Back from Indie-fest USA and a week of vacation which really didn’t feel like vacation.  Our film THE FUNNY MAN played to a pack house and received 4 out of 5 stars from festival viewers, but unfortunately didn’t win.  We lost to a zombie film.  Such is life.  Apparently it IS hard to beat the undead.  On the plus side, saw some old comedian friends and family in Pasadena, so you know there was one night I was “stuffed” with a ridiculous amount of greek food.  Nice to be home.  Onward.

I’m on vacation next week, but it’ll feel like I’m still working.  Off to Anaheim for Indi-Fest USA.  Our film, THE FUNNY MAN is up for Best Short Film.  A week of networking, media events, film watching and winding up the week with an awards ceremony.  Hoping to make Columbus proud.

We got a pizza last night.  From Villa Nova.  If not from the Nova, then Gatto’s.  Point is, we keep it local.  The “pie” of choice comes from a neighborhood joint.  Not knockin’ the chains, but when you’re just getting that “one pizza” it’s always better when you know there’s a little family recipe in the mix, be it the sauce or the homemade sausage.  So my pizza advice?  Buy local.  Keep the ‘za in the hood’.  What’s the best pizza in your neighborhood?

It’s no secret that I’m for casino gambling coming to Ohio and slots coming to Ohio racetracks is a good start, but I still think you need to be 21 years of age before you can “pull those levers.”  18 seems too young. Mmaybe because at 18 years of age if I had any extra money, I certainly couldn’t afford to take it to a slot machine.  Hell, I’m 50 and there are days when I can’t afford to do it?  Thoughts?

Over the weekend I participated in The 48 Hour Film Competition. (With an amazing team of course)  Write, shoot, edit, score a film within 48 hours.  Exhausting fun, but still feeling the fatigue in my bones.  If you want to make the effort worth our while, come see ALL the films that participated and come Wednesday and Thursday to The Gateway Theater on campus.  Our film, HAPPY ENDINGS, screens on Thursday at 7:30 along with the other exceptional films that made the 48 hour deadline.

Starting on Friday, I’ll switch gears and go from radio to film as my team enters THE 48 HOUR FILM COMPETITION.  The goal?  Make a 4 to 7 minute film in 48 hours after pulling a random genre from a hat.  Write, shoot, edit, score and turn it back in on Sunday.  Daunting, exhausting, challenging and fun.  Okay, maybe Jack has it a little tougher.  I won’t be battling terrorists.

The Sunny 95 block party in Canal Winchester was fun.  Spoke with lady who first said, “thank you” and then commented on the fact that is was nice to see her neighbors.  That brings up the question of the day:  Do you know your neighbors or are you cars and SUV’s that pass in the day and night?

Great calls today from you guys on the best advice you’ve ever received and still use today.  Would love to hear more.  I’ll start with what I remembered from my mentor and now departed Uncle Bill:  “Always take the high road when it come to dealing with difficult people.  The low road is congested with pettiness and insignificance.”

     From a music perspective, if it weren’t for Mondays there are a lot of classic songs that would never have seen the light of day.  “Rainy Days and Wednesdays?”  No.  Don’t think so.  “Come, Tuesday?”  Lazy, even for Buffett.  “Manic Thursday?”  If that’s true, check into some medication because you may have some anxiety issues.  Ah, it really doesn’t matter.  Even when we get a Monday off, we just shift the same “start of the week angst” over to Tuesday.  Are Mondays a pain for you, or do you have them figured out emotionally?

     It’s going to be in the 90’s this weekend.  WE CAN’T HANDLE THAT IN COLUMBUS!  Not after a summer of mild temperatures that we’ve had since June.  We’ve had weeks of open windows at night and low a.c. bills and now comes the 90’s.  So, it goes without saying that this will probably be the weekend I wind up at the Ohio State Fair, walking the midway while swimming in a pool of my own corndog sweat.  I know, not a pretty visual and I apologize for the imagery.  But I’ve been spoiled by the weather and I like it.  I don’t need nor want the 90 degree reminder, but I’ll deal with it.  I’ve got friends in far warmer parts of the country who would consider the 90’s a nice break in the weather.  Sorry.  Nobody forced you to move to Texas.  Have another sweet tea and deal with it, because next week we go back to the comfortable 80’s.  So…have YOU enjoyed our cool summer?