How did I become a Dadager?

There have been a few times in my life that something seemed like a good idea so I decided to give it a try.

1.  I once decided to hop a train to see where I would end up when the ride was over.  The answer to that idea was 172 miles from home and a lack of cash to get home.  How to test a friendship?  Call on a random Sunday afternoon and ask for a ride home when you are 172 miles away from the person you are calling.

2.  Here is another "great idea" that I tried one day...I decided that the best time to learn to drive a stick shift was at the Richard Petty Driving Experience in Orlando.  I was given a 5-minute lesson on how to shift gears and then I got in the car and took off on the track.  I was going 110 MPH when I realized I didn't remember how to shift the gears when I decided to slow down and leave the track.  Was I scared?  YES!  Did the car survive?  Yes...Thanks to pure luck!

The latest and greatest good idea?

Moving to Los Angeles with my 13-year-old son and becoming his dadager.

What is a dadager?  In my mind, a dadager is a guy that is a dad first and then a manager of his child's career.

You can google the word dadager and almost all of the results are of a negative nature.  Stories of Jessica Simpson, Beyonce, Michael Jackson and the fathers that guided them (or pushed them depending on your point of view) into a show business life.

All of these stories are not exactly the positive reassurance I was looking for when I went to the internet.

I get the feeling that many of you are asking the same question?  Why become a dadager????

The flip answer is "Why Not?".  The real answer is found in the timing of my life and his career.

As of last July, I was unemployed for the first time in 12 years.  My free time quickly became time to spend with the boychild as I took him to various acting gigs.  We also went to Los Angeles in late August for a week of meetings and auditions.  The kid killed!!!!  The idea of going to Los Angeles and trying to get some work while he has "some heat" became less of a dream and more of a reality.

After two-three months of debating the idea we made a famly decision to load up the (red pickup) truck and move to Beverly in January 2012.  Which means...We are moving this weekend!

I'm creating this blog to serve many purposes:

***A creative outlet for me
***A way to keep various people updated on the boy without having to do a daily mass text or e-mail
***A running account of our LA adventure
***A chance to show not all dadagers are evil, money-hungry and eager to experience fame through his child
***Provide a resource for parents thinking about taking their child to Los Angeles to become a working actor

I will do my best to provide a daily update of life in LA once we get to town next week.

I hope the experience is more "I Love LA" and not "Welcome To The Boomtown".