Nick Savides

nitter.cf/nsavidesPRO/status/207… This is a Hail Mary story about why I spent 15 years trying to connect with director @CameronCrowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky), how trying to meet him in Nashville turned into one of the worst days of my life, and why I'm still trying to get things right. For my podcast, I used to do film and music interviews, but over time I changed the focus. For one thing, I’m more interested in ideas shared by the likes of @jordanbpeterson than I am about what’s trending in pop-culture circles. I also thought it might be more helpful if I put the show’s emphasis not on participating in someone else’s hype cycle, but in trying to address some of the biggest issues and questions of my life, the things that keep me up at night and affect where I want to head. I figured if I did that well enough, I could make forward progress on life goals and others who were wrestling with similar things might also benefit. This story is at the heart of who I’ve become and want to be and what gets in the way. A good bit of it hurts, so much so that it took a series of LOST-like serendipities and the @nyknicks’ championship run, SOMETHING THAT HAS NEVER BEFORE HAPPENED IN MY LIFETIME, to convince me to share it. Even after Knicks won, I spent countless hours trying to avoid addressing the underlying issues at stake. When I finally figured out what I wanted to say, it took me some additional time to put the video together. A few days ago I got this sense that if I didn’t share a version of it that day, even in unfinished form, then I never would. That’s probably right because I’ve already been tempted to delete the video a few times. It’s hard for me to share unfinished things. I tend to focus on the things that still need work, that aren’t quite right, but it would take me several more hours to produce a more polished version. I might get there at some point—IF I get enough momentum back—but right now, I have other commitments I have to focus on and several strong reasons to avoid spending more time on it. Here’s the thing: Let unchecked the story in its current form may very well get the best of me. I don’t know how to get to a better place on my own. For various reasons, I’m convinced I need Cameron Crowe’s participation to get there. I’ve tried to connect with him in various ways over the years, but I imagine all kinds of influences may very well be battling for his attention. So, if you can relate to this story or believe the project has potential, would you consider liking or reposting it? Every little bit helps. Thanks in advance.

Huge day for @SpaceX, Texas, and co! (I say this as an LSU fan who just watched the Texas Longhorns end our season in the last few seconds, but at least it a Manning who ended it for us. Got to give credit where credit is due.)

Watched this last night. Compelling performances from A-list talent. Apparently not everyone in Hollywood takes orders from the Politburo and the CCP. OK! The film feels like a polished recording of a play, but I don't mean that as a slight. It is more character and idea driven than a conventional film, so that shifts the emphasis from visual spectacle to spoken words and performances. That emphasis is a savvy business model that allows a company like Daily Wire to bring in notable talent for projects at a sustainable rate. On the dramatic side, that focuses attention on how opposing ideologies impact the human spirit. Arguably, the best writer at dramatizing the clash of opposing philosophies is Dostoevsky, so it is fitting that the film leans heavily on his work as it dramatizes the tension between an ideology that gives primacy to the authoritarian state and one that cherishes the inviolable dignity and liberties of the individual. Congratulations @benshapiro, @realDailyWire, and co. Looking forward to seeing what you do next.

Worth checking out.

Sharing in hopes of seeing more of this. I used to keep a collection of inspiring print and digital images, and I'd turn to them when I needed a reminder that there was more to the world than the dissonance at hand. I need to get back to doing that.

Hello again @AnnaKendrick47. A few things reminded me that yesterday was the 15 year anniversary of when I first saw you in person. As it happens, yesterday was also when the newest season of Lord of the Rings premiered on Amazon. (I didn’t make it past Season 1, but I’m curious.) Making it onto the set of your movie led to a series of strange events that eventually led to me making this video, in which you get a mention. Can’t say it’s a glamorous mention, but you were a formative influence, and quite possibly this video would’ve never come together without you. For good or ill, there’s that. The thing is, I once made a big bet on your capacity for decency. For whatever reason, it felt right, but it was a bet that set me back in all kinds of ways I can’t succinctly explain. Was I wrong about that? Even after all this time I don’t know. Quite possibly, it’s not for me to say. Any thoughts? I had a sense that I should share some version of this with you, but I also had all kinds of reasons for not wanting to. For one thing, I can’t imagine that you'd see it as a flattering mention. That said, if someone out there felt similar things about me, I’d want to know so that I could thoughtfully consider and try to make amends if appropriate. Mentioning this in part because tonight I was at a bar deliberating about whether to get another drink. Then I heard one girl suggest that another girl at the bar looked like Blake Lively. That’s when I decided that I should “get a long, long way from there,” to quote a certain song that comes to mind. Might not have reached that conclusion without you. In part because of your influence, I left without another drink and made it home safely, so on behalf of the good people of Baton Rouge, at the very least I want to thank you for that.

Who couldn't use a little holiday cheer this time of year?

Once again, some of the most searing social commentary comes from @TheBabylonBee: babylonbee.com/news/in-most-… Our society is seriously ill, and showbiz swamp agents like Chappelle keep poisoning the well. Hooray for Hollywood, right? Or something.

@CameronCrowe it has been a year since the incident and still not one direct response from you, although you did find the time to express your appreciation for a Robert De Niro serial-killer film. I had some things I was going to share about that, but a wrench in the works came up—my yiayia passed away and her viewing is today, as it happens. Went for a run to try to find the words to say to you. Without realizing as much, she was the one who convinced me to move forward with the video. At an uncertain time, she called to wish me a happy birthday and offer encouraging words about my endeavors. Something about her words made me believe that she believed I could make things work, that I could have a positive impact. It was the last meaningful conversation I had with her before she left us. As I ran, I wondered what Yiayia would do in this situation. I don't know but perhaps she would want me to finish what I started. In her honor, I will hold off on sharing what I initially intended to share, for a while longer at least, and tell you this: I reached out in spite of the risks, in spite of what I anticipated might happen in response, because I once believed you were the kind of man who could make a difference, who could help change the course of a tragic trajectory. Are you such a man? That remains to be seen. Time will tell. mccarthyfh.com/tribute/parth…

It's not for everyone ...

Canon let me borrow the RF100-300mm F2.8 L IS USM, so I went to the zoo to try it out. Was blown away by how it brought out textures and personalities of distant creatures. I work for Canon, but if you qualify for Canon Professional Services you can borrow equipment just like I did. So many photo and video pros still don't know about, or fully appreciate, the opportunities that our CPS Evaluation Loan program provides. Worth exploring if you're a Canon shooter: usa.canon.com/pro/canon-prof…

⚜️ Amber and Ryan drove around New Orleans in a Porsche with a surprise worth celebrating: They are now officially married! 🥂 A memorable day with an amazing couple. Congratulations Amber & Ryan!

Kinda cool that this comes one day after Back to the Future Day. Happy Birthday @DocBrownLloyd!

An earnest dilemma: Social media can help certain media projects succeed, and that relates to the work I do, but the more time I spend on social media the more likely I am to perceive others as vain, tribal-minded, and/or hypocritical ego monsters posturing for clicks and status. So many people seem to worship at the altar of the algorithm. Not saying I'm immune to that pressure, just that it is harder for me to hear the better angels when inundated with a near incessant stream of corroded narcissism. That does not inspire me, to put it mildly. Hank Williams Jr. had to write a song to explain why he drinks, as if that inclination is otherwise incomprehensible in this brave new world of ours! That is certainly one way to respond to the dissonance at hand. Another is to live a hermetic existence to avoid further contamination. But, there's also the inclination to build a walled garden, the still small voice that asks whether it is possible with some effort to build something a little better—more cultivated, even beautiful—for the community at hand. If such a thing is possible, might that not be a reason to show up and try, even on social media? Well, perhaps. The inhabitants of a place determine whether it will become a garden or a wasteland. Most of that is out of our control, but we can choose how we show up. Today I will try ...