Monday Blues . . . Or not so much!

Well, it's been a good day, for a Monday! I had a photoshoot today for new headshots, and it went extremely well! I usually HATE myself in pictures, but I am SO happy with these. So, if anyone is looking for great headshots, you should definitely check out Bill Devlin. He's AWESOME!

Also today I got the car started . . . it had a dead battery. Which, under normal circumstances wouldn't be a big deal. BUT the car has a gig tomorrow night for the Hell's Kitchen shoot, so it has to be in TOP form. Thankfully it's a new car and Roadside Assistance is of no charge. I'm not sure Armen from the towing company was as enthused as I was to get the lil' thing going again, but oh well! Tomorrow I MUST get the thing washed . . . it cannot make its television debut as a dirty car!

The only bad thing about the day is that I didn't make it to class. Oh well, there are plenty of Mondays left this year, and next.

Saturday Night Fever

Or not. It was the first performance of "The Sixth Trumpet" this weekend. We'd been off since Sunday, so there were a few hiccups, but overall it went OK. My wonderbar acting coach, Sandra, as well as my dear friend Mel (and her brother) were in the audience, so I was hoping to be in top form. Hopefully I lived up to expectations! Tomorrow is our last performance. It will not be my usual "parting" from the cast . . . I've not really gotten to know anyone that well, although there are those who I would like to keep in contact with!

So tired today . . . so tired. For no particular reason, other than I'm just so tired. Maybe it's the weather. It did rain quite heavily today while I was on the treadmill. A good rain often puts one in the sleepy mode.

Going to bed now. Happy Sunday.

Stormy Weather?

Wow . . . thunder and lightning and rain - OH MY! I guess the California version of the "storm of the century" isn't quite living up to expectations. At least from my perspective. It's kinda thundering, some lightning, and I can hear the rain. But this is NOTHING compared to a good ol' Minnesota storm. Which, can be at the same time scary and comforting. There's just something calming about staying indoors when the outdoors is in tumult. A sort of indulgence of not feeling guilty for snuggling up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket, comfy PJ's and my kitty. In the middle of the day, at that!

I had an audition today for . . . well, I'm still not sure what! It was so bizarre! I got an email yesterday afternoon for the "call-back" - which, I hadn't even auditioned for anything. No details, no wardrobe suggestions, no role description. It ended up being very much a cattle call, and the guy I was partnered with for the audition - well, let's just say he seemed to enjoy the conversations he was having . . . with himself. If nothing else, the casting corp should give me props for putting up with THAT! I'm fairly confident that I WON'T get the part.

And then tonight was another super-fun night trying to entice baseball fans to sign up for a time-share presentation at the Angel's game. I think I got about 3 tours or so, which means a mere $30 commission in my pocket - if all of them "show up" for the presentation. That, after spending $15 in gas to drive there. I'm thinking I need to re-consider my gig with Shell Vacations.

Tomorrow is the play - I'm actually looking forward to it after being "off" for a week. Hopefully the performance goes well - especially since Sandra and Melanie are coming!

Well, my new fav show, Chelsea Lately, is on so I need to sign off.

Cheers all!

Sleep

I'm not witty, or particularly interesting tonight in this blog. It was certainly an interesting day. I woke up at 2:00 a.m. this morning with a yucky tummy . . . and stayed awake until about 8:00 a.m. this morning. At which point I called in sick to my gig at the Angel's game in Anahiem, and tried to go back to sleep. I finally dragged my sorry butt out of bed at 12:30. What a waste - half a day gone. But I kept trying to tell myself - if your body is craving sleep, let it sleep. Why do we deprive ourselves of such a necessary thing - sleep, that is? My body, my brain, my self needs sleep - and a lot of it, apparently. So why do I feel bad, when I don't have any "prior engagements" and I sleep? Isn't that my body saying "Thank you, I needed that."? Of course, I have the luxury of being able to sleep. My dear friend, L., has a nine-month old. She is deprived of sleep. But there's not a whole lot she can do about it! My greatest wish is for restful, deep sleep - for everyone. In fact, I think the world would be a better, more peaceful place, if we were all allowed to sleep according to our needs. Strife in the Middle East? Perhaps if Osama and Suddam had only gotten a few more hours of sleep per night, we'd be in a much better place. (for those of you who care, I just changed the Title of my blog from "Just rambling" to "sleep") I marvel at my parents - up at 4:00 a.m. every day to milk those cows. After heading to bed at 10:30 or 11:00 the night before. That's like only 5 hours of sleep. Craziness! I suppose you learn to adjust. After 23 1/2 years of doing it that way - how will they adjust when there's no more cows to milk? Will they sleep til 7:00?

Anyway . . . I guess I should have just kept my original title as "Just rambling" since that is what I seem to have been doing.

Sweet dreams, all.

Relationships

Why do relationships have to be so hard? I know, I know . . . mine is exceptionally difficult given that I am 2200 miles away from my loved ones. Or one. But when you can only talk on the phone with that person, and can't see what they're really feeling - it sucks.

Today was a good day . . until now.

Sorry folks, that's all.

Class, again.

Class ROCKED the house tonight! Well, at least for me! :-) No comments from John, except "Thank you, Syl." Still doing the scene next week, but that's OK. Love the scene. Love the comments. LOVE class. Now the next step . . . according to John, I can ASK for what I want. So I'm going to go against everything I know and do just that.

Tomorrow is my other class, and "homework" is due. Yikes! I know I can do it . . . I just always want to do it WELL.

Too late for much intelligent blogging. More tomorrow.

Sunday crowds

So apparently the Hollywood "Sunday crowd" is just the OPPOSITE of usual Minnesota Sunday crowds. Our audience today was phenomenal! They were laughing at everything funny - unlike the past two nights. It was great. It's SO much more fun to play off a crowd that laughs. Suddenly characters come to life! Looking forward to our last two performances next weekend!

I'm watching the replay of the Emmy's right now. . . How did Ryan Seacrest get the hosting job, can anyone tell me? He's not even really hosting. He appears now and again, but everything is somehow left up to other celebrities. I mean, celebrities period. Is Ryan Seacrest a celebrity? I don't think so! Hey - and what's up with Ellen not getting re-signed for the Oscars? NOT that I have anyting against John Stewart - I think he's awesome. But Ellen did such a phenomenal job, I was sure she was back for another year.

Anyway . . . apparently "Broken Trail" is a huge success this year as a mini-series. But really, with that cast, why wouldn't it be?

Well, it's about time for this little guardian angel to hit the sack.

Til later.

Opening Night!

Yay - I survived opening night! It went OK . . . some minor hiccups, including a missed entrance by Abbadon (assistant to Leviathan - aka "the Devil."). Oh well, all live shows have that. Tomorrow night will hopefull go just as well, if not better.

The rest of the day was spent working out, going to an audition for a short film, a trip to the "good" Target in Burbank, and keeping up with emails. Yes - very exciting, I know.

Sorry, not feeling creative tonight, so there's not much to report. More to come tomorrow, perhaps.

The last rehearsal

Well, tomorrow my show opens. Tonight we had the last run-thru, and it went relatively well! Basically we sat around in a circle and ran our lines. But I found some last-minute insights to add to my character, which is great!

The rest of the day . . . what can I say (hey, that rhymes). The highlight of my day was going to the gym. Tomorrow I have an audition for a short film, then the play tomorrow night.

Last night I went to an improv show - my friend Melanie's roommate was performing in it. Wow, if I can ever do improv, I will be thoroughly impressed with myself. Amazing. I applaud all those who can master it.

It was hot here again today, but a cool-down is on the way. I'm not exactly excited about that, since I feel that I haven't really experienced summer in L.A. I mean, I haven't even been to the beach this summer! Guess that means I've been busy . . . or just lazy.

Class

Monday nights are a moment of stress and triumph and doubt and reassurance all at once. All because of "class." Acting class that is. Scene study/Cold reading/whatever with my coach, John Homa. I shouldn't get nervous to do my scene, but I always do. John's a terrific guy. Tough love, abbrasive at times, but a terrific guy. I think I did ok tonight. Wasn't expecting to go up first, but ended up doing it anyway. Tony was my non-scene partner (in John's class, we don't have "scene partners") and he's great. He wasn't totally off-book, like me, but I think it worked. John said that from the last time we did the scene it was like, and I quote, "night and day." Good comment - especially from John. It was also nice to be done for the night right away, and be able to enjoy the rest of the scenes. I can honestly say that our scene was one of the best of the nights. And usually I wouldn't be able to say that!

Tomorrow looking at another apartment - mine raised my rent almost $50. I can't afford my rent as it is, so I was forced to look into other options. Wish me luck, everyone.

Til later.

Divas

Ok . . . I'm NOT a diva. Not in the least. But in my experience, it's not kosher for one cast member to direct another. Isn't that what the DIRECTOR is for? Tonight at my second dress rehearsal, I had the unfortunate experience of a fellow castmate telling me what to do - like I didn't know what the heck I was doing. Yuck. It makes me feel just icky inside. Partly because I'll never let anyone know why I'm upset. ARGH. Maybe the rules are different in California, I don't know. But where I come from, such action is considered disrespectful and unprofessional. I don't know why I'm letting this get to me so much.

Enough.

Good things will come tomorrow . . . I'm sure of it.

Dress Rehearsal

I had dress rehearsal tonight for my latest acting venture . . . a play called "The Sixth Trumpet." We've been rehearsing at a church in Aguora Hills - which is kind of a drive in California standards. But the performances - and where I was tonight - are in North Hollywood, which is MUCH closer to me.

Overall it went well, I guess, for being the first time in our actual setting. I'm only a supporting role, so I only have three scenes to worry about. Tomorrow is another dress rehearsal, running through twice - it'll be a LONG night. Oh well, the price for fame, right?

I had to try to find black gloves for my costume, so today I went to Claire's in the mall and witnessed three young teens getting busted for shop-lifting. And some people wonder why I don't want to have kids.

But tomorrow's another day, and another day brings hope.