Names To Take Note Of In 2007: Edmar Flores

To those of you who have been reading my blog Edmar's name should not be new to you. He is a good colleague and he is owner of his own production company called EFLO Productions. The thing that makes Edmar stand out from the crowd is his constant work ethic and modesty.

I'm not sure of all the projects that he is involved with in the upcoming year but do know that his work load is consistent and that people should take note. If you doubt me just check out his IMDB movie page.

ACTOR ALERT: ALBERTO CORRAL

Between my Blogger and Myspace blog I will until the end of the year be posting Actor Alerts or Names To Take Note Of In 2007. The first Actor Alert that I will post goes to my buddy and great fellow actor ALBERTO CORRAL. He is currently acting in Spain and has performed throughout Europe. I had the good fortune to meet him while he was training in NY. He speaks both English and Spanish fluently and has received training from New York Film Academy (NYFA). While in America, he was in several indie and student films as well as making an appearance on daytime television.

FYI He is also an accomplished animator and has a blog devoted to his animation career. Alberto is already a presence to recognize but in the upcoming year he may ( key word being 'may' ) go global with his acting career. I'm glad to have met Alberto and I hope that in the upcoming year that I will get the chance to work with him. If you are a producer or studio that would like to contact him just email me for the information or search the web for his blog. Good Luck and remember to keep Peace on your mind and Love in your heart.

Manga, Me, and More Projects

This is the second time in one month that I did extra work on a Japanese film. It was quite fun. This production was made for TV and was based on a Manga comic series called Boys Over (Then) Flowers. I am pleased to say that several more of my projects are being seen by producers and associates in the industry.

I should inform anyone going to the next networking event that I will not be attending. It is just too close to the holidays for me and I have other obligations so I apologize to those who were expecting me to show up.

I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON!!!! If you want to drop me a line don't hesitate I will be at my computer most of the time. LOL :)

Keep a peaceful state of mind and love in your heart.

Nate

LAST LOVE ( a tragic love story )

On the 7th I had to the opportunity to be an extra on the Japanese film LAST LOVE. It was an unique experience because I saw several Japanese stars that I recognized. The story is a tragedy about a man whose wife dies causing him much grief then he developes cancer and eventually dies himself.
I hadn't done extra work in a long time and to tell the truth ever since I started to write I haven't had the time to send out resumes for acting gigs. So when I got the phone call to come in I knew it was from one of my old headshots. Overall I was pleased with the job especially the ethnic food. It was catered to the Japanese cast and crew so we ate a lot of rice cakes, tea, and stuff I am not too sure what it was. It was also fun watching the cast and crew reacting to one another. I haven't seen such behavior and professionalism in a long time. Hence, I wish the best of luck for the film and I want to thank The Eastwood Agency and West Coast Extras for casting me.

COMMITTED (acting company) AT THE PLAYER'S THEATER

THE EVENING WAS A BLAST!!! The showcase featured my associate Todd Essary and The Committed Acting Company to which he belongs. The leader of the troop is Tom G. Waite, former actor and playwright turned teacher, whose charisma was as entertaining as the performances themselves. Most of the scenes focused on the dynamic of good and bad relationships. The amazing thing was that all the actors shone that night even though several were clear cut stars. The women of the troop were beautiful and captivating while the men had a magnetism and strength that only practice and determination can give.
A mix of relatives and friends showed up that night as well as a few surprises. Besides industry people some interesting acquaintances of mine walked in during the pre-show meet and greet. It was Daniel and Rachel from the September Networking. They are the founders of the fashion indie website. Also, imdb noted actress Natalie Caron showed up to the event... I hadn't seen her since Edmar's networking party last April.
Overall, the showcase was a success from the wine and cheese at the door to the closing statements from Tom G. Waite (seen in the black and white photo). BRAVO!!!

Sara Quinn

Just a quick note to tell everyone that my sister in spirit had her beautiful baby on Saturday. Congratulations, Panda!!!! We all love you dearly.

Nate

This thing is sort of accurate

I'm coasting online looking at stuff that can only be considered a waste of time when I see this q+a on which super hero you are? So I took the test and came up with this result... the funny thing is that I do wear a lot of rings and I am fond of one in particular!

Your results:
You are Green Lantern

Green Lantern 95% Spider-Man 70% Superman 65% Iron Man 65% The Flash 55% Hulk 55% Supergirl 45% Wonder Woman 40% Batman 40% Robin 40% Catwoman 30%

Hot-headed. You have strong will power and a good imagination.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

My Next Book Update

I still don't want to reveal the name of my next book but I will say that I have made it up to chapter 7. This book will be different from the last in that it will be a novelette (short novel). I like the fact that it is based on real people and deals with real experiences although those experiences seem beyond ordinary as told from the perspective of one of the characters. I won't say too much more except that to understand my next book it maybe necessary to read the final screenplay of The Zen Cookbook. That's it! My lips are sealed ^_^
So pick up the first book and go to Amazon.com to read the story synopsis and reviews.
Take it easy,
Nate

Let's See If Todd Essary Can Shine

Super cool event will be held at the Player's Theater in NYC on the 27th. My friend Todd Essary will be showcasing that night so if you want to see a great and so far free performance just show up before 8 p.m.

I will definitely be there with my camera to snap a few pics for the blog.

GOOD LUCK, TODD!!!!

Myspace on Blogger?

Recently, to generate more attention to my writing I created a Myspace site. It feels weird @@ Ya see I am a big fan of Blogger but all the generation Y and Zers(?) are partying crackin' open kegs over at Myspace. So like the savvy whore... I mean businessman that I am I put links from one site to the other on my blogs. I don't know if this is a cheap ploy but for some reason it took me several weeks to do this and I feel a little dirty. Out damn spot!!!
Anywho... Welcome all you Myspacers to Blogger your teacher's/parent's/old dude's site. LET THE CLASS BEGIN!

For A Brief Moment

Several times in my life I have been a witness to things I cannot explain. I can only say that trusting in the Unknown can bear amazing fruit. So I guess this is just a reminder to have faith and to save that faith for things Divine. I always like to remind myself ( and others) that it is good to believe in your fellow man but it is best to have faith in that which does not falter or fail in times of need. Whether that Divinity is found in yourself as that very wonderful spark of life or in something greater than yourself for a brief moment take a chance and do more than just believe... have faith.

New York Art

Before I went into the event on Saturday I got the chance to bum it around New York's Chinatown. Right on the edge of Chinatown was a huge Italian festival... San Genera or something to that effect. To all my Italian friends please forgive me for not knowing which festival this was or how to spell it :)
Anyway, I was way too early for the event that was scheduled for 6pm but actually started at 8pm so I sat and looked at the people passing by me on the steps of a building that was under renovation. In reality, I avoided eye contact with everyone which lead me to discover the coolest little bit of graffiti. It was two bees (one black and the other white) with their stingers touching... Now this was ART and it was totally defacing someone else's property.Typical. All good art can't find its way into a museum so it ends up on the street for free. I'm not complaining, in fact, I enjoyed it so much that I took a pic of it and smiled. The smell of urine was strong with this one but the aesthetic was well worth it. I remember the news doing a story about these little tags a few years ago. Man, I love finding little treasures like this in NY! I hope you enjoy it too.

N8

SunflowerChildren.org and Gawad Kalinga Charity Event

I went to a charity event for the SunflowerChildren and Gawad Kalinga on Saturday. The head of SunflowerChildren showed a video of her work around the world. A girl named Jovy was having a birthday and in a charitable act painted several pictures that were auctioned that night. I have to thank Jovy's father, Bert. He was a true warm-hearted patriarch which made the event encompassing and a true social event. I owe you a drink, Big Guy!
If you would like to give to either one of these organization just click the link above or do a search on Google or Yahoo and you will find them.

Something strange and interesting happened on September 22, 2006 at about 11:15 in the A.M.

It maybe very hard for some of you to accept but I have always felt that there was a power greater than myself influencing my life. THREE TIMES in my life I have had a butterfly land on my finger. The first two times I was in a meditative state literally calling out to get a response. This third time was different.
I was sitting in my backyard drinking a beer and smoking a cigar. As the smoke from the cigar blew to my left I noticed a Monarch butterfly hesitating/fluttering around in it. I thought nothing of it because at the time I was preoccupied with thoughts of the future. Oddly, the butterfly followed the trail of smoke and landed on my right leg just below my knee and very close to where my cigar hand was resting. So I froze because I thought that insects were afraid of smoke. Then it hit me that this was one of those moments so I opened my left hand that was resting on my left thigh and it happened. The butterfly flew over and landed on my left hand. I was shocked because the other times that this had happened I was really calling out to the Spirit world for a sign and this time it just happened. I took my eyes off of it and thought maybe I should say a prayer and it flew up and into the smoke that was in front of my face. I quickly said 'thank you, God!' and it immediately flew in a straight line over the back of the neighbor's house and pass the trees.
HONESTLY, you do not have to believe this story BUT it did happen on September 22, 2006 at about 11:15 in the A.M.
This incident encouraged me to attend a charity event that I was not going to attend. The event was for Sunflowerchildren.org and Gawad Kalinga. I took a few photos and I will post those pics next week. Until then keep faith and love in your hearts.
ALWAYS BELIEVE

Nate

Mike Bales and the All Avenues NY Networking

I recently went to a networking to meet a classmate of mine from high school, Michael Bales. The gathering was sponsored by All Avenues NY and Mike seemed to be one of the stars of the event. He knew everybody and was very laid back and cool. I was shocked at the number of Asian women who seemed to be infatuated with the guy. I jokingly wrote to a friend that he seemed to be the creamy center of an Asian lemon cookie :D If you are reading this, Mike, I'm just kidding.
Some of the cool people I met ranged from doctors to real estate to producers. Sean, the Asian guy lounging on the couch, was so very chill. He is studying neurology and just like Mike is going for a PHD in his particular field. He invited us after the networking to hear some bands play at a local bar. The girls at the event were wonderful. Yuka and Yvonne were very nice and made the evening much more fun than just working the crowd. I admit that I drank a little too much and the drive home reminded me of my college days... Dangerous! DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE, PEOPLE!!!!
Anyway, take it easy and much love to everyone I made a connection with at this networking.
N8

What's In A Name?

"MY EYES ARE OPEN."
About seven years ago I heard this phrase and I had an epiphany. My life needed change and the one factor that tied me to the past was my name. I was never pleased with my family name because my dad after the divorce completely rejected me and my mother. In fact, his entire side of the family cut communication and all ties to us. So what is in a name? Everything!!!
I was watching Fight Club for about the sixteenth time when I realize that change is an internal process that may take a second or sometimes many years to occur. For me it was in that one second that I didn't want to be the same anymore. Sapien just means wise. The correct use of the word in English is sapient which means wisdom. After my epiphany I went on the computer and began looking up names especially those dealing with comics. There was this strange bust of a character who had already been introduced into the comic Hellboy but no one had seen. His name was Abe Sapien. The toy manufacturer had a picture of a man with zebra-like stripes on his face and a speed dial type of device on his chest. I said to myself this looks neither like an Abe nor a Sapien. Then bingo! Nathan Abe? No. Nathan Abraham? No. Nathan Sapien? Ah-ha!!! So for several years I was just Nathan Sapien then the other part of the name came to me. A friend of mine got engaged and in a lot of the correspondence I kept telling her everything was Zen. Jokingly I said maybe I should add this to my name and she told me it was more of an aspiration than a name. I LOVED IT. There was a certain exotic and spiritual quality to it. In my mind there seem to also be a challenge of whether I could live up to the standards created by the name.
Anyway, that is how I got the name Nathan Zen-Sapien. Oddly enough when I checked the website for the picture of Abe Sapien the manufacture had made a mistake and posted the wrong pic. Apparently, Abe Sapien is a mer-man or half fish/half man creature. If I had known this I probably would not have pick Sapien as my pen and stage name. Nothing against fish people but lets face it the zebra/robot dude was just a little bit cooler.
Keep a peaceful state of mind and make sure that your eyes are open.
N8

All Your Base Are Belong To Us

Words, words, words...
Sometimes even if you have the best of ideas there is the very large possibility that no one will understand or care if you have not presented them in the right way. No real deep quandaries here but food for thought to anyone writing, or acting or both. This is also relevant to all people in business because the masses, peers, and bosses all judge you based on what you put forth or those things that you have that they deem is of value. The most amazing thing is that the average performer ( or person for that matter ) doesn't realize that the key component of showbiz is business and success in business is the end product which is usually presented as some kind of show. Put up or shut up takes on new dimensions when viewed in this light.
Like I said earlier no real deep quandaries just food for thought :)

Semantics Or A Matter Of Truth

This initially was going to be another video post but I feared becoming one of those blogs that do nothing but post the video crap that other people place up on the web. So I decided to give an update on the progress so far. Besides contacting a ton of people that I don't know about the book and my other scripts I had an epiphany. Apparently, there is a difference between advertising and publicity. You can advertise your butt off but it means nothing if people aren't interested enough to even read the flyer or pamphlet or whatever piece of crap that you wasted your hard earned money on. On the other hand, all you need is one strategic or famous or connected person to start talking about what you've done and BINGO you got some good publicity!!! Now some may say this is just a matter of semantics and colloquial interpretation but let's face it there is some truth to the statement. The real question is HOW does a person get publicity? Maybe I should add luck to my previous equation for success although I believe (and Oprah agrees) that there is no such thing as luck just a lot of ingenuity and timing.

Yamakasi And The ART Of The Human Body In Motion

First let me say that I have always loved seeing the human body in motion. There is something about the natural (some would say divine) design of form and function that makes me enjoy watching athletics and dance.
In some facets of my art I try to show the effect of force and energy on objects especially those thing derived from the natural world around us. However, there is something to be said about the mind as a factor. The video that I am showing is more than athletics. This guy has trained himself to do that which the average person can't. He used his natural talent and mind in such a way that the inertia that would cause great injury to average person is negated by simple physics.
It is scary to watch and I recommend that NO ONE SHOULD TRY THIS STUNT!!!!!!! EVER!!!!!!! *******Life is too precious to try a stunt like this because one miscalculation or change in the external factors and YOU ARE DEAD! *******

DRIVEN And My Equation For Success

I have been communicating with a wide variety of people from around the world and here in the U.S. lately. I really think that I have made enough (although enough is never enough) celebrity, industry, reviewer contacts that the future books and promo should go smoothly. There are extraneous factors like locations and contracts to consider but I feel with the right production team all these components will be resolved.

Experience + Drive + Resources (usually equals)= Success

Hopefully, this formula will work for me in the future and if it doesn't I will just have to rethink the process or enforce some other plan of action.

Jimmy Lee Phelan - Cinematography

I have been sort of out of the loop so I have to congratulate my buddy, Jimmy Lee Phelan. On 05/06 he got his MFA in Film from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. I met Jimmy (or Lee as he prefers to be called) on a commercial shoot. He had a lot of great ideas and after I saw his early reel I knew he had the talent to back up those concepts with action (click on the link above to see what I mean).
Lee if you read this I just want to say more power to you and thanks for showing me your willingness to work with all types of people. You have a bright future ahead of you.

Party Season Is Around The Corner

The buzz is in the air. So far I have had over four different requests to attend five different networking parties.
It is funny how people turn an event that only lasts for a few hours into a seasonal extravaganza! I guess that everybody likes to see each other and talk about the events that occurred since the last party. These upcoming gatherings should be really interesting seeing that several people actually had a pretty successful year. One of the parties involves a musician friend of mine that I haven't seen in 15 years. He has been playing in the NY area and I didn't know about it so clearly he is invited to any event I go to and hopefully vice-versa will be the case at his events.
Most of this stuff doesn't start until September so its all good in my mind. A lot of people have done what they promised and I feel that it is my turn to step to the plate. I admit that this Summer was unusual and sometimes stressful but overall I really didn't work the way I wanted to. I don't have any real hard feelings about this because you often can't control the circumstances that come your way in life. All I can do is live and learn.
As usual, I'd like to thank all my friends who helped me through the bad stuff and for all the love and support that was shared with my family.

TAKE CARE and KEEP A PEACEFUL STATE OF MIND :)

N8

Congrats and Happy B-Days

One of my associates, Edmar Flores, is having quite some success. He was a crew member of the movie DESCENT!!! I also have to shout out that the 30th is his B-Day. I haven't heard from him in a while because he has been busy but I know that it is all good! I would also like to wish Lisa G. a Happy B-day. Her special day was the 29th... thanks Lisa for your critique of my work and for giving me a job on the Verizon Shoot.

Take it Easy and keep it Lite!!!

Nate

No News is Good News... I guess

I still haven't heard from the "big boys" in the industry. At least they are looking! So until I hear from them here are some fun images including my headshot. I particularly like these images because they are all different examples of my work. The hand is just a digital image that I converted to black and white. The flowers I painted in college and the collage is my tribute to the power of women. It has a distinct Black power feel to it but I think any woman should be impressed. The only image of a man in that picture is Nelson Mandela (bottom left hand corner). As for the rest of the images I just think they are fun and free expressions of artistic creativity. Enjoy.

Developing Situations

I am feeling much better today. I got back into the routine and did a mailing yesterday to several producers and directors that I feel could make use of my scripts.
I haven't heard from too many of my associates of late but I understand that is the nature of the biz. When you are up everyone is your friend but true loyalty and friendship is seen in those low moments... who stuck with you and who simply disappeared.
On a high note, there has been some buzz about my TV script. Several lit. managers and agencies have been enquiring about the story and its selling points. I have a good feeling about this and I am willing to work for anyone who has better ideas or shares my views on the development of the script.

MKODI after one week

These are just some images that I took of Mkodi on Friday which is one week after it sprouted.
I have a good feeling that I will continue to write after I give myself a week or two to really heal. The plant has actually grown bigger than this so I will probably put it in a larger pot at the end of this month.

N8

MKODI and some more art

The tree that sprouted upon my brother's death has a new name, MKODI. I also like the name Geistblume. Mkodi means supernatural spirit in Swahili and Geistblume is the combination of the words spirit and flower in German. More than likely I will give both names to the plant. I also have a few more images of the art that I have been creating over the years. If you would like a signed print or poster just email me and I will see what I can do.
On a side note, NJ is a mess. My brother's funeral was yesterday and we still can't bury him because the government is closed and won't give out any death certificates. That means that everyone who passed away after the gov't closed must stay above ground until those certificates get to the funeral homes. This is horrific but I will and have remained spiritual throughout this whole experience. I grieve not only for my brother but for all the families that have to suffer through this. All I can say is that this physical world is the lie and the truth is the light in our eyes. When that light leaves all that is left is just the shell and not the soul that lived within it.
Remain strong.
N8

My Brother's Passing

My brother passed away on June 30, 2006. He had been suffering for several years from many ailments so his passing to some place better than this is a time for joy and not pain or anguish. I truly believe that we are more than our physical bodies so his transition from the material world to the spiritual one is a blessing because in this world he suffered so much. A wonderful incident occurred about the same time that he left us at 12:06 PM. I had spent the majority of night at the hospital so when I came home and finally fell asleep in the morning I didn't wake until 12:30 PM that is when I noticed that the acorn that I had transferred to a pot two days earlier had sprouted. I consider this a small miracle because I had tried to transfer the acorns that had roots in our family's backyard before to no avail but that Friday was different.
I don't know how long I will keep the plant or what it's fate will be but every time I look at it I am reminded of the life cycles that exists in this physical world and then I realize that there spiritually is so much more. To all who read this do not let your soul feel sad because there is so much more and from what I can tell it is good .

Peace,
Nathan Zen-Sapien

The Summer of Schmooze

Wednesday was the first day of Summer and I kicked it off by attending a networking. It was very fulfilling because I met people from all over NJ. Sadly, I received an invite to a networking in NY that very evening and I really wanted to attend that one as well but I had a prior engagement.
I am starting to get the hang of all this 'shmoozing' and unlike other artist I am not feeling any conflict of interests. It seems to come with the territory... how are people going to find out about you or your product if you don't get out there and advertise what ya' got? I think that the businessman in me is the real person who regrets missing the NY function. It would have been great to meet the theatre crowd that were slated to be there that night and give them my business card.
At the event that I did attend there was a representative from Warmspirit.com (GREAT smelling skin care products), a beautiful singer, and also a Public Relations/Mass Media Writer by the name of LeGina Adams. These three women were fun and interesting contacts to make because they reminded me of the people that you usually meet in the arts. They had strong personalities and were very creative.
I guess in the end, the networking that I was suppose to attend was the one that I went to anyway. In life it seems that when you force an issue that is when you meet the most resistance but when you go with the flow that is where you gain the most ground. I am pretty sure that there are going to be a lot more of these events this Summer and for some reason the businessman in me is ecstatic!

Father's Day

Just a brief note on this special day to every man and woman who has filled the role as father/guardian/provider of their family. Your efforts are not done in vain. Coming from a single family household I truly appreciate the aspect of having a strong father figure. My physical dad was never there for me and in the later days of his life he disowned me but spiritually I never gave up on the idea of a strong Fatherly presence within me. I know this maybe a difficult concept for some of you to understand but I do believe that within all of us is both is a Mother and Father presence that transcends our physical understanding. All we have to do is acknowledge this presence and it is already there. So I never feel lost or alone during these holidays and neither should you.
May you have a peaceful and joyous holiday!

N8

Tara, Family Misunderstandings, And An Equery

I saw a cool statue on eBay of the goddess Tara. As usual, I did some investigating to find out who Tara was/is and what she means to the people that follow her. Personally, I believe that there is only one God and we insignificant minded specks of star dust are not capable of comprehending the totality of God's being. That aside I was intrigued to find out that there are 21 variations of this deity. I automatically thought of Baskin Robbins 21 flavors and giggled because I do believe that are many aspects of the human personality that are reflected in the things that we worship or admire. I do not want to offend the followers of Tara so I apologize if I am being culturally ignorant. I still believe as an artist that the statue that I saw on eBay was beautiful.

So my very religious mother walks pass me looking at the statue on the family computer and the sparks flew. I spent the next two days defending my artistic interest in the images of which she thought was idolatry. This incident spun into another incident when I told my sister what a therapist friend of mine said was the real cause of my family's over observant behavior of me. Needless-to-say for the pass few days the old cycle of male bashing behavior that my almost all female family kicked in and now I have become a verbal pincushion at home. I HATE OLD CYCLES OF DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR! So to do something new I racked my brain to find a positive means of contradicting this behavior and I remembered the success I had doing Equeries for my scripts. Whenever I solicit new buyers for my scripts my family's attitude changes for the better. I guess it is difficult to smash a man's will when you think that he may make enough money to buy you a new house.

So far I have received several positive responses but nothing really beats having a little peace of mind when you are over your relative's house

Mathematics and Simple Communication

So I contacted my publisher about the problems I had noticed and they responded rather quickly admitting that the deletion of part of the webpage was their fault.
As for the money issue this is what they said:

You are earning a 24% royalty on a $17.95 retail price. Due to
mathematics, remainders, and rounding, that is the closest to $5 the
royalty can be without going over. 24% of $17.95 is $4.31. Had you set
your retail price at $18.95, you would be earning a 27% royalty for
$5.12.

Sincerely,
The Guy Who Has Way Too Much Power Over Your Career

This was cold comfort to me seeing that my naturally greedy instincts would have charged more for the book had I known this earlier. Just kidding... no I'm not. ;)

N8

BE CAUTIOUS

To everyone keeping tabs on this blog you may have seen some changes to my blog. My publisher without my consent lowered my profit margin and edited my web page nearly removing more than half the script presented on that page. So I would advise you to be cautious when dealing with self-publishers. My publisher will remain nameless in this post so that it won't seem like I am slandering them but all that glitters isn't gold and some of their big talk is starting to lose its luster. So BE CAUTIOUS and always use reliable sources. However, I still have hope that my publisher will redeem themselves.

A book with a three letter name

I recently started to work on a book with a simple three letter title. It is eerie because it is based on a real person who doesn't necessarily wish to be exposed on this level. Personally, I am being very careful and discreet so that all identities can and will be confidential. However, on many levels I don't care about the feelings of these individuals because of the cruel nature of their actions in the past, but discretion is the better part of valor and as a writer I would prefer to build bridges rather than burn them.
For those of you wondering about my acting performance and skills I assure you that all is well. Currently I am losing weight (about five pounds so far) and trying to get into better shape . I figure that it will be about six months before I really feel comfortable in front of the camera again. Until then I guess that I will continue to write and pray that I don't sabotage myself with these holidays coming up. Food, food, and more food seems to be the only way my family knows how to celebrate. I guess it could be worse because there are people who do not have food for the holidays or any other day for that matter. I know that this sounds corny but I have to put my petty grievances in check when I examine the BIG PICTURE .

I wish you all the best this Memorial Day and I ask you to be thankful for the blessings you have.

N8

Back to business... or something like it

I am awaiting news from a producer about the fate of one of my Summer projects. I guess that it comes with the territory but I still can't shake the nervousness I feel waiting for answers and or replies to my inquiries. This particular producer seems rather positive which gives me hope. If it doesn't work out I won't give up because I still have other options.
Interestingly enough, I have just received conflicting criticisms about my writing. An associate that happens to have her own newly formed film company said that my writing wasn't edgy enough and lacked the research and originality/authenticity that most tv shows currently give the viewing audience. That's funny because an industry veteran who works for a major cable network said that my writing was too dark for tv veiwing audiences. I'm sure that somewhere out there is an executive or producer that feels that my writing is suited for their viewers.
Perhaps this period of conflicting messages is a good omen. It is like turning on the shower... at first it is too hot and then it is too cold and then you make that final adjustment and it becomes just right... that pleasing state inbetween the extremes. I hope pretty soon that I find that wonderful place between the extremes.
Also, for those of you who have been sending me good energy and buying my book all I can say is THANKS!!! :) Your support is truly appreciated and my LOVE and POSITIVE ENERGY goes back out to you.

N8

A little something for Mom

This is an image of my Mother's book LEAP OVER WALLS. I felt that I should do something special for her besides the normal stuff. Maybe this will help the sales of her book. She got treated sort of poorly by her editor who didn't want to make enough changes to the manuscript so there are many grammatical errors but the content is still good and for a book of music by a first time composer it is well put together. I will be posting more images and info about this Summer's activities in the next two weeks if not sooner.

N8

Searching For Answers

Just a quick note for the readers of this blog. I am currently in a very flexible and anxious state of mind. I was going to post some more pics when I realized that I there is a good chance I may be able to turn one (if not several) of my scripts into promos or short features this Summer. On a sad note, if I do this I probably won't be able to attend my class reunion. I don't in particular feel bad about this because anyone who has had something passionate in their life would understand that following your dreams is like nurturing a child... it is something that you cannot do haphazardly or the child will suffer. I currently don't have any children or a mate/spouse but I do have dreams that weigh heavy on my mind. If anything I can compensate for a lack of love in my life by focusing on a career that satiates my deepest ambitions. Ambitions that stem from both a creative and intellectual need. Hence, I would encourage anyone reading this blog to pursue your innermost dreams for they are the children of your heart and soul.

My art and my world right now

It is a Sunday and I am torn between how to feel. I guess because I was raised going to church I always feel a little guilty when I miss church. The ironic thing is that I haven't been to church in a few years but I have compensated by doing as much spiritual reading and soul searching as possible.

My art ( I think) is a reflection of my spiritual desires. In most of my pictures there are themes of self-improvement and a contrasting sense of light and dark energy or a yin/yang sensibility. I don't really feel that the light and the dark are different but rather two sides of the same coin. I could be wrong but for my art's sake I need this axiom to be true in my creative world.

* FYI * For those of you who are reading my blog weekly I will start to post pics from my work and other activities this Summer but for now just enjoy the art. I will also be injecting notes about my books into the blog just to appease my publisher ;)

N8

The picture to the left is a solarized image of myself when I was 17 years old. I added the phrase 'actor, artist, and author' to clarify the nature of the work that I do right now. At first I thought it was conceited to say such a thing but then I remembered the story of Beowulf and the one section in particular where he takes a moment to tell the king of his accomplishments. He wasn't bragging but merely telling those who didn't know him what he was capable of doing.

Personally, the artist in me doesn't care for such "horn blowing" or the "theatrics" that usually ensue after such statements but I must admit that if you don't declare your attributes proudly very few people in this industry will for you...especially without pay.

OF COURSE, there are others out there who are more talented and skilled and experienced than me ( that's a given^_^) but who knows what tomorrow will bring and where your true fortunes may lie. Hence, I am confident that the above phrase isn't a boast but merely a statement that hopefully over time will become a well proven fact.

This is breaking the rules but I have to post this pic. One of my dearest friends is having her second baby. The picture at the bottom of the post is an ultrasound of the child. I wish her the best with her new baby and new life. She is a sweet girl and clearly deserves the best.

But back to business, the two other pics show both my photo art and the cover of my book.... is it just me or am I "pimping" this book too much. And for those who have heard the rumors I am working on two more books. One is fiction and the other is non-fiction so as the books progress I'll be sure to keep you guys and gals informed. Peace and Love. And to my 'sister' and friend...Good Luck with your new child...my prayers and energy are with you all the way!

N8

These are some more images from the networking. I foolishly stopped taking pictures after the first hour so a lot of people that I met are not in the photos. The bar and lounge that I the networking was held at is called THE CRIME SCENE. It is right across from CBGBs on Bowery Street in NYC. The networking was fun and interesting and to all the people that I didn't post I'll get you up here the next time I see you.

The poster is pure advertising. The spoon and fork motif have nothing to do with THE ZEN COOKBOOK because there is no cooking in the book just a cool metaphorical recipe for the experiences that the main character, Ethan Zen, is living through.

For anyone interested in the book it can be bought at Amazon.com, bn.com, and bamm.com

THANKS for your support.

N8

These are some images from my book including a poster of the cover. The image of the man with the different color eyes represents the Darius character in the story One Man's Choice. He is the living embodiment of the perfect Yin Yang duality in the universe.

The image of the three leaves represents the gradation and gradual difference between the light and the dark within every person's soul. The use of a different leaf from top to bottom and from light to dark is a reflection on human character and personality.

The poster is of a man trapped (frozen) in an ice cube. There is a drop of water on the bottom of the cube meaning that every condition changes. What you have to ask yourself is whether or not the cube is melting or in the process of freezing?

I will post an image of another poster and some more pics from the networking later on today.

N8

These are some of the people I met at a networking on April 21.

The beautiful Blonde is Natalie Caron. She is a producer and a model/actress...very hot! The older gentleman next to her is my good friend Don Eschbach. He is an actor. The African-American girl sitting on the couch is Melissa and the guy next to her is Todd Essary. Melissa is a boom mike operator and Todd is a talented actor and theater director. Edmar Flores was the host of the event and you can see him holding up his Frat symbol and I am the Biggie Smalls look-a-like in the cream kangol. These are good people...I was fortunate to meet them.