Four more years

In the time a President finishes his first term of office he must look back and take inventory of what he faced and how he handled it. He must ask a Reganesque question about his efforts good or bad. "Are you better off now, than you were four years ago."

In the last four years, I have to ask the same. I was divorced from an 11 year marriage. Learned how to be a Summer father, lost my gall bladder, lost my amazing grandfather, was moved all over the country in isolation from old friends that could ease the crash, and then finally ended up losing a best friend over a business deal. Sporatically laced inside that time frame was pity and sorrow that led to binge drinking, eating, and even scattered drug use. So am I better than four years ago? Well, I can tell you that I am better than parts of that four year block. But what happens now? I made it through the worst of my demons, now what? 

A popular choice for some is to reinvent themselves. To accomplish something so great and passionate that it keeps you awake at night more than a can of red bull. Thats where I find myself. I believe we all have a passion, but only some of us do something about it. There comes a time in your life where you have to choose when its your turn. 

I have always made a commitment to reinvent myself. From 20-30 I was in the nightclub and bar business and became a stand up comic. From 30- to almost 40 I transitioned to booking bands, fight promotions to dueling pianos and Nightclub design. Now as I face the big four O, I find myself staring down my next challenge. 

Since I was a kid and all the way through my adult years I have always lived through movies. I even have a saying with some of my friends that I try to create "movie moments" in my own life. I have never been inspired more than after seeing the hero make his comeback on the big screen. Whether it was Rocky giving Apollo everything he had, or Daniel ending Johnnies charge with a crane kick, I would leave the theatre standing tall and with a puffier chest feeling inspired and charged!

As I got older I found out what documentaries were. Michael Moore was my first. Roger and Me grabbed me from the intro. It was about America and how it was being dismantled with corporate greed. I was immediately inspired. Then came Morgan Spurlock with Super Size me. The truth about Mcdonalds and his personal experiment with eating Mcdonalds only food for 30 days just blew me away.

Why do I bring all of this up? Because through all the entertainment Ive done and the hardships Ive been through. I believe its time for me to tell stories and see if I can pass along anything of value to my fellow man and country. So to accomplish this next hurdle, I must prepare and dedicate myself to my next journey. Over the next 12 months I will be starting a permanent blog/webpage on the internet. I welcome you all to check on me from time to time. It will chronicle a few interesting changes I will be putting into my life.

The first will be a blog and raw documentary style shoot of me losing 100 pounds over a year. The second will be a raw documentary style of me traveling the country for one year as a dueling piano player living out of an RV trailer. And finally, a gallery of pictures along the way as well as video snipets of some of the unique individuals I run across in America.

All of this culminates into me taking the first step toward my last dream on my "bucket career list". I will do an Advanced Immersion program at Colorado Film School for the Writer/Director Program. Which means Monday through Thursday 9a-6p and the weekends to finish my assignments for 11 months. No parties, no dueling piano traveling for almost a year. The degree was started while I was married and is finally going to be finished by me. 

Upon completion of the Advanced Immersion Program will have me armed with:

* A DVD Reel of my work
* A business plan for my first feature
* A solid Treatment for a Documentary series and a feature film

In a time when the government never has answers for us. Americans are confused as to what direction everything is going, there will be a need for journalistic warriors who want to find the answers to those questions through the medium of entertainment/film. I accept this as my destiny and my mission. 

In the end, maybe i can find ways through research, entertainment, and presentation to give my country new ideas and processes to leave them with better ideas than they had four years ago.
 


Papi Sorrelis


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