I'm Tired... Again

The collective sigh you heard from Safety Harbor was due to the beginning of school.

And waking up around 5 a.m.

And driving my daughter to school at 6 a.m.

And struggling to stay awake at work all day long.

Fortunately, I love the drives to her school with my daughter. We get to pray and talk and laugh and spend time together. An awesome time.

But, I'm old... or feel old... or am just plain tired. I'm genetically a night person, so this transition to being an early morning riser will be a painful few weeks. But, it's worth it.

Hurricane Fay = Sunny Day

With all of the gloom and doom broadcast on the local television the last few days about the direct hit Tampa was supposed to feel from Hurricane Fay, you'd think it would have at least rained yesterday.

But it didn't. Sunshine, breezy... really nice, actually. Fortunately for us, the pesky Fay took a right and missed us completely. We didn't even get feeder band rain.


I'm not complaining. After surviving the four hurricane summer a few years ago, I'll take a near miss any time!

I guess our guardian angels were working over time.

Lessons in Faith...

Over at the Sonlight Pictures blog I'll be posting an entry about the lessons in faith that I've learned so far on this little journey we started.

Check it out here.

Sign up to be a Sonlight Pictures Angel

For those of you who would like to support our efforts with Sonlight Pictures, I invite you to sign up to be one of our Angels and pray for us.


You can read more about it here. If you sign up HERE, once you fill out the simple info and hit submit, you'll be prompted to send the info via email. Just hit send and away it goes.

We can use all of the help we can get, heavenly and otherwise :)

Purgator, USA - Editing

We're in the middle of editing the first four episodes of Purgatory, USA. All of the rough cuts are completed, but there is still need for color correction, soundtrack, sound effects and titles.

Me in mid-edit.

We're about 60% done in the whole process. We hope to get it all done in the next few weeks.

(click for larger image)

I'll be posting the :30 second intro soon.

PUSA - BTS Pics

Here are some behind-the-scenes pictures from Purgatory, USA. As always, you can check out more at the Sonlight Pictures Blog.

Tiffany helps out with a crane shot.

Dea works on our mannequin, Svenge.

Pete directs the girls on set.

Pete all purty... with tiara and flower.

Svenge... Ladies Man.


Dorothea and Tiffany.

Enjoy!

Parental Influences...

My sister Mary emailed me and asked some very interesting questions...

These questions were specific to my parents, Charles and Catherine Bauer, but could apply to anyone when considering the genetic and environmental influences of their parents.

• What do you think you have inherited from each parent?
• Are you dominant dad or mom, etc.? Physically, emotionally, intellectually...

Here's what I think, what I wish and what I hope...

• I think I inherited my mother's sense of humor with my father's flair for taking the CL out of CLASS.
• I think I have my mother's eyes and my father's skin.
• I think I got from my father the love to play with children on their level and my mother's love to hold them in my arms.
• I think I have my familial faith from my mother and my intellectual faith from my father.
• I think I get my stillness from my mother and my fiery competitiveness from my father.
• I love to debate issues like my father, but I love to keep the peace like my mother.
• From both of them I have a love of God first, spouse second, children third.
• I believe, like my father, that, as a family, we can accomplish anything.
• I wish my faith was as seemingly unbridled as my parent's.
• I wish I was more selfless, like my parents.
• I wish I had more meals around the dining room table with my family like my parents had with me.
• I wish I was more independent like my mother and more passionate like my father.
• I hope my laugh has the same effect on my children as my mother's had on me.
• I hope my words and wisdom have the same effect on my children as my father's had on me.
• I hope I touch as many lives through consistency and example as my parents have.

What do you think? How much are you like your parents?

Purgatory, USA - Episode 3 Screen Shots

Many thanks to St. Patrick's Catholic Church for allowing us to shoot there the last two days. We were able to finish up Episode 3 today, which deals with trust.

Karen and Brian join the cast.

Babs and Nikki have a plan.

An odd location for redemption.

If all goes as planned, we'll complete Episode 2 tomorrow.

Purgatory, USA - More Episode 4 Screen Shots

We wrapped Episode 4 today. Here are a few pics. A few more are over at Sonlight Pics blog.




Tomorrow we finish Episode 3.

Purgatory, USA - Episode 4 Screen Shots

Here are some screen shots from today's long shoot day... of course, more at Sonlight Pictures Blog.

Nikki and Babs share a surprise.

Father John (yup, me) and Jean (Cathy Ross)

Nikki listens to Babs

More tomorrow...

Purgatory, USA Screen Shots - Ep 2 & 3

I've posted over at the Sonlight Pictures Blog a whole bunch of screen shots from what we've shot so far for Episode 2, which deals with Idol Worship, and Episode 3, which deals with Trust.

Tiffany and DC have fun on the set.

Don and Gabe play actors waiting to audition.

DC as Nikki.

Tiffany as Babs.

Check 'em out and let me know what you think!

I'm Tired...

I'm plum tuckered out. Shooting Purgatory, USA is very exhausting. We shot 12 hours Saturday and another seven hours Sunday.

Ep 1 - 100% shooting complete
Ep 2 - 30% shooting complete (3 locations left)
Ep 3 - 60% complete (2 locations left)
Ep 4 - 0% complete (2 locations left)

It takes about four days to shoot each 10 minute episode. We'll be done with the home location by the end of this upcoming weekend. If I can find some important locations, we could be completed within two weeks.

And then I can sleep. Oh, and edit. And clean the audio. And add music. And edit the opening sequence. And shoot interviews. And add soundtracks. And post them on the web.

And then sleep.

Purgatory, USA - Shooting Continues

I just finished the rough cut edit for the first episode of Purgatory, USA. It's a really nice intro and I'm glad it is out of the way. The real comedy will come from future episodes where, now that the characters are established, they can just have fun and find themselves in humorous situations.

We've shot part of the second episode last week. This weekend we'll shoot a small section of episode two and the majority of episode three.

I'm so proud of DC and Tiffany. They are doing such a tremendous job. I can't wait to see what they are going to bring to the next shoot day.

Wish us luck! And keep us in your prayers. We need it!

More Poetry Wives Really Want to Hear...

Here's more poetry wives really want to hear...

Now I Know Better
By Pete Bauer

I used to be able to think
But now I know better

I used to be able to fold laundry
But now I know better

I used to have valid opinions about things
But now I know better

I used to be able to dress myself
But now I know better

I used to think "we should do this" meant more than just me
But now I know better

I used to know what looked good on my wife
But now I know better

I used to think I wasn't supposed to be psychic
But now I know better

I used to think my wife was occasionally wrong
But now I know better

I used to have goals and dreams and aspirations
But now I know better

I used to enjoy the little things in life
But now I know better

I used to avoid the sweet release of death
But now I know better

My wife tells me I've never been happier
Because now I know better

Poetry Wives Really Want to Hear...

A co-worker and I were discussing dating history and such and the idea of poetry came up. After some joking back and forth we thought how funny it would be to create poetry real wives would rather hear than mushy crap that doesn't get anything done around the house.

In that spirit, here's the first poem lovingly titled:

My Underwear, Your Love
By Pete Bauer

You found me crumpled and damp and stuffed behind the bathroom door
You washed me, you folded me
And you put me back home.

You found me next to the couch, by the empty bowl of chips, on top of the TV remote
You washed me, you folded me
And you put me back home.

You found me on the tree limb in the front yard after a vomit-inducing bachelor party
You washed me, you folded me
And you put me back home.

Despite the many indignities you have suffered on my behalf
You have always found me, and loved me
And you put me back home.

That is, until my elastic band got washed too much and you threw me into a pile in the garage
Where you sprayed me and crumpled me
And I dusted your home.

Then I was forgotten and eaten by bugs and got holes and stained and was called a rag
And you examined me and folded me
And threw me from your home.

Even though I now sit under twelve metric tons of waste in the town landfill on the other side of town
I'll remember how you found me and loved me
When I called his dresser home

Purgatory, USA - Episode 1 Shoot Complete

We spent 12 straight hours Saturday finishing up Episode 1 of Purgatory, USA. It was a long, long day. We got a lot of good work done and the lead actors, DC and Tiffany, did a great job. Really professional attitude and approach.

DC and me on the set in between takes.

Tiffany listening to me right before a take.

DC as Nikki, looking cute.

Sunday we shot for six hours and completed three scenes from Episode 2. We have a lot more to shoot this upcoming weekend.

Here are a few pics and screenshots. You can see more at Sonlight Pictures Blog.

Real American Stories... Continues

I got an email from Brad, the producer at Fox News who spearheaded the entire Real American Stories promotion. He had sent Dea and I a DVD of our promos as a thank you. In his letter he was very funny, thanking me for "almost single-handedly getting me a promotion."

Ah, when America speaks, people listen :)

In subsequent communication he informed me that the Real American Stories promo was just being kicked off on the Fourth of July week, but it will continue on for many more months to come. Fox wants it to be a positive place for America to voice how proud they are to be an American. They want to keep it going as long as they can.

Brad wanted me to ask all of you to visit the site and submit your story to them via the Your Story link on the page. They really want feedback from everyone. So, stop by and check it out.

He also mentioned there was some talk about expanding the promotion into some sort of show and joked that perhaps he would bring a crew down to the Tampa Bay area and talk to us again.

Now wouldn't THAT be a trip.

Anyway, stop by the Real American Stories website and participate in the promotion. Who knows, maybe one day you too can speak for all America.

If so, my wife would be very grateful.

Fun at the Beach

I haven't taken my shirt off in public since 1995... the year I had my first intestinal surgery.

1) No one wants to see a foot long scar down my stomach. Ask my wife.
2) To quote my brother Paul, my German/Irish skin is now so white it reflects pure light.

I always tell people that, being both Irish and German means I like to get drunk and then try to take over the world. Okay, that's not true, I don't get drunk... the taking over the world part... well, I'm working on it.

So, to spare the world and especially my extended family the retinal damage that would be inflicted by appearing shirtless in any form of natural light, I stayed away from the beach when my wife and kids went out there to visit her sister's family. To be honest, I had to go to the office so it worked out best for everyone.

Gabe body surfing.

Little Noah at the beach.

Rachel, Sarah Jo and Gabe.

Kelsey and DC

I think the next time I get a tan will be when I own a private island and there are no satellites or air craft directly overhead that could be impacted from my ultra-bright skin tone reflection. Until then, you'll be stuck seeing pics of my family.

And you'll be grateful. Trust me.

Genetics - God's Sense of Humor

Why do I look more and more like my father every day? Because God has a sense of humor.

Why do my brothers and I laugh alike? Because God thinks its funny.

Being the last of eight kids, why do I always remind people of an older sibling and, thereby, have no identity of my own?

Because God knows gene pools do not have a deep ends.

And so it is. Besides marriage, I believe genetics give God a more consistent form of entertainment than anything else.

Case and point... the Koehlers.

If it weren't mean to be funny, why does my niece Kelsey look more like wife's daughter than our own daughter?

Three generations... Poppy,
Kelsey (Dawn's daughter) and Dea.

And why does my daughter look more like my sister-in-law Dawn's daughter than my daughter?

Dawn and our daughter, Dorothea.

And why does Dawn's three children look like they come from vastly different roots in the same family tree? Cause God's a kidder.

Dawn's husband, Patrick, and his
look-a-like daughter, Rachel.

Dawn's daughter Sarah Jo and
her look-a-like Grammie.

So the next time your belly looks like your parent's or your skin spots look like your grandparent's or you smile looks like the mailman, remember, it's genetics...

God's non-stop punchline.

Purgatory, USA Starts Shooting

We started shooting the first episode of Purgatory, USA this evening. Here are some screen captures from the opening scene.

DC starts off the series
by talking to the camera

Dea as Mickey

DC as Nicole

We'll post more over at the Sonlight Pictures Blog as the shooting continues.