Mini Nervous Breakdown

Well today didn't start off so well. If you are a regular reader of my blog I have been under a bit of stress as of late. I mean there always seems to be stress in my life but most of the time it's the good kind, The Guild, podcasting, social media stuff but my current job has started to pick up some steam and things are getting really stressful and on top of all the "fun" stress I have this job stress and the stress of not knowing if my Dad's cancer has returned (find out next week). So today some very little issue happened at work and I almost lost it.

My head started to hurt and I felt a tightness in my chest, I honestly thought I was having a heart attack. Two co-workers were standing in my office and I asked them to both leave and shut the door as I needed a minute to myself. I guess they didn't think that was a good idea as they both just stood there looking at me asking if I was alright. Seems I turned white as a ghost and my breathing was becoming shallow. The next few minutes are kind of a blur. I remember telling myself to calm down, to just breath and I guess it worked as a few minutes passed, color came back to my face and I was able to breath normally. I had a horrible headache but the chest pains were gone and I was feeling better.

I've had anxiety attacks in the past but this felt like nothing else I have ever experienced. I'm one who never yells, scream or get upset. I tend to push down those emotions and I'm guessing that that isn't good. I can only hold down so much before the pressure explodes. I'm guessing that's why a little thing like today, can set me off. I really need to work on releasing some of this stress and tension a little bit at a time so this doesn't happen again and I have a full mental nervous breakdown.

Getting a New Car

Dodge Caliber

Okay so I'm sooo over having a jeep and it's time for me to get a new car. And when I say new I want a brand new car, which, in my 40 years have never had. So I rented a Dodge Caliber a few years back and really liked it. I like the look and the feel. It got some good gas mileage and had some pick up for being a 4 cylinder. So that's been on the top of my list for a while now but then a few days ago I saw this very funky but cool looking car, a Nissan Juke. I never heard of them so I immediately looked it up on my iphone. I don't know how they ride or anything but I really like the look of them. I do know that both cars are comparable when it comes to gas mileage, Caliber gets 26/31 MPG and Juke gets 27/32 MPG. As for price Caliber costs just a bit less, between $17,000 - $19,000

Nissan Juke

and Juke costs between $18,000 to $23,000.

Of course I'm going to do more research and maybe test drive both of them. I've never owned a Dodge or a Nissan so I don't know how good those brands are. If anyone out there has either of these cars let me know what you think. I don't know when I'll be buying my new car but it will be soon and I'll keep everyone updated on my progress.

Unexpected Day Off

Okay so it wasn't really a day off but I did not plan to stay home from work today but if you read my previous blog you know that my Jeep took a turn for the worse last night. So this morning I called the repair station where it was dropped off last night. They said they were checking it out and would give me a call and give me the details. I was hoping to have it back by the after noon but around 10am they called and informed me that yes indeed my radiator needed to be replaced, and that it would cost me around $500. And like most repair shops they went into other items that they found wrong with the vehicle and for the most part I declined the work but know I'll have to get it done in the near future. But I did get my oiled changed and replaced the brake pads and rotors for both front tires.

So I was told it should be ready in a few hours... well a few hours passed and I heard nothing so finally at 3pm I called and asked if my jeep was ready and was informed that they finished the work and took it for a test drive and one of the front rotors locked up and was defective so they had to run out and get another one and would call me when it was ready. Finally at 5:45pm I called them as I knew they closed at 6 and they informed me that my jeep was ready. Luckily this place is open 24 hours, well the repair place isn't but since it's part of a gas station the cashier is always open. So I opted not to head down in the middle of traffic and wait until later in the evening when traffic wouldn't be as bad. So around 8:30pm Harry drove me over to West LA and I picked up my Jeep and finally got home around 10:30pm

This is the time that I wish I knew someone mechanically inclined. Parts for this job was about $415 and labor was even more $462 for a grand total of $877. Luckily I have the money to pay for this.. but man that's a lot of money for a car that I hope to not have in the near future... but I need a car and this is what I have at the moment.

While working from home I did get some yard work done, but it was way to hot to get any good amount done. I also worked on the next episode of MASH 4077 Podcast but again didn't get much done.

PS.. it's my Brother's Birthday today... HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL!!!!!

Bad Night

So coming off of a pretty stressful day at work I started my trek home. About thirty minutes into the drive and right before I got on the freeway I stopped at a red light and noticed a little white smoke coming from under the hood of my jeep. I looked at my temperature gauge and it was a little past the center but nothing horrible so I drove for another minute when smoke started bellowing out and I knew that something was really wrong so I manage to pull over and into a residential area. As I opened the hood of my jeep, steam came shooting out, about 2 feet high, from a three inch crack right on top of my radiator.

I called AAA, they sent a tow truck and took me to a local gas station / repair shop but of course they are closed by this time but they had an overnight drop off window. So I called Harry to come pick me up and 3 1/2 hours later I finally get home. So now I have to call this place tomorrow morning and find out how much it's going to cost me to get my radiator fixed/replaced. Guess I shouldn't be surprised this is how my night would end...  as it was a pretty crappy day all around.

An Unexpected Gift

Tonight when I got home I saw that I had received a rather large box. Now I was aware that my buddy Bryan had sent me something as he previously asked if he could get a list of things I have related to Harry Potter. Of course there is no way I could make a list like that as there is just to much stuff. And then he asked if I had gotten any Harry Potter stuff from the Nobel Collection. I told him only the two items that he got me for Christmas last year. So I put two and two together and figured it was something from the Noble Collection but that didn't prepare me for the AWESOMENESS that was the gift. I opened the package and my jaw dropped. I pulled out this beautifully crafted and very heavy statue (for a better word) of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was expecting something Harry Potter but nothing like this. It's proudly sitting on my couch table in the living room surrounded by my Harry Potter mini busts and it looks great.

Thanks Bryan for being such a great friend and for sending this to me just because... it's a very special gift and one that I will always treasure.

Update on my Geeky Life

Where to start.. we are only two days into May but this looks to be one of the most hectic and busiest months of the year. Work (MTV) is ramping up, we will have our very first episode of Chelsea Settles go into online and 2 more episodes will follow quickly after. My job is pretty crazy to begin with but when shows go into online it quadruples in stress and busyness. The next three months is going to be very hellish!!!

Also The Guild is going to start shooting its second half if Season Five, this weekend, which I hope to be on set for as much as I can. Luckily I don't have to edited the companioncasts until summer time but I still have two fairly successful podcasts; Knights of the Guild and MASH 4077 Podcast that both have episodes due to be released on May 15th & May 29th/June 1st, and I haven't even started to edit those.

I have put my third podcast, Epic Geek Out, my Internet Radio Station and Podcast Hub Project on hold.. at least until I can focus on them better.

People think I'm crazy because I joined a Los Angeles community Quidditch team. I know I'm extremely busy but I have three reasons for joining. 1, I joined because I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. 2, I joined because I think it will be super fun to actually play Quidditch and 3, I joined because I hope to get a good workout and in turn lose some weight.

I've been working out in the yard, we have to clear brush before May 1st (yeah it's pass due).  Harry been doing a lot of weed pulling and I have been using the mega weed whacker to take down the large areas of brush. Not sure when I'll be able to get back to this but it needs to be done before the fire marshal fines us.

Harry is still making plans to move back to Austria, he's goal is to fly back sometime in August. Once he has left the house I will reassess my life. Don't know if I want to start date again, or take some time to be by myself and enjoy the single life. Don't really have any plans just will see where life takes me.

Luckily the TV season is coming to an end and I'll be able to catch up on all the missed TV that sitting in my DVR and I'm still hoping to squeeze in seeing friends and family here and there.

I'm planning a trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in September. I thinking of going September 12th to the 16th. Been wanting to go since it opened and my current job will end towards the end of August and I have nothing booked for that.

I'm also in the very early stages of planning a trip to Europe next year. I have lots of  "online" friends who have offered places to stay all throughout Europe so I'm hoping to take a month and travel around Europe and visit friends and cool places.

And of course everything will depend on my Dad's cancer status. He sees the Doctor on Thursday where they will do tests and then he should get the results on May 10th. We should know if the cancer has returned and what his options will be. All we can do is hope for the best and that it's nothing serious and can be fixed with meds, but I have been trying to prepare myself for the worse. Not sure if my Dad has another fight in him if the cancer has returned. Think happy thoughts!!!

Not to end this blog on a sad note..  life is good, love doing the podcasts, I have wonderful real life and online friends, my job is stressful and there is a very long commute but it pays wells and I like the people I work with. And I'm just happy to have a job. I'm 40 and starting a new chapter in my life. Can't wait to see what the future holds.

My Top 5 "Gay" Themed Movies

A friend of mine asked me what some of my favorite "gay" themed movies might be. First of all I don't think of movies as being "gay" or "straight", but with that said there are movies who's main characters are gay and the stories revolve around a gay lifestyle... so I figured I'd blog and let everyone know my top 5 favorites.

Alot of "gay" themed movies are dramatic and depressing as they deal with coming out, or HIV/AIDS or bigotry and normally end on a somber note. I'm not saying that I don't like these types of movies but there is a time and place for movies like that. I look for funny, romantic comedies, which are hard to come by... at least the good ones.

So here is my list of favorite "gay" themed movies.

#5 - Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss - Billy, a struggling young gay photographer (who likes Polaroids), tired of being the "other man", falls in love with Gabriel, a waiter and aspiring musician who is probably straight but possibly gay or at least curious. Billy tries to get Gabriel to model for his latest project, a series of remakes of famous Hollywood screen kisses, featuring male couples, while also trying to win his affections.

This was a cute and fun movie staring Sean Hayes (before he was Jack on Will and Grace). The story is simple and the acting is good. It's light hearted with it's moment of drama and unlike most movies there is a happy ending.

#4 - Broken Hearts Club - A group of gay friends in West Hollywood lean on each other to work their way through gay life, not always with success. They gather around Jack's Broken Hearts restaurant and lounge, Jack acting as their father figure and the coach and head cheerleader behind the inept Broken Hearts softball team.

This was my very first "gay" themed movie that I had seen and I wasn't even out of the closet yet. So this movie hold a special place in my heart. It's a slice of life kind of story. It's the kind of life I always wanted with a group of friends that I have always wanted. It's funny, sad, mellow dramatic and all around great movie.

#3 - Touch of Pink - Alim is an Indo-Canadian man currently living in London, England, the move in order to get away from what he feels is his repressive life in Toronto under the watchful and critical eye of his widowed mother, Nuru. For Nuru, the perfect public Muslim persona is the most important thing in life. Back in London, Alim is free to live openly a gay man, of which his mother is not aware. He is in a loving relationship with his live-in British boyfriend, Giles. To navigate through his complicated life, Alim uses the spirit of Cary Grant as his confidante and advisor. Feeling like her life is missing a daughter-in-law, Nuru decides to reconnect with Alim in London. Not yet ready to tell his mother of either Giles or his homosexual orientation, Alim, with Giles' support, hides any aspect of this fact for Nuru's visit. But as Giles is tested one turn after another during Nuru's visit, both Alim and Nuru begin to understand what is truly important in their lives leading to true happiness.

LOVE this movie, it's tough not having it as #1 or #2. This is a very sweet and funny movie. I love the two main characters relationship, I like how they portray the struggle of coming out to family and of course I'm a sucker for a happy ending and this one has one of the best and funniest.

#2 - Guys and Balls (Manner wie wir) - This movie is in German with English subtitles. Ecki lives with his parents who own a bakery in Boldrup, a (fictitious) small German town near Dortmund. Football (Soccor), the German national pastime, is particularly popular in this heavily industrialized region and Ecki has been an avid and successful player since his childhood days. In a decisive game, he fails to keep a ball and is then evicted from the team, with his mistake being used to cover the real reason—the revelation that he is gay that comes about when he is observed by some of his teammates kissing another man on the mouth. Ecki is defiant and immediately sets out to form his own team and beat his ex-teammates at their game.

I've seen a lot of foreign "gay" themed movies and most are extremely depressing but when I heard about this one I actually seeked it out and found out it was playing at a local theater in Hollywood. I figured Harry would get a kick out of it since it's in his native language and there was just something so charming about the main character. I walked out of that theater with a huge smile on my face. I loved every minute of this movie. It's funny, sad, romantic, heart wrenching, heart warming and just so darn cute. This movie is so well done that you honestly don't need to read the sub-titles and still understand what is going on. The main character Ecki played by Maximilian Brückner is so charismatic and charming you can't get enough of him.

#1 - Big Eden - Big Eden is a tiny fictional town in northwestern Montana. Timber and Cowboy country. This is the story of Henry Hart, a successful New York Artist, who returns to the town of his childhood to care for the ailing grandfather who raised him. Back in Big Eden, Henry must come to terms with his relationship to Dean Stewart, his best friend from high School, as well as the object of his unrequited love. All these years Henry has been pining for a dream image of Dean from back then. This is also the story of Pike Dexter, the shy, unassuming Native American owner of the town's general store, who is as surprised as anyone to find himself falling in love with Henry. The people of Big Eden conspire and attempt to bring Henry and Pike together.

This is one of my all time favorite, not only "gay" themed but of all romantic dramady. This movie is just a great movie plain and simple, who's main character just happens to be gay. Maybe I love this movie because I would love to live in this beautiful, well adjusted, open minded town. Were love is love that's all that matters. The acting is superb, the story is great, there are sad moments, but always laugh out loud moments. We've all had unrequited love so you can easily identify with the main character. You experience the joy, the heard break and finally love that each character has for each other. This is truly and incredible movie.

Here are some honorable mentions:  Get Real (great coming of age story) - Love, Valour, Compassion (sweet, fun but also tragic) - Latter Days (a nice coming to terms story) - Jeffery (very socially minded flick, HIV?AIDS story) - Trick (simple but very cute movie) - Longtime Companion (slice of life, balled like a baby, extremely sad and heart breaking)  - Brokeback Mountain (Heart wrenching story).

My Sunday

Wish this was a relaxing day but it seems that it's not meant to be.. at least at this moment in my life. After getting 3 hours sleep and driving Harry's family to LAX I got home and was tired but not tired enough to go back to bed. I was never one for taking naps. So instead I got on the computer and released the seventh episode of my MASH Podcast and went to the various sites to promote it. I planned to do some more yard work but it was still early around 8am so instead I plopped in front of the TV and tried to watch some of the shows that we've recorded the past 3 weeks since Harry's family was in town. Harry went back to bed and since we watch a few of these shows together I had to be selective on what I watched. So in a sense I did get a few hours of relaxation.

But it didn't last long around 11am I dragged my body out of the house and started to some yard work. About thirty minutes in my mega weed whacker ran out of gas, so I had to stop and get in my jeep and head to the closest gas station, which is about 15 minutes away. While driving there I realized that my jeep was also out of gas and I was driving on fumes. I managed to get to the gas station right before my jeep died on me. So I filled up my Jeep and my gas can and headed back.

With a full tank my weed whacker was ready to go and I continued for another hour before taking a break. Unlike yesterday, the sun was hot but there was a strong breeze that cooled you down. Today was hotter then yesterday and there was a light breeze that did nothing. So for the next four hours I would go out for about an hour and then come back in for a 15 minute break, but by 5pm I gave up as exhaustion and heat stroke got the better of me.

On a bad note.. while cutting weeds several rocks flew at my face and scratched both lens' on my new glasses. But me being me I looked on the bright side and figured if I wasn't wearing the glasses the rocks may have injured my eyes. But none the less I'll have to get the glasses fixed which in turn will cost me another few hundred dollars :(

Harry and I watched the latest Doctor Who, episode 2 Day of the Moon and really enjoyed it. Don't have a clue what's going on but I kind of like that about Who. We also watched a few hours of Extreme Makeover Home Edition while eating dinner. Around 8 I got a tweet saying that Osama Bin Laden was dead. I turned on the news and found it was true. Harry and I discussed it for a minute and then went back to our TV (I'll post a separate blog about my thoughts on this issue). One downside to the news is that the major networks broke into our local programing so we lost an episode of Extreme Makeover but what really upset us was the fact that we lost an episode of Amazing Race. But there is a happy ending for us as the news coverage ended CBS pushed Amazing Race and aired it at 9pm instead so we got to watch it in it's entirety. It's the second to last episode and it was another good one.

Amazing Race ended at 10pm, and I watched the first 15 minutes of the local news before heading to bed where, as I always do, watch an episode of The Simpsons and this time it was a new one. So in the end it was an okay day.. got some yard work done, got some TV in, released a podcast and the death of a Bin Laden.

MASH 4077 Podcast Episode 7

Download from itunes http://tinyurl.com/MASH4077itunes or listen/direct download http://bit.ly/eXCRxT

Today we cover Episode #7 - Bananas, Cracker and Nuts

Directed by Bruce Bilson
Written by Burt Styler
Production code J311
Original air date November 5th, 1972

Set during the Korean War in the 1950’s

After an unusually long stretch in the OR, Hawkeye and Trapper argue, and decide that they need some R&R. Unfortunately, Henry is leaving for a few days, leaving Frank in charge. Hawkeye decides to pretend to be insane to try to get a few days off despite Frank's prejudice. He rejects a proposition from an attractive nurse, eats a plate of ostensibly human liver in full surgical garb, and reacts violently when Frank touches the plate. Trapper tells Frank that Hawkeye is losing it, and that he (Trapper) should take him to Tokyo for R&R. Uncertain about whether they are serious or if it is an elaborate act, Margaret calls in a psychiatrist friend, Capt. Philip Sherman, to assess Hawkeye's emotional state. After Hawkeye tells Sherman that he is in love with Frank, Sherman declares him to be insane. When Henry learns of Sherman's finding, he argues that Hawkeye was merely trying to get R&R, but Sherman insists that Hawkeye needs to be committed to a hospital in Tokyo.

Hawkeye, upon hearing this, confesses he simply wanted a holiday from the war, but Sherman, who has designs on Margaret, insists that he be sent for treatment. Hawkeye concocts with Radar an elaborate plan to make it appear that Sherman is trying to molest Margaret in her sleep. Their plan succeeds, Sherman is sent from the unit, and Hawkeye is allowed to stay

Hope you enjoy it,

Kenny, Meds, Al & Harry

Find Us on the Web:
Main website - http://MASH4077Podcast.com
Twitter - @MASH4077Podcast
Facebook Fan Page - http://www.facebook.com/MASH4077Podcast
MASH 4077 Podcast Blog - http://www.MASH4077Podcast.blogspot.com
Email Us - MASH4077Podcast@Gmail.com

Early Rise

Today I had to get up at 4:30am. That's super early but what makes it worse is I didn't get to bed until 12:30am and actually fell asleep around 1:30am. So on 3 hours sleep after a long day of yard work and party/podcasting I was exhausted. But we had to get Harry's family back to LAX for their 7:50am flight home to Austria. It's always surprising what you body can do. With only 3 hours of sleep I managed to get up and feel pretty okay. We had to do two vehicles so we packed up my jeep with luggage and Harry's brother-in-law Bernd joined me and everyone else went with Harry in his truck. As expected there was very little traffic at 5am heading to LAX. But because we live so far out it still took us about 1 hour 20 minutes to get there. We dropped them off, said our goodbyes and headed back home. Harry opted to take a nap but I was awake and have a hard time taking naps so I stayed awake and watched some tv. Later I'm going to head outside for more exciting yard work.

It was nice having Harry's family with us for three weeks but it's always VERY nice to have our house back to ourselves. Now to just get everything back in order.

Knights of the Guild Meet Tech Barbarians

After doing yard work for the past five hours I was tired and sore but my day had just begun. My friends Chris and Mark from the Tech Barbarians podcast were visiting from Atlanta and we were having a party at our friends Teal's house. We decided to do a joint podcast since Jenni and I do Knights of the Guild and Chris and Mark do Tech Barbarians. Both Jenni and I have been guests on Tech Barbarians so we figured why not have Chris and Mark be guests on Knights of the Guild. But there was planning to do.

After my yard work I took a shower and got cleaned. I then went to the super market to pick up beer, soda and snacks (we were ordering pizza and pasta for dinner later in the evening). I got to Teals place at 6 and unloaded my jeep with her help. We started to set up everything. Chris and Mark were stuck in traffic. Jenni arrived first, then Teal's boyfriend Ali. Around 7 Chris, his wife and 3 daughters along with Mark showed up. Jay (Guild Crew), Gabriel (I Hearth Geek Podcaster), Edgar (Guild Wedmaster), Teddy (Guild's Brusier), and Sean (Guild director) arrived as well as the food and everyone started to eat. We wanted to start the podcast around 7pm but as it always happens we got off to a late start and started the podcast around 8.

I had no notes, no structure planned, and for those who know me that's very unusual. So it was kind of chaotic. But everyone seemed to have alot of fun and the end the night we all played Beatles Rockband. We recorded about 2 hours of podcast material which I get the pleasure of editing down. And the party lasted for about 4 1/2 hours. Brett (Guild's Mr. Wiggly) did show up about 11pm and joined in the fun. All in all it was a fun night. It was great meeting Chris and Mark, both just as much fun in person as they are over skype. It was great hanging with friends and playing Rockband.

The party did go a bit longer then I had expected as I had to get up at 4am to take Harry's family to the airport.. but that's for another blog.

You can watch/listen to the podcast here. http://ow.ly/4KHaW Password KOTG

Check out more pictures HERE

Yard Work

Today was a big yard work day, since this weekend is my only free weekend for the next three weeks I wanted to take advantage of that fact and get some major yard work done. I borrowed my neighbors mega weed whacker as my little hand held one can hack some of the humongous weeds we have. I started around 11am and the weather was warm but with a breeze so it kept me cool. I stopped around 1pm to make some something to eat then started back up around 1:30 and went until 4.

For those who don't know I own a house and it sits on 2 1/2 acres of land. Every year we have a fire line deadline, which means we have to have a 500 foot radius around our house clear of brush. Well the deadline is May 1st.. yeah that's tomorrow and there is a ton to do... talk about waiting until the last minute. But with that said I think I did a pretty good job at getting about  1/3 of it done and it was the toughest part of my property as it's all hillside. I had to stop at 4 because I had to get ready for a joint podcast which I'll talk about in another blog.

I totally forgot to take picture of the before and after but when I do the next section tomorrow, I'll be sure to do that so you can share in my accomplishments :)

Dedication to My Podcasts

Got a call from Brian Kameoka while I was driving to my Quidditch meeting last night informing me that The Guild was looking for Extras of the second of their Season 5 shoot. And that he wanted Knights of the Guild podcast to have exclusive announcement of it... which is fantastic. Told him I would do a quick News MiniCast and release it asap. I was hoping to do it last night when I got home from the Quidditch meeting but since I went out with Luis for a late dinner I didn't get him until midnight and was way to tired to record a podcast so I opted to get a few hours sleep and then get up around 6am and record, edited and upload the cast. Normally my work start time can vary, which is great as you never know how traffic is going to be but of course today I had a post meeting at 10am at MTV. So I knew I had to leave my house no later then 8am to make it to work on time.  So I had to record, edit and upload a podcast within two hours 6am to 8am.

So I got up, walked the dog and then go to work. Everything went fairly smooth and I finished around 7:45am. Everything was up and I tweeted about the new KOTG News Minicast #7 - Extra, Extra, We Need Extras and headed off to work. About half way to work I start getting texts that there is something wrong with the podcast that about halfway through it the audio drops out. Of course I double check everything and know that the audio was working fine so it must be when I uploaded it to podbean.. something happened. Well I was in the middle of traffic so there was nothing I could do. I tweeted that we were having issues and hope to have it fixed soon. But of course I had my 10 o'clock meeting that was going to last until Noon. Just then I get a call from my lead Assistant Editor who informed me that he will not be coming in due to illness. Well that determined what I had to do next. I could not leave post for two hours with no one here to help if something went wrong. So I informed who I need to inform that I would not be attending the meeting as I needed to stay in post (which was fine). The extra benefit was that I was able to fix the issue with the podcast much sooner then planned. As I got to work around 9:45am I called Harry and had him send me the file so I could check it. Sure enough when he did that file was bad. So it seems that when I outputted the file from Audacity something went wrong.. so I had Harry re-output the file and email it to me in which he did and I uploaded it to podbean replacing the bad file and viola the podcast is back up and running smoothly.

So if you want to listen to it you can download from itunes - http://bit.ly/KotGCast, or direct download / listen here http://bit.ly/2CrYxk

The Guild is looking for Extras.. take a listen to our latest News MiniCast for all the details.

Ebay Auction URL: http://cgi.ebay.com/110680674489

Guild Casting, Extra Online Form: http://bit.ly/s5-extra

Knights of the Guild Ep 29

Download from itunes - http://bit.ly/KotGCast, or direct download / listen http://bit.ly/2CrYxk

Today’s show features:

* Knights of the Guild theme song by Matthew Gehrett http://www.matthewgehrett.com/
* What the Hosts are up too.
* Trivia
* Guild Something with Sean & Brian
* Crew Interview with Director/Film Maker Greg Benson
* Donations
* How to find us on the Web.. aka Business Time

Thank you again for all your support, we do this podcast because we are fans and more importantly for the fans. Thanks, Kenny & Jenni

Other Important Links

Knights of the Guild Feeds/Downloads http://knightsoftheguild.com
Knights of the Guild Daily Blog http://knightsoftheguildpodcast.blogspot.com/
Knights of the Guild Fan page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group
Knights of the Guild Group on Watchtheguild.com http://community.watchtheguild.com/group
Knights of the Guild UStream Channel http://www.ustream.tv/channel/knights-of-the-guild (Password for UStream is KOTG)
Follow us on twitter @knightsofguild
Follow the Hosts Kenny @Geekyfanboy & Jenni @Jennipowell
Knights of the Guild You Tube Channel : http://www.youtube.com/user/KnightsoftheGuild1
Knights of the Guild Twit Pic Page: http://twitpic.com/photos/Knightsofguild
Greg Benson's Website http://mediocrefilms.com/

My 1st Quidditch Meeting

Tonight after work I went to my very first Quidditch meeting for the new Los Angeles Community Quidditch team. I was very excited as I've been looking for a team to play with for many years. This was the very first meeting just to see how many people were interested and go over general rules and such.

I left work a little early around 6:30pm as the meeting started at 7:30 I figured an hour would be enough time to go 8.3 miles.. google maps said it would take about 18 minutes but I knew better. Well maybe not well enough as it took me an hour to get there and then ten minutes or so to find parking. So I walked in and there were about 10 or so people already there. I introduced myself and took a seat on the couch. You could tell people were just as excited as I was getting this team started. I did feel a bit awkward as I was clearly the oldest one there. Most looked to be just out of high school or in collage. And they all seemed to know each other. But I did what I do best.. sat quietly in the corner. My friend Luis was suppose to join me but traffic was even worse for him so he didn't get there until nearly the end.

The meeting started and Noa (assuming she'll be our team Captain) started to explain everything, going over the rules, and such. I of course read up on everything I could after watching the Western Cup a few weeks back. We discussed times to practise. I think we are doing Thursday evenings in the Burbank area and Sunday evenings in the Los Angeles area.. now of course if it was the opposite (Sunday in Burbank and Thursdays in Los Angeles)  that would be more ideal for me as I live closer to Burbank so I could get there easier on Sundays and I work closer to Los Angeles and could make practise on time on Thursdays.. but now I'll be driving to LA on Sundays and from Santa Monica to Burbank on Thursdays. But nothing is set in stone so things may change as well as my job is I'm not at a fixed location.

We voted on the name of our Quidditch team and the winner was Hollywood Harpies, wouldn't have been my first choice, would rather have been Hollywood Hippogriffs but the majority of the people (being woman) did like it so that is our team name. We couldn't decide on our colors yet so that will be saved for a later date. We set up a date for next Thursday to build our hoops and such. They are planning an unofficial practice on Sunday (Mother's Day), but I'll be working for The Guild that day but it is later at night so I might be able to stop by for some practice.

All in all it was a good first meeting, really looking forward to getting started. I hope to not only have fun but to lose weight as well as it's requires lots of running back and forth. Need to pick up some pads, googles and a cup for protection.. and some sort of faux broom for practice. I'm sure I'll be doing video and pictures of the practices.. I might even to a podcast about it... so stay tuned for my wild Quidditch adventure.

After the meeting Luis and I went out for a late dinner and geeked out about Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.. a great way to end a fun night.

100 Facts About Me Recap 1 - 80

Hey Guys.. still have 20 left to do but figured I'd do a recap of the first 80.. so here they are.. everything you wanted to know about Kenny and maybe just a bit more.

1. I'll be 41 years old come September.
2. I've broken two bones so far... .my right arm (fell off monkey bars) and left wrist (rolled down a hill with an ATV)
3. I currently have 2 tattoos, Hogwarts crest on my left shoulder & R2D2 on my right calf, with plans to get 3 more
4. When I was younger I wanted to be a veterinarian.
5. I struggled with being gay and didn't come out of the closet until I was 27 years old.
6. My favorite type of music is Country Music.
7. I am extremely shy & quiet (on the verge of socially awkward) in person
8. Favorite color is Green
9. I don't cuss.. EVER!!!
10. I've been collecting action figures for 34 years.
11. I've always wanted a biological child of my own. There is still hope of have one
12. My hair has been purple, red, orange, black, blond and it's natural brown.
13. My very first geeky convention that I attended was in LA for the series Alien Nation, 2 days of awesomeness.
14. I was Donny and Marie Osmond's personal assistant back in the summer 97
15. I graduated from California State University Fullerton w/ a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication - TV/Radio/Film
16. I don't drink (once a year maybe), never smoked, never done drugs of any kind.
17. Saved my brother from drowning when he was 3 and I was 8
18. I'm a Hopeless Romantic
19. I love singing along with the radio while driving in the car
20. Because of Jaws I'm still afraid to go into deep water / ocean

21. I've worked in the TV/Film industry for over 16 years
22. I was born and raised in Southern California
23. Saw Star Wars when I was 7 & it made me the Geekyfanboy I am today.
24. Pets I've had, Dogs, Cats, Chickens, Ducks, Turtle, Rabbits, Mice, Rats, Fish & a Chinchilla
25. I bungee jumped from 150 feet up.
26. I had a Star Trek "Borg" Themed wedding cake http://geekyfanboy.com/WeddingPage_17.jpg
27. Rode my bike from San Fransisco to Los Angeles (600+ miles) in seven days for the California Aids Ride in 2001
28. I'm a roller coaster enthusiast
29. I have a large round birth mark the size of a sliver dollar on my lower back.
30. I've appeared in 8 episodes of the webseries The Guild

31. I have an infectious laugh, friends use to call me The Giggler
32. Had an anxiety/panic attack in High School that was so bad that I made myself go temporally blind
33. Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Trek, Star Wars and Firefly our my top 5 favorite worlds to visit.
34. If I went to Hogwarts I'd be sorted into Hufflepuff, which values Loyalty, Dedication and Hard Work.. sounds like me
35. I am a proud member of the Producer's Guild of America
36. I am teaching myself American Sign Language 
37. Found my Dad's biological family after 58 years
38. I am half Puerto Rican & half German
39. I am allergic to Dairy (Lactose intolerant)
40. Graduated from High School with a 3.89 GPA and in the top 10% of my class

41. Christmas is my favorite holiday.
42. Would rather be in the company of a handful of close friends then a room full of acquaintances.
43. I've only been out of the United States once in my life (Mexico) Planning a Europe trip very soon.
44. Though I do 3 podcasts I've always disliked the sound of my voice.
45. I've always been mature for my age.. at 16 I was ready to marry and settle down.
46. At the age of 37 I dressed up in my Hogwarts Robes and stood in line for the release of the final Harry Potter book.
47. I'm one of those people who always looks on the bright side of things.
48. I'm addicted to the internet, can't go more then a few hours without checking my email, facebook, or twitter.
49. Don't eat salads, not a big veggie eater.
50. Call me a Geek, Dork, Dweeb, Nerd, or Loser.. I don't care.. I love who I am and wouldn't change for anything. 

51. I'm a very empathic person.
52.Would rather be poor & happy then rich & unhappy.
53. I'm an HGTV junkie, can't get enough of those shows.
54. I've been blogging for almost 10 years.
55. I love to dance, not saying I'm good, but it's tons of fun.
56. I'd rather live in the country/woods/mountains then in a big city.
57. I have a difficult time accepting compliments.
58. I'm a nice guy and normally finish last.
59. Loved the Star Wars prequels, not as much as the original trilogy but still very enjoyable.
60. In High School I had a Pompadour-Mullet.. yeah I was that cool :)

61. My middle name is Harvey, named after my grandfather.
62. I can't spell to save my life, thank goodness for spellcheckers.
63. My childhood nickname was KenKen, as my dad went by Kenny.
64. Use to have a speech impediment when I was younger, took many years to over come, still have it slightly.
65. For those who haven't met me in person I'm short, standing at a proud 5 foot 3 1/2 inches.
66. Favorite book series would be a toss up between Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.
67. Favorite Star Trek Series, TNG, followed closely by Voyager & DS9, also enjoy Enterprise and TOS.
68. Though I work on The Guild I've never played WoW, nor played alot of video games.
69. As I get older I try and enjoy my life more as there is less of it.
70. I'm a 1st time Uncle & his name is Kenobi (22months). 

71. I want to go skydiving at least once in my life.

72. I’ve always had weight issues and am currently 40lbs over weight.

73. I had a rocking mustache from age 12 and didn’t shave it off until I was 19.

74. My hair is thinning on top to the point of baldness L

75. I am a podcaster currently creator/co-host/producer on Knights of the Guild, MASH 4077 Podcast and Epic Geek Out

76. I've always wanted to learn to play the piano & flute.. I hope to still do that some day

77. Use to watch Soaps, One Life to Live and General Hospital religiously, from age 12 to 22

78. I’ve had major dental work done, my top front five teeth are fake (prem. Bridge)

79. I use to love mathematics, went as high as Trigonometry and Calculus in Collage.

80. I can spend an entire day by myself at the movie theater watching 4 to 5 movies, which I've done in the past.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2 Trailer

I'm so excited for this.. if you know anything about me you know I'm a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I've watched this new trailer about 10 times and it still gives me chills every time. I'm both happy and sad to see this as this is the final movie of this incredible saga. I can't wait to see this movie and I don't want to see this movie because this is the end. But of course I always have the books to re-read for a millionth time and watch the all eight movies in a Harry Potter Mega Marathon.. so though it's the end, it's not really the end.

Anyways here's the first official trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2

The Guild Season 5 - Day Five

Today is Day Five of the Guild shoot for Season Five. Because of my current job I'm not able to be on set everyday like I was the the past three seasons. I was actually working my other job (via email and phone) and working on set... But I have learned a lot from those previous seasons and have come up with a system to keep track of all the scenes, who I have interviewed and what we have talked about. So I put that to the test today and it worked out great. I got some great interviews with Amy, Sandeep, Vince, Robin and Jeff.

Got to meet some new people on set... that's one thing I love about working on The Guild are the people you get to meet. Some you instantly click with and know you'll be friends with that person the rest of your life, some it takes time to warm up to, but soon you become buddies and then there are those who seem to put up a wall and for whatever reason don't like you. Luckily there aren't many of those kind of people working on The Guild.

Anyways.. another great shoot day.. can't say much or where we were.. but it was good times. They are shooting tomorrow but unfortunately I won't be able to attend. Then there is a break for a week and then we start back up in May.

KOTG Microcast #22 Quest for Season Five

Download from itunes http://bit.ly/KotGCast, or direct download / listen http://bit.ly/2CrYxk

Here are some quick interviews with the cast of The Guild, producer Kim Evey and Director Sean Becker on their thoughts about coming back to film Season Five. These interviews were done last Tuesday during the table read for Season Five.

Hope you guys enjoy it.
Kenny

Other Important Links

• Knights of the Guild Feeds/Downloads http://knightsoftheguild.com
• Knights of the Guild Daily Blog http://knightsoftheguildpodcast.blogspot.com/
• Knights of the Guild Fan page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group

A Relaxing Sunday... NOT!!!

Today is the first day off I've had in a few weeks, with no family, no work, no guild and I don't see having another one of those for at least four weeks so I was going to do nothing all day today.. just have some "Kenny" time.

It started off that way as I started to watch a bit of TV and just relax but then I got to thinking how busy my next month will be and how many podcasts I need to do so instead I opted to finished off some podcasts instead of TV time.

So I first finished off my MASH 4077 Podcast episode 7 which isn't due to be released until May 1st but it's uploaded, shows note created and is ready to go. The second podcast I worked on as episode 29 of my Knights of the Guild podcast, which is due to be released on April 29th. That one require much more work then the previous MASH one and took me about four hours to finish it. Still haven't built the webpage or show notes but I hope to do that during some downtime at work tomorrow. And I was going to get started on episode 8 of MASH 4077 Podcast but then remembered that I recorded some audio from the previous Tuesday when The Guild did their season five read through and really wanted to get that out there as a microcast.. so I spent the rest of the night editing and prepping that podcast and manage to get it posted around 9:30pm tonight.

So this day might not have started out or planned to be a very productive day but in the end I did a lot of work that needed to be done and by doing this will take some stress off me when it comes time to post this podcasts.

Doctor Who is BACK!!!

Wasn't able to watch this last night due to being on The Guild set but Harry and I sat down first thing this morning and watched the return of our favorite Doctor. Matt Smith returns as the all mighty timelord for this sixth season. Matt Smith joined Doctor Who last season and from the first moment he was on screen he was The Doctor instantly. So I was really looking forward to the return of Who. We hadn't seen a new episode since Christmas and before that it was months and months.

They're doing something different this year and splitting the season into two.. 7 episodes for the first part that will run from April to June and then the remaining 6 episode starting sometime in the fall to finish off season 6. Also different this year is BBC America is airing the episodes on the same day they are released in the UK (previously it's been weeks or months later). BBC America is also not cutting them to fit in the US schedule so will get the full episode the same day as the UK.. wooo hooo.

This premiere was part one of what I assume will be a two parter.  First let me say that I LOVED the premiere.. may not have understood everything.. yet.. but it didn't distract me from the wonderful writing and acting. What is great about Who is you know you'll get a payoff at some point. It may not be in the next episode or the one after that but the writing is so great that before the season ends all your questions will be answered.. and I love that about Who. Lot's of stuff happened in this first episode and of course it ends on a cliffhanger which makes me even more excited to see part two next week. Lot's of questions were asked and some secrets revealed.

If the first episode is any indication.. this seasons going to rock just like last season.

The Guild Season 5 - Day Three

Today is our last day at the Long Beach Comic Con Expo. I don't think I mentioned this but it's a 2 hour drive for me to get to Long Beach.. luckily for today being a Saturday the traffic wasn't that bad.

Today was a special day because on set not only did we have cast and crew but we also had over 140 extras. And it was the actual day of the convention so we had a few hundred other people walking around. It was a bit crazy but in the end everything got done and everyone had a great time.

Jes and I

Gabriel and I

I got to meet some guildies that I only talk to on Twitter and Facebook.. it was so great to meet Jessica and Ron (and his two boys), Jes (creator of all things plushy) and Gabriel from the I Hearth Geeks Podcast.

After the fun filled day a small group of us went out to dinner to Islands. Joining Jes and Gab were Rupert, Robert, and my buddy Luis...good times were had by all.

Front Left is Robert, Rupert and Luis, Front Right is Jes, Me and Gab

My MASH 4077 Podcast

After work today I squeezed in some time to finish up my MASH 4077 Podcast episode 7, which isn't due to be posted until May 1st but as I've said in previous posts with my full time job and The Guild season five shooting I have no spare time so I have to try and get as much stuff done when I can. For episode seven I just had to finish adding audio clips from the episode and do one final audio pass to make sure everything sounded good. I outputted, converted and uploaded the file. All I have left is to build the webpage and add the show notes and it will be good to do.

The Guild Season 5 - Day One

Well today is the very first day of Season 5 shoot for The Guild. Of course I can't say much, we are at a local (Long Beach) Comic Con Expo. Today we got to hang out with Felicia, Amy, Vince, Jeff and Robin, along with a few special guests... lots of extras and for the most part a brand new crew. It's great seeing the gang in action again... this season, as I've said before is going to be Epic. I can't talk much about it.. other then it's tons of fun.. but that should be expected. For day one it was extremely smooth. I got some great interviews for upcoming CompanionCasts for my Knights of the Guild podcast and meet some great Guildies.

(BTW.. this is the only picture I could post from set that wouldn't get me in trouble)

Editing Knights of the Guild

Yeah I'm editing another episode of Knights of the Guild, it feels like it's a never ending process.. between Knights of the Guild and my other current podcast MASH 4077 I feel like I'm always editing one or the other. Today I worked on Knights of the Guild Episode 29, I'm enjoying this "new" format, even though the show content hasn't really changed the way Jenni and I record them have and it makes for somewhat of a better editing session for me. This one is due out on April 29th.. so I have a few days and so far I did my initial first pass.. next up is to build the actual podcast and then one final pass to make sure everything sounds good.. hopefully I'll get this done by Sunday... With work and The Guild, this Sunday is my only day off in the next month.

Guild Season 5 Read Through

First let me say that I'm holding in my hand the hottest script in town.. well if you are a Guild fan, that is.

I had the privilege of attending The Guild read through for Season 5 tonight. This is my 3rd one, I was there for Season 3 and 4 previously and they are always fun. For one thing you get to see all your friends again. You also get to hear them read the entire season of the guild in one go.

Of course I can't say anything about Season 5 other then it's going to be EPIC!!! but of course it's The Guild and we already knew that. I did quick interviews with the main six actors, producer Kim and director Sean for a Knights of the Guild Microcast which I'll hopefully edit in the next few days.

We start shooting in 2 days.. the next few weeks is going to be crazy!!!

PS... yes I blurred the script as I know how "you" Guild fans are.. being one myself.. :) couldn't take any chances of this image being blown up and words deciphered :)

RIP Elisabeth Sladen

Sad news today, actress Elisabeth Sladen, best known for her role in Doctor Who has died. Elisabeth Sladen played the fans most favorite Companion, Miss Sarah Jane Smith. She appeared in 81 episodes of the classic "Doctor Who" series (working with both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker).

I grew up with her as Tom Baker's Companion and fell in love with her then. When she returned for a short time on the new version of Doctor Who with David Tennant  I was ecstatic. She is so well loved and popular that they did a spin off series called The Sarah Jane Adventures, which was a lot of fun. It was great seeing that after 30+ years she could pick that character back up and have people fall in love with her all over again.

She was only 63 years old.. far to young to have left us. I'm just a fan and I'm heart broken at the loss of this beautiful woman. My heartfelt sympathies go out to those who knew her best.. her friends and loved one. May she rest in piece. Elisabeth Sladen and her iconic character Miss Sarah Jane Smith will live forever in our hearts.

Editing my MASH Podcast

So much to do this week so little time. I got started with editing my MASH 4077 Podcast episode 7. Each of the hosts (3) record out own audio and then I import them all into Avid and lay them out on top of each other. We normally say "start" so I have an audio cue to link them all together but normally it takes some finagling to get them all in sync but with this episode I laid them all out and wham.. they were in sync on the first try.. After that the editing went pretty smoothly. Did my first pass in about two hours and by this time it was around 11pm and I was getting tired but I wanted to try and do my second pass, which means I add in audio clips from the episode. I did that for another hour before I could barely keep my eyes open and had to call it night... but it's so close to being done.. a few more clips and one final sweetening pass and it will be ready to be leveled, converted and uploaded.

My To Do List

My life seems to be on fast forward.. this is my "to do" list for this week... I'll never get it all done, but I'm going to be my best.

• Edit my MASH 4077 Podcast episodes #7 & #8
• Edit my Knights of the Guild Podcast episode #29
• Plan/Prep for recording of our next Knights of the Guild episodes #30 & #31
• Plan/Prep for recording of our next MASH 4077 Episodes #13 - #16
• Upload Quidditch pictures to my FTP site for collages who requested copies of the pictures from the Western Cup.
• Write a guest blog for my friend Andrews Blog site about Science
• Upload/Edit/Post Quidditch video from Western Cup from a few weeks ago.
• Start preparing CompanionCast questions and schedule for The Guild Season Five.
• Record audio comments about the latest Amazing Race for my friends podcast Fast Forward
• Tons and tons of yard work that seems to never end
• Research Podcast radio stations
• Prep/Plan for the big Tech Barbarians/Knights of the Guild podcast meet up.
• Continue to coordinate guests and topics for my new Epic Geek Out podcast.
• Continue to work on my Podcast hub.

And not to mention that I'm working full time at MTV Monday thru Friday and my show is about to finish the first few episodes which means going into Online (which is alot of work and stress for me).

Oh and my latest news about my Dad possible having his cancer return.. so I'm on edge about that as well.. just hoping for the best.

Yeah good times!!!

I know it seems like I'm complaining but I'm really not.. other then my Dad's possible cancer, yard word & MTV, it's all fun stuff that I love doing and that brings joy into my life.

Visiting Family

This weekend was all about family. On Saturday I took Harry and his family to visit my Mom and step dad Chuck. They offered to take everyone sailing, which Harry's family were very keen on. We also had to return the rental that I had gotten a week prior and his family was going to rent another, smaller car for their travels. So we were up early and getting ready to head over to Enterprise then we'd take two cars to my Mom's. Well I started to have some stomach issues and they continued for the next six or seven hours. They went ahead to Enterprise while I took a slew of medicine hoping to simmer down my tummy. It worked temperately and I went to meet them at a local gas station where Harry would join me and we would caravan to my Mom's.

We got there around 12:30pm, had some snacks and started to prep the boat. My Mom was not going sailing as she gets sea sick and since I wasn't feeling the best I opted not to go as well. So Chuck, Harry and his family headed out to the ocean. BTW my Mom & Chuck live out in Newport Beach on Balboa Island.

I started to BBQ lunch and by the time they got back we had lunch. We hung out for a few more hour before heading home. I had a great time visiting with my Mom, we've haven't had one on one time like that for a while. And Harry and his family had a great time sailing though there was no wind out in the ocean so they didn't stay out as long as I'm sure they would have liked.

Sunday was a busy day as Harry's family with exception to his mother were packing up for their 10 day travels around California. Harry's Mom will be staying with us the entire time. They headed out and I headed off by myself to visit my family (Dad, Brother, Sis-in-law & Nephew) as it's been almost a month since I've seen them (which is long since I normally go down every two weeks to visit).

Had lunch with my Dad, he's had some fluid or something in his neck area the past month.. he now has two large lumps. The doctors did some blood work and didn't find anything wrong, so they did a cat scan and found that there are two masses there. They are going to be doing biopsies in the coming week and we are hoping it's not cancer again (he had Hodgkin's back in the mid 90's). We then went back home and hung out a bit until Lora and my nephew Kenobi got home from visiting my Mom. Kenobi was in a very ornery mood so I didn't get to spend much time with him.. but it was still nice hanging out with my family.

Got home watched some TV as we've fallen really behind since family has been staying with us. But with the exception of my Dad's news it was an good weekend. I'll keep you updated on my Dad's progress.