Greetings! As I reach the end of my vacation, I can't help reflect about everything that has transpired over this short period of time in my life. I think about how energized I now feel after going through the 9 days that I just did. And on top of it all, to see myself grow as a person amidst all this....words can't describe how grateful I am to have all the wonderful friends I have. And to think how my Facebook friend list grew as well seeing as how I made a whole pile of new ones.
This has been a busy week for me. I just wrapped shooting a film produced through Mental Health and a program called Healing through humor (www.healingthroughhumour.com/). It was a fun shoot indeed. I think there were lots of new talent discovered and definitely new film connections made. My friend, Lindi Edge, got to showcase her wonderful special effects talents which only served to get me anxious to start the filming of the trailer to my story called Oblivious. She's also my special effects guru so I definitely look forward to working with her on this project.
I also bumped into the writer Rick Anthony. He was the author who wrote the script for my upcoming feature movie Bread Thieves. He was very excited about what direction the movie has taken in the post production process. We are looking at the movie finally being completed in 8 weeks. Please have a look at our website and trailer at http://www.breadthievesthemovie.com And please share it with your friends! And yes, even though I do play a meth addict in this movie I want to clarify that I do clean up well. Stay tuned for more details as they unfold.
Its really funny that life has a way of throwing in little litmus tests for us to gauge our moral compass. It could range from things like opening the door for an old lady, helping an old lady with her grocery bags, or even helping an old lady across the street. But sometimes that proverbial old lady does something for you which then tests your ability to show your thanks....and not just with a Werther's Original.
Anyone from Canada knows how stressful it can be to stand in a Tim Horton's coffee line. Most of the bitterness comes from having the new people who newly join the line not follow the unwritten rules of the line...such as not allowing a group of your friends to join your place line thus making me wait for my coffee longer just because so and so doesn't know what the $&*# he/she wants......breath Glenn...breath. I won't even go over what people do when someone cuts into the drive thru line. How can that even happen Glenn you ask? It does...they slowly drive into the parking lot and then turn into the line. And then to have that person look at you and just shrug their shoulders at you knowing full right that they knew you were waiting there in your Sonic Blue 2012 Ford Focus hatch back... I'd rather go into the &#*@ing store!! Breathe Glenn breathe.....I think you get what I'm talking about right? I mean come on! Anger issues aside, the most stressful place in Canada is the Tim Horton's coffee line. Well, that was until I experienced something that totally changed my perspective on what the Tim Horton's coffee line was all about.
And so I shall explain. I was in my local WalMart buying some sustenance products and had walked over to the Tim Horton's in this particular WalMart with 5 bags of groceries in hand. While standing in line, I turned to the old ladies that were standing behind me and made a joke that caused them to laugh little. I typically engage random strangers in stores but making jokes. Just smile and nod...its just my nature. All of a sudden one of the old ladies says to me "You need a cart for all those bags," and then ran across to a cart that was just sitting there about 20 feet away. As she ran to the cart I looked at the people standing in line behind us and I just smiled. The lady came back with this cart and said here, put your bags in their. Because of the effort she made to get the cart, I placed my bags into the car and looked at her and said "You know, seeing as how you made all that effort to make me comfortable please take my spot in line." It was only one spot in the line...but it would make her "next" before me. This is very important seeing as how being "next" is my favorite part of the line. After that its pretty much downhill and anti climatic. So, at first the lady said no. I insisted so she gracefully traded places with me. When I later thought about how much that made me smile, a real sense of joy washed over me. Not only had she made my day, but I made hers as well. It was a very neat moment.
The moral compass lesson learned from all this is that we should always strive to touch people's lives in a positive way. Doing things like random acts of kindness, or even common sense stuff like honesty can go a long way to ensuring positive energy flows in your life and also in the lives of those around you. Never be bitter and always see the value that true and honest friendships can bring to your life.
Have a great week!
G.
Saturday, 24 August 2013
Saturday, 17 August 2013
A tale of two friendships: Part deux
Greetings everyone! I am on vacation today so took my show on the road. I am writing this blog whilst preparing to officiate a ceremony where a very good and longtime friend of mine shall renew his vows with his fabulous and totally devoted wife. There is a catch to this however.....he has no idea I am going to be here today. I am in Edmonton and hiding out with Kat, her husband Ibby and their 3 wonderful kids. One comment about this family.....we should all aspire to feel and share the same love they give each other.
My friend Dennis and I were in the navy together back in the late 80's early 90's. And I can't go on with this part of the blog without mentioning my other buddy Ron. This completes the 3 Amigos. Ron also lives in Edmonton but unfortunately could not attend. All three of us misfits had a close bond. Not just because we were soldiers. We pretty much got into trouble together during our time on the coast. Hey, we were young and stupid and that's the only excuse I am going to provide without the presence of a lawyer. Just kidding of course.
The horse incident of 1990 aside (don't ask) I am here at the request of my friend's wife Val. She approached me a few months ago and asked if I wouldn't mind coming down for this day and surprising Dennis. I said yes right away. She kept me in the loop right down to when she asked him to renew their vows on the top of a mountain with a candy ring...I heard everything. Then he messages me and said it would be an honor if I came down to watch them do this. I snickered and told him that unfortunately I couldn't because I was filming a movie. That was partially true actually but I asked to have my scenes shot around these dates. I guess I selectively "forgot" to tell him this. Oh well, what can I say? Then yesterday, I sent his wife a text message telling her to tell him that I am sorry I wasn't able to attend and that I was wishing them the best....yup! Another part of the veil of secrecy.
So right now, as I sit and write this blog post, Dennis is outside, taking it all in....happy that everyone could attend....the knowing that the eating of burgers was just around the corner.....and I know he is wondering about the football game currently playing out in Regina. I'm in the basement waiting for the big reveal! What a sucker!! :)
The reason why I like doing things like this for a friend is because of the life long friendship I have with my two friends Dennis and Ron. I got out of the military before these two did and we didn't see each other for 20 years. But when we had a reunion a few years back (another surprise for my buddies) it was like we just picked up where we left off...except our bellies were bigger. The fact is, I had no issues coming to visit over a long distance because the friendships I created with these two guys were positive. The memories I had with there were full of laughter, funny situations and drunken escapades only young men go on....well, the ones where you have a falling out with your buds where you decided that walking back to base was the right thing to do and that will show me.....right? Most of all we were all equals. No one was better than the other. That's the way it is with all my true friendships. True and positive friends will never sarcastically say things like "see you in 20 years." Unlike the so called friend I talked about in a previous post who had used the "see you in 5 years" comment to make me feel bad, my true and positive friends actually say "See you next time." They would also say, lets not make it another 20 years.
I sometimes regret not visiting often with all these wonderful people that have touched my life. But I truly know that they all care about me. They know I am a stand up guy. They know I would never do anything to turn their worlds upside down. They treat me like family and are always excited to see me no matter how much time has elapsed since our last visit. They are the ones that cheer me on with my acting and writing endeavors. They are fans of me....and I am fans of them. If I could sum it up I would tell them all that admiration is a two way street.
Stay tuned everyone! More exciting announcements on the horizon. I gotta run as I am just about ready to join my friends for a celebration! Happy 15th anniversary Dennis and Val! Your devotion to each other should serve as something we should always aspire to in our own.
Cheers!
G.
My friend Dennis and I were in the navy together back in the late 80's early 90's. And I can't go on with this part of the blog without mentioning my other buddy Ron. This completes the 3 Amigos. Ron also lives in Edmonton but unfortunately could not attend. All three of us misfits had a close bond. Not just because we were soldiers. We pretty much got into trouble together during our time on the coast. Hey, we were young and stupid and that's the only excuse I am going to provide without the presence of a lawyer. Just kidding of course.
The horse incident of 1990 aside (don't ask) I am here at the request of my friend's wife Val. She approached me a few months ago and asked if I wouldn't mind coming down for this day and surprising Dennis. I said yes right away. She kept me in the loop right down to when she asked him to renew their vows on the top of a mountain with a candy ring...I heard everything. Then he messages me and said it would be an honor if I came down to watch them do this. I snickered and told him that unfortunately I couldn't because I was filming a movie. That was partially true actually but I asked to have my scenes shot around these dates. I guess I selectively "forgot" to tell him this. Oh well, what can I say? Then yesterday, I sent his wife a text message telling her to tell him that I am sorry I wasn't able to attend and that I was wishing them the best....yup! Another part of the veil of secrecy.
So right now, as I sit and write this blog post, Dennis is outside, taking it all in....happy that everyone could attend....the knowing that the eating of burgers was just around the corner.....and I know he is wondering about the football game currently playing out in Regina. I'm in the basement waiting for the big reveal! What a sucker!! :)
The reason why I like doing things like this for a friend is because of the life long friendship I have with my two friends Dennis and Ron. I got out of the military before these two did and we didn't see each other for 20 years. But when we had a reunion a few years back (another surprise for my buddies) it was like we just picked up where we left off...except our bellies were bigger. The fact is, I had no issues coming to visit over a long distance because the friendships I created with these two guys were positive. The memories I had with there were full of laughter, funny situations and drunken escapades only young men go on....well, the ones where you have a falling out with your buds where you decided that walking back to base was the right thing to do and that will show me.....right? Most of all we were all equals. No one was better than the other. That's the way it is with all my true friendships. True and positive friends will never sarcastically say things like "see you in 20 years." Unlike the so called friend I talked about in a previous post who had used the "see you in 5 years" comment to make me feel bad, my true and positive friends actually say "See you next time." They would also say, lets not make it another 20 years.
I sometimes regret not visiting often with all these wonderful people that have touched my life. But I truly know that they all care about me. They know I am a stand up guy. They know I would never do anything to turn their worlds upside down. They treat me like family and are always excited to see me no matter how much time has elapsed since our last visit. They are the ones that cheer me on with my acting and writing endeavors. They are fans of me....and I am fans of them. If I could sum it up I would tell them all that admiration is a two way street.
Stay tuned everyone! More exciting announcements on the horizon. I gotta run as I am just about ready to join my friends for a celebration! Happy 15th anniversary Dennis and Val! Your devotion to each other should serve as something we should always aspire to in our own.
Cheers!
G.
Sunday, 4 August 2013
Singularity: The ups and downs of dating in your 40's....
First off, I would like to announce a milestone in my blog history....over 1100 hits! My last posting was my most popular. The cool thing is that "Life happens...wear a helmet" has also been read in over 10 countries. I thank everyone who has gotten something out of what I have written. It if touches you please share it with others.
So I am 43 and have been single for over 3 1/2 years (feeling like eons). Now I would be lying if I said it was all by choice. There have been times where settling would have been the easy choice. Its not because I am desperate but rather more from a human desire to connect and be affectionate with another human being on a more personal level. I would actually find myself contemplating setting. It is human nature to show affection to someone we are attracted and connected to. Cuddling on the couch, cooking dinner, walking at the fair hand in hand, arguing at the grocery store. I could go on an on but eventually I really need to go work out today. Settling really wasn't an option because at the end of the day, I like what I like. Pure and simple
I really do miss mutual affection b what evolution didn't take into account is that one day humans would invent the internet and eventually dating websites would be created where inferior and tortured personalities could create a persona for themselves where they could hide their true intentions. Now we have a more anonymous way to select a mate. Gone are the days where random fate would bring someone into your life and you would be interested and not interested based on chemistry. In this day and age, hunting for that special person is filtered by height, race, body type (yes this is a category), hair color, and geography. You get the picture? Gone are the days of actually randomly meeting someone and having the attraction and whatnot be the decider. Nowadays, we let these filters and the messaging back and forth decide if we meet someone in person. It definitely goes against the grain of human nature. Just like sitting at a computer desk and typing messages. Case in point right? So if humans were designed to be something other than internet web stalkers, why are we on the internet being web stalkers?
Now when you are in your 20's and 30's its a lot easier to use that random fate meet thing. As a matter of fact I am very surprised to see anyone 25 years old and on a dating website. Well, unless they were conjoined twins, but that's a whole other story. What I am saying that the younger crowds have bars and concerts and more options. Lets say I were to go to the dance bars to find someone. Just by being a man in my 40's and in a dance bar brings creepy to a whole new level. That's not my intention. I really don't find myself that creepy. I am really nice and I really do try to make sure I don't leave a wake of burned bridges. But now the curve ball is I am a man in my 40's and I am forced to wait in this very long line up of web stalker dating where the ratio of men to woman on these sites are 10 men to every woman. And the sad part is I have met some duds during this process. I had one woman tell me at a "meet up" that she felt very comfortable and felt she could be honest with me. She went on to tell me about how two weeks prior to our meeting she had ended a 4 month long crack binge and that as long as she stayed away from the pipe she would be fine. Now when we first met I knew the chemistry wasn't there. I like what I like. But now armed with the new information I almost felt compelled to place a restraining order against this person. Another woman I met wanted me to meet her at the local bar she went to everyday. Now alarm bells should have been ringing but I went with it. I mean, did this mean she worked in a bar or did she even have a job? I walked into the bar and met her. She was totally drunk on beer with her mom who was also totally drunk on beer. They needed a ride home but had to wait until the meat draw was made and then we could go. I drove them home and didn't spend more than 20 minutes there. Don't get me started on her living situation. Needless to say I shook my head a lot that night and almost like I had to fake an "OMG! My probation officer is going call soon!" I backed out of using that one when I realized she might say "Oh cool! Whats his name? I might know him!"
On top of having a shallow pool to choose from, I have a new part of my life that I never had before that would definitely effect a relationship. I am now an artist. Acting, writing, and stand up. Besides the astronomy hobby and the competitive 10 pin bowling thing, that's what I do. Imagine putting all that stuff up on my dating website profile? It would definitely has the potential of making me look like an embellisher. If they met me in person they would see I do in fact do all that stuff. So now my life has added yet another filter. Now its going to be up to that special girl who will take that chance and want to see for herself. She will see that I am not a crack addicted transvestite that wants to marry his grandmother in a satanic cult ceremony (sorry if you are one). What I am trying to say is that even though this wonderful invention called the internet exists, I really feel at odds with this internet dating thing. I feel like I should be out there in this world doing what makes me happy and meeting new people instead of waiting for that #*&%ing message of interest pop up on that dating site I am on. You know, I just might go out and do that. Right after I finish my blog, check my email, and review my Facebook news feed. Oh! Just got a text!
Before I go I have an update to share with you in regards to a film I acted in last fall called Bread Thieves. I got asked to film an extra scene the other day so I went and once again donned my character's persona and had a blast filming. I am happy to say that the movie is now complete and will be going through its final stages of post production. I saw some of the actor's cut, namely the scenes I appeared in of course, and have to say that its looking incredible! I am very proud of it and can't wait to share it with the world. Two more months and it will be ready. If you haven't seen the trailer feel free to view it on our website at www.breadthievesthemovie.com.
Cheers everyone and have an outstanding week!!
G.
So I am 43 and have been single for over 3 1/2 years (feeling like eons). Now I would be lying if I said it was all by choice. There have been times where settling would have been the easy choice. Its not because I am desperate but rather more from a human desire to connect and be affectionate with another human being on a more personal level. I would actually find myself contemplating setting. It is human nature to show affection to someone we are attracted and connected to. Cuddling on the couch, cooking dinner, walking at the fair hand in hand, arguing at the grocery store. I could go on an on but eventually I really need to go work out today. Settling really wasn't an option because at the end of the day, I like what I like. Pure and simple
I really do miss mutual affection b what evolution didn't take into account is that one day humans would invent the internet and eventually dating websites would be created where inferior and tortured personalities could create a persona for themselves where they could hide their true intentions. Now we have a more anonymous way to select a mate. Gone are the days where random fate would bring someone into your life and you would be interested and not interested based on chemistry. In this day and age, hunting for that special person is filtered by height, race, body type (yes this is a category), hair color, and geography. You get the picture? Gone are the days of actually randomly meeting someone and having the attraction and whatnot be the decider. Nowadays, we let these filters and the messaging back and forth decide if we meet someone in person. It definitely goes against the grain of human nature. Just like sitting at a computer desk and typing messages. Case in point right? So if humans were designed to be something other than internet web stalkers, why are we on the internet being web stalkers?
Now when you are in your 20's and 30's its a lot easier to use that random fate meet thing. As a matter of fact I am very surprised to see anyone 25 years old and on a dating website. Well, unless they were conjoined twins, but that's a whole other story. What I am saying that the younger crowds have bars and concerts and more options. Lets say I were to go to the dance bars to find someone. Just by being a man in my 40's and in a dance bar brings creepy to a whole new level. That's not my intention. I really don't find myself that creepy. I am really nice and I really do try to make sure I don't leave a wake of burned bridges. But now the curve ball is I am a man in my 40's and I am forced to wait in this very long line up of web stalker dating where the ratio of men to woman on these sites are 10 men to every woman. And the sad part is I have met some duds during this process. I had one woman tell me at a "meet up" that she felt very comfortable and felt she could be honest with me. She went on to tell me about how two weeks prior to our meeting she had ended a 4 month long crack binge and that as long as she stayed away from the pipe she would be fine. Now when we first met I knew the chemistry wasn't there. I like what I like. But now armed with the new information I almost felt compelled to place a restraining order against this person. Another woman I met wanted me to meet her at the local bar she went to everyday. Now alarm bells should have been ringing but I went with it. I mean, did this mean she worked in a bar or did she even have a job? I walked into the bar and met her. She was totally drunk on beer with her mom who was also totally drunk on beer. They needed a ride home but had to wait until the meat draw was made and then we could go. I drove them home and didn't spend more than 20 minutes there. Don't get me started on her living situation. Needless to say I shook my head a lot that night and almost like I had to fake an "OMG! My probation officer is going call soon!" I backed out of using that one when I realized she might say "Oh cool! Whats his name? I might know him!"
On top of having a shallow pool to choose from, I have a new part of my life that I never had before that would definitely effect a relationship. I am now an artist. Acting, writing, and stand up. Besides the astronomy hobby and the competitive 10 pin bowling thing, that's what I do. Imagine putting all that stuff up on my dating website profile? It would definitely has the potential of making me look like an embellisher. If they met me in person they would see I do in fact do all that stuff. So now my life has added yet another filter. Now its going to be up to that special girl who will take that chance and want to see for herself. She will see that I am not a crack addicted transvestite that wants to marry his grandmother in a satanic cult ceremony (sorry if you are one). What I am trying to say is that even though this wonderful invention called the internet exists, I really feel at odds with this internet dating thing. I feel like I should be out there in this world doing what makes me happy and meeting new people instead of waiting for that #*&%ing message of interest pop up on that dating site I am on. You know, I just might go out and do that. Right after I finish my blog, check my email, and review my Facebook news feed. Oh! Just got a text!
Before I go I have an update to share with you in regards to a film I acted in last fall called Bread Thieves. I got asked to film an extra scene the other day so I went and once again donned my character's persona and had a blast filming. I am happy to say that the movie is now complete and will be going through its final stages of post production. I saw some of the actor's cut, namely the scenes I appeared in of course, and have to say that its looking incredible! I am very proud of it and can't wait to share it with the world. Two more months and it will be ready. If you haven't seen the trailer feel free to view it on our website at www.breadthievesthemovie.com.
Cheers everyone and have an outstanding week!!
G.
Wednesday, 17 July 2013
A tale of two friendships and how perspective is everything...
I want to extend a warm thanks to my friend Red Bird and her co-blogger Sparrow. Your journey has been a great read. They are retiring from their blog and I totally recommend you view their stories for they are a must read. Their blog goes under the title "Am I lost."
Now that we are on the topic of Red Bird, I have to say that a lot can be said about this dear person I call a friend. She is such a supportive person and cheers me on in all of the many things I do. She encouraged me to write this blog so to say that she knows the type of person I am is a total understatement. This blog has been a great outlet.
Red Bird and I had an unintentional absence from each other's lives that lasted for over 20 years. But when we visited each other last fall the feeling of our friendship allowed us to deduce that nothing had changed on how we viewed each other. A few days ago I was thinking about my visit with Red Bird and I started thinking about some of my other friends that I haven't visited with for awhile, and figured it would be worth it just to see what they might be up to now. So I went and stopped by a friend's business just to say hello. And boy, was that ever an eye opener.
This friend of mine is one of those people that have had everything handed to them since they were young. His parents were successful business people and naturally got him working in their very successful family business. It was about 16 years ago when I first started hanging out with this person. Back then he was a drunk, a philanderer, and took every chance he got to ridicule his friends just based on the fact he was wealthy. And why would he do that? He had everything. He had money, a career, a fast car, lots of women....everything came pretty easy to him. That being said, he was also a cancer survivor and I really wanted to make a point to stop by and see how he was doing.
So I went and visited this person. The only things he could talk about was how much beer he could still drink and all the sexy women he had been with. When I started to share all the awesome things that were happening in my life, he started to laugh at me and in front of everyone that was in there. He started to ridicule me to the customer he was servicing, and put me on the spot by trying to get me to do my stand up comedy routine knowing that some of my jokes are not really workplace appropriate and that I would probably refuse. There is a time and a place for everything. He laughed at me some more and made some more jokes....it was really quite pathetic. But his reaction to me pointed out something that really brought everything into perspective. He wasn't listening to what I was saying. This was evident when I told him that I had a movie coming out this fall but he reacted to what I said by yelling out loud "Awesome man! Now that you have all that money you can go buy a few rounds of beer for everyone here!" When he made that comment, it really confused me. I never told him I was rich or making tons of money. I only told him that I was busy writing, acting and had a film coming out. I was telling him how much fun life was now and he was telling his customer that my ex wife had left me because I was lame. This was 13 years ago and really had nothing to do with what was happening now. He never really told his customer that I was a single parent for 12 years and that the first three years of my son's life was spent dealing with an eating disorder. I was really shocked to get that kind of reaction from him. I never did anything to even warrant that kind of treatment. There was no really easy way out this situation with a few sets of eyes watching for what I was going to do next. I knew that his intent was meant to show everyone in his business how awful of a person I was. I didn't react to his words. I said to myself, "Glenn, do you really think that you should tell him that the only reason why you never stopped by all these years was because he was such an a&$^#@e back in the day? And on top of that he had not even changed his immature attitude, not even one bit, after all these years!" I'm really not like that but in the end I did get to say something to him as a intended reaction to his behavior. To find out what I said please read on as my response to him will be revealed at the end of this post.
I walked out to my car mad and grumbling. I saw the same insecure idiotic behavior that he had portrayed all those years ago. That is when it dawned at me. He had to demean me to others just to make himself look adequate. He saw that I was doing what I enjoyed to do and that I was reaching out to the world and embracing life. In comparison to my life he hadn't done a thing that made his life fulfilling. He still worked at his parent's business being the same guy he had always been while doing the same thing he had always done, all the while having the same dismal disposition he had always had. He was simply in a long term life rut and really looked quite happy being there. Poor him I suppose.
After I thought about the whole situation, I started to have feelings of negativity. I had to force myself to start thinking positively about this situation and see the silver lining. What came to me suddenly was the other side of this equation and I vowed to not stoop to his level. Honestly, this post should really be a tale of many friendships because I have so many people that cheer me on and are excited about all the different things I do....I don't have enough time to even scratch the surface on that topic. When I think about my really close friendships, I always think of the honesty and trust I share in these connections. Even if there is a long time between visits nothing compromises these fundamentals. If I don't see Red Bird for 5 years she might tell me to not make it such a long time between visits, but she will still love her awesome friend Glenn. I never have to wonder. My integrity speaks for itself. We should not be measured by the possessions we have or the accolades we acquire. We should enrich each other's lives by always doing what is right and what is honest Good people do good things.
Life perspective is everything when it comes to the type of friendships that you keep and the environments that you find yourself in. I know about what perspective does. It allows you to see both side of the fence....if you are negative it will be dark and murky. If it is positive it will be bright and happy. I see how perspective challenges me and shows me where I should be. Its a litmus test that I use to gauge on whether or not I am doing the right thing and keeping the right people in my life. These days the negative people and situations that involved them are a distant image in my mind. These days I know that I truly have great friends....I have two awesome careers.....and my creativity allows me to set goals for myself for the first time in my life. All I can say is that life is great and that it can only get better.
When I left my so called friend's shop, I replied to his comment by saying "Not likely."
Have a great week!
G.
Now that we are on the topic of Red Bird, I have to say that a lot can be said about this dear person I call a friend. She is such a supportive person and cheers me on in all of the many things I do. She encouraged me to write this blog so to say that she knows the type of person I am is a total understatement. This blog has been a great outlet.
Red Bird and I had an unintentional absence from each other's lives that lasted for over 20 years. But when we visited each other last fall the feeling of our friendship allowed us to deduce that nothing had changed on how we viewed each other. A few days ago I was thinking about my visit with Red Bird and I started thinking about some of my other friends that I haven't visited with for awhile, and figured it would be worth it just to see what they might be up to now. So I went and stopped by a friend's business just to say hello. And boy, was that ever an eye opener.
This friend of mine is one of those people that have had everything handed to them since they were young. His parents were successful business people and naturally got him working in their very successful family business. It was about 16 years ago when I first started hanging out with this person. Back then he was a drunk, a philanderer, and took every chance he got to ridicule his friends just based on the fact he was wealthy. And why would he do that? He had everything. He had money, a career, a fast car, lots of women....everything came pretty easy to him. That being said, he was also a cancer survivor and I really wanted to make a point to stop by and see how he was doing.
So I went and visited this person. The only things he could talk about was how much beer he could still drink and all the sexy women he had been with. When I started to share all the awesome things that were happening in my life, he started to laugh at me and in front of everyone that was in there. He started to ridicule me to the customer he was servicing, and put me on the spot by trying to get me to do my stand up comedy routine knowing that some of my jokes are not really workplace appropriate and that I would probably refuse. There is a time and a place for everything. He laughed at me some more and made some more jokes....it was really quite pathetic. But his reaction to me pointed out something that really brought everything into perspective. He wasn't listening to what I was saying. This was evident when I told him that I had a movie coming out this fall but he reacted to what I said by yelling out loud "Awesome man! Now that you have all that money you can go buy a few rounds of beer for everyone here!" When he made that comment, it really confused me. I never told him I was rich or making tons of money. I only told him that I was busy writing, acting and had a film coming out. I was telling him how much fun life was now and he was telling his customer that my ex wife had left me because I was lame. This was 13 years ago and really had nothing to do with what was happening now. He never really told his customer that I was a single parent for 12 years and that the first three years of my son's life was spent dealing with an eating disorder. I was really shocked to get that kind of reaction from him. I never did anything to even warrant that kind of treatment. There was no really easy way out this situation with a few sets of eyes watching for what I was going to do next. I knew that his intent was meant to show everyone in his business how awful of a person I was. I didn't react to his words. I said to myself, "Glenn, do you really think that you should tell him that the only reason why you never stopped by all these years was because he was such an a&$^#@e back in the day? And on top of that he had not even changed his immature attitude, not even one bit, after all these years!" I'm really not like that but in the end I did get to say something to him as a intended reaction to his behavior. To find out what I said please read on as my response to him will be revealed at the end of this post.
I walked out to my car mad and grumbling. I saw the same insecure idiotic behavior that he had portrayed all those years ago. That is when it dawned at me. He had to demean me to others just to make himself look adequate. He saw that I was doing what I enjoyed to do and that I was reaching out to the world and embracing life. In comparison to my life he hadn't done a thing that made his life fulfilling. He still worked at his parent's business being the same guy he had always been while doing the same thing he had always done, all the while having the same dismal disposition he had always had. He was simply in a long term life rut and really looked quite happy being there. Poor him I suppose.
After I thought about the whole situation, I started to have feelings of negativity. I had to force myself to start thinking positively about this situation and see the silver lining. What came to me suddenly was the other side of this equation and I vowed to not stoop to his level. Honestly, this post should really be a tale of many friendships because I have so many people that cheer me on and are excited about all the different things I do....I don't have enough time to even scratch the surface on that topic. When I think about my really close friendships, I always think of the honesty and trust I share in these connections. Even if there is a long time between visits nothing compromises these fundamentals. If I don't see Red Bird for 5 years she might tell me to not make it such a long time between visits, but she will still love her awesome friend Glenn. I never have to wonder. My integrity speaks for itself. We should not be measured by the possessions we have or the accolades we acquire. We should enrich each other's lives by always doing what is right and what is honest Good people do good things.
Life perspective is everything when it comes to the type of friendships that you keep and the environments that you find yourself in. I know about what perspective does. It allows you to see both side of the fence....if you are negative it will be dark and murky. If it is positive it will be bright and happy. I see how perspective challenges me and shows me where I should be. Its a litmus test that I use to gauge on whether or not I am doing the right thing and keeping the right people in my life. These days the negative people and situations that involved them are a distant image in my mind. These days I know that I truly have great friends....I have two awesome careers.....and my creativity allows me to set goals for myself for the first time in my life. All I can say is that life is great and that it can only get better.
When I left my so called friend's shop, I replied to his comment by saying "Not likely."
Have a great week!
G.
Sunday, 30 June 2013
Hard decisions and tough love...oh yeah and how it relates to guacamole
Greetings everyone! I apologize for the silence but life has indeed been busy but I am sure you understand....right? Thought so....
Well, for starters, I am writing this post with the utmost joy in my heart. About a year ago, I made a very hard decision that impacted me on many levels. I'll simplify it but just saying that a negative situation arose out of a hard decision that in the end made everyone involve grow as people and reinforced a bond that was made the moment I was knighted the title "Dad."
A year ago my son came up to me and said that he wanted to connect more with his mom and move in with her. At this point in time, he had been with me full time since he was 4. My son and I went through many situations together. Its not easy being a single parent and sometimes when things happen you get judged for it wrongly. There was a time when my son and I had to move three times in a month because a landlord couldn't provide a safe place for us to live. My son, who was 5 at the time, never once complained. We had to stay in an old Jewish funeral home, a house that had broken windows in it and no hot water. I had to boil water on the stove for over an hour just to make sure there was enough warm water in the tub for a bath. After finally getting into a new place and away from this landlord, the boyfriend of my ex started making comments on how I was such a bad parent because of how much I moved around. I mean come on! It was a character builder and we grew even closer as father and son because of the adversity.
Anyways, my son decided to move 2 hours away.....and after hearing his reasons behind it I finally said ok.
So lets rewind this a bit because there is a huge parallel that really drove home a "dad" lesson. We are not perfect creatures, but our flaws make us the men we are. My dad and I get along very well. He lives on the other side of the country so it has been very hard for me to get back for visits. A few years ago, while I was living the role of a struggling single parent, I was getting emails from him about his travels throughout the US in his Airstream motor home. It upset me because I was a struggling single parent. Just to put this into perspective, when I saw the movie Pursuit of Happiness with Will Smith, it brought tears to my eyes because I too have lived that struggle of having my son with me while going through a housing and job crisis. I too had to make due with what I had around me.....I know the struggle. It made me a very strong man when it comes to matters of the heart. And, like what eventually happened between my dad and I, my son and I all of a sudden were not on speaking terms. I felt devastated when talking to him because as he was reacting to me negatively. All the struggles we persevered through were flashing before me and I couldn't remind him of this stuff because then I would be trying to guilt him and that is a line I would never cross. I don't guilt anyone into loving me.
Its really funny how fate reconnects you with people that have always been important to you. Right after this all happened I went on a trip to where I graduated high school. My dear friend Red Bird (read her blog Am I lost) and I spent some time talking during this trip and what she said really molded my thinking about what to do. Red Bird and I went to high school together and were, and still are, the best of friends. She really understood what I was going through. After explaining my confusion about this struggle, she said to me to just be there for him. It was an extremely profound yet simple answer really. And it said a lot to me. It suddenly dawned on me that what was happening to my son and I had also happened to my dad and I. The lesson he taught suddenly slapped me in the face. What I just learned from my dad now was exactly what Red Bird had told me. My dad was just there for me. My dad endured the silence. My dad sometimes sent me a message just to let me know he was thinking about me. He did this until I just...came around. Well, to make a very long story short, my son is now here for a month with his 5 old month lab cross puppy. You see I too did the same thing for my son as my dad did for me. I endured the silence...I sent messages to him just to let him know I was there. And, just as my dad did for me, picked up where I left off and just became dad. Hearing him call me "dad" after not seeing him for almost a year....absolutely priceless.
Oh yeah, almost forgot the guacamole part. My son still trusts my judgment on food (I love to cook) and so I introduced him to guacamole for the first time and he really liked it. So guacamole really pointed out that we were still two peas in a pod.
Now for other news. Just a really quick note that in about 2 1/2 months, I will be filming a pitching trailer for a feature movie I wrote called Oblivious. I have put together a crew and negotiated some locations and will be shooting around the middle of Sept. Stay tuned for more news as this experience progresses.
Have a great week everyone!!
G.
Well, for starters, I am writing this post with the utmost joy in my heart. About a year ago, I made a very hard decision that impacted me on many levels. I'll simplify it but just saying that a negative situation arose out of a hard decision that in the end made everyone involve grow as people and reinforced a bond that was made the moment I was knighted the title "Dad."
A year ago my son came up to me and said that he wanted to connect more with his mom and move in with her. At this point in time, he had been with me full time since he was 4. My son and I went through many situations together. Its not easy being a single parent and sometimes when things happen you get judged for it wrongly. There was a time when my son and I had to move three times in a month because a landlord couldn't provide a safe place for us to live. My son, who was 5 at the time, never once complained. We had to stay in an old Jewish funeral home, a house that had broken windows in it and no hot water. I had to boil water on the stove for over an hour just to make sure there was enough warm water in the tub for a bath. After finally getting into a new place and away from this landlord, the boyfriend of my ex started making comments on how I was such a bad parent because of how much I moved around. I mean come on! It was a character builder and we grew even closer as father and son because of the adversity.
Anyways, my son decided to move 2 hours away.....and after hearing his reasons behind it I finally said ok.
So lets rewind this a bit because there is a huge parallel that really drove home a "dad" lesson. We are not perfect creatures, but our flaws make us the men we are. My dad and I get along very well. He lives on the other side of the country so it has been very hard for me to get back for visits. A few years ago, while I was living the role of a struggling single parent, I was getting emails from him about his travels throughout the US in his Airstream motor home. It upset me because I was a struggling single parent. Just to put this into perspective, when I saw the movie Pursuit of Happiness with Will Smith, it brought tears to my eyes because I too have lived that struggle of having my son with me while going through a housing and job crisis. I too had to make due with what I had around me.....I know the struggle. It made me a very strong man when it comes to matters of the heart. And, like what eventually happened between my dad and I, my son and I all of a sudden were not on speaking terms. I felt devastated when talking to him because as he was reacting to me negatively. All the struggles we persevered through were flashing before me and I couldn't remind him of this stuff because then I would be trying to guilt him and that is a line I would never cross. I don't guilt anyone into loving me.
Its really funny how fate reconnects you with people that have always been important to you. Right after this all happened I went on a trip to where I graduated high school. My dear friend Red Bird (read her blog Am I lost) and I spent some time talking during this trip and what she said really molded my thinking about what to do. Red Bird and I went to high school together and were, and still are, the best of friends. She really understood what I was going through. After explaining my confusion about this struggle, she said to me to just be there for him. It was an extremely profound yet simple answer really. And it said a lot to me. It suddenly dawned on me that what was happening to my son and I had also happened to my dad and I. The lesson he taught suddenly slapped me in the face. What I just learned from my dad now was exactly what Red Bird had told me. My dad was just there for me. My dad endured the silence. My dad sometimes sent me a message just to let me know he was thinking about me. He did this until I just...came around. Well, to make a very long story short, my son is now here for a month with his 5 old month lab cross puppy. You see I too did the same thing for my son as my dad did for me. I endured the silence...I sent messages to him just to let him know I was there. And, just as my dad did for me, picked up where I left off and just became dad. Hearing him call me "dad" after not seeing him for almost a year....absolutely priceless.
Oh yeah, almost forgot the guacamole part. My son still trusts my judgment on food (I love to cook) and so I introduced him to guacamole for the first time and he really liked it. So guacamole really pointed out that we were still two peas in a pod.
Now for other news. Just a really quick note that in about 2 1/2 months, I will be filming a pitching trailer for a feature movie I wrote called Oblivious. I have put together a crew and negotiated some locations and will be shooting around the middle of Sept. Stay tuned for more news as this experience progresses.
Have a great week everyone!!
G.
Saturday, 11 May 2013
Hey Fox news! Whats that over there?
Hello everyone. I just want to start off by saying how totally glad I am for the three women and little girl that gained their freedom this week after being deprived of it for so long. That sick SOB really does need to pay! I can only imagine what those poor parents had to go through with their babies going missing like that. Imagine how surreal it would have been to get that call saying your child was found after 10 years? My goodness...words cannot even begin to describe how that would feel. To infinite plus one I tell you!
Now, I'm a parent too. And when I heard those moms and dads publicly talk about how they knew, deep down inside all those years, that their child was still alive.... lets just say it really struck a huge chord in me. And when I say struck a huge chord, its definitely an understatement. You see, I am a thinker. I totally see that in my abilities to conceive and write stories. I am also a thinker as a parent. And as any caring parent can attest, we sometimes test our emotional compass just to see what our feeling and response to something like would be. We think of it as a test of the "Emergency Reaction" system we have. Believe me, its not a hard test and it doesn't take long to complete (milliseconds). I totally feel that it would be very scary to experience that kind tragedy and I really do feel for parents that have had to go through this. Its a more than extreme event that rips your heart right out of your chest. Honestly, I would be in the same frame of mind as those parents. I would always want to hang on to that hope that my baby was going to be home soon. What caring parent wouldn't think that? And after 10 years I'd still be there holding onto hope.
Its very sad how a man like that could even fathom that it was really cool to kidnap 3 young girls and keep them prisoner. And then to rape and torture them and father a child with one of them. And then to go and hang out with one of the victim's parents. Sharing their grief and even joining in the search for the girl all the while knowing exactly where she was. WOW! When I heard that I was just thrown at the thought of how the human condition could include a monster like that. And then to find out that he drove a school bus. How does that make all the other parents whose lives he inadvertently touched feel? No one even had a clue. None of his family members, neighbors, mail delivery personnel, meter readers, feral cats....get the point? He fooled everyone!
Now to make the point from my blog title. Really, I am somewhat glad that we have the news carriers to bring events like this to our attention. As human beings, we really need to have that connection our world. But the thing that really gets my goat is how the common sense stuff is always overlooked by most of the mainstream media outlets. Now I am not going to mention any names like CNN, FOX, NBC, CBS, ABC...did I leave anyone out? If so please leave a comment on my blog and I'll add you. My point is this.....LEAVE THOSE GIRLS AND THEIR FAMILIES ALONE AND GIVE THEM SPACE!!!! Now that I gotten that off my chest can I please ask that you share this blog with others in the hope that perhaps these media outlets will hear this and get the point? The other day I actually saw Anderson Cooper talking with a couple of the family members of one of the victims. You really don't have to be a rocket scientist to hear that the family members kept on repeating about how the helicopters and media trucks parked outside the house really ruined the chance of one of the young women to go outside, in the back yard of all places, and experience the sun and breeze for the first time in 10 years. There is other news going on folks! Go keep tabs on everything else that is going in the world on as well! Please don't hang out for 24 hours a day near the victim's house before the next big news thing happens. Better yet, why don't you take all the production money you would have spent on the coverage and give it to those girls to help them out regaining their shattered lives? I am sure your sponsors would be ok with that. How about that? How many millions are being spent on saying the same thing over and over again? Give them space to breathe!
Anyways, I really hope that everyone enjoys this weekend and every other weekend! Parents, please hold your kids tight. Life can really throw us some curveballs.
Cheers everyone!
G.
Now, I'm a parent too. And when I heard those moms and dads publicly talk about how they knew, deep down inside all those years, that their child was still alive.... lets just say it really struck a huge chord in me. And when I say struck a huge chord, its definitely an understatement. You see, I am a thinker. I totally see that in my abilities to conceive and write stories. I am also a thinker as a parent. And as any caring parent can attest, we sometimes test our emotional compass just to see what our feeling and response to something like would be. We think of it as a test of the "Emergency Reaction" system we have. Believe me, its not a hard test and it doesn't take long to complete (milliseconds). I totally feel that it would be very scary to experience that kind tragedy and I really do feel for parents that have had to go through this. Its a more than extreme event that rips your heart right out of your chest. Honestly, I would be in the same frame of mind as those parents. I would always want to hang on to that hope that my baby was going to be home soon. What caring parent wouldn't think that? And after 10 years I'd still be there holding onto hope.
Its very sad how a man like that could even fathom that it was really cool to kidnap 3 young girls and keep them prisoner. And then to rape and torture them and father a child with one of them. And then to go and hang out with one of the victim's parents. Sharing their grief and even joining in the search for the girl all the while knowing exactly where she was. WOW! When I heard that I was just thrown at the thought of how the human condition could include a monster like that. And then to find out that he drove a school bus. How does that make all the other parents whose lives he inadvertently touched feel? No one even had a clue. None of his family members, neighbors, mail delivery personnel, meter readers, feral cats....get the point? He fooled everyone!
Now to make the point from my blog title. Really, I am somewhat glad that we have the news carriers to bring events like this to our attention. As human beings, we really need to have that connection our world. But the thing that really gets my goat is how the common sense stuff is always overlooked by most of the mainstream media outlets. Now I am not going to mention any names like CNN, FOX, NBC, CBS, ABC...did I leave anyone out? If so please leave a comment on my blog and I'll add you. My point is this.....LEAVE THOSE GIRLS AND THEIR FAMILIES ALONE AND GIVE THEM SPACE!!!! Now that I gotten that off my chest can I please ask that you share this blog with others in the hope that perhaps these media outlets will hear this and get the point? The other day I actually saw Anderson Cooper talking with a couple of the family members of one of the victims. You really don't have to be a rocket scientist to hear that the family members kept on repeating about how the helicopters and media trucks parked outside the house really ruined the chance of one of the young women to go outside, in the back yard of all places, and experience the sun and breeze for the first time in 10 years. There is other news going on folks! Go keep tabs on everything else that is going in the world on as well! Please don't hang out for 24 hours a day near the victim's house before the next big news thing happens. Better yet, why don't you take all the production money you would have spent on the coverage and give it to those girls to help them out regaining their shattered lives? I am sure your sponsors would be ok with that. How about that? How many millions are being spent on saying the same thing over and over again? Give them space to breathe!
Anyways, I really hope that everyone enjoys this weekend and every other weekend! Parents, please hold your kids tight. Life can really throw us some curveballs.
Cheers everyone!
G.
Sunday, 5 May 2013
Insert Blog title here <------- A story about a boy and his puppy....and the name Sarah
Greetings! I want to start out by saying congratulations to my son on acquiring his first puppy! One night he messaged me on Facebook telling me that he had bad news and good news....and they both didn't involve me. Now as a parent, you just have to ask "What is the bad news?" Its because, as parents, when we hear the words "Bad News" and it involves our children, it makes us cringe. I mean, I was driving out of a parking lot and had to pull over because I didn't want to miss whatever "controversy bomb" he was about to drop.
Now if anyone reading this blog really knows who I am, the first thought that would pop in your head is that anything that involves me is very possible. My mom still cringes when all the stories come out about what I did as a teen. Lets just say I should write a story about that. Anyways, getting off topic here Glenn....focus...FOCUS! I own a Ford Focus....what? Get on with the story? FINE!
Now when my son threw out the Bad News/Good News scenario, my first thought was "He got a girl pregnant." Now, why that popped in my head I have no idea. Lets just say that the bad news really didn't involve me and it didn't involve him saying "Wanna be a Grandpa?" Being its a private matter involving someone else I'll just leave it at that. Now for the good news.....HE IS GETTING A PUPPY!!
My family is a dog loving family....actually we love animals period. To hear that he was getting his first puppy was a thrill for me. I've had many of those firsts in my life....but the first puppy that was mine will always stick with me. I got a pug and I promptly called her Sarah. She was an awesome dog and my pride and joy. At 14, I figured she was gonna be a chick magnet....and she was. Well, she attracted girls well below the age of 14. I still loved my dog and to this day I still miss her dearly. I could tell you a story about how I sneaked out my bedroom window one night while Sarah was sleeping in my room. Two hours later I came home and was surprised to see the glowing cherry of my mom's cigarette in the dark and then the light of the living room lamp coming on with my mom sitting there with Sarah on her lap, tail wagging because she was happy to see me....sigh....those were the days.
My son's excited Facebook messages to me told me how he was going to buy her a collar and a leash. He even asked me what kind of dog food he should get. It was neat to see that he was taking on the responsibility of taking care of this dog. Its like parenting and I get to see him do this. The fun part is acquiring the puppy.....the hard part is paper training them. Now, being I know he will sooner or later read this blog, I am not going to say anything too embarrassing about the "potty training" era of his life. I mean, he didn't really take to the "rubbing his nose in it" style of training. He never stayed on the paper when told and he really hated staying in his kennel. So, I had to resort to allowing him to use the toilet and reward him with candies. And being he was my kid, I had to make sure he was doing the right thing by having him show me the good job(s) he was doing. We went through a lot of Smarties before I caught on to the fact that sometimes he would just flush the toilet for a candy.
Anyways, enough about that...I am sure I am going to get a comment soon from my child, so I will wrap this thing up now. My son is now the new owner of a 2 month old puppy named Sarah. I can't wait to meet her!
Have a great week everyone! Cheers!
G.
Now if anyone reading this blog really knows who I am, the first thought that would pop in your head is that anything that involves me is very possible. My mom still cringes when all the stories come out about what I did as a teen. Lets just say I should write a story about that. Anyways, getting off topic here Glenn....focus...FOCUS! I own a Ford Focus....what? Get on with the story? FINE!
Now when my son threw out the Bad News/Good News scenario, my first thought was "He got a girl pregnant." Now, why that popped in my head I have no idea. Lets just say that the bad news really didn't involve me and it didn't involve him saying "Wanna be a Grandpa?" Being its a private matter involving someone else I'll just leave it at that. Now for the good news.....HE IS GETTING A PUPPY!!
My family is a dog loving family....actually we love animals period. To hear that he was getting his first puppy was a thrill for me. I've had many of those firsts in my life....but the first puppy that was mine will always stick with me. I got a pug and I promptly called her Sarah. She was an awesome dog and my pride and joy. At 14, I figured she was gonna be a chick magnet....and she was. Well, she attracted girls well below the age of 14. I still loved my dog and to this day I still miss her dearly. I could tell you a story about how I sneaked out my bedroom window one night while Sarah was sleeping in my room. Two hours later I came home and was surprised to see the glowing cherry of my mom's cigarette in the dark and then the light of the living room lamp coming on with my mom sitting there with Sarah on her lap, tail wagging because she was happy to see me....sigh....those were the days.
My son's excited Facebook messages to me told me how he was going to buy her a collar and a leash. He even asked me what kind of dog food he should get. It was neat to see that he was taking on the responsibility of taking care of this dog. Its like parenting and I get to see him do this. The fun part is acquiring the puppy.....the hard part is paper training them. Now, being I know he will sooner or later read this blog, I am not going to say anything too embarrassing about the "potty training" era of his life. I mean, he didn't really take to the "rubbing his nose in it" style of training. He never stayed on the paper when told and he really hated staying in his kennel. So, I had to resort to allowing him to use the toilet and reward him with candies. And being he was my kid, I had to make sure he was doing the right thing by having him show me the good job(s) he was doing. We went through a lot of Smarties before I caught on to the fact that sometimes he would just flush the toilet for a candy.
Anyways, enough about that...I am sure I am going to get a comment soon from my child, so I will wrap this thing up now. My son is now the new owner of a 2 month old puppy named Sarah. I can't wait to meet her!
Have a great week everyone! Cheers!
G.
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