Birthday Boy

HASANI G.

Today marks the 36th birthday of a new friend!  He's talented beyond description and has soooooooooo much love to give.  I wish him the very best life has to offer.  Because he deserves it.  I just hope & pray his attitude and outlook on life---HIS life---soon rises to the grand heights of his talent level.  I respect him.  I see him.  I hear him.  I appreciate him.  And I do honestly believe he realizes such. --- Happy Birthday, Hasani G!!!!!!!

FADE IN:

While working The SAG Awards After Party last Sunday I got an idea for a screenplay.  I told myself as soon as I got home from the party, I'd open up Final Draft and write something.  Well, I've written the title of the script.  Now, I've gotta write the opening scene.  I think I'm gonna use an actual situation from the party as my opening scene.  It'll set the tone for the lead character's displeasure with the status quo of his life.  Which, in all honesty, is the status quo of MY life!

Tired Tail

Elijah Kelley

Elijah Kelley in Red Tails

Last night I went back to see RED TAILS.  My friend, Chris, wanted to see it and offered to pay, so I didn't bother to tell him I've already seen it.  Well, I saw most of it last night, too.  That is, when I wasn't taking a cat nap.  Yes, I was pooped.  I had worked earlier, setting up the After-Party for tonight's SAG Awards.  I'll go back later tonight to actually work the party. --- Anyway, I've just gotta say again how incredibly talented I think the young actor, ELIJAH KELLEY, is!  I mean it.  The young man has such screen presence.  He might be 5 feet nothin', but his talent and charisma are through the damn roof!!!!!

And It Feels Good

It's 5:30 PM and I'm about to go look for somethin' to eat.  Lord knows I love me some food!  Because I have an elevated cholesterol, I have to watch what I eat.  So, that means no Pizza Hut or fried chicken.  But this ol' dude is gonna find SOMETHIN'!!!!  If I was back at home in NYC, I'd have to hop a train to Fairfield, CT so I could break bread with my homie, Madeline!!!  She and I love food!  Just love it!  Especially bread!!!!!!  Forget about fancy, sports cars and designer clothes.  My idea of the good life is spelled F-O-O-D!!!!!!!

I Just Wanna...

Awakened with a nosebleed.  This is the third one within the past couple months.  I'm not 100% sure what that's about, but I've always stopped them very shortly after they started.  Right now, I'm just sitting and resting.  And, despite the nosebleeds, I just wanna say, thank you, Lord, for allowing me to be here.  Thank you.  

Less Than Infinite

I am 48 yrs old.  I don't suspect I have another 48 yrs on the other side.  Thus, I'm in a tailspin, trying to figure out what it is I truly love doing.  Wait a minute!  I know what I love.  But believing I can earn a living DOING it is the hurdle I need to clear.  Every day I go to my Facebook page, someone has posted a message to believe in yourself.  My pastor.  Friends.  Acquaintances.  Everybody has a message along those lines.  But NONE of those messages provide a step-by-step means of accomplishing that task.  So, I have to sit still.  In silence. And think about how to achieve that elusive goal.  I know I'm intelligent.  I know I'm thoughtful.  I know how to set a goal and map out the steps toward achieving it.  However, what I know I know I'm second-guessing!  What the hell!!!  And time is of the essence.  I don't have an infinite amount of time to keep messin' around with this foolishness.  Over the years I've spread myself thin.  One day I'm a sitcom writer.  Then another I'm an actor or a voice-over artist or a talent manager or a screenplay writer.  Geez!  No wonder nothing has popped off just yet, 'cause I've given my time to everything and its mama, instead of simply zeroing in on ONE thing and blowing it up!!!!  Yes, I talked about Tyler Perry telling "me" to focus on one thing.  And, I know he's right.  So, today, Thursday, January 26th, 2012, I'm declaring ONE avenue to travel.  Pushing my energies down ONE path.  I want desperately to be in a position to pay for a glorious, 50th birthday dinner here in L.A and back in Indiana.  That's only a little over a year and a half away. --- Dear God, I know I have what it takes to live the life I want.  So, please, please, please help me align myself with my destiny.  'Cause, truth be told, I've been deviating from its path for far too long.  And that HAS to stop!  'Cause I only have a FINITE amount of time left.  And I wanna spend that time LIVING & LOVING at the HIGHEST level I'm DESTINED to!!!!!

That's What He Said

Yesterday, I stumbled across a short, webcam video Tyler Perry posted to his Facebook page.  I tried to figure out how to "borrow" it from his page and place it onto this post.  However, I am not technologically advanced enough to know how to do that.  So, I'll simply have to tell you what moved me most about the video.  The crux of the posting was him answering the question, "How did you make it?"  His simple answer was, "The grace of God."  Simple as that.  He used the analogy that he planted a seed and constantly watered it until the grace of God made his seed grow.  He said focus on one thing instead of spreading yourself all over the place.  Make that one thing grow and, once it has grown, other things will follow.  I needed to hear that.  I need to DO that.  I have written screenplays, written tv scripts, acted, done the talent manager thing, and a few other things.  I've  never narrowed my focus to one idea and directed all my energy toward it.  Thus, I am still searching for professional fulfillment.  One of my friends, Greg Phelan, has always told me I'd be great as a talk show host of some kind.  Heck, tons of people have told me that over the years.  And I know I'd  love the work because talking to new people comes as naturally to me as breathing.  Anyway, I've gotta make a decision about where all my focus will go so that I accomplish at least ONE, professional goal before God calls my number.  Thank you, Tyler Perry, for that video.  Oh, how I wish I could repost the darn thing here!!!