Life on the Balcony: Juggling Hats, Hustles, and a Neurodivergent Brain

 

Hey friends — This is one of those real, raw, pull-back-the-curtain kind of posts. If you’ve followed Beyond the Balcony for a while, you know I’m a storyteller, a movie nerd, a pop culture enthusiast, a dad, a theatre performer, and a guy who’s always wearing about 17 metaphorical hats (and maybe an actual fedora on occasion — it happens). 

In the past decade-plus, I’ve been: 

🎙️ Host of The Movie Breakdown podcast (going strong for 10 years!) 

📝 Parenting blogger 

🎬 Film critic 

📰 News reporter 

📚 Fiction writer 

🎭 Storyteller 

📢 Ad copywriter 

👑 Owner of Beyond the Balcony

 … and likely a few more roles I invented mid-sentence and immediately forgot about. 

Recently, I was officially diagnosed with ADHD and autism. This explained so much — why traditional career paths often felt like obstacle courses, why my brain is always moving, why I care so deeply about stories and people and tiny beautiful details most folks breeze past. It’s been a blessing and a challenge. 

I feel big things. I notice weird details. I tell stories like my life depends on it. 

And now, here’s the vulnerable bit: 

Life’s been hard lately. 

My phone’s off. 

A tooth’s broken. 

Bills are looming. 

And my amazing kids are still devouring snacks like it’s an Olympic event. 

So I’m turning to the gifts I have and the community I’m lucky enough to be part of. I’m opening up for freelance work, creative collaborations, and commissions. 

If you or someone you know could use: 

🎙️ Podcast consulting, intros, or editing 

✍️ Blog posts, ad copy, movie reviews, or creative writing 

🎥 Video scripts, YouTube intros, or pop culture content 

🎭 Voiceovers, character reads, or storytelling projects 

📖 Custom bedtime stories for your kids 

📋 LinkedIn bios, About Pages, or personal essays I’m your guy. Neurodivergent brain and all. 

If you’ve ever enjoyed something here on Beyond the Balcony, or you just want to help a fellow creative keep things afloat while rebuilding, I’ve also opened a virtual tip jar: 

👉 paypal.me/ChristopherDSpicer 

Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading my words. And thank you for cheering me on from the balcony. 

Let’s make something together.