Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey Kids!

So, here we are on another Thanksgiving; it's been a nutty year so far, and with just a few weeks left of 2012 (or a scant month away from the end of the world if you are a Mayan), I guess it is as good a time as any to take a moment and be thankful.

This year has been fairly balanced between good and not-so-good experiences.  As my former employer, Stan Winston would, I think I'll spend less time ruminating over the bad ones and instead focus on the good.

2012 saw the completion of a milestone for Phantom Harbor.  Of course, I'm talking about the "Rescue from Geckoniki Island" episode.  I've already blogged about what an incredible feat this was, seeing how much had to be made and filmed before it could come together the way it did.  But for me, it was more than just the completion of a thought I had proposed two years earlier.  It basically broke down the "imaginary dam" that was preventing Phantom Harbor from moving forward.

True, it would have been great to finish in August, and then move right into a Halloween episode. But, again, this year saw the first episode of "Crafting With the Cap'n" which now establishes Phantom Harbor as a place to check into from time to time, for cool, creepy craft ideas.  I happen to know another one is in the works and with any luck will be posted sometime in late December/early January.

But, without sounding too cliche, I have to recognize how thankful I am to have my family and close friends.  Very few of the people who have known me for years truly understand my relationship with my wife, Tracy.  I think (without being too much of an asshole) what eludes most people is that Tracy and I don't share a traditional American marriage.  We're not traditional American people.  Tracy is not just my wife; she is my best friend in the world.

We talk to each other the way that many people do, outside of their marriages to their best friends.  We share, we laugh, we cry, we experience life together and we try to support each other through our creative endeavors.  We have Molly, who is not just our daughter, but somehow, shares our lunatic lives with us.  We, thankfully, are a small but close-knit family.

I'm thankful that I keep learning; even if it is hard lessons.  I've learned that sometimes, I need to accept help when it is offered and not look upon accepting help as a failure.  I know.  Weird.  But it is true.  I've been lone-wolfing it for so long, I didn't see that I had become rigid and in some ways, selfish.  But I'm changing that.  Or, really trying to change it nonetheless.

Lastly, I have to thank each and every one of you that has supported Phantom Harbor since its inception in 2008.  It means so much that you check in to see what we're up to.  So, that said, what is going on?

I'm trying to go legit.  Not that I don't thoroughly enjoy making this little show in my garage, but the economy being what it is, I can't afford a hobby anymore.  That isn't to say that Phantom Harbor is going to go away any time soon.  No.  Far from it.  It just means that in order for me to sustain or exceed the production level I've finally been able to push the show to, I'm going to need some dough-rey-mi, if you know what I'm saying.

I've been authoring a proposal that will, with any luck, be done next week and in the hands of some folks who might be able to put it in front of folks, who know folks who might be interested in coming on board to help get this darned thing made.  I'll be honest.  It is my last roll of the dice in this arena.  If this doesn't make its mark, then I guess I really don't get it.

Will that be bad?  Nah.  It just means that Phantom Harbor will remain what it has been for the past 4 years, and that hasn't been bad at all.  But wouldn't it be fun if it did hit?  I'd like to think so.

In the spirit of accepting help, here's a request of you:  This Thanksgiving, when you're gathered with your family around whatever size table you're sitting at, around whatever size meal you're about to eat, and someone says, "Let's say grace," sneak a little prayer for a Christmas miracle for Phantom Harbor.  I couldn't thank you enough for that.

Until next time, I'll see you at the Harbor!

Shannon Shea