Will Roadhouse

travels: scheduled shoot in Omaha, NE

- what’s in Omaha? nice people, great BBQ, and HOT Blondes!

-  went “on air” at 104.1 the Blaze with morning show host “Tim Sheridan.”

- if you are in the area check out this killer BBQ restaurant, “Red Zone BBQ.” (http://www.eatredzonebbq.com) damn good eats! they also serve heathy BBQ (didn’t know there was such a thing), smoked turkey legs/breast, smoked chicken breast, and smoked salmon. my favorite were their babyback ribs, sausages, brisket, pulled pork, and…

- looking to laugh your ass off, make sure you catch my friend “Tony Lucero’s” comedy/hypnotist act. guaranteed you’ll piss your pants laughing (http://www.themojomaster.com)

my Funny Mom: at the gym this morning watching this older guy hit on my Mom - it was pure comedy. picture this, two people speaking in the same language but none of the two comprehending a single word each other is saying. the end of conversation this older guy asked my Mom on a date, she replies with, “i’m married, and if i weren’t, why would i want to go out with you…you don’t even have a job!” the poor sucker walked away with his tail between his legs.

random funny moments: met a total trainwreck…ask me about it offline;)

a moment to ponder: there are such a thing as “happy marriages.” i saw proof last week:)

life lesson & best experiences of the week: i enjoy traveling overseas but i think i need to explore the U.S. more. traveling to Omaha was a new and fun experience.

tried something new: Runza - Runza is a NE fast food franchise. they are known for their unique sandwich which is basically taco meat on a bun. good going down…not so good coming out. Runza gave me the run’z:(

spotting a trend: “i see extremely fat kids…”

iPhone app of the week: DI Radio (Free), streaming electronic music to your iphone via wifi and 3G.

song of the week: “Burning For You” Shiny Toy Guns

self improvement/continual education: still studying French

what i’m reading: Letters from a Nut

goal for the week: no beef this week! my stomach needs a rest!  

what’s going on this coming week: preproduction for new production in Columbus, Ohio

==>feel free to “TAG” yourself in this note if you were part of the “Omaha shoot”

Lincoln, NE: on air at 104-1 “the Blaze” with my friend Tony (Mojo). Picture - me with DJ Tim.

clicking on this link will take you to HGTV’s schedule guide for House Hunter’s International.

Online Electronic radio station:  Digitally Imported…click on this link!

travels:  New York -  Groove Cruise - St. John
Best  NY experience - going to B & H!  my Gucci…my Prada!  a superstore for video-file nerds like me…oh, and the food in NY was good too;)  fyi…women from NY are sexy, witty, and have a killer sense of humor:)
Best Groove Cruise moment - around 2am (our first night on the ship), my friend Johnie walks up to me and says, “if Carnival had an in-house jail - we would be in there right now.”  the start of a grooven week in sea.  check out the Groove Cruise promo video on my FB wall.  highly recommend it! 
St John - beautiful picturesque Canadian city located on the eastern coast. population of 70k.  windy.  chilly.  nice people:)
random funny:  my dog Uni farted so loud she woke herself up…why do violent farts wake dogs up?
a moment to ponder:  i believe in 1,000 years (or less), the traditional idealism of marriage, having children, and religion will be irrelevant…world peace?  i’d like to think so.
life lesson/best experience of the week:  …at that moment when you know that individual will be your friend for life.
funny Mom moment:  my Mom asks me, “what kind of girls do you like now?” not exactly know where she is going with this, i told her,  ”young and hot Mom…young…and…hot;)”  with a half grin she replies, “how young?”  ”early twenties,”  i replied.  suddenly her grin turns into a scowl, “you’re a SICK old MAN!”  i don’t know what the problem is, most girls think i’m in my late twenties;) she’s still hoping i’ll get married…love to give my Mom a hard time.
most frequent statement:  ”Will, do NOT get married…stay single! i want your life.”

tried something new:  veggie/soy corn dogs from Trader Joe’s - surprisingly good!
spotting a trend:  unfortunately, there seems to be more unhappy people than i thought…still wondering why?
thursday happy hour:  it was our 1 year anniversary.  we held the event at the place where it all started, “Chicago Brewery.”  you would think they would give us better service having 40+ people there - nope!  goodbye Chicago Brewery…we will never come back!
conversation of the week:  overhearing a older couple complain to the server about why don’t they give out a larger bowel of (free) tortilla chips, “why are you guys so cheap?.  you should bring us at least two bowls of chips!  i want to talk to the manager!”  old people really have nothing else better to do but complain…i guess at that age you really do run out of things to talk about. 
iPhone app of the week:  Camera+ ($1.99) there’s a built-in hack that enables your volume (+) button to operate as the shutter release - way cool!  

song of the week:  ”She Moves” (original Mix)  A State of Trance 2010  Andy Moor & Carrie Skipper
self improvement/continual education:  learning French!

what i’m reading:  33 Million People in the Room by Juliette Powell (how to create. influence. and run a successful business with social networking)
goal for the upcoming week:  finish my book. would also like to complete 2,000 low kicks by the end of this weekend.
what’s going on this coming week:  new shoot in Omaha - never been there.  i wonder if i will run into Warren Buffet? 

have a great weekend!

Airing:  next Monday 8/16 at 10:30pm e/p and 1:30am e/p

click on the link above to take you to the episode guide on HGTV.com

New York:  departing the port of New York to St John.

Our ship arrived this morning to the port of St John. Running on a few hours of sleep…need water and food! A little windy and chilly. Beautiful city with a population of 70k. Found a brewery…still grooving:)

New York (Boca Juniors Steakhouse): meat feast for 1. Skirt steak, short rib, tripe, sweet breads, blood & pork sausage and rice…should be feast for two! This place rocks!

my morning started with a nice breakfast and an illy espresso…always a nice finish to a tasty meal.  i posted a tweet as i was sipping my espresso, “illy espresso…a great start to another beautiful day:)”  my bags were packed as i eagerly await to depart for New York and St John.  

then, something unexpected happened…something that i had no control over.  as i sat there and thought about my options, it turns out that i only have ONE option!  these are the worst because they piss me off the most!  no one likes to be caught off guard - it’s hard to plan for the unexpected.  

ONE OPTION…and that option was going to make me miss my flight!  yelling FUCK internally didn’t really help, and i know yelling it out loud would not be any better.  my blood was boiling - i was about to lose it - have a melt down.  because this was totally unexpected!  

my old self would have flown off the handle.  i would have called a couple people just to vent.  and, i would have beat my “heavy-bag” to death to relieve some frustration.  but, i didn’t do that.  losing my temper is not healthy, calling people to vent would not have been conducive because i probably would have ended up getting pissed off at them - what would that solve?  now everyone’s mad.  beating my heavy-bag was kinda violent - i already do that in Muy Thai training, so that was unnecessary.  instead, i just sat there and breathed for 10-15 mins - i needed to cool down.  next, i got something cold to drink - i got some ice tea:)  finally, i came to the conclusion that i have to go with my only option…and ran with it.

the outcome…everything turned out fine:-)  as i look back, if i wold have flown off the handle it would’ve been a big mistake.  i rescheduled my flight (even got an exit row seat), fixed the situation, and went out for a nice lunch.  

sometimes we need to have a little self-control to think clearly.  just another day and another good lesson in life…

Thursday Happy Hour Las Vegas: Episode 1

As you know we’re a pretty fun group ranging from all age groups and ethnicities…we’re all very close. In a short period of time (under a year) our little group of 4 became 160 (if you look at our group page)…sometimes we have 50 people that join us - then at times it’s 20. The bottom-line is, we enjoy each others company and we always have a great time. 

To liven things up, another group member “Johnie Tidwell” (also a producer) and I thought it would be a fun project to shoot our Thursday Happy Hour activities. 

- exploring the different venues (food and drinks), especially their “happy hours”
- the owners and chiefs of these establishments
- the characters within Thursday Happy Hour (we have interesting conversations) 

There is much more to Vegas than “table service” and other douchey activities. The people here are well-rounded and friendly…very well traveled! There’s so much more to Vegas if you venture off the strip. Johnie and I want to show the world a little glimpse of the locals and the Las Vegas lifestyle. 

We’re still playing with the format…so here’s our first official episode. 

Click here to join our Facebook group page.

Enjoy!

1.) more careful with what i say due to a higher respect for people - i never feel a need to be condescending or say anything hurtful.  most people demand respect - i prefer to earn it.
2.) no longer feel the need to impress with material things or “one-upping” their stories.  i would rather not say anything, kickback, and let others do the talking. 
3.) no urge to argue or correct someone.  everyone is entitled to their opinions…if it’s negative - i just walk away.
4.) breaking away from “traditionalism.”  evolving!  
5.) growing a “thicker-skin,” and learning to control my temper.
6.) not concerned with what others think of me.
7.) learning to appreciate the “little things in life.”  like reading.
8.) no need to get “stupid drunk” to have fun.  
9.)  enjoying the art of “silence”
10.) and, the most important: “understanding the importance of becoming a better decision maker.”

Still…much more to learn and experience:-) 

8am my phone rings, it’s my Mom. 

“good morning my dear - you have food?” 

for some odd reason my Mom always thinks i’m out of food?  it must be a Chinese Mom thing.  ”yes Mom i have fridge full.” 

“i make chicken tonight - i bring you some.”  

my Mom really makes awesome chicken but i’ve got ton’s of food i have to cook before it goes bad.  ”thanks anyway, but i really have to finish what i have.”  

she will never take no for an answer (kinda like the Dim Sum Ladies), “i make good chicken tonight - soooo gooood - i bring you some!”  

“Mom…seriously, it’s not necessary.”  

“you sure you have food to eat?”  

knowing perfectly well it’s a losing battle, i answer, “…yes i do.”  

not listening to a single word i just said, she replies, “ok, i bring you chicken.”  

at this point it’s useless to argue - she always wins.  i guess i’m going to have chicken for dinner tonight…

I’ve established relationships all around the world through travel, and training 1,000’s of sales people in my professional life.  As a business owner, trainer, and sales person I’ve developed the skill of understanding people….how they think and react to different situations & environment.  Regardless of race or place of origin, what do you think is an individuals biggest fear?…”“over money, material things, health, and/or successful professional life?”

You’ve probably already guessed it -  it’s the FEAR of “being alone”

Here’s the crazy part of this question…if that person conquered their fear of “being alone” the result is actually the opposite - you’re never lonely.  Over the many years, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many individuals that have overcome “hardships” and turned their lives around.  Their fear of “being alone” and sticking around a bad environment, immediately turned around to a new life, of building beautiful memories with that person they see every morning…

…that reflection in the mirror. 

the most aggressive sales person on Earth…the “Dim Sum Lady!”  say “no” if you dare!

iPhone 4 video: Rhum Bar, Mirage Casino

My friend Mikey rockin the the mic with his group, “Bonafide Reggae.”  If you’re at the Mirage on a Thursday night, check out their performance at the “Rhum Bar!”  Great time!

FYI…this was all shot on my iPhone 4 - BABY!

ok folks here are your options if you want to “kick the cable company,” unfortunately, you can’t until 3rd or 4th quarter of this year. the first option (coming out Q4) is the “boxee box,” this set-top box will pull any tv shows from the web (with a built-in Hulu interface)…connects to your tv via HTMI. the second option (Q3 or Q4) are the new set top boxes, blueray players and tv’s with built in “google tv” software, does the same thing as “boxee.” right now the only decent option is to buy the “roku box” (roku.com) that allows you to stream netflix to your tv via HTMI. with this option i got rid of my premium cable channels. the face of how we watch tv and how we get our content is changing:-)

fyi…you cannot stream netflix or hulu if you are in a foreign country.  if anyone knows how to do this please let us know.

HGTV “House Hunters International” brand new episode! If you are a fan of “House Hunters International,” you have to tune in this Thurs (24th) @11pm e/p. of all the episodes i have shot in the last 4 yrs for HGTV this episode is…awesome!!! you will love it! the buyers are “spunky,” they’re from Suva, Fiji. killer footage of Fiji, beautiful homes, plenty of laughs and emotions. tune in! you will not be disappointed…

click on this link for more information at (HGTV.com)

I’ve been traveling throughout the world (work and pleasure) on a regular basis for the last 8 years.  Every trip is a new experience for me.  There’s so much to see and learn if your goal is to do more than lounging on a beach with a beverage…I can do this in Newport or Huntington.  Instead, I take the initiative to immerse myself into the local culture.  Doing so has changed the way I choose to live my life…changed the way I see and interact with people…and changed the way I think…  There’re so many wonderful experiences if you’re not afraid to veer off the beaten path of the typical “tourist.”  I learn something new every time.  I just returning from spending 3 amazing weeks in Costa Rica and this is what I took with me…

1.)  the art of happiness is to have everything in sync…like your smart phone.  personal and professional lives should be in balance - they should be a part of each other…two separate lives creates two separate problems.  i’ve been fortunate to find this out early in my life by creating a occupation centered around my lifestyle - not vice versa.  if your occupation conflicts with your lifestyle then it’s time to create a new occupation.  the key word is “create” not “find.”  anyone can find a job…to be satisfied one needs to take the time to create.  happiness comes from a balance of:  in this order

-  state of mind…conscious and aware (don’t just sit there…do something about it)

-  continual education (scholastic and emotional)

-  environment (get rid of all negativity)

-  physical and health (take care of yourself) - you come first!  

-  finances (stop buying stupid shit!)

-  people (you really do not need people to be happy, that’s why it’s last on my list)

2.) there’s no reason to have children when there are so many wonderful orphans waiting to be adopted.  if you’re going to visit an “undeveloped country” most likely there are children and schools in need of supplies.  take the time to do a little research before your trip and visit the local orphanage.  bring old clothing, books, dvd’s and/or cd’s.  the local orphanage (located just outside of San Jose Costa Rica) we visited was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had.  $250 of rice, beans and other goods fed all 15 girls for 3 months.  they were so excited they put on a dance routine for us.  they told us they wanted “Justin Bieber” dvd’s and Cd’s, we told them we will bring them next time we’re in town.  these girls did not want me to feel sorry for them…they wanted me to leave with a smile on my face…the time I spent with these girls will forever change the way I perceive the many “material things” I’ve accumulated!  I spent the last 3 weeks in some of the most amazing condo’s, estates and beaches on the Costa Rican coast, but, the little orphans is still the most vivid memory I have…I’m still smiling this very minute.  I look forward to visiting them on my next trip:-)

lesson:  experiencing a foreign culture is not just eating their food…take the time to know them - just ask them to take you in for the day.

3.) spending time with new friends creates excitement! surrounding myself with people with a good sense of humor brightened my day.  the biggest misconception and statement is, “when i travel i want to stay away from the gringo’s!”  big mistake!  these are the gringo’s you want to meet.  why?  because they’re “well-traveled” and some of the most interesting individuals you’ll ever meet!  

lesson: gringo’s in foreign countries are interesting and make great friends - no ego

4.) a smile is truly the greatest gift!  whether it comes from a man, women or child…it just makes you feel good:-) 

lesson: the best things in life are free

5.) taking a chance: moving to another country…taking the initiative to immerse yourself into another culture.  in this trip I’ve met countless families that have move to Costa Rica for a month or permanently.  I’ve found these American families to have a stronger dynamic than your typical American family. a family of 4 can rent a small home within walking distance to the beach for $1,000-$1,500 a month.  an individual can do the same - for less!  the long-term benefits are countless.

lesson:  put yourself in a different environment 

6.) the importance and benefits of “alone time.”  i can’t tell you how important “alone time” or “personal time” is.  whether it’s an hour or a week - this is important!  i use this time to…reflect…create…think of nothing…SILENCE…

lesson:  everyone needs a break, find a way to “quite your mind”

7.) launching water-balloons off a 2nd floor bar and hitting a dude on a bike takes great skill;-) 

lesson:  doesn’t matter how old you are, don’t forget about the “kid” within

8.) one can actually lose weight (purposely) while on vacation. 

lesson:  eat like the locals (less red meat, more fish, fresh fruits and vegetables).  they have normal size portions unlike US and UK standards.  fyi…a typical entree at “Claim Jumper” is enough food to feed two people!

9.) everyone should have a vBlog (video blog): people are slowly getting too lazy to read.  we have only seen the tip of the iceberg of this “social media” (facebook) revolution.  accept it! learn it! use it to your benefit.

lesson:  there’s an audience if you’re entertaining

update…my new vBlog coming soon!

10.)  taking a break from TV and taking “digital” time off:  for 3 weeks I watched little to no tv…i just listened to music.

lesson:  nothing is ever pressing 

looking forward to my next adventure!