A Conversation With, Interview, Life

Project Happiness: A Conversation With Randy Taran

Happiness. It’s something we all have within us. And something the world so desperately needs.

I have never been so inspired as when I watched the documentary, “Project Happiness”. In the film, youth (our future) from three different continents interview George Lucas, Richard Gere and neuro-scientist Richard Davidson on what their ideas of happiness are.

The group then takes that knowledge with them on a journey to India and an unforgettable encounter with the XIV Dalai Lama. Through their eyes, they gain a new perspective on how to expand happiness and live a more meaningful life.

I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Project Happiness founder Randy Taran about the movie and latest initiative – Hunger For Happiness. In just our brief conversation, her enthusiasm inspired me to believe that true happiness really is within our grasp. We all just need to look inside ourselves and take the first step. And then, spread the word!

goJimmygo (gJg): How did Project Happiness get started?

Randy Taran (RT): I started the project because I really didn’t have any answers for my own daughter who was going through a period of stress. She really wanted to be happy, but didn’t know how. I had been working with The Dalai Lama Foundation and have always been interested in these types of topics. but nothing I offered could resonate with her. I just thought, if only I had something she could relate to and grab onto, but  I couldn’t find  it. I asked myself, what‘s the best way to this? My background is in film so I said, let’s start with that!

gJg: How did the film come together?

RT: It happened organically. The fist challenge was to find some kids here in the U.S. who could grasp the message that we wanted to give, which has to do with opening up to the possibility of “What is this thing called happiness and what’s the nature of lasting happiness?”

I interviewed several different schools and kids and finally found Mt Madonna school. It was perfect. We were able to get a great group of kids and a teacher, Ward Maillard. The next step was to get a cross-cultural perspective to see if it was the same across cultures and religions.

We soon found out about Emmanuel Ivorgba from Nigeria. He came from a very Christian background but was very open to the universal truth that we were wanting to explore.

Next we thought, what if we brought in a Buddhist perspective? So we looked into the Dalai Lama’s present home town of Dharamsala, India and it was there where we found the Tibetan Children’s Village . We spoke to the Principal there and the kids were very interested, especially with the chance to meet the Dalai Lama. We gave everyone cameras to share video diaries and have online exchanges. We had very profound discussions going.

gJg: What made you decide to bring celebrities into the discussion?

RT: We wanted to bring into the film people who the kids resonated with. So we had the kids make a list. Luke, one from California school had written an essay on the similarities between the Jedi Code and the Dalai Lama’s principles. We sent that to George Lucas and that opened him up to the idea of sitting down and chatting with the kids. He was very kind to give us such a lovely interview.

Richard Gere was terrific as well and because of his relationship with the Dalai Lama he introduced a whole new perspective. He spent quite a bit of time with the kids and even stayed longer then planned.

We also wanted to bring some science into the discussion as well. Happiness actually has a whole scientific underpinning to it.  So we spoke with Richard Davidson. whom we had met at one of his conferences.

Then of course, we had the visit with the Dalai Lama, which was truly a life changing experience for them.

gJg: For me personally, when everyone was talking with the Dalai Lama you could literally feel the energy coming right off the screen.  It was as if  everyone had an epiphany.

RT: Being in that room, it was palpable. There was a real energy about it that knocks you over. It was unforgettable!

gJg: What has the reaction to the film been like?

RT: It’s been terrific. We’ve won many awards all over the US and around the world. The award I love the best is the “It’s Ok To Be Different” award from the Seoul International Youth Festival. We want everyone to feel that it is OK to be different and express yourself.

gJg: There is also a book to accompany the film as well. Tell me a little about that.

RT: The initial idea was to make a movie but also to challenge the kids to tell us what they felt were the most important things about happiness and what other kids around the world would want to know. The feedback we received, combined with some of the best thought leaders in positive psychology, neuroscience and mindfulness became a book to accompany the film. 

gJg: How has the project expanded?

RT: We’ve gotten requests to bring the program into schools so we started working with a group of educators to develop a curriculum and now it’s in all fifty states and fifty-seven countries. We give the program away free to educators.    

Randy Travan – Founder       Project Happiness

gJg: Tell me a little about your new initiative, Hungry 4 Happiness.

RT: It’s a cool way to throw a party for happiness. What you do is invite friends over for a screening of the film. After watching the film, you have dinner together. It can be anything from as simple as potluck to a cocktail party. At the end of the evening, everyone makes a small donation to Project Happiness. The idea is then for someone else to host a party and invite more people. This allows it to become a viral campaign to help spread the word and have more people become a part of this happiness movement.

gJg: What are your plans for the future?

RT: World Happiness Domination! [laughs]

What we really want to do is make these tools available to people all over the world.  Everyone can access the happiness that we were born with; it’s a skill set that you can practice. We want everyone to create a greater happiness within themselves and then spread it out to the world. That’s our mission.

gJg: What would  you like people to take from the Project Happiness movement?

RT: Three things:

1. You are an agent of happiness.
2. You influence people around you more than you know
3. We all have the power to make ourselves and each other happier and bring out the best in one another.

That’s how we change the world!

For More information on Project Happiness Click Here

For Information On The Hungry 4 Happiness Campaign Click Here

Article first published as Project Happiness: A Conversation With Randy Taran on Technorati.

A Conversation With

Actress Julie Piekarski’s Mission: Dancing With The Stars
Julie Piekarski and The Facts of Life cast

Julie Piekarski is on a mission. The former “Mouseketeer” and “Facts of Life” alum is on a quest to join the cast of the ABC hit show, “Dancing with the Stars”. Julie is no stranger to the art of the dance, having honed her chops from a very young age performing in front of huge audiences at The Muny, the nation’s largest outdoor theater located in St. Louis, Missouri.

In the mid-1980′s, Julie took time off from acting in order to marry and raise her three children, and keep the artistic talent they inherited from their Mother alive in their own way.

In this interview, Julie discusses her career, including her time on “The Mickey Mouse Club” and “The Facts of Life”.  She also talks about a certain celebrity she rebuffed for a date and why she believes now is the perfect opportunity to once again showcase her dancing talent.
You can read the rest of my interview with Julie on Technorati by clicking here.

Watch for an extended interview on this blog soon and help get her on the show!

Childhood Memories, Life

A Tribute To My Dad

This is a repost from a blog I originally wrote back in August of 2011. Considering that today marks twenty years since my father passed away I thought it was fitting. October 17, 1997 is a day that will live with me forever. If you’ve already read this post before, my apologies. I felt obligated to reflect on the life of my Dad once again. If it’s the first time you’re reading this, it’s a bit long, but stick with it. I hope it gives you some perspective on why life is so precious.

***

Me, My Dad and My Brother circa 1995

Where to begin?

There are so many things I remember about my Dad. He was a tough guy. A south paw that everyone else in my family respected. A hard ass at times. Someone you didn’t want to get into a scuffle with.

But beneath all the tough guy exterior, Dad also liked to have fun too. Some of my best memories from childhood were of him taking our family on long camping trips with my other relatives every summer.

I’ve heard more than one person say that having all of us crazy “Wood’s” in one place during the summer was a sure sign of the apocalypse. But there was no fire or brimstone raining down. All we did was play cards,  fish,  pitch quoits and sit by the campfire.

Of all the times my father and I shared together, there are three moments I’d like to share with you today:

1. The Stop and Think Moment

2. The Drifting Apart Moment

3. The Prodigal Son Moment

The Stop and Think Moment is the one I’ll remember most of all. It began during a rain storm in summer when there was nothing else to do and nowhere to go.

It was late afternoon and I had just come in from playing football outside just prior to the rain. I was upset at having gotten into a fight with one of the neighborhood kids (over what I can’t remember). Dad was sitting alone at the kitchen table drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette.

Our home didn’t have central air conditioning so to keep cool we’d usually keep the windows open just enough to let the breeze in while keeping the water out. We’d also use big portable fans to help vent the kitchen. The smell of the hot asphalt street outside cooling down from the steady stream of rain would fill the room and also allow for the escape of the second-hand smoke.

It was on this occasion that Dad asked his disgruntled son what happened. “So and So threw the ball at my head” or something similar to that I said. And for the next fifteen minutes Dad gave me a lecture on the football, friendship and life. “Stop and Think…”, he’d say. “Did you do anything to bring on this situation?”.

Inevitably, there would have been something I had done to put some of the blame on myself. I’d usually start with a “but…but” and he’d always continue on. Telling me to just “Stop and Think” for a minute.

Stop and think. Do you think that person who thinks he’s so tough and treats you bad is your friend? He couldn’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag. (I still laugh to this day about that one).

There were plenty of other “stop and thinks” over the course of the conversation but the one I remember most was the last one he told me:

“Stop and think. Do you know how much your Mother and I love you guys? (referring to me and my siblings).

Those three words stuck with me and eventually I was able to settle down and actually start to think about what had happened. By the time our conversation was over it seemed like my brain was exhausted but I felt better for it.

On certain days now, when the weather is grey and rainy, I’ll sit at my table staring out the window and think of that day in the kitchen. I never forgot “Stop and Think”. Someday I’ll probably write a book about it and dedicate it to him.

The Drifting Apart moment came during the separation and eventual divorce of my parents in the mid 1980’s. By then, alcohol (which has always been the Achilles heel in my family) had estranged me from my father. We spoke many times over the years on the phone and in person but rarely when beer hadn’t influenced him in some way to make conversations short.

My brother and sister would see and talk to him way more frequently then me. They were able to see past the alcohol. I couldn’t. Soon I was off to college and living on my own and the phone calls became less and less frequent. Years would go by where we didn’t speak at all and were lost to each other.

I eventually heard that he had remarried but the next time I would actually see him for any extended length of time would be at my own wedding in 1995. Strangely, it was a bit awkward at first but I remember it being one of the best times of my life. For, in addition to me getting married to the woman I love, it was the first time in years we all got to take pictures as a “family” again.

It’s not that I didn’t love him or anything like that. On the contrary, the love I had for my Dad never changed. The separation was just a result of our going our separate ways and me not being able to deal with him in that condition. Especially when it got to the point where nothing was ever going to change.

The Prodigal Son Moment

I’ll never forget it. It was mid 1996 when I got a call from my Aunt telling me my father was in the hospital. They had found a mass in his colon and were operating on it. The doctors had thought they had caught it in time. And it appeared so. They had instructed him he needed to give up drinking and smoking if he wanted any chance of fully recovering and he agreed to it.

The next 15 months were spent reconnecting with my Dad.Ironically, the one thing I remember most is going to the bar with him and my brother for the first time (myself now also a legal drinker) and watching him play the poker machines and drink non alcoholic beer.

One might assume that a bar would be the LAST place I’d want to take my father to all things considered. And truth be told I really didn’t want to go into the Lion’s Den either. But he was adamant about taking his sons to the bar with him. Maybe it was some kind of rite of passage that made him this way. Or maybe it was to prove to me that he finally had control over his problem.  In any event, and after everything he had gone through with his cancer treatment, he wouldn’t take “No” for an answer. So off we went.

Sadly, his condition continued to worsen until he was finally hospitalized in August of 1997. A man who had just celebrated his 51st birthday was now lying in a hospital bed with tubes sticking out of him and morphine running through his veins.

I visited him almost every chance I could in between my full-time job and duties at home. Some nights we would have conversations when he felt up to it. I longed to have another Stop and Think session but at that point I was willing to take whatever I could get.

Then there was the moment I had as October rolled around and his condition deteriorated. I remember sitting at his bedside while he was going in and out of consciousness, closing my eyes and asking God that if he was going to take him, to please not take him on my birthday. Any day but on the 5th. It was selfish. But at that time I just couldn’t bear the thought of having my date of birth coincide with the day he died. Looking back now, it wouldn’t have even mattered.

Yet someone on high must have heard me because I was able to spend my 28th birthday with him. The best gift I ever received. And over the next ten days it seemed like he was actually coming around a bit. There was reason to hope even though the doctors had all told us he was the sickest person in the entire hospital.

October 17th, 1997 – 10PM. It was just me in the darkened hospital room along with my stepmother. My brother and sister weren’t there. The single light over the bed and digital displays on morphine pumps and heparin drips were the only illumination.

Now I’m no expert on theology but I do believe souls can feel when another soul moves on. For as he began to gasp for breath I could tell the end was near.

At that moment I literally felt the temperature dramatically drop in the room. So much so that I began to shiver. And I’ll go to my own grave feeling this way but I swear, at that very moment, I had this overwhelming feeling that someone (or something) was coming for him.

I remember we told him we loved him and although his eyes seemed to be fixated somewhere else he was able to say that he loved us back. And that was when my father uttered the last word he’d ever speak:

“God”.

Silence.

Tears streamed down my face. A man who never so much as went to church and who, to my knowledge at least, never said a prayer or even read the bible. The last word he ever spoke on this Earth was “God”.

What did he see?

The distance between us and everything that happened in the past was gone. All that mattered was that he was my Dad, and I was there with him at the end.

I sometimes wonder if I would change anything if I was given another chance. I mean, would things have turned out any differently? Probably not.

Cancer has done horrible things to my family. Things I hope no one ever has to go through. But in some odd way, with all the pain and suffering that it brings, there’s one thing I have to actually be grateful to it for.

Without cancer, I probably never would have gotten my father back.

A Conversation With, Music

Guitar World Interview: Steve Hackett Discusses His New Album, Genesis Revisited II

As a guitarist and music lover, I take great pride in having been around to experience some of music’s finest moments. From the 80′s success of Van-Halen, Randy Rhoads and Alex Lifeson to the rise of Joe Satriani, Kirk Hammett and Joe Bonamassa.

Although I loved being able to bear witness to the great players from my high school years, I lament not being “around” (or in diapers) during the heyday of some of the influential artists from the 60′s and early 70′s, particularly The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. Fortunately, I have the opportunity to experience what it was like for one such great, as guitarist Steve Hackett revisits songs from the era that made the band Genesis kings of the progressive rock movement.

Steve’s new album, Genesis Revisited II is two-disc compilation containing nearly 2 1/2 hours of monumental music from his tenure with Genesis in the 1970′s. Monumental newly recorded versions of songs like “Horizons”, “Supper’s Ready” and “The Musical Box” sound as fresh and exciting today as they did 40 years ago. No small undertaking, Genesis Revisited II includes no less than 35 guest musicians and took nearly six months to complete.

I spoke with Steve and discussed Genesis Revisited II as well as his plans to take the “new” music out on the road.

Read the rest of my Guitar World article and interview with Steve Hackett Here.

1980's, A Conversation With, Books, Music

Duran Duran Bassist John Taylor – In The Pleasure Groove
In The Pleasure Groove – by John Taylor

Bassist John Taylor’s autobiography, “In The Pleasure Groove: Love Death and Duran Duran” is an insider’s look into one of the most iconic bands that dominated the charts during the “Second British Invasion” of the 1980’s. To date, Duran Duran has sold more than 100 million records and performed to sold out audiences in countries all over the world.

John’s book goes into great detail about many aspects of his life and career. From his early upbringing to the origin and meteoric rise of Duran Duran as well as its mid 80’s hiatus, when the band split into two hugely successful side projects:The Power Station and Arcadia.

John also pulls no punches in discussing his addictions to sex and drugs. His journey back is a true tale of inspiration.

The chapters are compact and the pages practically turn themselves. Filled with stories and photos from John’s personal collection of memorabilia, “In The Pleasure Groove” is a must-read not only for fans of Duran Duran, but also for connoisseurs of all things 80’s. It’s also a message of hope for those seeking inspiration in the face of their own addictions.

I had the pleasure of speaking with John about his new book and more in this exclusive interview!

What made you decide to write a book at this stage of your career?

I think now is a good time to write a book. I’ve got enough perspective and feel I’m on relatively safe ground emotionally and can go back and dip into those smoking, swirling times and not get caught up in it. I can be objective and speak cleanly about it. Also, there’s still time to come. I don’t feel like the end is near or anything like that. I have huge amounts of memorabilia from the early years of the band and also had a dozen or so really key scenes I thought would make for a perfect book.

I had spoken with someone who had read the book and mentioned how much they loved the scene with Sting where, as a child I went to see The Police perform. You can’t make up stuff like that. What’s written is absolute verbatim; exactly as it happened. It’s the kind of scene that would not have been impactful if I were sitting with Simon (Le Bon) doing an interview on CNN or speaking with you. It would be a total waste for me to try and lay that act out into that kind of an interview. I felt the only way to really give it the full impact was to write it. And it was fun! There were a lot of scenes I had fun writing about.

You mention the influence your Mom had on you quite a bit in this book.

My mom just loved pop music. When I was at a very young age, I really picked up on the way that she related to The Beatles. I also talk in the book about going to church and the Catholic songbook. How incredibly well written those songs were. Ones that appeal to people from the age of 4 to 90. Extraordinarily well put together, especially melodically.

Duran Duran

Have you noticed anything different about the way people try to make it in music today?

I’ve lived in LA almost twenty years and am struck by how many of the musicians I meet tell me how they conceive of becoming successful. They’ll say: “Start by getting a lawyer, then get a deal, write some songs, then put a band together.” Its like, “Yeah but, when are you going to do a gig?” [laughs].

I went to the greatest of schools. I went to The Beatles primary school, the David Bowie secondary school and The Sex Pistols college. By the time I was 18, I already knew how to make a band and a record. It wasn’t arrogance. I really believe that if you want something badly enough and are prepared to really go for it, I see no reason why you won’t have success.

We [Duran Duran] did have extraordinary chemistry but it took time for the band to come together. We had to make some changes along the way and they weren’t always out of choice. Guys left us. Nick (Rhodes) and I were stranded by our first singer, but we didn’t drink over it. We kept moving and made the best of the  situation.

My wife is a real worker who taught me the phrase, “Work Begets Work”. Instinctively, I think I always knew that. You always want to make things happen and I think that’s part of wanting to write the book too.I’m not sure where it’s taking me, but it feels good and I’m glad that I wrote it.

Do you have any regrets?

I don’t honestly believe in regrets. If you’re happy with yourself right here, right now and can feel good about your relationships, then I can also feel good about everything that’s happened to get me here.

Is there a message you’d like people to take from reading In The Pleasure Groove?

The recovery aspect is important. I was exposed to such a powerful, profound method of recovery. I was very fortunate. I was brought back from the dead. It was a few years ago but I wanted to communicate that because there are a lot of people struggling with addiction. I wanted to find a way to put that out there in plain man’s language to let people know that there is hope out there.

Article first published as Duran Duran Bassist John Taylor – In The Pleasure Groove on Technorati.

A Conversation With, Interview

Guitar World Interview: Duran Duran Bassist John Taylor Discusses ‘In The Pleasure Groove’

One hundred million records, 14 Top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart and 21 hits in Billboard‘s Hot 100.

They’ve traveled the world and back many times over and even scored a No. 1 hit for James Bond. Now bassist John Taylor is opening up the vault on Love, Death and Duran Duran.

Please read and share the rest of my Guitar World article and interview with John Taylor here:

 

Childhood Memories, Life

Time Capsule

I’ve often thought about the possibility of making a time capsule.

For those who may not know, a time capsule is a container you fill with messages, articles of clothing and knickknacks that represent the current age. Then, you bury the container in the ground for some future society to discover.

My brother, a real handyman who still lives in the same house he and my sister had grown up in, made one of those interesting discoveries the other day while doing some remodeling.

The small, turn of the century colonial we lived in was originally owned by my grandparents and over the years, my brother has done a lot of extensive work to it. He’s torn down walls, installed new floors and fixtures and even put windows where none previously existed. In fact, the only portion of the house he hadn’t really tackled before was the make shift bathroom my father had built that lied on the first floor.

Since it was the only bathroom in the entire home and would be an expensive endeavor, not to mention a huge inconvenience whenever nature called for the next few weeks, he had put off remodeling it. Finally, the circumstances were right and the demolition could begin.

Upon tearing down many layers of paneling he made his discovery and immediately called me. I rushed over.

Lying beneath the torn, weathered particle board was writing. Some of it written by the hand of an adult, and some by the hand of a boy who would one day grow up to write this blog.

As I shined a flashlight up on the wall to get a closer look, it reminded me of what Egyptian archaeologists must have felt like when they discovered an ancient tomb of some long dead pharaoh. Would the scribble indicate what was housed beyond the great wall? Or perhaps there would be a silly warning I had written to future generations not to proceed any further. Nope. There wasn’t even a map leading to the location of my lost Spiderman action figures. Damn! But, what it was turned out to be something even better.

The first thing I had written on the wall read the following:

“Jimmy 7 years old”

Seven was the age I would have been when I wrote it; which would now be thirty-five years ago. Below my name was written the name of my sister Krissy, who was 6 at the time.

I found myself staring at the scribble for the longest time. Touching it. Running my fingers across the letters just to make sure it was real. The memory of writing it, once long-buried by life, had suddenly come back to me, and I remembered every vivid detail about writing it on the wall just before Dad covered it up with paneling.

I could picture the platinum-blonde, seven-year old boy writing his name and age on the wall. Making the most of his third grade education by trying to use proper spelling and pushing his pencil deep into the surface of the wood to make sure the lead was visibly transferred.

Finding something this cool from a general time period is amazing, but being able to pinpoint the exact day that it was written is something even better. Fortunately for me, on an adjacent wall my father had done just that. Below the names of other family members who had been present at the house that night, he had written the exact date the paneling was placed on the wall: “June 9th, 1977”

Now, I’m pretty sure the last thing on Dad’s mind at the time was: “Hey, let’s see what we’ll all be doing thirty-five years from years now when we find this!”,  but I really wish he would have been alive for this amazing discovery. I can only imagine the conversations we would have had about it for the remainder of the day.

Next to the date, Dad had written down his name (Louis) along with my mother’s (Joanne) and for some reason, decided to include the date that they were married: “April 2, 1966”.

Sadly, their marriage would not last, but the memory of this project, once long since forgotten is now one I’ll treasure for years to come.

Childhood Memories, Life

Birthday Reflections at 43

October 5th, 2012: My 43rd birthday.

Don’t you wish birthdays as an adult were the same as when you were a child? I have to admit there are times when I really do miss those innocent days of childhood and the buildup and unexpected joy I had as October 5th slowly arrived every year.

We all have events in our lives that are worthy of celebration. The day you graduate high school for example, or the day you get married. Perhaps it’s the day you get a big job promotion or the day you finally pay off the mortgage. But birthdays themselves are way better.

Consider this:

Birthdays are the one day each year where we as a society celebrate the individual. And we don’t inundate social networking websites with salutations, pay for lunches or give a number of spankings equivalent to your age (plus one to grow on) for some milestone achievement that you’ve made.

No, the real reason people blow out candles, consume large quantities of cake, give greeting cards (hopefully with a few greenbacks in them) and freely give presents is just to commemorate the day you arrived on Earth. You’re alive, and that’s reason enough to celebrate.

As a child, I suppose nothing could quite compare to the day you receive the absolute best birthday present. I can still remember mine.

Bear with me now as to the details; it’s been almost thirty years and my memory may not be as sharp as it used to be. I do know that it was October 5th, 1983, and I had just gotten off of the school bus and started my  monumental two-block walk home from school. I’m sure there must have been a bit of a chill in the air and the leaves were no doubt falling from the trees in the early October afternoon; but I wouldn’t have noticed. About the only thing I recall from that walk home was the sense of anticipation that was running through my soul.

I walked into the house and quickly spotted my Mom and Grandmother sitting at the kitchen table with the largest wrapped present I had ever seen. The smile on their faces as I walked through the door was infectious. It was almost as if they had been anticipating this moment all day long. I’m sure they had.

As a child, I can not remember a single time that I was more excited. What could possibly be wrapped inside?

“Happy Birthday!!” they both yelled.

When you’re young, the feeling you get after receiving a gift along with a  ‘Happy Birthday’ salutation is equivalent to your first kiss. Your heart flutters and for a second, you can’t even breathe due to all the excitement.

I tore open the paper wrapping in earnest, all the while still wondering what could possibly lie beneath. As the last piece of wrapping paper fell to the floor, I recall just standing in awe as the contents were finally revealed. Amidst the torn paper, my family’s glee and my own surprise was the mother load of all presents:

The Atari 2600. Something that at best might be gifted as a Christmas present for the entire family. But, for ME? On my birthday?

Unbelievable.

I know what you’re thinking. Compared to the state of the art, high-tech devices we have today I’d be laughed to scorn by even the youngest of children. But I’ll never forget that day, or the hundreds of others that followed playing games like Haunted House, Combat and Pitfall.

When you’re through laughing please continue reading….

Today, I am celebrating my forty third year of existence on this planet. Although still a child at heart, my role has changed significantly. I wasn’t walking home from school, but was actually coming downstairs to get ready for work. I was immediately greeted by my eleven-year old daughter, who had gotten up extra early and was quick to be the first to yell:

“Happy Birthday Dad!”

What I saw on the counter wasn’t anything equivalent to an Atari 2600 but something that was just as special and once again gave me that same fluttered heart feeling. It was a huge colorful card that she had made herself which, when opened revealed a beautiful butterfly drawing. As I hugged her, the good times I had growing up all came back. I thought about Mom, my Grandmother and the wide-eyed boy who walked into the kitchen thirty years ago.

So tonight, when all 44 candles are lit on my cake (43, plus one to grow on) someone will inevitably ask me to make a wish. At that moment, I’ll remember all of those birthdays that have come and gone and all of the well wishes I’ll have received from friends and family on Facebook. But I don’t think I’ll have a need to wish for an X-Box, a car or even a million dollars.

My wish already came true.

Because just for a moment, I got all of those care free days of youth back. And I’m grateful to be alive for another October 5th.

Uncategorized

Revolver Magazine Interview: Chris Howorth of In This Moment

Late last year, In This Moment guitarist Chris Howorth and vocalist Maria Brink received news that original members Blake Bunzel and Jeff Fabb were leaving the group in order to join American Idol alum James Durbin’s touring band.

As a one-two punch, the duo also was informed that the band was being dropped by their manager. The news came as somewhat of a shock, but rather than wallow in the negative, the band instead armed themselves with a new-found sense of direction and channeled that energy into their latest release, Blood, an album that has become their most successful to date.

Check out the rest of my interview with guitarist Chris Howorth of the band, In This Moment on Revolver Magazine’s Website.

Click here

A Conversation With, Interview, Movies and TV

Darren Lynn Bousman Discusses His New Film, The Barrens

What do you get when you take a man already losing his mind, place him deep into the forest and then add the Jersey Devil on top for good measure? You get The Barrens; an emotional thrill ride that’s more than just a take on a legendary cryptid.

Written and directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (whose previous works include Mother’s Day, The Devil’s Carnival and SAW II, III and IV), The Barrens stars Stephen Moyer (True Blood) as Richard Vineyard, a suburban husband and father trying to rekindle the relationship with his family by taking them on a camping trip deep into the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.

Along the way, the family discovers the legend of the Jersey Devil, but Richard reassures them that it’s all just pretend (SURE it is) and nothing to worry about. But, there are secrets that Richard has been keeping from them. One of which eventually causes him to spiral out of control and descend into madness as he becomes convinced the family is being stalked by the legendary monster.

The Barrens also stars Mia Kirshner (The Vampire Diaries), Allie MacDonald (House at the End of the Street) and Shawn Ashmore (X-Men: The Last Stand).

I found this film intriguing on many different levels. First, Stephen Moyer’s performance is outstanding. I haven’t seen someone lose their mind this good since Jack Nicholson went bonkers in The Shining. I also enjoyed how the movie deviated from what I initially expected. Just when you think you have it figured out; the story takes you off in an entirely different direction.

Viewers wanting to see a glimpse of the legendary creature certainly won’t be disappointed with this movie. But in the end, the real reason The Barrens succeeds is not because of the monster. It’s the story of a man’s descent into madness that draws you in and keeps you guessing until the very end.

In a world hungering for great dramatic thrillers, it’s unfortunate that films like The Barrens (along with Bousman’s previous film, an amazing re-make of “Mother’s Day” starring Rebecca De Mornay) never saw a wide theatrical release. Both of these films are solid, well-crafted productions with stars who give nothing less than stellar performances. Ones that I highly recommend you see.

I had the opportunity to speak with writer/director Darren Lynn Bousman and discuss The Barrens and much more in this exclusive interview.

goJimmygo (gJg): Before we begin, I have to tell you how much I loved Mother’s Day.

Darren Lynn Bousman (DLB): Thank you very much!

gJg: Whenever I see people Tweeting you that they’ve “finally” seen it, it frustrates me because of how long it took for it to finally be released.

DLB: The whole thing frustrates me as well. Mother’s Day is such a cool, unique film. The problem was, no one gave it a shot. They said it was too “artsy”, not “commercial” enough or not “scary” enough. The good news now is that people are finally getting to see it to some extent, so it’s cool.

gJg: Rebecca De Mornay was fantastic in that movie.

DLB: She certainly was.

Stephen Moyer in The Barrens

And Stephen Moyer is equally as good in The Barrens.

DLB: Stephen Moyer just killed it in this film. I’m a big fan of his from True Blood.

gJg: The thing I liked most about The Barrens is that it’s not a horror movie, it’s more of a thriller.

DLB: That was my whole goal going in. I wanted to do something that was a little bit more dramatic in nature but still had elements of those monster movies that I love. Those are my favorite types of movies.

Some people might say that it’s a “monster movie”, but it’s really not. It’s the story about a man and his descent into madness that just happens to have a monster in it.

 

gJg: What made you decide to write a story based upon the Jersey Devil?

DLB: I’ve always loved Cryptozoology creatures and the Jersey Devil was the one that I felt had not been exploited, where so many of the others have. We’ve all seen Big Foot and The Loch Ness Monster everywhere. The Jersey Devil was one that I’ve never seen done correctly.

gJg: How would you describe the story of The Barrens?

DLB: It’s a story about a father looking to rekindle his relationship with his family. He takes them on a camping trip into the woods and then begins to spiral out of control into insanity… oh, and there happens to be a monster! [laughs]. The best way to describe it:  it’s “The Shining in the woods meets JAWS!”

gJg: What are some of the elements that make up a great horror/thriller film like this one?

DLB: More important than anything else, it’s great performances. Without those, you’ve got nothing. It’s why Mother’s Day is so great (Rebecca’s performance) and why this one is so great (Stephen’s performance). These movies, if done by any other actors would not have had the same impact. In the end, it all comes down to acting.

Misdirects is another big one. That’s where the audience thinks they have it figured out going in, but then you do something that they didn’t expect. I think a lot of people thought that the story was going to be based on the trailer, but then were surprised with something else.

gJg: My particular favorite scene was where the son, Danny (Peter DaCunha) runs up and gets scared.

DLB: That scene makes me so happy, because that’s a genuine reaction. We didn’t show him the dog beforehand. So when we filmed and he was coming up, he really thought he was coming up to see a dog. [laughs]

gJg: Do you have a favorite scene?

DLB: I’d have to say the scene with Danny near the water. It’s a disturbing thing, but you really feel for the family at that moment. And again, it’s not reliant upon the creature or anything like that. It’s just an emotional connection.

gJg: What projects are you working on right now?

DLB: We’ll start filming the second installment of The Devils Carnival in early 2013. Everything about it will be the same, including another nationwide tour. It’s my soul cleansing for the films that didn’t get released theatrically. It’s something that I get to control.

I’m also working on ABATTOIR which is based on a comic book that I wrote. I was one of the writers who created the concept for it and we’re now turning it into a feature. I recommend people check out the comic book.

The Barrens will be released October 9th as a Two Disc Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack. Extras include audio commentary as well as a deleted scene.

Article first published as Darren Lynn Bousman Discusses His New Film, The Barrens on Technorati.