Sometimes a Little, Really Means A lot

I have to admit, despite almost all my bedroom furniture being hand-me downs, growing up in clothing that wasn't always brand name clothing, I grew up comfortable. I never truly went hungry or slept outside because I had no choice. I was never forced to experience a childhood from the sidelines while other kids played sports, I may not of had the best equipment but I still played. I never had endure blistering Canadian winter without a coat but for a lot of people those things are a reality.

I live in a world where I go to a grocery store with a solitary box titled "Food Bank" just beyond the check out. A positive thing but when I peak inside and see a couple packages of ramen, half a dozen cans of peas and few boxes of Kraft Dinner despite the 300-500 people that have checked out through the day? it's pretty sad isn't it.
Sure the economic situations aren't ideal and a lot of us bring home the groceries and can't believe thats all we got with $150,  while a lot of people go hungry that night, at least we were able to get.
I sit back and I even look at myself. How many times have I ran to the store to pick up burger buns that cost three bucks broke a five and stashed the change and walked out right past that box. Would it have been to much work to grab a can peas and carrots for the box, NO. Would I have gone hungry the next day because I bought that can of food, No. Would some else have had something to eat, Yes. I wonder what kind of difference it would make if everybody who had the means to shop for groceries bought one extra non-perishable item for the food bank or gave up one from what they already bought, probably a hell of a lot.

I find myself pondering at night how many of us have winter jackets in our closet that honestly we'd never wear again. How many families have their kid's old winter jackets just tossed away in some box in the basement while each year several children don't have warm coats. Cause believe me winter can be harsh enough with a good winter jacket let alone without.
The thing is I live in a world where I can do something with my old coats now that my nephew has outgrown me! If I'm getting a new coat for the winter. I specifically go to WEST 49 and drop of my current coat in their coats for kids barrel, that way I know something good will become of it. WEST 49 also offers $25 off any winter jacket they carry which is awesome.  Even if WEST 49 wasn't my thing I'd still drop off the coat because it's convenient means of getting rid of an old coat and doing somebody a world of good.

It's crazy when I think about it despite there being a lot of people in this world who only think of themselves. In a world that often seems so dark with several of us so caught up in our own lives and what we view as despair that we often forget those who are in a true position of despair. In that same world world of darkness there are tons of these little lights like West 49's Coats for Kids, Canadian Tire's  JumpStart Program, The local food banks and homeless shelter out their flickering like stars in a country side's night sky....face it stars are so much better out in the country than the city.

The way I see it there are literally organizations and people out there that are making helping those in need relatively idiot proof a complete guide for dummies has been laid out for us in a position to do something, to do something.  We might as well do something, we feel better about ourselves, those that et helped feel better about themselves....it's really a win/win.

-Hutch

Another peep into my life.

Over the years I've grown mentally, physically, Socially and as an editor. My editing was the catalyst that sent me careening into the world of social media and networking. Two very important aspects of my life that have lead to some very incredible things in my life that I never really strung together until recently.

When I started filming I was probably 13 or 14 years old. I was given a cheap digital camera for christmas, if it had three mega-pixels it had a lot. The memory card held no more then 60 seconds of video and video quality to match. I tripped on Movie Maker( I was a PC guy, So misguided) and started splicing little videos.  Eventually in 2005 I found myself uploading small videos on to youtube for the sake of preserving precious storage space on my family computer, My humble beginnings.

Those grass roots on youtube paved the way for a lot of discovery. I found something I was good at; it wasn't an athletic sport it was an art. Nobody was looking at my videos, everybody thought they were a waste of time but that all changed. I found an audience and always expanding audience, developed a system, networked with the right people and did something with it.

Looking back on that and looking at the position I am in now, I could of never even dreamed this in my wildest dreams.

 As of 2011 I have edited multiple reels for Hollywood Stuntmen and Martial Arts Word Champions Jackson Spidell and Chris Brewster. Two men that have gone on to work on movies like  Transformers, Twilight: Eclipse, Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Tron Legacy, Avatar, The Last Air Bender, Ninja Assassin, Dragonball Evolution, Takers  and X-Men First Class which is currently in theaters. I had the pleasure of being key editors for both these guys when they only had small screen tv appearances like the Tom Journey Show, Just for Laughs Festives and NBA half -time shows.  The very reels they used for casting calls before their resumes could speak on their own.  Now-a-days they don't need my help for reels their movie credit portfolio speaks volumes.  It's unreal when I really take time to look at this and can honestly say " I helped him launch his career" to sit back in the theater and watch a big budget hit Hollywood movie and go " I can't believed I helped him get to this point". These were edits that also helped me hone my craft, they were not paid but I'm alright with that.  I had a falling out with Brewster years ago. The hatchet has been buried between us recently but we'll never restore the relationship we had in the past. We are OK now and even friendly and I still look out for his work. Though Jackson and I became good friends in the process and we still talk and remain friends, something no amount of money can buy...even though he tossed me a bit of it on his own accord.

Chris Clodfelter another silver studded success story World Muay Thai Champion, UFC hopeful and Eight Points Muay Thair/ Fitness owner. I was lucky enough to be extended rights to his footage and make his reel and gain another friendship with deep roots that goes far beyond what I do or what he does. I call his son, My kid! and make fun of his model tussle hair and call him Pretty Boy Swag.

Buddy 1 Leg, Seriously his name is Buddy and he has one Leg is that so hard to grasp? Thats got to have been a good 5 year relationship now. It's also one one of the weirdest it's the only relationship on an editing front that started with friendship and ended up in editing. At the moment he stands as the only guy in the world who snowboards the way he does. My editing for him goes beyond showing what he does but into the world of Adaptive Sports Activism, Promoting Adaptive Sports. Buddy's stuff might be the biggest I've had my hand in. I was around before the snowboard set up prototype was built and before it's forearm crutch and duct tape predecessor, long before the second amputation of the same leg and a good portion of his youngest kid's chemo treatments. It's literally a story I've lived.

All of this editing and social networking has put in contact with some amazing people, people that had you asked me if I'd ever be talking to in the past, I would of laughed in your face.  Not even a year ago Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan were just loud, rambunctious motormouths( Endearingly So) and immensely entertaining decorators on the TV.  They definitely were not the Scottish Brothers and at times  confidants they are today. Having Twitter conversations with Hollywood legends like Peter Fonda are you kidding me not even a crack( never tried it, won't try it) induced haze could I have figured that into my future but it's happening. There are so many other incredible people  Keith, Sue, Colette, Seonaid, Tina, Cheryl, Rock, Morgan, Gemy, Gayle, Gale, Dexter, Noelle, Dee and so many others I interact with on twitter who invest their time into the likes of me, just another average joe out of Canada. If I had the time to sit type and declare my undying love for you all, I would but my fingers would fall off and my arse cheeks would deflate from sitting to long.

I'm definitely not boasting or bragging about achievements, I'm pretty sure a lot of you had no idea about a lot of these things, I had no idea that there was so many of these things. But it's part of my life, part of whats sculpted me into, ME. Things that will continue to help define parts of me, people who've in some way sculpted a small part of me.