Good glory, whatta year so far. 
Sample the past four weeks:
Hosted my fifth annual (and final) Chicago Short Film Brigade show in Dubuque, Iowa. An enjoyable eve, followed by a happy afternoon at my favorite museum in all of America, the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium.
Days later, my dear friend Aaron Wickenden and I shot pickups for Fever Year, which Liz Kaar and I are threading into the film.
I then jetted to the Kansas International Film Festival real quick to host a screening of Milking the Rhino, which picked up the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature. Had the honor of connecting with the ladies of Women in Film Kansas City! A formidable bunch.
Soon as I got home, I shipped out on a freelance producing gig in Southern Florida. A quick hit managing two crews and interviews during a finance conference. Nuts and good. After a handful of 16-hour days, I said goodbye to the crew, grabbed my swimsuit from its briefcase hiding place and ran down to the empty beach at the Ritz Carlton for a moonlight swim. One of those unexpectedly magical nights. A top swim of my life. Flew to Chicago early the next morn.
Home for 24 hours, I hosted my second-to-last Film Brigade show at the Hideout. So cozy and comfortable. Am in love with this season’s Jury.
Next morning, our beloved Howard Reich and I flew to Minneapolis and drove 1.5 hours south to Pepin, Wisconsin for the excellent lil’ Flyway Film Festival. My second year there. Soft place in my heart for Flyway. We hosted a screening of Prisoner of Her Past and four hours of short films. Howard is my new favorite person to travel with.
Took my sixth flight in seven days and went straight from O’Hare to the Hideout for the final Brigade show of the season. A comforting finish. We go dormant next year so I can finish a film and start a film.
Am home for a couple weeks UNTIL! I start up with an exciting! new! out-o-town client! later this month. We’ve been in talks for a year. An incredible project.
Over the summer, I was hired on two separate occasions to do yoga on camera for print (Secret brand deodorant, ha!) and web (Disney.) Posted here is an outtake. I cherish the well-being felt during those photo shoots… Chicago winter now looms.
Photo by Andrea Mandel
