A 2007 Reflection

I took this picture of Keith to finish up a roll of film that I had started using in September, 2006. When I got the roll developed I discovered that there had already been a whole set of pictures taken on that roll of film before I took mine. I was actually taking my pictures over some old ones that Jeremy and his brother, Jamie, had shot in Reseda, CA probably around 1998. So while the picture you see of Keith was in Arlington in 2007, the window you see was in California about 9 years earlier. So I chose this picture because it has both past and present represented in it. Plus, Keith looks quite sweet.

One of my pet peeves is when TV shows or newspapers reflect on the year before it changes to the new year. I mean, today is just as much 2007 as January 1st was 12 months ago. If you do some kind of "Best of 2007" show or article before Christmas, what happens if something tops it before 2008 rings in?

So while there are only about six hours left of 2007, I still feel premature in reflecting back on it. But, I'll go ahead and do it anyway. :)

2007 is the first year since 1996 that I hadn't set foot in Los Angeles. That was kind of weird for me to take in.

I felt good about writing, filming and completing post-production on I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich in just a few months. It was my first non-student film, the first film done entirely back in Mass, and the fastest that I ever got a film out to festivals.

I finally finished Happy at Home. My 2008 goal is to get it in at least one or two festivals.

Oddly, I made more money as an actor this year than I had in my 8 years in LA. (Though it was background work and in LA I did focus the last 5 years on being behind the camera.) And I did have a lead role in another short film.

I had 5 of my films screen in festivals this year from February to December. And I Just Want to Eat My Sandwich has already gotten 14 1/2 festival acceptances. (That 1/2 is an unofficial acceptance -- I'll wait to hear the final word before I announce it.) It has the best acceptance ratio of all my films to date. (It does help that it's only 7 1/2 minutes, though.) And it has already won three awards.

I've gotten as many hits on my website this year as I had gotten in the first two years.

I've discovered joy in finding new people to work with, re-connecting with people I've worked with in the past, and discovering whom I know not to work with again (which is really a blessing despite the disappointment I felt).

As far as my world outside entertainment:

I've started to become an okay swimmer. Just okay. It's the breathing that is taking me some time to get used to.

I'm very close to a dead hang pull up. (I can do a few pull ups starting with my feet on the ground.)

Somebody proposed to me. (Jeremy)

I've gotten to see my family and friends much more.

I've met so many new people.

My youngest brother (Stephen) has moved back to the area. (First time since the early '90s I believe that all four of my siblings have lived within a 5 mile radius of my parents.)

I've gotten to see Jeremy accomplish more with his music. (Thanks to his collaboration with John McNeeley.)

I'm leaving stuff out. Some of it on purpose. I just wanted to make note of what I'm thankful for having happen and getting done this year. I have so much more ahead. I'm currently working on a combined trailer for my short films. I feel the need to showcase that work online, put a cap on it and move on.

I'm excited about 2008 even though I'll turn 40 this year. But for most of it I'll still be 39, so I'll enjoy my 30s as they're still here. I have over 8 months to figure out how to deal with the next decade.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! I'm wishing you all much love, good health, happiness and success.

My First Loves

I just thought I'd have a little fun here and pay tribute to some of my very first major crushes. Now, one of my very first infatuations was with Speed Racer, but I won't include him here, well, as he's not an actual person. I also was in love with my Uncle Roland when I was 3 (uncle by marriage, mind you) but you probably don't want to know much more about that. And later on, I loved Fred Grandy on The Love Boat, Dirk Benedict on Battlestar Gallactica and Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees. But I was older when I liked those guys. I'm going back to single digit years here:

My mother plunked me in front of the TV to watch a repeat viewing of Elvis' Aloha Hawaii concert sometime in the mid 70s (when I was seven, I think) and my mouth was hanging open all night. What else can you say but everything? Since I don't have room for everything, I'll leave you with this: I don't get not loving Elvis.

OK, I know Johnny Gage (Randolph Mantooth) was better looking guy on Emergency but my heart was with Kevin Tighe. I don't know what it was but I remember feeling my heart thumping on Saturday nights when we sat down with our orange juice and popcorn to watch the show. I was in love with this man. Funny thing is that people used to tell Jeremy that he looked like Kevin Tighe. Maybe that's why I'm engaged to him.

Oh, Carlton Fisk. I wrote in a post over a year ago that I was broken-hearted when my beloved Carlton went to the White Sox. I was already a huge Red Sox fan by the time I was about eight. I loved all those guys, but Carlton Fisk was the one I wanted to marry. I didn't get why he was called Pudge. I thought he was just perfect.