Every story begins somewhere, and seldom does it begin dramatically.  Art may imitate life, but when audiences expect life in 90 minute-long Slurpee-sized gulps, only a section of anything approximating life will ever make it into anything we know in today's society as Art.  John Wilkes Booth was born, grew up, learned Latin and Shakespeare, sang in a church choir, loved and was loved, and at some point, decided to kill one of the most influential presidents in the history of the United States.  When we look for a representation of his life, we will mostly ignore the birth and growing up, studies, singing, give some time to the love (especially if we can work in a sexual angle), and focus mostly on the moments leading up to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the aftermath.  So Art does not imitate Life; Art imitates the small portion of life for which we believe consumers will buy a ticket.

Well...I was born in Idaho, adopted by my grandparents, one of whom died in a hospital due to lifelong complications from an injury sustained in World War II, the other in a violent car wreck that I had the displeasure to witness from inside the car.  I moved back with my mom and dad to Texas, met a fun kid named Darrin who became my lifelong friend, fell in love with a girl named Beth and told her after four years to be given a "you're just a good friend" brush-off that left me reeling, made love for the first time at 17 with my first real girlfriend L__, who betrayed me with more guys than I can count, graduated in the top of my class with honors, dropped out of college, got married and had a son, divorced and returned to college to become a teacher, taught for fifteen years, got married and divorced again, became engaged again, and all the while, continued with my neverending quest to write, be published, sell a film script, and direct movies.  All of that is the real beginning.  Not art...just life.

Now I feel that Art has  begun. I have made my first movie--it's in the process of a final edit, whereupon it will be submitted to festivals in the coming year.  I am starting a new project with my best friend, Tom, which we will direct together in a few weeks, a low-budget horror that is smart in its approach to its own genre.  This is the beginning, Art-wise.  In the film of my life, the one edited for  the interesting parts, I have finally arrived at the opening scene.  Although I'll enjoy every minute--every tear, every laugh, every moment that I fear I will vomit because of all the tension due to some interpersonal crossroads--you will probably only see the Slurpee version.  Just take me in small doses...I don't want you to get Brain Freeze.