Tue, 21 May 2013 01:42:55 -0800WeeblyFri, 20 Jul 2012 07:41:36 GMThttp://dancingcrowmedia.com/1/post/2012/07/work-work-work-work.htmlGeez, it's already 12:30am...I sit here literally burning the midnight oil, illuminated by the glow of my laptop, chiseling my thoughts into the digital wall of my cave.
It's been a long week...and even though I am on summer break - yes, being a high school teacher by day during 9 months of the year does have it's perks - my dance card is full. Like the fence I'm building around my property...and not just building a new fence, but tearing down an old one that encircled half the property and recycling the old fence boards to be resurrected into the new fence...it's hard work.
On top of that hard labor (which is good for the soul but hard on the feet) my online voice over business and digital graphics business is booming AND the finish line is in sight for our long awaited project, From Spokane, With Love.
Add to this new projects looming in the distance (Spokanistan, Whacked and This Week in High School Sports [actual title TBA] in collaboration with Fox 28 TV here in lovely Spokane.
It's also the middle of summer and I have a computer lab to update, a video production studio to renovate and expand, an intern to train and a curriculum to update before all of my wonderful students come charging back into class like little sponges, gods love them.
Am I complaining...hell no! I am giving thanks to the universe...to the gods, the forces of nature, to the pull of magnetism, to the opportunities that gather around me...to my wonderful friends...to my beautiful, patient, sweet and thoughtful spouse...to my handsome, athletic, intelligent, funny and amazing son...I give thanks, I appreciate, I acknowledge my bounty...and I wouldn't have it any other way.

btw, the film From Spokane, With Love has been rescheduled for late summer, early fall...just in case you were following it.

Love to all! May the universe rain down beauty, opportunity and love ]]>Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:32:00 GMThttp://dancingcrowmedia.com/1/post/2011/10/where-does-the-day-go.htmlNo honestly, I meant that, where does the day go? It seems like I just woke up (I actually woke up at 5:30am) and the day is half over, ugh. I do have to say I've accomplished a heckuva lot. The "Persian Film" as we have been referring to lovingly for awhile now is taking shape. My Executive Producer and I worked out the details for the beginning of the film which will lead nicely into the real message: that we are all humans and should treat each other that way...I mean c'mon people, this isn't brain surgery, right?
Then why is it so difficult for so many people to accept? Think about it. How many people around you right now buy into the whole "us or them" mentality...go ahead, count, I'll wait.
More than you may have suspected...some of them may even be related to you. Scary huh? No, not really. Most people just take what their given, you know, the P word...no not penis...PROPAGANDA!!!!!
Yup, it's out there all the time, as deadly as the black plague and twice as fast. It's insidious too. Sometimes you don't even realize that you're a victim of it until it's too late and you've already downed that can of diet soda and that hydrogenated burger from (fill in any fast food corporation here)...and that's just the fairly harmless kind of mind gymnastics.
The really dangerous stuff is when nationalism and patriotism are subverted for evil...you know, control the masses with fear and nationalism, find a scapegoat...if at this point you're scratching your heads and considering 'unfollowing' us on Twitter because I sound like a kook, read Orwells 1984 or go and read a little about what Hermann Goering had to say about how to control the masses...go ahead, I'll wait.
Pretty wild stuff, right...no not really, I mean it's crazy but it's being used, to make you believe that we need someone to blame, to hate, to fear...and while you're hating, fearing and blaming this, other group, the powers that be figure out ways to make money on it, on you, on your fear, your hatred and your blame.
That is what our story is really about. We are all human beings on this earth. Most of us are kind, loving people. Parents, children, mothers, husbands, brothers and sisters just trying to make a good life for ourselves and those that we care about and love. Yes, there are a few out there that are evil, I don't doubt it, but the majority are just common folk, making our way through our lives the best way we can.
We all need to learn this now. We need to stop paying attention to the powers that are subverting our way of life to pad their own bank accounts. That are attempting to buy and sell us as commodities. We all deserve to live in peace with each other. Until we all accept that the guy down the block, or on the other side of the world is EXACTLY like us...or sure, they may look a little different, or eat a different kind of food than you and they may even pray a little different than you, but they are you...time to just wrap our heads around it...we are all brothers and sisters on this muddy little ball...thanks for listening to me rant...but I wouldn't rant if I didn't believe it with all of my heart and I didn't think it was time we opened up to it...I'm just the messenger folks...one of many.

peace out,

JJ
]]>Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:17:19 GMThttp://dancingcrowmedia.com/1/post/2011/09/its-easy-to-let-yourself-feel-down-dcm-has-the-visual-tools-to-help-you-out.htmlThe economy's bad, the world is in turmoil and sometimes you just don't feel like getting out of bed in the morning. Here's the thing...you can't let it get to you. You just can't. You can feel better simply by willing yourself to do it.
Now I know what you're going to say, "I've got circumstances that are beyond my control". Yes, that may be true.
I do too to some extent. An example would be that I used to work with some people that were the most unashamed kiss-asses on the planet. If you know me (as not many people really know me) there is nothing I hate worse (except for pedophiles) than brown-nosing kiss-asses, and let me tell you, these people would get under my skin, every day.
So, what did I do about it? I made a conscious decision to think about other things. I can't control (even though I'd love to) these peoples behavior. I can't control how my boss favored them because of it. I could only choose the way I would deal with it. When I made that decision, I felt better about it.
Now, do I still hate the kiss-asses? Yes, yes I do...but I don't let them get to me. I get to choose how I feel, what I deal with or not, how I act and don't react. I choose my feelings, my happiness, my sadness. I choose.
When you realize that you have the choice, it can make your situation seem a little brighter...I mean, it's no cure for deep psychosis, but it's a place to jump off at. It's a good start. It's a day by day thing.
Another thing that I have found that works is a little thing we at DCM call the Vision Film.
What is a Vision Film? It's a short movie set to music that (through images and film footage) gives you the mental queues to think positive thoughts. It's a visual support system that helps you stay focused on the good things, good images and the path you wish to follow.
If you want to say, get back into shape, you could make a video showing images of people working out, while graphic  (or auditory) feedback stimulates your brain with those ideas. It might show a picture of you when you were in good shape. Watching this film as a daily regimen would help you to visualize getting into shape, feeling good, or whatever else you wished to improve in your life.
Visualization is a very powerful tool. Using video and auditory stimulus to help bolster that visualization is even more powerful.
Sounds pretty cool huh? What if you don't know how to make a short film?
DCM can help you by designing a Vision Film tailored to your needs.
Contact us for a general quote.

Thanks JJC @ DCM

]]>Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:44:34 GMThttp://dancingcrowmedia.com/1/post/2011/09/first-post.htmlI knew it had to happen eventually. Fall. With it the cold weather, rain and trees dropping their leaves and needles all over the place. The summer now seems very distant with it's 90 degree weather, bugs and dust. So what's the problem you might be asking? If yer not, just do it to humor me, k? So what's the problem you ask? It sounds like you didn't exactly have a love affair with summer.
No I didn't. Don't misunderstand me, it was great, I loved it. Really this has nothing to do with the individual seasons. It has everything to do with time passing, faster than it ever has before.
It feels like just yesterday for everything...like life is rushing past at a mile a second. Really this is about the act of 'doing'. Not just 'talking about' or 'planning to' or 'I'll get around to that'. I have to bring things into life that have been sitting on my plate for far too long. I am, after all, the master of my own destiny. I have to believe that or else I'll fold up.
So today we'll mark a special day. Today is the day we decided to get things done. Mark it folks, with a big red X.

Today's the day it all changed up.]]>