. Just when he's all soaped up -

Here comes this guy.
Big guy.
Huge gut.

The entire bathroom is empty - but he goes right to the shower next to Shawn on the exact same bar.

He turns on the water and just looks at Shawn.

Shawn starts to wash faster.

"You know who I am?" The guy asks.

"No."

"I'm Gay Will."

Come back tomorrow for the thrilling conclusion... :)

Tomorrow - High Stakes Poker.

A simple story

I have a friend.

Let's - for sake of a name - call him Shawn.

Those of you who know me or come here with any regularity at all might immediately jump to conclusions and think that this Shawn must be the guy that I'm always writing about. The Shawn who is my best friend. The Shawn who I had a company with for 13 years. The Shawn who moved to Indiana with me to produce a movie. The Shawn that is now the head of the International Division of a major company and spends all his time traveling around the world troubleshooting.

I don't know why you would think that. Maybe I just like the name.




Maybe.

So in the story - "Shawn" - as I like to call him - has just returned from a huge overseas trip.

The day after Christmas - he left for New Zealand for work. Or maybe it was vacation - who knows. Either way - he was supposed to be back in Indiana - or whereever he lives - on New Years Eve. And for the sake of this story - let's say I was going to be at a party at my sister's new house on that night. "Shawn" and I were supposed to talk there.

Well. He never shows up. What the heck?

My sister comes up and pulls me out of the crowd and tells me she has to tell me something - but she can't do it in front of anyone and definately not in front of the kids.

At first - I'm really worried. Then a little scared.

Did she somehow discover the truth about me?

What's this all about?

It's about Shawn - she says, as I let out a huge sigh of relief.

And then she told me what happened - as I begin to laugh.

Because here's where things get interesting.

I'm not going to tell you that Virginia has some strict laws about people that continue to use their drivers liscences even when they no longer live in that state - but what I will say is that if you have been gone for more than a year - they will simply cancel your licence.

On the way back from VA this summer to visit family - Shawn - and I remind you here that this could be an entirely fictional Shawn that simply shares many characteristics with the real Shawn - gets one speeding ticket too many and the cop that has pulled him over gently reminds him that his licence at this point is no longer valid. He takes the licence and leaves Shawn a ticket.

Now if this happened to you or I - we would simply get a new licence. But not the hero of this story. He's a really busy guy.

Flash Forward to September of this year.

Our busy hero is rushing off to work. In the heat of the moment, running late, he doesn't have time to wipe all the condensation off the windows of his car - and at a four way stop where he thinks the road is perfectly clear - he proceeds to plow straight into another car.

He convinces said officer his licence is elsewhere and gets another ticket.

Flash Forward to the end of this year.

In a remarkable bit of planning - Shawn is scheduled to return from Down Under on New Years Eve at 11:30 at night. Thinking it's probably best to not be on the road driving at that time - he moves his flight up a day to arrive the night before New Year's eve - on December 30th.

So after flying for 20 hours - Shawn arrives in Indianapolis - tired - worn out - and just wanting to go home.

When he reaches his car in the long term parking - he realizes it won't start.

He left his lights on.

Shawn calls security and they call a cop. Shawn gets a bit nervous - but plays it cool. The cop jumps him - and then they all take off - with the cop following him out to the highway.

Part way there - the cop runs Shawn's plates. And then the lights go on.

It is at this moment - Shawn realizes that there is a warrant out on him for an unpaid traffic ticket.

Shawn is going to Jail.

It is now New Years Eve.
The Court isn't open on New Year's Eve.

Or New Year's Day.
Or - thanks to the death of President Ford - the next day.

Little does he know - "Shawn" is staring down the barrel of four days in jail.

Tomorrow: Part Two of a simple story.

Its a Mac New World

Wow.

So this is the first weekend in a long time I haven't posted.

Got home at 1am on Friday night. Slept till 11am on Saturday. Almost slept past church Sunday. On my way back to SF today.

Don't have any pictures today - cause I took home my office Mac. I have Final Cut Pro on the computer and I began to try to edit my footage from the China shoot. So far so good...

But now I remember why I had a MAC for so many years. What a great little system. What nice interface.

And for using Final Draft? Awesome. And as far as typing goes... my fingers love the keyboard.

So today is another all day flight.

Tomorrow is a new story - a great one.

And let me leave you with this:

I can't tell you how or why - but I saw the first 4 hours of the new season of 24.

I won't spoil it - but let me tease you with this:

Jack Bauer cries.

You gotta be kidding me! Snap!

I kept saying I'll only watch one episode. Ok... two. Just one more then I have to go to bed. Ok. All four - screw it.

Even being four episodes ahead of the rest of you - I'm still holding my breath for episode 5. I'm dizzy with anticipation.

More later.

Difficult is nothing, Impossible takes a week

If you spend too much time on the Internet - you've already seen this. But if you haven't - please take just a little time out of your busy day to enjoy the pain of someone other than yourself.

Now - I always thought I wanted to be a success - but I have always considered failure to be an option.

Now I know I am just really really weak.

Just as a bit of back story.

This guy is a Yale student. He sent this video out to a large investment firm in NYC as part of a job application to distinguish himself from the thousands of other applicants.

He succeeded beyond his wildest expectations - but not in the way he wanted.

Enjoy.



Wow!

Now. For those who really love life. Here is George Michael from Arrested Development - in his meta version of the same thing.




Impossible is just the opposite of positive. Brilliant.

If it's Thursday, it must be San Francisco

Welcome back.

It was my first day back in the office in over a month and a half.

Between shoots in LA with a couple young starlets - and a month long jag in China for a big shoot - I hadn't been back here in SF since mid November.

Reading Mr Dixon's blog today helps me keep perspective that this is a an industry wide curse. Just gotta keep proper perspective.

It was nice that everyone seemed happy to see me. And theoretically - I am a full timer now - even though I don't live here or spend more than a couple weeks a month here - and I'm still relegated to a desk in the middle of the production bullpen.

But I'm not complaining.

I had a meeting with the top guys yesterday. Sort of the big debrief of where things stand and how the shoot went. I brought back copies of the footage on DVDs. But they're PAL DVDs... so they wouldn't play on the computers in the conference room. They got to see a bit of the footage. They seemed to think it was OK.

Later - the head producer and head of post watched it - and really responded well.

I still count my days.

Working in this kind of corporate type place is tricky and I'm not usually cut out for sitting back and letting things happen. But I'll try to watch my tongue and be cool...

For now.

Gonna set up another trip to China today. Gotta get back and see how the business is going and set up the next shoot and track our progress.

And as for the rest of this week?

I'm trying desperately to load in my DVDs into final cut and do a bit of editing on my laptop.

Go figure.

Got 40 pages from David I need to read and respond to - and I've got plenty of writing of my own that needs to be done.

Lots of "to do-s" and little "already done-s." But the day is just beginning.

Oh yeah. Say Dreamgirls last night. What was I thinking? I love R&B and soul music - but I hate musicals - and now I remember why. I really liked the film - for the most part - but still can't stand when people just break out in song. The movie was filled with great performances - Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles - and what surprised me the most was Jamie Fox. I knew he was great- but I thought he really had to anchor this film and nobody is talking about him...

Back to the grind. If I can just keep my mouth shut - I might be able to keep this job...

Where's your head at?

Emily is right.

Where's your head at?

Are you really a writer? Or are you just like the thousands of other guys in LA - talking about being a writer?

I ask myself that question on a daily basis. Most of the time - I don't like the answer.

And I'm luckier than most.

I have an agent. In fact - I have two. I have a manager. I have producers sending me short stories they want me to look at and ideas they want me to develop.

But if you wanted to eat on what I've earned as a writer - even a mouse would go hungry. Hell - I tried to live on air for two years and all it got me was an empty bank account.

Last year - I wrote a script in January. Had a draft to my agent by March. Thought I would kick out at least two more scripts that year.

Whoops.

Seems I like to talk about writing more than I like to write. And rewriting ranks lower than writing.

Granted - I did have a greenlit movie fall apart - and then had to devote myself to actually working for the rest of the year - but still...

In the time I was complaining - Ryan wrote two scripts. David wrote a script and produced a film based on that script - and is in the middle of a rewrite on a brilliant script he did earlier. Blair - well... Blair is producing and starring in a podcast - and has yet to even go back to blogging...So it's nice to know I'm at least better than one of my circle.

I am writing a bit.

I have 3 scripts about 20 pages long. But like the belle of the ball - I'm having some commitment issues.

I hope this year is different. I hope this year is better... I hope to get my act together and write more. And more. And not just pages - but good pages.

Its not hard - it just takes time, focus and discipline.

And I lack time, focus and discipline.

But this is 007. And maybe this year - I'll actually obtain a license to write.

As long as I can find my head - and get it in the game.

But for now - it's another day on a plane. I'm going back to Cali...

Happy New Year?

Was this you this morning? Last Night?

Hope not... :)

Spent New Years over at my sister's new house. Actually had a decent time. The kids went crazy - running around - grabbing pots and pans and banging them like nuts outside at midnight.

Inside - I hung out with the orphan - who I hadn't got a chance to talk to much since our summer in VA working for Bill in the art department. He's growing up - leaving the nest. Hard to believe he's on his way. Still has a long way to go - but he's on his way.

Also talked to a new friend - Chris. Great guy - and his wife is cool too. He is on his way to be a missionary in New Guinea. He's 20. Got a long road ahead of him - but the kid has a great head on his shoulders and so much passion. Great thing is - he wants to make a difference with his life. Doesn't wanna wait till he gets old and burned out - he wants to do it now. And God willing - he will. There are so few adventures left - but heading out into the jungle to a group of people that have never seen white people before - well - that's an adventure.

As long as you don't get eaten - then its a tragedy.

Other than that - things are good.

I fly back to SF after two weeks at home - the longest I've been here in a row since summer. I'm ready to jump into some editing - getting stuff in the machine and really looking at the footage. Deciding what works and what doesn't.

And then finding out what's next.

So there's a lot on the plate. But also lots of opportunites. So it will be fun to see what the new year holds.

Are you ready for yours? What are you looking forward to?

Should be fun. And Exciting. Hopefully just not more of the same... :)