Going to DAK

In a few weeks, I'll be going to Disney's Animal Kingdom to work attractions. It's a long story as to why, but as soon as I know what's going on, I'll post the story.

Reader's Digest Version: Got screwed out of my HK gig, need money, have to pick up a full time position. Found out where I'm going, and hate my costume. Ewww....

It all depends on what happens this weekend, when I have to deal with the bastards that made this decision. Yes, they do deserve to be called that, because they they have used similar unprofessional words towards me and my people.

Stay tuned for as the stomach turns.

Six Word Memoir

Accomplished life, happy; more to come.

Drew's note: The Six-Word Memoir is a new literary style championed by SMITH Magazine and inspired by Ernest Hemingway's original story of just six words: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

Sei pok gai

D'iu lei heung yeung gong yeung. Lei de hai baht po, hai, pok gai! Sei hai, pok gai!

You really want to know what that translates into? Do you really want to know?

All I have to say, is it is truly confirmed: it was so not worth the money to go work in a place where you are barely tolerated and welcome. Not saying this as a bitter and angry person, but objectively, as I watch these assholes continually screw up, and my fellow colleagues and myself are constantly blamed for their ineptness and inability to do their fucking jobs. Communication problems my ass! Chinese passive aggressiveness is what it really is. God! What fuck ups!!!

I hope they are prepared to face my wrath. I know that Karma will bite them in the ass tenfold. Until they do right by me, everything they do and try will fail.

Joke

From my friend Souvanna, who posted this on Facebook:

An Asian guy walks into the New York City currency exchange with 2000 yen and walks out with $72. Next week he walks in with 2000 yen and gets $66. He asks the lady why he gets less money this week than last week. The lady says "Fluctuations". The Asian guy storms out, and just before slamming the door, turns around and says: "Fluc you Amelicans too!"

FML

I am so sick and tired of people of fucking with my karma. When I do I get to win???

Since karma is a bitch, then those who have done wrong to me and/or the people I care about take heed: until you do right by me, everything you do and try will fail. And this applies to those who have wronged me, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Excuses will not absolve you, as you have had the opportunity to do the right thing, but you decided not to.

You have all been warned.

22 Years and counting....

Since I came out on KOMO's 5 o'clock news as a gay teen living out in the suburbs of Seattle. Many things have changed and gotten better as far as the pursuit of gay civil rights, but there is still a long way to go to achieve some semblance of equality. I am glad I underwent this undertaking, though it cost me a few things, but it opened the door to so much more. Yes, I'm not expanding into a lot of detail, but I have to have material to write about later.

Art inspired by life

Yes, I've inspired artwork, comic strips/commentaries, articles, term papers, poetry, and the like by my personality. Too bad the fire wiped out the proof.

It is true that art is inspired by life. I have to return the favour.

I am sculpting a piece inspired by an actor, who cannot be named due to possible libel laws in Hong Kong. I will tell you the name of the piece, however, "Grossia".

This idiot was a piece of work. Lied, fabricated lies, stretched the truth, created stories, and a bunch of unspeakable bullshit. I also figured out why there was a sensitivity to makeup, why this person scratched a lot, and why this person was such a fucking psycho.

I was watching an anti-drugs commercial in HK, one of many that describes the effects of many different recreational drugs, like K, coke, and meth.

When the commercial about meth aired, I put two and two together. Stupid cow was a meth addict.

So in this person's honour, I created a sculpt that exaggerates the facial issues a meth addict would experience. Hence, the name "Grossia".

I am not proud. But I am, because I utilised my imagination to be inspired by life.

Regrets

Regrets? I have none.

However, there are things I wish I had done differently. I wish had knew things, realised a few things, had the maturity to do things differently, had more clarity, not acted impulsively and use my head instead. Had I known things, seen things for what they really are (which I've gotten much better at) and not be so naive, and looking for the good -- or bad -- in people.

I hope the people that I have offended and hurt while committing these action UNINTENTIONALLY (as there are some actions that I deliberately planned on doing, but either backfired, or was terribly misguided while executing them), understand that my intentions were not towards malice, but in my own sense of obtaining justice, I was wholly justified. At least in the moment.

While I have been working on self-censorship, and at the same time, trying to be fully transparent in what I'm thinking and feeling, it has been an exercise in balancing both sides of the scale.

I am just a person. I am not perfect. And I am who I am. When people finally realise that, they can see me for who I really am. A complex and dynamic person.

How to be miserable as an actor

I found this on one of the Yahoo Groups I belong to. Food for thought.


A few years ago, I came across several really great thoughts on how to be just
completely miserable as an actor. Actually, these thoughts can be applied to
anything that you do in life, but since we are all involved with the
entertainment business in some capacity, I thought that I would share them with
all of my friends here in the group.

I found these thoughts or "principles", to be so relevant as an Entertainment
Career Consultant, that I have them posted behind me on my office wall, for
everyone to see and ponder. I hope that you all will be as inspired as I and
find a prominent place to post these simple words so they serve as a daily
reminder how to miserable.

1) Constantly compare yourself to other actors.
2) Talk to your family about what you do and EXPECT them to cheer you on.
3) Base the success of your entire career on one project.
4) Stick to what you know.
5) Let money dictate what you do.
6) Bow to societal pressure.
7) Only do work that your family would love.

and in last position (you could think of more),

8) set unachievable, overwhelming goals to be accomplished by tomorrow.

The shop opens

AEO Studios, Inc. Announces Reopening to the Public

After the tragic fire that occurred on 1 Sept 2009 which destroyed the AEOStudios headquarters and workshop in East Orlando, AEOStudios, Inc has risen from the ashes and is once again open to the public.

Still located in the Orlando Business Center, Alan Ostrander and Drew Dalire, AEO owners, were able to rebuild an even better, updated retail showroom and F/X studio for its team of talented artists. “We are grateful to our friends, family, colleagues and supporters for this help, as we couldn’t have done this solely by ourselves,” says Dalire of the rebuilding process.

After reopening, “We hope to expand our retail theatrical makeup business, as well as recreate many of the masks, molds, prosthetic makeup appliances, and props, which were lost in the fire,” says Dalire. “We will be working very hard to refocus, and rebrand AEOStudios into a one-stop company, where someone can not only purchase make up and special effects supplies, but could have custom items created, as well as design, directorial and management support of one’s production, big, or small.”

According to AEO President, Alan Ostrander: “We are extremely excited about 2010 as we have the opportunity to grow and expand in new directions while remaining on the cutting edge of theatrical artistry. We are looking at a very busy, productive year as we continue our work with Ocean Park Hong Kong, marking 10 years of providing, makeup, design, and directorial services for the annual Halloween Bash, as well working on negotiations for several other film and stage projects.”

The company headquarters, burned down in 2009, housed 99 percent of the Studios’ equipment, props, molds, inventory and office.. The cause was determined to be of electrical nature, with no specifics as to how and where it started.

AEO hopes to make a strong showing at HauntCon, in Orlando this year, as part of their rebirth, as the Halloween industry makes up a majority of their core business. However, the Studio offerings and abilities are not inclusive of the Haunted Industry: the Studios boasts credits in film, television, and theatre in various different genres. Please visit www.aeostudios.com for a full list of these credits.

Whether for film, television, or live productions, let AEO, with it’s more than 20 years of experience and incredible team of artists, provide the crucial elements to bring your next project to life…or death!

AEO Studios, Inc., is open by appointment only. “We invite everyone to come see us, whether it is just for a bottle of stage blood, or to have us create a life cast of their face. After all, our tagline is: Creating Everything From Demons to Divas!”, said Dalire.

April Fool's Day

-- From Wikipedia

April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day is a day celebrated in various countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbors, or sending them on a fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. Traditionally, in some countries, such as the UK, Australia, and South Africa the jokes only last until noon, and someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool".[1] Elsewhere, such as in France, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Russia, The Netherlands, Brazil, Canada, and the U.S., the jokes last all day. The earliest recorded association between April 1 and foolishness can be found in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392). Many writers suggest that the restoration of January 1 as New Year's Day in the 16th century was responsible for the creation of the holiday, but this theory does not explain earlier references.

In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392), the "Nun's Priest's Tale" is set Syn March bigan thritty dayes and two.[2] Chaucer probably meant 32 days after March, i.e. May 2,[3] the anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia, which took place in 1381. However, readers apparently misunderstood this line to mean "March 32," i.e April 1.[4] In Chaucer's tale, the vain cock Chauntecler is tricked by a fox.

In 1508, a French poet referred to a poisson d’avril (April fool, literally "April fish"), a possible reference to the holiday.[3] In 1539, Flemish poet Eduard de Dene wrote of a nobleman who sent his servants on foolish errands on April 1.[3] In 1686, John Aubrey referred to the holiday as "Fooles holy day", the first British reference.[3] On April 1, 1698, several people were tricked into going to the Tower of London to "see the Lions washed."[3] The name "April Fools" echoes that of the Feast of Fools, a Medieval holiday held on December 28.[5]

In the Middle Ages, New Year's Day was celebrated on March 25 in most European towns.[6] In some areas of France, New Year's was a week-long holiday ending on April 1.[5] So it is possible that April Fools originated because those who celebrated on January 1 made fun of those who celebrated on other dates.[7] The use of January 1 as New Year's Day was common in France by the mid-sixteenth century,[3] and this date was adopted officially in 1564 by the Edict of Roussillon.

In the eighteenth century the festival was often posited as going back to the time of Noah. According to an English newspaper article published in 1789, the day had its origin when Noah sent his dove off too early, before the waters had receded; he did this on the first day of the Hebrew month that corresponds with April.[8]