Category Archives: hong kong

My Obama-like birth certificate crisis is over

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President Barack Obama and I have something in common. People seem to think we weren’t born in the place where we said we were born.  I’m sure you remember talk years ago prior to Barack Obama becoming the 44th and first African-American President of the United States.  It was idiot-speak, with people claiming that Mr. Obama was not a legal citizen of the United States and thus could not run for President.  Really?  Do you really think the Democratic party would try to pull a fast one and slip this one past the American people, the Electoral College, Congress…and indeed, the world?  It was so dumb I couldn’t even bother to challenge some of the propaganda that truly relied only on people’s ignorance to propagate.

Anyway… I have a copy of my birth certificate.  Finally.  After nearly six months!

Yup, this is the same birth certificate (or lack thereof) that effectively thwarted my trip to Honk Kong in March to attend Filmart and HAF (Hong Kong: Asia Film Finance Forum). The New York State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene never processed it.  There was no reason why this government office took so long verify and ship it. They just did.

Moreover, the third-party facilitator I used, VitalCheck.com, was useless in following up with the delivery status of my birth certificate.  After 45 days they delete online records of order numbers and confirmation numbers.

The Rundown
I ordered my birth certificate on February 28th.  I was delivered to me July 15th.  I got notice of the UPS tracking number (for a second time) on July 13th.  Mind you, I had moved in these last few months. Luckily I still own my condo so I was able to go there and check my mail. But, guess what? Friday morning, my internet was down and I could’t check the delivery status online. So I whipped out my new T-Mobile HTC-HD7 Windows 7 Phone and  I browsed Internet Explorer and I got the info.

Then…my T-Mobile internet service died.  WTH.  The account is in my wife’s name so I had to call her from the home phone and have her call T-mobile.  Oh, and she was enroute to Las Vegas at the time.

So I drive to my condo…(btw there was a flood in my condo in March, which is why I had to move. The HOA has replaced the walls and the flooring.  The floor looks really nice now too).  The worker installing the floor tiles was there. He told me I missed UPS by 30 minutes.  There’s a delivery attempt receipt (an InfoNotice) on the door because the worker didn’t want to sign for anything.  Damn!

So I jump on my T-Mobile HTC HD7 Windows 7 Phone, which is working now, and I plug in the InfoNotice numbers.  I can have the package delivered to my new address for a fee or I can arrange pickup at the depot on Saturday between 10am-1pm.  I opt for the pickup because it’s free and I don’t want to risk missing the  driver…again. I hit send, get confirmation and I pray.

Today I picked up my birth certificate.  It was a sight for sore eyes…and sore patience.  I took this picture below for everyone who doubted this crisis (I know there were some, and you know who you are), but mostly I took the picture to say THANK YOU to the people who have prayed for me, hoped for me, encouraged me, supported me, and offered encouraging words throughout this minor personal crisis.

I have my birth certificate now.    I really, really, really am…an American.

Hobbits vs Black Princesses

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The hobbits of Lord of the RingsToday I spent a lot of time searching through IMDB Pro, Googling and reading websites all over the world in my bid to narrow down the playing field and find the right production partner for Legend of Black Lotus.  It’s a tough thing to do because it’s not just a typical film, China isn’t just a typical country and the culture isn’t as liberal as other countries. Granted, Hong Kong (the Special Administrative Region) is different.  But in the same way that some folks are intolerant of interracial relationships here in the U.S., there are some individuals and entities that don’t want to touch the subject of a Black woman coming to power in feudal China.  For some it’s easier to accept that a Hobbit can save the world from a malevolent spiritual force of evil called Sauron.

However, there are some folks (like those who believe in me and this project) who push the boundaries of art  by challenging the ideals and philosophies of culture, without harming said culture.  In the film world, where disbelief is suspended for the joy of the art, it’s should be as easy to believe in a Black Chinese Princess as it is to believe in a Hobbit in Europe.

So I’m looking for that open-minded filmmaker and financier.   The filmmaker and/or the investor who dares to take a risk on something that hasn’t really been done before.  In my search I’ve connected with some powerful people in NZ, England, China, Abu Dhabi and Singapore. They’re making all levels of avant-garde films, tackling taboo subjects with hard hitting dramatic stories and documentaries. However, they’ve all said, “Call me after you get a China or Hong Kong [producing] partner onboard.”   Sigh.

I’m constantly adjusting my sights.  Who’s the daredevil filmmaker in Eastern Asia?   Who’s making films that make you go…hmmmm?  The list was small, but it grows every day.  And every day — every.single.day — I reach out to those people.