Francois Gouldreault

I know that a good number of you read my blog to keep up on what I’m doing with my life … Since I’m not so good with phone calls and keeping friends and family updated.

I also know that I sometimes go weeks without posting here … sometimes I go months without posting something that has to do with my how life is actually going.

So, for any who want to know: I had an incredible year. One of the best ever, I think. The reason I had such a good year? I think it’s because I’ve never been on an adventure quite like I’m on now, and it’s making me feel truly alive.

This is my 2010 in point-form:

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January

• Worked construction for my dad; planned to move to Nashville.

February

• Drove to Nashville: Rented a room from a hippie named Fitz and his dog Sloopy
• Started going to Anchor Fellowship, in Nashville, TN.
• Met and auditioned musicians for the Hello Kelly reboot
• Started dating a great girl named Elizabeth from Vancouver; downloaded Skype
• Found 3 great guys for an Ontario tour: George, Ben and Travis. Rehearsed for 5 days and left for a 30-day tour.

March

• Toured Ontario with the new guys as Hello Kelly.
• My grandma saw her first Hello Kelly show.
• Elizabeth visited Ontario at the same I did; we got to hang out.
• Drove the guys back to Nashville and turned back around for Orangeville.

April

• Worked for my dad, considered wimping out on the Nashville plan.
• Elizabeth flew me to Vancouver to hang out for a week: My 2^nd time in the city.

May

• Returned to Nashville, skeptical: Got a real apartment.
• George, Ben and Travis all told me that they were “in” for the long haul; started rehearsing seriously.
• Had big doubts about the future.
• Finished tracking vocals for the still-unreleased new Hello Kelly record.
• Started trying to book a western Canada tour for Summer 2010.

June

• Got kicked out of my apartment; slept in my van for 3 nights.
• Moved in with George, my bass player.
• Western Canada tour fell through. Started growing very frustrated with having no control over my life, started daydreaming about moving back to Ontario.
• Had a spiritual breakthrough at Anchor Fellowship. Heard God tell me to surrender to Him. Started legitimately tumbling after God again.
• Played a great show at the Hard Rock Café; got discovered by manager Shawn.

July

• In July, moved into a community house with friends from church.
• Ended my relationship with Elizabeth due to the distance.
• Started screenwriting again, working on 2 TV pilots and a couple ideas for features.
• My laptop bag and everything in it was stolen from my van in a church parking lot.
• Started rehearsing 20+ hours per week with the band.
• George lent me his other laptop for 2 months.

August

• The anxiety surrounding my future was going away; started discovering the beauty of surrendering everything to God.
• Met our manager’s new partner: Started to get excited about what the future of Hello Kelly could be.
• Visited Ontario for 2 weeks: Saw 2 of my best friends get married, had meetings with my writing partner for our TV pilot
• Drove out to Eastern Canada with my siblings to visit our mom.

September

• My four roommates started ministry school; I audited their classes on occasion
• Was blessed with a brand new laptop; screenwriting kicked back into high gear.
• Got into the intense rehearsal schedule again: 20+ hours per week.
• Started booking a Christmas tour in Ontario for Hello Kelly.
• Decided with my writing partner that the TV pilot needed a new direction: Started from scratch.

October

• Started to see victory in some huge spiritual struggles in my life.
• Competed in a Battle of the Bands, we lost but impressed many people.
• Spent most days booking shows, writing and rehearsing.

November

• Formed some strategies with Hello Kelly’s management for the future; getting super eager to release the new record.
• Had Thanksgiving dinner with guitarist Travis’ family, with the rest of the band. Loved the feeling that the band was a tight-knit family.
• Went on 2 week tour in Ontario. Blown away by the response, high morale of the band and support of friends and family. Very encouraged spiritually. All doubts about the band were gone!
• Had another meeting in Toronto about the TV pilot: planned to start pitching it in the new year.

December

• Returned to Nashville to see my roommates graduate ministry school. Felt like I was a part of their class in a strange way.
• Got hit in the van by a drunk driver; No damage to the van.
• Drove back up to Ontario with George in his car. Dropped him off at the airport and headed home for Christmas.
• Spent incredible time with friends and family.
• Heard about some screenwriting jobs, applied to them. Waiting to hear back.
• Played Hide & Seek with my family in the snow on New Year’s Eve.
• Looking forward to another crazy year.

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I want to thank everybody who’s been a part of my super great year. And I hope to see you again in 2011.

For everybody who supported me in 2010, either financially, or with love & prayers, I am so so so grateful. I’ve had to rely on people like you this year in a big way, which has been a humbling process for me … and I’m sure not always easy on you (or your wallets, at times). Please know that I appreciate it and love you all.

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I often think about the “seasons of life” as seasons in a TV show. This Christmas felt like another end to a season: Another moment where, if my life had viewers, the viewer would say: “Wow, this could go anywhere!” I love that feeling.

Tomorrow I drive back down to Nashville with my good buddy George Wong. And so begins Epic Life-Changing Adventure: Year 2.

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francy