I'm not dead yet....

My how the time does fly. To the three people who regularly hit this woefully neglected blog, I apologize for the lack of words in the last month. Have no excuse. Have had the time and many things occur to me to blog about, just don't make the leap to keyboard. I'll make no promises to post more in the future, why kid each other right? I'd only do that to let myself off the hook, talk is cheap after all. Walking the walking is what counts, which is my ultra smooth segue to LAST month's hiking report.

My hiking goal for 2006 is 600 miles, down 50 miles from last year, so need to average 50 miles a month. Started the year off right with 51 miles, some a tiny lead. February has been tougher and it's looking iffy as to whether I'll hit the mark. Have started a new, full time job, so no longer have all that free time that I didn't when I was a "man of leisure". Even so, no excuses, there is always a way to accomplish the things that need to be done.

A "Zank" update. Have entered the lad into two festivals; The Brooklyn Rooftop Film Festival Series and Richmond, Virginia's James River Festival. I'll keep you posted on what happens.

OK HW

I memed myself...

Picked up this Meme from Bill Cunningham's blog DISContent.


What was your earliest film-related memory?

Going to see the original Doctor Dolittle when I was about four years old. The scenes of the giant snail and moth really made an impression on me as did the ship wreck scene. Something about the furniture and parts of the ship all over the beach made sense to my wee little brain at the time.

Name two favorite lines from movies:

Dr. Sentz - "Everything was fine until dickless here shut off our containment grid."
NY Mayor - "Is that true?"
Dr. Venkman - "Yes it's true. This man has no dick."
Ghostbusters (1984)

[Norris' head grows legs and tries to walk away]
Palmer: You gotta be fucking kidding.
The Thing (1982)

(Guess I'm stuck in the eighties)

Jobs you'd do if you could not work in the "biz"

-- Forest Ranger
-- Book Store Owner
-- Travel Writer

Name four jobs you actually have held outside the industry:

-- Assistant Manager at a book store
-- Graphic Artist
-- Sculptor
-- Dish Washer

Three book authors I like:

-- Jack Kerouac
-- Charles Bukowski
-- William Gibson

Name two movies you would like to remake or properties you'd like to adapt:

1. Kamandi: Last Boy on Earth - This was a 70's DC comic series by Jack Kirby that basically was cashing in on the Planet of the Apes craze, but took things to the next level with all kinds of talking critters, mutants and aliens too.

2. Hollywood by Charles Bukowski - Probably his funniest novel and would make a great bookend to Barfly.

Name one screenwriter you think is underrated:

Richard Price particularly for "Color of Money"

Three people I'm tagging to answer this meme next:

Neil Bruce
John Oak Dalton
ScriptWeaver

Let the door knob hit ya 2005, where that dog should've bit ya. (Plus the year end 2005 hiking report)

Last week I was sitting in The 400 Club in Altoona, Wisconsin having a cold one and writing to my friend Lord Scott Nelson (Lord in nickname only) when two flannel shirt wearing locals started reflecting on the year 2005. "Worst fuckin' year ever! I'll be glad to see the ass end of it. Good riddances I say. 2006 has got to be better.". Hear, hear. While personally it wasn't a terrible year, globally a lot of folks suffered from all manner of catastrophe and I'm sure they too are glad to see 2005 come to a close. With the news dominated by one major crisis after another, at times it seemed the forces of doom and chaos were getting a leg up and all I got to say is Buddha bless Jon Stewart and The Daily Show for wringing laughs out of the misery. Lose your sense of humor and it's really over.
Onward. So, I'm sure you are hanging on the edge of your seat wondering, "Did Hal actually complete his hiking goal of 650 miles for 2005?". Well, as you can see from the progress bar to the right, I did indeed hit the mark and tacked on an extra mile for luck. The last miles fell on New Year's Eve, when I took a fine, eight mile hike out past the Erie Canal to the airport and back. I got to admit that I didn't feel like hiking much that day, but then that's the purpose of the goal, to keep me moving. For 2006, I've decided to scale back a little bit to 600 miles. I feel I need to balance my time better and have allowed my screenwriting and film ambitions slide too much, so the extra time and effort will go to that end.
As far as New Year's resolutions go, I prefer to choose more concrete goals and last year my enthusiasm got the better of me with thirteen goals, many of which were quickly neglected. This year focus will be the theme and I will keep the list shorter by half. I'll post that list soon, until then I here's wishing us all a safe, productive and gentle 2006.

OK HW

The November Hiking Report and more!

I know this post will come as a shock to the two people (Hello Neil!)
who regularly check out my blog to see if I've managed to drag myself
to the keyboard long enough to lash together a few coherent (or not)
words, but it is far past time to break the silence. First up, the
Hiking November hiking stats. Despite an interstate move and the
usual settling that occurs, I managed to bang out 56 miles, which
brings me to 607 miles year-to-date. That leaves 43 miles between me
and the goal of 650 miles for 2005. Shortly after moving to
Rochester, I discovered that we live within a five minute walk of the
Genesee River trail system that ties in with the 100 mile long canal
trails, so I'm confident those last miles will fall with no worries.
Already knocked down 10 miles so far for December. Had a fine, crisp
and cold five mile hike yesterday, the 24 F temps freezing my lip dog
and putting some solid color in all my cheeks. The trails are paved
and well-maintained, providing wonderful views of the city and the
river and I am thankfully to be living somewhere where the local
government sees the value in creating these paths.

So far, I am enjoying life here in my new town. When I mention to
someone that I've just moved up here from Virginia, the response has
always been the same, "WHY?!". They see the south as warmth and
sunlight and opportunity and maybe I'll be seeing things the same way
after I've been through the next five (or more) months of cold and
snow, but for now I'm enjoying the winter wonderland. Also, I'm
finding I feel more comfortable socially and culturally, there's
definitely more film and animation opportunities here. Attended my
first AIVF meeting here last night and was really impressed by the
work I saw and enjoyed the company. I'll be showing "ZANK" at the
January meeting and I look forward to seeing more of everyone else's
work. Lots of interest in horror films in the group, several people
working on or having completed shorts and one feature in the works,
"Fury" by Liz Lehman. Check out her web site Trillium Films
Liz told some great stories of filming in the big, scary, old Nick
Taheo's restaurant downtown here and I'm looking forward to seeing
that film.

To the future,

OK HW