Category Archives: conversation

Happy 2012 everyone!

I’m already wondering what thread that started today will weave through the year and make it unique? Sometimes, we can’t control the tone or success of our years but we can always control our perspective.

I have a few wishes for 2012 (they start with health) and also a few goals to try and accomplish. I’m going to try hard to be as creative as possible and seize every opportunity to move ahead on my path.

I’d like to start it off by sharing an aspect of my creativity you may not yet know about. While you should know I love acting and directing, you might be surprised to know I also love writing (well, you shouldn’t be too surprised…you are, after all, reading my blog right now).

Up until now I’ve kept my writing separate from everything else because I’ve always felt the content of my stories doesn’t match what you see in my performances. Under the name of Jason Summers, I’ve written many plays and manuscripts that show an entirely different side to what I do.

Quite a few of those plays have been performed through Brave New Productions – and two of my early novels are available as ebooks through various online distributors.

Going forward, I’ve decided to drop the pseudonym and celebrate all the aspects of my creativity using my real name.

There! The secret is out. I feel so exposed (okay not really – just trying to make this sound like an epic announcement) but I have to say, I’m looking forward to a brand new year with tons of exciting new projects.

For you, health & happiness – and, of course, lots of DonaldRees.Com

This is it. We’ve reached the end of 2011.

I made a few New Years resolutions last year. I said I would take courses in my field. I said I’d perform more and in better productions than ever before. In the end I took acting classes with Gilles Plouffe and comedy writing with Second City in Chicago. I produced, directed and performed in two Fringe Festival shows (simultaneously) and consider Being Earnest to be the best show I’ve ever worked on. I loved it so much, we brought it to Toronto. I also performed with Three Blind Mice in Luann and participated in not one, but two Flashmobs.

I visited exciting cities like Amsterdam, Brussels and New Orleans. Patrick and I brought our families together for the first time and my online videos reached over 55,000 views (my goal for the year was 20,000).

It was also a very difficult year, and that fact stands out more than the others. It’s still shocking and painful, but I can’t forget losing a very close friend this year. It feels insane even writing that and even harder to believe it happened. There is no moving forward, there’s only bringing the memories forward – and with me – everywhere I go. Forever. And trying to make them bring a smile instead of a tear.

It makes looking forward pretty hard. There’s a lot of potential in the year ahead, but in the back of my mind is the nagging reminder: Don’t take a single second for granted. Enjoy the ride, the memories and the people – not tomorrow, but today. As much as you can. Love what you love and love it as much you can and don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t love it. That applies to anything. Love people. Love things. It doesn’t matter. Just fill your life with love.

Thank you for joining me during the year and I look very forward to making more memories together very soon. In the meantime, I wish you nothing but health & happiness in the year ahead.

Love,
Donald

PS. Here’s a very special video starring all of the people and memories that helped fill 2011 with joy!

I don’t have your typical taste in things.
Now that I’ve said that, hopefully you won’t be surprised by my list of favourite things in 2011!

BEST MOVIE: The Muppets
I was so excited for this movie and it didn’t let me down in a single way. It completely renewed my undying love for the Muppets.
RUNNER-UPS: I really enjoyed Bridesmaids (though I found it a bit long) and I thought Scream 4 was pure horror joy for fans of the series (including myself) or horror movie lovers in general.
*Note: You will not find these movies listed on most respectable people’s list of favourite movies – however, they describe me to a tee!

BEST SONG: Trip To Your Heart – Britney Spears
RUNNER-UPS: Pitbull’s “Give Me Everything” is fun in an epic end-of-year way and of course Lady Gaga’s “Edge Of Glory” was a sound I hoped would lend itself to her whole album (which sadly was not the case).

BEST ALBUM: Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor – Caro Emerald
* Technically not released this year, but this was the year I discovered her.
RUNNER-UPS: Robin Thicke’s “Love After War” album is a perfect, relaxing blend of many genres I’m a fan of.

BEST BOOK: The Help
RUNNER-UPS: “The Night Circus” was captivating the whole way through but the ending felt like a bit of a let-down.

BEST PLAY: The Arrangement
RUNNER-UPS: I also really enjoyed “Into The Woods”, particularly the first half.
* Of course, Being Earnest & Here’s To Love! were out of the running because I was in them though I must say Being Earnest will forever hold a place in my heart.

FAVOURITE DESTINATION: Amsterdam
RUNNER-UPS: Can I say everywhere else? The concierge at Disney’s Polynesian Resort? NEW ORLEANS (I loved it there so much!) Disneyland Paris Resort? I feel so lucky to have had the chance to visit these places!!!