My top personal moments of 2012!

Desert rats! American Muscle cast & crew!

After the cluster-fucks that were the end of 2009 and the whole of 2010 (aka the rebuild myself year) in terms of my personal life going to shit (which of course affected my professional life), it was great to get back in the swings of things come 2011 and that good joo-joo thankfully continued in 2012. Yes I had a pretty good year. I upped my sport intake and did more 4 wheeler, sea-doo, hiking, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, snowmobiling and kayaking then usual. I also took an overdue vacation. Me, a cabin, a lake, a book, screenwriting, a kayak, all good. I got to travel lots too (one of my fav things to do, I feel so lucky that I am able to), see some good fights live (GSP, Bute), see some Habs hockey, before that damn lock-out (all good, I saved some money for more traveling – thanks NHL) and made some head-way professionally.

Zoom-Zoom

I discovered new things about myself as well. It’s like I always say, you can’t evolve unless you recognize, make peace with and work on your own faults. I am good at that, pointing the finger at myself as opposed to others. This year I realized that I have a tendency to be too hard on people. Too black and white. To quick to drop the axe. So it’s something I am now working on. Self awareness is the first step. I also let pressure get to me for the first time on a set but again, managed to calm the fuck down and overcame it. That was a first and now I know how to deal with it. What else… oh yeah, my place flooded. You haven’t lived till you’ve seen turds floating in your living room. I almost lost it there, for obvious reasons but kept it together. Actually, that’s one of my new assets, I am now able to keep my cool way more than I used to. I surprised myself this year. I usually have a short fuse, but showed mucho patience in dire situations. Ahhh the advantages of growing as a person.

Mother Nature still recharges me.

Now, although I am going through a end of the year jinx at the moment (it rarely fails, life always vomits on me in December for some reason, as my Grandma used to say, God bless her soul: “Encore Jesus”), I tried my utmost best to steer the wayward ship in the right direction, it didn’t work and it is now out of my hands. Am praying it works itself out. Am trying for it to not affect me too much emotionally and ruin my Holidays. A bit tough. Doing my best. But I”ll be damned if I let this end of the year BS tarnish what was a WELL EARNED positive year for me. Won’t happen! So with that out of the way, here are my personal fav moments of 2012 in NO particular order.

Attending Dark Fest as a guest in Kamloops, BC. Showed Deaden and The Red Hours, did the interview rounds, made new good friends (Shawn and Jason = class acts) and didn't go to jail. Awesome!
Writing and acting in American Muscle! First screenwriting by committee job ( did my best and learned), met awesome peeps (Nick! Todd! Laura! Travis! Robin! Joshua! Trent! Buzz! The list goes on!) and lived in the Joshua Tree desert for a month. A crazy adventure!
Spent a month in LA! Saw all of my friends, made new ones and spent time with one my best hombres Eric Red!
Went camping in Louisiana! See my old buds Donny Broussard and David Lawson! Lots of fishing, biking and drinking!
Dead Shadows premiere in Paris! Was groovy to see my friends (David, Laurie, Sylvie, Marielle, Rurik, Fabian, Julien), the screening went down smooth and I had a blast! I miss Paris already! See you next year I hope!
The first concert I ever saw was Iron Maiden with my brother. So we went back this year, it was like we were kids again, but VERY, VERY drunk! One of the best concerts I ever attended! ROCK!
Met one of my heroes Jean Claude Van Damme. He is one of the reasons I am in the film biz, so it meant a lot to me. Spoke with him for two hours and possibilities are afoot. Lets see!
After 5 years of trying, I saw my script Billy Trigger finally get made. And I got to act with Fred The Hammer Williamson. I learned a lot about acting and being an action guy from the man. I also learned a lot about myself via this shoot.
I said I'd do it last year and I did it. I went back to boxing and I am in love with it again. My goal is to have one amateur fight by the end of next year. And yes, I'm gonna win it or die trying.

I am excited for 2013 (even though the film market is shit right now and it’s scary for peeps working in the Indie film scene in terms of MAKING MONEY). I just founded my production company BRUISE PRODUCTIONS, I already have a first project in the works (DAY OF BLOOD by Gonzalo Lopez) and I will continue to build on and learn more via what I have achieved thus far. I also have other projects and acting gigs up in the air, lets see where they land. Also it looks like I’ll be seeing lots of LA next year. But hey, nothing is done, till it’s done.

Ya know, I may bitch and moan now and again and yes I basically still sleep in an office (by choice), but you know what, I still love my life. I have great friends, I travel the world, I get lots of opportunities and my work makes me happy. Even when shit doesn’t go as planned and spits in my face. the payoff makes it all worth it. I can’t really complain. This is what I wanted, and I got it. Am doing what I love, am making a living, what else is there?Am looking forward in challenging myself even further in 2013! Onward and forward mofos and mofettes!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
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