Here is a youtube video that my friend Mike Stone put together. It is a parody of that Umbrella song. I have always said that I love this man, but I am a little afraid now.

A friend of mine publishes a fun magazine. If you are into vintage cocktail parties, pin up girls, or the Tiki lifestyle you should check it out.

Here is info from his press release about the latest issue:

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The second issue of Bachelor Pad Magazine is NOW OUT! Make sure you get your copy in time to enjoy all its holiday goodness! Help support this printed cocktail party–buy a subscription for yourself. And while you’re at it, tell a friend. Only you can help keep Bachelor Pad Magazine going!

Issue 2 features cover girl and centerfold Kitten von Mew giving you something new to put on your Christmas wish list! Amazing pin-ups from Maria Bella, Lola Bel Aire, and Gigi La Femme! Lifestyle advice columnist Cherry Capri gets asked if a relationship can survive a Rat Pack row. Will “The Thrill” Viharo reviews the best “Dirty Old Man” movies ever made. A speak-easy review from burlesque photographer Don Spiro. Two bachelor pad stories–“Office Mates” and “A Hell of a Dame.” A review of some of the best cheesecake album covers ever by Jeff Chenault. Pin-up questions answered by Heidi Van Horne. Drink recipes from mixologist Dr. Bamboo. Comics and gags! Plus other surprises from Java and his gang of swingers!

Bachelor Pad Magazine
Single Issue (issue 2):
$4 ($1 shipping) U.S./Canada
$4 ($3 shipping) elsewhere

Subscriptions (starting with Issue 2):
4 Issues (1 year)-$15 (shipping included) U.S./Canada
4 Issues (1 Year)-$20 (shipping included) elsewhere

Go to the Bachelor Pad Magazine website: www.bachelorpadmagazineonline.com and click the “buy now” button. This is all being done via PayPal, so you will be directed to their checkout page.

If you want to send a check, e-mail me–java_at_javasbachelorpad.com–and I’ll give you an address to send that to.

Thanks for supporting Bachelor Pad Magazine!

Keep Swinging!
Java

Went to the Final Cut Pro User Group holiday party tonight. Didn’t win any prizes, but had a good time and met some fun people.

Met an interesting guy named Coulter Mitchell. He is working on a documentary about oil drilling in Alaska. Looks like it is going to be a good project. I really admire people who do something for causes that they believe in.

Here is their trailer:

After drinking a little at Goose Island. Coulter and his girlfriend took me to a place close to my house called Kuma’s Corner. Good Heavy Metal music and Chicago’s best burgers. I tried one and thought that it was very good, but I don’t know if I will proclaim them the best yet. I do like that the name comes from the Japanese word for bear. Bears are my favorite animal.

We got a couple of inches of snow tonight. I walked the few blocks home from Kuma’s and enjoyed the new snow. Don’t know what it is that I love so much about a fresh blanket of snow. It just feels so nice and clean.

Went down to Champaign on Saturday. It was a mess driving down there. Snow was just starting to accumulate here in Chicago, and the roads were petty icy in places. Spent the night in Champaign and then headed to Springfield this morning. It was really warm, high 50’s, so there was no snow or ice. Just so happened that there was a big rain storm coming trough on my drive out to the capital city. Made it kind of hard to see where I was going, but I made it through.

I was in Springfield helping out Brian Crowdson on his documentary about the Springfield race riots of 1908. It is a really interesting story that I am really happy to be helping with.

Came home after that. The roads were fine all of the way up. No traffic, so I made good time. I recorded the Bears game from earlier today and watched it when I got home. The Bears suck. They blew so many chances. No chance of playoffs this year. Illinois made the rose bowl though. That was a great turnaround from last years 2 win season. Good job Zook and Juice Williams.

Forgot to mention that I saw a good band, Detagoh, last week at the Abbey. I liked them. Kind of a bluesy pop band. Good personalities on stage. It was fun.

Exciting News: It is finally time to make the announcement. Virginia is pregnant and going to have a baby. I am going to be a father. Who would have thought that was going to happen?

I know that it isn’t the best situation since Virginia and I are not together, but I am sure that things are going to be great. Virginia is doing an amazing job so far. I know that she will do a great job of raising a child. Be sure to congratulate her if you see her.

Looks like Larry was right with the Papa Paris nickname. Ha.

Happy, Happy. Joy, Joy.

Went to the Art Institute to check out the Jasper Johns exhibit – Gray.

There is so much that you can do with just gray. I was wondering what was going to be there. Here are some of my favorite observations:

Covering Color: Johns was able to cover different colors with gray paint. Sometimes all that you could see were tints of color showing through, and other times you could see colors that weren’t covered over.

Covering Text: Some of the pieces were paint covering newspapers. I was so interested to see the bits of text.

Layers: Colors, Text, Lithographs, objects where all bases for some of the pieces. Covering something up brings so much to the works. Just like a clothed woman can excite people to see what is underneath, Johns was able to create excitement with both the outer layers and the hints of what was underneath.

Texture. Since the pallet was limited to shades of gray on many of the painting, it was up to the texture and brush stroke to create everything. I was drawn in to look close and enjoy every small detail.

Tones: Most pieces were only gray, but there were lots of variations. Johns used graphite, charcoal, paint, lithography, and objects to create his shades of gray. Sometime it was the color of the media that changed the color, and sometime it was the under layer that added hints of color. Most of the grays were cold blue grays. You would think that this would just be depressing, but there was whimsy in a lot of them.

Repetition: Lots of multiples. Flags, Circles, Alphabets, Numbers. I have always loved multiples. Showing the same objects over and over again, with some variation emphasizes both the sameness between them and also the differences. He also uses patterns, crosshatching, and shapes in irregular repeated patterns.

Fun Exhibit. I didn’t know much about Jasper Johns before I went, but I am interested in what else he has done.

Classes again last night. Improv is still really fun. I didn’t get much from the writing class tonight. My sketch wasn’t great to begin with, but I might be able to make something of it.

I have to sign up for the next batch of classes this week. I think that there is a performance at the end of the next improv class. I am a little scared about that, but it should be fun.

Went out to Corcoran’s again. They had $2 burgers and fries tonight. That is amazing. I love that place.

A friend just sent me a quote that I really liked:
“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”

I am constantly amazed at the variety that life can bring. Each moment can be treasured for what it is. If it is good, savor it, and if it is bad, savor it and love that it will change.

I’ve already gotten two comments on my last post. That is kind of surprising, since I didn’t think that that many people read this blog. There must have been some pent up enthusiasm since I hadn’t posted in a while.

I can’t really right about everything that is going on in my life right now, but might have more info later this week. But here is what I can talk about:

I have made a lot of moves in the last half year about what I where I am going with my life. I have put aside my video work, which took up my last nine years, and am now looking more toward writing and improv acting. I even learned bartending so that I could still bring in money with out taking up all of my time with work. I guess the leap is the time in your life when the choices become real. Until now it has been fun, but I haven’t committed my life to it. This is the scariest time. It is the time when all of my doubts arise. Am I good enough? Will I ever make it? Is this even what I want to do? I am scared more than ever right now because it seems more real than ever. If I pursue this field I might make it or I might fail.

I guess that I know that I must take the leap. My whole life is leading up to this. Deep inside I have always wanted to do this, even when I was going in different directions. I am not really sure then why it is so hard, but it is. It would be so easy to go back into a field where I was doing well, and can make a lot of money. There are lots of outside pressures that would benefit from money. I am thinking that even though few people make it in the entertainment field, that I still have a better shot than winning the lottery. So I know I have to make the sacrifices and “make it work” as Tim Gunn would say.

This is where the dream work comes in. Don’t know if I have told many people about this one, but when I was a kid I used to have the most amazing lucid dreams. I was able to control everything that happened in my own made up world. It was a huge adrenaline rush to have ultimate power, and every time that it happened, I carried that swagger over into real life and was able to accomplish anything. I didn’t really understand what was going on at the time, but I was a little worried afraid of it. I never really explored it to its full extent.

In addition to my career choices, I am also exploring spiritual parts of myself. I think that some dream work may help in both those areas. If I can visualize it and make it happen in my dreams, I may be able to carry it over in the outside world. We shall see.

My friend Meg is doing something similar with intentions. She is writing a plan for her life as though it has already been done. Like she is looking back at all of the steps that got her to the great life that she will be enjoying in the future. If you just let the universe know what you want to happen, sometimes great things will just magically start to fall into place. One of my favorite quotes is “Be Bold, and Mighty Forces will come to your aid.”

That was more than I usually write in my post, but maybe it needed to be said.

It has been a long week. Virginia came up for Thanksgiving with my parents and then another dinner on Friday at my place with McKenzie’s family and some friends. We spent most of the week talking about things between us.

Bears won in overtime. Hester returned two more for touchdowns. The Patriots almost lost. That was a shocker. They are the best team that I have seen since the 85 Bears.

I forgot to take my medicine yesterday and that screwed up my thinking for the whole day. I am tired today, but starting to feel better maybe.

I am close to taking a leap in my life, but not sure how to do it. It was suggested that I look for answers in dreams. That seems like as good of an idea as any.