Lots to bring you up to speed on...

This past weekend I really enjoyed being a New Yorker for the first time. I spent all day Saturday at the park here in Astoria. Its Queens’ central park if you will. I biked there around 11:00AM and found that it was the Astoria Arts and Music Festival, Queens’ version of Jazz fest. A beautiful day to spend at the park hoping around all the four music stages along the East River. The day filled with local arts, crafts music and food. 8 hours later I looked at my watch and it was 7:00PM.





It made Friday’s news a little bit easier to swallow. Friday the staff of Brink , the current show I work on for the Science Channel, and I got word that our show has been cancelled and will not be renewed for any more seasons. It was tough news to hear, and my heart went out to our 4 editors, 3 producers, assistant & executive producers, and the other B.A. along with myself. To see a team put all of their heart and soul into a project that they fully commit to, giving their best to, makes the news even tougher. So sadly, one of the best produced shows on the network, will soon come to an end as we wrap with our 26th episode of the season.
In the meantime, if you have the Science Channel, you should check out the show on Monday nights at 10:30/ 9:30c for the latest and greatest in science, discovery, health, technology, concepts, and if for no other reason… to see my name for the first time on national TV, in the credits. (There were too many to list on Next Food Network Star)





The project is a very cool one, and is the type of show I wish science teachers in school would have shown the class to introduce new ideas, concepts and theories in a fun, educational and engaging way.

I also had a bit of a reality check on Saturday. I came home and was watching the finals of the Ironman competition in Hawaii. I was watching, since my brother-in-law has competed before, and NBC aired a taped piece that actually made me tear up. Lame I know… They were showing footage of a 72-year-old woman who was crossing the finish line after swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and then running a marathon (26.4 miles) yes my brother-in-law did that! The footage was in slow motion as she ran across the finish line, with a smile as big as the Hawaiian coast, and sappy music playing in the background and the encouraging images of complete strangers, standing cheering her on, and rooting for her, as she accomplished something she had set out to do accomplish. The moment was moving. I noticed the tears started to drip, not only cause of her achievement and her story, but part jealousy.

See I caught myself thinking, I want that kind of moment in my life. I want that same crowd rooting me on, cheering for me, celebrating with me. I have never had that kind of moment and I found myself wanting to experience that, where I can run across head, and hands held high in celebration. Then I came to my senses and realized that while that may have been the ONLY time that lady experienced that, I HAVE had that moment, and I DO have that moment on a daily basis. I have that crowd rooting me on, its you my family and friends. I have that applause, its your approval. I have those strangers who cheer for me, it’s the support your friends and co-workers. I have the slow motion video, it’s a look back at all that I have experienced. I have the slow music, it’s the words of encouragement you have given. I have that smile, it’s a sense of accomplishment on anything I commit myself to. While I may have not crossed the finish line, I am running the race . Hebrews 12:1 immediately comes to mind. "Let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us."

Then likewise I get in church on Sunday and we sing a song called “What if today was your last day” by Nickelback. The lyrics ask:

"My best friend gave me the best advice. He said each day's a gift and not a given right.
 Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind, 
and try to take the path less traveled by
 that first step you take is the longest stride
.
If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late, could you say goodbye to yesterday?
 Would you live each moment like your last, leave old pictures in the past?
 Donate every dime you had, if today was your last day?
 What if, what if, if today was your last day?"

The song was just a reminder, and I think God’s way of re-assuring me, that worries of today, will be in the past tomorrow . and there is no reason to cloud tomorrow with the worries that have yet to see the light of day. So again, and it seems like I said it just a few month ago, I am trusting that God will reveal and speak his plan for this season of my life to me, and that I will accept and pursue it. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers, and y’all always remain in mind.

LASTLY, this Sunday is the season 5 finale of Next Food Network Star. Its down to the two finalist. It’s the showdown between the stay-at-home mom, and the real estate owner. Who will win, who will be, who deserves, and who do you think is the Next Food Network Star.


Also a BIG Shout-out to three people in my life celebrating birthdays. My best friend Tray, my Nannie Jeanne, and my grandmaw Maurine! Hope all of your days Rock!

Until next time...
Peace, Love and NYC

New Blog, New Crib, Same ‘ol Me

Its about time I followed up on this thing.

A new blog. I figured it was time for a facelift on this site. I mean with a new leaf, new place to live, new job project… why not have a new look? It’s the same thing, but I did change my address down on the bottom right, so be sure you update it in your address books. Its 24-16 32nd Street Astoria, NY 11102

The new crib… yes I moved. Still in Queens, but in Astoria now. Astoria, you may not have heard of us... but you have heard from us. My neighborhood has birthed Tony Bennett, David Schimmer (of the show Friends), and Christopher Walken. Mobster Frank Costello, and ragtime great Scott Joplin are buried here. The original Cosby Show was set and shot here. Sienfeld's george Costanza's parents lived here.And who could for get Archie and Edith Bunker living here in the show All in the Family. It has been the backdrop for the movies Goodfellas and King Kong. enough about the city, now about the crib. The new place was a blank slate we we first got in, which proved to be a good thing. Operation Extreme Makeover Home Edition ROUND 2 here we go. I have posted pictures of before and after. It seems like that’s all I have been doing lately, is fixing up and redoing places. Its fun, but a lot of work, do you think it paid off?











I must say a HUGE Thank YOU!!!!!!!! To any and all of you who helped with the move by donating supplies, donations, prayers and support. You have helped make my apartment... a home. And its reassuring to know I have pieces of you with me here! I had some of the biggest help with my best friends making the drive up from LA to NY. The road trip was fun, memorable and spent doing a LOT of laughing.

I celebrated my 23rd birthday back home when I went down to visit. It was the best birthday yet, cause I spent the entire 10 days with family and friends, the best gift I could have asked for. It was a great trip home, one that went by too quickly but was such a blessing to have. I met my nephew Hudson for the first time, which was THE biggest reason i was looking forward to going home. And spending time with my three nieces/nephew was time well spent.

The new job starts Friday. I am still at the same company just shifted to a different project. Its a project with the Science Channel, on a weekly show called Brink. As for all of you Food Network lovers, keep watching as the field keeps narrowing to our finale on August 2nd. Who do you think has got it in the “lunchbag?”

Until Next Time...
Peace, Love, and NYC
Dillon