Thomas, as I call him, opens his eyes and stumbles out of bed. Coffee is his morning ritual—preferably with a dash of cinnamon—so on goes his ‘I-used-to-skateboard-but-now-I’m-kind-of-a-grown-up’ outfit, and out the door he goes in search of a fresh cup. His walking pace is far too brisk for most, but he always slows for any passing dog that meets his eyes, looking for a connection or maybe just a pat. Dogs are unreasonably drawn to him—but that’s a green flag, if you ask me.
Next stop is the gym, where his stoic nature really comes out. He moves with this mix of intensity and purpose—like he’s training for some sporting event he hasn’t officially been invited to—but underneath that hard exterior is an entire world of thought. Deep contemplation. Deeper care. Always trying to engage with the world in a way that feels honest to him. I’m convinced the gym is his therapy. He’ll mutter ‘that’s enough,’ even though it never is.
Work time means settling into his director-writer mode — emails, client calls, a dozen little creative fires that somehow all get handled at once — plus fielding the very important midday texts from me. In a world full of distraction, he has this rare ability to drop in and attack the task in front of him like nothing else exists. It’s part of his human wiring: a burst of deep focus followed immediately by a burst of movement.
Sometimes that means hill sprints at the steepest incline he can find — barefoot, naturally, because he “needs the grip.” It’s exhausting and bizarrely entertaining to watch. On calmer days, it’s a trail run through the woods instead. Shoes are permitted for that one.
On a shoot day, he’ll drive to set and ask—for the tenth time that week—why every street’s under construction at once. Once on set he’ll direct thousands of moving pieces (from my vantage point) into creative clarity.
For dinner, it’s usually one of his not-so-simple salads. At least eighteen different superfood ingredients, each chosen with purpose. Taste is almost secondary, though for the record, the man can cook when he wants to. His evenings wind down in a rhythm I’ve come to love: popcorn, ginger tea, and the deep comfort of rewatching his favourite It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia episodes. Predictable, hilarious, perfectly him.
-Written by Julia Marcuzzi (his girlfriend)
***
Which ’hood are you in?
We’ll say the beaches as a domicile, though I’ve moonlighted in the west end here and there.
What do you do?
I guess I’m just a creative… lately more of a writer, sometimes more of a director, other times unemployed.
What are you currently working on?
Right now, I’m working on the release of my first novel, “Carried Away.”
Where can we find your work?
You can check my book at readcarriedaway.com or anywhere you buy books. My film work is on tjderry.com and on Instagram as @tj.derry or @readcarriedaway
