It's Time...

I’m tormented by my obsession to be creative, despite a lack of inspiration.
Feeling called to write, choreograph, perform––do something;
Not because I want to cross something off a list, but rather to stay active on my artistic journey.
Sometimes doing “nothing” is really doing something;
The stillness gives me a space to breathe, and then suddenly––out of nowhere––my soul is revived.
I spent the past two years working on my new book;
brainstorming, outlining, contemplating, writing, rewriting, and gathering with my writing group to share and rethink––finally finishing my 1st draft.
Now, I wait.  The agony of releasing my work into the hands of capable colleagues, who may not have the emotional attachment I have with my “book baby.”
I’ve poured my heart onto the page, now I have to move on.
I gave myself the space to rest––two months is plenty of time, right?
The idea of staring at a blank screen is daunting, but the vast emptiness that I feel when I’m not creating is excruciating.
So, back into the sea I go, not at all prepared for the storm that’s sure to hit, for now I’ll just focus on getting past the break and pray for a lifeboat when I need it.

Six-Word Story Challenge; Cloned

Reproductions are cheaper and less glamorous.

Six-Word Story Challenge; Mutiny

If Starbucks closes early in LA...

Six-word Story Challenge; The Charmer

A playful smile disarms unwilling hearts.

Blank Page

I have one essay left before my second manuscript is finished.
For the past year I’ve poured 90% of my creative energy into this book;
And with only one chapter left I find myself stuck.
It’s the most challenging story to share––which is why I continued to put it off––but now it’s time to dig deep and get it done.
A collection of nonfiction essays that explore my artistic journey and coming to terms with my identity on my quest for the “perfect” career.
This journey has lead me to discover new depths to my personality, creativity, and ability to communicate as a storyteller and human.
I’m excited to share my work... but first I have to finish it!
With that.. it’s time to face the blank page.

Fireside Inspiration

Curled up cozy by my fireplace;
The warmth of the flames inspire happy childhood memories.
Raindrops tap lightly on the window;
The soothing rhythm provides background orchestration;
Perfect for writing.

Hawaii Day 2

Before the sun rises, I’m up and writing in my journal;
It’s hard not to be inspired in paradise.
Layered melodies from various birds call outside my window,
The perfect soundtrack to write.
Creativity flows as easy as multiple Piña Coladas––happily tipsy, I type.
The sun lifts over the horizon revealing a shimmering crystal blue sea.
Try to be upset in Hawaii––if you are, you’re doing life wrong.

Rain Day

The rain falls causing a familiar smell from my youth;
Being trapped in a classroom––playing Seven Up––because teachers didn’t want to be outside monitoring the wet, muddy, playground.
Heads down, thumbs up; it was fun for a moment, but the gravity would sink in...
No fresh air today––math class, reading, and an indoor game at your desk?
It’s like telling a child they get to skip school, and then informing them it’s because they have to go to the dentist.
As and adult I LOVE a rain day.
The perfect excuse to stay in my pajamas, curled up on the couch with a book; puppies on either side––sipping hot chocolate.
It’s good to be an adult.
Except for that “work” idea... that part is less fun.

Morning Ritual

Steam whistling through the tiny holes in a stainless steal tea pot;
The smell of bacon wafts past my nose.
I finish the last sentence in my journal,
Share my daily social media post––and adorable picture of my niece dancing;
And I stare at my computer screen.
Time to pour my emotion onto a blank page,
I’m going to need more bacon.

Write Now.

The longer I stare at my blank screen;
The more determined I am to create.
The desire to manifest something from nothing has continued to motivate me as a person and artist.
Now, if only I could convince my hands that I have a story to tell.

Starbucks NYC

It’s been fourteen years since I’ve lived in New York City;
And it’s as if no time has passed as I write from the Starbucks on 40th and Lexington Avenue.
This was not my “home” Starbucks, but aren't they all the same?
I spent so many hours of my life (pre-marriage) journaling, dreaming, and plotting my career path in a Starbucks;
Surrounded by strangers who felt like family at Starbucks––we all shared common themes: aspiring actor–writer–director–students–without–air conditioning in the summer heat.
Which is very similar to my circumstances today.
While I’m much older––and can actually afford air-conditioning now; I am in a city that I no longer have a home––so I found solace in my family at Starbucks.
In between meetings and meeting up with friends, I happily hack away at my computer––finishing a chapter in my new book, and catching up on emails.
The traffic is at a standstill, but my creativity is in full-force;
That’s the beauty of New York––once you're here, you can’t fight the energy.
I’m delighted to visit NYC for a trip down memory lane, however, I’m so grateful that I achieved my goals in this city––with nothing to prove here––I enjoy visiting friends, working my gig, and returning home to my family!
I enjoy NYC, I LOVE LA.

Truth on Tour: Day 1

The alarm rang ten minutes after I woke up;

It's rare that I get a good nights sleep before a travel day.

Showered, dressed, and kissed the puppies goodbye.

We arrived to an empty airport—apparently the only time LAX is calm: 4AM.

I reacted like a First grader when they lose their favorite toy when I discovered that Starbucks was closed, and wouldn't open until after we take off.

The drama continued when I realized that I'm going to be on a three hour flight sitting next to a man who smells like Robert Downey Jr's breath (before rehab.)

This is #TheGlamorousLife!

Meet Me At The Mall

I’m sitting at the mall searching for creativity.
Drawn to the food court where similar Mac men and women peck at their keyboards, while people––who take the shape of characters from any random 80′s film––devour food-on-a-stick.
For every sentence I complete, I reward myself with a thirty-second scan of my surroundings:
Moms comforting crying kids,
Old ladies playing mahjong,
Old men playing chess,
Teenagers plotting their next takedown,
And me––fighting for my next great idea;
Maybe some MSG from Panda Express will help me?

Creativity on Pause.

Watching Game of Thrones while trying to rouse creativity on the computer is like balancing a checkbook at Disneyland: no matter how hard you try to do the math––the sentences just don’t add up.

Work In Progress

I’m currently working on my next book and I forced myself to look back through old journals in order to accurately remember the past.
There’s a reason people warn you not to look back.
You get to revisit the best memories, but you have to relive the shitty parts, too.
It’s strange how far away some of those moments feel now;
Others flash before me like a movie and I struggle to believe they actually happened.
Reading the pages from my journals helped me to appreciate how far I’ve come and how focused I was, even back then, to set goals and work towards them.
I am proud of where I am and who I’ve become, and I accept that every day brings a new opportunity to evolve as a person.
The beautiful discovery is while I continue to work toward self-improvement and career advancement, I'm living my dream—and that is my definition of “making it.”

Fall

The crisp air delights;
Layered clothing and coffee.
Invigorated.

Write Through The Blocks

Finding the inspiration to be creative daily is often a challenge;
When I catch myself staring at a blank page on a glowing screen, I start to panic.
Self-inflicted fear and unfair demands only damage what little imagination I may have in those instances.
Rather than focusing on producing brilliant words that will live on forever––I just start typing (similar to what I’m doing here on this daily blog post) and wait for some magical piece of (I want to say cake because that’s all I can think about right now) the puzzle to redirect me into my process.
The path of an artist requires working through the toughest challenges, and hopefully the end of the path reveals a new direction.

The Perfect Storm

I’ve always heard that “luck” is when preparation meets opportunity.
After twenty years of nonstop hustling in the entertainment industry––I have a much better appreciation for the phrase.
The truth is no matter how much you prepare or how hard you work you can’t force the opportunity.
I’ve enjoyed my fair share of victories; similarly, I’ve experienced devastating setbacks.
I’m an all-or-nothing kind of guy, so I invest all of my emotion and creativity into every project with the hope of success.  In doing so, I can look back on a lifetime of fun adventures and mini-dreams coming true.
When I set out to write a book, I imagined it on bookshelves in Barnes & Noble. I had no idea how it would happen, but I focused on writing a story I’d want to read, and I didn’t worry about anything else.
My finished manuscript sat on a shelf (or rather a folder on my Mac) for two years before the opportunity to sell it came along.
There were a few false starts, but it wasn’t until my partner and I created forty digital short videos, three television pilots, and I was performing on a TV show that a publisher took interest.
It was the perfect storm. Preparation meeting opportunity.
When the student is ready, the teacher appears.
I have to remind myself of that every day.  We always want every project we invest in to be a raging success; it’s only when the creator and project are certain for success that the opportunity appears.

Day Off with Roseanne

Laying in bed watching reruns of Roseanne,
Really puts things into perspective:
The late 80's were hilarious.
Roseanne pushed boundaries,
My life is startlingly similar to a housewives,
I love taking the day off––even though I've got my laptop and I'm still answering emails, posting blogs and making things happen!

Accomplished

It's early, and I didn't get an ounce of sleep last night.
I sit typing on my computer as a way of waking my brain and inspiring creativity.
It's not always intelligent or inspirational––but when I set goals, I get things accomplished.  No matter how insignificant they may seem.
Focused, steady, determined and balanced.