eddiecutlass

Putting it all out there...a writer's block combat strategy

2008-06-03T13:46:30Z

I have writer's block. And when I say I have writer's block, it's not just some sit down at the computer and want to write but no ideas come to mind kind of thing...that I could handle. This is more that I have things to write...a comic story for Ed, VXW wrestling stuff, an idea for a screenplay, the book of a cool independent musical film and of course, my Christmas musical and that's besides the plans I have for launching another project as well as my hoped workshops...and maybe its because I have so many ideas, but when I sit down at the computer I actually start to have a panic attack. I start to sweat and get a huge pit in my stomach and I end up just staring at the screen in anxiety. And this just adds to my frustration more. Now, I started something by blogging about the Chiller show. When I started to type, I was surprised at how quickly the words started to flow and I probably could have gone on for another page and a half, but I realized how long it was getting and cut it short. But, that was just one "little" blog and not the other things I want to write, right? So, what I need to do is stay on top of the anxiety and fight through it. Kevin Smith once said that the best way to combat writer's block was to write. You should just write and yes, it will mostly likely be shit, but just keep writing until it's not anymore...or something like that. So that's what this is. Enjoy.

I have become frustrated in life...and I'm not the only one. Alice is right there with me. And I know that this kind of frustration occurs to lots of people in their early to mid thirties, but I really don't care about everyone else right now...so I'll just focus on me...and maybe Alice. :-) I don't blame anyone. Where I am in my life is compeletely my doing...good and bad. I've coasted through some times I should have planned more and I've played it safe when I should have taken chances. But regardless, these choices, beyond anything else, have brought me the love of a good woman and a really cool son, both of whom I wouldn't trade for the world. Beyond that is the frustrating part. I walked out of school with the idea that I was going to walk off the graduation platform and right onto Broadway. But I didn't do anything to get that. Did I think they were just going to call me and give me the job? It pains me to say it, but yes! That's been my whole problem for as long as I can remember. It's not that I feel entitled, but it's more like why wouldn't they want me? Come on...all this potential!!! I had a friend in High School who used to say that the dirtiest word in the whole world is "potential" because it paints a negative picture. You will most likely never live up to the limits of you potential so while you kill yourself to do so, others will look at you as a failure. I've spent my life being smart enough to get by. Sure, I could have pushed myself harder, but that's too stressful. I'll just get up to a good cruising speed and do well enough to keep everyone off my back. And I'm a nice guy...so if I screw up along the way, so be it. It always comes as a shock to me when a mistake gets me in trouble. Then I swan dive into the craziest shame spiral which tears into every aspect of my life until I can pull up crusing speed again.

So where am I? I'm almost 34. I live in a house we're paying off with my wife and son. We both work to make ends meet so we have that interesting irony of having to put my son in daycare (which cost good money) so we can both work. I work in a job in CT evenings, so I see my son in the morning and my wife for a few hours at night, that ends at the start of next year. Sunday is the only day our family is together. I'm doing my part to take care of our fiscal responsibilites, but I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up. I have the heart of an artist and entertainer, but when you take out time for work and commute time (which I have to do) and family time (which I want to do) that doesn't leave any other time. It's like Alice. I think she'd like to be able to add time to the day, but if she did, she would just keep filling it with responsibilities that there'd be no time for her to sit down and just read a book which I KNOW she would love to do. And speaking of Alice...she just walked in so I'm going to sign off to spend a few minutes with her before I go to work. I will continue this later...

Chiller Theatre Expo Experience

2008-06-02T21:15:50Z

So, I've been wanting to write about this for weeks now and I finally have the gumption to do so. Earlier this month, I went to the Chiller Theatre Expo in NJ which is one of the largest horror/sci-fi film expos on the east coast. I have wanted to try and get to one of these in the past, due to the constant urgings of a former MTVNetworks co-worker, but never really had the opportunity or the money or the lack of laziness...anyway, I went and I dragged Jay with me. Now, I also dragged Jay to the Turnbuckle show last summer so I definitely see a trend of me dragging Jay to autographs shows, but I can promise that the moment we don't have a good story to tell because of it will be the last time I drag Jay to one of them. And to say we a had a good time doesn't ever scratch the surface.

Now, I'm new to all this type of stuff so I don't go to these shows with any materialistic agenda. What I mean by that is I don't go with a ton of swag and get it signed for the purpose of selling on Ebay or whatever. My purpose is to meet these performers on an even level, talk to them about their craft, thank them for their influence on my life, ask a few questions that may have been bouncing around in my head regarding their career and then get an autograph (and hopefully a picture with them) to mark the meeting. I try not to get starstruck, but unfortunately that happens and can spoil things...but more on that later.

So Jay and I got pre-show tickets which meant that we could go into the show an hour earlier than the "real" start time. If and when I attend another Chiller show I can guarantee I'd do it that way again. By going in early, we had the opportunity to get the lay of the land, hit a few attendees who had set up early without waiting and then hop on the line for the main floor before it gets too long...which it eventually did...sprawling down a long hallway and out the back door of the Hotel! Anyway we worked that first hour to its fullest. We met Lou Ferrigno, Richard Keil and Cindy Morgan all before we got in line. Then, when we got on the main signing floor (dubbed the pit) we met Barry Bostwick, Armin Shimmerman, Gregory Itzin, Robert Picardo, Stephen and Daniel Baldwin and had great meetings with all of them. I got to ask Shimmerman about working on two shows simultaneously and Picardo about his perfomance in INNERSPACE among other things. This is also where the cool stories begin.

Story 1: One thing that people don't know about me is that Frank Stallone has had quite an influence on my performing life. I've seen Staying Alive over 100 times and can pretty much quote the movie to you if asked. That movie, coupled with Jesus Christ Superstar, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Xanadu are responsible for my interest and love of musical theatre. The first 45" record I ever bought was FAR FROM OVER (the second was Ghostbusters, but I don't have that anymore) and I still have it. Also, growing up in the 80's, I watched A LOT of "B" movies. If it was hosted my Joe Bob Briggs, Gilbert Godfried or Rhonda Shearer I watched it and found something to enjoy about almost all of them...even if it was a naked girl...c'mon, I was a 10-16, what do you expect? :-) Anyway, he appeared in a one of the best of the worst called THE PINK CHIQUITAS and when we were teens, my friends and I loved it. We loved it so much that I attained a copy on VHS and have had that for almost 20 years. So, knowing he would be at the show, I found both objects and they came along with me. Upon meeting him, I didn't know what to expect, but he was probably the most geniune and gracious guy I ever met. He was totally down to earth and seemed touched by the sentiment upon my revealing the above information to him (and I don't think he thought I was too weird or a stalker which is cool). He signed my 45 and we talked about his music. I then took a picture with him holding the VHS tape. Then he told me that the movie has come out on DVD, which I didn't know, and he THREW me a copy...on the house!!! How cool is that?!?! If I wasn't a fan before...well, you know the rest. He was a real class act and I can guarantee that if I see him at another show, I'll get the CD we were talking about. The only thing that sucked was that because of my nerves and the overwhelmingness of the people signing, I felt like I had to move on quickly so there were questions I had that I forgot to ask. In fact, that was the theme of the day so I think when I go back, I'm going to write down a few things so I don't forget to ask them.

Story 2: We meander over to where Mick Foley is signing. We chat a bit about his connection to the Center where Alice works and how she met him last year, but when it came down to getting an autograph or picture, his prices were a little high. And this was still early so I thought I would run out of money. So I comment about that and he says "Well who have you spent your money on so far?"...or something like that. I run though a little list and when I get to Cindy Morgan (who I met and got a TRON picture autographed...really classy lady), he responds with "Lacy Underall from Caddyshack is here? I talked to her on the phone, but we've never met. You don't have any money so I'm sending you on note passing duty." And with that, he gets a piece of cardboard from his handler and writes a note on it. Jay and I then leave the pit and take the note to Cindy who responds with the same "talked on the phone, didn't know he was here" line. She then starts signing a picture for him and tells us that she wants a picture from him...not just a note. So we take it back to Mick, but now the line for the pit is HUGE so Jay sneaks through the line (as we assure people we're not cutting) and give the pic to Mick, retrieves one for Cindy and off we go again. She says thanks and gives me another autograph for the trouble which she didn't have to do, as I had bought one from her earlier, but come on...how generous! So I accepted graciously and quickly. I was hoping for something from Mick, but he wasn't as forthcoming...even as I met up with him later and asked if they had met. I was a little let down because of that...especially due to the fact that we left the pit to play messenger. In doing so, we missed Ernest Borgnine, Joe Pantaliano, Bridgitte Neilsen and Ami Dolenz among others, but, it is still a cool story and I learned a lesson...don't leave the pit until you get all the meets that you want. Next time, I will do just that.

Story 3: Since we couldn't get back into the pit, we went down this side hallway and in one room we found Brian O'Hollaran, Marilyn Ghigliotti and Jason Mewes...all from Clerks. Jay had a Clerks X DVD and got it signed by O'Halloran and we talked a bit about community theatre acting and stuff since that's where he got his start, then we made our way over to Mewes. All his prices were posted and Jay had two DVDs he wanted signed. The guy taking the money said go for the Clerks X so Jay paid for the one autograph. While waiting in line, a guy walked up and asked Mewes how he was doing and Mewes replied with "I'm doing alright man, I've got my Hot Dog lighter and my friend here..." which Jay and I immediately jumped on and asked the friend what it's like to play second fiddle to a hot dog lighter (this will come back later on) and the joke went well as they both laughed. Then it was Jay's turn in line so he asked Mewes which DVD he'd like to sign and Mewes said, "F*CK it, I'll sign both of 'em"...cool in itself, but then I asked to take a picture of him to prove that I met him as my brother is a big fan and he took a picture WITH me. And I didn't pay for that!! If I didn't think Mewes was cool before...nah forget that, I always thought he was cool...but now he's F*cking cool! And this also brings up an interesting point...let's say that I were to do something theatrical that brought me international fame and I'm at an autograph show. Doing little things like this with the fans I feel makes you MORE beloved by the fans in the future. There were many people who had prices of $20 for an autographed picture, $10 dollar for a picture with them, but free with the purchase of an autograph. I like that! It's not too much money, it creates value, but beyond that...it makes you feel like you're getting that extra something. Like the people who would let Jay and I in a picture for the price of one. It's just a little thing, but it creates great feeling and positive reactions.

Story 4: This is a short and simple story, but one of the coolest. We met Staci Keanan of TV's MY TWO DADS and STEP BY STEP. I commented that MY TWO DADS was my favorite sit-com (along with Night Court) and I could even sing the theme song. We chatted about the show and other things, took some pictures (which she was VERY generous with) and were about the leave when jay, sh!t-stirrer that he is, reminded her that I could sing the theme song. So, she asked to hear it and even though I was a bit embarrassed, I am a ham and can't turn down a request. From what Jay told me after the fact, she seemed genuinely impressed...or at least surprised. That was enough for me. :-)

There were a couple of downers, but I've already written WAY too much so lets just chalk them up to my nerves getting the better of me so let's just say that if I ever meet Nora Greenwald or William Forsythe again, I guarantee they'll have a better impression of me. And if I don't...well it's their loss. :-)

I can just end with this: The Chiller people put on a great show and I will return to another of their shows in a heartbeat...if the stars align again...and if I'm lucky enough...I'll be dragging Jay right behind!

Getting up to date

2007-09-05T18:30:18Z

So, this weekend is Ren Faire weekend...but before embarking on year six of our traditional journey (including the Forellas for a 2nd year), I should go back 2 weeks and talk about one of the coolest weekends I've had a while.

First, Friday night Jay and I took in a Pro Wrestling autograph show in Lynbrook. I had never been to a show of this type before and neither had Jay, so we could both enter without any preconceived notions...which is a good thing because if we would have known what to expect, it may have ruined a good time. Apparently, the show was mishandled and people who spent over 175 dollars for VIP tickets were unhappy. Also, the fire marshalls got involved due to overcrowding and such so lines were really long earlier in the day. Sometimes ignorance IS bliss because we didn't know any of that at the time and I can say my time was well worth the $50 bucks I spent before I was done. We met Tito Santana, Christian, Sunny, Rosey, Rikishi, Capt. Lou Albano, Ivan Putski, Ted Dibiase (kind of a D**k..or at least his handler was), Johnny and Jimmy Valiant. We also saw Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Superstar Billy Graham, Al Snow, Sid, Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson but the line was too long to wait to meet them. Oh, and Terry and Dory Funk passed us in line as they were leaving the building, but the two coolest parts of the night were the conversations we had with Daffney and Tony Burton. Daffney (a former WCW champion) spent almost 1/2 and hour talking to us about her career and told us some interesting things about the business. She was really sweet, but not as sweet as the 20 minutes we spent chatting with Tony Burton! Everytime I say his name to someone, the response is always "who?", which doesn't surprise me but when I say the bald, black cornerman for Apollo Creed and Rocky then people know who he is. Regardless, any time you can talk to a professional actor with 30 year career about the craft as well as improv and stuff...it's worth your $10 dollar admission. Jay and I were smiling like crazy after that. We got autographs but since he was the first guy we saw...well, let's just say we didn't have a courage up to ask for a photo. Ah well...

And this was just Friday...

After dropping Dylan off with his grandparents, Saturday brought our trip to Manhattan to see RENT (also with the Forellas). We started off with a slight curveball as their favorite restaurant in Little Italy was closed due to "Emergency Kitchen Repairs". Alice and I, being out of our element, let them take us to another place right around the corner. The food was great!!! Then we made our way uptown to see RENT. Now, I've seen the show before, own the cast recording, saw the movie, and the show means alot to me, but that's the only point of reference I have. To me, Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp ARE Mark and Roger and as we watched the show, I felt that it was only right that they were on stage. The current Angel, Maureen and Joanne, though were FANTASTIC and really brought some great stuff to the stage. And Tamyra Gray even out Mimi-ed the original in some ways! When the show was over, Alice unveiled her surprise. She is friends with a guy who is friends with the Dance Captain/Swing/Understudy for Rent named Owen. He brought us up on stage after the show and offered us an opportunity to meet the cast!!!! We met a fair share of them...including Anthony Rapp (who seemed distracted by the crazy lady singing and parading onstage), but we were unable to meet Adam Pascal because of one person....Tyra Banks!! She came to see the show and afterwards camped out by the stairs with her entourage and accosted every cast member who passed by...even going so far as to sing "Take Me Or Leave Me" AT Nicolette Hart (Maureen)! I felt that to be kind of rude...but what do I know, I'm not a celebrity. Anyway, Adam didn't seem to want to deal with that so he smiled and waved to the group then left through a different door. Then Tamyra came over to us and spent the next 25 minutes or so talking to us like we were old friends. Alice even said afterwards that she'd buy her CD just because of how nice she was! Then, Owen gave us a backstage tour of the place including dressing areas, green room, the STAGE and everything. I'm not going to lie, I spent as much time as I could standing on the stage and looking out and imagining what it looks like with a full house. It was a definite rush!!! We then went out for drinks after with Owen and Alice's friends and didn't get home until almost 3am...good thing Dylan was spending the night elsewhere. :-)

Sunday we recovered and then had a get together for WWE Summerslam which was supposed to include a few others, but ended up being Emil and the Forellas...We should have called it Forella Weekend. It probably would have been easier if they just slept here. :-)

All things considered a great weekend. I look forward to another on Friday.

Standing still

2007-05-04T16:22:07Z

So...I make this grand statement, 5 months ago today, that I will make something performance-wise happen this year. I spoke of having several ideas and just having to choose one. Well, I haven't chosen one...and as of now I have done EXACTLY nothing to make them happen. Well, not exactly nothing. In my mind each of them are already raving successes, I mean, how can they not be, right? But that's always been my problem. I possess blind ambition and painful optimism...a litany of ideas...but I've always suffered from piss-poor drive... I can never just turn the corner and get this stuff started. Some call it lazy or procrastination or sense of entitlement or whatever, but it IS a problem. The other problem is that all these ideas involve at least one other person. So, even if I get the gumption to get started, I'm dependent on someone else to keep it going. And that's a lot to ask.

Sometimes I wish I could be like Allen Covert or Jason Mewes and piggyback along with someone who has more drive than I do, but just as much passion. Or find one or more like-minded people in the same place in life as I am who have complementary skills and a desire to get the creative juices flowing. You know, like a Meatloaf and Jim Steinman kind of thing.

I don't want to be famous...that's never been the goal. I just want to play and have everyone enjoy themselves.

It's all very frustrating.

Curiouser and Curiouser

2007-03-16T17:41:28Z

You Are The Fool

You are a fascinating person who is way beyond the concerns of this world.
Young at heart, you are blissfully unaware of any dangers ahead.
You are a true wanderer - it has be difficult finding your place in this world.
Full of confidence, you are likely to take a leap of faith.

Your fortune:

You are about to embark on a new phase in your life.
This may mean changing locations, jobs, friends, or love status.
You are open about what the future will bring, and free of worry.
You have made your peace with fate, and you're ready to start down your new path.

What Tarot Card Are You?

Because I have to justify the hours spent...

2007-01-24T18:58:22Z

So I have Madden '07 for the PS2 and being the customized character fan that I am, I was quickly engrossed in the Hall of Fame Mode. Basically, you create a player from the ground up, play him during games and throughout the length of his career, try to succeed enough to get him into the hall of fame. So, I got the game in September of '06 and have played here and there since...when not distracted by real life or other games like Guitar Hero or Marvel Ultimate Alliance...and I have finally succeeded in reaching the hall of fame. What follows is a synopsis of my virtual avatar, Eddie Cutlass, who instead of diving into the world of professional wrestling at age 18, instead went to college to play running back for the University of Delaware. Why and I writing this out? Easy...because I spent months playing this game and I want to geek out in the only forum I can think of! Ok? Here we go:

Eddie Cutlass was drafted in the 3rd round by the Indianapolis Colts as a possible replacement for the departed Edgerrin James. He spent his rookie season sharing time with Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai, but they still made it to and were victorious in the Super Bowl. The following year he was part of a three team trade (which included San Diego) where he found himself in Green Bay. In his four years in Green Bay, the team made 4 playoff appearances, 2 Super Bowl appearances with 1 win. In his last year with the team (2010), he ran for over 2000 yards. Hollywood came calling during his tenure with the Pack and he would go on to appear in a long list of profitable films over his career. Football-wise, he won another Super Bowl in 2013 with the Jacksonville Jaguars after moving there via free agency in 2011. Went free agent again in 2015 and spent the next two years with Carolina and going to the playoffs twice. Traded to the Oakland Raiders at the start of the 2018 season, going to the playoffs twice, but he would eventually slip to 4th on the depth chart by the 2020 season. He was traded during the pre-season to the Pittsburgh Steelers before coming to rest as a backup with the Super Bowl bound Detroit Lions only to lose the Big Game. Free Agency took him to Minnesota next where he was never able to capture his former glory playing with them from 2021-03. A sturdy athlete known for his difficulty to be put down, he never missed a game due to injury his entire career...but age slowed him as Carolina came calling once more in 2024 where he spent most of his tenure there as a mentor to the younger generation of running backs. He called it quits at the end of the 2025 season, at age 41 and 20 seasons,with over 20,500 and 119 touchdowns and was a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Awards:

-10 time Pro Bowler (2007-2016)
-NFL Offensive Player of the Year - 2010, 2013
-NFC Offensive Player of the Year - 2010
-AFC Offensive Player of the Year - 2013
-NFL Running Back of the Year - 2009, 2010, 2013
-NFC Running Back of the Year - 2009, 2010
-AFC Running Back of the Year - 2013

List of his films:
-Curveball
-The 12th Round
-Canine
-Musket
-The Prosciutto
-The Rainforest
-Rainwater
-Sun Shadow
-War Torn
-Lost Isle
-Feeney's Hope
-Growing Up JO
-Here's the Thing
-Joining the Crew
-Sharks in the Barrio
-The Young Fella
-Conservation Act
-Low Carb

A sort of New Year's Resolution

2007-01-04T16:30:18Z

Well...it's 2007.

My birthday is July 7...which makes it 07/07/07.

It's divine providence. I have to make something happen this year!!

It will probably not be a stage production as my work conflicts with rehearsals. And besides...I have a wife and son who, I'm sure, would like to see me as much as possible and personally, I don't want to be away from them five nights a week for a few months.

I have some ideas (some subtle, some grandiose) and hopefully some will take root and sprout.

The thing is...I have try...

5 years...wow!

2006-12-08T18:39:09Z

10 years ago I met a lady who would change me life. 5 years ago today...I married her! 1 year ago tomorrow...she made me happier still with the birth of our son.

I don't often tell those I care for how I feel as much as I should. I'm also prone to seeing what I don't have instead of what I do. That's no way to live...

...when you smooth it all out and look at the important things...I'm a lucky guy!

Sometimes these things are too correct for their own good!

2006-11-05T17:21:33Z

What American accent do you have? Your Result: Philadelphia Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak! If you're not from Philadelphia, then you're from someplace near there like south Jersey, Baltimore, or Wilmington. if you've ever journeyed to some far off place where people don't know that Philly has an accent, someone may have thought you talked a little weird even though they didn't have a clue what accent it was they heard.
The Midland
The Northeast
The South
The Inland North
Boston
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

A bit of a rant...to sort through emotions...forgive the non-sequitur

2006-09-27T03:30:50Z

So my Grandpa died last night. He'd been in the grip of Alzheimer's for years...slowly fading away...that it really didn't come as a surprise. He went into hospice and we were told that it could be weeks or months, but it was just a matter of time. I was ok with that. I made my peace a long time ago. What's driving me crazy is that I'm only 32 and I have no Grandparents left! And what's worse is that we've buried them all in the last two years!!!

The funeral is in Delaware on Saturday. This was supposed to be my on weekend at work so now I'll be on Bereavement leave for the weekend. And the frightening this is that I'm ANNOYED about it! It's funny, really, when you think about it, but it seems death is inconvenient whenever it happens. If not for you personally...think about the person who just died...I'd say they probably could have thought of at least a dozen things they'd rather do. Then, on top of that, my Grandpa was a veteran and will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery on October 24. Ironically, I'm working that day too. It's ironic how I have so many days off and all the big stuff ALWAYS falls on my workdays!

I'm sorry that none of these people who all had a profound impact on my life (each in their own ways) will have a chance to see Dylan. To hold him in their arms and see him smile...I honestly feel a little cheated, for both him and me. Now, I know that some people will say that they're smiling down on him and I REALLY do hope that's true. My Dad feels that grandpa helped him bowl a good series tonight. I hope that's true.

I hope my grandpa's hitting 'em in the pooler and showing everyone else how it's done. I hope my grandma's waiting for him with a fresh batch of Hoska and cup of coffee...or maybe some Butter Pecan ice cream. He was a big quiet man...and that silence spoke volumes...

...maybe he'll have the time now to FINALLY see all of THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER.

Godspeed, Moody!

This was too much fun

2006-08-11T15:20:04Z

I died in the Dungeon of Eddiecutlass

I was killed in an enormous arena by Barcrawler the arch-demon, whilst carrying...

the Sceptre of Pro Wrestling, the Armour of Blackjack, the Dagger of Pop Culture, a Figurine of Corduroybear and 66 gold pieces.

Score: 70

Explore the Dungeon of Eddiecutlass and try to beat this score,
or enter your username to generate and explore your own dungeon...

Ok...I lied.

2006-06-02T14:56:49Z

So, I sit down and look at livejournal and start to write...no, I really do! I've started easily a dozen or so posts over the last few months and then I get distracted by one thing or another.

In fact, there's some activity downstairs right now proving my point...and if I knew how to post a photo on this damn thing, I'd show him off! :-)

Things are good...the house is coming together...work is work and Dylan is just the greatest thing in the world. I just wish someone would have told me what it was like to be a grown-up BEFORE I bought the house and we had the baby. This shit is HARD!!! :-)

Another appropriate little placeholder...but a real post IS coming.

2006-02-11T18:43:46Z

Your results:
You are Green Lantern

Green Lantern		85%
The Flash		80%
Spider-Man		70%
Superman		65%
Hulk		65%
Iron Man		60%
Catwoman		55%
Robin		50%
Supergirl		40%
Wonder Woman		35%
Batman		30%

Hot-headed. You have strong
will power and a good imagination.

Click here to take the "Which Superhero am I?" quiz...

8 weeks?!?!

2006-02-05T22:24:54Z

I was doing a quick check and realized it's been 8 weeks since I last posted! But if you consider who was born 8 weeks ago then factor in the house and work and stuff...I guess it's justified.

I have a lot of stuff on my mind lately, but I don't really have the time or concentration to post it.

Maybe soon...for now, this will just be a placeholder...and it won't be 8 weeks before I post again. :-)

It's a Boy, Mrs. Walker...It's a Boy!

2005-12-11T14:02:11Z

It's Official!!

Dylan Everett was born 12/9/05 at 9am.

He weighs in at 9 lbs and 2 oz and is 22 inches in length.

Both Mother and Baby are doing fine and come home from the hospital today.

So, after 2 weeks of waiting, Alice took to the initial treatment MUCH quicker than even her doctor anticipated and now I have a son!

As soon as I figure out now to post pictures in this thing, I'll show him off! :-)

D-day....and then some.

2005-11-25T22:10:03Z

So, some months ago...the doctor gives my wife a due date of November 24...Thanksgiving Day...for the birth of our first child.

Well...here it is...the day after Thanksgiving...and my wife... is STILL pregnant!!!!

No baby yet...bummer. :-)

We're as ready as we're ever going to be. We would LOVE to just get started with this phase of our lives, but our child wants to make some sort of grand entrance or better yet...just be fashionably late.

What adds to the distress is that Alice went to the doctor today expecting some good news and got NO news. No new progress to report...and when she told me, she started to cry and my heart sank. This is probably the hardest thing she'll go through to date...and all Alice can do is get more tired and more uncomfortable. She just wants to hold our baby...

...to be honest, I'm not sure which one of us wants that more.

A little sorbet....

2005-10-02T17:52:54Z

You are a
Social Moderate
(55% permissive)

and an...
Economic Liberal
(26% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Democrat

Link: The Politics Test on OkCupid Free Online Dating
Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Computer (and other) issues

2005-09-26T21:20:39Z

So...while surfing the web on Friday, our computer just shut off! Ok, I thought, maybe it's a glitch...so I attempted to turn it on again. It lit up, teasing me for a few seconds and then proceeded to shut off again. I have a feeling it's bad, but...

...it might be good timing because some of what I've been reading from over the last few days has made me sad and angry...and I might just say something I might regret.

Worry not, though...I'm not taking sides.

I'm sorry for all of you...

This is where the inner child shows through...

2005-09-20T15:55:15Z

Today...Tuesday...September 20....Release date for the following:

-Marvel Nemesis on the PS2
-X-men Legends 2 on the PS2
-The Longest Yard (remake) on DVD
-Mallrats 10th Anniversary Edition on DVD

And me with no money.... :-(

A little realization

2005-09-19T18:01:54Z

So....I've got to get some supplemental income...and it's not even about the house we're trying to buy. It has to do with the fact that when my wife gives birth, she's going to be on Maternity leave from work. The key word there is "LEAVE", meaning she won't be working and she won't be earning money. For months, even though I knew she wasn't getting paid leave, I labored under the illusion that it wouldn't be a problem. Well, with a potential house buy in the process...it's a problem.

Now here's the other potential problem. My job's rotating schedule and it's hours. When I work, I'm out of the house from 6am to 7:45pm. Plus I work every other weekend. So what I need is a job that I could do for a few hours after 8:00 on the days I work or has the flexibility to let me work Monday, Tuesday, Friday & Saturday one week and Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday the next...or some combination of both.

And no...prostitution is not an option. :-)

In all seriousness though...I have doubts about returning to waiting tables or retail, but those are the jobs that allow flexibility. And even though I vowed years ago to never do those jobs again (and since it will only be a for a few months)...my wife and child are worth it.

Now I just have to pick the place...

Expensive Wish List

2005-09-09T16:59:10Z

In the spirit of our continuing house hunt (a costly venture) and our impending parenthood (an even more expensive venture), I have decided to compile a list of things I would like to own. Now, this is not the ULTIMATE wish list of million dollar homes, 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV in mint condition or Action Comics #1 kind of stuff because that would be totally unrealistic. Instead, this is a list of things I'd like to buy that are "outside the budget", but not breaking the bank.

Here Goes:

-Customized Authentic Minnesota Vikings Football Jersey (#7, 14 or 77) - $265
-Carvin Bolt 6-string with Blueburst finish plus amp and accessories - $750
-Solid Steel Stage Combat Longsword - $100-200
-Knights of the Round Table Pewter Sculpture Set w/ base - $950
-Replica Colt Peacemaker or Army .44 in custom leather rig - $200
-Highlander The Series DVD collections for each season - $600
-Full Size replica WWF Winged Eagle Championship Title Belt - $225 (or win FPW Season 2)

Maybe someday I'll compile my ULTIMATE list. Maybe when I'm sitting up waiting for our baby to sleep... :-)

Alice wanted me to...

2005-08-31T02:24:57Z

Jimmy Stewart
You scored 28% Tough, 0% Roguish, 33% Friendly, and 38% Charming!

On first brush, you seem to be the classic nice guy, the boy next door who still manages to get the girl most of the time. But underneath, you can be a little on the edge, and your everyman exterior often masks a brooding temperament. You're a real stand up guy and every nice girl's dreamboat, but you can handle yourself well in trouble, and with your quiet determination, you usually get the job done. You're charmingly forthright, and women are drawn to your down-to-earth nature, even as they're dazzled by your sense of adventure and fun. You're tough when you need to be, and will gladly stand up for any damsel in distress, but you'd rather catch a girl with a little bit of flair and a whole lotta smarts. Every once in a blue moon, you turn out to be the bad guy. Your leading ladies include Lana Turner, Marlene Dietrich and Kim Novak, basically good women who fall into bad company.

Find out what kind of classic dame you'd make by taking the Classic Dames Test.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 50% on Tough

You scored higher than 0% on Roguish

You scored higher than 62% on Friendly

You scored higher than 66% on Charming

Link: The Classic Leading Man Test written by gidgetgoes on Ok Cupid

Returned

2005-08-28T14:27:22Z

So a week ago Saturday, we get a call that my hospitalized Nan-na had taken a turn for the worse and would most likely not make it through the night. Now, I'm was at work...so I did what I could to get out early, got my shift covered for Sunday and headed for home. We were on the road by 6:00 and straight to the hospital in Lancaster, PA. The blessing is that we got to see her while she was still responsive. By Sunday morning she wasn't anymore, but she was resting comfortably. After several days of a round the clock vigil, and a number of close calls, she finally passed at 3:25 on Tuesday afternoon. We buried her Thursday. She was only 68.

We got home yesterday and we're trying to get back to "normal" life.

Realization....

2005-08-11T18:00:11Z

So, I didn't audition for Assassins for the personal reasons I have already revealed. It took some sole searching, but I made the decision and was sticking by it.

Then, I get an offer from the director to fill a role. Basically a "if you want it, it's yours" situation. I was REALLY tempted, but again, I had made my decision so I had to repectfully decline.

There doesn't seem to be anything new on the No Refunds front. It might just be dead. As much as that sucks, I can accept that....but I'm going to do something about it. Even if I have to scavenge what I can from the remains and rise from the ashes in a new form, I can guarantee that it's not over.

Now, in combing the CAP website I see that AIDA auditions are set for next month. AIDA!!! One of my favorite shows...probably top 3! With September audition dates, I can only assume the show will go up around Thanksgiving and run over the holidays...and as I have an expectant debut of my own around that date, I won't be auditioning for that show. That sucks. Plus, I said during La Mancha that the holiday season is too rough a time for me to rehearse and perform. I like Christmas too much and I was too absent last year to really enjoy it. So, it's not worth talking about what part I want or anything because honestly...it's not even in the equation. And that brings me back to the child that will be coming. I'm sure I'll want to spend as much time with my "New Family" as I can.

But right now, I feel like my hands are tied by invisible strings. I see the evidence of the development. People ask more and more how Alice is doing. Baby things are starting to find their way into our house. I've FELT the baby move!! But it's not truly "REAL" to me until the baby is born. I say it over and over. "After the baby is born." "After November..." "Next summer" or "After Christmas". And then I remember that there is going to be a baby, but I STILL can't fathom it.

I can't wait for our child so that our sacrifices can have meaning and things become real. So that the things we do (and not do) have a purpose.

I can't wait to hold that baby in my arms and KNOW what I'm supposed to do...or at least...TRY to know! :-)

Another thought from hours in TVLand

2005-08-03T20:43:59Z

You know what I find weird? That there aren't any former athletes trying to actors anymore. I mean, when I was growing up, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting an actor who didn't have some sort of pro sports backgroud...especially football. And some of them were pretty good. Jim Brown, Alex Karras, Dick Butkus, Bubba Smith, Bernie Casey, Fred Dryer, O.J. Simpson, Lyle Alzado, John Matuzak...now, I'm not saying that any of these guys would win acadamy awards, but they were all in some pretty good movies and tv shows throughout the 70's and 80's.

What does our generation provide? Players like Dan Marino appearing as themselves...oh and Brian Bosworth! Most of the former players with higher aspirations these days seem to go into pro wrestling. Not just the guys like Kevin Greene, Reggie White, Dennis Rodman, Karl Malone and LT who made guest appearances, but a lot of big wrestling names have football experience. Guys like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Goldberg, and JBL.

Says something about our society and popular culture doesn't it?