Monday, August 14, 2006

We have liftoff....

The last few weeks have been absolutely crazy around here. First, I leave my job of 11 years.. Secondly, there was a mad dash to "emptying out my brain" that left many-a-heads-a-spinning just before I departed. Then I had to put a rush job on a couple of projects before leaving on my first film assignment last week. All the while of making contacts, arrangements, setting up my business books, drafting releases and contracts. That on top of having a number of due dates on upcoming projects that just sent us from 0 to 60 in nothing flat.

But I must say - it's been an incredible time too. My parents and Darby went in together to buy me a printer that I've been looking at - which will give me the ability to print directly onto CD's and DVD's. It's totally awesome! My folks also got me a monogramed shirt with Reflecting Time on it that was really cool. I wore it when I was doing my shoot in Pueblo last week -- very spiffy and professional! It was very cool. The party was held at a local watering hole across the street from the office where I worked. In a very touching gesture - Nicole's parents bought the party $250 worth of drinks for "the first round.." It was very touching and I am still overwhelmed by their gesture. It was really incredible.

The reality hit though when I was leaving a message on the phone a week or so ago. Darby was in the other room. I got their voicemail and I wasn't really paying attention or anything. It got to where you start leaving the message that I said: "Hello this is.... " and then it hits....

OH MY GOD - I'M IN BUSINESS!!!!!!

I instantly wore a smile as I said: "yes, this is Michael from Reflecting Time Productions and I was given your number....." OH WHAT A FEELING!!! Immediately when I got off the phone I screamed "WOOHOO" loud enough that the neighbors probably wondered what in the heck happened! Darby was squealing in the other room and I rushed into her art studio and we had a very warm and happy moment.

Yep.. I'm officially in business..

Wow..

Take a deep breath...Smiling wide!

So it's been chaotic around here. I think my brain is still playing tricks though because it thinks it has to go back to work for the Public Defender soon. Alas, eventually the reality sinks in that I don't do that anymore.. And that becomes a wonderful, overwhelming feeling after 11 years of fighting in the mud of so many different cases, after riding so many different roller coasters and wearing my emotions to a nub -- it's all changed. It's not as though I regret my time with my co-horts.. In fact, I miss them and yet I don't miss the onslaught of cases and projects that I was doing all the time. I know I was enduring many layers of burnout - of which I had no means to escape.. Each time I tried to remove myself from there - I'd get another phone call, an email or some other crisis that needed my attention. I was simply unable to pull myself from the job -- and that's when I realized something had to change.. Unfortunately this is something I've had to deal with for the last 4-5 years.

But that's in the past. A new direction has broken out and there are things evolving in the stream of life that can really take off. Of this, I have no doubt but to know that I'm on a much different adventure than I was on.....

...and it's very exciting!!

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