Life as (somewhat) usual...

Back in the edit suite.

We're working on cutting the pilot for a new Talk TV series. We shot it last week--boy was that a 'high octane' experience--but the fun thing was, I've done this enough times by now, that I knew what to expect, knew how to deal with it, and was able to do my job and help our team do theirs.

This all comes with 'experience' which means (you guessed it) that I'm getting a little 'old'.

Oh well.

The best thing about cutting today is that the shots look GREAT, the set looks GREAT, the lighting is GREAT. I think the client is going to be very pleased. Naturally there are still many factors to be taken into account (opener, viz package, an on-location shoot later this week, music and the 'fine cut' to be done next week) but I can tell--again from experience--that we're on the right track.

On the home-front we're moved in (boy was THAT a feat) to a house that's still maybe 30% from being properly done. The thing that's very interesting about that is that my wife (God bless her) is just SO happy to be in her 'home', she doesn't even really seem to care that she's living in a construction zone. It was as if her spiritual 'temperature' changed the day we moved in; the six months of transition and uncertainty over. Sure, there are still many things we're uncertain about, but with somewhere to call 'home' I think she's well on her way to newfound happiness.

Lemme' tell you a little about moving.

Tuesday (on the Pilot) we loaded set in and got it built. Wednesday was set and light and talent rehearsal (a VERY long day) then Thursday we shot (an even LONGER day). I was so exhausted by the end of that day--I'm writer/producer/director on this one so I've got a bit to do--that I felt like falling over.

Instead I moved for two days straight.

Friday, me and three friends (thanks Jeff and Cindy and Chris) and the wife and kids did 'Part 1'. Saturday the wife and kids and I and Sam and Jen and their kids and Markie Langdon did 'Part 2'. Thanks for the love guys. It was great fun. One of the easiest moves we've ever done.

Then, later Saturday night, our dear friends Chris and Cate Jones rolled by with THEIR kids, so between all of us, we had 11 kids in the house and 7 adults and it was great fun. Best thing about it was that we had ROOM. Our old house never would've been able to host a crowd that size, which is one of the major reasons we needed to move in the first place.

Oh, then I had to write a sermon.

Everyone was gone by 9:45pm and by 10 I was at the dining room table writing. I had known all week that this is how it would go down, I'd have two hours between 10 and midnight to come up with something good. Now, granted, I knew the topic I was dealing with, I knew the segment of scripture I'd be preaching from and had been quietly meditating all week on it, so by the time it came round to sitting down to 'do' it I was able to knock something out, with God's help.

Saturday night we slept well 'till 4:00am then my typical Saturday night 'terrors' reared their ugly head (nightmares about everything falling apart at church the next morning) and...

Our furnace quit.

Awesome.

So, between fighting 'demons' and the furnace I didn't get back to sleep.

Cut to: INT. THE WELL-SUNDAY MORNING

Arrived a little late for set-up (not a surprise) and didn't really do much, I was just too tired. I wandered around a bit, moved some chairs but mostly fought off waves of exhaustion.

Service started, good crowd, sweet worship, then I got up to preach.

It was good. I was able to be clear, Jesus was exalted, and I think the people were encouraged.

Yes, that afternoon, I sat VERY still for a while.

Then started organizing.

Monday was more organizing of our 'destroyed' house, then buying paint, then painting late into the night.

Today, I picked up breakfast, built shelves, then came here, answered all my emails and updated all my sites, while my editor worked in the space with me (getting me to look up only when needed).

Tonight I'll head home, and do some more painting.

All the while missing my sweet brother in law , gone to be with Jesus one month ago today, while grieving for my dear sister and trying to keep my wife from randomly jumping off cliffs.

('renovation' isn't exactly her thing but, all things considered, she's 'bucking-up' quite well...)

More updates as they come.

Peace,

T