I'm Moving to San Diego

I wanted to write this blog to send to people with my new contact information to explain a little bit about why I'm moving.

As most of you know, I moved to LA with the hope and intent to make a living in the film business. I wanted to write - and I have, although it hasn't gone anywhere - and work in film production as a day job. I was employed on some TV shows and movies - most notable Power Rangers, but never got on the big budget shows I wanted to work on, even after I joined the Union. Periodically I worked in non-entertainment jobs, like at National Construction Rentals, but at the current time, I have been completely unable to find any job in any industry with a salary that would allow me to pay my mortgage.

Fortunately, I have very good friends - Chris and Don, whom I think of as my family of choice - who had actually asked me to move in with them before and still wanted me to do so. Unfortunately, they live in Escondido, a little north of San Diego. I love my condo, and I love living in Valencia, but financial circumstances just don't allow me to keep living here. Escondido has some very nice features, though (nicest of all, Don and Chris), and I've gotten to like it more and more as I've spent time there visiting. They helped me find a nice, affordable senior living facility near their house, and my mom will be moving in there the first week of April. Her building is near the Senior Center, and I still plan on seeing her every day and taking her shopping.

One of my biggest worries has been not being able to work in film any more. However, with the economic slowdown and the continuing threat of a SAG strike, I don't think I'd have a better chance of finding film work in LA than I will in the San Diego area. I'm also unsure about my future in production. I've worked on some shows where the coordinator worked mostly in the office, but I've also worked on shows where I busted my ass going up and down stairs all day, closed up all the stages at night, gone to every location, and ended up carrying a lot of stuff for load in and load out. I can still do it, but it's starting to get a little old, and so am I.

So what's the bright side of this situation? Well, while I'm still sending out resumes and looking for work, my unemployment still leaves me with a good amount of free time. I've been spending a lot of it writing again. Not another screenplay this time, but non-fiction, commentary, book and movie reviews, blogging, all kinds of things (as some of you know from my many emails to you with samples asking for critique! LOL!). After I get moved in down in Escondido, I have a project or two that I think may lead to some creatively satisfying work for me.

The other downside to moving is that I will no longer be seeing my friends in LA as often. Escondido is not all that far from LA, though, especially as anyone who knows Chris and Don are aware, as they have been up here frequently. We still intend to come up here to socialize and visit, although probably not as much as in the past, at least not until the economy improves. I still want to stay in touch with people, though, so please do make sure you have my current contact info.

Please wish me the best in my new endeavors, and let me know how things are going with you if you get a chance.