Living Up to My Expectations

November 5, 2018December 22, 2018 GuyOnAWireLeave a comment

“Set a goal. Accomplish it. Set another goal.”

While I never heard Donald Wade utter these words, I live by them each and every day. Sometimes to a fault; I’m hard on myself because I know those hours I sneak away watching mindless YouTube Videos don’t add to my career, but nevertheless, I’m maximizing my efficiency daily.

When I moved out to Los Angeles two years ago, it was to begin a chain reaction of goals in which to accomplish. I spent over a decade of my life post-cancer doing little regarding creativity or towards a profession. Sure, I went to school for four of those years and made some films, but the momentum from the education stalled, and I was left to wander aimlessly.

Week Eight Recap (Dumb Healthcare)- #Whole60

June 21, 2018June 20, 2018 GuyOnAWireLeave a comment

With four days left (including Wednesday), I found out new things about me and the stupefied healthcare providers that currently “support” me.

My “Crohn’s” cramps came back with a vengeance this week, and I had to get to the bottom of them to move forward. Okay, so maybe I’ve been eating a lot more potatoes and watermelon at work (the latter being a running gag with the Production Staff), and after my antibiotics, I could see myself potentially feeding the Candida overgrowth. I didn’t have this much watermelon at my disposal during January’s Whole30 run.

I took the day off from “Kidding” to recover from my cramps, and attempted a doctor’s appointment. When I called at 9:00 AM, I was notified of the once impossible-to-schedule doctor’s office’s amendment to their stuffed system; replaced with a walk-in option from 9-11 AM. I drove over by 9:15, and waited until 10 AM for the doctor to show up.

My Cancer Story Ch. 99 “Thirsty”

June 18, 2018June 24, 2018 GuyOnAWire8 Comments

Chapter 99: “Thirsty”

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Even before my first days at NESCom, I continuously bugged the staff to offer a screenwriter’s course, and just when I thought that semester would never come, my advisor, John, told me that they would first offer the course in the fall of THIS YEAR, 2012! I jumped onto it as soon as possible considering there were only twelve spots on the roster. Come to think of it, I may have been the very first person to register.

Week Seven Recap (Cravings) – #Whole60

June 17, 2018June 20, 2018 GuyOnAWire7 Comments

This week my cravings hit an all-time high. I had never wanted a beer or a taco in my life as much as I do right now. Cravings are a weird feeling. Once you kick sugar from your system with the Whole30 Food Experiment, you rarely have these urges. In fact, you’re able to parse out if your “hunger” is real famishment or just a craving.Read More »

Week Six Recap (Something Old, Something New)- #Whole60

June 8, 2018June 20, 2018 GuyOnAWire8 Comments

This past weekend I bought new clothes. There is always a fear that any new threads I buy I’ll have to turn around and sell because I lose or gain weight (spoilers, it’s rarely because of weight loss).

Now, I find myself at an impasse between healthy living and an outdated wardrobe, and for the very first time, I need a smaller size. Well, okay, I could have purchased new clothes a year ago (My stuff is outdated).

My Cancer Story Ch. 97 “Promises of Pardon”

June 4, 2018June 18, 2018 GuyOnAWire13 Comments

Chapter 97: “Promises of Pardon”

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Just when I thought that my creative juices had evaporated, I discovered yet another outlet. I was evolving into an allegorical electrician, and at the same time, a fundamental change in my health insurance threatened the fragile layer surrounding my internal wiring.

Eastern Maine Medical Center changed their insurance providers so they wouldn’t have to pay as much of the frontloaded costs. The new company offered a $1,000 “Choice Fund” at the start of each year ($2,000 for families). This ostensibly optimistic offering paid one hundred percent of any bills up front, and after, it was exhausted, then the policyholder would pay one hundred percent until their deductible was met. Then, and only if the person spent past their deductible, the insurance company would pay the expected eighty percent.

Week Five Recap – #Whole60

May 30, 2018June 20, 2018 GuyOnAWire8 Comments

Every so often, I get a familiar panic regarding my health. I feel like a small muscle ache or an over exhausted day are omens for my impending doom. I know it’s a silly feeling, but I can’t help these invasive thoughts, only combat them.

I suppose they make sense considering I once had a variant of life-threatening cancer…Read More »

My Cancer Story Ch. 96 “Civilities of Union and of War”

May 28, 2018June 18, 2018 GuyOnAWire11 Comments

Chapter 96: “Civilities of Union and of War”

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Traditionalism had never been my forte, whether via my recent marriage or the content we produced in The Guttersnipes. Our comedy troupe had been releasing some solid work and some mediocre work. I could tell that something was missing from these ideas, and I was adamant that it was the lack of a proper script framework. Ideally, to me, I thought if we had better prepared for the shoot, then maybe the quality would have been better.

Others in the group loved the improvisational approach to our comedic voice, and instead, questioned my edits or my contribution to shooting the videos. The improvisation wasn’t the issue for me, I just wanted a stronger framework around it to enable a more efficient workflow with the little time we had. Both arguments wanted the same thing: a better product. We were like the Hatfield and the McCoy’s facing off against one another without actually sitting down to listen to one another. The majority of the members stayed out of the tussle or never voiced their concerns (to me) directly.

Week Four Recap – #Whole60

May 23, 2018June 20, 2018 GuyOnAWire8 Comments

On Friday, May 25th, it will have been thirty days since I began my two-month variation on the Whole30, the Whole60. It’s hard to believe I could do it again after years of telling myself I couldn’t cut sugar out of my life for thirty days, yet here I am, in my second month of doing just that, and I don’t want to go back. Ever.

**Please consider supporting my work by buying your Amazon purchases via this link. A small portion of your sales goes to fund this website, and it doesn’t cost you any extra! I could really use the help! Thank you; I appreciate you!**

My Cancer Story Ch. 95 “Getting Married”

May 21, 2018June 18, 2018 GuyOnAWire18 Comments

Chapter 95: “Getting Married”

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Once we got engaged, Deirdre and I began our humble planning phase. Actually… Deirdre handled the majority of it because I was so busy with school and my projects, but still, we had open discussions about the guest list, the location, and our wedding party. We decided to keep our guest list to a minimum, all the while looking for the cheapest location we could muster. We didn’t care to have a “formal” wedding with a wedding party and all…

Okay, truthfully, I had wanted a minor semblance of that. I had always envisioned Shawn, Travis, and Jason in our own version of Frank the Tank’s wedding in Old School. Shawn would be the Vince Vaughn to my Will Ferrell, and it would be hilarious, and Deirdre’s and my version of “traditional.”