Hello.....

Thank you for taking the time.

My name is Christian Rondow....

This is my story...

" I don't have a job, I have passions that pay "

About Me :

I'm fortunate enough to have amazing careers in the entertainment industry
Both in Film and Music and have been doing so for most of my life...

Where should I start ?
Maybe I'll start abstract, and then go deeper from there... If that's Ok by You ?

Well ?
I look good naked, or so I'm told.

I get "Hit on" by both men and women.
I take both situations as a compliment.
But, I'm just a one woman lovin guy.

Older people and little children love talking my ears off.... .
I don't mind.

Animals seem to like following me around, or show up at unusual times wherever I'm at...
Even if there are a ton of other people around, animals seem drawn to me.. Especially cats.
It's really odd....
If you want to win someone over..
Show them that their difficult pet is not so difficult

In the spring I sit by the creek by my house and thousands of wild canaries come around....
I plan to see that...
It is one of the most amazing things to see.
They swarm you, and the sounds and colors are indescribably amazing....
It is like being in the middle of a Wes Anderson Movie.

I'm chronically humorous and optimistic...
Or am I ??
Ask and see..... ?

I do consider sarcasm as the lowest form of wit, so I avoid doing it myself..

I have been told I change the mood of a room just by the expression on my face..
I think that mostly happens when I am a lead-man/foreman of a project, or feel inspired..
It's just like a plant....
I'm a being of my environment, but stay true to myself and others..

I'm somewhat passive and an enabler, until proven things need to be different.
Even at that point......
I'm fair.

" Integrity does not make you popular "....

At least not right away .....

I dislike when people confuse the act of being " subjectively opinionated " with " supposed honesty " ...
I keep opinions to myself, and share " ideas " after careful attention and listening....

Listening to others is not only respectful, it is a basic moral standard..
I'm too into people to not care what they have to offer..

One of the worst things some people say to me....

" You are not at all like what I thought you would be " !
" You are really nice " !!!!!

Talk about a superficial load of prejudicial crap !

I do carry myself with confidence and a smile..
I think some people misread that.

I am intolerant to ignorance, bullying, cruelty, or any type of abusive behavior..
I'm proud to say... I handle all that garbage well...
But I do handle it.

I have run into a burning building to help.
Also ran to a flipped car, also burning..
All without thinking !
I was glad I did, and would do it again.
No hesitation, No regrets...

I'm not entertained at all by any tragedy or hardship of others, and dislike supposed reality Tv drama...
But if I do see a real life situation and know I can help... I can't get there fast enough !!

At this point you may be thinking.....
I'm a little " Full of Myself "... !
You might be right...
But it is more virtue and conviction than it is ego..
I never offend anyone, or do things at anyone's expense... Just not my thing..
I don't like offending anyone, ever.
In any situation, I'm the last person I think of..

The one thing I'm really proud of...
I own my mistakes, openly admit them, and take full action to not only verbally remedy them,
I take literal objective action to make sure it never happens again !

I am very very self critical..
My friends get a kick out of that..

I'm actually not enjoying doing this blog right now...
It feels like I'm on a self analyzing objective sale of myself ramble !

Now that I think about it, that is exactly what I am doing..
So....
If you are still reading, thank you...
I will get to my life story in short soon..
if you are polite enough to read that far !!!! ;)

I'm honestly shocked at when I find out a lot of people do read all of this.. Humbling a little..

I should talk about my work and the history part of it..
That might keep you interested.

When it comes to work I fully understand context and maintain focus... I'm extremely serious, but still maintain my empathy and humor. I consider it a good survival tool..

I'm often a leader that does not want a " Title " ..
I just like it that way..
It's " eye to eye " ..
Mutually respectful unity..
Teamwork makes it happen, it always has, and always will... People will just naturally follow who they believe in..

I always say;
" Respect the person and not the tittle.. Because if you can't respect the person, the tittle will mean nothing anyways " ..

Always & All Ways. Great minds think alike, and simple ones seldom differ ... We all need each other for true success.. Diversity...


Now for the life story part :

I started Music, Acting/Drama, and stage work right from an early age.
Basically from the first day I had access to it at school..

Multi instruments, singing, performing, but later locked into Drumming as a focus...
I kinda see my drums like I do my piano, and even tune them accordingly..

I later started my technical artist journey into the Film Bizz when I was 18.

A maintenance company I was working for landed a contract at the biggest Film Studio opening up in my part of the world.

At the maintenance Job I was in charge of the crews on several contracts, and government contracts in the city.

When we landed the Film Studio contract, the owner of the company asked for me to be in charge of the whole contract... !

How could I say no ?

Master keys, full access, and good pay..

All at the age of 18..
Yes, I was only Eighteen..
Awesomeness ..

Just a few months on, and after a few studio meetings, I was asked to become a producers assistant for the main Producers running the Studio...

Yet again... How could I say no ?
AWESOME !

I had done several Extra/background parts, and Specialty Extra bit parts on a few of our productions from back then too..

Suddenly.....
Another opportunity arose.

Three of our studio Films/Shows were ending.
I was then asked if I would be interested in helping run a Set Dec Warehouse with all the left over set dressing from the shows that were wrapping..
Considering that was one of the things I wanted to do, and had done so in my prior years in school drama when I was not acting...
I said yes.

A few months in, and after having several decorators come into the warehouse to rent things, I was asked to go out in the field and start Dressing/Decorating the sets..!
Yet again.... How could I say No ! ?

I have been doing that work for decades now.

Prep, Wrap, and On Set. I Love It !!

My friends always say I have horseshoes coming out of my ass...

Truth is...
I worked for those Shoes....

The work has been rewarding, with healthy challenging stress. I live off of that..

Work hard, keep it healthy, and it can be one of the most exciting things you can do. Ever.. !

The work changes every day and there is never a dull moment..
The people, the fabricating, running all the equipment, the tools and gear, the locations.

Everything is inspiring.

I feel totally fortunate, and some days I can't believe I get paid to do it.
Even after 18 straight hours of work !!!

I have never been motivated by Money...

Money is just a tool, nothing more than that.

I always say..
" Never worry about money... Choose wisely, worry about working hard, and the rest will happen.."

It seems to have worked... Amen.

Another awesome flaw I have...

I honestly can't tell the difference between a Producer or a Production assistant when it comes to giving kindness or respect.
The same for Actors or any high level talent I meet.

I give true kindness and respect to everyone...

The responses from people are good, and in a way they seem to appreciate the common respect. They also like the fact that I am at ease with them... Tittles or pop fame never makes me flinch.

For Me..
A soul is a soul, and we are all just doing different things.. Respect for everyone is a universal thing. It comes across as confidence if you treat everyone with the same kindness and empathy..

Well.....
I'm not interested at all in watching sports, but I will play every one.

I don't like being competitive.

I'm more results oriented, and about personal best, as cheesy as it sounds.

Cooking is my thing too.

Every meal is made unique and awesome.

My Grandmas taught me how to cook something like macaroni and make it taste as good as a lobster.

Both my Grandmas are great. One I call Grandma, and the other is called Nana.. Both of them were very close in raising me...
If I turned to anyone for true guidance growing up, it was those two. I will be forever thankful for having them both in my life..
Even though both of them have passed away now.. I still live to please their standards..
Because it works....

When it came to adventure.
The Male ends of my family had the dominance in that..
Even from my perspective, they were awesomely crazy and fun !!!
Talented, charismatic, smart, creative, and could fix anything on their own.. Real Men..

Onward;

I casually drink and smoke, and never had any problems with it. I can give or take it.

I don't even have a parking ticket.

I have fun, but stay within the lines..
And I have real, Real, Good Times...!..!
Never tried any hard drugs, not worth it to me.

( Let me take you back a little more, to when I was a teenager.. )

After my parents divorce I was allowed to have my own apartment five doors down the hall from my Mothers place..

I was 13..

It was part of the deal I made with my parents...
I chose to live with neither, and they respected that..
I never gave them any reason to think otherwise.

I was a good Kid.

I worked and raised myself almost independently after that..

I was working as a Bike mechanic, and did all the repairs after hours after school for the morning.
I was actually paid pretty good for a kid.
Percentages & Salary !

I graduated at 15.

I then hit the road with a touring/cover band with some talented musicians that were ten years older than me...

Before I left I told my family about my plans..
They trusted me and were very supportive...
But......
My Brother scoffed at me and told me I would never pull it off because they would never let me into over 18 venues...
The day after I left, my Brother went shopping, looked in his wallet and saw a 50 dollar bill and a note...

The note said
" I love You, I told you I could do it "

He looked further..
His drivers license was gone, and in it's place......
Another $50 ...
He was a dead ringer with me in looks back then....
And....Four years older ....
He knew and trusted that I would hold his reputation and integrity safe ! I think I only used it twice...

Funny; I have always been ambitious..
Even when I was 5, I used to write my own tickets in crayon, hand them out to girls, and sing songs in the school breezeway at lunch..

After Soccer practice. I used to stand in the middle of the field and would want to sing for hours... Sometimes people would join me.. It felt awkward and fun at first, but then some pretty rad harmonies would happen.. Too bad it's only recorded in memory.. Priceless..

I used to basically live in the Drama, Gym, Library, and Music rooms in my school growing uP ..
I was always creative..

I was an anomaly for being in a small town at the time..

I would play Football, Motorbike, Boxing, and then...... And this would trip people out..... I would figure skate, Dance, Act, Sing, and mostly hang out with really smart and strong Girls....
To me it was normal and like heaven on earth...
So much to do, try, and be open minded to...

Plus I always had a girlfriend by my side. I haven't gone a week of being single since I was 5... ;) ..
Awesomeness !!!

People just thought I wanted everything. And Liked it all..

I think they were right.. Why not ?
Everyone in school liked me. Especially on field trips..
I was glad when the movie " Ferris Bueller's Day Off " came out... That was the day I felt almost normal..
Thanks, John Hughes...

But being in a small town, people did think I was something just a little too different...

But strangely I was also very respected by some.. Even adults looked to me.. .. It kinda fueled my empathetic joy.. I live for that energy.. That's my kinda payday..
Soul food.. The reason I live..

Difference, and the art of making a difference..

I didn't want the attention.. I just wanted to " Do " ..

Some people had issues with that..
I was prodded and teased just like everyone else...
You can't be everything for everyone !!
I got a kick out of it, and my family just let me be who I was and supported it...
Especially my Father..

My Father...

My Father was an engineer, had ownership of five Texaco's, and was a Dragster and funny car mechanic in the 70's for Don "Snake" Prudhomme.

After I was born My Father wanted to settle down..
He sold everything, and moved us to a farm on the Island....
What an amazing decision for the family.
It lead to an incredible childhood !!

Friends used to tease me at how quickly I would run home after school.
Truth is....
My Father was cooler then most of my friends.
Whether it was rebuilding an engine, or going fishing, or 4x4ing. We had tons of fun..

My father was born during WWII..

My fathers, father, was a 50 cal tech and tail gunner in a P61 Black Widow in the Pacific war.
He lost his right leg from a whole sh!tload of things hitting the plane one night.
He can't remember that night. But he flew again within 8 months.

He died a happy, handsome, still having girlfriends and sex guy at the age of 75..
He was a dynamo!!

My Grandma divorced my Grandfather several years after they immigrated. My Grampa was a rolling stone so to speak...
A heavy drinking Russian, that liked the ladies...

My Grandma was remarried to an amazing man.
My Step Gramps was as good as they come.. They have been married for well over 50 years now !! And they never sat down for a moment... Always doing something!
Truly Awesome !!! I miss them so much..

My Mom's father was a German draft dodger, a Meat Cutter/Deli Butcher, and one heck of a generous, kind person.

Later on in life He also worked with the blind/CNIB couriering and transporting donor eye parts. I know he had the stomach for it..

My Brother and I used to freak when he brought the locked cooler home..!!! AAAHHHhhHHH! Eye Balls !!!

He was a good man, kind.. But chose to take his own life when I was 12..
The reason.. I never truly knew. Anyone could never speculate or guess..
Or my family just never told me all the details...
Rumor has it. He cheated on my Nana for ten years, and could never forgive himself..
I miss him greatly.... My Bumpa..

He invited me over to visit before he made the selfish decision to end his own life.. I remember the walk we took the night before he was permanently gone. How near silent he was........ Out of all the people in my family.. He invited me to fly over... To take care of Nana.. I understand the purpose now.. I can't believe he thought I could handle it... But I did.. Had to..

My Nana used to go out at night and fall asleep on his grave at the cemetery..
She did this dozens of times..
True forgiveness and unconditional love.. The only kind..

She was quite a Woman.. She won tons of awards in her career in the hospitality industry, and volunteered at hospitals for over 30 years in the cancer wards..
Strong, strong woman.. All 4 1/2 feet of her...

Anyway, going back a little..

My Mother was adopted by a German couple ( My Nana and Bumpa ) who moved to Canada in the 40's.
They adopted a cute Jewish girl who was orphaned..
It does not take much imagination to understand how that went about..
Just another thing that I am grateful about, that had incredible challenges and blessings behind it !!
How my Grampa avoided the German military draft was astonishing.. They never talked about it..
Reality... I think he and my Nana defected somehow, and saved my Mother in the process...
There is a big gap in that history...
Luckily as time passed, my Mother and Father met in the same community in central Canada...

My Mother..
I Love her so much that it literally hurts..
Shame she never learned to love herself..
Now a days my Mother does nothing much. Watches Tv, takes care of lots of cats...
So you can go from there.....
She is loving and sweet. I take care of her from afar.

My father was murdered when I was 19 .......

Home invasion, for five recreational plants. 5 plants for one humans life. ...............?

My Father always had a personal Car shop at home.
One big bay with a lift, and one isolated side building as a spray booth.
Some idiot confused the lights from his spray booth at night for something else, and acted on an ignorant speculation.
That speculation stole my best friend...
My Dad...
At first the police thought it was a suicide..
I had no idea why he would leave that way ?

PAIN

A short time later........
The woman in my life was taken from me.....

My first love's life was taken by someone selfish and evil.
She was alone, 5000 miles away from home, waiting for her sister to pick her up at the bus depot.
We had no idea what had happened to her for 24 months, 18 days, 2 hours, and 38 minutes. She was found in the woods by a hunter...

It was reported that she was deceased 8 months..........

She was the most beautiful thing.

Both killers were found in both murders, but that took years.
The process...
I would never wish it upon anyone.

In my loved ones defense, if anyone is assuming anything.. They were all good, hardworking, loving, and generous people.. They are not the kind to put themselves or anyone in harms way.. Ever.. Life never came with a map.. And I'm grateful it didn't..

Fate, Providence, Love... It needs it's tops and bottoms.. It makes Life... It makes us..
Even when a big part of us is taken away. You can never see it happening until it does... It has no reason.. It just is....
Grow from that and give it purpose.. Live for those who no longer can... Every day...
Please....
Because I know I'm not alone..

And on that note...

A few years later.....
I married my high school best friend...
She is an amazing, beautiful, and talented woman with a career as a Bookbinder/Restorer...
One of the best in Canada..

I'm so proud of my soul mate..
We have been together now for almost half our lives...

I owe her everything.

Especially the fact that She taught me to trust the world, and to Love again....

I'm convinced that when my day comes and I " move on ", my wife will meet me at the gates of Heaven, smile at me, and finally expose her wings.....
She is EVERYTHING to me

I would be a liar if I said circumstance has not shaped me in every realm of emotion..
I am as soft as they come, but I can relate to why people can hate...
I don't enable hate.. We all know it just grows to be more hate.. .
I have done good with what I have learned. I use it, instead of it using me...

Anyway, moving on...

I'm 46 and I look 36 ;)

I always joke that God ripped me off a little so he bought me more time.

I don't always approve of the way God runs this world,
But I love him and his kid anyways.

I keep my faith to myself where it belongs.. Because it means a lot to me.. And it should be personal..

Regarding Faith...

I would like to mention
My bloodline will always be forever thankful to the resistance and brave people that helped them survive in the 1940's...

Most of you will understand what I am saying....

My original family name was Kostiuk, until the British military changed it for a more Canadian sounding name.

Through survival and ambition the British Military and their allies also managed to help my past relatives move safely to Canada.

My Great Grandfather ( Christian Kostiuk ) and his Brothers traded three machining/metal factories to the British for materials. The trade was for safe escort to Canada from Russia....

75+ of my past relatives made the attempt to survive as part of the deal......

7 of them made it .... 7 out of 75....

I am named after my Great Grandfather..
I'm very proud of that......
I'm also humored by the irony of the name...

One time, when I was at Madame Tussaud's in London. I became very silently emotional in the war history section...
I came across the amazingly done figure of Winston Churchill.....
Unexpectedly..
I cried...
Churchill was the second phase in which without him and the Monarchy...............
I would not be writing this..

I am forever grateful,thankful, respectful, and appreciative..

My Great Grandparents, and Grandparents barely spoke about anything from that period of their life.... My Father was the same.
And I never imposed......


..... Moving on...... !

Back to my favorite topic.......
Work !

I'm a Fabricator, Set Decorator, Armorer, Writer, Mechanic, Painter, and just started returning to Acting... All in the Film industry..
More than half my life there..
I wouldn't trade a day for anything..
No regrets..

A producer and director that appreciated my other work on other projects asked me to cross over to acting... She really pushed hard at it... I just may do that then ;)
Truth is....
I wanted this since I was five years old !
When I was in Drama, if I didn't land a lead part, I would work in Set Dec on the same production..

Now after several years in Set Dec, It almost feels like I took the comfort zone and chose behind the camera...
It was a worthy decision, but you only have one round in life as this person...
Every friend, family member, and person I have ever worked with has told me I'm nuts if I don't push it to the next level....
I'm confident, but the support and belief from others makes me truly believe I could actually do it..
Somehow they see it in me..
Plus, My years and thousands of hours on set contribute immensely to it all..

Priceless... ... .

Along with my regular 24/7 film job, I'm usually invited to be a shop steward with film crews of 300 or more people.
A film crew steward is a nominated and voted in position by the entire crew.
I can only say yay or nay.

I also volunteer my time helping kids with suicide issues and prevention.

I'm extremely proud of being a steward and counselor .
It means more than any monetary thing.

It may be hard to believe by some of what you have read, but I avoid the negative at all costs.

I have now shared with You some of my loss's and personal experiences.

I noticed that a lot of my friends and people that I met on social media and FaceBook have had something really f*cked up that has happened to them in their lives...
I just want everyone to know.
I get it.
I understand more than you can imagine.

Even with intense loss, make something of your life.
Give, give, then give some more.

You are needed, but not needed sitting on your ass feeling sorry for yourself. Ok ?

*Change of Topic*

I can travel anywhere, anytime.

I have a good, stable, nice, home base. In an awesome community and neighborhood.
Good hardworking multicultural community that is tight, and middle class I would say.

One word: Comfortable !

I create robotics and remote control things, so all the kids in the neighborhood love me.

Actually, all the women and children love me, and all the men respect me, so I must be doing something right!

Plus I'm pretty handy in a pinch if a neighbor needs a hand !

I have helped start and fix countless amounts of cars, reset house breakers, and fix computers.. Plus other odd things people can't figure out..
I'm such a geek, I usually thank them after I help... : )
My Wife is the same...
We make a good team !

My lifestyle is feast or famine but 90% happy.
The other 10% drives me to 110% effort.

I usually do 8 to 10 months of work a year in sporadic blocks. Depending on the project.

When I'm busy, it is 24/7 for months on end of work and travel.

I love every second of it ..

Best to everyone, Xtian ..

Contact Me:

Email : ckr.modeling
@gmail.com


FaceBook Page : https://www.facebook.com/xtian.rondow


Thank you again for taking the time to read this page.

If there is anything I can do for you don't hesitate to contact me...?

C K R

Tags

See All Tags (0)