The World of Jon

2011-10-25T05:04:00.001-06:00

2009-03-25T13:05:00.001-06:00

This is a test!

2009-01-20T11:40:00.002-07:00

go to copierighted.com for new posts and more posts.

It may be appropriate that I would write again today. I want to write more and about various things. I want to find my voice and refine it. So let me start with a subject that I’ve felt much about lately. Hope.

I write this while I’ve been organizing my finances from ownership of a home in partnership these last five years. It has been a great blessing for me. I have seen the great opportunities and ramifications of home-ownership. These past years have allowed me to feel responsibility and purpose. It has allowed me a great prosperity.

Recently I decided to purchase the same house from my business partner. I did this in the beginning of october. I had many reasons why I wanted to keep this house. Most of which are due to my financial position in the world. It made more sense to buy the house than sell and part ways. I now feel differently about homeownership. Mostly the feelings are of a great weight upon my shoulders. Again, this comes from my current position in the world.

Some of this position comes from the cutback in hours of where I work not two months after I take on sole-proprietor ownership. From the places that I would normally rely upon for extra income experiencing a “freeze” in hiring. People who would move on in their lives are staying put. My chance for advancement has not been prescribed. I’m starting to struggle to have a good night’s sleep.

So how humbling to watch the presidential inauguration today. From a place where it would not normally be seen, hope is found. I want to point on some of the things that were said today, but I want to do it with a transcript of the Obama’s speech in hand. I am presently watching as Obama sees Bush off in a helicopter. Now standing with Joe Biden and their significant others. I won’t say how I feel about Bush. I won’t say how I feel about Obama. I will say that it is sad that it requires a time of crisis for we as a people to come together. I can’t imagine the thoughts going through Former President Bush’s mind as he passes over the white house looking back. Not to mention Obama’s thoughts regarding what’s ahead.

This is my point. The road ahead it hard and we can all feel that. But at least there is hope. At least there is a light. Some may not see it that way. I offer this thought though. I have been brought up to believe in progress. Partly that comes from my Mormon background. The thought of eternal progression. We as a human race have progressed in so many things the last century but it feels like the places that we haven’t progressed in many places that need progress. If half of what Obama promises happen,we will start that progress. I’m ready. To quote Stephen Sondheim’s charecter Bobby, “I’m ready.”

2008-04-14T21:41:00.001-06:00

So I haven't updated my blog recently, but I've been working on a website. The website is at joncopier.com easy enough to remember I guess. But here's the deal. It's a work in progress. Have fun with it.

2008-04-04T14:47:00.003-06:00

I've been procrastinating for weeks about putting together a mailer for real estate about the conditions of the market, etc. Can we all sense a theme here! I started rehearsals for Producers this week and I've had some time there so I've created it, but not sent it out!

I am looking forward to closing Cabaret (for several reasons) but like always will miss the friendships that come along with a show. With my bad in touch keeping skills, i know I never will have the same relationships again. That's okay. That's why I hope this works out!

2008-03-22T15:28:00.014-06:00

It's about Time!

Well I’ve been badgered enough that I’m updating my blog! (thanks Mom) I’ll try to make this a weekly occurrence and even get Ali to participate.

Since you last heard form me, I started dating Ali very seriously and we’ve now been together for over 2 years. Not bad for yours truly. She’s become the center of my life and we’re very happy together. We have our rough times, but I’d be hard pressed to find those that don’t.

So let’s recap the last two years in a nutshell.

Let’s start with the shows that I’ve been involved in.

Full Monty at the Egyptian theatre(ETC) in Park City.

Urinetown (ETC)

Little Shop (ETC) with Ali,

Utahoma at Off Broadway Theatre in SLC(http://www.theobt.com/pictures/utahoma/), Paint your Wagon at Pioneer Theatre in SLC, and currently in Cabaret at Egyptian theatre. Cabaret runs until April 5, 2008 so if anyone needs info let me know. (parkcityshows.com)

Work. (Real work I guess some would consider). I was working at Best Buy for a while, a Starbucks in NYC, Talisker Corp in Park City, and several theatre odd jobs including the Egyptian, pioneer, and the Grand. I currently work about 20 hrs a week at the Grand while I’m doing Cabaret.

Homes. I was living at my investment property in Utah until I left for New York for three months. Ali and I lived in an apartment in Inwood on the top part of the island. We could only stand the NY life for that long so we moved back to Utah and up on the mountain in Park City. We were there for 13 months or so and we just moved back into my investment property in Taylorsville. It was on the market and vacant so we decided to kill two birds with one stone. We can’t decide if we want to buy my partner out and keep it or what. Ali and I have a very similar style when it comes to homes. We aren’t too fond of new construction and would love to find something with a lot of character and charm in downtown SLC. I would like to move to Ogden because I think it would be a wonderful place to be. It has so much potential and I know it’s going to boom in the next two years or so. Ali would rather run in traffic, drowsy from the Novocain from a root canal, then move to Ogden. We’ll see if she’ll come around!!

Ali and I got a dog in Dec of 06 when we moved back. His name was Edwin James and he was a Yorkshire terrier. Eddie passed away in May form a very horrific experience in my life. I was with him the last few minutes when he passed and have never been so crushed in my life. It’s amazing how such a small thing can mean so much. The way we dealt with his passing was we got a new dog. We got Lucy about a month after his passing. Lucy Van Pelt is a Yorkie as well and just turned one on March 17th. She didn’t replace Eddie but filled a huge gap we had in our hearts.

So how about I don’t leave such a long gap between posts! When I slack a bit how about a nudge saying tell us about your dreams to run a theatre, or become a millionaire in Real Estate. Or even ask when I’m going to give Ali a chance to talk.

2005-12-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

Please feel free to post a comment! I would like to hear from ya'll! And pass on the website to others we both know. I'd love to hear from everyone. In fact take a second and create a blog too. Then we can all keep in touch. It's free!

p.s. my sister got married in November. His name is Tyson Clayton. Here's the new family.

2005-12-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

Well Howdy! I've just decided to create this blog before christmas. So instead of a Christmas card you get a blog! YEAH! The plan is to create a weekly (or the more probable monthly) update on what's going on in the crazy life of Jon. This way when I see you at parties we can talk about something else beside my latest endevour! You can just say how's such and such going. Won't that be fun. Make sure you click on the photos if you want to see them better.

Happy Birthday Jesus first and foremost! This is a great time to celebrate the bitrh of Christ and what better way to do it than to perform! That's right unlike the last couple of years I have a show to do this christmas. "Seussical: the Musical" is the name. It's quite a fun show actually. Definetly good for the holidays. It's playing at the Egyptian theatre in Park City. If you're interested in tickets go to www.parkcityshows.com and follow the links for tickets. It runs through the end of December. You can also check out a review (in the next few weeks until it hits the archives) at http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635166480,00.html

Many of you have heard that my goal is to get out to New York in September 06 and become a "professional" actor. Well this is one good push in that direction because I get to earn union points to become part of the professional actor's union called Actor's Equity Association or AEA. 50 points needed to become a "professional." On Jan 1 I'll have 9 down. I hope to have around 25 when I leave for New York. We'll see.

So the love life. Man, I knew you'd ask me. Not much this year as far as a steady girlfriend. Of course I date around and even had it to about 2-3 dates a month. Pretty good for yours truly. But when shows kick in, you can't help but lose your social life. You all know that though. How often do you hear the phrase, "I've got a show that night." Well fortunatly I've started to date a girl who happens to be in this show with me. Her name is Ali and we get along swimmingly. She's great and I like her alot. She's originally form Illinois but grew up in Park City and is now back and forth from New York. I'm not sure where the future takes us, but I sure enjoy the present! I don't have any pictures with her yet, so give me a few days. (I found one of her on google but it's like two in the morning and i think I should ask her first!)

My look, as you may be able to tell, has changed a bit over the last year. This one was at the end of July. August for the head shot at the beginning. October for the look at Halloween which you'll see a picture of when you scroll down. I'm just weird, what can I say.

I GRADUATED from Weber State University witha Bachelor's of Arts in Theatre Arts. Before you ask what am I going to do with that ( I seem to hear that question so much lately) I hopefully have answered that above but in the meantime: Work. Well seeing how I have a goal to get to New York and become an actor, shows are part of the work thing. However, in Utah the pay ain't so great. So I've tarried between several jobs this year from serving at Chili's, to selling cell phones, and substituing. The latter is what I'm currently doing. I actually like it a lot and it works out well with my schedule when I need it. A simple no on your availabilty for the day and I'm set. Seeing how I've thought of teaching later on down the road it give me a good idea on what I might be faced with. However, teaching theatre may not be the best idea if I wish to have a steady career with this "No child left behind" garbage. Sorry. No politics. That was it. I did also get my real estate license over the summer. Not sure where that will take me yet, but I hope to know soon. I probably will end up assisting my mother who works at Real Estate too. So if you need help buying or selling, give me a hollar!

Ben and me at a halloween party. You like my Halloween costume! If you guessed Slim goodbody you were right!

Some of the hobbies I have continued are of course Volleyball and Softball. No RBI leader trophies this year though. I have taken up one more sport I find very intriguing and that is mountain climbing. Toward the end of the fall I was going on a weekly basis. It's such a great sport I couldn't resist. Plus it's so personal.

This is some of what I engulfed this year so how bout some recommendations in entertainment and the sort. You can always see what a person's like by what the see and watch.
Books: Well i just finished book 6 in the Harry Potter series for the second time. This morning actually. I read all the books again this year. I also read The Chronicles of Narnia, I'm updated in the Series of Unfortunate Events, I starterd the Leven Thumbs Series, The Inheritance triology(I've only read Eragon) Wicked (still reading it, it's hard to get through) and I still find time for other books like Holidays on Ice, Me talk Prety One day, Dress your family in Cordoruy and Denim, Blink, The five people you meet in heaven, just to name a few. Reading has definelty become a new passion and I seem to like the juvenile books I should have started off with so long ago. That's okay, you need to start somewhere. I try to stay caught up in plays as well and I've read The Shape of things, The Exonorated, Humble boy, Julius Ceaser, Pillowman, Doubt.
Music: Lots of stuff here. Some of my new favorites include Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie. Gibbard is a brilliant lyricist and I admire that deeply. Some of the old favorites also released new stuff so I won't complain. I've discovered lots more, but I think this will suffice.
Movies: GO SEE CRASH. Brillaintly written ,powerful show about racism in america. Rent was worth watching. (Did Roger remind any of you of me? That's what some said.) Goblet of Fire was a bit upsetting but great If I hadn't have read the books. Again a wide variety of Movies seen. To many to talk about.

Shows I did this year. Currently I am in my third show. Fourth if you count a student production I did. The first two were: Samuel Coleridge in Grasmere at WSU for which I was awarded an Irene Ryan nomination, which means a chance to compete on a regional level, (http://www.wsusignpost.com/vnews/display.v/ART/42312a1b1e382 , or http://streetmagazine.net/newsletter/articles/grasmere.html for reviews and picture) and "ensemble 42nd Street at Hale Center Theatre (nothing to show for that except a bad taste in my mouth. Oh! some tap and good friends!)

I also helped design for a few shows. Lights for Julius Ceaser ( the women in corsets played the men) and set for two student directed/produced shows(the tire part was my favorite!)

That's pretty much my year in a nutshell. There are many other facets of course, but this will have to suffice. But please feel free to check up on me in the near future for I hope to update this blog on a regular basis as I already said!

Merry Chrismas and May all you days be Merry and Bright!