Thunderbolt

I know, I know, I've been away for so long. Don't hate me.  But I've been writing. Really. On January 12th I decided to complete the screenplay I began last year (and placed aside after some serious writer's block) and kicked ass to finish the rough draft before the end of January. I did it. Now I'm back. I'll be posting again, giving you insightful little tidbits about life and all that other shit. Happy now? In the meantime, Here's a link to the second to last Disturbed Podcast for this season of American Horror Story. Please check it out! http://www.southgatemediagroup.com/disturbed-an-american-horror-story-fan-podcast

Let's get back into this, shall we. Let's lay it on the line, put our hearts out there, and tell it like it is. 2014 has rolled over on us and here it is, the middle of the month, and I've been married for 20 years, I have a teenage daughter one year away from driving and my mom's birthday has come and gone. The long month of December- and it is a long month- is in the rearview mirror and now it feels like maybe, just maybe, we can begin to move forward with the new year. Well, perhaps tomorrow. Today would have been Seann's 32nd birthday. I've been standing in our kitchen, washing dishes and listening to a new Springsteen track, "The Wall." It hails from his latest album and it's the best song on the record. Dare I say it's one of his very finest? I will. It ranks up there with his most haunting songs like "Shut Out the Lights" and "Brothers Under the Bridge." Like those two, "The Wall "deals with the Vietnam...

3 AM alarm to wake us up. Check. 3:20 snow shoveling to make sure we can get out of the driveway. Check. 4 AM departure for airport. Check. 4:20 airport arrival. Check. 4:30 check-in and pass through security. Check. 4:55 bagel and waiting. Check. The long day of travel has just begun.

Christmas Day, 2013. Never thought I'd be writing posts from my cell phone, but this is the age of instant communication, when we don't need a laptop to write down our thoughts. What an amazing time. As much as some people bemoan the way our children are fixated with their mobile devices, I really marvel at the way we can all communicate so easily. We''re visiting Julie's family in Ohio and it has, so far, been a warm and lovely holiday. I'm so blessed to be a part of this family, and to have been loved by them for over 20 years. I hope that anyone reading this is having wonderful day. I hope that anyone reading this is able to spend time with their own family. I hope that you all are creating new memories that have significance, just like the stories I wrote about in Basement Songs. God bless and Merry Christmas!

Last week was the kind of crazy hell that limits the amount of time I can contribute to the blog. Work was quite busy. Add to that the holiday rush and the general sadness that comes around every December 10th , and you can understand why spilling my guts on the Internet doesn't have its appeal. I did get some writing done, though. With the whole write a novel in month business behind me, I've decided to focus on completing the script I've been working on for the past four months. I haven't quit the book altogether. Indeed, I've just joined a writing group and I plan to use the group as a motivator to get the book finished. It's just that I want to wrap up this script- at least the first draft - before the end of the year. Keep your fingers crossed. I've been writing more reviews, but trying to take a less clinical approach to them and find a way to personalize the movie experience. It's getting to be less of a challenge writing a film synopsis and throw...

The podcast begins with me freezing my butt off in my garage and the topic of an Ajax enema.  Good times. Here's the link to the latest Disturbed Podcast.  Enjoy! http://www.southgatemediagroup.com/disturbed-an-american-horror-story-fan-podcast

Today, December 5, 2013, marked the second year since the death of my brother-in-law, Seann Flynn. I wish there was something profound I could say on this very sad anniversary, but there's nothing profound about the death of a young man. This beautiful person was in our lives a brief time, but long enough to touch our hearts, change our minds and give us comfort. I will always be grateful for the long conversations Seann and I had about music, film and sports. I will recall with fondness how he accepted me as a brother, how he always had an open heart for his nieces and nephews, how he loved his family so - especially his mother and father, how he wanted to protect his older sisters, and how he worked so hard to become an enlightened human being. I can hear his voice right now, his half smirked "Yo." I can envision his outstretched on our living room chair, sleeping while some lame TV sitcom plays in the background. I can see feel his presence in our home and in my hear...