The Sylvester Bar 

We just had a record night at my job, The Sylvester Bar. It was so packed. We were so in the weeds. BTW, “In the weeds” means you’re overtasked and just fighting to keep your head above water. We were moving fast to keep up with the customers who were drinking….good clientele. They’re good looking people and with money, ‘cause our drinks ain’t cheap.

https://www.instagram.com/thesylvesterbar/

Marijuana

Every so often I smell marijuana smoke while working. Once I found the guy smoking. He was playing pool I walked over to him and told him that he had to put it out. He did calmly. Later I smelled it again, so I did the same thing again. He protested this time about to tell me something. Suddenly, my manager told me that everything is fine that he told him that he could smoke inside. Ok cool. That’s what I want to hear!

The All Important Video

I’m editing a video I shot at my squadron reunion. The reunion was truly amazing. I hadn’t seen my military buddies, or been on that base, March ARB, or any military base for that matter, since I left the military 16 years ago. A bunch of people were at the ceremony, we greeted each other very animated and happy. At times it was awkward. Then we went to the reception located outside the base on the grounds of a military museum. More people showed up. I tried to fly my drone. It wouldn’t take off because we were near an airport. So I decided to hold it in my hand and record. The gimbal still worked and stabilized the shot, so I was able to record no problem. I teamed up with a pilot I use to fly with, Joey Hoffman. He ran audio on an iphone. We walked around interviewing peeps on the fly. Sometimes we ran into old friends who weren’t at the ceremony before nor had I seen them for 16 years. But I was acting as director then, so instead of warmly greeting them, I had to be curt and business like. It was odd behavior for them to see after not seeing each other for all that time, we would have normally hugged each other happily, and my friends weren’t prepared for it. I didn’t realize this until I began editing the video and saw their reactions. I’ll post the video below.

Status Update on Film Making

Still ain’t filming enough. Not doing my Vlog like I wanted to and I thought I would continue. I’ve started writing a script for a Joker ran company web series, but I haven’t moved forward with it. I just don’t feel it’s good enough.

Stazio’s Film

Acted in the last part of Stazio’s film, “Julie” We filmed at a posh house in Hollywood. It was empty cause the owner is trying to sell it. Our female lead is an attractive young woman and her role this day required that she was completely naked for the whole shoot. She did well. And we were all professional. I did well, too. I had to masturbate on camera. Which wasn’t easy. At first I faked it, then I realized that I wasn’t selling it, so I did it for real ‘cause it had to be done. We work for the final product. That’s it, really.

Steve’s Pizza

After filming we went to Steve’s Pizza. A classic establishment. It’s a classic standard on Biscayne Blvd. Vice Media did a documentary on Biscayne Blvd and they filmed an interview at Steve’s Pizza with a legend from that neighborhood, Mickey Monday. He was an Evil Genuis drug smuggler rogue now retired, from the late 70’s early 80’s featured on Cocaine Cowboys.

My Friend Giovanni

Gio, my roommate and collaborative filmmaker friend just bought Wolfpak Images t-shirts. He’s taking the business to the next level. Mine fits fine. He keeps including me in his film projects and I’m so grateful. He doesn’t have to. And I’ve made some mistakes filming and he keeps believing in me. It makes me want to help him even more. I must admit that I’ve been thinking of leaving Miami to go abroad again. To teach English in Costa Rica or chasing my dream of living in Spain. But now I’m thinking of staying and it all has to do with Gio, a great friend and a hard-charger mover and a shaker. I admire is gumption and ambition and I want to help him reach his dreams.

A New Love

My boxing class has been going smashing. I love what I’m learning. It’s like liberating or something. It’s an art that deals with body movement and momentum and leverage. And fists. I want to take Jui jutsu next. The gym, KO Zone, is a few blocks from my apartment here in Little Haiti. The people who attend the gym all seem cool. The ones who do martial arts on the 2nd floor are possibly more cool and intriguing. I’m just getting to know them. I’ll have a better opinion on them later. The rest of the time that I’m here in the US, I want to continue studying martial arts. It could get you out of a jam real quick.

Me As an Artist

I admit that I have been drinking almost everyday. Not a lot of alcohol in a day….about 3 tall boys and a few puffs of marijuana. And then I write or edit. It’s been hard to edit even though I want to edit more often. I want to keep producing frequently, because when I do it warms my soul. It makes a difference in my life. And maybe in the lives of people who watch my films now and in the future.

Losing my Spanish?

I watched both “Abre Los Ojos” and “Vanilla Sky” Vanilla Sky is a remake of the Spanish film, Abre Los Ojos. I like them both but they are quite different. Later I arranged to meet with my friend, Patty, to discuss these films while we speak Spanish. It’s my new strategy to continue speaking Spanish. Originally, I thought Abre Los Ojos was better. It’s the original, after all. But I’ve watched them both and I’ve discovered that Vanilla Sky has a lot more layers, there’s more story lines. Vanilla Sky went further by introducing new plots that don’t change the heart of the story of the original version. And they gave you flashbacks and rapid fire images to tell a much more complex backstory and at the same time booster its cinemagraphical quality. Hats off to the original, it’s the seed, and is a must see.

Bustin’ My Balls.

I just worked a twelve hour shift, which is par for the course where I work.It’s like sweat shop work conditions, bitch. I work 12 hours, no breaks, no sitting down and I sneak something to eat in between tasks. I stay because the bar is close to where I live. I can ride my bike there and I don’t have a car. And it pays the bills. Barely. Thankfully, everyone is cool to work with and the bar provides a good environment to work in….just wish I made more money.

Girls!

I did something that I always promised myself that I’d do someday. I asked a girl out on a date. Unfortunately she was available to go out that afternoon for lunch. Now I’m thinking, should I ask her out again? Part of me wants to and part of me wants to move on. Plus, maybe she isn’t interested? Then, I should not pester her….? She’s a cute girl from Chile. Her name is Daniela. She lives a block away and sells weed. She got a lot of random tattoos, too. I met her when Gio and I went to film a T-Mobil promotional video in South Beach. Gio invited her to help out. She’s not a videographer or photographer but she was very helpful in the filming of the project, and I really got along well with her. And she’s pretty hot.