JAN 1 2018 - 30 DAYS IN LA

FAMILY & FRIENDS ROUND OUT 2017!

when i got back from Spain it became clear this POTW (Pilgrim Of The World) had to make 

a plan regarding my visa situation. so i flew to LA and applied for a 4 year visa with the

right to work in TV & Film at the RSA Consulate on mid-Wilshire. it was to take 5 days to

4 weeks to process. so i had time to kill and places to go, albeit it was a bit of a challenge

flying out of state with my passport back at the consulate office!

many thanks to steve anderson (SA) for collecting me at LAX and putting me up in his flat at

marina del rey. not to mention bouncing the West Side in his burly Jeep! and his lovely 

sidekick Hypsypops. so fun to do Venice with those two. and a mexi night at Gilbert's with

geno. yum yum.

first stop was Vegas where my brother Vol fetched me and drove me to his new home in

Cedar City, Utah. spent thanksgiving there and his wife grace made the best turkey dinner

this pilgrim has had for years! also fun to celebrate Vol's b-day with him that day. also

managed to see 2 of my great-niece's basketball games in St. george. she plays for Dixie

State, and one game she made the game tying shot and the winning shot! exciting stuff

Taylor! and i got to see Carrie and joe and marla, more nieces and nephews on vol's side.

next stop was Phoenix where i saw Heidi's past friends and her kids as well. even got to 

visit with her husband Mike who got remarried last week! but had great accommodation

thanks to nancy and stormy! thanks gals! and got to see more nephews Conrad, theo,

danny and niece Megan. plus all my old stomping grounds and my old house. and lunch

at the ballpark stadium, always a treat! scottsdale was in full christmas swing and nancy's

crib just a walk to Fashion Square. 

then 5 nights in Gilbert to see Stormy & scott and watch alot of NFL football! great!

then 5 nights in geno's cottage in the palisades and seeing his fantastic kids as well old friends

from my malibu days. classic.

it was kind of a farewell tour i suppose. lots of folks made the effort to come to me across

the los angeles basin and even san diego, so that was much appreciated. great to see some

old faces and catch up. all in all, the trip couldn't gone better, and yes, it did take the full

4 weeks to get my visa! but i got the 4 year living visa WITH the condition of right to work!

granted, it was 34 hours in transit to and fro cape town to LA, but hey, it's far away! 
both cities are at the end of the earth! not easy to get to, so be grateful for your exit rows
 on every flight and use the 'quiet rooms' in Doha airport for those 8 hour layovers.

the big news was getting that visa...every ex-pats nightmare. thanks to Linkie my 
immigration attorney for helping me apply and my old pal BLC for transpo to the consulate 
THE DAY BEFORE I FLEW HOME to pick it up! geesh! also was great to see old throbs 

Caroline, Megan, and Virginia during my last days there. as well as buddies BLC, 
MKK and Huffty. 

2017 was quite a year. i became a Stanfordian and left City Centre, i taught some 
wonderful students in HAMC, walked the Camino de Santiago, and stressed over 
a lot of things that all worked out just fine in the end, including my visa. whilst coming 
thru immigration in cape town the customs guy stamped my passport (good for 90 days) 
and asked how long my stay was for. i told him 4 years. he eyes widened and he 
found my new visa and entered the proper visa number in the system. 
a good catch, otherwise if not seen, my visitor visa would have expired in 
90 days and i'd be a "un-desirable" without ever knowing. whew. i'm in.

super chuffed for 2018. grateful for my cottage, my friends, my cat, selling my motorbike this

week, and having the option to keep working in TV & Film and teach my master class! 
people on the trip would ask if i like it here and it's so hard to explain. it's magic. 
and so affordable you can live like a king. stanford is filled with quality people 
and i'm shooting scenes with the local kids who want to make movies. 
really fun! our next shoot is next tuesday. we're all super excited. 
not sure if i shared our last project. Essence now has 800 views on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGFluoNnaoc

goals for 2018?? i don't know, am i too old to dream? is there an age where 
dreaming is inappropriate somehow or for young people only? is it wisdom or 
disappointment that makes you stop dreaming with age? IDK. this day starting 
2018 i feel expectant and excited and have an inkling good, big things 
are coming my way. for no good reason. just glad to be alive, 

grateful for my living situation, relieved to have a new 4 year lease on life in ZA and happy

where i am and to be part of the human race. i think i'm learning not to chase after the 

non-important stuff but to be expectant for the things that are meant to come my way.

after losing my sister heidi in 2007, every new year is a milestone. we all made it to 2018.

many have not been so fortunate.

i wish you all the best in 2018! and if you wanna do something to try something believe me 

there is no time like the present! don't postpone it, life is short! 

and now for some pics, in no particular order, but rather random as heck!

thanks for reading my blog, hope it entertains, and maybe in some way can even inspire!
i left the States in 2011 and landed on my feet in a much better world that i ever could have

imagined. take a risk, life will meet you! go live!

xxxxooooo ddm

with nephew danny jim in phoenix. we might canoe the Zambezi river this year!

the view from SA's crib in the Marina. great home base. thx Anderson!

off to Vegas from LAX.

with old filmmaker co-hort Geno andrews. lots of laughs and hospitality on his side! thx!

finding christmas at walmart.

with brother Vol in utah.

niece megan working on her sommelier level one. she's a hoot.

conrad meets me at the ballpark, our luncheon ritual!

TGIF with a nice wide open space, if you like that kinda thing. home of the Diamondbacks.

Danny and theo joined me later. quality bar food. hehe.

meggie moh on her day off!

And at conrad's home the next day.

christmas in the marina.

with mark white and brenton brown at Vintage church, santa monica.

with good friend Stealth. 

thanks marnie for having me! westlake village.

saw my old buddy JP at Geoffreys Malibu. stunning.

sunset from pacific palisades.

so nice to see scotty, rags & hil! thanks for driving out to see me!

evening bliss at the marina.

walking to a sundowner along the Marina.

the old Marina City Club.

getting in the yuletide spirit.

anderson. thanks SA. he headed to Phuket for christmas. nice.

 

leaving CPT Int'l. 10 hours to Doha, another 16 to LAX.

excited to release my book this month!

banking our way over the Pacific. 

Utah almost looking like Table Mountain Nat'l park. worlds apart.

go taylor! go Pathfinders!

bought some Keen hiking sandals. if only i had them for the camino! they're ab fab!

putting up some christmas cheer in Cedar.

missed seeing my sister J and hubby Bob. they are in Dallas! love to DFW!

leaving PHX on Southwest.

nancy's glorious home near Scottsdale. can't believe i didn't shoot the kitchen! amazing!

Hildebrand Plaza in honor of my sis Heidi. she was a gem.

my old crib in PHX. a poor man's frank lloyd wright.

christmas cheer near Fashin Square.

Meggie and Theo.

And our host cousin Conrad! thanks for having us!

the canal near Scottsdale. serene sunset.

it's the most wonderful time of the year!

two of my best students...aimee and elsabe! 

SA in Venice, CA.

his pad is like a resort. 

more Vintage on a sunday in santa monica.

christmas in pacific palisades.

another LA sunset.

Doha airport always impresses.

Doha jetport with its iconic teddy bear.

finally landing in CPT!

And enjoying my friend's home looking at the Helderberg.

a whale's cove by my friend's home in De Kelders. they hear them at night.

LAX Int'l is upping its game.

sadly no 380 Airbus this trip.

stanford manor house. all part of the magic of where i live!

Christmas spirit at my cottage.

a dressy christmas eve bash at Ros'. spectacular!

where the whales go by.

sunset at de kelders.

in busy Hermanus down the road.

Felicty and Matt. met them in Nairobi years ago.

a White Mischief party. thanks matt & jennie! 

stanford open mic night with Ruby (star of Essence short film)

Felicity gives it a bash!

after Spain for 6 weeks, Yoda didn't seem to mind my LA trip for a month.

still life in stanford.

vaya con Dios! happy 2018!!!!!