Posted 11-10-05

Take a look at that picture...that's right...the one of the nearsighted vampire and Planet of the Apes ape. I think I was in the fifth grade when my mom took this picture.

When I was nine years old, I thought I could be a vampire and still wear big ol' Ernie Douglas glasses. I didn't think about the idea that vamps probably wouldn't wear glasses, or that the green makeup I smeared around my eyes, a la Phyllis Diller, couldn't be seen through those coke bottles. Nope. I WAS a vampire. Man, I'd have sucked you dry in a second, given half a chance. I seem to remember trying to drain my brother's life force a time or two.

My brother's the one in the Planet of the Apes attire, and between the two of us we could be or make pretty much anything we wanted. Big boxes were the best toys we ever got. We had a dryer box that became an awesome computer. Little did we know computers were actually about that size for a while.

The point is, that nine-year-old in the picture is me. He IS me. Now. And I'm pretty damned happy about that. Jen & I went down to San Diego for this year's Comic Con, and I was reminded of the kid in that picture. I was reminded of the importance of ideas.

superhero fever strikes me after looking for parking at comic con

I really needed that trip. I needed to remember that stories can still be important. That's easy to forget in aworld that now includes Jar Jar Binks and yet another crop of summer movies based on old TV shows. Hell, even the TV shows today are based on old TV shows.

More often than not, I emerge from a movie theatre thinking about whether or not the third act worked, and considering how the movie could've been nudged this way or that to make it better.

Since I started working in the industry and discovered that most shows are assembled in much the same way a community theatre production is mounted, I've wondered what it was that captivated me so long ago. I've also wondered why I still want to be involved in the whole thing. I believe I have my answer.

-Tom

MR. TINGLETOES

 

When I first moved to LA, I kept a bit of a blog on this site to let my friends in on the things that were happening to me in Los Angeles. It was an effective tool, but I eventually let it wane into oblivion.

I decided I only had enough time to either live my life or write about it, so the writing fell by the wayside. Since then, I've missed having that little forum, so I created this page.

At its most basic, this page is just a place for me to let you in on the thoughts and events that are plaguing my everyday life in LA. It's also a way for me to get to know you better.

Back when I was writing my blog, readers would write to me from time to time. In the process of responding, they'd usually tell me a little bit about themselves and that was the fun part for me.

I liked having that contact. In fact, one of the biggest things I miss about running the Memphis show is meeting the people that made up our audience.

So, all of these words and pictures are here because I hope to inspire those of you who've bothered to read down this far to respond every now and then. Just say HI. Let me know how you're doing... and send me some of your old Halloween pics if you have the time.

-Tom