What up Chicagooooooo?

That’s actually how I opened up a talk I had a last week in at the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago. They were doing some kind of technology conference and I was asked to speak about Internet security. It was the last presentation of the conference and a little after lunch, so I had to wake them up somehow. I am pleased to say that the talk went extremely well.

Chicago, was, of course, amazing. What a great city (some shots here)! I hadn’t been for a few years, so it was nice to see all the changes (and there were a lot--so much construction!) and just enjoy being in a city again. Chicago architecture is just really unbelievable...

I don’t have a lot to report. It’s been really slow, mostly because I was out most of last week in Chicago (I assume), and this week...I had one voiceover audition and nothing else. It’s cool, it’s given me time to focus on my work and life.

And, well, politics. I tried to be on top of things the past few elections, I think it is fair to say that I have been following the election, especially the past few months, like a rabid dog after a postal carrier who is delivering steaks. Because he can smell the steaks and the dog, he is hungry. You go to plenty of other sites for the play by play, so I am not sure how much I am going to providing any real information--or even opinion, to be honest--but if anything interesting does float to the surface, I’ll mention it. But if you haven’t seen Palin’s recent interviews with Couric (one, two and three) yet--go and do so, please. Prepare to cringe. Mightily.

Random:

1 - Reading Anathem by Neal Stephenson. So far, it’s good, and I hear it gets better. I’ve been struggling with reading “real” books lately, hence my latest iFanboy column.

2 - Going to some kind of star party on Saturday. No, no celebrities, but actual stars. We’re going to Joshua Tree to look through telescopes and the like. Our camera died while I was filming those spots, but if we get any shots, I’ll post ‘em.

3 - My old, old friend Joel’s got some music to share! I’ve known Joel since I was in grammar school; we’ve reconnected via Facebook and it’s been fun to get back in touch.

4 - No videos to post yet. They are done, but they need tweaking and I am not sure when I will be able to release them to the general public. The response has been fantastic, though and I can’t wait to post them.


It has been a crazy summer, really. So far, this year has been very good, but also very confounding. I really haven’t booked anything significant this year but I have been acting more than ever (and there’s more work to come; I am doing a short film next month). I’ve been more successful at work (whatever that means), which is great, but there’s a whole world of challenges that sometimes makes it a drag to wake up and go to five days a week.

Of course, I am in no position to complain (and I don’t mean to be)--my friends have been looking for jobs (one’s been looking all year) and people are hurting out there. I’ve been trying to get my head around the financial situation and I think I’ve got a handle on it--I explained it to Tobie and Whit last night and they seemed to understand the basics (which is all I can talk about). It is really strange, though, when the President talks to the country and uses the craziest negative words possible and everyone just looks at him and wonders if we should really believe him or not--it’s the Bush who cried wolf, you know?

But on the flipside, I was in yoga class the other day and the teacher asked me to demo a headstand. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I would be demoing a headstand, folks. I’ve been good about the yoga (took a class in Chicago, which was fun)--at least twice a week almost every week this year, just like last year and I am convinced that I am healthier, stronger and more relaxed than ever. Even when I am spinning and working really hard, I am still mindful of my breath. You keep the breath even, you keep the brain even. You keep the brain even, you keep the body in control.

I’ve also been getting ready to go snowboarding more often this winter. I admit it, I know--I’m that guy who goes snowboarding once this past year who goes and gets all the gear with grand plans of snowboarding all the time. I’m that guy! But I figure since I know I am that guy, I have to follow through, if only for my own self-worth. I can’t wait, really. I figure if I have the opportunity to be really into a sport, I might as well go for it. And if you are gonna do it...

(I miss my friends in New York and I am trying to get a trip out there. Soon, I hope.)

Let’s post it!

Well, what to say, really? The once a week article in iFanboy has made keeping this thing updated more difficult than ever. However, the wait was worth it, methinks, because so much has been happening.

Man, what a weird month. I have actually been acting more than ever, it’s just in a variety of ways that were both unforeseen and unpaid. I was asked to help produce a few promotional spots for work--I will have them posted soon, when they are “ready”--and it has been a really fantastic experience. As I mentioned before, I wrote/co-wrote a few of the spots and everyone who has seen the initial edits have been very, very enthusiastic about them.

The shows what the camera is shooting. I love the lighting. We got the bottom light by using a frame of lights that the camera shot through, below:

It was really wild to have a crew (a small crew, sure, but still, a professional crew) work together to create the scene that I wrote for the camera. It was just an amazing, feeling really. I am looking forward to seeing what you all think of the spots! That’s Todd, the director, checking out the shot.


This is us going down to the beach to shoot one of the spots. It was pretty, but the high tide produced waves that totally soaked me--I had to throw out my shoes and my iphone and camera go wet and died. Argh.

Once the actual spots go up I will explain more about them, promise.

Went up to the country this weekend, which was a nice getaway. Whit and I are looking at some property up there, just for fun--I am beginning to come to grips with the idea that we may not be able to afford a place in LA in the near term, but we might be able to get a little place in the country, which would be a great hideaway. We'll see, but I am really liking the idea so far...

Random:

1 - I'd like to give a shout out to Paul and the test of the crew at the Star Trek:Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton. Whit and I have visited gone there quite a few times and have always had fun hanging out with everyone there, and we were both super bummed that we just could not make it out to bid everyone farewell when they closed last week. It's totally geeky, to be sure, but everyone involved was incredibly good at their jobs and it was a fun to see them all in action. It's gonna be really strange to go to Vegas and not visit Quark's to hang out. I'm sorry we missed out!

2 - I was going to go on a full on political rant, but I think I'll hang out a bit. I find it hard to express how cynical the Palin choice was, but I find it even harder to understand how seriously people seem to be taking her. Over the next few weeks I hope people take a deep breath and focus on the issues and not the marketing-friendly personality comparisons. For the record: I tend to prefer a more educated, more experienced and politically savvy president. I think the country has already experimented with the so-called "outsider" -- we've had 8 years of it-- and we know the outcome. So much to write, but I will pause.

3 - DJ'd my friends Andrew and Patricia's wedding two weeks ago and it was a lot of fun. The crowd wasn't really a dancing crowd (though I did have people dancing the entire time) but they all seemed to enjoy the tracks. I just realized that I...ugh, I don't know. There are some people who actually understand how to talk to a DJ, and then there are the people who treat the DJ like a jukebox. Look, when you go to a party or a wedding, just realize that the DJ, most of the time, has things pretty dialed in. S/he knows what songs work and when a song doesn't work s/he's figuring things out and will provide a track that will get things back...on track. Now, we don't mind taking a request--it IS a wedding after all--but, really, don't make a request within 2 songs of making the first request. I had one girl come up to me no less than five times and it's like, "Yes, I heard you, I will play what you asked, but you need to recognize it takes time to build up to your little tune"...ugh. I don't know how "real" DJ's do it. I have a few friends who are not married yet whom I would gladly DJ for if asked, but otherwise, I think I am done, to be honest. Who knows. I like doing it, but some gigs are easier then others.


drat. I am so busy I just need to post this.