Posing with the iFanboy "Who Needs a" Booth Babes

Wow! Long time no talk. I actually had a bit of a panic--I lost the website on my local drive, so when I was at home longing to update the site, I couldn't until I got back to work and got my backup. Still have no idea what happened, but it's all back, so that's good.

The past few weeks have been a blur. I went to Comic-Con (check the iFanboy story here) and that was pretty great (photos here). I ended up having a pretty fantastic last day of the con, where I was able to get lunch with James Sime (the man behind Isotope), his gal Kirsten Baldock (author of Smoke and Guns) and Darwyn Cooke (one of the best creators working today, in my opinion), which was a lot of fun. It's weird, you know? Like, the whole comic book thing. For awhile, it was just my own thing, and was basically a curiosity for my friends--like, I really didn't talk about them that much, but I just kept reading them and all was good. Over the past few years, I have inadvertently gotten more and more involved in the comic book community, which has been a lot of fun. I mean, I remember driving to San Diego three years ago with Whitney listening to the iFanboy podcast and Whitney kept saying how I should be on the podcast since I kept talking back to the guys and explaining what they were talking about to her. Flash forward to the present and I already have one show under my belt in addition to the column! Funny how things work out that way. Whit and I were also mentioned in Whitney Matheson's PopCandy column, too, which was fun.

But back to the lunch with the gang. Yes, it was fun having lunch with someone whose work I admire like crazy (I think I have all of his recent books), but it was also just really interesting to learn more about and more about the industry and the personality types and the challenges you meet when making a living making funny books. It's a completely different world, and it was fun to hear Darwyn's battle stories.

Then, that night, completely out of the blue, Whit and I joined Kirsten, James and Jon to have dinner with Grant Morrison and his lovely girl Kristan. Like, if you are a comic book fan, you know how cool this is, to be able to write about having dinner with Darwyn and then have dinner with Grant. Like Darwyn, Grant is a major creative force in the industry--he's rewriting the DC Universe right now in Final Crisis--and we had a great discussion that went from astronomy to philosophy to mythology and back again. It was a fantastic night and capped off a truly fantastic show. I must say, I am happily surprised that Whit and I have gotten more on the "inside" of the comics scene---getting a chance to talk about stories and art have inspired both of us to keep on being creative. I mean, Whit took Grant and Kristan around JPL the other day. How cool is that?

I will probably write about this in my column next week, but these conversations and others have really shown me that comics are a great way to tell timely stories (you can write, draw and publish a comic faster that it takes to write a novel or produce a film, with fewer people getting in your way) that go beyond regular prose but stop short of a movie. Comics are a great way to tell stories that can incorporate the concepts that one might be more used to reading about in regular books but with the imagery, design and spectacle one might see in movies or TV. I'll go off on this next week.

In other news, summer continues and things are definitely picking back up with the acting life. I have been on a lot of auditions and callbacks but the big news was that I was called straight into producers for a show last week. In the June 25 entry, I talked about an audition I had that went really, really well but was disappointed to hear nothing back about it at all. I admit, it sent me into a small tailspin--really small, but my tail spun just a little bit--because again, I knew I had nailed something, I knew I had absolutely rocked the audition, but nothing came out of it. Well, I did get something out of it--another audition. Basically, I guess I had made an impact on the casting director, so when she had a role that she thought I would be go for, she skipped the pre-read (where I audition for her, she tapes it and then sends the tape to the producers who then decide whether or not to bring me in) and brought me in with her to audition for the producers and writers in their production office and studio. It was a tiny role, but the audition went well, and even though I didn't get the part, at least I did well, which makes her look good, makes my manager look good, and everyone's happy. It's been said that you only need 5-6 casting directors on your side to get a career going, so hopefully's she's gonna be part of TeamRomo™.

Other items:
- Matt, Pepe, Jonathan, and Eugene were here for a few days after their crazy BroTrip™. It was great to see them all, especially Pepe, who spends his time in Berlin, so I rarely, if ever, see him.

- Zak, Megan, and Kendra are up in San Francisco this week and I am really frustrated that I can't come up to see them. I mean, I could, but it would probably only be for awhile and I am planning on getting out to New York in September or October anyway, so I will check them out then.

- Work is going really well. I am actually spending part of my time writing scripts for a few projects that you may see on a computer screen near you; I will keep you posted. It's quite cool to get a chance to use my background in acting and writing in my day life, it's a very nice perk. We have a LOT of stuff I am working on, which is both exciting and intimidating. Busy...

Okay, time to go. Happy Day.

Tags: comics, comic-con, san diego

Another long wait between posts. I apologize but I have good reasons, really. Good raisins, too.

I was at WWDC all last week (see photos here), which ran the gamut of emotional and physical responses: excitement, frustration, confusion and exhaustion. It was a good conference as far as I could tell (I attended quite a few sessions but much of my day was spent in meetings), but the best times were outside of the conference, spent with all of the many great friends I have back in my hometown.

I will be posting an article about WWDC over in the Norton blogsite and you probably either already know what happened there or just don't care. Suffice to say that the iPhone is rapidly becoming a legitimate technology platform and I think it's appropriate to say that the transition that this iPhone is a part of (if not helping define) is a big one. It will be very interesting to see what features we assume from technology in the next five years.

- I am a guest host on this week's iFanboy podcast. It was a lot of fun, and one of those items I was very happy to check off in my "life's to do list". I had started listening to the podcast several years ago and always thought it would be fun to be on the show, and now I can say, it was an absolute blast to do it. It was a real pleasure and the feedback has been very positive so far. It's a lot of prep work, getting ready for the show, I had to get a headset to use with Skype (for sound quality) and set up my desk so I could easily access the books we were discussing, my notes, water, coffee, chat windows...it was like doing a radio show, which, of course, makes sense. The thing about the show is that it's usually pretty entertaining even if you don't know anything about comics, since there are aspects to the conversation that everyone can relate to (characters, stories, art, etc). This was another "live" event that I really couldn't truly prep for (not unlike the stuff I had to do in Vegas), so I am relieved it went well.

It also underscores my belief that you truly achieve any goal you have if you make a consistent effort to achieve said goal. Now, sure, I didn't write out "Be on iFanboy" one day, but I did want to get more involved, to the point that getting on the show would definitely become an option. And, now, it's happened. Of course, now I am writing a weekly article for them, which I did not plan at all--but it got me a chance to be on the show. And, again, while I could control some aspects toward this goal (enthusiastic participation, making sure to keep in touch, etc, etc), the TIMING was not in my control at all. If I had any expectation of "being on the podcast by xx years," none of this would have happened. I know, I sound like a broken record, but life is all about living the moment and not trying to fulfill expectations (yours or others).

- Speaking of real time activities, I gotta admit that writing regularly is quite a challenge. I had a crazy time last week when I had both an article for iFanboy, a new story summary, the first 10 pages of my screenplay and my inciting incident due on Tuesday. Now, of course, I am to fault completely--I procrastinated like crazy, but that's how I am used to dealing with writing deadlines: I get the topics/scenes/sections figured out in my head, and then I sit down and write it out. That's how I got through college--all of my papers were first drafts, technically--and it worked out fine. And life is not all that different now, come to think of it. When I was in college I had homework and papers due all the time, but was in rehearsals until 11 almost every night of the week, so doing it my head was my only recourse, really.

Maybe it is more difficult because I don't have that crazy structure that made me so nuts back then. Whatever--I did all the work that I needed to do, and so far, so good. What is...stressful? interesting? just...different? about writing NOW is that there is nothing for me to refer to--everything I am writing is from my own head. I am being asked to take a topic, aim my brain at it, and then transform that chaos into text and pictures. Which is a challenge, let me tell you! It's a great challenge, but I can see why "real" writers make a schedule--if I had any kind of discipline, I would be getting up at 6am each morning and just get it done before I went to work. I might have to do just that, actually--the screenplay is going to be at least 100 more pages, right? It took me over an hour to get the first 10 done...that's at least 10 more hours...yikes...scary.

But it's all new--all of this is new, and I haven't been challenged like this in awhile. I am definitely growing creatively, which feels really good.

- I made quite a few Father's Day calls yesterday. It was nice. It's really quite an experience to watch my oldest friends become parents. Trips me out like crazy.

- We won't talk about acting right now. Nothing to talk about.

- Saw some great old cars at The Grove a few weeks ago. Check the photos here.

Have a good week!

Tags: wwdc, san francisco, comics, ifanboy

Hey there!

Just wanted to let you know that my first article for iFanboy.com is up. I gotta say, I was really nervous about the whole thing. I mean, I was really, really flattered to be asked but honestly, I had no idea what I was going to talk about, week after week. (I still don't, really.) But it's a great opportunity and I'll just continue to write as long as they'll have me.

Of course, now I just have to get my Norton blog updated...I think I will probably do a series of entries during WWDC up in San Francisco, which should be a fun time. I will be twittering any fun stuff during the Keynote, so swing by a few times next week to see if I have any cool news from the show.

Other than that, things are fine. I had a really good on camera class on Monday; it was nice to get a chance to rehearse a few times and do a few takes for the scene, rather than just the one take that we tend to do in my "normal" class (though that is tremendously useful, arguably more useful to be better at that single take, when it comes to getting an actual job). I had to book out for next week which is always a bit frustrating, but honestly, there is just not a lot of work out there right now, at least for me, I guess.

On the political side, I am super stoked on Obama's speech last night. I was listening to his speech last night on the way home and it was truly inspiring to hear the crowd go absolutely bonkers. I haven't heard applause and cheering like that for a politician like that in a very long time...if ever, to be honest. It's gonna be fun to watch.

All right--I gotta run.

(ps - I’m using Rapidweaver 4.0 for the site now, and it’s a really great improvement. There’s a lot of delay when I type, which is annoying but that’ll get fixed.)

Tags: ifanboy, comics

The flier promised a party...


and the party delivered...


me and Conor from iFanboy.

More pics from the party here. Write up here.


I think it's pretty safe to say that whenever there's a comic book event, like Wondercon or Comic-Con, I have a fantastic time. Fantastic in the truest sense of the word. I was on the Bart train on Sunday morning heading to the airport and I literally could not help grinning. What a time!

This weekend was Wonder-Con up in San Francisco, and I ended up flying up for Friday and Saturday. It was super, super fun. My flights were crazy delayed but I was able to eek into the Darwyn Cooke (wiki, art) discussion and a DC Nation panel and get into the main hall for a bit. I won't go into it too much, but you should know that Darwyn Cooke is an incredibly amazing artist and writer--I am a huge fan. Like, massive fan, he's in my top 3 or 5 favorite comic book writers/artists list.

ohhh...man, it's way later. It's like four days later and I am actually sicker than I have been in years. I don't usually get sick, but already I was sick when I got home for the holidays and now I have some kind of flu, which I think I got from Tom.

So, I am all derailed from whatever I was talking about...regardless, Wondercon was fun, but hanging out with new friend Sonia and old friends James, Josh, Conor, Gordon and Ron was much more fun.

Other than that? I've been sick. Whit's still in Ohio, so I have been battling this flu by myself (which is good, I don't want her to get this thing), but it's driving me crazy. I haven't been able to work out and I fear I might have missed my favorite yoga teacher's last class for awhile. I must admit, if I don't work out for a few days in a row, I get nervous that I will just fall off the wagon altogether. I'll get back into it, I just hate feeling this way, I can't even fake feeling better. Craptastic.

I enrolled in an online screenwriting class that is going to start at the end of April. It's in concert with the All-Story magazine and I am both excited and nervous about it. Already I am thinking about possible story ideas and tossing them asunder, but I am hoping that the class will help me think about story ideas in a different, less binary way. I figure I spend a lot of time watching movies and I definitely have opinions, so I might as well do it for myself, you know? It's so easy to judge how bad a story is from the comfort of my couch.

We'll see how that goes.

Had a nice call from Jim in my acting class. I guess he's filming a "spec pilot" (basically filming a script that would then be shopped around as an original series) this weekend. I read the script (super random but fun) and gave him my stuff, but I didn't hear anything back. Considering they are filming right now (it is now Saturday March 1), I bet I didn't get the part, but that's totally fine--I was just flattered and happy that Jim figured I could do the job. Besides, I look and feel like death, and it's not a show about zombies.

Such a weird week. I have been in and out of life, in a way, auditions and work in the beginning of the week, work and pillows the rest of the week. I have an audition for some kind of radio play (or something, I don't know) where I have to bring in a few character voices...I think I've got them, but kind of nervewracking...like, gimme something to at least read so I can prep some characters that would be relevant, you know?

I am just looking forward to feeling better so I can think clearly again. I have been trying to read and write in this journal but I just kind of fade out after awhile.

time to upload. be well.

Tags: comics, wondercon, san francisco

Ron from iFanboy and James from Isotope Friday evening...

I just wanted to write a little bit about my fantastic weekend in San Francisco. I went up to see Oliver before goes and retrieves his family from China and though I expected a good time, I really did have a fantastically good time! Other than finally getting to hang out with Oliver and literally do nothing for most of the day on Saturday (a skill we spent many years honing in high school and college)--something we haven't been able to do in a very long time--we ended up having a typically random evening with James, Kirsten, Ash, Allie and special guest star and friend Ron Richards from the iFanboy comic podcast, who was in town for a variety of very cool reasons. Saturday night was dinner at Tom's then hanging out at Paul's party. Very fun, meeting up with new friends and old (got to see Giamma, Al and Allison, etc...!).

Ollie at his Mac station doing important stuff:

Oliver, Mike Gibson and I joined this motley crew for dinner, then we met up with Tom and his friend Chris at this really fun burlesque show at the DNALounge that James knew about. See? I told you--random. James actually knows of all the very cool places to go, and actually has a rapidly becoming world famous San Francisco Tiki Bar Tour that I actually have yet to embark on.

(later)
Funny, I just returned to this after typing from the other day, and I was apparently in the middle of a sentence that reads, "So, it was cool, I was able to check out..."--and I have no idea what I was referring to. Sigh. Maybe I will remember.

LA doesn't have these.

As is often the case, my return home to San Francisco was both calming and energizing at the same time (oh, I think I remember! dope, I will write about it in a few sentences). The weather was really nice, and it was just nice to roam the streets a bit and hang out without having too much of an agenda. I was bummed to see that they have completely demolished The Coronet movie theatre, which was one of the best houses on the West Coast. So bummed.

The Coronet would play all the BIG movies. It's now just an empty lot.

I did end up (and this is what I was talking about before) checking out a yoga class at Yoga Tree near Castro. The studio looked like it was an old dance school or something--massive room that was kept really warm (again, what is with that?). Great teacher, though, and really fun class. We did this crazy "OM tapestry" where everyone had to say "Om" 12 times so it was just this crazy long "ohhhmmm" that went on for a minute or two. It was totally cool, I had never done something like that--and yes, if you had told me a year ago I would talking about chanting Om a bunch of times with a bunch of folks after a 90 minute yoga session, I would say, "Really? That sounds really trippy but I guess I can see it." Funny how life changes (and doesn't, of course). Still, it's nice to go to a city and find a new class, it's just fun to jump into a class and have an idea of what to do while still learning new poses, etc.

Cafe Abir has been totally redone--it's much nicer than when I lived nearby. The best part...

$4 Hoegaarden's!



Flash mobbers at the Muni bus shelter on lower Haight on Friday night...

A good visit, all in all; I found it difficult to want to get back into my car and drive back, which I guess explains the hour and a half I spent at Starbucks with my parents just talking about everything that's going on, etc. I would have to say that one of the good things about growing older is watching my relationship with my parents change. I relate to them now much more as good friends, and have a much better idea of how they must have been like when they first met, in a way. It is a great gift to have a good relationship with my folks, and I am much happier now that we are on the same coast.

And now it's Wednesday and, whew! I am tired, yo! I blame myself. I was up until 1am playing Halo 3 with Nick. Yes, I caved in like everyone else, and I am happy to report that it was worth it...great game, a lot of fun. I felt like I was in high school again. Or college. Or even just a few years ago when Halo 2 came out. Or perhaps earlier this year when I played Gears with Tom until late at night.

Acting wise, it has been busy with some auditions and a callback, but nothing to write home about yet. I've been dutifully recording the pilots of a few shows in case I get a chance to audition for 'em but haven't seen anything yet. Whit's gone for the Dawn launch (tomorrow morning); I guess she got to see the Space Shuttle and traverse around the catwalks in the hangar...so cool. It's not good to be jealous of your spouse, but I think it is warranted in this case.

All right, time to post this. I have a funny little widget that shows who is looking at the site from where, but I doubt more than one person is looking at this at any given time. Who knows? More soon...

Tags: san francisco, comics, isotope