Rick Beeman

I slept in a bit today.   I do that after I teach classes.   I had a full day set up in the office.   I went over everything with Nader.   He’s under a lot of pressure with the banking crisis still.   The fact that we are doing so well at KSDi reassures him.   Deep down, I think he longs to quit his banking job and come work for us full time.   But he’s making far too much money at the Bank right now.   We are still about 12-18 months away from really being able to afford him.   There is a lot of buzz being generated with my improv comedy contest “The Funniest Person in Bahrain.”   We are running it in conjunction with FACT magazine so that will give us really good press.   The first event is supposed to take place on May 19.   That’s going to be tight for me…because I may have to fly back to the U.S. for a legal hearing with my former employer.   That’s going to suck if I have to do that.   But It’s the principle of the thing Im fighting.   For the improv contest, I have selected ...

What a day.   I had breakfast in my favorite Mexican restaurant.   They had a new server there, that hadn’t worked before.   But he saw me…and said…”The usual sir?”   Wow…I don’t know if that recognition is a good or bad thing.   I am a creature of habit.   I got into the office and had a lot of work to do…So much so, that im a little intimidated by it all.   I just have to learn to balance being a General Manager and a filmmaker.   For years, all I did was make movies…as a writer-producer-director-editor.   One project would consume my professional life for weeks.   By focusing on one thing, I was able to produce excellent work.   I don’t have the luxury any longer.   In fact with my day to day commitments of running a company, I don’t think I have time to make many films at the present moment.   Instead I need to rely upon my very capable staff.   I have to keep them to a high standard to make sure that our product remains top of the line.   But that takes good communication…someth...

Are you guys getting sick of how tired I am?   I know I put myself under this sort of schedule, so Its my choice.   I really am trying to maximize my life here and sleep just seems to get in the way.   Its not like I waste much time of the day.   I don’t watch TV, and I only catch a movie once every two weeks.   I guess my to do list is getting so massive and since I teach twice a week now, I only have four other working days to get everything done.   I know, I know break out the violins.   Im not complaining at all.   Its just that I have to strike a balance when to get my stuff done as a writer-director-producer-editor, and when to get my stuff done as a GM, and when I need to get my stuff done as a publicist, and when to get my stuff done as a sales guy.   I know I’m wearing a lot of hats right now.   One project in particular is hanging over my head.   I think once I get that completed it will pave the way for me to be ultra efficient in all the other areas of my professional lif...

I am sooooo tired.   F1 and the parties this weekend is catching up to me in a big way.   I keep telling myself I need to get in bed early and I rarely do.   Today was an activity filled big day.   I got to work..I slept in a late a little.   But hey…im the GM and I made some amazing and very profitable contacts at the party last night.   Plus, I was only 30 minutes late.   We had an early morning meeting which got cancelled and that allowed me time to catch up with all the little things.   I have to get the little things done, because I have a couple of big projects in the pipeline.   I interviewed Tanya’s father in law today for our Legacy video biography series.   His name is Franz.   He’s a really interesting man.   He was in Holland during the German occupation in World War II.   His father was arrested and sent to a concentration camp from which he never returned.   Its amazing how the scars of his youth when he was just five years old have haunted him for a lifetime.   It af...

Wow…what an amazing amazing day it was.   It was the day of the Grand Prix.   It’s a work day (officially) but most of the island takes today and tomorrow off…tomorrow is to recover.   Its 1:30 am right now…on a work day, and I have an early morning meeting but im still on a buzz.   I got into the office and I pushed up our morning meeting to 10 am.   These meetings are very helpful with the morale of the company and communication as we grow.   Before I came on board, they never had meetings.   So this is a step in the right direction.   The benefits are being found with our increased efficiency and teamwork.   After the meeting I got a few things done, that had to get done then I was off to the race track.   It was packed.   There were so many people there.   Its certainly the event of the year as far as Bahrain is concerned.   I saw Richard Branson of Virgin Fame, which was kind of cool.   The world loves F1 racing almost as much soccer.   Yet it hasn’t made an impact in the U.S.  ...

What a great day and I still feel rested.   Last night I was trying to hit three parties and wound up only hitting one.   It was a good one.   It was at Aqua Fuego, which is owned by a guy that is becoming a close friend and a business associate.   We will be hosting our “Funniest Person in Bahrain/live Improv contest there.”   This was an invitation only event.   So I was hobnobbing with some pretty important people.   One guy in particular I spent most of the night talking to.   He is the owner of a production company that does some pretty exclusive work in Bahrain.   He’s very well financed.   So we hit it off and we’re going to try to get together in the coming weeks to see if we can come up with something to work on.   It was yet again another divine appointment.   I met a lot of different people at this particular party.   What was cool about it, most of them were my age in their 30’s and 40’s.   Most of my social network here are in their 20’s.   Its nice when I can talk to bi...

Im posting the blog a little bit early today.   Normally I do this as the last thing I do before I go to bed.   Thus some nights I find myself falling asleep in the middle of typing which is a bizarre thing indeed.   A lot has happened already and its still only 5:00 pm.   I woke up early to make it to church.   Afterwards Tanya invited with me her friends and family to the Dilmun Club for brunch.   The Dilmun club is like a country club without the golfing.   They have horse stables there which is kind of cool.   The brunch was fabulous, primarily because they had pork.   Now I didn’t eat that much pork in the U.S. but since its so hard to find here, I eat it every chance I get now.   Tanya’s friends were a nice dutch couple.   Aloes…I think his name is, is in the film industry.   He helps finance and distribute feature films.   He’s been doing this for 13 years.   He mainly focuses on the financial side and not necessarily the creative side.   Some of the films he worked on have be...

Im exhausted…simply exhausted.   I just had no idea how mentally taxing the teaching thing really is.   When I was in California, I only taught one class a day and that took a lot out of me.   Then when I got to Bahrain, and I did three back to back to back…that took a lot out of me and I eventually compensated and adjusted to the new routine.   Part of my compensation was since the class was on Saturday, I slept in late, so I was well rested.   I also took a lot of time to mentally prepare.   So by the time the classes rolled around, I had plenty of energy.   But this past class yesterday…wow…   It really sapped me.   It was a great group.   We had 10 children, 10 teens, and 10 adults.   But the issue was the preparation.   We have had such a busy month in April.   Now busy is quite good, because im told July and August are dead months.   Since it is so hot here then, most everyone on the island leaves.   So in a way we are working hard so we can professionally hibernate.   I still ...

I pride myself on not being busy…ever.   Its not that I don’t have a lot of activity.   Its just that some people find their sense of purpose in being “busy”.   I have promised myself I would never do that.   Well if there ever was a day I was almost busy, this was certainly the day.   I had sooooo much activity.   It was non-stop from the moment I got up.   Its so much, Im worried if I got everything done.   There was added pressure because the classes at St. Christopher also started up today.   So I had an 8:30 AM to 10:30 PM day.   Because the acting classes are so mentally exhausting, it feels like an extra couple hours were tacked on at the end of that.   Keep in mind, I’m not complaining.   The acting classes were my choice.   I get a lot of fulfillment out of teaching them.   In a way, its my ministry.   Already, on the first day, I made a big impact.   That is so rewarding for me.   Its strange seeing how people react to the virtually the same stimuli.   I’m in a unique posit...

I am wiped out.   I had such a busy day full of meetings.   It was mentally taxing and ultimately physically exhausting.   But it was all good.   Did my morning routine and was very busy with the day to day stuff of the office.   I have so many big projects I need to undertake as a writer-producer, but my GM day to day duties always seem to take away from that.   When I am creative I have to get into a flow.   If something interrupts that flow…im done for the day and I have to try it tomorrow.   Its strange thing as I try to engage the creativity of my brain.   I just can’t force myself.   I have to work up to it.   I know that makes me sound like a prima donna, but its just how the creative part of my brain works.   I often tell my students that you can train your brain when to be creative, but it takes a lot of work and a lot of consistency.   With me…I could probably train myself, but it would take me three weeks.   Its more efficient for me just to get into the flow and the minds...

What a day.   I had an early morning interview with a Sheikh.   He was part of the royal family.   It was about a documentary we are producing which he is the project lead.   Very interesting conversation.   He was a well spoken guy in English as he was educated in the U.S.   It was really a delightful interview..just a really nice guy, about my age, I think.   I had a full day so after the interview I rushed out to go to my next appointment.   As the elevator doors were closing, a secretary caught us and said I had another interview set up at 10:30…which was five minutes away.   I don’t remember scheduling that interview.   So I called my 11:00 appointment to tell her I’d be late and conducted the interview.   I don’t like to be late or make other people wait for me.   I have always felt, if someone is consistently late they are saying my time is more important than yours.   So I really am conscientious to not be late.   I don’t like being too early either, I try to space it out jus...

It was a very nice day for me today.   I went into the office a little bit later.   I tend to do that the night after I teach an acting class.   I decided to go to breakfast at my favorite breakfast place.   Im a regular, so as soon as they see me they start making my favorite breakfast.   I haven’t had anything else there.   I’m such a creature of habit.   I do my daily Bible reading either in the morning at breakfast or during lunch.   After my reading I got out my to do list.   I have about 30 things swimming around in my brain that I had to get to in the next couple of days.   Normally that would provide a bit of apprehension.   But for some reason, when I put the pen to paper, I can forget it about it.   It’s a great stress reliever.   I check back throughout the week to check up on it to see if im on schedule and to add various points to the list.   I did have a bit of discouraging news last night.   Julie, our Filipina photoshop artist, part time accountant, part time videog...

What a nice day this turned out to be.   I slept in really late.   I worked on the blog for awhile and wound up talking to a friend late.   Im still on such a high from my Greece trip.   That is a lasting, I think lifelong memory for me.   So it was different sleeping in till 11 am.   I really didn’t sleep hardly at all when I was Greece and operating completely on Adrenalin.   So Im hoping I got caught up last night.   The reason I only stayed 48 hours in Greece, is because I didn’t want to miss an acting class.   With our second session starting on the 22 nd of this month on Wednesday, Im not going to have many opportunities for little getaways like this for awhile.   I had been working the 6 day 70 hour thing.   So I thought the break was deserved.   But I did feel kind of bad for my staff.   They have been working 7 day weeks (some of them) and also 70-80 hours a week.   The difference is Im a spoiled westerner.   Most of them appreciate all the overtime they can get.   They a...

(If you want to see pics of my trip, click the following link:) http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=117297&id=751722138&l=e17161e39a Im on the plane right now flying back from my wonderful little break in Athens.   I’m so thankful to my gracious hosts Evi and Regina Varti.   (Evi is the one in my acting class and her sister Regina lives in Athens.)   It was simply wonderful.   I spent a lot of time with their family including Evi’s husband Spiro (A Gulf air pilot), and two children, as well as their parents.   Everyone was so gracious and hospitable.   I’m so thankful.   I think I saw a side of Greece that most tourists don’t get to see.   I did go through a few of the touristy things, but just walking around everywhere (we walked a lot) was so enlightening.   Now I’ve raved about how nice and beautiful I thought Greece is, but there are few downsides.   It has roughly 4 million people, roughly the size of Chicago, all jammed into about half the space of Chicago.   Its very...

I apologize for the short blog yesterday.   But I didn’t want to blow my routine of daily writing.   I had only seven minutes of power left on the computer, so I barely got in on time.   I’ll write more at length about my spectacular trip tomorrow.   I only have 48 hours to enjoy this fabulous culture and the people, so I don’t want to spend too much time writing in the blog about it.   I love this country and its people.   Im staying with the family of one of my acting students and they have been absolutely wonderful to me.   They forewarned me about their family…Think My Big Fat Greek Wedding…and you have this family.   Very kind and gracious.     They won’t let me pay for anything.   As much as I insist, they simply refuse…and Im really trying, unlike my little sister when she tries to pick up a tab, or when I’m with my parents and I try to insincerely pick it up…I’m really making an effort here.   Being in Greece is like being in a different world.   Bahrain, doesn’t feel lik...

I made it to Athens. This place is really exotic. I certainly feel like iM in a foreign country. Its been such a full day. I was going to skip writing in the blog today, but my wonderful and gracious hosts insisted. I havent’ missed a day yet, and they didn’t want my first to be on their watch. They are treating me like a king showing me around their proud city and country. Im learning so much about Greek history and culture. I’ll try to write more tomorrow. They are going to take me on all the historic/tourist sites. I bought a good camera, so I’ll try to upload some pics as many of you have requested.