SCRIBIMUS INDOCTI DOCTIQUE POEMATA PASSIM

There has been a lot of heated response to my last blog post.  Some folks enjoying my bold opinion, others diminishing me to a slop-sweated, faux-badass who should be shut down and disemboweled.  And the later were from friends and family.  For better or for worse, I never think about the response a blog entry might get.  I'm inspired, I write, I post.  I reap the rewards or pay the price.  I will qualify that the blog is also a medium for entertainment.  My posts, heated and not, are done with a sense of irony, dark humor and a wink at the obvious self-indulgence.

I cannot comment any more on the specifics of my June 16th blog (I got a nurturing lesson on how "litigation has nothing to do with seeking the truth" from my very astute lawyer), but I can comment on my process and the impact and responsibility of the blog. 

The truth is, if the recent events had happened during my hiatus, it probably would have rolled off my back.  But being in the middle of 70-80 hour weeks, sleep-deprived, crushed with deadlines, my back is a mass of knots incapable of letting anything fucking roll.  Which coincidentally, brings me head first into my process.  I've garnered a reputation of speaking passionately and uncensored.  I welcome that responsibility and try to honor it by only writing blogs that trigger a genuine emotional response and a real desire to communicate something.  So SutterInk blog has become either informative updates about Sons of Anarchy or, well, rants.

The updates are clearly not the issue.

The rant delivers many things.  A raw, visceral point of view, unedited emotions, a deeper view of a personal truth and a strong subjective conclusion.  But with the instantaneous reply to an emotional button, you also get the ugly side of the coin -- a false sense of superiority, arrogance, contempt prior to investigation and a level of juvenile passion.

Any one of my blogs will contain both elements.

FYI: In the last three years I've only really regretted one blog post, which I have removed.  The rest I stand behind and although I may have remorse about their impact, I wouldn't recant a single word.

So, as in all things in my life, blogging comes down to finding balance.  The right mix of passion and responsibility.  Ying and yang.  Hero and douche-bag.  Too much unedited passion makes me a Limbaugh-esque blowhard, too much responsibility makes me... fucking boring.

Here's a promise to myself and anyone else who gives a shit.  I promise to be open to learning from my mistakes, to listen to the advice and comments of those who know more than I do, and to try each day to be a little bit less of a dick.

DOUCHEBAGGERY IS THE GREATEST FORM OF FLATTERY... AGAIN...AND PERHAPS LATER ON

So I've temporarily removed this blog.  Why, is a blog in itself.  Which I guess will temporarily replace the blog I've removed.  I'll keep the title just because... it's awesome.

I will say that NO ONE asked me to take it down.  I received no threats from either Fox, Mr. Zito or anyone else.

The reason is this.  I've gone to great lengths to establish and maintain relationship in the Motorcycle Club community.  I'm in weekly, if not daily contact with significant members of major clubs.  I keep the lines of communication open for several reasons:

Authenticity: I use members of clubs as technical advisers.  Even though we thoroughly fictionalize the life, it's important for me to root those stories in as much detailed truth as possible.

Fear of Exploitation: I never want a club to think we are some how exploiting the life beyond reason.  In other words, I feel the show needs to give back as much as it takes from the subculture.

Respect: I take a lot of pride (probably too much) in my work.  I want it embraced by the people I'm basing it on.

Mr. Zito still has many friends within the MC community.  What I'm sensing is that my blog is causing some tension between the people supporting me and friends of Chuck.  I don't know this for a fact and again no one has demanded I take it down.  It's just a vibe. A vibe I'm not comfortable with. 

I never wanted the blog to blow back on the MC.  So out of respect for that relationship, I'm taking it down.  At some point I'll load into the archives, but for now, my douche-bag and my big mouth are going back in the medicine cabinet... with my collection of anti-anxiety meds.

SEASON 3 UPDATE... SORT OF

I know I'm thick into the season when I look at my blog and realize I haven't posted in weeks.  Twitter is spoiling me.  It's the lazy man's blog.  So I'd figure I'd drop an update.  

We just locked picture on 301 and everyone is very excited.  Directed by "Shield" alum, Stephen Kay, the network had very few notes -- which is a good sign.  The season picks up a few days after the season two finale and the episode is about Jax's emotional journey through the devastation of losing a child. 

It's so interesting for me as a writer to explore these emotional avenues now being a father myself.  I wrote a script years ago called Delivering Gen which was all about a man's inability to be a father.  I remember some parental watch group read the script and pointed out to me and my agent, Nicole Clemens, who was also single at the time, that the baby in the movie is in life-threatening peril more than a dozen times.  Our response was, "Really?"  We were a little detached.  But now that I'm a father, those scenes, those moments are much harder to write.  And hopefully, deeper.  

I watched Edge of Darkness over the weekend and while Mel was hunting down his daughter's killers, I was listening to Esme' coughing over the baby monitor.  She has a cold.  I kept pausing the movie, then running up to her room to make sure she was okay.  It was a weird interactive experience.  But now I know whenever I do write those father revenge scenes, they won't just be fantasy.  I know in my gut, that I'd cut someone's fucking heart out if they ever threatened my kids.  Truly, without pause.  I'd kill with a clear conscience.  

Wow.  As usual, I've taken a left turn down Dark Drive.  So about that update -- 302, directed by another "Shield" alum, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, came out great.  I will say there's a scene near the end that rivals the tattoo removal sequence in season one.  It makes me giggle.  I haven't seen 303 yet.  That too, directed by a "Shield" alum, Billy Gierhart.  Looking forward to seeing Stephen King in that one.  304 is being shot by one of my favorite directors, and another "Shield" director, Guy Ferland (do you see a pattern?).  305 is being prepped, Gwyneth is helming that one as well.  306 is written.  And I'm avoiding writing 307 at this very moment.  It's due a week from today.

I tweeted about the new line of merchandise that will be coming out very soon.  It's very hip.  I think folks are really gonna dig it.  We're in the process of putting together some kind of music tour with Bob Thiele and the Forest Rangers.  The iPhone app is moving forward, as is the game.  Oh, and we're gonna be auctioning off a custom SOA Harley for charity.  More on that in the next couple weeks.

I think that's it.  Back to Charming.