Blog: If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?

To me, creating is the thing that makes me truly happy. It's always been that way. Recently, aside from working out,  I have been spending a lot of time going over some old creations of mine. You see, I found my the video camera my Dad gave me for Christmas in 1996!

I'll be honest, since I was 16 years old -and had my license and an eagerness for growing up-  I was expecting what all of my other 16 year old friends were getting...a car. So it was a bit out of left field to unwrap a present and see something that I hadn't even thought of asking for. But my Dad, who is one of my closest confidants as well as my father, obviously knew me better than I knew myself. That camera was at my side for years. I filmed EVERYTHING. My best friends, Graham and Amanda, as well as my brothers Kenny and Greg were constantly filming skits, and parody movies, and scenes and stories...we were constantly creating.

You know, 14 -17 is when some kids get into trouble. I know I had my fair share (I'll be honest, the majority of it had to do with girls - one in particular) But-aside from one particularly bad alcohol experiment- I pretty much managed to steer clear of the bad parties, the questionable behavior, drugs, and overall teenage shenanigans that others got into-at least for a while. Perhaps its because I had two hands and one eye in a camera, and a mind on other things. Who had time for that when there were movies to be made?

---

I was happy creating. Going over the footage, I saw snippets of conversations with me and my friends. I saw quick little ideas beginning to form that would later become projects. I saw a snippet of who I would ultimately become, and who I am still working to be.

Even now, its all I want to do. There are times I sit down to write in the morning, and get up and realize that the day has gone by. But I love it. I love living in the worlds I create. I love performing in the stories that others have created. that makes me happy. that is all I have ever wanted to do.

Telling Stories. Creating. Acting. Writing... Happiness.

If I can keep doing what I'm doing, I will be the happiest guy on Earth.

Oh, and those videos...17 years ago, our ultimate project was to film a series of clips that looked like a person changing TV channels. It was to be called "Channel Surfing" It was to show everyone who we are, what we liked, what we laughed at, and what we wanted to be.

And, seventeen years later, 33 years old, the project is now nostalgic...but complete.

And you know what? It's everything I intended. Its who I was. It's who I am. It's what I like. It's what makes me laugh. And most importantly, it's who I continue wanting to be.

so I present to you- 17 years in the making- "Channel Surfing"