EricNentrup.com

I’m writing this post from the Apple Store in Indianapolis. I’m doing this on a 2.5ghz G5 PowerMac but that’s not the impressive thing. It’s attached to Apple’s new Cinema Display, the THIRTY INCH model. It’s the most amazing display I’ve ever seen. It bests any HD Plasma screen at the electronics store. And at $3500, I’m sure it should give ‘em an honest run for the money.

Anyhow, I have Final Cut Pro open and am futzing around with the demo project. I should mention it’s in native 720p HD and it feels NO DIFFERENT than working with DV. Makes me feel UNDER EQUIPPED in several capacities. I have GOT to get me one of these!

The likelihood isn’t to certain. But I can have my technolust.

Others want to play. Must sign off.

I need to give attention to a couple of guys who helped me get this site online. I owe ‘em.

So big props go to Matt Willmore and to Mike Thole and their companies, MacZealots.com and CrashProne.

Their UNBELIEVABLE support is what got me, first, a fantastic weblog environment, and second, a speedy, personal. and reliable hosting service.

So, thanx to Matt’s excellent Mac OS X tutorial at his website, I’m using WordPress and hosting it on. CrashProne

This marks the launch of my new site. I’ve finally joined the fray of having my own personal website. I’m not sure if it’s narcissistic, or just a relevant medium for geeks my age, but likely both.

I’m not exactly clear of what this space is supposed to be for. I just feel compelled enough to go to the trouble to learn a more professional content-publishing tool (WordPress) and using it on a dedicated domain. We’ll see what becomes of it

Bookmark it. I’ll do my best to make it worth a weekly visit.

Eric

Well. Believe it or not, I’m STILL waiting on my hosting service to get their act together. I don’t know why I don’t just move on and go elsewhere. I guess because I don”t care for the hassle nor do I have any great need to get this blog uploaded. It is largely a site for me and me alone, though I of course want family and friends to stay apprised by reading what I write.

I’m up early today. I have a shoot in Batesville. We’re covering 5 different movie parodies for their event in December. Man. December seemed so far away just a few short weeks ago. And now, I realize that 2004 is almost over. The older you get the more it feels as though you could just about hold your breath for an entire year.

Lately, I’ve been choosing movies that I’ve heard a bunch of acclaim or stir for, and have been striking out with suggesting those for good entertainment at home with Kim. And though there are a bunch of films I need to see to fill in my “film history” education, I should watch those first alone before casually tossing one in at night.

Well, I’m just writing what’s on my mind, with an eye on the clock. I need to get moving. It’ll take me nearly an hour to get to my destination if there’s construction.

I need a good book.

Don’t you love the “last page” of magazines? the one that has the final words to balance out the Editor’s opening words at the other end of the rag? Well. That’s what this is. Just for TODAY, not for myself or my Blog. Funny.

I was watching the debate tonight and was reminded of an issue I seem to forget in public. And that’s the environment. I was reminded by an article in Backpacker (I’ll try to link this later) this month where a snowmobile biz in Yelllowstone was hoping for Bush because his policy gives them room to continue to rent snowmobiles to those visiting Yellowstone National Park. Well, while I hiked in the Chugach National Forest on Alaska’s Kenai peninsula in July of 2003, I saw FIRSTHAND what these snowmobiles do to the tundra. I can think of at LEAST three specific times while we were hiking or resting when we encountered pieces broken off of the vinyl bodies, sections of plastic windshield fairings, and emblems for that snowmobile’s make and model that had been shorn off on the rocks or broke from an errant landing. Not to mention 2 specific times when I encountered aluminum cans piles from a “beer break” while these good ole boys tore it up in the winter months. This debris was FAR different from the scraps you find in the woods of Michigan or Indiana. Granted, I hate that trash too, it was strange that you could be walking off trail above the treeline, crossing glacier meltwater streams and find this crap that came off of one of these snowmobiles.

Bottom line: I do NOT think I’d base my vote on just this hot button, but I’m made aware of how important it is to me that envirnomental responsibility be made a priority by the President. It ALWAYS comes down to a compromise between making more money (renting snowmobiles, drilling for oil in ANWR, NOT forcing plants to reduce emissions) and preserving the natural resources which we can enjoy today but future generations may not because of our decisions NOW. Make money now (or let our constituents make money now) or deliberately FAST from that because there are OTHER ways to make money.

That said, I’m NOT such a green freak that I lose sight of other issues, or find myself comfortable in the presence of genuine tree-huggers. But I see it as a bigger, core issue of making decisions with the end in mind. Being able to forecast the TRUE opportunity costs. And therefore Kerry gets my vote becaues he’ll continue what Clinton started on tightening the belt with those things that have negative impact on the environment, and Bush is more concerned about Self-Preservation. End of rant.

I had a catch-up conversation with my buddy Chris Manus tonight. He’s in the homestretch of his MFA in Acting out in California and we stay in touch. He’s still a good friend and we always pick up where we left off. I was inspired talking to him. He and his brother Matt are both out there in LA, working on the question, “What’s next?” We all want to make movies and are chomping at the bit to do so. We all have ideas and aspirations and continue to work at them. I get stale when I don’t touch base with these comrades.

Kim’s heading out of town to Ohio tomorrow. I’m going to work on the flooring in the house. That should take all weekend. I might have to lure some buds over to help. Gourmet food and plenty of beer will probably work as bait.

Well…As I write this, my web hosting service has yet to get off the ground, but I’m so anxious to write in my new Blog that I had to go ahead and post.

So, I came across THIS website and thought it was pretty funny.

Give strong consideration. You’ll soon be obsessed with which airhole you’re using.

I don’t know what my problem was, but getting to this point was a minor miracle. I’m completely procrastinating work I need to be doing, but this thing has been such a distraction. My equivalent to getting stumped and not being able to “save the princess.”

So why am I going to this trouble? My buddy, Dave Drury is responsible for the insight that we all could save a bunch of small talk if we kept informed, current blogs. Of course, this is the same guy who, when I first talked to him about blogging thought of it as literary-self service. Wink and a nod to you, Dave.

He’s likewise taught me that a blog is sort of a public accountability process for the writer. Whether a blog entry can be a warm up for a writing session or just a quick break in between the “paying gigs” to refresh the synapses, I need those things.

So. This is the first entry. more for my sake than others, I’m going to TRY to import my ORIGINAL blog (from iBlog) as soon as I can.

Okay….that’s all for now!