"If I start crying up here, it's because of the kind of day I've had... Catharsis."

I caught Ryan DeSiato's set tonight at Momo's Club.

Yeah, I was there for a Collier Talent Agency group B-Day. But, face it, a live music venue isn't the best place to chit-chat and get caught up, and I can only take so much "OMG-you're-a-Taurus-too?"

Ryan absolutely rocked. And crooned. The guy is a blast to listen too, amazing to watch, and someone I'm going to try catch whenever I can.

I'm particularly taken with "Minefield" and "Empty Handed", which should be on his new upcoming album (he was in the studio last week recording).

"Ryan DeSiato, simply put, makes music for people who give a damn."

Lyrics to Nickelback's song, "Believe It Or Not":

Believe it or not, everyone have things that they hide
Believe it or not, everyone keeps most things inside
Believe it or not, everyone, believe in something above
Believe it or not, everyone, need to feel loved

Feel loved, but we don't, and we don't
Until we figure out, could someone deliver us?
And send us some kind of sign, so close to giving up
Coz faith is so hard to find
But you don't, and you won't, until we figure out

I've seen it a lot
Every time to the world turns upside down
Believe it or not, everyone
Most of us feel like we're losing ground
Believe it or not, everyone, hate admitting fear
Believe it or not, most of us wanna know why we're here

Why we're here, but we don't and we won't
Until we figure out, Could someone deliver us?
And send us some kind of sign, so close to giving up
Coz faith is so hard to find, someone deliver us?
And send us some kind of sign, so close to giving up
Coz faith is so hard to find
But you don't, and you won't, until we figure out


Most of us have nothing to complain about
Most of us have things we could live without
Everyone need advice on how to get along

Get along; we don't, until we figure out

Believe it or not everyone…

Believe it or not, everyone have things that they hide
Believe it or not, everyone keeps most things inside
Believe it or not, everyone, believe in something above
Believe it or not, everyone, need to feel loved

Feel loved, but we don't, and we don't
Until we figure out, Could someone deliver us?
And send us some kind of sign, so close to giving up
Coz faith is so hard to find, someone deliver us?
And send us some kind of sign, so close to giving up
Coz faith is so hard to find
But you don't, and you won't, until we figure out

I missed the SXSW sneak premiere of the film in March, but I snagged Unleashed at a matinee showing this afternoon, and I'm impressed.

It's a Luc Besson film, and closer to The Professional (Léon) than The Fifth Element.

The film is a mix of heart-wrenching emotional scenes and gut-wrenching violence, and I think it pulls it off well. Not to introduce any spoilers, but in the film Li is the barely-human version of a psychotic attack dog who is separated from his owner. This is the story of his humanization.

It's not easy to convincingly portray the emotion and effort behind a Helen Keller/Baby Jessica rehabilitation in a sub-2-hour film. And though the piece struggles a bit, it works through the challenge admirably.

I hope this film does well. Morgan Freeman and Bob Hoskins are inarguably acting powerhouses, but Jet Li comes into his own in this film.

While Li came into mainstream U.S. focus as the bad ass in Lethal Weapon 4, follow-on films (notably Romeo Must Die and Hero/Ying xiong) have been sadly underrated. This film almost feels like a "one more time for Jet" effort, and I'd hate to see him go back to primarily Asian cinema due to lack of critical and popular success stateside.

But check out Unleashed. Jet Li has said , "... I think Unleashed is my best work yet ... and I believe that my fans will love it."

I agree.

As an aside, Kerry Condon does a compelling job in the movie as Li's adoptive sister. She suffers a bit of a rough transition from loquacious teen to caring surrogate, but sails well after that.

I recorded audio tonight for the film For Sale By Owner.

This suspense/horror by Chheda Films LLC has its secrets tightly under wraps, and hopes to explore "new extremes of basic human emotion -- fear!"

I do the VO for Paul, an a** hole boss calling via mobile phone.

Check out the film's trailer -- very slick, and very promising (to me, it has shades of Identity).

Then I came home and recorded a Mission Impossible (Mr. Phelps) spoof for a buddy. Heh.

Happy birthday to me! *hic*

Happy *hic* birthday to me!

Happy birthday *hic* dear ... um ... Ah #*&@*&! ...

I had a good audition for the film Cake, with writer/director Will Wallace. I did a workshop with Will back in January, and today got to read for the role of Desmond, the not-quite-closet hairdresser doing a wedding video monologue.

Despite muffing one word (it's "clashes", not "exploded", but when in doubt, substitute with conviction), the audition was a blast, and it was fun to play with such a different, flamboyant character. And "Doing something totally different" on the second take to me meant going lumberjack (initially with a southern USA accent, but ending up sounding southern Australia).

I went with kind of a gay-bohemian look. Between the pressed cargo pants, sleeveless T, fabulous purple Bill Blass button down, Birkenstocks(ish), silver and white gold rings, Miami Vice stubble, and the pink emory board I was waving around, I felt the part.

I narrowly avoided disaster when, showing up for the audition, I dropped the magnetic studs to my earings somewhere behind the driver's seat, into that black hole where parking garage ticket stubs and french fries often disappear. Good thing I'm a quick thinker, and crimped my toe ring onto my left lobe (no, I hadn't put it on my foot yet, and yes, my ear is healing nicely, thank you).

Anyway, Will and team were great to audition for, the audition was a blast, and I really recommend you go see Cake when it's finished, even in the tragic event of my not being cast, and the name of the film changing to something less pithy ...

On the way out, Casting Director Donise Hardy snagged me and introduced me to accomplished actor Pato Hoffman, who seems to have this unpretentious gravity about him. Pretty cool. And Donise was beyond kind in chatting me up with Pato. Plus she said I looked pretty ...

Also ran way too briefly into fellow actors Chel Simon, Nicole Graf, and Karrie Hamilton (she and I muffed a scene together a couple of weeks ago).

Great day ...

I had class tonight.

Last week's scene sucked, but I should get over it. Last week's scene sucked, but I should get over it. Last week's scene sucked, but I should get over it. Last week's scene sucked, but I should get over it. Last week's scene sucked, but I should get over it. Last week's scene sucked, but I should get over it. Last week's scene sucked, but I should get over it.

I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it. I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it. I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it. I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it. I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it. I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it. I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it. I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it. I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it. I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it. I hate next week's scene, but I should get over it.

[sigh]