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Dear Jack: Our “Practice Halloween” Night as a Family/We Watched Gremlins

4 years, 11 months.

Dear Jack: Our "Practice Halloween" Night as a Family

Dear Jack,

Tonight we were able to “practice Halloween” at your preschool with all your friends. You got to be the coolest person possible: Captain America.

It was funny because all your friends who were boys were also dressed up as super heroes; but there were conveniently no duplicates: Batman, Iron Man, Spiderman…

As for Mommy and me, we took a more minimalist approach:

Mommy wore a zebra mask and I wore my cave man hat which I’ve owned for years.

(At Target, your costume only cost us $10 and Mommy’s mask was only $3.)

I like the fact you wanted to make sure your stuffed animal, Kitty, was dressed in costume too; as a baby in a onesie.

And by the way, you got a whole lot of candy! The proportion of candy-to-kids was definitely in your favor.

However, there’s a decent chance it’s going to rain on Saturday, which is Halloween.

So even though we are finally moved in to a nice suburban neighborhood where we can truly just walk door to door, instead of driving to a decent place, we may get rained out! Therefore, tonight served as our back-up plan to that happening to us.

And to set the mood for Halloween, I let you watch the 1984 Steven Spielberg movie, Gremlins; which is currently free on Amazon Prime right now.

gremlins_gizmo Dear Jack: Our "Practice Halloween" Night as a Family/We Watched Gremlins

I admit to having a few reservations in that it, along with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Jones, were the very first movies to be released under the PG-13 rating; as opposed to PG.

Granted, you watched Ant-Man and it was no issue for you.

I don’t regret my decision. You didn’t recognize the bad words, since to you, “stupid” is the one that concerns you the most right now.

And though parts of it are obviously creepy and violent, it was nothing you hadn’t seen on Goosebumps. I’m not saying I recommend showing Gremlins to all 5 year-olds, but I feel confident in us being able to enjoy it together.

You were on the edge on your seat the whole time, and you loved Gizmo. Not to mention, you’ve already proclaimed that when we go to Nonna and Papa’s house next time, you’ll be bringing home my old Gizmo doll.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Webisode 22 of Jack-Man, “Tin Roof Rusted” (Pregnancy Announcement Video)

4 years, 10 months.

Webisode 22 of Jack-Man, “Tin Roof Rusted” (Pregnancy Announcement Video)

Dear Jack,

On Thursday we finally officially revealed to the world that you are going to be a big brother.

But the day before, I published Webisode 22 of Jack-Man, “Tin Roof Rusted,” which announced that Jack-Man is going to be a big brother; it even showed the sonogram.

It is our “pregnancy announcement video.”

For over 24 hours, our video was live on YouTube, having been promoted on Facebook and Twitter as well. But it flew under the radar.

It wasn’t until Thursday morning that our news started spreading, but I embedded our video in that post so everyone see it which definitely helped bring up traffic to it.

I just loved the idea of incorporating our family’s pregnancy announcement in a video format; especially in our already established web series.

Of course, we couldn’t have done it without the help of your teacher, Ms. Aimee Cornelius, who served as a “camera woman.”

With me in full costume, it was impossible to both direct and film the webisode.

In “Tin Roof Rusted,” things pick up immediately from the point the previous webisode left off; with Vegan Bear taking the 2015 Toyota Corolla for a drive, with Jack-Man in the back seat.

Once they arrive back in the driveway, Jack-Man decides to check the mail, only to discover a mysterious letter which he can’t see to keep his hands on…

You have already asked me when we can do our next Jack-Man video that features Vegan Bear.

Even though you obviously know it’s just me in that costume, I think on some level, interacting with the character of Vegan Bear helps to sustain your imagination enough to believe you are actually friends with a real life mutant vegan bear.

But it’s just me. It’s father and son bonding via a silly costume and a silly video.

Works for us.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Webisode 20 of Jack-Man- “The Ole Switcheroo”

4 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack,

Dear Jack: Webisode 20 of Jack-Man- “The Ole Switcheroo”

Last weekend Nonna and Papa visited us, as I finally was able to take Mommy to the Lady Antebellum/Hunter Hayes concert that I had bought tickets for on her birthday a month ago.

It wasn’t on my mind at all, but you asked me if we could do a new Jack-Man episode while Papa was in town.

So we did.

For months now, you and I have been scheming a Jack-Man plot in which you and I would swap roles:

You would become “Baby Green Meanie” and I would “Grown Up Jack-Man.”

Dear Jack: Webisode 20 of Jack-Man- “The Ole Switcheroo”

I had been revising the script this whole time. Webisode 20, though it may not appear this way, it was actually one of the most complicated to webisodes we’ve ever filmed.

Perhaps that’s because we had to film it out of order to avoid so many costume changes.

But in the end, I’m very pleased with how it turned out and we had a lot of fun together making the project.

Webisode 20 premieres the concept of having background music during the monologues, instead of just the action and transition screens.

Here it is:

I’ve never mentioned this to you before, but back in college, I recorded 3 demo CDs. Since then, I’ve taken the musical breaks from those tracks to serve as the background music for my videos.

Speaking of music, “The Ole Switcheroo” features this new original song:

Panic Attack!

P-p-p-panic attack! P-p-p-panic attack!

I’m gonna give you a panic attack!

Have your chill pills ready

Keep your position steady

You’re running out of time

Running out of time

You’re getting tunnel vision

Here comes the big collision

Adrenaline freely flows

Freely flows

(note goes up, slower)

P-p-p-panic attack! P-p-p-panic attack!

I’m gonna give you…

You’re getting quite sleepy, so tired, light-headed

And coming up next, it looks like we may be buying a “new” old car…

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: Webisode 20 of Jack-Man- “The Ole Switcheroo”

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Dear Jack: Webisode 14 & 15 of Jack-Man, Featuring 2015 Chevy Colorado

4 years, 7 months.

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Dear Jack,

This past weekend we took a 3 day weekend to Alabama; not only for your cousin Calla’s 4th birthday party, but also to see your cousin Matt graduate Air Force boot camp in Montgomery; while we were there, we also got to hang out with your friend Sophie and her family at Mellow Mushroom.

We were able to drive a 2015 Chevrolet Colorado pick-up trick to review.  So I decided to feature it prominently in our newest couple of webisodes of Jack-Man…

In Webisode 14: “Shadetree Mechanic,” Green Meanie tries to sabotage Jack-Man’s chances of going to Super Calla’s 4th birthday party by taking a wrench to the Chevy Colorado.

It features my new song, “How’s It Feel To Be The Bad Guy?” which is the 1st song I’ve ever done that features Mommy singing too:

How’s it feel to be the bad guy?

How’s it feel to be so mean?

When all your best friends are all enemies?

Did you wake up on the wrong side

Of the cot maybe under a rock?

Do you need a hug?

Maybe you should change your approach? Change your approach

And in Webisode 15: “Birthday Party Crashers”, after Green Meanie sneakily hitches a ride in the back of the Chevy Colorado, he meets up with The Juggler (your uncle Andrew), then recruits The Street Sweeper (your Papa) to help crash Super Calla’s 4th birthday party.

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The new song featured in it is “Blow Your House Down.”

I’m gonna blow your house down

Feel my minty breath flowing through your hair

I’m gonna blow your house down

You can call the law but I don’t care

Uh-oh, I want to know what you believe in

Will you believe if you don’t see it?

Like the wind that blows so freely

From my lungs unto your ceiling

Uh-oh, I am not the wind beneath your wings

But I’m the storm with scary lightning

You’re not in Kansas anymore

I am knocking down your door

We also filmed 2 other Jack-Man webisodes as well. I can’t wait to edit them. It takes me at least 3 hours for every Jack-Man webisode I make!

Webisode 16 is about organic, non-GMO produce at Nonna and Papa’s garden, and 17 is a cool chase episode in the woods, leading to a huge rock. I’m really exciting to share them!

I’ll also be writing more about our visit to see your cousin Matt graduate boot camp, after I get a chance to put some videos together for that.

And… this weekend is exciting for Mommy and me because Sunday makes 7 years she and I have been married.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Webisode 11 of Jack-Man, “Panic at the Playground!”

4 years, 7 months.

Dear Jack: Webisode 11 of Jack-Man,

Dear Jack,

Last week’s shooting of “Webisode 11: Panic at the Playground!” couldn’t have gone any better. You had so much fun seeing your friends Sophie and Madison again. They made such perfect superheroes. We spent all Saturday morning there at Pinkerton Park in the hot Tennessee sun.

I love the way the 3 of you interacted with me as I played the Playground Ninja, who was sent by the Green Meanie after Jack-Man refused to buy a boat or use a credit hard; instead, he plans to pay off his house early.

You all have some serious talent!

The number of views of Webisode 11 so far are showing that it is by default the best one yet: In just 4 days, it has received nearly 100 views; whereas it took a whole month for the 1st webisode to get that many views.

Based on the success of this one, I’ve decided I need to replicate that same formula as much as possible; which includes involving guest stars whenever possible, and always including an original song of mine to play during an action sequence.

That means I’ll typically be writing and recording at least one or two new songs each week, but that’s okay… I love doing it! I’m even trying to get Mommy to start singing with me on some upcoming songs…

This weekend we are scheduled to shoot at your school for some special episodes while it rains. I also am planning on having my friend Ben Wilder as a guest star villain.

Our family was very excited to learn this week that for an upcoming road trip, we’ll be able to review a Chevy Colorado truck! That is super cool!

By the way, you are now closer to age 5 than you are to 4. This week you turned 4 years, 7 months old.

Love,

Daddy

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