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Formally, I am no longer an owner of Buddhist Geeks and sold my ownership back to the company. This decision was very mutual and exciting for both Vince and I. It is allowing both of us to move strongly and more efficiently in the directions we are seeking. In fact, the timing couldn’t be better for me personally. As for me, I’m putting all my energy into film, as a screenwriter and director, as well as a freelancer in online media (until I’m full-time in film). I haven’t written much about my process, but will do so on this blog.

I discovered my love for film more fully over the last year and how much it allowed me to integrate all my talents, interests, and perspectives into one medium; a match made in heaven, so to speak. My contemplative, buddhist geeky path is very much a part of my art and writing, and I’m so excited to explore and express that through film. I hope you’ll join me and share in this new path that I have been cultivating, and of course, keep tuning into Buddhist Geeks!!

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Oh, and what do you think of the new logo on this site?? Also designed by Chelsea. PowerUp Productions has a new logo as well and in the next few days, you’ll see a brand new site!

However, I realized what I wanted to say could not be contained in an English phrase – too much paradoxical truth to embody. I then started considering other languages when the perfect idea came to me – I would have Stuart Davis interpret what I wanted to say into the language he created called, “Is”. So beautifully perfect. First and foremost, Stuart is a dear friend and I consider him one of my main mentors. He fully embodies what I am saying with this tattoo. He lives it. Secondly, I knew the inspiration behind Is and its qualities. Stuart has created the language to communicate spiritual truths and realizations that is normally very difficult to do in most languages, and particularly to hold paradoxes within the a single word or short phrase.

So, I sent him a few paragraphs of what I wanted to say and asked him to intrepret it into Is, which he did, creating an entirely new word in Is using roots of Is. The result is what you see below and in the video, pronounced Vray-OI-yah-dauw.

Hey Stu -I’m trying to capture a paradox within this verb. Generally speaking, it’s this non-dual mix of ascending and descending currents (see, you can’t even say that shit right in English).

Love without wanting. This is really only half of what I’m trying to say, more the ascending current, but it applies equally to “all beings”, as well as say, your lover. Both a surrendering and a giving. To love both in the absolute and relative completely openly, without pretense, without expectation, completely letting your love for another person flow without limitations or boundaries.

The other half is being completely fucking passionate about the people in your life, friends, family and your lover. You want to be ravished by them, and you want to ravish them. Perhaps I could say “Love without wanting; ravish without hesitation.”

A big part of this for me is a surrender that is tender, yet passionate. It is NOT some other wordly disconnect. It’s like “Drown” and “Immanence” rolled in one. It would seem like a paradox to people, but both are possible; that’s where it’s at for me.

Ryan Gets Inked – “Is” Tattoo from Ryan Oelke on Vimeo.

I’m honored today to tell you that the Sex, God, Rock ‘n Roll website is now LIVE. You can see free clips of the first episode, and you can sign up for some amazing memberships and get immediate access to the first full episode. Sex, God, Rock ‘n Roll will air on national television, April 26 on HD Net.

It’s taken a lot of work to get here, but I’ll tell you, it’s been THE best experience of my life. I love the show and I love everyone I work with.

Here’s a little about my involvement in the first season:

Producer – “producer” in a general sense means, “makes shit happen”. And make it I did.

Segment Producer – I worked a lot with Stu on getting the different elements of the show in a flow for the live audience. The biggest part was creating and running the “live elements”. We had two HD televisions set up for the audience and we’d use these to show photos and videos that accompanied news jokes, as well as playing other segments and the music videos. Stu and I would work together to get the timing down of jokes with the live elements. Quite fun:)

Audio Engineer – I mixed everything you hear in the episodes except for the music, which was already produced and most likely mixed by the awesome, Alex Gibson. (I did mix some silly stuff we came up with on the fly, but you’ll know the difference:P) Also, the supreme audio geek, Mike Yach, was a huge help in my process of mixing.

Between now and next season, I hope to write some comedy sketches for the site, and in season 2 I’ll have the honor of helping write jokes for the show.

Davis has studied his heroes (Ricky Gervais, Amy Sedaris, Jon Stewert), but is finding a unique voice with his ’spiritual’ brand of comedy. SGR&R is a delirious dive into life’s Mysteries through the mind of a Cosmo-centric comedian. It’s no wonder Davis has become known as the Twisted Mystic.

“Without exaggeration, Stuart Davis is one of the most fascinating and exceptional songwriters in modern music.”
-San Jose Metro

While Davis is a happily hyphenated artist (writer-director-actor-comedian-songwriter), he’s first known for his music. The sound track to Season One of SGR&R (’Songs From The TV Series’) is being released simultaneously with the debut of the tv show. The first single, Twisted Mystery, hits radio in April and is also featured on Showtime in the series I Can’t Believe I’m Still Single. Davis will be touring nationally through the summer to promote the TV series and the new collection of pop songs.

“Not since Bob Dylan burst through has Minnesota produced such a confident and creative songwriter and social observer.”
-Minneapolis Star Tribune

Filmed in HD in front of a live audience in Boulder, Colorado (take that, Mork & Mindy!), SGRR will also have a web-based home at www.sexgodrocknroll.com where fans can find exclusive content for members only. The SGR&R subscription site includes interviews with spiritual figures, unreleased sketches, and regular vlogs from Stu.

“Davis may be the best songwriter you’ve never heard of.”
-Des Moines Register

Sex, God, Rock ‘n Roll airs Sundays on HDNet beginning April 26.

“Davis’s music subtly sneaks religious dialogue into popular culture. Most surprisingly, the music is damn good. Critics, you can sigh with relief.”
-Miami New Times

Unemployment
In the past I might have thought about unemployment as this completely horrible, depressing, and degrading experience. Completely the opposite for me. I was happy to receive the government’s help:) It allowed me a period of reflection and redirecting in my life. Falling Fruit’s “failure” was just the opportunity I needed to clear the way and see who I am and what I want to do. I’m an artist, not a business person. I want to create art, film and music. Had I not had some pressure free space to realize that, I might still be pushing on in less meaningful way.

Freelancing
I also had the opportunity to venture out as a freelancer, which also suits me much, much more than working a regular 9-5 job. ugh! I’ll take the rewards and challenges of freelancing without hesitation. I spent the summer and unemployment creating PowerUp Productions, setting up my studio, and creating the foundations to be successful. Got a fair amount of gigs in audio, including freelance content editing for Sounds True, thanks to my buddy, Vince. My studio has been on Pearl Street in downtown Boulder and is now at the loving and exciting home of Boulder Integral.

Sex, God, Rock ‘n Roll
This is THE most exciting development of 2008 for me and it ranks up as one of the best experiences of my life. I’ll actually dedicate several posts to my experience, but here’s a brief wrap-up: I was brought on as a Producer for Stuart Davis’s live TV show, Sex, God, Rock ‘n Roll. In addition to generally producing the show with Jason Lange and Jason Digges, I headed up the live elements of the show and was the sound mixer for post-production, which we just wrapped up. The show is on it’s way to Hollywood to be shopped to cable networks (and we’re already getting great responses). It will also be distributed on our shiny new website that will launch this month. It was an absolute blessing to work with Stuart and all of the crew. Wonderful and amazing experience.

Buddhist Geeks
Buddhist Geeks has done nothing but continue to grow and we have the most amazing listeners. We cracked 40,000 downloads this year, each month breaking the previous month’s record. We also started to live-stream our interviews, video and audio, which our hardcore listeners seem to really enjoy. Look for some exciting and new developments this year.

Contemplative Practice
Well, this has been pretty much shitty sauce:P However, there was one important discovery I made, thanks again to my awesome friend, Vince. I realized that in my solitary retreat two years ago I hit the dark night. Basically, it left me not very interested or motivated in contemplative practice or study, but I had no idea way. I now have a much better understanding and a renewed motivation to continue on the path.

Health
Overall, kind of weak. I did 75% complete the 12-week Strength for Life program, but I wasn’t able to go at the intensity I hped for and I let things drop (consciously) after I finished. Really looking forward to 2009 as a great year for my health.

Film Study and Experience
I’m extremely pleased with the development my film abilities and experience in only 6 months since directing my life towards this. In addition to being a Producer and Sound Mixer for SGRR, I spent a good deal time developing foundational skills in film, primarily screenwriting.

Experience is the best teacher for arts, in my opinion, and my goal has been to gain some knowledge and understanding through study, and then to put it into lots and lots of practice. Written a few sketches, filmed one. Read Story by Robert McKee, perhaps the best book on screenwriting and storytelling. Also studied a bit from a few other screenwriting books. Read some from Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, as well as The Ultimate Filmmaker’s Guide to Short Films, both great books.

I’ll be sharing my 2009 goals in an upcoming post….after I figure them out:)

Stuart Davis’ new television series Sex, God, Rock ‘n Roll is being filmed this fall in Boulder, Colorado. The show is an hour long format of comedy, news, and in-depth interviews with spiritual teachers and unconventional icons. Sex, God, Rock ‘n Roll blends Davis’ spoken word comedy and playful reporting of news from around the World with conversations you won’t find anywhere else. KEN WILBER will be joining Stuart via satellite phone in each week. Sex, God, Rock ‘n Roll will be launching a subscription-based site to anchor its community, and will feature High-Def 60 minute episodes, as well as an enormous amount of free extras and bonus gift bundles (including dozens of free downloads of Davis’ music, and regularly ‘behind the scenes’ sketches shot exclusively for members). The series will be shopped to national networks upon completion. Join Stu and his cute spokesmodel Marci Davis as they take comedy Beyond Irony…

Hopefully that description will clue you into its content:) I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to work with Stu, Jason Lange, and Jason Digges, the other producers. My role is a meta-role with multiple responsibilities, while Lange and Digges are the guys heading up photography and the set. A few of the tasks I have are: putting together the live elements of the show, running them when we shoot, giving feedback on Stu’s scripts, coordinating and prepping guests, and leading up the creation of the website. Subscribe to the newsletter and tune into our temporary Tumblr blog on the site for behind-the-scene shots in pre-production.