Finding My "Intention" Again / "The Big Bang"

Last year I was inspired to create a webseries called "Paying Intention". The series is about inspiring people to follow their dreams, by giving them practical tools to apply along their road to success. One of the key components of the show is introducing the audience to someone who currently is doing just that - Living their dream! The second half of 2011 was incredibly busy for me. "Paying Intention" got placed on the back burner, UNTIL NOW!!!

While we are working on the re-edits for the next full episode, premiering NEXT WEEK (About health and fitness) I was anxious to share something FUN with you to help celebrate the new year. I borrowed some inspiration from my dear friend and regular food and beverage contributor to the show, Eric Lundy, by creating a new specialty cocktail called THE BIG BANG. With 2012 around the corner, this Malaysian Ginger Curry Infused Rum cocktail will provide quite the splash at your New Years Eve gathering. Below, you can watch the short 3 min segment that was produced entirely on my iPad!

Included in the next episode of PAYING INTENTION; an interview with my Bikram Yoga Instructor and proprietor to the Bikram Yoga Manhattan studio, Mr. Raffael Pacitti; a short segment about my new fascination with Juice Cleansing and, as always, friend and spiritual mentor, Mr. Barry Lipscomb (www.barrylipscomb.com) stops by to give us a healthy dose of spiritual wisdom on the topic of health & fitness.

Happy New Year to everyone and may 2012 bring with it incredible change and transformation toward global peace and unity.

If you would like to see any of the previous episodes of Paying Intention visit our website at www.payingintention.com

If you could have any miracle granted what would it be?

If you could have any miracle granted what would it be?

Answer here

W/E Love Your Masterpiece, Madonna

Have you ever met someone in your life that you perceived could truly “Do it all?”

Perhaps even the talents/gifts or beauty of that individual may have even brought you to contemplate the possible ‘threat” they may have to your livelihood?

Maybe this is why people are so quick to dismiss anything that Madonna does in Hollywood. She is just simply too brilliant at everything else that they don’t want to admit she MIGHT just be good at what they do too, God forbid she be recognized for it.

While I am hesitant to believe that anyone in the industry will be running to give Madonna accolades for her Directorial MASTERPIECE “W/E”; I am not hesitant to give her mine.

As my partner and I took our seats to see one of the first-ever American presentations of “W/E.” he leaned over to me and asked;

“What’s This About?”

This time of year I take him to see dozens of movies. As an active member of the Screen Actors Guild, they are handed to me free of charge in a bid for my “Vote” for consideration in the impending awards race. He, like a perfect spouse, attends them all with as much joy and excitement as the last. God bless him, my King.

“A love story, between the Duke and Duchess of Windsor” I answered in summary

“Should I know about them?” He questioned

For a man of his genius, I think he was a bit disappointed he hadn’t.

W/E is a modern love story told in tandem with the classic and historic love affair between King Edward VIII and American socialite-divorcee, Wallis Simpson. In a punk rock romance that traumatized a nation and left the King to renounce the throne, these two souls saw fit to persevere through the public’s evil eye with the will to escape and live out their romance in just. With a joie-de-vivre for the love they shared with one another Wallis reminds us “Not every love story is a fairy tale”.

In a “history-repeats-itself” kind of presentation, Madonna chooses to strategically invite the audience to experience the events of their affair by introducing us to Wally Winthrop, a 28 year old trophy wife who appears to have it all – Sexy philanthropic husband, gorgeous Manhattan penthouse, a wardrobe any girl would LOVE taking up space in her closet, not to mention the namesake of our beloved heroine, Wallis Simpson.

But as we quickly learn; Nothing is ever what it seems.

In a 1998 Sotheby’s auction for the estate of The Duke & Duchess, Wally wanders with intention amongst the belongings of our star couple. As she picks up important artifacts from the past, Madonna beautifully uses these moments to transport us back in time to pivotal moments in the historic duo’s life. While making her rounds through the artifacts she encounters the designs of Evgeni, A handsome Russian gentlemen who heads the security team at the prestigious auction house.

As the plot unfolds we see comparisons between the modern Wally’s tribulations within her own marriage, and that of Wallis’s many failed attempts at finding true love. I am carefully going to bow out of sharing with you too much of more of the intricate details of the film for fear of blowing some of it’s most charming moments.

But lets get to the point …

Madonna “The Film Director”

I remember the first time I watched the video for Madonna’s “Express Yourself” back in 1989. At the time, it was the most expensive music video ever made, using camera tricks and set pieces then only found in Hollywood blockbusters. The director? A then unknown visionary named David Fincher. Fast forward today, and inevitably you now know the catalogue of Mr. Fincher’s work; “Fight Club”, “Seven”, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons” and most recently last year’s Oscar heavy hitter “The Social Network”. Mark Romanek (Bedtime Story), Chris Cunningham (Frozen) and her former husband, Guy Ritchie (What It Feels Like for a Girl) all round out the crème de la crème of directors the superstar has employed over the years.

It’s no wonder that being around such greatness influenced M’s directorial choices.

Many films today do a good job of either 1) communicating a story, or 2) Providing a feast for the eyes to ogle at; but rarely both. W/E grants permission for all of your senses, and your soul. With a sympathetic approach to the action, the camera tiptoes in and out of our characters lives as if it were simply, a fly on the wall. Weaving carefully about the action to allow you to feel as though you are a part of it.

Arianne Phillips, Academy Award nominated costume designer (for Walk The Line), gives us, yet again, another Oscar worthy wardrobe to fantasize over. From the carefully selected vintage pieces of Mrs. Simpson (SCHIARPARELLI FOR HEAVENS SAKE!!!) to the modern classics, like Dior and Tom Ford, Arianne clearly knows what she is doing. A long time collaborator of Madonna’s, you see the “evidence of this brilliant” in her tongue-on-the-floor work.

And lets not forget about the performances. Though top billing in this feature goes to Abbie Cornish, who does a lovely job as the modern Wally Winthrop, the real star of the show is virtual newcomer, Andrea Riseborough, whose interpretation of the late Mrs. Simpson begs you to wish the entire movie were solely about her. From her every nuance and intonation, to her American-living-in-Brittan accent (Wallis was from Baltimore) she had me at her very first look in the opening frame. What a star this lady is, and if she is not recognized for her work here in this film, you can bet money on her future in Hollywood.

The rest of the cast resonates equally as well; James D’Arcy does a compelling job of portraying the ostracized King. I particularly enjoyed the way he captured the man’s warmth while also showing us the boy that never really grew up. Oscar Issac, also a new face, gives such charm to Wally’s suitor, Evgeni, that you inevitably keep rooting for him to get his girl, much in the same way you would at a sporting event. Let’s not forget the ensemble which features a FLAWLESS portrayal of The Queen, By Judy Parfitt and The Stammering King George V, played by James Fox, just to name a few.

I am sure to be criticized for this review, no doubt. People will say; “You have never found fault with anything Madonna does” “She can do no wrong in your book”. To a lesser degree, these naysayers are accurate. I don’t find much fault with anything she does. But as a professional in my field, it is important to note that not everything in this film is perfect.

The script needs a ton of work. Had the story line been developed clearer, the audience wouldn’t have been rushing anxiously to get back to the historic scenes of The Duke & Duchess. I see where the writers were going (Alek Keshishian & Madonna) but its not executed in the most proactive way. Does it work; Yes. Could it have been better: Absolutely. It is confusing: certainly.

Some of the fancy imagery also could have been sparred for the less savvy audience. For example there is a scene with Wallis & Edward that takes place with them chasing each other around the tree. Almost magically the camera climbs up the tree to the clouds leading us … nowhere. I am sure Madonna had a very specific, perhaps spiritual, purpose for this shot but it left many a bit confused

For someone who – in my opinion- CAN DO just about everything, the one thing NOONE can refute is Madonna’s gift as a musician. As the credits scroll to the final “Special Thanks”, M lends her most precious gift, her music, as her signature. “Masterpiece”, a driven ballad produced by “Ray of Light” collaborator William Orbit, about what it’s like to live in the public eye and hang in a gallery for all to see, is definitely the cherry on top of this beautiful multi-layer cake.

As the lights came up my partner caught me softly wiping the tears from my face. He looked at me with an unspoken understanding, helped me put my coat on, and quietly escorted me out of the theater. As we began talking about the film, he said;

“As a footnote in history, it felt like an obscure topic to me. Who was this person and why, if it was a noteworthy story, hadn't I heard about them before?” “I was surprised that it WAS an interesting topic, and Madonna did a brilliant job of introducing so many to a woman many would have rather forgotten”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

A Welcome Guest

I invite you,
sit down for a minute,
I'll pour us some tea, a glass of wine
With Heart in it.

Your presence completes me;
brings me full throttle
A guest at my table,
Fulfillment, you can't bottle.

It's not the fois gras;
Or the tartar raw,
Not the Bordeaux
With its even flow,
Or the Dolce suit-
(You distinguished brute)
But your aura, your wisdom
Your lending ear
Nothing required,
As you sit near.

You see you are my chance,
To become like the one,
A guest in her house
Above even, the sun

From that which we came,
We all too, shall go
Until that time
Its with you
I will grow.

With Intention,
Daniel Bobby Tuttle

Go to www.payingintention.com to see the latest episode of my new Podcast, Paying Intention

The Momentous Hours Ahead, Change is In The Air

Weather you know it or not, your life is about to change. There is a significant cosmic influence on our horizon, not the kind that is going to destroy the earth, but the kind that can rock YOUR world forever.

September 29, the new moon of Libra dawns; which means we also enter the female months of the zodiac. Aires through Virgo are the the Male months, months for planting seeds, self reflecting, and collecting the garbage you will dispose of and let go of in the following "female" months (Libra through Pisces). More importantly, these coming months are for manifestation, for the actualization of all those seeds you've been planting since Aires. This particular new moon is also commonly known to those born with Jewish blood as Rosh Hashanah, literally translated from the hebrew to mean, "Head of the Year". Not by coincidence. The ancient Hebrews knew the mechanics of the universe and finally in our time, we all have the merit to benefit from their wisdom..

Do you feel as though things happen too fast for you to keep up and that time is flying by at the speed of light?

As 2012 approaches time will only accelerate more and it's up to us to figure out how we will make the best of the energy and use it to our benefit, rather than our detriment. One obvious thing we will start to notice is the connection between cause and effect taking place much quicker, and not necessarily more mercifully. Imagine if the minute you took something that didn't belong to you, you immediately lost something dear to you. Would you reconsider your once self-warranted barrage of satisfaction? Probably not. We see the result of this energy happening all around us, especially with issues regarding Money and Power. Our economy is in the tanks and the onslaught of pervading dictatorships globally show this.

What does this mean for you? Jewish or not, we are all effected by this great cosmic occurrence. Especially this year, as it's the last new moon of Libra, before the year 2012. Now, more than ever is the time for REALA change. I'm not talking about changing the curtains and buying a killer pair of stilettos, (but you should do that too ;) ). I'm talking about personal change, change that requires us to find out who we really are and what our purpose is within the fabric of the universe and then committing to living that purpose. We need your help, every single one of us, as we can no longer navigate through this world without becoming unified.

It's not easy to live your purpose. As a matter of fact, once you think you've discovered it, it becomes even harder to actualize. Opposition is tough and the opposition doesn't want you to win. You were made to be great and any doubt that surfaces from this statement is simply the curtain that has been put up by your own personal opponent to distract you from becoming who you we're meant to be.

In the next 48 hours do some soul searching. Figure out what stops you from becoming who you were intended to be. Be honest with yourself and put yourself out there by asking people who love you and care for you closely to help you. Ask yourself first, what are the traits about myself that are no longer serving my purpose anymore? Then ask your loved ones what they think you can work on. Personally, one of my shortcomings is my lack of follow through. I MUST see things to their fruition, from the big things like projects, blog posts, webisodes, and other things professionally to personal things, like doing things I say I'm going to do - like meet a friend for coffee or simply, returning phone calls. I am horrible at this. Commitment is what it might be called, though I never saw commitment as a weakness of mine, I realize when something is green - DON'T TRY TO CALL IT YELLOW !
This year I have discovered that this commitment issue has reared it's ugly head in my face for me to deal with, once and for all.

If I were to take this ONE thing on and make the COMMITMENT to change it, not just work on it like I've been saying for years, but really working on it for good, I am certain the movie of my life would become more like James Cameron's Epic, AVATAR, than a smaller content little film like "Broken Hearts Club".( See, you've never even heard of that one have you? - point made.)
That's kinda like my life - a content, happy, little independent film that doesn't make waves or take risks. I want Epic. I want Avatar. I want to be the biggest box office draw ever that breaks boundaries, takes risks, and makes people think. I want to live the movie that rakes in billions globally. I want to be 5-D.

This morning as I was running an errand for my better half, a few things occurred to me. (As you do things for others, messages come louder and clearer) Within the matter of thirty minutes I received some funny omens from the universe;

Growing up, the rock group THE BEATLES, didn't do much but get under my skin. Their sound make me cringe and the dorky excitement displayed by my father when they came on the radio magnified my irritation (Forget the fact that I act just as dorky when a Madonna song comes on the radio). Recently, these little beatles have become little messengers from the light than critters of annoyance. For example, while I was in line today at Starbucks the song "Yesterday" began playing in the background.

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

The past is just as significant as the present as it has affected us in ways that manifest in the now. This little critter called the Beatles, reminds me to forgive the past and all these troubles go away because they no long carry significance in our present, IF we can learn to let go of them. That is the test, to forgive and let go. Forgive yourself for all the shortcomings of your past, forgive everyone who has hurt you, or you them, directly and indirectly. There is no more room on this plane for all of our baggage. Now is an excellent time to get rid of that burden. LET GO. FORGIVE AND FORGET.

The following little Beatles jig that came on was the classic "Come Together".

He say "I know you, you know me"
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
Come together right now over me

It served as a reminder that we are all the same. At the cellular level (both spiritually and physically) we are created in the image of the divine, and divine is within each of us. It's often very hard to see the good in someone with whom you have disagreement or anxiety. Especially if you go as far as to say you "hate" someone. It's these people whom we should bring closer and love as if they were a part of our own soul - because they are.

Last but not least, as I approached my Chinatown apartment I tuned into a little Asian man playing his harmonica in the park. The tune was familiar. As I listened closer I realized it was everyone's ole stand by New Years eve song, "Auld Lang Syne" and at first I thought the irony of a little Chinese man humming the New Year anthem at the eve of Rosh Hashanah was interesting, at best. Then I looked up the lyrics, and it all "came together" ... Over me.

Should old acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

The new year brings us hope for peace,
A new day for mankind,
Where we can all live hand in hand
And leave all hate behind.

For auld lang syne, my dear.
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup of kindness yet
For auld lang syne.

When dreams they seem so far away,
Your soul can feel so low.
But love is never far away;
Your heart won't be alone.

Let's make a world where people care,
A world that knows no fear,
Where we can open up our hearts
And hold each other dear.

Our children grow, they need to know
The Future's theirs to hold.
If we can teach them how to love
Then the world can carry on.

For auld lang syne, my dear.
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup of kindness yet

L'Shanna Tovah (Happy New Year) to everyone, filled with blessings, peace and prosperity.

Sent from my iPad

Balance Becomes Truth, and the Pearly White Gates

It's been 9 days, 23 hours and 42 minutes since I landed here in Los Angeles.

What a chunk of time it's been.

The last time I sat in this airport NYC bound, four years ago, things were much, much, different. At that time I was returning back to New York as a trained inner-city youth teacher, (a career I took knowing it would be temporary) incredibly gutted that during my training here I didn't get discovered at Mel's diner in an act of God that would insure my place in Hollywood forever!

LA has a very deep-rooted significance in my life, best pointed out by the greeting of an old friend who exclaimed "Welcome Home" upon seeing me unexpectedly at the dawn of my first Shabbat there, where it all began.

She didn't mean it literally, or maybe she did.

My brief stint (nearly two years) in "The City of Angels" blessed me with some of the most significant gifts of my life, thus far. For starters, It led me to my first spiritual teacher and it opened the gates of heaven for me to begin a lifelong journey along a spiritual path which changed my life forever. The path that chose me is the path known as Kabbalah.

Armed with the eponymous red string tied to my left wrist, opportunity forged its beautiful head in my direction. Within six months, I had one of the best acting coaches in LA (Christtina Chauncey) which led me to my very first feature film audition (on the Warner Bros. lot, I might add) which I booked, and which gave me my SAG card - one of the biggest milestones in a professional actors career. To add cherries to chocolate cake, I was in the best shape of my life. Healthy, Happy, and Hot (with a whole lot of Ego to match). It also flung open the floodgate to a love that I didn't know existed within me- The magic and power of children. I was introduced to an incredible organization there called "Spirituality For Kids", which quickly became my second passion riding solely on the coattails of acting.

You might ask then "Why would you ever leave this Disneyland of sorts?"

It wasn't by choice, I assure you. They tell you when you start studying spirituality to be aware of all the incredible miracles that happen to you. Essentially, it's a test, or the hook if you will. What comes next is the hard part. Ever heard that phrase "Sink or swim"? It's after this honeymoon phase when the going gets tough that the hard work ensues.

Painfully hard work.

The great sages say that to the degree you are certain of the path of the just is to the degree that you are tested. I had plenty of opportunity to agree to certainty so the road ahead was paved with equal opportunity challenges. Practically poverty stricken (I am deeming "Poverty" a relative term to mean; the dependency upon others to make the ends of the ends meet) opportunity knocked back home in New York, so I fled. Always feeling like I would return.

Moments before I boarded the plane back home from my last visit in '07, I bought a copy of Variety at the airport newsstand to study whilst air-born. Around that time Oprah had made a brave statement by promoting an independently produced self-help movie called "THE SECRET". The movie illustrates perfectly the delusion of the Universal Law of Attraction, which (according to the film) promised such fortune in this world simply by imagining it and feeling what it would feel like if it were true.

I just knew that if I focused all my energies into the pages of that magazine that there was still a chance that Spielberg would just happen to be traveling on the same plane as me and know, with ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, that I was his next rising star!
Ok, I wasn't that delusional, but I did (and still do, to a much different degree) believe in "THE SECRET". Nothing you can possibly image can come to light without a tremendous amount of effort, that is the key component missing from the movie.

I never thought four years would pass between that trip and this one. And wow have things changed. For starters, I get Variety delivered directly to my iPad, and I am returning to New York to my JOB on one of the hottest shows on Cable Television, with more excitement than I ever have had about work.

The highlight of my time spent in Southern California was my four-day adventure down to Carlsbad to see one of my best friends and her family. Including her 2 year old son, Grant, whom I would be meeting for the first time. Carre is my hero in many ways. She is someone whose strength amazes me at every crossroads we are met with. At about 5'2 and maybe 100lbs, she is a fierce warrior who endures unapologetically blazing through life as one of the best mothers I have ever known.

The last time I saw Carre in California she and her husband Greg lived in a small one-bedroom apartment located in the "Beverly Adjacent" section of Los Angeles. They had moved to LA from NYC shortly after the 9/11 tragedy. Two years later I followed in their footsteps with a, then unknown, soap star named Martha Madison in tow. With reason really unbeknownst to me I took a blind leap into an ocean in which I couldn't see the bottom. I knew for sure I would swim, but I was unclear on how much water I was going to have to tread and how exhausted It might make me.

Many times throughout my time living there, the water was deep and the tread was treacherous. But never was there a time when Carre and Greg weren't my SOS. We fluctuated stages of being broke. Carre would cook for me when I didn't have enough money for food, Greg would slip me $10 bucks to jumpstart my tank of gas. When the money moon favored me, I would return the favor with incredible gratitude. You rarely meet people like this in life. These people I call family.

On May 10, 2006, Carre gave birth to her first son, Jackson…in her living room… in a whirlpool… with a midwife! (told you she was a hero) I remember the first time I held Jackson; As I type this the emotion comes back to me so vividly. I cried with crazy abandon for absolutely no reason at all. Carre looked at me mirroring my sentiment, for that is what she does best. She feels what you feel, and mutually we both were in awe.

Over the course of the following two years, I would spend as much time as possible at their place, welcoming the opportunity to babysit whenever I could. Jackson became my little buddy, still then unable to speak human words, his eyes spoke volumes to me.

Fast forward to now. Except for a few brief stops in NYC, I haven't had the opportunity to watch Jackson grow up. It had been nearly two and a half years since I had seen him last and as the date approached, I began to think about how our reunion would go down. I have had enough experience with kids to know that they remember the last show they watched on TV, when it comes on again, and the main musical theme - that's about it for a 5 year old. I was prepared, and so was my eager heart.

Sure enough, when Carre picked me up from the train station he got a case of the "Mama, I'm shy's". In complete awe of the perfection of the creator, I would try periodically to catch a glimpse of him in the mirrors. How perfect, how eye opening and jaw dropping it was to witness how this little boy was already growing up WAY too fast. When he would catch my eye, he would burry his face in his car seat, trying to make sure I knew he was shy… and every now and again, I would catch him trying to check out who this dude in the front seat was.

When we got back to their house, it took all of 5 minutes before we were flying around the house, bouncing through a series of activities that he and Grant currently employ to entertain their summer months. Building blocks, Mickeys Clubhouse, Milk (yuk!) time, Chugginton's addictive little chuggah, chuggah, chuggah tune … and so on and so forth. That evening welcomed all of us together, including Carre's brother Vince (also vacationing from New York) to dine together in the beautiful dining room of Greg's new restaurant. At one point I remember looking at Carre half way thorough "This makes me happy" I told her. "Me too" she replied.

The next four days we spent nearly inseparable. Every night I would tuck Jackson into bed and he would ask me, "how many more days do we have before you have to go?" always followed by an "Are you sure you can't stay longer than that?" and then a simple innocent "Why?", and every morning I would wake to find him patiently waiting beside my bed to begin our daily routine of activities.

It's amazing what kids know. My process of studying spirituality and working with children has taught me that "Kids say the darndest things" because we adults need to hear them. Jackson is no exception to this paradigm. On my first day, as I was laying down on the floor exhausted from the adventure, he just bursted out "BALANCE IS TRUTH", while using me as a bridge to get from one side of the couch to the other. We all looked at him in complete amazement. Boy was it what I needed to hear. Balance is one of my biggest struggles in life, and truth is well … relative to the balance. A few days later, he said to me "Why are you so fake?" … I was so shocked. He was absolutely right. In the moment I was pretending to do something that I didn't want to do, for the sake of going with the flow, and he called me out on it.

I was also amazed at the way he plays. Jackson LOVES to build things. He revels at the possibility of what the blocks can do, and his imagination is awesome. We built a hotel, a house, a tower and a church. He asked me about God – I loved that. And whenever we had put the very last finishing touch on whatever we were building he would look at me and say "It's perfect now" and then proceed to bulldoze the entire thing over only to start fresh again. What a lesson. I wish I could do that in my daily life. See the perfection in everything and then just let go and move on to something new. GENIUS!

Those four days I spent with them were some of the best days I have had in a long time. Being around children you learn not only the importance, but the severity of being in the moment. I'm working on that too.

Friday sent me back on the beautiful train ride to Los Angeles. For a particular stretch of the trip, the train runs along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It's easy to daydream and watch all the surfers doing their thing in the waves, making me realize that there are definitely perks to living in this flow of life.

Later that evening another monumental surprise of sorts waited for me; a reunion with a majority of my theater friends from High School back in Orlando. It's always in these moments that I am truly humbled by the awesomeness of the universe, conspiring to help people achieve their dreams. Most of these friends followed each other onto film school and then relocated to LA when they graduated. They have traveled in their pack for nearly ten years. I admire this, but certainly don't envy it. Being a guest at the table works just fine for me. Especially when you sit around a huge dining room table and hear about all the amazing stories of the lives they are living. In particular, the underdog of them all, now looking better than ever and living his dream of writing for network television. He has written episodes of extremely well known shows, including Desperate Housewives. Several of our other friends who couldn't make it to our little shindig in time were working on a project with The Muppets! THE MUPPETS! Usually these types of gatherings stress me out, you know – all the "catching up" you have to do in the short amount time. How can you possibly catch up on 10 years in 2 hours? Truthfully you can't, and I didn't. I just enjoyed their company and indulged in their bliss. It was very rewarding indeed.

As my trip came to a close on Saturday a whole new slew of inspiring moments flew my way. Thanks to the miracle of Facebook, I have been in touch with a guy I went to elementary school with! Frank works in the entertainment business as well. WOW is all I have to say about him. This dude is pure genius and brilliance in physical form. Aside from recently being appointed Creative Director of a major PR and Advertising company, he is meeting with producers about a TV spec that has the potential to revolutionize how we are "entertained". I will leave it at that.

That evening I was treated to an incredible star studded performance of the musical HAIRSPRAY at the Hollywood Bowl, an experience that you just had to be there for. Pure Magic watching Pure Light do its thing on that stage, again accompanied by an old friend from NY that had relocated to LA for a fresh start, who had found success rising over the horizon.

Sunday morning on my way to drop off my rental car, I purposely drove down Melrose Avenue, past the big white pearly gates of Paramount Studios. I took a picture, which will now become the screensaver on my iPad. It reminded me of the first time I was ever on that lot. I was working on a now failed TV pilot that was done shooting for the day. As I walked back to my car, I noticed how beautifully the sun drenched the sky. I looked up only to see the big HOLLYWOOD sign off in the distance. In that moment I felt just like Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard " I've come home at last" she says.

Home is such a funny word. I have come to realize that for me, home is not the place I go to rest my head, but the place I go to be with people I love. It's going to work at a job I love, because let's face it - spending 16 hours a day with a group of people, it's inevitable that they become family. Home is also knowing that the angels are with me, regardless of continent or coast, regardless of external circumstance, or internal turmoil. I have always maintained a healthy dose of "Grass is Greener" in my morning cup of coffee. I always wanna be THERE. I want tomorrow to be HERE AND NOW, but this trip helped me to realize that LA is home to me, and so is New York, home is wherever my family is.

Home is that point in which Balance Becomes Truth.

Nineteen Ninety One

Apparently there's a new game going around Facebook today. Here's how it works; a friend will post a random year (within your lifetime) on your wall. You in turn are asked to share with your friends what you were like, divulging your favorite styles, movies & songs during that period. It's a pop cultured rehash, if you will.

I've been in a maelstrom of self reflection these days. It's no wondrous surprise that when dear ole theater friend, Beth Marshall, picks up on my psychic vibe - she goes for the jugular! She assigned the year "1991" to my wall this morning, and the moments and memories began to flood.

What a year it was. In fact it was such a year, I wanted to honor it here on my blog.

Wanting ... Needing ... Waiting ....

Debuting on the Billboard HOT 100 that first week of 1991 was Madonna's anthem to lust, "Justify My Love". With it's "Too hot for MTV" video, the song would perfectly foreshadow the year ahead.

I was 14 years old and entering the second half of my eighth grade school year. I had just started to thin out from what was a torturous several years as a fat middle schooler, and time was running out on the sentence I was serving in a conservative parochial school. For years I searched high and low for a place to belong, not fitting in anywhere. Nobody was really interested in hanging out with a chubby, pretty boy, who rebelled against the establishment with scorpio like stealth. Except of course, the chicks who could see through all of my bullshit and loved me for who I was. They became my rock and so it was with them, 1991 dawned with a bang bringing with it the best friends anyone (especially a boy) could ask for. I started hanging out with the "Hot Chicks", and it seemed that everyone was on my side, including the boys. Remember the movie "Footloose" and that town that wouldn't let it's kids dance? That was us, and I was Ren (Kevin Bacon's character in the film). One night at a school lock-in that was held in a bowling alley/fitness club, I highjacked all my girlfriends and took them to the pool hall. Mirrors lined the walls and wood floors that paved the ground, resembling a bad 80's aerobics room, accentuated by a lonely ghetto-blaster that sat at the head of the room. Always armed with Madonna, I had the foresight to bring my headphones and walk-man. That night I taught the Ladies how to "Vogue" and together we brought the house down. Even the preacher watched on as we tore holes in the ground, albeit with a little bit of awe, and a little bit of disgust. It was clear that things were changing.

My girlfriends were getting their periods, and I was getting my question marks.

May of that year I won tickets to an advanced screening of what would quickly become one of my favorite movies of all time,"Truth or Dare", the provocative behind the scenes look at Madonna's life while taking her "Blond Ambition" tour around the world. Inspired by her in every part of my life at the time, I remember wearing my favorite outfit to the premier- A navy blue and while polka dot silk shirt (from Structure!) with my white 501 jeans. The outfit was a near match to the same one that designer Jean Paul Gaultier created to don Madonna's dancers in whilst performing the encore anthem "Holiday" on the tour.

Just the previous year I had found my new home in the local community theater, giving me self confidence, passion, and most importantly, intention. I knew almost immediately at I wanted to peruse acting as a career and I was immediately committed to needed whatever needed doing to make that dream a reality. With this new found sense of purpose and direction in my life there was a bit more pep in my step and a whole set of challenges no 14 year old is prepared to deal with. The summer of 91' brought me the opportunity to get back on stage again, this time in a children's summer stock production of the circus musical "Barnum". While my high hopes of being cast in a major role were muffed by politics, juggling fire was the lesson I would become the master of.

Crawling out of my shell that summer was a painful and arduous process. Not for me though, but for the people around me. As I cringe just recollecting it I can't help but smile. I was the original Kurt (from the hit fox show "GLEE") before Kurt had even been born. I started to voice my opinions more and started to strategize who was on Team Tuttle, or better yet, who I wanted to be on Team Tuttle. Like Kurt, I broke an adoring chubby black girls heart, I befriended the homliest underdog of the crew, and I managed to rally up a few rebels to snark and sneer in the direction of "The Chosen Ones".
Above all, I would meet the person with whom I would aspire to be like when I was twice my age.

14 is impressionable, especially when the impressions are illusions. I fashioned myself off of the people around me that I wanted to be like. I took on their likenesses including their styles and even their language- be it their regionalisms or thick Italian accents. I liked what they liked, and tried my hardest to see the world through their eyes. There was a particular director that I was working with at the time with whom everyone loved. He was talented, smart, good looking and was headed for his masters at the most prestigious ivy league school in the nation. People would throw parties just to raise money for his tuition. He was the Golden Child of the local theater community.

I wanted to be just...like...him.

That fall, I took every opportunity to be around this person. Including fierce manipulation of said "homliest underdog of the crew" to be my personal driver in her antique yellow Pinto. You see, she too, was high on delusion of our friend the director and as such, she was given an amazing opportunity to work closely with him that fall. I trailed along like an eager puppy dog, just waiting for the moment to pounce, and boy did I. Karma has a funny way with things, and just as I had manipulated said "homliest underdog of the crew" she too, manipulated me or worse, my words.

And as they say, all ears were watching. In the blink of an eye, the golden child turned his back on me - encouraging his talented disciples of ants to follow their leader blindly. To his defense, with the bit of gossip that he heard, I cannot say that I blame him. Everything comes back around eventually, and on my end, immediately, my reputation - now 15 years old - was tarnished. I tried repeatedly to set the record straight, running into him time and time again. He wasn't having any of it. Thankfully, the experience gave me the ability to understand at an early age that nothing comes without perseverance, nothing ever worth anything is free, and most importantly, NOBODY is worth following. That fall I began my freshman year at a brand new public high school. My first week there I was cast in the fall production of "DRACULA" in a meaty, leading role and I began to build my own piece of land, surrounded by love and encouragement with my fellow cast and crew. As the final frame appears in the banned "Justify My Love" video, it highlights a key lyric from the song;

"Poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another"

While I was fresh in my new role on the stage, I was certain that I had found my place as a leader offstage, making 1991 one of the most significant years of my life.

Twitter 101

Many people have asked me, What is so special about Twitter, and why do I profess it's significance in our ever evolving social network obsessed lives?

The reasons are many and varied but instead of trivializing it, I wanted to take it one step further and introduce you to the experience I have with (what I believe to be) one of the most amazing tools on the web.

When Twitter first appeared on the scene several years ago, it appeared that people were using the platform to communicate the mundane in their lives, ranging from tweets (a tweet is a post you make to your twitter account) like "Just had an egg salad sandwich for lunch" to "wow, just saw this chick that looked just like Jennifer Aniston". Obviously the entertainment value of such nonsense appeals to a very small demographic. However, people started to see that this platform could open doors that they never knew existed.

And so the revolution of Twitter was born.

What happened next changed the way people communicate. Building virtual communities with people from around the world that at once seemed impossible, Twitter opened the doors to sharing our thoughts, ideas, hopes and dreams with likeminded folks.

Actors & Musicians found a new way to communicate directly with their fans, and businesses saw the potential to share their new products and services. For example, The new urban movement of the traveling gourmet food truck found a flawless way to let it's loyal fans know where exactly it would be parked, at what hours, and for how long, even offering special code words for discounts to be used when ordering.

Now you wanna join in the fun ....How does it work and what can you get out of it ?

First, go to www.twitter.com to create an account and password and screen name (for example mine is @DanielUrBrother) for your account. Now you're in!
* a side note to remember, all screen names on Twitter begin with the "@" symbol.

Now comes the fun part - Creating your virtual community:

Once you have your screen name and are logged into your account, go to the search window and begin plugging in your favorite things and people. You can literally search for anything and everything. Here's an idea of what one of my first searches looked like;

For News:
Breaking news (@breakingnews ) - an awesome feed to follow as I have found that they deliver the message to you the quickest!

CNN (@CNN ) My favorite news channel.
- Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper ) his show AC360 ( @ac360 )
- Larry King (@kingsthings )
- Sanjay Gupta for great health and medical news ( @sanjayguptacnn )
- John King (politics) @johnkingcnn

For Spirituality
Yehuda Berg (co director of Kabbalah center) @yehudaberg
Michael Berg (co-director of Kabbalah Center) @michael_berg_
The Dalai Lama ( Buddhist Leader, and advocate of humanity ) @dalailama

Now make your list of people you would like to follow and start searching away! Maybe Oprah, or any of the editors of your favorite magazines - they are all in twitter! Often times giving you exciting information before it hits print!

Once you start following these people, you begin to see their posts showing up in your personal "timeline". You can then do several different things with these tweets,You can respond adding your thoughts, you can retweet the message to YOUR followers, or you can save the message into your favorites to refer to whenever you wish.

Following Friends;
You probably have many friends who are on twitter now that you didn't even know were there. Once you are logged into your account, you can go to "find friends" in the search window, then the system will scan the contacts and address book on your computer to find which of the email addresses in your database match Twitter followers. It will then give you the choice to start following them. Of course, you are always in control of what you see and what you put out.

Once you have amassed followers of your own, you can send them direct messages as well as public replies. Remember that you can only direct message someone who follows you. For example, I can't direct message Lady Gaga because she doesn't follow me (though she really should!). Email and personal correspondence is not really the prominent use of the application, so don't be offended if someone doesn't follow you back.

How and what to Tweet about...

Twitter is your world. You can do absolutely anything you want with it. You can post that you are having a beautiful day, or you can send an SOS out to your followers looking for suggestions for where to eat tonight. Just keep in mind that while composing your masterpiece, your tweet can never be more than 140 characters long. This is a good thing, trust me. Before you know it "u'll b on ur way 2 a whole new language" connecting with people all over the world.

Something cool to share...

Recently I have been working on a show with Henry Winkler, known mostly for his work as THE FONZ on the 1970's hit TV show "Happy Days". One day, I noticed that between takes he would sit in his chair typing frantically on his iPhone. I asked him what he was doing, and he told me he was TWEETING! He has something like 60,000 followers and takes great pleasure in connecting with people from around the world.

And no, you're never too old. There's an incredible lady in the UK who is in her 90's that tweets regularly. She is absolutely adorable and incredibly inspiring, if she has something to say, I'm sure you do as well.

Happy Tweeting everyone! Follow me @DanielUrBrother !!!

Live, Yourself

It's a crazy world out there. But who am I to remind you of that. You probably have experienced plenty of drama within your own life that it seems a bit redundant for me to even point it out.

Maybe I am doing it for me, to remind myself of the obvious truth. You know what they say, if you want to learn something, the best way is to teach it.

Here's the lesson I want to teach/learn...
It's never too late to turn your canoe around and just let go of the oars that have burdened your beautiful hands. Now infested with wretched caluses, due to the unsurmountable quantities of energy you have exerted on them just trying to "go with someonelses flow".
Sound familiar? Try letting go of those oars, use your hand for something more powerful like manifesting your greatness, your potential. Let the current of the stream take you down the river of your dreams.

Life really is too short. This past weekend my partners 25 year old cousin passed away due to liver failure. Did she see it coming? Probably not until that fateful day earlier this year when she new something wasn't "right". She was a beautiful girl with such incredible joy and happiness in her voice. Regardless of what was going on around her, she always seemed to make the best out of things.
I never had the chance to meet her because of the same ole usual excuses - "I can't wait to come to New York to meet you and hang out with you guys" she would say to me on the phone. "When I get this job or that money ... " she would always continue.
She and her boyfriend bought a house and so the money never came in her short 25 years.
Makes me really bummed that we didn't just forgo that night on the town and send her a ticket ourselves.

But who knew she would be gone so soon. Certainly not us.

Without coincidence, tomorrow is the death anniversary of my paternal Grandmother, who I called "MeMa". While she was about 55 years Julie's senior, I can not deny that I selfishly wish there would have been just a few more years to add to her life as well. She died of complications due to Alzheimers, so unlike Julie, we knew that everyday was one day closer to deaths door for her.

She was/is incredible. She taught me truly how to live, how to not have regrets and how to forgive and forget. She provided for me opportunities that I may have never provided myself. When I was very young, we began collecting pennies and I would take them to her and we would put them in a special savings account she kept for me at her bank. When I turned fourteen, I really wanted to go to a particular acting school that's cost was not in my parents budget at the time. It was almost as if she had a special window into the future and knew that my life's path would take me down the road to entertainment. The next time I was at her house, she asked me if I would like to cash my pennies in for that class. Those pennies opened a door to my future, that only she could predict.

As a teenager, I moved away relatively young (ironically enough, to go to a performing arts school) and I remember how she was so strong and proud, concealing her disappointment that I was leaving . Shortly after I moved to New York and kept on keepin' on as they say. I took for granted that she would always be there, I guess.

On September 11, 2001 She called me and for the first time, begged me to move back to Orlando. "They're makin' movies here now" she said. "You can get a job at Universal Studios!" . Of course, I explained to her that moving back home was out of the question. After a long pause she recanted her disposition "Well, I guess you're right ... don't let those damn terrorists take your dream away".

I have no regrets, as she taught me well, but I do wish I would have turned several of those new Gucci Accessories in for a few more plane trips to visit her in those last 10 years of her life.

I don't know what your beliefs are or how you were raised - but frankly all of that is irrelavant. We are living in special times, and not just because people are dying, but because every day we do not live every moment as if it were our last, a part of us dies.

There is no amount of money, no fear and no regret worth living with that is worth right now. If you are taking the time to read this post- I thank you for sharing one of your special moments with me. God bless and Godspeed.

Getting To Heaven, Via Hell

There are always hurdles to jump over, without a doubt. But I wonder ... Are you feeling like things are not happening for you? Do you sit around wondering when things will change? Are you tired of looking at the same ole face in the mirror?

I know. Me too.

That became the "Tipping" point for me.

I've been waiting for something to break in my business, something to happen to me, sitting around hoping things would change in my environment, wondering when I was going to loose that extra poundage that I had meritoriously gained by delighting in the luxury of being cloaked in winter's coats!

Alas, nothing happened ! WTF????

Waiting for things to change around me had been the cause of all my reactivity. Perhaps I was just so stuck in my mechanics to realize that I was in the drivers seat and I was the only one who could shift the gear into place.

If you've ever seen me behind a stick shift, it's not pretty. Jumping, bumping and screeching until the gear gets in place. That is SOO the way it is in life for me.

But when I'm in ... I'm in. I needed The Power To Change Everything.

I've been thinking about several things that I always wanted to do. One of them has been producing. As someone who works in the entertainment business, it DOES become the norm to sit and wait for casting directors and agents to call. In the misery of many others in my position, I found the comfort of remaining in that stagnant place. I had idea's ... some smart, some not so, and some brilliant. One idea was borrowing large sum's of money to invest in Indie Pictures that I believed in. Another more futile effort involved selling shares of a friends restaurant to gain some capital to invest!

Then, while as a guest at a friends practically Martha Stewart New Years Day Brunch it hit me. I am surrounded by some of the most amazing, talented, and creative people in New York. I wanted everyone to see their brilliance and I wanted to give them a frame to showcase their talent.

While watching a documentary called "10 Questions for The Dali Lama" came the name. The speaker on the movie was sharing the ultimate experience through the eyes of the most enlightened souls in the world. He said, a monk of Buddhism will PAY ATTENTION to everything. Every word, every sound, every single breath. In it he will find the beauty of the creator.

This would become the basis for my show. I would call it "Paying Intention" and I would seek to answer the questions that I had been searching for the answers to, by interviewing and showcasing these brilliant and talented people in my life.

"How do I make my dreams come true?"

"How do I take the necessary leap of faith in finding the courage to do what was needed?

"What really is my PURPOSE?"

But now that I had the idea, How would I do this ?

I turned to my Kabbalah Teacher; David Ghiyam. He had 3 very wise words for me;

BECOME LIKE GOD

God? That's a tall order, I replied

"Think about it.." He went on.

"God is all knowing, all loving and only knows how to do one thing ... "

What's that? I said.

"CREATE, SHARE"

BAM! I got it. Almost instantly. This is exactly what we are here to do, CREATE AND SHARE.

That's what I had to do. Get busy, because God doesn't wait for nobody, and God's doesn't judge that which he creates, so my "Fear of Failure" clause that always immobilized me, immediately became NULL and VOID.

My first step of action was propose the idea of this "Paying Intention" show to people who inspire me. I gathered a list, made some phone calls, and within moments we had content, and great content at that.

"Paying Intention Hosted By Daniel Bobby Tuttle" Launched it's first episode on February 6, 2011. Setting the stage for all future episodes, Episode 1 deals with the spirit and helping people to get to their source by understanding that our soul MUST shine. In order to do so, we must get to know it.

The second episode, a spiritual Ode to Valentines Day; focused on how to love yourself with honesty and integrity, launched a week later to rave reviews.

This weekend a special "Passion for Fashion" episode airs, empowering people to take inventory of the things they love and go for them!

Since the launch of "Paying Intention" we have gained several subscribers and have had inspiring feedback that has fueled us to go further.

"Follow Your Bliss and doors will open where you would have not thought there would be doors?" - Joseph Campbell

When I decided to dive into this venture, the most incredible miracles began to surface. People came into my life to help, as if they were ushered in by angels. Messages came from people at the most opportune moments, messages from viewers who had been touched by one of our segments. Moments when I felt like giving up and throwing in the towel.

Perhaps the biggest miracle of all has been the blatant display of my "Un-Godly" traits. Forcing me to deal with demons that I didn't know I had. These are the same demons that tried to keep me "waiting" for things to happen to me.

Whatever happens with "Paying Intention" is in the hands of the Light, but the lesson for me has been life changing. Do it. Go for it. Don't wait for anything or anyone to do it for you. You have the power to create miracles.

Becoming like God is hell. But at least you know the only way to go it up.

Please go to

www.payingintention.com

to subscribe to our podcast and let us know what you think.

Stammering To Find A Voice, Through A Teacher

Last night I had the opportunity to see "The King's Speech", the new highly regarded film staring Colin Firth and Goeffrey Rush, in theaters now. While the sure-to-be Oscar nominated film captivated me from it's opening sequenece, with it's beauty and incredible performances, it was the sincerity of the true life story of King George VI that pierced my heart.

As you may, or may not know, The King had a debilitating stutter. Perhaps not the worst condition one could have if say, you work in an office behind a computer all day. But to be in a position to command and entire empire, well.. uh .. I .. I .. I.. can't imagine what that might ...uh...feel like.

Even King's have challenges.

As this kind gentle soul reaches for his words, and swallows his pride in the same breath, you sit there and realize that we really are all alike. Each and every one of us. That challenges do not judge based on race, creed or social standing. That no matter who we are, there is always that gap between perception of who we really are, and who we wish to become.

Filling that gap are the challenges that we are given to earn our goals of becoming that person. Understanding that these challenges are the bridge to get us there, is the hard part. Once we understand the opponent, we can overcome it.

As I examined the life of George VI through the lens of the camera, I found myself cheering him on, hoping each time that he would make it, just a few more words without stumbling. There were times when he did (usually by using curse words, humorously enough) and times when he would not. But always beating himself up so fiercely that he lashed out in disgust at his teacher (played by Geoffrey Rush), for not being qualified enough for the job.

It was this relationship that moved me to write this post.

Lionel, The Kings Speech therapist, was a bit of an underdog. He championed himself on his knowledge of shakespeare, but couldn't act his way out of a paper bag. Never one to rest on his laurels, he used his gifts of voice and speech to help others. With no licensing or education of a professional manner, he copiously used his wit and charisma to win the respect of his clients. Under an alias, the queen answers an add in the classifieds seeking out Lione's expertise to help her husband with his condition.

His humble studio and working class surrounding create such a beautiful juxtapostion against the backdrop of royalty, as The King and Lionel work together to speak with confidence and poise. Lionel refuses to give His Royal Highness any special attention because of his moniker. He treats The King, as he would anyone else and pushes him just as hard as he does his other clients. Like a true teacher, you see the care and love this man fights to instill in a his stubborn students soul. Like a true teacher, he never gives up.

Eventually the King is faced with the greatest challenge of his life. He is expected to give a nine minute radio speech to the world declaring the state of affairs with Germany, and the looming threat of World War II. As this unfolds, his teacher is right there by his side the entire time. Eventually seeing The King deliver his speech with dignity to the world.

I have had many teachers who've touched my life in exponential ways. Some of which I have relegated to the back burner before I could appreciate and realize their value in my life. Some, I keep in very close touch with now and cherish their every word, and others currently in my life with whom I live in healthy fear of the wisdom they impart on me to empower change that comes with no shortage of pain and agony. Pain and Agony which, again ... is that gap between who I am and who I wish to become.

As someone who loves to have a go at most everything myself, I find I'm always knocking my head against a wall, trying desperately to answer my own questions. This doesn't work. We need our teachers, be them friends or professors, spiritual or literal, our life gets stuck when we don't have the push of these blessed souls to help us grow. We all have our own personal "Stutter", and we all need our own personal "Lionel" to help us to change.

Even throughout the adversity of the turned up nose of higher class folk, The King never undermined the blessing and gift that his teacher bestowed upon him. A moment in particular that I really loved comes to mind, when the King's advisor approaches him to let him know that he found a more qualified teacher for his majesty, with "better credentials." The King persists calmly, with a look in his eye that says "There is none other better suited than his gentleman, who will stay by my side".

Who is that person to you?

May we all have the merit to meet, and recognize, these special souls in our life who are sent to help us bridge the gap between who we are and who we want to become.

... And may the entire cast and crew of "The King's Speech" be rewarded handsomely during awards season this year !!!