#7 Change in Plans, My mixed up life

I fully intended to talk about my general life and how I reached my current situation…but some news appeared on Friday which has changed my plans…at least some. On Friday I received news that two of my screen plays “Da Vinci Code” and “Master Connections” are finalists in the NOVA Screen Festival.

Living in NOVA (Northern Virginia), I heard about the festival and submitted three screen plays (my third screen play submission is “Universe’s End). With Fridays notice, I now have marketing efforts to execute throughout March with the festival occurring in mid-April.

Not having done this much, I queried about what Screen Play authors were able to advertise since the focus is Films. I was informed authors could market just like film makers, which is great.

The next few weeks have me making postcards for their “swag” bag after having already sent them links to my trailer videos for the screen plays. Compared to where I was a year ago, my marketing has progressed but I still have a ways to go.

So my mixed up life…how did I reach this point?

After my divorce in 2004, I began to change my life. My work shifted to a position where I began to live in Washington D.C. (Actually Crystal City) throughout the week, only returning back to San Diego on weekends. My oldest daughter had moved to Long Beach to work at Disneyland and attend college. My youngest daughter brought to me a young man that needed help and so my life moved forward helping him to change his life and at the same time help my daughters while traveling cross country on a weekly basis.

It was during one of the trips to San Diego, I met a young woman with a young son who over time became my close friend and emotional support. Here I was, traveling cross country weekly, only one friend outside of work, three kids depending on me and my few belongings in storage.

After my divorce, I had talked with a doctor who indicated I needed to open up and consider changes in my life. Left the doctor’s office and decided to have Mexican dinner in Old Town. Entering the restaurant, I was approached by a man selling flowers. Deciding on making a change, and bought roses; not for me, but had them delivered to a table where an older woman and a younger woman were dining. Seeing the smiles on their faces made me feel good. I decided to carry on with the idea and during a trip to Montreal for my Object Management Group, OMG (Software Standards) where I chair a task force, I took some time off for a walk.

While walking around Montreal, it was late in the afternoon and I walked upon a large open area with shops and restaurants around the open area. I saw two younger women sitting and talking and I decided to strike at the moment. Seeing a flower stand nearby, I purchased two bundles of roses and walked over giving them to the young women. I smiled, bowed and left with a bounce in my step from the smiles I received.

My flower gifts ended during a trip to Athens Greece, another OMG meeting. During the evening a group went for a walk to find a place for dinner. After a great meal, we were exiting the small restaurant, I noticed a woman selling flowers and a number of young couples. I approached to flower seller to buy some flowers when I was mobbed by flower sellers that seemed to come out of the walls. Quickly I was surrounded with all of them screaming at me to buy their flowers. Paralyzed by the sudden attack, I was rescued by my friends and pulled away. I learned a lesson. I learned to be careful. It was one of my last trips outside the U.S. for a while and I decided to suspend my give always for a while.

So, with a need to get back to my marketing, I will break off this blog and continue next week. Bye!