My second week in Las Vegas has come and gone. And, to be honest, I'm wiped out at the end of every day.
I've been here 2 weeks. Got a new place; enough food to last me through September; a new job that I just finished my first full week; got the final great proof here this week for Mother's new STRIPPER book; filmed footage this week of Opal here in Vegas for our upcoming feature documentary THE OLD STRIPPER before she drives back to Missouri this week; and more. It's just a job trying to get by each day right now, get settled in Vegas and things started out here.
This coming week's gonna be another busy one. I'm trying to get my new job down good these next few weeks, and getting money coming in before I start focusing back on my film projects. I'm not looking forward to Mother heading back home. It'll be lonely out here without her. I know she could do well here in Vegas with her book, films and trying to get an act out here for her. But she'll be back out here soon enough. Also, this week, I'll have to start taking public transportation to get around. So that'll make things a little tougher. But I'm used to that. Been there, done that in Chicago and L.A.
I have to be honest. I take living in this country of ours WAY too much for granted. Just look at what's in the news right now....violence and death in Tehran because your vote is not counted with their government corruption; those 2 girls filmming a project for Al Gore's film company in North Korea, and being sentenced there to 12 years hard labor....and the list goes on...
It's things like this; simple things; like being able to vote; being able to freely speak your mind; being able to just live and let your independent voice be heard; that make really value living in this country. Granted, people around here think I'm a nut; a freak because I'm a vegan in Bible-thumpin' cattle country; a pervert because I film truly alternative movies about my liberal, outspoken Mother, an old stripper; a bum because I'm not working a regular 9-5 job for the next 50 years; a queer because I'm in my 40's, never married, being a single independent hermit, and not already a Grandpa, married for the last 25 years...I could go on and on....
But I can't say how happy I am that I'm able to live this life, and let people make their judgments about me the way they do.
I wouldn't want it any other way. And to be honest, it truly scares me the direction our country is heading.
Look at this culture. The reality show loving, internet crazed, obese, lazy, self obsessed, fast paced nation we're living in. Everything's all 'Me, me, me'....the only time you hear from someone is when they need you for something and can use you....people would rather be fat, lazy and live a short life, instead of being healthy, vegan, environmentally active, and trying to save the planet. Those 2 girls in North Korea...over there filming about modern day slavery....they knew how that country thinks about that....should have never gone over there. I think there's enough going on in our own country that filmmakers can keep busy with getting their messages out before risking their lives globally. I think we need to start with our own country...then go from there.
That's what makes this country of ours so great. You may not agree with everyone; in fact, you may be like me; and not agree with about anyone; and be in a deep minority; but we have the right to think the way we want, and live our lives the way we want.
I'd rather be a poor, liberal, vegan, broke filmmaker in the most obese per capita area in the country, saying what I think, living how I want, and getting my messages out....
Thank God, if there is one, that I'm a poor, free-thinkin' filmmaker....
My Mother, Opal, THE X-RATED GRANDMA, talking about shit:
