I’m back! I know it has been awhile in between posts but that is only because things are very busy. Got to keep hustling if you want to reach your goals.

I finally received some news on something I have been working on. Actually the news was not really news as much as it was a lack of news. The project I have been developing has been shelved by a company I was speaking with. Many people have seen this as a setback. Personally, I find it liberating. I feel free as a bird. You see, now the options are endless. Now the world is my oyster and I am not limited to the confines of waiting for some form of response from one prospect. Now I can target different prospects, bigger prospects, prospects with better funding.

It all comes down to perception. While many people I talk with decided that this was sad news, it made me realizes how negative some people perceive life. For them it seemed I had reached the end of the road. Others saw the possibility and asked what I was thinking. For me it was never a negative thing. On this site I have talk for hours on what you should do when focusing on your goals and one of those things was to have a plan. Make sure you know where you are going. Before I had even done the finishing touches on part of the project, I already knew what I would do if this day came. And the best part is I didn’t even get told no. I was only told it is not possible at this time to make a decision but we will look at it again down the road. The wheels were set in motion a long time before this day. So I move onto the next phase of the plan. There are also more phases planned after that.

I know this project I am working on will succeed and my project will come to fruition. Of this, I have absolutely no doubt. It is a great concept that is fresh and innovative.

Make sure you plan ahead. Do not wait for the next step to end before planning what to do next. Always be sure to be moving forward. Success will never come to you in one day. Unless you win the lottery, nothing happens overnight. And it shouldn’t. Because one of the most rewarding parts of chasing a dream, is the journey. Relish each moment spent working on your dream. Every minute you spend deciding moves and making adjustments is what makes you who you are. It makes you a better person because you are not giving up. Once you enjoy the process, you will feel that much better about the small victories. Of course there will be setbacks. There always will be, but view them as the learning curve and stay focused.

I know I can’t wait to take on the next phase of my project. Wait till they get a load of me.

This article was first published on Technorati at http://technorati.com/entertainment/article/the-return-of-our-favorite-tales

It seems that Hollywood has turned back to the original storytellers as the recent fall premieres of Grimm and Once Upon a Time brings our favorite childhood stories back to life, with a twist.

I was always a sucker for a good tale when I was a kid. Most people do not realize that the Brothers Grimm were responsible for most of our modern time fairy tales. Stories such as Cinderella, Snow White and Rumpelstiltskin were all works published by the duo. They have played a role in all of our lives and now Hollywood has brought them to the small screen in some fashion or another.

ABC decided to bring us Once Upon a Time this season to rave reviews. The show is doing better than expected and there is a good reason why. These tales have stood the test of time and ABC has taken them and just advanced the timeline.

In the show the Evil Witch from Snow White has released a “Dark Curse” which has frozen all the fairy tale characters in time and brought them into our modern age where they live in Storyville unaware of who they were. Even the Evil Witch herself does not have clue. There are many signs that only Rumplestiltskin knows who he truly is. The only hope for the curse to be broken is the child of Snow White and Prince Charming who manage to seal their new born baby in a tree which protects her from the curse.

So now we are all part of the story which is well spun and unraveling in a slow and very interesting fashion. The child, Emma Swan has made her way back to the town with the help of the son she gave up for adoption when she was young. We see the modern day fairy tale characters in everyday life. Snow White is a teacher, the Evil Witch is a corrupt mayor and in one of my favorite twists Jiminy Cricket is a psychologist.

The imagery is bright and beautiful and the acting is brilliant as they bring in a stellar cast with Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love), Jennifer Morrison (House) and the always reliable Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty). In the times we live in now with social media and a struggling economy, ABC supply’s us with the escapism of yesteryear and the tales of our youths to let us reminisce for one hour each week.

If you would like to check it out try ABC Sunday nights at 8pm EST.

NBC on the other hand has taken more to the darker side of the Brothers Grimm with their series Grimm. The twist to this series is that the Grimm family members have always lived with a curse. Our world holds monsters. It always has. The descendants of the Grimm Brothers are the only ones able to see the monsters, but only when the monster’s emotions run higher than normal of course. Nick Burckhardt is a police detective who is unknowingly a Grimm descendant. Nick has just started to see things out of norm and can’t understand why. His Aunt, who he was raised with since the age of twelve, arrives unannounced and has something to discuss with him. It is at this time that he discovers his family’s secret and soon he discovers his and his family’s responsibility to the world, to hunt these monsters and protect us. Unfortunately he and his Aunt are attacked and she falls into a coma. So now begins Nick’s journey and his trial by fire as he has no idea what is happening to him and no access to additional information as his Aunt in currently down for the count.

The show has a darkness to it but is peppered with many humorous moments which are very entertaining. The special effects are well done and there is an air of conspiracy as he does not know who to trust and has to live with the knowledge that he is the only normal human who can see the monsters for what they really are. This makes for great television as he tries to find ways to explain situations rationally that are completely irrational to society’s beliefs. The cast seems strong although there are no notable names. This combined with relying on the Grimm tales to fall back on and NBC may have a surprise hit on their hands.

If you wish tune in, head to NBC Fridays at 9pm EST.

It is nice to see Hollywood turn back to the stories we grew up with instead of going for more action or more sexuality. Hopefully there are more series like this in the works. At least we know the writings behind the concepts are proven. Let’s just hope the networks don’t gum up the works.

First published on Technorati at http://technorati.com/videos/article/halloween-youtube-style/

With Halloween only days away, I think we all need some time to step away and watch some entertaining videos from online with Halloween themes that might not otherwise be seen. After viewing many videos, I have compiled some of my favorites for you to enjoy….But be afraid!!! Be VERY AFRAID!!!!!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…(cough, cough, hack)…okay, on to the videos.

The first siting of Geoff Petersen from the Craig Ferguson sketch could very well be in the rarely watched YouTube gem. This short was an unexpected delight and had me walking around yelling GEOFFFFFFFF!!!! All day.

Click on the title. The Phantom of Castle Falls

How about something just a little more cheesy  and silly. This video starts out seeming a little cheap but the commentary is so goofy you can’t help but giggle. And what can be funnier than a Big Foot giving you the middle finger?

Click on the title. Haunting Humanoid Halloween Video

This one went viral but is still very entertaining. They should film a sequel to this one where the marshmallow gets cooked and then drowned in Bailey’s…yum. So tasty.

Click on the title. Marshmallow Murder

Halloween would not be complete without a really sill rap video. “I eat more candy than a pimp smokes crack.” This is awesome.

Click on title. Halloween Trick-or-Treat Rap Video

We could not complete this list without animal humor.  This video of his guy telling his dog Emma a scary story is pretty funny. Love the Bambi eyes.

Click on the title. Little Dog Terrified of Halloween Story

Please feel free to comment with your own videos of All Hallow’s Eve terror!!! But until then, stay out of the woods and beware, beware, BEWARE!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…(cough, cough, hack)

Happy Halloween everyone!!!

This week has been all about finding great sources of information to help us, not just me, get ahead in life. My journey is more our journey. I count on all of you reading to continue doing so for motivation and drive. Today I write my message to you.

We are all in the same boat. At some point all of us have trials and tribulations we need to overcome to take that next step in our lives. Sometimes, we give up and let life take its course. We accept the cards we have been given and the roles we have been assigned. We basically become the people trapped in the Matrix whose lives have been preordained and mapped out. For some of us, that is perfect. We have no issue with continuing on the road paved for us. We work our 9-5 Monday to Friday, drive the kids to soccer, have a barbeque for the friends and relatives once in a while and go to sleep at 11:30pm after the news or maybe a bit later to catch the opening of David Letterman. It sounds like a great life and you know what, for some it absolutely is.

Then there are the people who have different ideas. There are those of us who spend days on end wondering what went wrong? Why didn’t I take that left turn at Albuquerque? How did I get to where I am today?

That was me. I was that person. I could have tried to make peace with the hand I was dealt and continue doing what I was doing. But I am not that person and I know some of you out there feel the same way. To steal a line from one of the most emotional scenes in Shawshank Redemption, “I have to remind myself that some birds aren’t meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up DOES rejoice.” When I think of that quote it makes me feel better about my decision. I would have woken up again one day down the road and started with a whole slew of questions…again. Why? What if? What happened? I asked myself “Would I be able to live with myself even 10 years down the road if I don’t even at least take a shot?” My answer was simple and unequivocal, no. I would not be able to live with myself.

So here we are. Some of you are happy with your lives and are reading to enjoy or support my story. Some of you, like me, long for more and are trying to figure out how to get there or where to start. That’s what this week has been all about. I want to be able to look back when I reread these posts and not think it was a self-serving piece of tripe better left in the hallows of the World Wide Web than promoted and continued. I want this journey to be about something more than me. I want to know that whatever I learn along the way, that not only do I share it, but I try to find a way for other people to take something away from the experience and hopefully help other people try to achieve their goals.

If you are the same as me. If you are someone who can’t settle. Then decide to make a move. In my post yesterday the column by Henrik Edberg had an awesome quote by Theodore Roosevelt. He said, “In a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing to do, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” I invite you to decide to try something new. I invite you to pursue a dream. Even if you fail the pursuit will be rewarding and it will change you for the better. You can sleep easy knowing you did anything and everything you could to try and make your dream possible. That’s the worst case scenario!

What is the best case scenario? That you succeed. That you get what you want. You can’t lose when you try. This is in stark contrast to you can never lose if you don’t play. When you try you are least in the game and can benefit from the experience. Try. If you are sitting there with something eating at the back of your mind, some unfinished business or a road left untraveled. Try. I invite you to take your shot. You have nothing to lose.

We have covered some different forms of inspiration. We definitely know what words to avoid after the great column by Robert Pagliarini. We still have some work to do because there is still a monster in the closet who we will all have to get rid of.

One of the greatest criminals who steals our dreams and stops progression is the infamous procrastination. A beast similar to someday, procrastination is the king of the jungle. There is an amazing Spanish proverb that says “Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.” We are all guilty of procrastination at one time or another. So let’s discuss some methods to get past one of life’s greatest hurdle.

For a little assistance I turned to Henrik Edberg and his website The Positivity Blog. In particular his article How to Stop Procrastinating: 7 Timeless Tips. Once again I plead for you to click on the link and read the article. It has some great tips.

I can tell you that I, like everyone else, sometimes procrastinate. But luckily I also have always naturally employed one of the methods to defeat procrastination. I always do the hardest work first. I love getting the hard stuff out of the way so the rest of the work is much simpler. For instance when moving, I always want to move the fridge and stove right away. I want the heaviest obstacles taken care of. Whenever you have something to do, tackle the hardest part first so the rest of the job is downhill.

Another great solution that Henrik discusses is maybe the most important. Face your fear. We are all terrified to look like an idiot, unless you sign up to compete on Wipeout at which point you are guaranteed to look like an idiot. No one wants to fail. The easiest way to not fail is what? Exactly, don’t try in the first place. Continue thinking “Someday” and all will be fine. But it won’t. Take your fears head on. Let them challenge you. I was terrified of doing Improv because of what might happen. That maybe I would freeze or blank out. So I went to an open improv night and got on stage the first chance I got. Okay maybe after a little liquid courage but we’re not perfect. What I can tell you is the feeling after going on stage and facing my fear was bliss. I felt so good about what I had just accomplished. Facing your fear may be difficult but I promise once you have done it, you will want to do it again because there is no better self-satisfying feeling than accomplishing something you would not have believed possible.

I am not going to steal Henrik’s thunder. His column on conquering procrastination is a must read. We all put things off. Hell, just look at the invention of the snooze button!

I leave you with a great quote by M. Scott Peck “Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.”

Well it just seems to be that this week has been dedicated to inspiration. It’s funny how things just seem to happen. But they do.

I was reading an article which reinforced my belief that I am taking the necessary steps to change things in my life. This article is really an eye opener if you take the time to read and actually reflect if you use some of the phrases in the article.

It is a great article which you can read by clicking here.

For years I had been the person using all the phrases that you shouldn’t use if you are trying to make a change in your. We all fall prey to the these phrases at one time or another. Our lack of action can easily be affiliated with one or more forms of using the phrases mentioned in the article.

My personal crutch for a very long time was the word “When”. Phrases like “When” I lose 10 more pounds then I will get headshots done. Or “When” I feel comfortable in my financial situation I’ll really start focusing on acting. After reading his article, I started to feel like using “When” in a statement should be a swear word.

The author is Robert Pagliarini author of The Other 8 Hours: Maximize Your Free Time to Create New Wealth & Purpose and the #1 best seller Six-Day Financial Makeover. He has appeared as an expert on 20/20, Good Morning America, Dr. Phil, ABC Morning News, and in The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Money Magazine, as well as countless other programs and articles.

The man has a gift for making you look in the mirror and ask yourself if you use these phrases in your life. You can’t help but wonder how many times you have said “When” as a statement to preclude an action. Just simply asking yourself if you do this can help you to stop and make a change.

The worst offender has to be “Someday”. “Someday” when I have more money I’m going to go to Italy or Greece. “Someday” I will be discovered and become a Hollywood star. It is so easy to sit back and think of “Someday”. Everything good lies waiting in someday.

Please go read his article. It isn’t very long and it will really hit home.

While dreams and hopes always wait in “Someday”, those days will never come without action today.

If you are a fan of How I Met Your Mother then you have seen the lovely Nazanin Boniadi who is currently playing the role of Nora, who very well may be Barney’s mystery bride in this season’s premiere.

NYMag.com did a lovely piece with Nazanin on her journey to playing this part. If you would like to read it, click here.

Recently I have spoken about what it takes to get where you want to be in life. Ms. Boniadi is a wonderful success story whose journey has been a very interesting one to say the least.

You see, Nazanin was actually at the University of California Irvine studying medicine. Once she completed college and started applying to med schools, she finally realized that her heart was not in it. That her passion was not for medicine but lay in acting. It was not the easiest of realizations because she came to terms with the fact that she must now inform her father of her decision. The man who paid for her college education. His response was basically that she was in her mid-twenties and she had never acted a day in her life. He asked if she realized this. Her response was priceless. It is actually something we can all take to heart. She said, “Yeah, I’m fully aware of that, but I’m going to take it seriously like I did with pre-med. I have the passion for it, so I’m hoping it will pay off.” With hard work and determination she now is starring on one of television’s most popular sitcoms.

I love stories like this because they go to show you that no matter what your situation is, you can change your focus and be successful as long as you put in the work required. Whether you really want to change careers or start something new like your own business. With the right attitude and the right work ethic, the sky’s the limit. Anything is possible and once you realize that it can really take the stress out of the journey. I know every time I read a story like this, I feel better about my choice and think anything is possible.

I wonder if one day someone will write a blog entry about my road to becoming a full time actor. One can always hope.