. . .and now"The Rest of the Story"

. . .and now"The Rest of the Story"

As many of you may know. I've been somewhat depressed lately. So I decided to talk to my Dr. and get back on Happy pills for a while and see if I could pull out of it. The Dr. put me on Effexor. . . I heard good things about it so I didn't think anything of it. Well come to find out, Effexor was not the Happy Pill for me. The side effects did me in. It seems like every bad side effect there was for this drug, it was twice as bad for me. It's supposed to give you energy and it gave me nervous energy. It was supposed to give you slight insomnia and I went weeks on a few hours of sleep. Between those two side effects alone my mind was somewhere between Pluto and God knows where. . . On top of that. When and if I was able to get to sleep. I would have to worst night mares I think I've ever had in my life.

There were other side effects that weren't too bad, but as a Diabetic, they didn't help out either. One of those side effects was a strong desire for chocolate at night. So here I am before bed eating almost a half pound of chocolate or drinking almost a half gallon of chocolate milk just to reduce the craving. There were many more side effects that I don't really want to get into.

So one day I was sitting in my basement and realized that I hadn't left it in maybe three days or so. With the help of some friends and a nice drug induced sleep. I convinced myself it was time to make a change and get off of this "Happy Pill". I've been totally off for a week now after a weening off period and I am feeling a lot better. Not quite 100%, but getting there.

I want to apologize to a number of people for either ignoring you or acting crazy if I didn't ignore you. I realize now that my head wasn't straight and I am working towards getting back to life as soon as I can. I can't promise it will be today or tomorrow, but it will happen soon. I've also talked to a few older and wiser people and they have reminded me that I am grieving and that it's ok to grieve. I don't need drugs to hide it or cover it up. I just need time. I just have to realize that for myself and take it one step at a time.

Judith Powell Davis

NORMAL - Judith Powell Davis, 64, of 311 S. Towanda Ave., No. 7, Normal, died at 11:35 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 28, 2007) at BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal.

Service: 10:30 a.m. Friday celebration of life service at Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bloomington, with the Rev. Charles Orr officiating. A second memorial service will be at a later date at Olivet African Methodist Episcopal Church, South Bend, Ind., with the Rev. Martel Winburn Sr.

Private inurnment: at a later date at City Cemetery, South Bend, Ind.

Visitation: the family will receive friends after the service during the repass on Friday at the church.

Memorials: in lieu of flowers, to Diabetes Research Wellness Foundation, P.O. Box 96046, Washington, DC 20077-7240. Arrangements are being handled by Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington.

Survivors: one son, Emory Grant Davis III, Normal.

My Life at the Present Moment

Where do I begin? Well, let’s just jump into what the biggest situation in my life is right now. It’s my mother and there is no easy way to say it except to just say it.


My mother is dying.


It all started with a small sore on her left ankle that got infected and the infection spread a little too fast for me to step in and make a decision about it. That happened (I think) back in June. Now the infection is in and around the ankle bone. My mother is a diabetic which complicates things and she also has Congestive Heart Failure which complicates things as well. Her regular Dr. and a Wound Dr. have worked with her almost nonstop for about 4 months to get her wound under control. Because of where the infection is at and the hardening of the arteries in her legs, they have been unsuccessful in saving the foot. So they want to cut it off below the knee. Now the problem is that my mother’s Congestive Heart Failure has gotten to the point that they can’t cut her foot off. It has affected her kidney and liver functions and caused her to get an Aspirating Flu that has drastically affected her ability to eat anything at all.


So in a nutshell, she has somewhat good days and sometimes very bad days. The problem is that the bad days are getting a lot more frequent than the good days are. She has been in and out of the nursing home with her Congestive Heart Failure and Dehydration as well. She is currently in the hospital and they are not sure if and when she will be able to leave there. Some say she will pull through and some say they don’t think she will. This really has been a roller coaster of a ride for the both of us. I know, and they know, she is going to die, but only God knows when that will be. I know in my heart that she wants to die at home. My question is WHEN do you know it’s time to bring her home to die and when do you tell the Dr. that he’s done all he can do?


I’m not asking my friends for anything but a prayer for my mother and I. I’ve realized through all of this that both my mother and I have a huge amount of friends and I know that she as well as I are very thankful for that.


I will try to keep you up to date on the situation, but it’s been hard enough for me to just keep up with day to day activities.


Love you all!!!

Niagara Falls

So I did it. I went back to Niagara Falls, ON to pick up more Peat Moss. . . It was an exciting day in my life because this time I was determined to see the Falls. It was exciting to learn that my pickup was on the same road as the Falls. I called a taxi and they instructed me on where a good place was to park a big truck at and that it was only 5 minutes from the Falls. I parked and called the Taxi.

I have forgotten how funny Taxi drivers can be. The taxi came to pick me up and the Taxi driver had a cup of coffee in one hand and his phone in the other and was driving with his knees. I got in and told him to take me to the Falls and off we went. We talked a little about where I was from and how long he had been driving a Taxi. He showed me a few sights on the way like the casino and good places to go eat. Once we got close to the Falls the driver totally turned into Mr. Tour Guide. He started talking about the barge that got stuck on top of the Falls and how they had to rescue some men off it back in the 20’s. Very interesting story because the barge is still sitting there and is a National monument that no one can go near. It is slowly deteriorating and soon will be gone forever, but all in the entire story was a good one. Then he starts talking about how if you want to feel the water you need to go to the American side. However the lazy Americans don’t put much effort in keeping there side of the Falls kept up. He tells me this as we start driving up to the Canadian side of the Falls and there are hotels, Casino’s, Lots of Souvenir shops, Bus parking, and the most important thing. People! ! ! He dropped me off while pointing to the American side and sure enough, the American side was still covered with snow and there was no one in sight. Go figure. . .


The Falls were beautiful! ! ! There was a good mix of people at the Falls. Everything from French to Chinese were there taking pictures and breathing in the wet air. I even got (what I think was) a French lady to take my picture next to the falls.





After I was finished at the Falls I called another Taxi to head back to the big truck. He was a speed demon and liked talking about the first driver that had picked me up. Apparently the first driver used to be a preacher of some church and was now driving a taxi. Now he gets in trouble for locking people in the back of his car and preaching to them. He didn’t do it to me, but I can see where that would be wrong.

After that I headed out back on the road and decided to take the Northern route. I went up to Toronto, ON and then came back down through Detroit, MI. it was a pretty ride with peaks of Lake Ontario. What was interesting about the ride is that there is a lot of wine country in Ontario. I do believe that some day soon I am going to have to go back for a long weekend or week and do some more site seeing and wine tasting. I also hear of rumors that there are a few castles left from the old days that you can tour. So I may do that too.

All in all it was a great trip. I finally was able to see the Falls and some of Canada. I can’t wait to go back and or come across another great American adventure.

Zombies roam the streets...

Zombies roam the streets...

ISU to serve as venue for unveiling of locally shot film

A deadly infection creates an army of approximately 88 flesh-devouring zombies in Jason Huls' locally filmed zombie spoof.

Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:52 AM CDT

By Dan Craft
dcraft@pantagraph.com

NORMAL -- Nights, dawns, days and returns of the living dead are bad enough. But what are you to do when an army of noxious, flesh-eating zombies mass for attack in the late afternoon?

Say, 'round 3:45 p.m.?

Well, you're not going to stay seated for the second half of "Oprah," that's for sure.

Especially if they're the late-in-the-day zombies loping/running about in Jason Huls' "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead," a locally produced send-up of living dead movies receiving its world premiere this weekend at Illinois State University (7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Room 138 of Schroeder Hall; admission is free).

Shot largely here in the Twin Cities and to the south in Decatur, this 88-zombie affair represents nearly three years' worth of blood, guts, sweat and tears (accent on the blood and guts) for Huls and his cohorts of the living dead.

Many of those cohorts are also locals who kicked in their various talents gratis so Huls could maintain his original budgetary mandate of "paying for it out of my own pocket."

He's hesitant to divulge the low-low budget sum as an actual dollar amount for fear of scaring off potential Hollywood distributors who might refuse to look past the modest means at the expense of what he feels are the polished results on screen.

And he will be using the film as his calling card when he begins meeting with interested parties in the months ahead.

Fully scored and gored, "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead" tells the tongue-in-cheek tale of a zombie-making epidemic that infests the planet, leaving a handful of survivors, from a meek librarian-turned-hero to a stockbroker in serious need of some anger management.

Among the recognizable Twin Cities locations they pass by and/or through are downtown Bloomington's Castle Theater, the area in front of Clay Dooley Tire and Auto on East Grove Street in Bloomington, the alley next to the Normal Theater and, elsewhere in an uptown Normal turned topsy-turvy, the nearby Jake's Pizza.

There is also some hot and heavy zombie action on Bloomington's west side, and even some pick-up shots in Streator, Graymont and the Lexington area.

Another key location is a derelict building in downtown Decatur "across from Jimmy Johns" whose "blasted out" look provided a perfect place for Huls' non-zombie human survivors to hole up in. (So what if their filming coincided with downtown Decatur's biggest event of the year, the Decatur Celebration? Free cast of thousands! )

Moral of this story: Late-afternoon living dead may be restricted in their time frames, but their infestation knows no boundaries.

Huls, 28, is an area native who graduated from Normal Community West High School and Illinois State University before moving to Chicago several years ago to work for a college textbook publishing company -- not exactly a hotbed of the living dead.

What Huls says he did take to Chicago with him from his hometown was a love for writing and a minor in cinema studies from ISU, where he got his first taste of nuts-and-bolts filmmaking techniques under the auspices of his professor, Scott Rankin (who helped arranged this weekend's ISU world premiere).

He found himself in front of a camera ... positioning a camera ... setting up lights ... even, he notes, "how to do a dolly shot by putting the camera on a wheelchair."

Though he says he's not a hardcore film buff who can rattle off encyclopedic trivia about the history of cinema, he is a fan of good screenwriting, and "this sort of evolved for me out of my love of writing and wanting to visualize stories."

A role model for him is "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson, whose early work includes -- surprise -- an over-the-top zombie spoof called "Dead Alive."

"I've seen a lot of his older stuff and watched the documentaries on his movies, and he really knows how to stretch a dollar," says Huls. "I also like the Coen brothers because I love their sense of story and their sense of humor -- I think they write some very unique characters."

The decision to see what he could do in the film medium arrived in the form an epiphany.

"I woke up one morning, literally, and decided to it," recalls Huls, whose mother, Jeannie Burris, also lives in zombie country, Mackinaw, and whose kid brother Travis, 22, also co-stars in his movie.

"It occurred to me that day that I knew a lot of talented people, and, really, why weren't we all working on something together?"

Like a tale of zombie armies infesting Earth?

"While I do have an interest in zombie movies, I would have to say I only wanted to do a horror film because they're easier to do on a low budget and make work," says Huls. "Also, audiences tend to be more forgiving because they understand what we're working with."

As a result, "That seemed a logical place to start."

Helpfully, around three years earlier, Huls and his longtime creative partner Chris Hutson had made a "pretty laughable" 10-minute short about a zombie creating havoc in the heartland, dubbed "Afternoon of the Living Dead."

From that kernel and midday time frame sprouted "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead," which itself originally was conceived at no more than 30 minutes in length.

All those creative people Huls knew were tapped for input -- from Chicago-based actor Ron Rotondo, to B-N musicians Nathan Parks and Kevin Yarger, to Hutson's Heartland Community College film prof Phil Vandiver (who plays an "intrepid TV anchorman" named Bart).

Other key talent included sound designer Paul Brooks, makeup man Gary Thompson ("thank God he was there"), cameraman Andrew Moore and producer Gale Murrin.

Huls cast himself as a comic-relief supporting player, neither human nor human-devouring zombie, but a see-through poltergeist named Shelton -- doubtless a zombie cinema first.

As things progressed, Huls, as writer and director, decided the premise could be developed further into a full-blown feature. "We were in this no man's land of being neither a short nor a feature-length movie, so I decided to go full-length after shooting certain scenes."

Because of that sudden shift to the big time, production on the film continued along weekend lines for nearly two years.

Late afternoons of the living dead never dragged on with such stubbornness.

But as a new era dawns for Huls' labor of love, he's hoping it will pave the way for a full-time career as a filmmaker.

Don't look for a "Later in the Afternoon of the Living Dead," he says.

Do anticipate "a sort of futuristic dark epic, sort of a cross between 'The X-Files' and 'Children of Men' " and/or some "Hostel"-ish "straight-up horror."

Whatever he dreams up, it's probably safe to assume one thing: Jason Huls will come home again, looking to scare up more of the locally grown talent that has helped him invade late-afternoon Bloomington-Normal with an army of zombies.

---

At a glance

What: World premiere showings of locally made movie, "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead," with filmmakers and cast in attendance

When: 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Where: Illinois State University Schroeder Hall Room 138

Cost: Free

Information: www.lateafternoonofthelivingdead.com

---

The plot thickens

A strange and deadly viral epidemic creates a planet-wide legion of the undead. Chris (Chris Hutson), a mild-mannered librarian, is transformed into an unlikely hero after he awakens in an abandoned attic with only fleeting memories of those who saved him. He begins a search of the city, looking for answers, but finding only packs of zombies. Among the human survivors he encounters: Lt. Barnes (Rich DeBarba), a good-natured soldier out to save as many as he can; Bart Riedell (Phil Vandiver), an intrepid news anchorman; and Ron (Ron Rotondo), a stockbroker with a vicious streak. Also on hand, but just barely: a poltergeist-turned-sidekick named Shelton (Jason Huls).

---

DVD available for purchase

NORMAL -- Though the locally made "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead" is receiving its world premiere this weekend at Illinois State University, its fans won't have to wait long for the DVD edition.

In fact, notes writer/director/co-star Jason Huls, shiny little discs of the movie will be available for purchase at the showings Saturday and Sunday in ISU's Schroeder Hall Room 138.

In addition to the film itself, the DVD will carry all the bells and whistles of a top-end Hollywood release, including an episode of the non-existent "Masters of the Craft" series, described by Huls as an "Inside the Actor's Studio" parody featuring an unctuous James Lipton-style host grilling the film's makers with utmost pretension.

Also among the extras: a music video based on the film and a blooper reel of outtakes, both produced by Huls' Ten Wing Films.

The DVDs will go for $10 a pop.

---

The innard circle

Facts and figures from the open graves of "Late Afternoon of the Living Dead":

Production length: two years (2005-2007)

Hue: In living/dying black-and-white

Writer/director/co-star: Jason Huls

Budget source: Out of Huls' pocket

Budget tab: Let's just say "not a lot"

Primary locations: Downtown Bloomington (Castle Theater especially), downtown Decatur (a vacant building especially)

Secondary locations: Normal, Algonquin, Chicago, Graymont, Lexington, Lisle, Streator, Woodridge

Zombies on view: 88

Non-zombies on view (and running scared): 23

Music score: B-N composers Nathan Parks and Kevin Yarger

Blood recipe: Hershey's chocolate syrup, by the gallon

Prevailing tone: Irreverent

First critical response: "Splatterific fun for the whole family!" -- Mel Valentin, www.movie-vault.com

If it was rated it would be slapped with: an "R," for strong language and gore

So: Keep the children at home, Mel Valentin of www.movie-vault.com, notwithstanding

Copyright © 2006, Pantagraph Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

Shipshewana and Other interesting Places

As you all may know, I love the road and can’t wait to go west. However I’m realizing that there is a lot in the Midwest to see before I even attempt to move on to another region. For instance, I ran across a little Amish town in northern Indiana called Shipshewana. Now I’ve been to and threw a few Amish communities, but this one was pretty big in my opinion. Also it was a working community as well. I remember when I was younger and my mother took my best friend and I to an Amish community for a day. It was kool, but I remember it being more of a working museum or something like that. It was nice and the food was great! This however was impressive to drive through. I saw horse and buggies, bicycles and lots of people walking around. It was a spring day so a lot of people were out plowing fields and doing outside work. What really got me were the stores and other places in town. Everyone had parking lots and driveways, but they also would have hitching posts too.

You know, sometimes I sit back and wonder how much better life would be if it were that simple. No electricity or motor vehicles to deal with. Yes it cuts out a lot of things like TV, computers, and lights, but sometimes I wonder if we really need these things or not? I mean TV for the most part is just there to waste time. Computers are usually more of a hassle then good, and lights are good, but good candles and a fire are fine with me. Learning a good trade like wood working would be kool too. I mean how many people dream of having Amish made furniture that you know will hold up in time? How many people would learn the value of work when they realize that if they don’t do it the community suffers from it? Beside, have you ever truly seen a sad Amish? They are all always smiling and seem so happy all the time. They gotta have a low stress level.

The other beautiful area I’ve been to would have to be Pennsylvania. What beautiful landscape they have out there. There are hills, mountains, trees, sheep, and cows. The roads are so curvy and hilly. My one wish would be that I was in an old Jaguar E type or Porsche 911 instead of a 180 foot tractor trailer that weighs 80,000 lbs. While driving through one beautiful morning I was coming down a tree covered hill and hit a very high bridge. Under the bridge was a small river. Next to the river were sheep grazing and a dog running around playing with them. On a hill side close by was a pretty New England style farm house with a bright red barn next to it. It was truly a beautiful site to see. I wish I could have stopped and taken a picture of it. The best part was it was somewhat like that all over the area. Houses on hill sides and sheep, cattle or horses were everywhere. I’ve always told myself that someday I want to retire and live next to the ocean and just eat seafood until I die. The more I drive, the more I might just travel or pick a few other places to live first. There are just too many places that I wouldn’t mind waking up to in the morning with a sunrise.

On the job for a month

So I’ve been on the job for a month and have been so busy that I really haven’t had time to sit back and write bout my new adventures yet. Life on the road is a little different than I remember, but all in all it is adventurous, thrilling, and sometimes just plain crazy. The best part is that I never know where I’m going to be from one day to another. Some days I wake up in Chicago and other days I have awoken in Niagara Falls, Canada or Amish country in Northern Indiana and Michigan.

It’s hard to say where the coolest place I’ve been to have been because each place has its own level of excitement to it. For instance, I believe it was my second week on the job and it was snowing like crazy. I was fallowing the directions to my stop and I started to notice that it was out in the middle of nowhere. I was thinking it was an initiation run or something. There was about a foot of snow (not removed from the streets), no lights on anywhere, and out in the middle of nowhere. Oh and it was three o’clock in the morning.

I arrive at my so called destination which was just past some stop sign and nothing for as far as I could see (at 3 o’clock in the morning). So I park the truck and pass out. I wake up in the morning to a knocking on the door. I’m thinking it might be someone wanting to know if I was still alive or something. Turns out to be a gentleman with a small black hat, long beard, white shirt and a black coat on. I think to myself I understand now. I’m in Amish country. Suddenly everything became clear and the view was beautiful! ! ! There were farms up on hills, horse drawn buggies, kids walking to school and me with a big ass semi full of groceries.

Another great run for me was while I was up in Buffalo, NY. My dispatcher hits me up on my in cab computer and asks me the same question I had been asking myself all day. “Can you go to Canada?” I had to stop for a minute and think about that. So I called him back and asked the same question. “I don’t know, can I?” he laughed and asked if I had a valid license, no felony convictions, or was I wanted for anything. I was like yes, no, no. So I was off to Niagara Falls, ON. How kool is that. Going over the boarder was kool, being in Canada trying to figure out km instead of mph was kool and getting a load of Peat Moss was kool. Now what sucked is the 2 or 3 hour wait you have while waiting for your paperwork to get sent to customs and not having any Canadian money. So needless to say, I will have money next time and I will find a way to see the falls because big trucks are not allowed in the park.

I guess you could say that truck driving is pretty kool. Yes like every other job it has its ups and downs and ins and outs. I have good days where everything goes right and I have bad days where nothing goes right. For instance I strongly agree with every other trucker that enters Chicago and says that they need to shut down the entire city for a few months and raise all of the bridges by at least 3 inches. Also whatever the hell this Super 70 is going through Indiana and Ohio needs to be completed by tomorrow morning. LOL! ! ! Some people ask if it’s hard being on the road all week long and I tell them that it’s really not. Thanks to my friend Jetter that introduced me to XM radio and my laptop with Tivo on it. I can get through a week with little to no problems. The only thing I need is a better headset for my cell phone, but that’s about it. It’s weird waking up sometimes and jumping straight into the driver’s seat, but it happens. However watching the sun raise and set over the foot hills of OH and PA is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It’s what separates my cubical from other cubicles.

More adventures to come. .