Tricks Or Treats...


Violet is standing between Mrs. Incredible and Dash. She's a bit shy and hates photos. Always going invisible on us. She looks good though, trust me.

Happy Halloween all!

Oh Child...

This morning I get a huge hug from Mr. Man. He laid his head on my shoulder and whispered in my ear, "You're the bestest dad and I will try to be gooder."

Four years old and already a master manipulator.

I'm in so far over my head it's not even funny.


*****

Stay tuned for Halloween photos. We are the Incredibles this year. With scary punkins of course.

This Is Going To Hurt Me, As Much As It Hurts You...

Even before I was a parent, I told myself(and everyone else) that I would be different. I would be better. I could see where other parents had failed, and I would not make those mistakes. My child would be different.

Now I have a child. I tried to tell myself that I was fair. That I made him mind and behave. That I was teaching him respect, manners, and patients. That I was teaching him to think of not just himself but of others. That our actions have an impact on others.

I told myself that I was a little harder on my son than most parents, but it was for his benefit. My child would be different. Better.

I'm failing. I've spoiled him. I clearly have not been hard enough. I let too much slide. He thinks of no one but himself and what he wants. I can explain the same thing a dozen times in two dozen different ways and none of it is sinking in.

For the last couple of months I let things go a little easier. I tried to tell myself that he was acting out because I spent most of the summer away. I can't say that anymore. I try to let things slide because he's only four years old. I don't buy that either.

In the last few days, he and I have had the exact same conversation so many times that I've lost track. I have tried different approaches. Different tactics. I'm getting the same results. An ill mannered child that is doing everything that I thought I was teaching him not to do.

Today we had a discussion about discipline. Apparently this is a foreign concept for him. It sounds strange to say, that punishing my son hurts me more than it hurts him. I heard my parents say it to me and I never really understood. Today, it's becoming a bit clearer.

It really does hurt, to see him cry and act like I have broken his heart. I want to tell him I'm sorry, and that he can do what he wants and have his way, just don't cry or be sad. But I can't. I'm the parent. I expect and demand more from my son. I expect and demand more from myself.

There are lessons that he must learn. There are lessons that I must learn. No matter how hard.

Dear Dr. Bob, Give Me Hope...

When I was about twelve or thirteen years old I was introduced to something wonderful. It stunk and was sticky. Ghastly expensive, and, if that wasn't enough, it was illegal.

But OMG! it was so good. I wanted it all the time. I came across poor quality imitations. Substitutes at best. No other had the lingering after taste. The tingles on your tongue and down your throat. The taste buds went crazy. The vibrant colors and lingering aroma. Yummy!

It was always with me, for the next twenty years. I never gave it a thought. I kept it to myself and was very discreet.

Then we moved far from where I could find such things. The people were very set on their rules and they followed them closely.

For three years I went without. No withdrawals. No pains. No freaking out. I did miss it from time to time but only in passing.

Well, then I moved back. My treat was once again within my reach and easily accessible. Sure, some said that it was still wrong. But they had not tried it?

Ok....It's time to get this monkey off my back.....I'm...addicted...to....

Unpasteurized Stilton Cheese.

There...I've said it...I feel like I can breathe again.

Thank you for being there for me.

Just Shoot Me...

Yesterday we had to be at the location to shoot at 4pm. Some huge house in Del Mar. The scene was an elegant cocktail charity fundraiser shindig. Or so we were told by the numerous crew.

For the first five hours we did nothing. Nothing. Then we broke for lunch. Because we were on location, the lunch area was about half a mile away. In a horse pasture. In the dark. We took a shuttle bus to be dropped off at the field of food. Then we had to walk through this little gully to get to the pasture where the trucks and tables were. Dressed for this fancy party. We are all out marching through a dirty mud puddled field. And I had just polished my shoes. C'est la vie.

My first shot was at about 10:30pm. For about 45 seconds, I had a line. A small, insignificant, meaningless, back ground line. I had even been makeup-ed. Then just as fast, I was cast out into the back ground of the party to smile and be pretty. Well, at least smile. I have no idea what will get used. No one does.

The rest of the night and early morning was was spent going from the waiting area to the set. Shoot for ten to twenty minutes, then back to the waiting area for an hour or two. All the time having to keep track of our drinks and jackets and what not they gave us for props. Although all of my clothes are my own. The drinks were bad generic grape juice. Really bad.

I'm pretty sure, in one scene, that I am on both sides of the party at the same time. Although at one end, I had to keep my back to the camera. They seemed to have noticed that as well.

We wrapped up at around 3:30 am. Got off the set and back to my car around 4am. Made it home by 5.

They asked if I would shoot on Monday. At 5:30. Am.

I passed. For Monday anyway.

Did I Say Hollywood Sucked?

I have always been a big critic of Hollywood. The quality is crap. The writing is substandard. The talent questionable. It's incestuous. The money it generates is insane.

Alright I still stand by that, but I am going to have to lighten up just a bit.

Why, you ask?

Mad William is going to be a star, a STAR I TELL YOU!

Ok, not a star. Not yet. I am however, collecting checks from one of the major studios. I am not supposed to say who or write about the show, but I am going to be in several episodes of a new TV show. Maybe I can say what night and channel to watch. Maybe.

I had never even heard of this show. Precious asked me about it. I knew nothing. After meeting the "stars" of the show, I still have no idea. I didn't recognize any of them. Well, one guy looked familiar. I'm sure I've seen him in things. No big deal.

I don't get to talk. Ok, technically I'm an extra. I do get a few features, which is cool. It just means I get to interact with the "stars" in the scene. Woo hoo.

Have you heard the saying,"The Magic of Film" or "The Magic of Television"?

There is no magic. I can totally see now, why any serious actor wants to do live theater. The way TV and films are done, anyone could do it. Anyone.

The women on the show are seriously skinny. Unhealthily so. There are so many crew members it's funny. There are guys getting paid to follow other guys around and repeat everything they say, only louder. It looked like everyone on the crew had at least one assistant, and some of the assistants had assistants. There was food every where. Catered food. Roach Coaches. Pizzas. Donuts. In and Out burgers and fries. Sodas. Candy. Cookies. You name it, they had it. It's crazy.

It's just like the government bureaucracy. They only need 20 employees but they are paying 60.
They take breaks every fifteen minutes and don't work very hard when they are working.

Last night I was on the set for almost 12 hours. Got home at 3:30am. Tonight we will start shooting at 4pm and get done, hopefully around 4am.

Of the twelve hours we were at the set, we spent about an hour and a half actually filming. Changed wardrobe three times.

So far it's a good time. We get paid alright, fed well and I'm meeting some very interesting people. Contact people. Future stepping stones on my way to world leader people. Well maybe I wont step on anybody. That's not really my style. I'm taking over tinsel town with kindness and decency. So Im' either going to be another unemployeed actor, or, I'm on my way to a Hollywood Star of my own. Mwahhhaaahaaa...

Hunting...

Until we can get a gallery organized, up and running, I thought I might try to find a job to fill in some time and make up some money.

The last time I had to actually try and find a job on my own was more than twenty years ago.

Job hunting, when the economy is in the toilet, is challenging. Trying to figure out what I want to be doing is even more so.

Apparently I'm too old for porn, so, back to the drawing board.


Side Bar:

Does anyone have any bright ideas as to where I can find bright red, full body cat suites or bright red spandex work out tops (long sleeved) and bottoms.

We are trying to be the "Incredibles" for Halloween without buying the costumes.

Now That's A Plan...

A long drive home. Mr. Man has been peacefully napping in the back. Until we hear the following:


Hey guys?


Yes Mr. Man?

You guys should call Aunt Randy. She could come over, we can have cocktails and chat. Ya. That's a plan. Right? Do we have any fizzy water at home? We need fizzy water. Should we have snacks or just cocktails?


And it was right back to sleep. Assuming he was ever awake.

This seemed really funny at the time.

Life On The Line...

Chapter one I jumped into cooking on a bit of a whim. With little to no hesitation. After spending many years in the art business I was lo...