Four Down

Photo by Zoe Schaeffer on Unsplash

“The best arguments in the world won’t change a single person’s mind. The only thing that can do that is a good story.”

Richard Powers in The Overstory

H/T James Clear

We’re at the end of month four. It’s just dates on a calendar. Nothing magical happens at midnight tomorrow night.

My wife will be chaperoning the prom, but will hopefully be home long before midnight.

Don’t @ me, Karen, I’ll be working at the park.

True Story: Before we married, we chaperoned the prom at the school where she was teaching.

The theme was “This Could Be the Night.”

The Write Side Shop

Yeah, it probably was, but this was the eighties, how did that get past the censors?

I digress.

We’re a third of the way through 2022. Seems impossible, right?

But, here we are.

How are you doing with those goals you set at the end of December?

I’ve already told you the first couple of months had to be reset. I’ve made a little more progress in March and April, but I still have work to do.

Perhaps the most significant accomplishment, or perhaps it’s a realization, is that now, when a potential new project comes along, I don’t just jump at it. I’m more inclined to consider it a while before jumping right in.

And I’m learning the power of the word “no.”

Okay, so The 100 Day Project was an exception to that. But as I wrote recently, that’s been a learning process, and it’s stirring up some creative ideas for the future.

Hopefully the chilly nights are behind us and we’ll soon be asking “should we turn the air on?” instead of “should we turn the heat back on?”

And soon the pools and waterparks will be open.

I’m just glad that I’m up to Santa beach body standards.

 

American pianist, composer, and bandleader, Duke Ellington, was born on this day in 1899 (d. 1974)



THINGS YOU SHOULD READ

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Ron Johnson Calls For Answers From DHS Over Biden’s ‘Disinformation’ Board, Slams Nina Jankowicz
Daily Caller
Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson sent a letter Wednesday to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding a list of answers over the new “Disinformation Governance Board” and slamming the board’s leader, Nina Jankowicz. Read More.

BORN ON THIS DAY

1863 – William Randolph Hearst, American publisher and politician, founded the Hearst Corporation (d. 1951)
1917 – Celeste Holm, American actress and singer (d. 2012)
1918 – George Allen, American football player and coach (d. 1990)
1933 – Rod McKuen, American singer-songwriter and poet (d. 2015)
1933 – Willie Nelson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor
1951 – Dale Earnhardt, American race car driver (d. 2001)
1954 – Jerry Seinfeld, American comedian, actor, and producer
1955 – Kate Mulgrew, American actress
1958 – Eve Plumb, American actress

 

BENEDICTION

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14

 

Oooh…Shiny…

Photo by Kilyan Sockalingum on Unsplash

I almost did it. Almost.

I mean, I was perfect for the part.

When you’re a natural to wear the red suit, acting opportunities asking for someone who is “heavy, with white hair and a beard” just don’t come along that often.

I thought about it briefly…I mean…if I move this, and shorten that, and don’t do this…I can fit it in.

Can. Not should.

It was the second casting call in as many days that I have rejected.

I’m not being prima donna.

A little more than two years ago…or depending on how you measure it, fifteen days…I would have jumped at every acting audition, whether I thought I was right for the part or not.

And the truth is, I was working a lot. Until COVID.

But this isn’t about my acting, or not acting. Or directing, or not directing.

It’s about being distracted from the projects at hand.

I wrote last week about Decisions, and how I’m limiting my projects.

Granted, whilst I was working in the yard yesterday I told myself that, if only I could retire, I’d have time to do

Available at The Write Side Shop
(click the pic)

everything I want to do.

NARRATOR: We all know that’s not true.

As tempting as both casting calls were, and one was decidedly more tempting than the other (well, because that one paid), the timing just isn’t right.

I’m not ready to say my time as an actor or director is over. What is over, however, is the rushing from project to project and always thinking “I wish I had time for that.”

That said if you’re casting for my Dream Roles, I could probably make some time.


THINGS YOU SHOULD READ

House Democrats Remove First Female Jewish Speaker as Minority Leader
Shaun Kenney at The Republican Standard
The effort to remove Filler-Corn was spearheaded by several Democratic newcomers to the Virginia House of Delegates, many of whom have connections to progressive dark money group Clean Virginia owned by Charlottesville billionaire Michael Bills. Read More.

DeSantis Concerned About California Exodus; Calls San Francisco ‘Dumpster Fire’
NewsMax
“Texas would have all these companies moved from California over the years. So you’d have companies move from San Francisco to Austin, and they’d bring hundreds of employees with them. And those employees would vote the exact same way they voted that turned San Francisco into the dumpster fire that it is.” Read More.

Twitter states that account threatening to murder Libs of Tik Tok is not a violation of company policy
The Post Millennial
The assassination post follows an article published by the Washington Post on Tuesday by Taylor Lorenz, who has publicly cried over the mean tweets she’s received, which had initially included sensitive information regarding Libs of Tik Tok’s private work details and address. Read More.

A football coach’s prayers go to the Supreme Court
The Washington Examiner
“That practice, like Kennedy’s prayers, is controversial — courageous to some and offensive to others,” they argued. “But if Joe Kennedy had taken a knee to protest racial injustice, the district almost certainly would not have argued that his speech was somehow the state’s. Rather, there would have been no question that it was protected private speech.” Read More.

9 Upcoming Netflix Shows Sure To Bring Back Subscribers
The Babylon Bee
Netflix has seen the writing on the wall. With subscribers leaving in droves, they’re announcing some new shows they’re hoping will entice you to subscribe to their service again! Read More.

BORN ON THIS DAY

1758 – James Monroe, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 5th President of the United States (d. 1831)
1926 – Harper Lee, American novelist (d. 2016)
1930 – Carolyn Jones, American actress (d. 1983)
1941 – Ann-Margret, Swedish-American actress, singer, and dancer
1948 – Terry Pratchett, English journalist, author, and screenwriter (d. 2015)
1950 – Jay Leno, American comedian, talk show host, and producer
1952 – Mary McDonnell, American actress

BENEDICTION

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14