Sunday, January 30, 2005

My Blog My Short Story

Well since this is my blog and I wrote a very short story about a week ago I thought I would post it. I hope you like it but if you don't then feel free to tell me how stupid it is:) I really don't mind, but I hope you might be touched by a part of it or connect with one of the many metaphors. Enjoy it or hate it, its your choice and right to do either or both! We all have a choice.

He met her on a very sunny bright day. The park was nearly closed now and had fallen into disrepair but it was still a place she loved to go. She loved the chipped paint and the rusty metal that littered the place. Broken neon tubes were here and there and some of them might have worked if anyone had cared to turn them on at dusk. The workers, the ones that were left, passed their time by staring out of the gates and deserted booth and wondering how they came to this fate, almost waiting for the final death of the park so they could bury it and carry on with their empty shallow lives.
"Coffee?", she asked.
"Sure." he said. They started to walk towards the rusty metal gate.
"They have never seen the beauty in this place. I see this and can imagine what it used to be like, years ago, but I can see it." He turned to her, "Really? I kind of thought this had always been almost closed and falling apart."
"Not at all. I can see that at one time this park had a lot. Well before in more innocent times when it was fun to get a snow cone and ride a ferris wheel." It was her turn to look at him now. "I bet they used to have ponies to ride too."
"Why do you still come here?"
"Vestiges of my childhood," she started, "Some of my happier moments were spent around a place like this. It makes me sad to see the shape it is in but at least it exists, the one I know of was gone years ago."
"You have a thing for the past?" He looked sideways at her.
"Not really that so much but I like things that have a past to them, a history. I could live in a ghost town if the ghosts wouldn't mind."
"I used to know of a couple, when I was a kid I used to walk down a set of railroad tracks and they went through a place that used to be a town before the highway was moved five miles away and no one came through there anymore. The houses were all empty and they still had mostly dirt streets. The buildings had wood floors in them even. It was really nice to walk the streets. It was almost like someone was having a party and everyone in the town went to it and left the town for a few hours. It was just sitting there waiting for the people to come back and pick up their lives again." He smiled as the memory washed over him.
"I can almost see that if I close my eyes. It sounds nice. Would you take me?"
"I can't."
"Why? Is it because I just met you and you think I'm odd?"
"No, not at all,lightning burned it down. With no one around for miles the fire just burned everything, there isn't much left but a few foundations now. What makes you think you're odd?"
"Well if I had just started talking to me I'd think that, especially in a amusement park that has seen its better days."
"Ever been down route 66?"
"YES!"
"It is great to see some of those towns but can you guess what I like most about them?"
"Let me think for a second," she put her finger to her lips in concentration. "The old motels?"
"You are good, I love the signs, the big neon, rusted, broken signs that were in front of the motels."
"Why?"
"Same reason that you like broken amusement parks I guess, brings back memories. I like to think about what things used to be like in their prime. I can show you things like that if you'd like to see them."
"You know the way to a girl's heart don't you?"
"Not really but when you see the only person in a park like this you start to wonder if you have something in common with her."
"Do we?"
"Too early to tell but I think we might."
"My grandparents were like that. I don't think I ever heard one of them say "I love you"
"Really? That is sad."
"OH NO. They loved each other so much that they never had to, they just knew it. They felt it was an honor to be with each other. They just knew when they needed space, they knew when they needed each other, they knew just what the other one needed, sometimes before they knew it for themselves. It was incredible!"
"What does this have to do with abandoned parks and ghost towns?"
"A lot if you think about it for a second." She smiles like she knows something he doesn't know. "He was a few years older and worked at something every single day. After years and years it took its toll on his body and it was hard for him to physically take care of himself. So she took care of him and never uttered one word of complaint. She thought he was still the best thing that ever happened to her and insisted on doing all of the things he couldn't anymore, and he never complained about his increasing pain or disabilities. He could still work with his hands a bit and used to carve her figures from wood. She took the tenderest care of him and protected him and he would give her a wooden horse or a rose or whatever he had carved for her. She would always act surprised and act like it was the most precious thing she had ever gotten, and in a real way it was."
He wiped his eye a bit.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to make you sad."
"No! Oh no not at all, that is beautiful, but what about the park?"
"Taking care of him was very hard on her and after a few years she fell sick and died shortly after. He refused to eat much and kind of grieved himself to death a few weeks after. I was there to clean out the house and go through everything to take to the salvation army and see what the family wanted to keep. I found a lot of pictures from when they were young, about our age. They were so full of life! Young and vibrant! From when I knew from them growing up they were always older and I never thought of them as young like I was. But it was them, you could see the same eyes the desire they had for each other, it was still there when I knew them."
"I see what you are saying now, it taught you to appreciate the way things were at one time and not to see them like they are now and how good they could be maybe?"
"Yeah, sort of but that sums it up."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"You know."


The End

Saturday, January 29, 2005

Two Movies Two Days!

Well it is now early Saturday evening and I just finished going to two different movies in two days with two different friends in two different cities!

Whewwww.......

Last night saw the horribly bad Hide and Seek. I have no clue as to who screwed up that movie but I bet that Robert DeNiro has to be ashamed to have been a part of that one!!! I can't describe how bad it really was but it was bad....I had to come home and take aspirin to counter that kind of pain!!!

However there was one amazing feat that Hide and Seek accomplished, despite its R rating there was only one foul word. DeNiro dropped the F word one time. Personally I don't use language like that however I don't mind it at all. I remember a quote I heard a long time ago that it was a lazy mind that had a hard time trying to express itself in any other creative way. That paraphrased quote had an effect on me that I just decided I didn't need to use it and when a time came up that I felt using it, it forced me to think of something else to say.

Today I saw The Woodsman. A Kevin Bacon movie that has some very dark and disturbing content. I was in awe at how they skillfully handled such a touchy subject and there were times I wanted to nearly scream NO! at the character on the screen! I just can't get into it here since I don't like spoilers so I won't but I can only think that if it wasn't for indie's out here that aren't in Hollywoodland powerful and shocking movies such as The Woodsman would never be made.

I mean how exactly do you pitch a movie with content like that to a major studio???

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Audition Location Meeting

February 14th I will attend a meeting at the local theater group to secure the location for auditions!

This will give me time to conduct a preproduction meeting to clean up any loose ends that I might have not thought of. I know I've spent a lot of time trying to think of the things I haven't thought of but you never know what you have overlooked so you look to others to offer opinions on your production plans. If I have not thought of something then someone will bring it up and I can either answer it or change something.

Yes making a movie is very collaborative. I'm blessed to have some great creative minds around me to help!!!!

Monday, January 24, 2005

Location for Auditions Possibly Secured!!!

Things look to be falling into place faster and faster now!

I believe that I now have a location for auditions secured. I know I was planning on placing an ad today for the auditions and I knew I had a place locked up for that however I think I have a better place now!!!

If our schedules mesh then it will be a done deal!!!

I'm still excited, things really are going according to plan!
This should allow me to have a week of advertising time, a evening of auditions and about 2 weeks of rehearsals and then shooting!!!!

YES!!!

Friday, January 21, 2005

Location SECURED!

Yes you read correctly! It is time for the next step now which is placing ads for auditions!!!

Big Country meat market has generously allowed us to use their deep freeze. I offered to rent it and he declined saying it was no problem at all as long as the door was shut!!!

What a great guy and company!!!

Now on to Monday when I start placing ads!!!
Yes I'm excited!!!

In fact I'm so excited that in my zeal I called and woke up a friend from a nap....I hope she isn't too bothered and will excuse my enthusiasm and will laugh about it later:)

Monday, January 17, 2005

Locations Scouted!!!

Yes sweet progress has been done this day!
My partner and I traveled around town today and scouted four locations, one of them was very positive and one that I would love to shoot at! There were also suggestions for other places if the one I really want doesn't work out. I have a good feeling about this place, there is a large walk in deep freeze!

Yes it is perfect! There are now several options and I couldn't be more thrilled! The Film Commission still has not responded to Chris's request but I have a feeling that they will be very helpful even if they can't locate a locker to shoot in.

It will be difficult to sleep tonight, I'm very happy about this!

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Numerology and You???

Alright, anyone who knows me knows that
1. I'm not superstitious.
2. I think paranormal stuff is interesting.
3. I think psychics are frauds.

So let me begin by saying that I listen to a radio show called Coast to Coast AM which deals with UFOs, ghosts, bigfoot, etc. Right? Ok.
Well there was a lady on there the other night who was a numerologist and she told people how to break down your name and birthday into your "lifepath"(My name is a 1, my birthday is a 9 and when combined 1+9=10 so you break that down to a single digit 1+0=1) which is supposed to be compatible with another number...or what numbers you are compatible with and what numbers are toxic to you and it just won't work out.

So skeptical me decided to break down my full name and my birthday and it comes to a 1 (as I just demonstrated) when both are put together. That means (according to her) that I am compatible (I get along with these more than any other number) with any 1, 5, or a 7. If I find out someone I know is a 1, 5, or a 7 then I'd like to examine how we interact to see exactly if we do get along....or if you are a 3, 6, or a 9 (incompatible with my 1 number) or a 2, 4, or a 6(compatible but not as strong as a 1, 5, 7)

What I suspect is this...that I know many people who break down in to all 9 numbers and I probably am friends with the veritable spectrum of said people. If I had never known what their full name and birthday reduced down to then I'd have never known NOT to be incompatible with them.....kind of a self fulfilling prophecy.

If I believed in such things;)

Alright....here is what is up.....It is late and I'm having a hard time getting to sleep!
I have scheduled Monday (with filmmaking partner Chris) to location scout 3 recommended places!!!!! Yes I'm excited!!!

Yes I know this is two posts in one day, I'm an over achiever....well according to my 1 number that is......

Progress!!!

Yes progress has been made in the way of actual filmmaking, which is the original intent of this blog.

I called a company called Advance Foods, well their freezers were way too big to help but gave me some names of other companies around town that would probably work! The state's film commission is working on finding a location as well which is really good!!! That would be a very good thing if they found a perfect place and would help both of us! (film commission and myself)

Yeah this is a short post but at the moment.....and after my vehicular adventures (really funny according to one friend and made her laugh quite a bit) I don't have a lot to write....especially at this early stage of the morning.

I am going to report that my vehicle has started this morning and it is not stuck at all and should move freely when the transmission is engaged in Reverse and Drive:)

Friday, January 07, 2005

Alright I'm Stupid....

Well....yeah, I'm home AGAIN today from work....here is the story.

Yesterday morning my brother's car was stolen (and later recovered) after he went out to warm it up...you might recall that mine wouldn't start at all until it warmed up a little bit.

So that started me thinking on two different problems!
1. Don't want my vehicle to get stolen.
2. Want my vehicle to start.

So I came up with the solution!!!!!
Move my vehicle around to the back of my house and let it run during the middle of the night. Since it is a diesel letting it run like that is fine and won't hurt it at all. So I let it run from about 6 till 10 p.m.

Problem solved right?
HA!

It turns out that the exhaust melted the ice and snow into a mushy, muddy mix and when I tried to back it out of the back yard.......I GOT STUCK!!!!!

So now I have a new problem but at least it will be simple to fix shortly!
I will get my brother to bring over his truck and pull it out so no big deal other than I'm using up my vacation from work at a record pace!!!! No big deal though, I'll recover it very quickly.

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Saga of the 'Burban

Well a select few of you know that in the past three weeks I have had some mechanical problems with my 1985 Chevy Suburban. Well now that it was in the negative numbers temp wise it didn't want to start this morning even though I had the water heater plugged in to keep it warm.

So I'm home today and when the sun came out it started just fine with a shot of ether. Diesels will run forever but when it gets cold they just don't want to start. I will now take this time to detail the past couple of weeks in regards to my truck!

It all started the week of Christmas on Tuesday to be exact. I went out like normal to start it up and let it warm up and noticed it cranked very slow which to me is an indication that the alternator is bad (again) and it hasn't been charging the batteries. So the next two days I put three alternators on it. O'Reilly's is getting upset with me (I bought the lifetime warranty) so when I get a bad alternator or it stops working I take it back and get a new one.

Life throws a curve ball, I swing and miss!!!

Well after putting three on in two days they really didn't want to give me another one but they did anyway and suggested there was another problem and to take it to a mechanic. Well I know that it is a self contained charging system and that the alternator could really be the only problem if it isn't charging. But I needed a few minor things done anyway so since I was off because it still didn't want to charge (after alternator number three!!!) I took it to a mechanic and had them fix some fluid leaks and put front brakes on it.

Life is looking up!!!

I get it back early the next week, Thursday I believe is when I picked it up. They tell me that it is working fine but from the volt meter on the dash it is charging around 12 volts instead of 13.5 which is normal and what I'm comfortable with. But I chalk it up to the way the alternator is made and since it is a rebuilt one the volt meter on the dash might not be as accurate and undependable. Well I have a friend in a town about 100 miles from here and we decided I would come down and visit her so I drove down New Year's day to visit. I really didn't notice the dash meter but I probably should have....

Life is about ready to do some serious kicking!!!

The next day, yep, you guessed it!!!! The batteries were dead! So I ask my friend to help me by taking me to the local O'Reilly's so that I can get some jumper cables and I decide to just pick up another alternator.....well at this point because I COULD AND WAS FRUSTRATED!!!!! So I get one and replace it in about 8 minutes (I'm very fast at replacing them now) and hook up the jumper cables to her car and we get it started. I'm happy and not as frustrated now...

Life is looking up again!

I get on the interstate and run into a complete downpour!!! Look down to turn on my lights since it is very difficult to see, going 70 in a very bad rain storm and all....and see that the dash meter is around 12 again!!! AAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Life fools me and kicks me in the testicles!!!!!

So I gun the motor to see if it effects the charging and it does...a little. So I get to a town along the way that happens to have an O'Reilly's and have them put the charger on it. It is charging but barely, the manager (Who was great and extremely helpful since it was very very cold out at that point) notices my alternator belt might be a bit too warn since it didn't look tight while running. He goes in to the store and gets a pry bar and we tighten up the alternator and then puts the meter back on it and 13.5 volts!!!!!!

Life is good!!!!

I turn off the engine and buy a new belt and get it on there in about 5 minutes, tighten up the alternator and YES!!!! 13.5 and charging!!! The batteries are good but needed charging!!!!

Life is still good!!!!

So now I have a reliable vehicle again!!!!!!

Life is indeed good;)

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Progress Albeit Small

Baby Steps! Yep, that is what is happening right now despite bitter coldness! Yeah I'm happy!!!

I have Chris thinking of good locations. He found all of the locations of his last film, The Secret of Ivy Headstone, and was very creative in this process. So who better than he to get started thinking of location settings? I couldn't ask anyone better!

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Cold, Freezing, and Wet!!!

Everything that is going on with our weather right now shouldn't halt any progress in this project! Well, provided the electricity stays on this time. In 2002 we had an ice storm that destroyed most of the power lines in the northwest part of my state and most people were out of power for a couple of weeks. I did alright though, I had full dependable power back in about 3 days. So when the weather clears a bit I can get to location scouting!

Yes I know I know, I had planned on doing this last week when I was off from my day job. But ya wanna know something? I had fun last week and was happier when I believed I was on vacation so that is what I decided to do! Just be on vacation. I needed a break....from a lot of things and it really helped me a lot!

I feel....refreshed and peaceful now. I feel good. I feel I can accomplish this project and with the help of those involved I believe this will work to the benefit of all!!!

After all is said and done I hope my friends will be proud of their effort and will propel other projects forward with a renewed vigor and enthusiasm!!!

Yes this isn't much of an update and for that I'm sorry....there isn't a lot to tell at the moment but I am preparing....still....and getting things in order. I want this to be a very serious effort on my part as I am thinking more and more of a future in film for me and my friends!!!!