A Big Shift is Coming!

Some of Mason's fans who came to the home show just to meet him!

This last week was off the hook, crazy busy! Not accounting for normal life and work, Mason did a tv spot, filmed a commercial all day Friday, and we traveled out of town over the weekend as he did four cooking demos between the two days. Keep in mind, four cooking demos, out of town require a pretty epic amount of preparation and planning. Mason is getting better about helping with the behind the scenes stuff, but at the ripe old age of 12, he's not quite there yet. Some would argue that I need to let him do it and if we don't have something, well, he'll remember next time. Not so much. If we get to our location and we don't have something critical for him to perform, guess who is on the hook to find someplace to make a purchase and shell out the cashola? Seriously, some places we cook are way off the beaten path and finding a Wal Mart like store is impossible. In any case, just know we arrived home for dinner on Sunday night pretty pooped out and ready for bed early.

Something pretty cool happened this week, too. Some of you may not understand the magnitude of this for me, but those of you who know me intimately will totally get it. While Mason was on location shooting his commercial, it turned out that one of the actors either was not cast or didn't show up...I'm not sure. The director approached me and asked if I'd mind appearing on camera as the homeowner answering the door. Uh, clearly this guy does not know me!! Heck yeah!! I got to act with Mason in the commercial. He was a total pro, he took direction like a champ, did what the director asked again and again, and he even followed my lead on a few little details. It was so super cool to be able to step in and put my skills to use, to show Mason that I do know what I'm talking about and can do it, too, and finally, just to have that experience with him - on film - was epic for me. I believe we will have access to the commercial when it's ready and you all know I will share.

So what about the big shift, what is that? I believe we are at at a point in Mason's live cooking demo career that there will be no more free appearances. He's reached a point that he really does know what he is doing and he does it well. He is quite the showman and if there isn't a crowd when he starts, it doesn't take long for people to hear him and come over to see who he is and what he is doing. In addition to what he does in his performances, we typically produce some kind of video to advertise and invite people to come see him and more often than not, we can arrange a television appearance. That all adds up to value for an event and it's time to add a "Book Mason" tab to his website. We won't have crazy things like, "Needs only red and blue M&M's" but he is still young enough that he wants a ride wrist band when he works a fair. :) It seems to be lost on some that when I am making sure he is where he needs to be, I am not working. This is why parents of successful kids working in the entertainment industry are entitled to 20% of what their kids make, and until they start (or ever make) making a significant amount of money, it's a tough road to travel. For now, I'm enjoying this journey with Mason immensely, and I know he is, too. Happy Monday friends, go out and make your dreams come true!