Life of Kyle Prohaska

"Which Way Lord?"

So today was only my second day back in NY, and it felt like I never left.  I used my phone as an alarm clock as I had yet to plug mine back in.  It went off at about 9:15am and I was so tired I turned it off and rolled back around in bed.  That was a mistake, as I blinked after I rolled over I ended up falling asleep.  Have you ever been so tired you thought all you did was blink and you realized one blink cost you a half hour?  Well that was me, I had fallen asleep again and woke back up at 10am.  I got ready in about 10 minutes.  Brushed my teeth, got dressed, didn’t eat breakfast (which is unlike me), and hopped in the car.  I think since I’ve been losing some weight (I’m about 205 now, and I can definitely see it in my stomach/chest section) I’m hungry a bit less.  Even though I hadn’t eaten in the morning I wasn’t hungry anyways which is odd.

When I got to church I knew a lot of folks I know were in for a surprise.  The looks I got from people when they saw me was awesome.  I got a lot of hugs and handshakes from people.  No matter where I settle in life, this will always be my home.  Not in Ransomville mind you, I’m talking at NFBC with my family.  I come from a family that isn’t as tight nit as my blog might suggest.  I think I’ve spent more time around my church family growing up than I ever did around my real family (minus my parents and my mom’s mom Betty…RIP miss you!), maybe 10x more.  I trust so many of them with advice and counsel, it’s really a safe place for me to be.  My Pastor has only been at NFBC for a few years but I would trust him with anything, and he’s become a bit of a father to me (don’t worry dad!  I love you haha).  If I was somehow unable to get ahold of my parents or they weren’t around anymore, Pastor Billy would be the first person I contact.  He’s such an amazing man of God, and took me under his wing big time when I came on staff at my church in 2006.  We grew so much as I worked there.  You know someone is close to you when you have more inside jokes between each other than any other person in your life.  We just laugh when we see each other.  I made sure he didn’t know I was coming home so I could surprise him.  I was sitting right behind him during worship and when he went up to setup his computer while everyone was greeting I snuck up behind him and said “boo.”  He looked up at me for a second, then looked down at his computer.  His neck snapped back up and a big fat smile appeared on his face, it was gold.

I gotta tell you, nothing wakes you up more on a Sunday morning like Pastor’s sermons.  He is the most dynamic, loud, exciting preacher I’ve ever seen.  I think the sound-waves leaving his mouth actually gave me a bruise.  It was like getting hit in the face when he started preaching, haha.  Sitting in a pew is really odd I gotta say.  I was taping sermons for 3 years, never sitting in a pew more than maybe once a year when I finally got someone to do it for me.  After church I just mingled until the place was almost empty.  Joan Golda brought that smile to church like I had told her the night before chatting on Facebook.  She is such an encouragement to me sometimes, just that smile is enough to wipe a frown off anybody.  Thanks Joan!

On the way home I needed to go grocery shopping and get my car washed.  I’m sorry all of you reading this have to hear about such trivial things, but that’s too bad…you’ve come this far, and now I’ve got you!  *evil laugh*  Anyways I drove down the typical hill I always did to go to Subway for lunch back when I worked at the church.  I’ve been down that hill a zillion times, I felt like I never left home.  Tops was pretty busy since it was 4th of July weekend.  I grabbed a bunch of odd things that we didn’t have at the house and called my mom to say hi and make sure I wasn’t buying something I didn’t need to.  I grabbed hotdog and hamburger rolls, lettuce (the good stuff, spring mix…), fat free Italian Dressing (wishbone, only the best for this green eater!), Pizza Pringles, Milk, Cereal (two healthy kinds, I can’t remember…there is so much awesome cereal that isn’t all chocolate and sugar you know), Slimfast (there’s my chocolate fix), Dill Relish (gotta have that), and a Take 5 candy bar (my other chocolate fix, it was on impulse…they put that crap where you go to pay for things for a reason).  Either way it was about $50 or so for all of it, not bad considering what I was buying.  The Slimfast added $7 bucks or so to the price for just 6 cans of it but it’s worth it.  They are a good item for breakfast when your on the run, and control my hunger for a few hours while giving me some good nutrients as well.

On my way home I got a Subway sub to take home only because I had plenty left on my gift card (thanks Dave and Marcia!), and I wanted to see the face of the workers when I walked in again.  Only one of the usuals I remember was in there but when I walked in and he saw me his expression was of shock and his words were something to the tune of “O…M…G…it’s you.”  It’s always funny when I go in there and other customers wonder why I’m so comfortable talking to the slave making my sandwich.  The lady that runs the place, Sharline is gonna flip when I walk in and she’s there.  She gave me my last sub before I left for CA for free.  In a very profound and sad moment she slide the sub across the counter and said “It’s…on me.”  I’m not sure just how much money I had spent there a year for the previous 3 but if my math is right I could’ve bought a second car, and a new one at that.  No I’m not kidding, I practically kept one of their gas pumps funded each month with the amount of times I went there.

The way home was nice, exactly how I wanted it.  The sun out, my arm out the window (which is a little burned from the long ride home), and music blasting.  A perfect Sunday so far, and it only got better.  When I got home I put everything away and ate that sub of mine.  It was glorious, I’ll just say that.  I went upstairs and got working on a few things.  I opened up our edit file and messed around for a while but the rest of my time was spent on Facebook and chatting with folks.  I got a new layout designed and finished on this site which came out great I think.  Hopefully this is one that will stick for a long time and become a bit of a signature.  Soon I’m going to make web banners that people can use to place on their websites to advertise the site so get ready for that soon.  I’m going to try and start writing a lot more on different topics, not just the daily blog.  Maybe I’ll start doing an interview or two as well.  I don’t think I will place the interviews here however, I’ll place them on PraisePictures.com then cross promote them here.  If you have someone in mind let me know and if you have any contact information that would be helpful as well!

Kevin stopped over later in the evening to talk and we chatted about the film, I went over what changes I had made recently, and we just spoke about the future.  We always get a lot done when we are face to face.  Email/Phone only does so much, even in todays world.  There is nothing better than being right there with someone hammering out the details about a project and fixing problems.  I have to butt in and add this here.  Just now a friend messaged me with the conversation starting with this brilliant statement “Women…”  Ha ha, I just had to say that….awkward placement I know but it made me laugh.  Anyways, Kevin left and I just continued to work on a few things.  I’m glad to have my desk back in order and my room back.  These monitors look fantastic in this room, I gotta say.  Tomorrow it’ll feel good to wake up, eat breakfast, then go to work.  By work of course I mean open up Final Cut Pro and hammer away at my edit of Standing Firm!  It’ll be the very first day I work for nobody but myself, what a weird feeling that is.  I look forward to it though, and whatever else might be in store for this film in the Fall.  I have high hopes but I’m taking things one step at a time.  Nothing would be worse than to squander the gift I’ve been given and the sacrifice that everyone involved in the film made.  Our film is currently at 85 minutes, and I did hear a rumor that the new SAICFF 2010 rules would have a 90 minute minimum limit on the feature category.  That would be a HUGE disappointment for us as we really hope to enter the film.  If it ends up being a 90 minute cap, then I might have to get on the horn with as many supporters as possible to get it pushed through, granted they even accept it.  If you want to read what my thoughts were on last years SAICFF you can read the article I wrote here.  People seemed to love it last January, and I think you will to!

I also had a long conversation today with David Evans, Director/Producer of The Grace Card, the film I hope to be apart of in September through the fall.  It’s a huge opportunity for me as I would be coming onto the project as another Producer.  That’s a large role for someone like myself to fill, especially for a film with so much potential.  I’ve been working with David semi-daily for a month or so now and talking with him previous to that just working out details and giving advice where I can to help bring elements together.  This film really has the potential to be something very special.  The script is currently being revised by a gentlemen who co-wrote Space Cowboys, a movie from 2000 directed by Clint Eastwood.  I look forward to seeing the script polished and ready to be broken down and laid into categories.  It looks like this thing in Memphis is going to happen, from the way the phone call went.  Everyone over there is on-board with my involvement, and I think we decided to have me fly down there sometime really soon to just meet face to face and get my feet wet.  This is a project separate from Praise Pictures just so everyone is clear.  Visit the website for the film here which I’m also designing to see the basic concept art.  There is no information on the page yet, but you have something to look at for now (I’m working on it, cool your jets).  I’m excited, and just moving as the Spirit leads.  One thing I need to make sure is that I have my film in a completed form well enough to mail to interested parties, and that I’m able to continue whatever might need to be done in the Post/Distribution process if we get any takers.  Distribution is a whole different beast from any other part of the filmmaking process, as is marketing and promotion.  I have so many ideas and content I’ve prepared over the last year that will really set the film apart I feel in quality, scope, and ambition (especially at our budget).

“The Holy Spirit is a strong wind, and I’m a tumbleweed…” – me