"Recalcitrant" is a Great Word to Wedge into a Blog Title

Location, location, location!

Hello world!

OK, that was a gross, optimism-fueled exaggeration. I know only 3 people read this blog, not the whole world... but that's ok! Because you three fine folks mean the world to me! So there!

:O - BUUURRPP!!!

Wow... excuse me. That was quite, quite rude on my part.

So, again, another month passes, like the winds of winter, and I stumble in here to sweep out the cobwebs, check my answering machine, make sure the blog's pipes didn't burst and flood the place while I was away... and (obviously) to open the windows and let some fresh air in here!

Alas, my life remains quite thoroughly entrenched in routine... in fact, so much so that now, my iPhone even taunts me about it. My weekly routine has become so predictable, when I get in the car and start it up, my phone chimes and lets me know what traffic conditions are like on the route I'm going to drive... it knows my route without me even having to tell it. It's eerie... I don't know how that feature became active on my phone, but for the past month, every time I drive, it knows where I'm headed, and how long it will take me to get there...

I don't know whether to be amused or unnerved by that...

So what have I been up to? Work, writing and combat training. That's the short answer. Sprinkle in church and Minecraft, and a slow mosey through the Mistborn Trilogy (Brandon Sanderson) and that pretty much spells out the entire life recipe for me. Pop it into the oven for 25 minutes at 450 degrees, let it cool, slice and serve! That's my life!

I did trade into a new 2016 Sentra since we last spoke. The lease was up on my 2013, so I rolled into a new one. I like it, although I had to settle for less options... bye-bye BOSE stereo (*sob*) and NAV system! Oh well, first world problems... not sure what they did to the new Sentras, but I'm averaging 45 mpg on this bad boy... Also, I got my new license plates, and the three-letter combo on the plates is SNT... initially, I thought, "Cool, my plate says SAINT!" But then I thought "Well, unless it really means SNOT instead..."

I've been telling myself since last August that as soon as I got into a new car, I'd start going up to LA again, to acting classes with the Magnificent Rob Adler... but I'm dragging my feet... that drive.... I've kind of gotten used to not driving 250 miles round trip through hellacious traffic.... we'll see...

So, Prince died. Normally, when someone famous passes, I'm, at most, mildly nonplussed about it. I mean, bummer, right? But I normally don't lose my head over it. Sounds callous, I know, sorry. But for some reason, I'm disproportionately bummed by Prince's passing. His musical talent was gargantuan. I've always loved his performance at the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, where he played While My Guitar Gently Weeps, on stage with a bunch of musical legends... and stole the show with perhaps the best guitar solo I've ever heard...



I always routinely watch this clip in any case, but since Prince died, I've been watching it a ton. I just love it. It's inspiring to me. Makes me want to create.

I read somewhere that Prince has over 2,000 original songs stashed away in his "vault", along with dozens of fully-produced music videos... man, I wonder when those will see the light of day? No denying he was a musical powerhouse...

Shifting gears...

Still assembling my crew, cast and funding for a short film I want to shoot soon. One more major piece to put in place, and then I can start table reads and location scouting... fun things soon!

BTI filming will very soon kick into high gear.

Still stuck in limbo, as far as producing original plays for a local theater I mentioned in a previous post... Still waiting to get the final thumbs-up from them. Either way, I'm getting some fun stage scripts out of it... When I get news on that, I'll let you know as well.

And I'm still working on the screenplay for the Momentum feature - and honestly, I love love love the script. It's been so much fun working on it.

I may head a team for the 48 Hour Film Festival this year as well... depends on a number of factors, which I won't bore you with at the moment. But if the pieces fall into place, I may dive in and see what happens. The 48 is in August this year. If I don't head a crew, I'll (hopefully) join another team as an actor and go from there. Either way, I'd like to participate again.

Entering into Birthday Season in the Wagner Household. Within days, Eldest Daughter, Wifey and Brother John will all have birthdays... not to mention my good friend Jeff P.! He's technically not part of the household, but he's like a brother to me! So I think that should count...

And now, Tom Hanks steals an iPad...



That smirk at the end is golden...

I've never been much for wanting to meet famous people -- I mean, what's in it for them, right? I get to tell people I met someone famous, and they get to smile and immediately forget me... just another in a vast sea of addled faces they encounter daily... that being said, I think I'd actually like to meet Tom Hanks... he seems like a genuinely awesome individual.

I've given up on GOTHAM. Man, after that gushing, glowing review I gave the show for Season One, the show took a dramatic turn for the worse. It's barely watchable anymore... *sigh*

Well, I suppose that's enough of that. I think the blog has been sufficiently aired out for now. I hope to be back sooner rather than later.

Take care!

Dave the Wayward