New Year's Day is like hitting the reset button on a video game. No matter how shitty the game of life has played out lately, all you need to do is start fresh on January 1. I love to reinvent myself each year. I make resolutions that help to redefine who I am. It's almost like tweaking a character in a story. I can write my character to be however I want. In years past I have changed my character from a shallow, self-centered drunk to a caring father and husband who writes a ridiculous blog. Last year, my character was a mostly tragic figure. I started the year by having to have my favorite dog of all time (Jake) put to sleep on January 10th. I buried him on our ten acres of heaven. (Imagine digging a grave in Boone County clay on a cold January day). I spent the year taking my mother to cancer treatments. I had to take her car keys (and independence) away after she had a major seizure. I watched as her weight dropped from 150 to under 90 pounds as she lost her appetite. The year ended with her cremation on New Year's Eve. I also stood by my wife, whose father died just two weeks prior to my mom. The drama of '08 was heightened by the adoption of our son Truman. Honestly, without the hope and joy he has given us, I don't know how I would have made it through the past few months.
This year, my character will be a comic figure. I shall play the role of an unemployed philosopher who is writing his first book and blogging about his adventures as a stay at home dad. He is a man who makes people laugh wherever he goes. He doesn't take himself too seriously and when life gets messy, he just rolls with it rather than feel sorry for himself. When people are around him, they can't help but smile. He lives to make others happy, which in turn makes him happy. He treats his wife and kids with love and respect. He rarely gets angry and when he does he gets over it quickly and never holds a grudge. He spends more time with his friends no matter how far away they live and no matter how high gas prices get because he understands how fleeting life is and how few opportunitites we have to spend time with those we care about. Guys want to be him and girls want to be with him. He is Magnum P.I., Cosmo Kramer, and Buddy the Elf all wrapped up into one irresistable, enigmatic, and ridiculous character. This is the character I have always wanted to play. A dream role for any actor, really. I get to play the title character of "2009: The Year of Travis Naughton" coming to a computer near you.
Stay tuned...
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