Rick Beeman

Each day that passes God amazes me more and more and more.    It’s a great feeling.    Had a meeting the Dr. Harry Bradbury Chief Economic Advisor to the Ministry of Economic Development here on the island.    One word…wow!    Harry is connected.    He is the one that is doing work with the players at the William Morris Agency.    Harry himself is a player.    I’ve met the real deal and the charlatans (Im a charlatan sometimes, that’s how I know) and Harry is the real deal.    Some of the names he was dropping would blow your mind.    When the time is right he said, we’ll all get together for meetings.    Harry and my goals line up quite synergistically.    This was truly a divine appointment.    The article in the magazine helped my credibility.    He said he saw my mug in the rag.    It was just strange sitting across from someone with so much power and influence and I was as calm and excited as I could be.    I had a renewed sense of confidence like Dan Akroyd and John Belushi said ...

Surprising thing happened today.    We have a pretty good relationship with the editor of the English language newspaper here.    He personally comes by to pick up old photographs that they feature in a weekly series called Bygone Bahrain.    Stan is from the UK, nice guy.    We’ve been chatting a bit since I’ve been here and I mentioned to him that I had a press release coming out announcing my arrival and KSDi’s foray into film/video.    I was already in FACT magazine, there is a link to it on my facebook page if you want to see it…In fact…(no pun intended) I’ll post it as a pic at the bottom of the image gallery.    Also let me know if you want to be my friend on Facebook if you’re not already and I’ll add you.       So the wide press release is supposed to go our on Sunday.    I saw Stan this morning and mentioned the press release so I sent it to him.    He called me back within five minutes of getting it.    He asked when this would be released?    I mentioned Sunday and he asked...

I met with a guy named Bassam today.    He is a Bahraini Director.    We met as we were both on the jury at the Bahrain film festival.    We immediately clicked as he is a true film buff.    Interesting story about Bassam,    he wanted to be a filmmaker since he was a child.    When he was 14 years old, he made his first film on Super 8.    There was a new film production company that just opened in 1974, run by a guy named Khalifa Shaheen, called Falcon Cinefoto.    Shaheen took the ambitious young filmmaker in and helped him edit his film.    Bassam commented that he was in awe of this dashing filmmaker when he was young.    He wanted to be like Shaheen.    In part, because Khalifa took some time out to mentor this young man…look at the dividends that it helped create.    Bassam produced the first feature film made in Bahrain and went onto produce two other films and many television series and commercials.    He is one of the few premiere filmmakers on the island.       So you never ...

OK…I mention in this blog all the time, that God speaks to me.    We have these amazing conversations.    I met a wonderful gal, I’ve been chatting with from Texas who has the same thing happen to her.    She has conversations with God as well.    I thought it was just me, like I had a gift…but I think God wants to speak to all of us.    It just takes time and patience for us to tune and really listen to our voice.   I often tell my story to many people.    It’s my testimony.    I always mention my role in the destruction of the marriage as it always takes two parties.    I remember my good friend from my Friday men’s group in CA.    Always used to lament the woes of his divorce and his strained relationship with his children.    He told me before I left how much my stories, pains, and struggles inspired him because of my good attitude.    He thought his divorce was bad but after hearing my stories…he was able to look at his situation in a different perspective.    It gave him hope.   ...

I don’t want to get petty squabbles or continue to air my family’s dirty laundry in this public forum.    But it amazes me, usually everytime I mention something about the X…my kids call me defending her and telling me Im lying.    Once I explain my p.o.v. they understand and its usually a miscommunication.    Still they are being pushed in the middle and that sucks for them.    So if anyone has a problem with what I write…please respond to me directly, don’t feel like you have to use a third party to relay information.    I guess I am flattered knowing all the different type of people that do read this.. ;o)     Like Joel Osteen once said…Don’t let the enemy steal your joy.    Im not going to let him do that.    The enemy comes to lie, steal, and destroy.    If he can do that he ruins our peace thus our witness to the world is damaged.    Why would a non-Christian turn to the Lord if we are miserable, unhappy and insecure?    The world has that already.    Instead…the Joy of the Lord ...

OK…I probably did an unwise thing today.     I am really missing my kids.    I haven’t seen them for 3 months now, and our conversations are very limited in that they have been told to only tell me about their school.    We can talk about my job.    But those conversations last about five minutes.    I tried to talk to my daughter, but she was too busy to talk to me…because of the chores she had to do.     Our relationship is very strained.    My life is turning into the Cats in the Cradle song by Harry Chapin.    Im trying to stop it from becoming like that but I feel powerless to do so.       So the unwise thing I did, is I turned on my tv…first time in a month.    I watched the Pursuit of Happyness with Will Smith.    Wow…what a compelling story.    While I feel very blessed with my career out here…I felt very connected to the movie.    Ever since my divorce I felt like I have been emotionally homeless.    With my family stolen from me, I do sense a lot of despair at times especiall...

I mentioned in the blog two weeks ago about the early warning detection system.    That God said the next two weeks were going to be tough.    I already thought that I had been through the brunt and that I was home free.    Not so fast.    All this week, I’ve been battling a sense of fear and insecurity.    Most of my concerns were incredibly unfounded…still they were intense.    I always thought spiritual attacks came in the form of temptation.    But this one was attacking my mental health.    It came to a head this morning with a spirit that came over me that I can only describe as a type of spiritual wet blanket.    It was so oppressive.    Most of you that know me…know that I’m pretty optimistic and joyful person (granted that was tested the last three years). But still since I’ve been in Bahrain my feet haven’t touched the ground and I’ve been incredibly optimistic.    I haven’t been this hopeful or cheerful since my college days.    But a sense of dread almost panic hovered over...

What an amazing experience Ashurah was for me.    Now Im not advocating what they do, nor do I really respect it, but still it was a sight to behold.    Cars were parked in every nook and cranny (pretty much people park wherever they feel like with the exception of the middle of intersections).    I had to park about a half mile away and trekked to where I thought the procession would be.    I asked another guy that was walking behind me, a Bahraini named Abdullah, where to go.    He said..let me walk you there…it will be my honor.    So we walked and talked a half mile’s worth.    He told me in detail the whole story of Ashurah.    The commemoration of the regret from the murder of the prophet Mohammed’s grand children.   We wove our way through the thin streets (alleyways) of the souk.    It was very cool, it really felt like the middle east.    I was soaking in the culture.    Khalifa earlier had let me borrow his Palestinian scarf just so I would fit in a little better.    With a f...

Wow…I had about a month’s worth of blogging happen to me tonight.    There is so much to write about, it will probably wind up to be my shortest entry yet.    I was asked to judge a Bahraini film festival…which is kind of a nice honor.    I met another Bahraini filmmaker who was another one of the judges.    This guy is nice and connected.    Im certain we are going to work together.    This is really going to happen.    I have to pinch myself.    We are going to be producing feature films in Bahrain.    God is setting up all the details.    Its just strange that I spend 10 years in Los Angeles trying to make it in films…then I come halfway across the world to do it.    Its pretty cool.    The films we watched were made my amateurs.    Some were absolutely painful to watch.    We have 15 films we have to judge.    Most were done by Indians.    Bollywood is a huge industry.    More movies are made in Bollywood than in Hollywood.    Indians films are kind of funny to watch.    They are s...

Wow…I had about a month’s worth of blogging happen to me tonight.    There is so much to write about, it will probably wind up to be my shortest entry yet.    I was asked to judge a Bahraini film festival…which is kind of a nice honor.    I met another Bahraini filmmaker who was another one of the judges.    This guy is nice and connected.    Im certain we are going to work together.    This is really going to happen.    I have to pinch myself.    We are going to be producing feature films in Bahrain.    God is setting up all the details.    Its just strange that I spend 10 years in Los Angeles trying to make it in films…then I come halfway across the world to do it.    Its pretty cool.    The films we watched were made my amateurs.    Some were absolutely painful to watch.    We have 15 films we have to judge.    Most were done by Indians.    Bollywood is a huge industry.    More movies are made in Bollywood than in Hollywood.    Indians films are kind of funny to watch.    They are s...

What a night it was.    Everyone is gearing up for Ashura for the next couple of days.    Most of the stores and business are going to be closed down for this Shia Muslim holiday.    Remember I told you a few days back…it commemorates when the Muslims killed the grandson of Mohammed and then realized it was a mistake.    So every year, they do something like penance and beat themselves with chains and bleed a lot.    I am very excited to witness this.    Im told that the participants whip themselves up (psychologically) in a frenzy.    So they almost become trance-like.    Some people told me to avoid the demonstrations in the rural villages.    But going to the ones downtown are much more open to westerners watching.    I just want to learn and soak in as much culture as I can.   Mo had his 27 th  birthday party at a Mexican restaurant.    There were about 40 people or so there.    It is really nice that I’m actually becoming friends with quite a few people.    As I write this I reek ...

I know we are supposed to wait on the Lord.    But waiting sucks.    At least it does for me and my impatient self.    I was reading several books about waiting.    The consensus is that God will delay answering prayers until you learn the lesson that needs to be learned.    But once you learn that lesson it can go lightning fast.    Sometimes in my life I’ve gotten whiplash watching God move so quickly.    So I resorted to doing what Charles Stanley advocated when you are going through the “suck” times.    God I don’t like this, but teach me what I need to learn about you through this process.    This soooo works.    Every part of my life seems to be coming together at the right moment now.    Im so fortunate and so grateful for all of it.    I just have to be careful not to rush God.    Its like I see his answer up on the horizon and I think…OK God I got it.    Then I try to run up ahead.    I’m pretty good (finally) of learning from my mistakes.    So Im trying to practice Schway Sc...

Purpose for our pain I went out to breakfast with a new friend today from church. He’s a good guy and has been in Bahrain for the last 12 years. When he is back in the states, he considers his home to be Walnut Creek, CA. So we’re neighbors on both sides of the globe. He was the music minister (volunteer) at our church and he’s very talented. He was telling me about his difficult year he had, which opened the door for my story. My story is so long and detailed. The details are amazing but how much to share and when is the tricky part. End to end it would probably take about four full hours to tell the entire story. You can really get bogged down in the details but that is where the story is so dramatic. Details on the story is like icing on the cake. Now, I know Hollywood and I know what makes a good Hollywood drama. But when I tell my story often times people find it hard to believe. Hard to believe that I’m so peaceful, joyful and content despite the personal hell. I...

Woke up on time to go to church today.    Picked up Reji.    The church seems to be growing.    Pastor Graeme wasn’t there today so they had another fill in pastor.    I really didn’t pay that much attention.    I tuned out and I day dreamt the whole sermon, like I did when I was a kid.       I am getting to know quite a few people in that church.    I got all excited because I spotted a brown person in church (another Indian) so Reji wouldn’t feel so alone.    The opposite of what I had earlier experienced when we were visiting churches.    The worship was great though.    That was really refreshing.    I wanted to introduce myself to Russ and tell him how great I thought the worship was.    For a small church to have good worship is a rarity.    He sang a bunch of songs that Lakewood usually sings so it brought back good memories.    He lives in my area so we are going to breakfast tomorrow.    I have some friends…but I need more good solid Christian friends.    Iron sharpens iron.  ...

So many interesting things happened yesterday, but I was so tired when I wrote my blog.    It’s a weird feeling falling asleep while you’re typing.    I guess it’s the professional equivalent of falling asleep at the wheel.    I met some really interesting people at the party.    Stephan this really sharp German guy, and I talked for awhile.    I met him at another party a few weeks back.    Its interesting his take on the whole Hitler/Nazi thing.    He mentioned that there are many things that his country is not too proud of.    What happened to the Jews in WWII is reprehensible.    Yet…genocide has been around since the dawn of time really.    You don’t nearly see the same outrage against genocide in Cambodia, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Sudan…yet these acts supercede the number of jews murdered.    They are just not in the media’s eyes, and thus not in the public’s perception.   New Year’s is all about reflecting on the past and setting your vision to the future.    I was reminiscing heavil...

Many people were very disappointed today.    The Gulf Coast Countries (the countries the border the Persian gulf, or the Arab nations) decided to cancel all the new year’s festivities out of respect for the conflict in Gaza where so many people have lost their lives.    So that means no alcohol and no clubs.    This is a BIG deal here in Bahrain where drinking and clubbing is so engrained in their culture.    The proclamation came down from the King through the news and the internet kind of like in the same fashion of an emergency broadcast signal.    Many people were quite upset about the turn of events.   I went to a house party at Armand’s and Oz’s house.    It was great fun.    They had the place really decorated well and the music was blaring.    There probably was 60-70 people there.    So it was a great chance to meet even more people.    The house parties are a little quieter than clubs so its easier to communicate with people.    My hearing sucks as it is, I’m not a good dance...

It’s a little bit funny…this feeling inside…wait that’s an Elton John song.    What I meant to say that ever since I embraced my solitude….I haven’t had any…and that is fine by me.    I spent the weekend alone just with God.    Prior to that really ever since my divorce…I hated being alone.    It made me feel like a failure.    Out here was nothing different…I’d have anxiety about being alone and not be able to enjoy myself.    I know my embracing solitude spiel spoke to many of you based on the amount of responses I got back.    By the way…I love the responses thank you so much.    It makes me feel like we are all apart of this together.    Which we are…as we are one body in Christ.   So as soon as I made it past this weekend…I’ve had nothing but social engagements.    Did I really learn what God wanted me to learn in 36 hours?    I’ve heard it said before that God won’t answer a prayer until you’ve become what He desires you to be.    Then once that happens…God can move lightning fas...

Yet another day off in Bahrain.    I think we have three more to go.    Its getting frustrating, I’m anxious to get to work…but I need the whole country to be up and running to be fully effective.    I am very anxious to get things moving at the office.    I have so many promising leads.    Its weird being the “general” in manager.    I have to be the jack of all trades.    I get so much fulfillment from the creative side as the artist in me comes out.    But I’m very good at leadership and motivation.    So that is a key ingredient too.    If I can only get the cash flow/projections/revenue stream down…then I would be absolutely “general”.   I saw a trailer for Madagascar II last week.    I really wanted to see it.    But I can’t go to an animated movie by myself.    So I invited Tanya’s kids to go see it with me.    Tanya wanted to see it too.    So we all went to the movies.    Afterwards we met up with her husband Raimond and went out to eat dinner.    I really feel like Im a part ...

OK…I guess the early warning detection system I mentioned yesterday worked.    God is soooo cool that way.    Since my divorce I’ve really been able to hear from God so much clearly than ever before.    God has always been speaking to me, I just never really took the time or knew how to tune in.    Pain will do that to you.    So in the past three years, I can think of 6 to 7 different occasions where God has warned me to pray and fast ahead of time because a trial is heading my way.    Each time something hit, it hasn’t been debilitating even though the news was often devastating.   So I felt very strongly impressed this weekend that I would be put under a lot of temptation this week because the next two weeks were going to be quite a challenge.    So I prepared accordingly.    In fact, that is one of the reasons why God called me to be alone most of the weekend so I could be in complete harmony in Him.    So I go into work today and one of the first things that hit…could have been a ...