How something horrible will have a benefit later in your life, or just a little prick.

When I was 23 the greatest thing happened to me. I became a father. I don't think I was a very good one because 30 odd years later neither of my kids contact me and my Grandson told me earlier this year the since his father blames me for all his problems he doesn't want a relationship with me.

Que Sera, Sera.

When my oldest was 18 months I was in a recording studio in Orange County at 2:00 AM. He was bringing me a bong and a beer.

I looked into a mirror at my 4 color long hair, my leather and leapard and I decided that I was not the father he was going to know.

I quit music.

That next year I think I had 14 jobs in 10 different fields.

The next year was just as bad. 

I did get a job as a electrician. I do understands signal flow.

One day we went to MaDonalds for lunch and afterwards went bask to hanging these large ass flourescent lighting fixtures in a industrial building. One started slipping off the ladder and when I grabbed it, the metal edge cut right through my leather gloves and took the index finger of my right hand with it.

Boy Scout first aid kicked in. I came off the ladder and called to my partner. I tied a tourniquet around my wrist. Poured the soda out of my cup and threw my finger into the ice left in the cup. 

He drove me to the Hospital and I watch a guy do some mirco-surgery and re-attach my finger.

I asked him if I would still be able to play piano?

He laughed and ask if I could guess how many times he had heard that?

I said "By a piano player that just cut his own finger off? One!"

He said that where I cut it there were a lot of nerves but he was trying to get about half of them. The finger would be fine but I may lose most of the feeling in it.

Now here I am 30 some years later and guess what? I am pre-diabetic. When ever I go for a check up that have to prick my finger. I smile everytime they are you are going to feel a little prick.

No I won't. And I don't.

You never know how something horrible will have a benefit later in your life.

Here is my latest life treatment.

A few years ago I met my girlfriend on the ABC TV show Nashville. I had known her from working with her daughter before that.

For over 20 years, I have been a songwriter, musician, production manager, dancer, animator, and engineer.

One day I was going to the PO Box to pick up royalty checks and she asked what they were for?

When I told her she uttered the famous line "Why don't you, instead of writing 3-minute stories that rhyme, write some longer stories and cast me in them?"

I thought, 'That's easier than getting an agent, just date a writer.'

So I started to write screenplays.

Pre Covid we had two features in acquisition and two in production. Then March 2020 happened and shut my worlds down.

Both music and writing. 

I felt like Mr. Spock when Vulcan blew up.

So I went to work for Dr Evil, at the time the richest man in the world, and would on rare days off, Produce my YouTube show and write.

Write I did. About a show a month. Dozens and dozens.

When I left, I rented a writer's room in Murfreesboro TN, and polished, registered the good ones, and wrote some more. I even converted a screenplay into a manuscript and have had it published on Amazon. (FYI might be the hardest thing I have ever attempted.)

In September of 2022, I came back to Los Angeles to re-establish connections. Go to Holiday Parties, meet-ups, and FYC's.

In March I drove back to Tennessee and we shot a pilot for an unscripted Game Show. The Cash Evator.

https://youtu.be/B6CBBOP1-Hg?si=OJAR78IP5rCqLcka

Arriving back in Los Angeles I started pitching again and had 2 live, in-the-room pitches in April when the WGA went on strike.

Having exhausted most of my savings and maxing out all my credit cards, I had no choice but to join the WGA in solidarity. I used to joke that I walked from 9:00 till they fed me. I opposite of a cat. Feed me and I leave. 

(BTW if I go too long in a pitch meeting that may work.)

Then SAG went on strike. Since I am a member of SAG as an actor and dancer, I switched my local from Nashville to Los Angeles and became a strike captain.

I started at Disney for the first five weeks, The lot captain announced that they really needed help on the West side. Since by then I was living in my van I moved.

I spent the next three weeks at Amazon,. I find it very doubtful I will ever work for Dr. Evil again. After a couple confusing incidents with the strike organizers, I moved to Sony.

 I spent the last five weeks of the strike at Sony and had a blast.

A few weeks before the WGA reached an agreement with the AMPTP my friend and fellow actor Audrey Moore helped to organize a farmers market for the IATSE, WGA, SAG-AFTRA, and anyone else in the entertainment industry that was having food insecurities. I was very blessed that she allowed me to help with that. A few weeks before it ended I was told they had enough volunteers so I moved on.

While I was in Nashville I was able to help with a group called Musicaly-Fed. They take catering from the major shows and donate it to local shelters. I have been able to take food from Metallica, The Luminars, Eric Clapton Crossroads, and many other shows at the Hollywood Bowl, Sofi Stadium, and Cypto Arena. I still continue to help them. (It's free shows, can you blame me?)

The day the WGA  ended their strike I started pitching again. This is where I am now. Pitching as often as I can. I am still writing 6-10 pages most days or about a script a month. Starting the first of next year. I will be looking for a production house where I can help develop scripts according to whom they have output deals with.

If you hear of anyone looking for a writer let me know. I am famous for my generosity. 

My Idea of Thanksgiving.

 I have mentioned before that I am a vegetarian. 

I have also let it slip that my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. It has also been the hardest because it is a time to celebrate with your family. 

My family kicked me out a couple of decades ago and I have celebrated many a "Orphan" Thanksgiving.

My first one was way before I created a family. My Father had just died. My First wife had left me. She took the dog. I never blamed her. I was on the road a lot.

I was at a Arby's and was going to have a Turkey sandwich and potato cake. As I sat there I saw that there was a man and his daughter across the room eating Turkey sandwiches. There was a mother and her son. There were two older people eating alone. I believe there may have been a few more people all eating alone. 

They were all eating Turkey sandwiches. 

I went to the Manager and told him I wanted to order 20 more sandwiches probably 20 potato cakes and a bunch of sodas and apple pies. Told him that he and his staff should join us Then I made the announcement.

We are by ourselves, for whatever reason but we are not alone. All this food is for you. Happy Thanksgiving.

It turned out to be one of the most memorable Thanksgiving of my life.

Now also 60 years later. I am still by myself for Thanksgiving But I am not alone.  

About 20 years ago I was taught how to be a Vegetarian. I eat pretty much only sides. 

I think of it like the Garden of Eden.

I can eat everything I want except for the one thing in the center.

Since I know how that story turned out. The turkey is always safe.

5 Rules of the Entertainment Business

 I guess it was about 30 or more years ago that I started the rules of the Music Business. Now that I am primarily working in film and TV I have changed to the Entertainment Business.

It is pretty much the same as I can tell.

Rule #1

The first thing in Show Business is SHOW. The second is BUSINESS. You should spend equal time on both sides.

Rule #2

Difficult people never become easier to work with, but they do become more available for work.

Rule #3

If you are doing something that's not good for your career, It's it's not a good idea to keep doing it.

Rule #4 

If you can't be #1 in the area you want to be #1 in, create your own area and be #1 there.

Rule #5

Most success and ALL failure is self-inflicted.

Also, I hope this helps. When I moved to Nashville in the early 2000s I was told "There are about 300 people in Nashville and everyone else." It seems to be the same in Los Angeles. 

Lessons from my Father

 This may sound funny, but I believe that we all want our fathers to be impressed by us early in life. I don't remember ever playing catch with my dad but I do remember playing catch with a friend of his.

My Father gave me two pieces of wisdom that I have carried with me my whole life.

1. Only a Doctor can legally give you medical advice and only a Lawyer can legally give you legal advice, but anyone can read their books.

Still to this day whenever I have something coming up, I will study and learn as much about it as I can.

2. If you have something to do, that you have never done before, Find the lasiest person and they will find the easiest way.

I still attempt to think lazy but work hard. In fact, that is one of the secrets of my success. I know I can outwork anyone.

I have had dozens of people tell me that they would do anything to be able to do what I do. I always think you would do anything but what it actually takes to do it. I have occasionally brought friends to get hired and work on a gig. They last a few hours and then they're out. It's too hard I've heard.

So what is some of the advice you have received from your Father?

Invisible Barriers

 I once saw the best example of an invisible barrier. 

I was working for a Nashville audio company and we were setting up for the band Cake at the Vanderbilt University Rites of Spring event.

The field the audience would be on that night had vendors in tents on either side of it. Some of the vendors had brought their children. Since the touring crew was from Nashville some of their families were in attendance also. 

The kids were all playing in the field and it was like watching a flock of birds. Running here and there. All laughing and having fun as children will do when they are given the chance.

In front of the stage was a bike rack crowd barrier. One of the 6-foot pieces had been removed so we could run cables and the Front of House crew could go backstage,

The kids, I would say about 40 started to run to the stage. When they hit the barrier the 6 - 10 roadie kids ran through to the backstage area. The other kids stopped. Like dead in their tracks. It was like they had hit a wall. Except there was literally nothing there. They were looking back at, I guess, at their parents wondering if it was alright. Like I said the roadie kids never stopped but soon they came back to again play with their new friends.

An invisible wall.

A wall the roadie kids never saw. 

I have always wondered about that wall. Do I have them? Do others? Are we stopping at absolutely nothing? How would I know if a barrier was there or not? 

I volunteer occasionally for a group called Musically Fed. We pick up catering and deliver it to charities. I was allowed on Saturday to go backstage and drive underground at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles for the Metallica Concert. It occurred to me that there are 10.5 million people in LA and I was the only one driving around that huge venue. I don't think I see many barriers. Have you ever seen them?

My dad's side.

 My Dad's Mom, my Grandmother, was a accountant for 20th Century Fox. His Father, my Grandpa was a scenic painter on Black and White movies. My Grandmothers sister, My Aunt Mary was the first female Editor for the LA Times Entertainment Section. 

I guess my Grandparent didn't want my Father to grow up in LA so they moved to St Louis, Mo. I remember going to her office when I was 5 or 6. We were going to watch a Thanksgiving Parade from her office window. We where on the 5 or 6th floor. Way above the Parade.

I remember her telling me she wanted to show me something. She reached into her basket on her desk and pulled out a check written to John Wayne. Of course I knew who he was. It was for a million dollars. $1,000,000.00. I really got to hold a check for a million dollars. I remember her saying that it wasn't for work. In fact, it was to hold him from doing any other work. 

Right then and there I knew that when I got as old as that John Wayne dude, I was going to be an Actor.

And since I am as old as that John Wayne dude. Guess what I am?

Yep. 

Can't wait t get my check for $1,000,000.00.