And Who'll Be Standin There Lookin Like Fred Astaire

OK so contrary to popular belief, I'm not dead. I'm very much alive. And what's more, I finally have some motivation to write!!! So without further hesitation, here are a few notes to catch you up on my life. I've been working at a lawn treatment company for the past several months. I've been kicked out of a home, swam a lot, formed a band, broke my computer screen (my laptop is currently hooked up to a tv) I've fallen for a girl, had my heart broken, made friends, heard great music, seen great films, been homeless, grown hair, began and abandoned the same film twice (the third attempt begins this Friday) freelance edited video, faced the potential of a writing internship, BBQ'd, written, discovered community radio, missed friends, and family, abandoned all hope, hoped with more intensity than ever in my life, discovered that my most recent "love interest" has the same color eyes as "The one that got away," realized that my most recent "Love Interest," will most likely be "The Other One That Got Away," I've skateboarded, read wonderful books, house hunted, discovered Band of Brothers, kept and missed appointments, played Tetris, needed home, missed God, Loved God, worn short shorts, Loved unconditionally, and many more wonderful things, and I've done it all while being tremendously poor and in what most would consider a small amount of debt, though the amount to me seems impossible. Life is full at least with all it's shortcomings, and I'm simultaneously joyful and miserable. Anyway, Thanks for reading.

Go watch Son Of Rambo, it's one of the best movies I've seen in ages!!!

Memphis

I have a new friend. Memphis. She's hilarious. She came and hung out with me at open-mic the other night, marking the first truly enjoyable-open mic I've been to since I moved back up here in January. She indulges me when I go off about wanting to ride in gondolas and fly kites. She loves animals. Our dog Kona liked her from minute one. She told me yesterday that one of her strongest dislike is when people talk about their "Pet peves," if you don't get why that's funny I love you for being simple-minded. We make funny noises and hand gestures together, and it would be quite a game to count how many times we say hmmm in high pitched tones to each other in a day. She texts me random lyrics and expects me to send her the next line, sometimes I don't know them so I cheat and look it up. But yesterday she text me lyrics from The Beatles' Her Majesty, which inspired me to learn to play it. Random entertaining things always happen when we're hanging out, I.E. yesterday it sounded as though there was a monkey in our laundry room eeking every seven or eight minutes. Just when we would forget he was there he would make his odd noise as if to say, "hey I'm still in here!" Turns out it wasn't a monkey in the laundry room at all but a pheasant in the corn field behind our house. He was the same color as the dirt though so he kept disappearing and reappearing like the Weasley twins when they could finally apparate legally. I wonder where he learned to throw his voice. Anyway I like her, she's weird in the most thrilling and endearing ways.

Once On This Island

I saw a musical the other night called Once On This Island, at the high school I work at. I went with Smitty, She was basically the only saving grace of the night. It was a weird musical. I think I would have liked it more if all of the many Black characters were played by black people, but as we're in Utah, all of the black characters were played by middle class white kids, and they didn't even try to make them seem black, which kinda bothered me and bummed me out. I wonder if they were worried about offending any black people that may attend. If I was black I'd be offended that they tried to play it off like the characters are all white. Oh well, what can you do. It still would have been weird with black people. I think it should be made into an animated film and sold in a box set with furn gully and the little mermaid 2.

Solitaire

I'm sitting at my landlord Justin's computer, and I just opened up a game of solitaire, it's a new version, must be a vista thing, but every time you move a card it actually makes the sound of a card, it's not realistic at all, it's actually really cheesy sounding, but I really love it. I think I would like to listen to it at least once daily.

Rational

"your heart has a mustache right now, you should too."
Jeremy Thompson

An addition to disco duck

For the record I would like to say. Shane is awesome. And is helpul and husbandly. And I'm sure he really was doing important things.

PS. Love at home does in fact fix everything!

A Lone Wolf

If you thought the 1970's had ownership over great terrible low-budg movies, think again. There's a new kid in town.

Utah Wolf Productions

I had the pleasure of seeing the tail end of one of their films a few nights ago.




Go to the website, there are tons of amazing trailers for your sensory stimulation. I can't stress enough how spectacularly lame these films are.
Peace & Love, Donnie

Disco Duck

I was chilling with one of my best friends, Derek, and his wife Emily, and his parents, who are like a second family to me, on Sunday night. We laughed, we told stories, we web-cam-ed with D's sister Megan, and her little son Hank, while her husband Shane would show up in the background every odd moment trying to look like he was doing something extremely helpful and husbandly, like moving the keyboard a few inches away from the wall, etc. It was a great night. I love spending time with them. The highlight of my night with them however, was when a conversation about my Grandfather lead to talking about Rick James (B**ch) who died the same day as my grandpa, and who Derek momentarily confused with Rick Dees, popular radio DJ, which lead to a discussion about what made Rick Dees famous, and I was introduced, better late than never, to one of the most epic songs I've ever heard in my life... Disco Duck. If you haven't heard it, you are missing out my friend... Terribly!!!

Aslan Is On The Move

The ice is melting. It's finally warming up. Cory Mon came over on Saturday, we went to Borders Books and looked around for a bit, he picked up a new book. I was close to picking up "The Great Divorce" by C.S. Lewis, but C-Mon informed me that he had a copy in his car that he would be happy to let me borrow. I've been told by several people that this is one of the best books they've ever read, I've been meaning to pick it up for a long time, and I'm really looking forward to reading it. When we got back we sat out on the back porch reading our books and periodically attempting to play with Kona the Dog, who would get excited like he wanted to get rowdy but then would wine like a little girl and retreat into the house if you would touch him. There was a breeze that was a little too cold for me but I still enjoyed it immensely.

Sunday was a perfect day. After church my roommates, Scotty & Jeff, BBQ'd in the back yard. I practiced my set for my upcoming show on the porch, when I was done scott started bumping some sublime. I miss Sublime, they were a big part of my formative years. Singing along to almost every word while drinking a YooHoo in the warm sunlight filled me with nostalgia, taking me back to my garage in the summer just after high school printing shirts in a lava lava(polonesian Wrap) with Jevey, Proctor, and Mookie, alternating between sublime, Bob Marley and the Long Beach Dub Allstars CD that a cop let us take from a rolled 4Runner we found abandoned, when we were offroading on the fire-trail.

I'm excited for the coming summer. I predict good times and great memories.

Simple Pleasures

I was running late this morning so I opted to skip breakfast, then I got to work and remembered, !!!This is high school!!! they have breakfast. So... I bought breakfast, which was a terrible, "breakfast pizza" with gravy for sauce, some weeks old looking cheese, and sausage bits on a stale bagel. Anyway, I saved my little 6 oz. carton of orange juice for the end of the event. When my meal(and I use the term loosely) was finished, I opened the little carton and drank. To my delight, the drink that filled my mouth, and made my taste buds dance and sing, was thrillingly slushy. I HEART SLUSHY DRINKS!!! Peace & Love, Donnie

Proper Attire

I just BBQ'd in shorts and sandals. FINALLY!!!!!! It's warming up!

A Show A Show!

I'm playing with a full band. Please come join us!

School Is For Fools!!!!!!!!!

I wish my Job payed more. I really love it. Today a few of the kids were playing with one of those 20 questions orbs and the object they chose was "Donnie" I'm not sure the balls are meant to guess specific people. There are a few students I really connect with which is cool. I wish I would have had that with a teacher or authority figure when I was in school. It's cool to be looked up to. I need to find something that pays well to work on my off days so that I can keep working here.

The Lonely Hearts Club Valentine's Day Musical Extravaganza

There have been times in my existence, when I've experienced one thing or another that I've had trouble describing because of either it's simplicity or complexity, or it's ability to be both simple and complex at the same time. Tonight's show is among those things. I think of it as both simple and complex and anticipate that it won't be easy to describe that which I felt, and heard and saw, but I'll definitely try.

Isaac Russell played first. In the place of his sesiter Becca who was supposed to play but became indisposed with work, and sent her brother to represent the family.. Lyrics about hardships, love in many senses, society etc. make me wonder how a 16 year old heart has had love, room, pain, and overall experience, enough to write what he writes. He's a gifted musician, I've known that since I heard him playing a guitar in a local guitar shop a while before I actually met him. And now alongside that fact, I've discovered that he's quite a gifted poet as well. All in all, I'm glad I got to share the stage with him, and I'm also glad I can call him friend.




Next was my close friend and roommate Jeff Stone. He played a set of songs about real life situations dealing with love and loss. Nobody does love songs like Jeff stone. Thoughts he conveyed were done so from a heart that has truly felt both love and loss, and has been both whole and broken, and you could feel it with every word and every note. It was a pleasure to have him as a part of the evening.




Then there was me. In all honesty, I just felt blessed to be in the company of such great musicians, and just great people. I think my set went pretty well, I was a little nervous because of the calabur of those I was playing with, but at the same time, knowing I was in such great company gave me some sort of a boost and I think I had one of my best performances to date.



Right after my set, Chance, of the pop punk band Abby Normal played a song for us. It was a fun anti-love song, played with those in mind who were without a treasured one to share the holiday. Ya know, people like me. it was fun to have him add that to the show.



Colby Stead, was the headlining act, and rightly so. He made the evening magical. He was accompanied by his own guitar, and by the beautiful and diversely talented Amy Robinson (who brought bananna bread for all) on the accordion. Colby has a way of making each member of the audience feel as though they're the only one there, and that he is playing and speaking directly to them. Tonight was no exception. I had only once ever heard Colby play a love song, and it was a very special thing. Last night he played several songs about love in it's various forms. I was blown away by the insightful nature of each song. Which to be honest I should have expected as much from Colby. He was the highlight of the evening for me personally. He gave Jeff and I each a pair of colbystead.com Panties, knowing that we would appreciate the humor in it. (Jeff and I have juvenile senses of humor, and now we know that it's blatantly obvious.) They say "No" on the crotch, which is not just an insightful instruction, it's also the title of Colby's latest album



The evening closed with a performance by Joshua James, a local boy who's seen a lot of success lately. He's toured with the likes of John Mayer, and David Grey. He played one of the two love songs he's written. It was written from the perspective of a man who's died and is seeing his wife with her new husband. It was beautiful, and I believe it's the only time he's played it in public. I was glad to have both Joshua and Chance to add their soul to the evening.



I hope that more of my friends will start taking advantage of the shows here. I don't think people realize the quality, and beauty of what they're missing. Special thanks to Ryan, Al, and Erin, for coming out. You made my night.

God and Me

I don't usually like to write about spiritual things. Part of me feels like a bit of a hypocrite when I do. I don't want to be perceived as preachy, or holier than though. And I know I've made enough mistakes that others have seen, that in reading this they may disregard my sincerity, I hope those who know me will overlook my mistakes in reading. The fact is I know I'm flawed, and broken. It's from these imperfections though, that most of my life lessons have been learned. I also hold the spiritual things in my life to be sacred, often too sacred for me to share them with a broad audience, such as, The Internet. However, I had an experience today that is jumping up my spine and itching to come through my finger tips.

For the past long while, I've felt dead inside. The course of my experiences and my perception of events has lead me to feel hurt, betrayed by God, and there has been a level of anger towards him that has been increasing steadily. A few months ago I became very aware of these feelings. I felt ashamed of myself, but the anger would not subside. And as these feelings grew, my desire to do good lessened. I want to be clear that I have not taken a path towards the things of this world that I've striven for a long time to avoid. My struggle has been mostly internal. Externally I think I've become more cynical, more sarcastic, and I think some would say, my light has gone out. The side effects of this change have caused more negativity, because people don't enjoy the company of darkness, I've been darker and I think that darkness has been evident to some, therefore I've had less shining people around me, and realizing this only sent me further into the dark. Trials involving my family, my relationships, my friendships etc. have weighed on me. Small miracles went unnoticed, the birth of my nephew didn't even lift me up, although recent thoughts of him, and hearing of his growth and development have brought me great joy recently.

So what does one do when they are plummeting? The fact is, each step deeper into the dungeon that my life was becoming, I would pause and say, God, I can't go any lower, I'll crumble, I'll die, and then I'd soon find out that I had no idea what low is. A girl whom I loved more than any other person in the world informed me that I was not the one for her. I thought it was my breaking point. Not even close. A series of family struggles, to personal to write here ensued soon after which caused much more heart brake than I coud imagine. Still I had further to fall. We lost nearly everything. The further and further I fell the more I began to think that everything that mattered to me in life, all of my hopes, and dreams, and righteous desires, were things I would have to learn to live without. The things that had ignited my passion and my love had become embers, barely holding on to their heat, and I had abandoned them.

The Answer to my previously posed question is, nothing. Sometimes you have to stop kicking and screaming, and stop dictating what you want, and how you think things should be, long enough for God to take over. I moved to Utah for the third time, excluding the two years I spent here as a missionary for my church. My move was sort of a last act of hope. I felt impressed to make the journey, and so I went. It has not been what I've expected. I thought my musician friends here would be how I left them, they are not. I think most of them have been on similar journeys as the one I've been on. And we haven't really been helping each other. I've been desperately missing a selection of friends from home, as well as my family. I've thought, what if I moved back to California and just found an apartment somewhere so I could still be independent, and adult. But the fact is, I know why I'm here, and the things I need to do, can only be done here at the moment. I'm definitely going to settle there at some point. But for now, my place is here.

Today I went to a Missionary Farewell, it's a church meeting where a person who has chosen to dedicate two years of their life to the service of God, and their fellow man, speaks to the congregation. The Farewell, was for a young man who I consider to be the closest thing I have to a little brother, Simon McLaughlin. I was moved by his address. If you would have asked me a few weeks ago even, if he could say something to move me, I'd have said it was impossible, I would have said, there are very few people who could say something, spiritual, or religious, at this point in my life, that would truly move me. But I think something in his innocence, and the simplicity of his message, touched my heart. I felt something from strong from God for the first time in ages. Later in the meeting, Simon's dad, his two sisters, and his brother Derek, who has been my best friend for 10 years, sang a song called draw near unto me, I was moved again, this time to tears. At first I thought I was crying because their singing reminded me of simpler times, before I fell into this state of negativity. It reminded me of my family, and my youth. I definitely think these emotions contributed to my reaction. But the I began to really listen to the words of this song, which I had heard a thousand times in my lifetime.

Draw near unto me, and I will draw near unto you. Seek me, seek and ye shall find me, ask and ye shall receive.

I felt God speaking these words directly to me. In my despair, and the dying of my spirit, I've been pulling further and further away from him, and from where I need to be. Instead of leaning on him, depending on him, I've been depending on my own logic, and my own strength, but then feeling angry at him when things don't go right for me.

The truth is, being good, and righteous, and being in line with God, doesn't mean that things are going to be perfect. The fact is the world is broken, and so are we. Sadness, cold, hunger, war etc. these things will always be a part of our existence. We will always have cause to doubt, or to be bitter or depressed. But we don't have to be. And we don't have to let it kill our souls. I'm so happy that I went today, and heard those words. I hope I can be wise enough to hold onto it, and seek out more of that light.

Adio Visual

I Went to my friend Smitty's (Emily Smith) house warming party and played some songs. Smitty and I played a cover of Tegan and Sara's "Where Does The Good Go" and Smitty played some songs with her roommate Chrissy who happens to play the mandolin. Anyway here is some eye candy to help you visualize the whole shebang.

Robert Frost Is The Man: Volume V

Forgive, O Lord, my little jokes on Thee, and I'll forgive Thy great big joke on me.
Robert Frost

Robert Frost Is The Man: Volume IV

A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness. It finds the thought and the thought finds the words.
Robert Frost

Robert Frost Is The Man: Volume III

A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age.
Robert Frost

Peep Shows

Back To The Lab

I've been watching way too many movies lately. I need to find something new and exciting. Like a Labrador or something.

This One's Just Right

I have been on somewhat of a blogging hiatus. Hiatus deleted. Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed, or stressed, or what have you, I feel stifled creatively. I've been experiencing a bit of this recently. Living on my own isn't easy, but it is rewarding. In spite of my lack of creative milk, Jeff Stone and I poured ourselves a great big bowl of brain cereal the other day, in regards to the script we're working on. We had some major story concerns that had been stewing in both of us since early on in the creative process, however we kept going with them because we had not a noteworthy idea to replace them with, but this week, leaning against the cell phone stand at Best Buy, we had a breakthrough. Wish I could tell you more about it, you're just gonna have to wait until the DVD release so you can see it on the bonus disk.

Let me catch you up a bit on my current life. 'm working with a group of bright kids at one of the local high-schools. I love it. My job is to help students to get their associates degree by the time they finish High School, the completing of which will earn them a full ride scholarship to help them on their way to a bachelor's degree. It's kind of ironic seeing as how I'm basically an eternal student, and have not as of yet earned a degree for myself. But , whatever. I oft receive looks of suspicion from fellow staff members as I park my car in the employee lot. I've been asked numerous times if I have a hall pass, and students upon entering my class-room have at times looked confused when they didn't find an "adult." The funny thing is, I've had a hefty beard the entire time I've worked there. I graduated from high school nearly eight years ago. I fear it's only going to get worse, as I shaved off my beard yesterday.

Other than that, I've been preparing to make a few more short films, along with my pal Charles "CHUCK" as I've dubbed him. And trying to play music from time to time. I have a show on Valentine's Day at vwlour in Provo, which I'm quite stoked about. I'm playing with my friend and lov... I mean roommate Jeff Stone, as well as Becca Russell, and Colby Stead, who happens to be one of my musical heroes, as well as a gentleman and a scholar.

Luz Del Sol Eterna De La Mente Intachable

Just watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Justin, Scott, and I came to the united conclusion that Jim Carey has come a long way since Fire Marshal Bill. Also, we had a minor disagreement about the attractiveness of Kirsten Dunst. Scott thinks she's ugly, I think she has moments of delightfulness. To each, as they say, his own. Kate Winslet has become much more appealing over the years to me as an actress. I thought her performance in Titanic was laughable, but she has redeemed herself many times over since then. And truth be told, she probably wouldn't have had the chance to do so without having made Titanic. It's strange how the film world works.

Robert Frost Is The Man: Volume II

Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.
Robert Frost

Robert Frost Is The Man: Volume I

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.

Robert Frost

Nebraska

Jeff Stone and I have a brain-child together which has taken the form of a film script. I don't want to give any details away about it because then you very well might steal it, as you are all filthy pirates. However I will tell you that we gave an informal pitch to a friend with the clout to make it happen, and it went well. If it snowballs and we in fact find ourselves in the process of making the film, legitimately, I will likely be starting a new blog, specifically to document that process. Thanks for reading,
Donnie

I ate Mason Jennings' Brother's Left-Over Taco

I've just settled down for a long winter's nap. This evening began with an impressive show. Cory Mon's DVD release show to be exact. Opening was a guy named Dave Eaton, who honestly just didn't do it for me. He was like a drunk white guy trying to sound like Jack Johnson but not really pulling it off so much, except he wasn't drunk, he just wasn't good. So instead of listening to his set I went back and talked with Michelle G, and Becca Russell, They're fun, and I was glad of their company. After DE was Code Hero, a band that I've been hearing about for like two years, but somehow had never seen live until tonight. I in fact live with the drummer. They rocked my proverbial socks off. It was seriously moving to hear them play. Nate, the lead singer, writes the most introspective and thoughtful lyrics. And the music matches well. After CH was Matt Jennings, brother of Mason, and allegedly son of shooter, grandson of Waylin, and great nephew/Godson of the late Peter Jennings. OK not really, but he really is Mason's brother. Matt's music is very Latin, and it's cool. I enjoyed his set, he and his stand up bass player, also named Matt, produce a great blend, I'm glad they came out to play. The show ended with Cory Mon and the Starlight Gospel. I've seen Cory play practically a million times, but I've never seen anything like what I saw last night. He was seriously unbelievable, and his band was so tight and on point. There were a few points in the show where I was almost moved to tears because of the quality of the music. It was so nice to go to a show and feel like I was actually gaining light from it. Afterwards there was a hot-chocolate/icecream party at our place, (mormons) and quite a few people came over, Scotty, Nate(of Code Hero) and myself discussed the Cohen brothers, specifically their newest film, No Country For Old Men, I enjoy hearing other people's opinions about films, and comparing/contrasting them with my own. Each of us got something completely different out of it. Then I went downstairs and philosophized with Jeff Stone, Katie Brandeburg, Matt Jennings, and others. We heard about a chance metting with ?estlove, of The Roots, we talked about Minesota, and we gave Matt hell for being in his brother's shadow. For the record, Matt is a great musician, and an awesome dude who couldn't eat his second taco from Beto's last night, leaving it for me to finish, mainly so I could have an awesome title for this blog. Being Mason's brother is just a part of his life, it has nothing to do with his work as such.

Milk Was a Good Choice.

I love the sensation of drinking milk when I have a mustache. It like drips through it and onto my lip, it's pretty awesome. I know it sounds gross, but it's totally not. I love it.

Movie Buff

OK I have a new film up on reelconnect.com go watch it. It's called We Are Germany, and you can find it in the drama section of the website. Also if you want to laugh, go watch, Killing Seth, while you're at it.

Oh My Darlin!

I just ate a Clementine and it was super delicious!!!

Orange You Glad I told You That Joke

My classroom smells like a fresh orange. I've got to have some fresh citrus.

That Is One Big Pile Of S**t

Things are pretty good here in Utah. I'm sitting in one of the classes I facilitate at the high school, it's intro to film, we're watching Jurassic Park. I forgot how freaking awesome this movie is. Jeff Goldbloom is the end all be all of cool.

Also, Over the weekend I and my constituancy participated in the LDS Film Festival's 24 hour film festival. We made a short WWII drama about two soldiers who just escaped from a P.O.W. camp, and the German family who helps them in their escape. I'm stoked to put it up on line, but we're having some problems with the colors whenever we export it. I don't anticipate it doing well in the festival because of this problem, otherwise I really think we would have won. When we get the glitch figured out I believe we'll be puting it up at reelconnect.com, you should definitely check the site out anyway because it's cool. Most of the films on there right now are pretty crappy, but they're definitely gonna get better, the website's only been live for a week. They'll be getting a bunch of stuff from various film festivals and what have you, so check it.

Also my pal Chuck and I are gonna be doing a bum-load of films over the next while, so prepare to be entertained.

I'm kinda bummed though, because several of my friends who are up here have been incognito, busy with various daily tasks and what not. Also I'm thinking at some point in the near future I need to put a game plan together for making new friends and meeting new people. As of right now I'm basically doing the same things day to day, which is exactly what I want to stay away from. I don't want to get stuck in a pattern.

PS. Del Taco is so good.

PPS. I need to stop drinking Doctor Pepper!

PPPS. Let's go to Costco!!!

"You know we're better fighters."

Jeff Stone has delightfully fresh lyrics, melodies, and deodorant. Check him out at myspace.com/jeffstonemusic

Oval-Teens

Al deans, Jeff Stone, Kelsey Everson and myself, played a show this evening over at Velour in Provo. Thanks, props, and cookies, to those in attendance. We did it, singer in the round style, where we took turns, one song each at a time. It was special. I think there's something to be said for that style of a show, but to be honest I think it can put a lot of stress on an audience, and on the artists. I was getting pretty tired towards the end of the show. I do like though that there are any number of artists on the stage at any given time adding salt and pepper to each other's songs. It was an awesome line-up of really solid song-writers. Hopefully they didn't get too sick of my self proclaimed witty stage banter. I'm pretty stoked at the reception I've had thus far musically here in Provo. The last time I lived here I felt like I had a few fans and a lot of friends who would just come to here me play because they didn't want it to be awkward the next time they saw me. Actually I only had like two or three friends show up tonight, there were about thirty people in all, so I was kinda bummed about that. That's the price you pay sometimes for playing in the middle of the week. However I think I gained a few new fans, and hopefully a few new friends as well. I'm stoked because every time I've made what feels like the right choice in my life, at some point everything that I need to make it legit seems to fall into place. This seems to be the case now. People are diggin' my music, I've had some really heart-felt, and deeply appreciated comments from people since I got here, including one from the guy who owns the venue I used to work at, and he doesn't shell out compliments, so it feels pretty cool. Also I sat in on my new screen writing class last night, it was unbelievable, I seriously learned so much, just in one class, I can't even imagine how far this is going to take my writing. I also have people to film with, and we have the assets to make great short films that look as good as they feel. Oh and the icing on the cake, I found a job. I'm a substitute teacher at one of the local schools. I'm still trying to decide if I'm gonna go by Donnie, or Mr. Bonelli, or just, Mr. B. any suggestions? Anyway, I need to repose, I have to get up at the cock's crow, so goodnight, and be sure to drink your ovaltine.

Oh yeah and be sure to check out my film "Killing Seth" at reelconnect.com it's under the comedy section. There are some other decent films up there, and I'll have some more awesome ones to put up soon.

Linnens & Tables & Chairs Oh My!

The past few days have been insane in the proverbial membrane.

I moved to Utah on New Years Eve with no solid living arrangement, and no job. I'm still fairly stressed about all of this.

Today school started and I'm still trying to figure out my financial aid situation, and subsequently, I'm not as of yet enrolled in any classes,. I did however get some information today, which leads me to believe that that'll be worked out smoothly before the deadline.

I also found out that my credit rating isn't in nearly as bad of shape as I thought it was. Which means soon I'll be able to get approved on a few things to start building it back up. Thanks Shasta for setting me straight on the matter.

I still don't have a job, but it's only been 2 days and I've got some good prospects, including a job with benefits, so my fingers are crossed.

I really wish that a certain relative would stop calling me to make me feel like a child who can't take care of myself, and making me feel like s-h-eye-t. I'm doing the best I can to get everything worked out and in order. I'm a grown up, I can take care of myself. If you really want to help me than be supportive, what you're doing is only making things harder. I don't want you to stop calling me. I just don't want to be treated with disrespect.

I'm currently crashing at my pal Justin's house in Orem. Scott the tenant is a bundle of joy, I don't mean a baby(though he does have a baby face) I'm just saying he's hilarious. I recommended that his blogger name be Hop-Scot ch, he giggled/eye rolled and replaced the toilet-seat-sized headphones on his head, as if to say "yeah great idea a-hole." It's been fun reminiscing with he and Justin about the punk & ska bands and shows of our adolescence. I think Scott is the only one of us who has stayed completely true to the punk rock faith.

Upon arriving here a few nights ago, I stopped off at my friend Al's apartment to say howdy, and to peep-out his new studio, it's ultra sweet. And he's done some unbelievable work in it already. We then waited for his lady friend Kelsey to get off of work at Little Caesar's, at which point we made for Justin's where there was a gathering of homo sapiens which I had been lead to believe was none other than, a party. turns out it was actually a gathering, or ritual of sorts where young married couples eat snack food, play games, and then kiss each other in a g-rated way at the stroke of midnight, not unlike The Newlywed Game, or the movie swingers. I haven't actually seen swingers, but once again I'm harshly reminded of my singularity.

Saw Juno again, I know I'm a freak. I went with Scott, Jeff, Shasta, Justin, and Chain. It was yet again unbelievable. I also ran into Matt Olsen. I don't know if you know Matt but he pretty much defines awesome. He introduced me to the films of Wes Anderson and Christopher Guest(The six-fingered man) and his sister Randi has a golden voice. I'm glad we bumped into him because he let us know about his sister's wedding reception this weekend. And just 'cause he's cool. By the way everybody we saw the movie with loved it. I'm so surprised.

Jeff and I went on a job hunt/hot chocolate run yesterday(in order to take the advise of a friend) I had a coconut hot chocolate from Borders books, it was delicious. We also had an awesomely effective brainstorm about our screenplay. Good things will come.

I miss my family.

Tonight I'm going to a house show, and am thoroughly excited to hear the musical stylings of Jeff Stone and Cory Mon. But more thorough is my hope that a random attractive hippie-ish coed, who likes soft-figured men, will be in attendance. That would be the way to kick off 2008.

I ran in to Emily(who will from henceforth be dubbed Smitty) at UVSC today. She's so fun, and so cute. We're going to see a movie and eat sushi next week some time. Provided my financial situation is on track at that point. If not I suppose we'll postpone it for a later date. It was a cool coincidence though.

Justin's wife Nichole (Chain) made some bomb chili tonight, on which we all grubbed. I love her for it. I was starting to thin out.

Alright then Beaches and hose, I'm off to see the wizard. Eat your vegetarians.

New Year, New Home, New Nervouse

It's effing cold here, and so far things are not as I expected. I'm irrepressibly anxious about the fact that I'm, for all intents and purposes, homeless! I need to get settled into a job on the double so I can get moved into a place of my own. The reality of this new situation is setting in, and though I believe it will work out, I'm still... scared. Prayers and action on my behalf would be eternally appreciated, and returned.