Monday, November 10, 2003

Got home from Ohio in fine condition. The screening went very well. I was totally surprised by exactly who showed up to the screening. I was sure that my old college roommates would be there, but when my old high school friend James Oyler and the star of my senior film, Brody McDonald, walked in, I was floored. Both men drove 2 hours to come see the film. How flattering. Unfortunately they had to leave before I could have any real conversation with them. Luckily I have their email addresses.

The film went over nicely with the crowd of mostly friends and family. I would say that there were about 60 people in attendance, 40 of which were people I expected. Those students that did show up all expressed that they had liked it. I only received a couple of criticisms. Oh well, you can't please everyone.

I was especially proud that the evening raised close to $1000.00! I couldn't believe it. Even without a sold out crowd, we raised that much in donations. I am so proud of Seann and the great job he and his organization did.

Before the screening I went to dinner with Beth and Tom. That was a nice time. They are doing well. Afterwards, I adjourned to Pollyeyes with all of my old college friends. Present were Dan Skrovan, Brian McMahon, Brad Shaeffer and Chris Hurley, all roommates from the Ridge Street Blue House. Hurley brought Caroline Oberhaus, a great lady who is a couple years younger than me. She was also in band with us. And of course, Bob was there. Brad's wife, Roz, was with us and Seann and Natalie joined us as well.

It was so wonderful to have all of these people in one room again. It is rarer and rarer that we can all get together, especially for me being in Los Angeles. The Lambs (Uncle Ben, Aunt Dorty, Dave, Diane and Diane's boyfriend, Dave) were in a nearby booth so I was able to spend some time with them, too. After Pollyeyes we went to a bar called Downtown where we basically stood around and shouted to each other.

I ran into the same two film students I has seen on Friday at the bar (they also came to the screening). Their names are Jon and Matt and they really were complimentary. I was kind of anxious about how these guys would react. I know that when I was in college I was a little full of myself and thought I knew everything. I'm sure if some independent filmmaker had come to BG back then, I would have looked at a film like "King's Highway" and said, "Hmph, I can do better." So, that they liked it really means a lot.

I swear that I must have smoked a couple of cigarettes by the amount of second hand smoke I consumed in that bar. I left it with my mouth tasting like crap and my lungs hurting. After leaving Downtown with cousin Dave, I was pretty much shang-heighed for another hours, trying to get home and get some sleep before having rise up at 7 in the morning. It became something out of Scorsese's "After Hours". I have some good material in that night; I just have to write it down.

Sunday came and we had a nice breakfast with Mike and Marissa. They revealed that they're planning to move back to Cleveland. I was surprised to hear this. But, you have to follow where your heart leads you. I flew home on an uneventful flight and came home to two loving children screaming for me and a beautiful wife ready to hand those kids off. Ha, ha.

It's good to be home, despite all of our money worries. I would rather be stressed and in the company of these three people, than alone and the richest man in the world.

I plan to get back to running tomorrow morning. I'll try to take the Decoro hill and the long loop. I need to get some long runs in before we do the 20. I am not surer whether I will get 18 miles in before then.

Aloha.

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