Oh Yes ...

I guess I have to get used to remembering I have this blog once a year, twice if I'm lucky.  I turn 60 soon.  I'll blame my forgetfulness about this blog on turning 60.  Of course, there is always the fact I'm really not that interested in talking about self.  But here goes ...

Life is good.  I started this blog as a complaint place, a place to release toxic thoughts, but honestly?  It's rare I have any.  Even the negative stuff swirling around me at the moment I view as a positive.  Talk about a learning curve!  I LOVE where I find myself right now, as it's a totally new experience, chock-full of opportunity to understand people who come from a place of lack and misfortune.

I am being sued by someone who comes from that place (lack and misfortune).  The excellent news is, I have the truth on my side so honestly have not put much energy into it.  Every 3 or so weeks, I hear from one of my 4 (yes FOUR) attorneys regarding this or that, then at the end of the month, I pay their bills (gratefully I might add) and then move on to the next thing.  The allegations are SO untrue that I am anxious to have my day in court so that ALL can know the facts and the truth!  As the expression goes, "let the chips fall where they may."  For me, they will fall in the right direction.  Of this I am sure.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I have a pile of letters and statements from people who have taken the time, unsolicited btw, to declare in writing how much my support and encouragement of their careers and my nurturing of their talent has changed their life for the good and how grateful they are to me for giving them the same opportunity I gave the person who is suing me.  The majority of those in my life, most definitely those closest to me, are glass half full people ... healthy, vibrant, full of life and energy.  The kind of people who throw the shutters wide open every morning and greet the new day, knowing it will be full of opportunity to increase ten fold the goodness and love which swirls around them.

It has been a beautiful sunny day here in Reno.  Both my assistant and I left the office early to get a head start on a fabulous weekend.  I have so much to be thankful for ... a loving and supportive family who I am so close to, wonderful friends, talented and amazing work associates, a beautiful home, a well maintained vehicle, the ability to travel ALL over the world (and I am), and the opportunity everyday to create something that has the ability to uplift the human condition.

Life is good!

Angry Drunk and Drugged

What is it with people who cannot take responsibility for their actions and behaviors?  How is it that these people always think their problems are someone else's fault?  How does this breakdown occur?  Is it their parenting?  Is it life's baggage that simply gets too heavy to carry?  WHAT makes someone so irresponsible for self?  Oh yeah, that's right ... drugs and alcohol!!

Obviously, I'm dealing with someone such as this.

I'll tell you how it turns out when it turns out.  :-)

I have NO idea when the last time was I blogged here.  I've deleted most everything I've posted as to be quite honest using this blog is more of a cathartic way of unloading negatives so that I can look at them and put them in their proper perspective.  Once I've done so, there's no reason to look at the negative anymore, so I delete.

My contract with Silversea continues to be all encompassing in my day to day.  There is rarely a day I can go about my business without either having to respond to an email or arrange for something that is crucial to the ongoing management of this behemoth!

We just turned over the first contract on 4 ships, with the next one coming due in September.  Every time I think I will get ahead financially, there is something else I have to pay for.  It's really ridiculous.  I use the term "bleeding money" quite freely now but in the grand scheme of things, when so many people are out of work, I really can't complain.  I have income and I am providing income for so many, plus giving them an incredible experience as they roam the world on luxury cruise ships.

So...I guess I have no interest in blogging anything today as life is pretty damn good from my perspective.

Oh yeah...except for United Airlines.  I do have a nightmare story regarding trying to get to one of the ships but thanks to United, missed the sailing.  They left me stranded at SFO.  When I have the energy, I will tell the sad tale.  For now, I just want to forget they even exist!

Oh My HELL...

It is a year and a month later and here I sit, already having taken 30 minutes to try to remember what my blogspot name was, let alone my password. Finally signed in and was shocked to see it's been over a year ...

Last I reported I had big news but couldn't speak of it. Well, the BIG news was and now is, that my company, Choozi Entertainment LLC, was awarded a multi million dollar contract with Silversea Cruises to create an all new entertainment program for their luxury line of cruise ships! As I write this, I have recently returned home after traveling 44,000 miles in 5 weeks to install the program on 4 of the ships, with the 5th ship coming on line in March of 2012.

When the news broke the story "Silversea Partners with Choozi Entertainment ... " on November 4th, 2011, the story had the 4th most hits on Google that day! I still need to check my admin reports on the Choozi website as I'm sure the hits on my own site was off the hook that day!!!!

Anyway...I am going to start blogging seriously about this contract and the cruise industry in general. I want to create a 'go to' page that will help guide entertainers seeking cruise ship work that explains all the ins and outs of such employment. It's not the easiest life but the perks are amazing if one has the fortitude to 'live at sea'.

So ... more to come but in the meantime, Merry Christmas ya'all!

Time Ticks Away

I forgot I even had this blog. Wow ... last post was in April of this year. It is now the first day of November. So much has been happening in the life of Choozi Entertainment, Soozi Childers, and Choozi By Design that to try to catch up with one post would be impossible. But I will relate an interesting story.

Before I left to join Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas in Turku, Finland, October of 2009, I went with my neighbor Donna to a psychic faire. We had decided not to have any readings done unless we felt a presence from someone. Well, we had been roaming around for over an hour and were on our way out when we spotted a photo of Stonehenge. It was an advertisement for a spiritual journey that would take the participants to Stonehenge. It said, "for more information, see _ _ _ _" (sorry but for the life of me I cannot remember the name).

Anyway, I asked the woman sitting behind the sign if she were 'her' and the woman responded, "No, she is behind you." Donna and I both turned around and saw a very pleasant woman sitting behind a table. We walked over to her and asked her more about the journey to Stonehenge. Well, we found ourselves chatting with this woman, who was wonderfully engaging and had a joyful spirit about her. We decided to sit down and once we did, continued chatting some more. Donna decided she would have a reading by this woman. I sat through Donna's reading, knowing what the woman was telling her was exactly something that had happened in Donna's life ... a young soul who passed way too early and one this woman would have absolutely no way of knowing about.

Okay, so at the end of Donna's reading, both of us mystified, she especially, I decided to have a reading as well. I had had 3 readings in my entire life at that time ... one in Mexico City in 1978 that was spot on ... another in 1981 in Reno, NV that spoke of a robbery that would occur and did ... and my third at Cassadega in Florida, America's oldest spiritualist camp, where my father visited and told me "not to sign the papers on my desk". At the time, I was contemplating one of those crazy no doc loans that everyone got into trouble with? This medium also had no way of knowing this as I never offer information ... NEVER. She described a man to me, told me his advice, and that was that. I knew it was my Dad.

But I digress. So, I sat to have my reading. I pulled my own 3 cards from her Tarot deck. The first of course spoke of who and what I have been during my lifetime and boy, she knew me to a T! The next spoke of my current situation. She told me I would lose my most important client. Well, at the time, I was just about ready to embark on my journey with Royal Caribbean and thought it couldn't possibly be them. This medium told me the client was a woman and that disturbed me. The only woman I did any business with was a woman named Mary Ann at Royal Caribbean, but I dismissed it, thinking my other clients are gay so maybe the medium was mis-interpreting the essence of a female spirit? Anyway ... I just couldn't believe it could be Royal Caribbean since I was basing my entire future on this gig.

My last card was my future card. The medium could not stress enough how important it was for me to let go of this current client because once I do, my life would be amazing. She refused to elaborate on that aspect, just that I was going to have great fortune but only by releasing this current client.

So today, I sit here retelling this story, not yet able to speak of what is happening in my life right now. I can say this however ... it is AMAZING ... it has taken my life and my company in a new and exciting and extremely profitable direction ... and if I hadn't walked away from Royal Caribbean, it would have never materialized. Not only that, it was my connection to Royal Caribbean that brought this greatness INTO my life.

Hopefully soon I can divulge what is going on, but for the time being, suffice it to say that if you believe, it will happen. Trust me on this. Life is amazing if you step out of the way and just let it be.

Namaste

Soozi

Lost in Thoughts While Sewing

I've been sewing now for over a month, working on a delivery of 46 costumes for a corporate client. Sewing allows your mind to wander and sometimes it wanders into marvelous thoughts and other times, it festers in the 'ick' of not so good times remembered. I've been festering a bit today, thinking of a few clients who unfortunately provided a lot of ick in my life.

I've been working in show business for over 40 years and I am proud to say, there have only been 3 icks. Those three icks were ... a big multi million dollar production in Pusan, Korea that had a corrupt producer ... a summer theater festival that had an artistic director at odds with the governing body ... and a cruise line whose theatrical production department hasn't evolved with the the changes in show business today.

I LOVE what I do for a living so much, that it is rare I let assholes get me down. So, I guess that's all I stopped sewing for to say; that the assholes are not dragging me down, not this time, not ever.

If you have an asshole, or assholes, in your life, rise above their stink. Don't argue, don't acknowledge, don't try to prove a point. Dismiss their energy from your space, your mind, your heart, your soul. Include in the dismisall all the chatter going on around you / us ... the hate mongers and talkers ... the bad behavior that is all over television ... the Rush Limbaugh's and Sarah Palin's and those who want only to incite ... all of the negative CRAP that swirls around us on a daily basis can be eradicated by simply not letting that energy into our thoughts and into our lives.

Rise above the stink my friends. Rise above the stink.

That's all I have to say, for today at least. Now, back to sewing and fonder remembrances.

Namaste.

A New Day

Life is moving way too fast. They say once you reach middle age, time speeds up and I have to say, the sentiment is proving true, at least in my world.

This photo is of myself, my brother Peter, who died of AIDS in 1988, and my youngest brother Christopher, when we first moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1968. I was 15, Peter was 12, Chris was 3. I remember the day this photo was taken like it was only yesterday, yet it was snapped 42 years ago. FORTY TWO YEARS AGO! That is longer than Peter lived.

But, every day is a new day, filled with promise and a new opportunity to make your life what you wish it to be. It's never too late to be happy folks, no matter your situation. Choose happiness ... it's great.