I have been busy. I hope you have. When I'm busy I don't have time to think and worry, obsess and isolate. Most people hope for the days when their schedule slows down and they can catch their breath. Not me. I like when things are crazy, busy, day packed top to bottom. It's when I'm bored and alone that the carnival I know as my mind takes me to the fun house with those mirrors that distort things and make me uncomfortable. I guess as part of my basic make up I enjoy chaos.
I have started writing for a publisher and have had some articles and photographs published already. You can find these at www.triond.com/tommyconnolly . The venture is something I have always wanted to do: to be a published author. So many of my dreams are coming true. None of them would be possible without the help of God, recovery and friends like you. At 45 I may be falling apart but I am catching my dreams. I'm not chasing them anymore. The difference between a dream and a reality is one you imagine and one you do.
I have been lining up more comedy dates and have worked on 2 films with a third this weekend. You might say I am a man on a mission. I am. I wasted so much time, being wasted for so much of the time. Now I am doing productive things. I have helped a handful of people jump into the film business. That rocks my world. I try to put 2 smiles on people's faces for every frown I created over 28 years of addiction and depression. I try to play tag with the world. When I tag someone it's with hope and encouragement that life is for living, not being frozen in a moment or trapped in fear. You can start your life over with the next sunrise. All you have to do is do.
Baseball has begun and my beloved White Sox are doing okay. The pitching is average but over all I am optimistic about the season. More importantly, the warmer weather brings film and TV work to Chicago, the most beautiful city in the world. There are pilots being shot in town for MTV, a pilot for a comedy starring Frazier, funny man Kelsey Grammar, Superman is heading back into town and so many more projects I hope to have work up through Christmas. I have already worked on one of the projects. It was a 13 hour day and I loved it!
There is nothing like the insanity and collective vision on a set. I could spend hours just watching the crew setting the lighting, moving the sets, placing the props. The only thing I don't like about the film business is that they aren't too thrilled with Chicago winters. There should be more films about hockey, ice fishing and figure skating. That would solve the problem.
On the home front, sobriety is day to day. I am doing all the things I need to do to maintain it. When I am busy I need to ALWAYS keep God and the knowledge of my addictive past at the center of my mind and heart and work from there. If I start to slip away from sobriety, I will step right back into a bar or dope house. That's the fact Jack!
I miss Cooter, big dumb dog. She has been gone for almost a month now. My mom had to put her Chloe down and that brought all the feelings of loss rushing back. I love my dogs with every ounce of my being but saying goodbye hurts me the same as if it were one of my children. I have gotten more involved with PET PARDON. Please look for them on Face book. You can find them on my page at www.facebook.com/tommyconnollycomedian . You can adopt or sponsor a dog. You can even be a virtual foster parent. Please check out Kiva.com as well.
KIVA is a non-profit organization that is a charity where you and I LOAN money to people whom we choose from around the world to help them become entrepreneurs for as little as $25 bucks! It's not a hand out. You can track the progress of the project you fund and the person you are supporting. It is a beautiful concept and one I am honored to be a part of.
There has been some craziness too. My daughter Andrea is coming home from Germany soon. I can't wait. She has been helping me with my articles. She is an amazing editor and I am looking forward to giving her a wet sloppy kiss on her beautiful Italian face! Sunny is doing well for the most part but has had a set back or two. We love and support her, but can't keep her locked in a cage. Like all of us, she is given free choice in this world to make her own decisions. I just pray for her to find the way to a straight path. She is attracted to the rocky road like a magnet. She reminds me of me and I am powerless over her choices. I can share my love, my God and my hope with her. The rest is up to her.
Well I guess that's the quick update. Last night they ran "The Chicago Code" episode that began my journey to today. My father's memorial service was on a Friday and I appeared in the episode 3 days later. I took the chance. I caught a dream. I got off my butt and went for it. Life is always full of the things we are going to do the next day or we waste today regretting yesterday. That is such wasted energy and time. Today is a gift, that IS why it's the PRESENT! God Bless. Catch a dream today and spread a little sunshine today. Love ya!
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