It's August?

We're 7 months down already?

As I write this just before midnight from Honolulu, Hawaii, I am simply amazed at how quickly time has passed this year.  And if there were ever really were a Jumper out there jumping from various time zones as if it were like we were moving through the Matrix, I would dare say this year I might have been the one.

I got here to Hawaii to start filming for season 2 of 5-0 (very grateful they called C Fong back!) from Taipei where I was in production for our NBA player docu-series.  I had to jump from Taiwan a little early to make it here for my shoot date which put a little crimp in my plans, but really who am I to complain?  I love Taipei - and my week out there was incredible in terms of production, exploration of partnerships, and just life in general.  It's definitely my favorite place on Earth.  Can I just put a plug in for anything Taiwanese director Shen Ko-Shang does?  I met him in New York back in May and then had a chance to meet up with him in his hometown.  He was ever so helpful in pointing me in the right direction with Taiwanese distribution companies, TV networks, and other potential allies.  I'm not sure many established directors would do that sort of thing for a relative stranger.  I was personally impressed by his piece in Juliets (茱麗葉) - an omnibus of 3 different director's takes on the traditional story of Romeo & Juliet and I really look forward to watching his documentary that was shot in a narrative feature fashion, Baseball Boys, that he personally gave me a copy of.  (Director, any interest in working on a baseball movie together?)

With this docu-series, we have graciously generated the interest of some talented and well known Eastern artists who expressed an interest in going on camera to talk about the story of our subject.  I'm ever so grateful, and I hope that we will be able to actually coordinate with some of these folks to make it happen in the near future - folks such as Daniel Wu, VanNess, Leehom Wang, and even Taiwanese actor Ethan Ruan ( 阮經天).  Ethan was especially enthusiastic after I met him on the set of Love, Doze Niu's latest, after a scene he filmed with Shu Qi!  (I really wanted to ask her if she'd be up for it, but in retrospect, I woulda been too tongue tied, as she's one of my favorites.   .)

I also got the chance to mingle with some of Taiwan's better known basketball personalities.  One in particular was very interesting.  He goes by ' Blackie' and he opened up his Taiwan Beer basketball court for us to shoot and play in and then gave us each a copy of his documentary that followed his team's 2008 season, Attitude (態度).  Can't wait to watch that as well!

It was all too short as I left unfinished business on the table there that I'll have to revisit to scoot on over to Hawaii.  Taipei one day, Oahu the next.  Actually, the same, as I left there on a Sunday to get here on Sunday, earlier than I left there.  Weird.  Something about the international date line and crossing it.  All I know is that it's actually easier to fly to Hawaii from Asia than it is NYC.  Interesting.  Hmm...I'll have to keep this in mind as I figure out where I want to base myself out of down the road.

Monday, it was back to 5-0 base camp to shoot something with Mr. DDK, who I have to say is one of the most down to earth, chillest TV stars on the planet.  It was an incredible pleasure playing with him.  Happy to be "Cast" next to him anytime.

I'm getting a moment to breathe as I'm staying on the island for a couple of weeks until I shoot the next episode.  I'm a little antsy as I could be in LA or NYC doing something, or even back to Taipei for unfinished business, but I gotta trust it'll be okay and I can make this my base for a bit and pump out work from here.  Internet cafes around the island will be my friend (till they get wifi going on the beaches.)  I'll be in LA soon enough to start production on Nightdreamblues (see my last post about dropping your coin into its bucket .)  Some pretty exciting things are developing on that end that I can't wait to see through and then it looks like at least a couple more 5-0 eps are on their way again!

That'll get me through September (there's a wedding in Baltimore and a trip to Vegas scheduled in there somewhere.)

October, November, December, no idea what you'll bring exactly, but 2012, I already smell you.