Happy New Year's Eve

Thank you 2010 for granting new perspective. This year was tough but we've made it through.

On to the next.


Wishing you all a beautiful last day of the year!

The Lesson? Love.

Last year, I made a "yearbook" over at Snapfish.  I put an entire year's worth of pictures into a photo book instead of printing them all individually and I loved the way it turned out.  So, of course, I'm doing one for 2010.  Looking through this past year's pictures, I see so much love.  We went to eight weddings, spent an awesome vacation with family, took spontaneous trips, had some wonderful family members come visit and spent a lot of memorable times with friends.  That's the great thing about pictures, isn't it?  You usually only take them when life is good.  And they remind you just how good you have it.

How am I going to remember 2010?  I'll remember it as full of life lessons, growth, sadness and joy.  It was a full year that brought a wide spectrum of experiences and constantly surprised me.  Things didn't always go as planned - life lesson #1.  But you pick up, you keep moving, you grow.  I started this past year with anticipation - I had a premonition that 2010 was going to be a big year.  Being an eternal optimist, I just assumed "big" meant "great."  Things weren't always "great."  But the year was big and there were a lot of great things.  The bottomline for the year:  There was so much love.  And Love overshadowed all the rest.

Next year will bring whatever next year brings, but what you bring TO it will make all the difference. - Marianne Williamson

I know what I'll be bringing:  An overwhelming sense of gratitude, a renewed sense of patience, a fueled fire and a full heart.  I'm ready.

Sugarplums

Talk about synchronicity:  Wrote about my goal of yoga yesterday, woke up this morning to a Groupon for 10 classes at half price at a yoga studio that is right around the corner.  So I already bought it and I'm set to start toward my yoga goal sooner than I expected!  Ohm, indeed!*

Other sugarplum-goals that have been dancing in my head....I am going to be writing more.  I have a few little germs of ideas that lay abandoned in notebooks, scattered throughout my house.  I'm going to flesh a few of those out and see where they take me.  Already, I'm working with a group of friends to make that goal a reality.  We met before the holidays to talk about different ideas we have for shorts and scenes and we are meeting next week to bring those fleshed out ideas to the table and set up a schedule to shoot a few.  My other writing goal is to finish my feature-length screenplay.  I have an idea, it is based on a true story, I've already started my research and my goal is to not let this one "sit."  I'm excited about working on it but don't ask me what it's about yet....I'm keeping this close to my chest for a little while longer...

One of the most gratifying goals that I actually achieved from last year is writing regularly on this blog.  I have well over 200 posts now and I can't believe that I actually stuck with it all year long.  I owe a lot of that accomplishment to my father-in-law because I know that he looks forward to reading this blog everyday.  And knowing that even just one person is reading gives me a sense of responsibility.  I know that there are a handful of you that read everyday too or some that set aside time to catch up on the week at the end of the week and I really do thank you.  It means a lot to know that you are reading, that you are supporting and that you are on this journey with me.  And I plan on keeping it up through 2011...it's been fun!

(*Ironically enough, my horoscope today starts with the sentence, "There's no need to work toward a goal everyday." Hmph.)

The Beginning of the End of the Year

Christmas Eve

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  Sorry for my lack of posting - we were dodgin' snow storms on the frigid East Coast, visiting family and enjoying our time together.  Finding time to blog is a bit of conundrum when traveling and it is good to take time off now and then to recharge.  I'm looking forward to getting back into my routine though...which includes a cup of steaming coffee while I blog in the morning.  Of course, that routine is going to hit a hiccup when I run out of coffee because - after this can of goodness runs out - that's it.  I'm switching to herbal tea.  One of my "resolutions" for the new year.  I put resolutions in quotation marks because I hesitate to call my goals "resolutions" - "resolutions" get broken.  That is the nature of "resolutions." Instead I like to think of the changes I'm making as goals I'm determined to see through.  I'm determined to make healthier choices when it comes to food and drink.  And I'm also determined to get back into yoga.  I loved yoga when I lived in NY but since moving out here, I dropped the habit.  Time to get my downward dog on again...

I have a feeling that this week is going to lead to a lot of thoughts about what I want to accomplish in the next year and what I've learned from this past one.  And it won't be only me who is thinking these kinds of thoughts.  That is the beauty of the end of a year and the beginning of a new year.  New possibilities, fresh starts, clean slates, taking advantage of momentums built this year...all of these kinds of thoughts swirling in our heads.  Like visions of sugarplums dancing.  I'm going to marinate my sugarplums and share my thoughts as they come this week....and they won't just be about my cliche desire to eat healthier...not that there's anything wrong with that!

Errands can wait

Love last minute auditions!  If you don't know me, you may have read that last sentence as tinged with sarcasm.  But you would have read it wrong. I'm being very sincere.  I love the last minute rush and the excitement of having an audition on a day when you thought you were just going to be doing errands.  You know what?  Errands can wait.  I had a wild afternoon planned yesterday of washing towels, cleaning the bathroom and updating my resume on the 3 million casting sites that are required by various facets of the industry.  But instead I got a welcome call from my commercial agent - a last minute, straight-to-callback audition for that afternoon.  A sweet surprise on a week that is usually very quiet because of the holidays.  And, don't worry, I caught up on my laundry in the evening.

I also caught the sneak preview of Perfect Couples on NBC.  Did anyone else watch it?  I'm excited for when the show starts up in January.  I thought it was very cute and maybe a little *too* relatable...  (*I write, while wearing sweatpants and no makeup.  If you saw the show, you know what I'm talking about...)

More Inspiration!

Yay!  Big thanks to Bonnie who published my story about Kevin in her column today!  If you are an actor friend and you aren't reading her column every Monday, you are missing out on some great info.  I already have a link set up under "Required Reading" but I'll give you the link again:  The Actors Voice.  After you read through her column, make sure to check out "Your Turn" at the bottom to see what I wrote about my inspiring friend, Kevin Knight.

Bonnie's idea to submit inspiring friends to be highlighted throughout the month of December is what inspired my Inspiration Week last week and I still have friends I could write about.  And I probably will!  Maybe I'll start highlighting an inspiring friend/accomplishment each week....

One friend that I could tell you about right now is my friend Mindy.  Her professional colleagues know her better as Melinda Hughes but she'll always be Mindy to me.  She is another friend that I met at the Chubbuck Studios and she did something pretty awesome this month - she did her first stand-up show.  Okay, anyone that can do stand-up comedy is inspiring in my book.  Coming up with material, making people laugh and doing it all while standing up there ALONE is way too daunting for me.  But Mindy's first show - which I regrettably missed because I was sick - went incredibly well.  You wouldn't have guessed it was her first time.  She already has her next show lined up this Wednesday and Marlon Wayans is headlining. She also has been hired to perform at a New Year's Eve party.  Pretty impressive for just starting her stand-up career.  You can check out her first stand-up show on YouTube:  Melinda Hughes Stand-Up.  Fair warning - this is very adult material.  Not for young ears or easily offended ones....she is working on a clean version of her act for her New Year's performance.  This is the dirty version.

She makes me laugh.

Inspiration Week, Part 5

Inspiration Week is coming to a close.  I gotta tell you - I have loved writing about my friends this week.  Not only are they all great and deserving of recognition but it was a lovely break from talking about myself all the dang time!  It just feels good to let people know how much they mean to you - especially when they may not even realize the impact they are making.  So, without further ado, I give you.....

Reid Gormly


I mean, come on.  Look at him.  How can you not adore him already?  He's our next "Tom Hanks" - the Everyman with acting chops that will floor you.  Reid and I met - you guessed it - at Ivana's but we met early on in our journey at the studio.  We were in the advanced level together and became quick friends even before we worked as scene partners together.  He is a man with a good heart and a quick wit.  He is also one of the most loyal friends you could hope for - he was there during some very tough times this year and I am forever grateful for that.

Beyond being a solid-gold buddy to have, he is the acting partner you want to have on your team.  The type of person that he is comes through in his work - generous, compassionate and supportive.  It is no wonder that he continues to work steadily in theatre all around LA and worked on House this year.  He's a triple-threat that can sing, dance and act - you should have seen him in West Side Story!  Oh, wait.  Make that a quadruple-threat:  He's a writer, too.   He has been developing a series with his friends and has serious parties, seriously interested.  Reid is a talent that is worth keeping your eye on - he is going places and he deserves all the good that is headed his way. He is an example of talent and integrity and I am lucky to count him as my friend.

Reid's IMDB page is http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2624953/ and you can visit his website at ReidGormly.com.

Inspiration Week, Part 4

Inspiration week rolls on.....next up......

Cameron McCormick


Cameron and I met - let's see if you can guess it - that's right, in Ivana's class as well.  What is a little more unique about our meeting there is that we have never been scene partners.  Cameron is a force as an actor.  There is great power in her work and if she is doing an emotional scene, watch out.  You'll need to take a break after watching her to collect yourself.  She has the ability to crumble while remaining strong that melts anyone privileged enough to experience her work.

Ours is a relatively new friendship.  While we've always been friendly in and out of class, it is only recently that we've begun to spend more quality time together.  Of course her work as an actor has inspired me but getting to know more about Cameron as a friend has inspired me even further.  She is a woman who has faced great personal trials and continues to fight and fight harder - all with a classic sense of style, a bawdy sense of humor and a clear sense of purpose.  She is taking the reins and making a name for herself, creating her own production company that will develop work for herself and her friends.  She sees where opportunities are and she takes them.  She also has an admirable sense of loyalty that is evident in the way that she supports her friends and their various shows and productions around town.  Her word is gold and her laugh is infectious.  Cameron is an example of elegance and strength and I am lucky to count her as a friend.

Cameron's IMDB page is http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2340261/.

Inspiration Week, Part 3

Inspiration Week Halfway Point.....next up is a triple-whammy......

The Ladies of Girl Parts

You may remember that earlier this year, my friends and I shot the pilot for our webseries, Girl Parts.  We had a production company ready to work with us but, as often happens, the funding fell through and we have been in a state of limbo since then.  Girl Parts is still on the table, scripts ready to go, waiting for the right investors.  In the meantime, however, none of us have stayed idle.  Here are my lovely friends that inspire me....

Kelsey Robinson

Kelsey and I met through our mutual friends from NY that are out here now.  Turns out, Kels was in NY too but we never met on that coast.  Luckily we met here and there's been no looking back.  She and I worked on the concept and several rough drafts of Girl Parts while the idea was in its infancy and then she wrote the pilot that we ended up shooting.  She is an incredible writing talent with a strong comedic sense and an ear for rhythm.  She spent the summer on the east coast, writing scripts and auditioning in the local markets, keeping busy creatively while also allowing herself time to think about where she wants her life and career to go.  When she got back in the fall, she had the awesome opportunity to be the lead in a webseries that is debuting soon, with name talent and a truly professional* production crew.  (*This is a detail that is often missing on web content sets.)  Her ability to tell stories and discover truths are just a few reasons I count myself lucky to call her a friend.

Kelsey's IMDB page is http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2998495/ .

Corinne Becker


Corinne and I met at the same party that Kels and I met at.  Kelsey and Corinne were roommates at the time and I remember sitting outside on the patio, talking for a long while that night.  She had recently moved from Oregon and it was refreshing to meet someone so new to the acting market, who wasn't jaded from years in NY or LA.  Our long talk that night was a sign of how our friendship would progress.

Corinne and I try to meet up about once a week and hike.  We get outdoors, we get some exercise but, most importantly, we get to talk.  We often talk about the "business of show", the triumphs and/or the frustrations that we've seen in the past week.  I love our talks because they are always based in a truly positive place of support and encouragement.  Corinne has stayed busy auditioning and hustling this year and she recently shot the opening sequence of a film that she is the lead in.  After seeing a rough cut, I can't wait to see more.  Oh!  And did I mention that she just got back from Africa?  Yep, this is a girl with a sense of adventure and wonder and I am lucky to count her as a friend.

Melanie Molnar


Mel and I met a little bit after I met the other girls, when she moved back from Paris - where she had lived for four years - to be their roommate. They were throwing a Christmas party and she made the most amazing gingerbread cookies I had ever tasted.  Turns out, Mel is a pastry chef....that is a good friend to have!

This year has been a big one for Melanie.  She worked steadily as a model, had her first speaking role in a major motion picture, joined SAG and just kept hustling.  I can always count on Mel for a rousing game of Scrabble - it's no wonder she was on Wheel of Fortune too this year!  She traveled to Europe this summer and always seems to be on the go.  We talked last week and she is going to help me put together my portfolio so I can find myself a commercial print agent - finally.  Melanie is a tenacious and vibrant spirit, a friend that keeps everyone on their toes and I'm lucky to count her as my friend.

Melanie's IMDB page is http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2998495/ .

Inspiration Week, Part 2

Let's keep this inspiration week rolling.....Next up......




Fadhia Marcelin

Fadhia and I also met in Ivana's class.  Oddly enough, Kevin was her first scene partner and then me.  Coincidence?  Anyway...Fadhia and I became quick friends.  Her warmth and joy are qualities that people are immediately drawn to and I was not immune.  The more time we spent together rehearsing, we'd find that we talked more than we rehearsed.  What could have been a simple partnership resulted in a very true friendship.

Fadhia did something kind of amazing this year.  She had some very specific goals in mind and decided to do something about it.  She wanted a new commercial agent, she knew exactly who she wanted to sign with and she wrote down her goal.  Guess who she is working with now?  That very agency.  Guess what else she did?  She booked the first commercial they sent her out on.  That is how you do it!  She only recently signed with them and she just booked her second job.  We had a meeting set up this week and we needed to reschedule because she is shooting that day.  That is the kind of hustle that I find very inspiring.  She also started a production company with a group of friends and they wrapped their first project this past weekend.  Focus, determination, follow-through.  Keeping busy, keeping focused, keeping motivated.

Fa is the type of friend that is constantly supportive and encouraging growth.  She and I have been working on The Artists Way together, meeting once a week to check-in.  We work on each chapter on our own time and then provide accountability along the way.  We're halfway through and I am not looking forward to it ending.  I think we're going to have to we keep our weekly meetings after we're done!

Fadhia is an example of grace and the power of self-will and I am lucky to count her as a friend.

Fadhia's IMDB page is http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3043762/ .

Inspiration Week

During the month of December, Bonnie has been featuring "awesomeosity" each week in her column.  She put out a call for people to nominate their friends in the industry for being awesome.  What they do that inspires and motivates.  I sent her an email early on and I'm not sure if it will get featured or not but I hope so.  I gotta tell you - it was tough figuring out only one friend to nominate.  I have been so fortunate to develop strong friendships with strong people since moving out here.  And each of my friends has been doing so much and they all deserve to be recognized for their passion and drive.  So, inspired by Bonnie, I would like to dedicate this week on my blog to my friends.  I'm going to feature someone each day and tell you a bit about them.  

First up........the person I wrote to Bonnie about............

Kevin Knight

Kevin and I met in Ivana Chubbuck's Masters Class and, having been his scene partner, I can tell you that he is a gifted actor and artist.  He is a friend that is always looking to lift his friends up, sending quick emails with a motivational quote or a thought about pursuing dreams and he just radiates positivity.  But there is more....You see, Kevin bears a striking resemblance to a young Sugar Ray Leonard.  And Sugar's life story has resonated with Kevin.  So Kevin did some researching and found out that there has been a biopic about Sugar Ray languishing in development for years and there have been recent rumblings about it finally getting made.  So what does Kevin do?  For over a year now, Kevin has been training.  He is boxing several times a week, sometimes going to train twice in a day.  He studied Krav Maga and earned his first belt.  He is letting everyone know what he is working toward:  He wants to play Sugar Ray.  On top of that, it seems like there are all these strange coincidences of "degrees of separation" that continue to happen.  He has met a handful of people who have a direct connection to Sugar Ray and I have a feeling that Sugar has heard Kevin's name.  Kevin is doing all of this knowing full well that this picture may never even see the light of day.  But he is going to be ready if the time comes.  And he is giving himself a fighting chance.   

His passion for acting and for making dreams happen continually inspires.  Whether the Sugar Ray film is ever made is not the point.  He now has skills that will take him wherever he needs to go and a work ethic that puts most people to shame.  Kevin is an example of hustle and determination and I am lucky to count him as a friend.  

Kevin's IMDB page is http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1577871/ .

Balance, young grasshopper.

So last Sunday night, it was the big Ravens/Steelers game.  And my hubby is a big Ravens fan.  And since it was the Sunday night game, we had the rare treat of actually getting to watch the game on TV.  I could have done without seeing Roethlisberger's broken nose - did you see it?? It's an image I can't erase - and I could have done without seeing the Ravens lose in the end.  But one thing I'm really glad I got to hear was something that was said about Ray Lewis.  He is a veteran on the field and continues to be a dominating force on the team.  At one point in the game, the announcers commented on something that a coach said about Ray:

He watches tape like a coach.  He listens like a rookie.

When I heard that, something clicked.  That is what we all need to do, no matter where we are in our careers and no matter what our careers are.  As an actor, watching my work as a coach would is going to help me see strengths and weaknesses that can help me to improve my game.  Listening with the openness and the earnestness that I had when I first started pursuing this career is going to allow me to hear more so I can improve my game.  Combining the two will give me the power to be a dominating force - no matter where I'm at.  

Daniel:  When do I learn how to punch?
Miyagi:  Better learn balance. Balance is key.
Balance good, karate good. Everything good.
Balance bad, better pack up, go home. Understand?

Get Down

I'm feeling better today.  Thank goodness for little blessings.  You know how I said yesterday that it is tough being sick in LA because it is so beautiful out?  Well, the great thing about LA is that, odds are, the next day will be just as beautiful.  You get another chance to enjoy the pretty.

The view from my window this morning.

So today I leave you with a quote that stood out to me in this week's reading of The Artist's Way:

Art is not about thinking something up.  It is about getting something down.

Here's to gettin' down today.

Take Two

I will not get sick.

Taking today to rest and let my body battle whatever it is that is making me feel achy and congested.  Plan on watching some movies, doing some reading, laying on the couch and not doing much else.

You know what is weird about sick days in LA?  I feel so guilty about them.  It is going to be a gorgeous day.  Highs in the 70s, the sun is already seeping through the windows.  I feel like I should be outside.  It's too pretty here.  Which is not a complaint.  Just a fact.

Off to the couch...

I will not get sick.

The Yoga Bee

It's another busy Tuesday.  Class all day and I have to sneak away again in the middle so I can make it to a commercial audition, come back for the last hour, get home to meet F. for our Artists Meeting and all of this while fighting back some sort of illness.  I'm feeling a bit under the weather but I took it real easy yesterday, drank some EmergenC, went to bed super early and am feeling better today.   I just don't want today's marathon schedule to invite any sort of lingering symptom back to the party.  So I'm planning on taking it easy within the day.  Mellow.  No coffee.  Some nice tea instead.  Ohm.

Nooks and crannies

Where will this week take me?  The second week of the last month of the year.  I feel like I am in constant countdown mode.  The year is coming to an end and there are definitely a few goals that I wanted to reach before the end of 2010 that seem to be a long shot at this point.  I have a hard time feeling like I'm not in control and setting goals is one of my ways to create the illusion of such.  "If I can do A, B, and C by such-and-such a date, then I'll feel good about myself," is the general thought process.  I guess part of my struggle is just letting go.  Adopting the mantra, "I'm exactly where I should be, in this moment."  Which brings me back to the quote from Marianne Williamson that I blogged about two weeks ago:  Your worth as a woman is neither increased or decreased by the result.

This is getting personal, y'all.

Now you've seen into a crevice of my psyche.  Feel free to comment about your crevices and struggles; the lessons that this year has brought and the triumphs that have resulted.  I'm glad you've gone on this journey with me and would love to hear where you're at.

Hollywood Fortune (cookies)

We recently discovered a Chinese restaurant near us that has awesome sweet and sour chicken and so we have been ordering from them a little more regularly than we should.  They also have awesome vegetable chow mein, which ends up feeding me for a week.  With the amount of food we order, they must think there are three of us living here though because they always give us three fortune cookies.  Which means we each get a fortune and a half. The one above is our shared fortune.  The one below was mine alone.  I thought the fortune above applies to the theme of this blog, right? Appropriate. The one below...well, it was just random flattery.  And I liked it.  Thank you, fortune maker.

A random story for your weekend!  Hope you have a great one!  (I'm getting my oil changed, in case you were wondering.  I know, I know, not as exciting as last-minute trips to Vegas.  But you gotta do what you gotta do.)

Words to Live By

Prepare to be unprepared.  

- Ed Zwick, Director/Writer of Love and Other Drugs

Someone asked the question last night, "Have you ever shown up on set and had no idea how to play the role?"  Jake and Anne conceded that, yes, this happens every time and proceeded to give examples.  But Ed Zwick summed it up best.  He said that as a director this happens too.  He plans everything out to a tee but, once shooting starts, everything changes.  The key to preparing for a project is to "Prepare to be unprepared."  You prepare so that you can be unprepared and let the project breathe.

That is the crux of our art, isn't it?  We do all of this studying, we do all of this research, we fill our scripts up with all of this technique and, when we finally get to work, all of that preparation is the foundation, not the actual guide - no matter how badly we want to cling to it.  It holds us up, it allows us to work without a net but the real challenge comes with just throwing all of that away.  Actually getting rid of the net.  Right, Chubbuck-Studio friends? #12 - Let It Go.  The hardest tool.  But the most important.  Just trusting that the work is there so you can live in that world. Where the life of the project takes us has to be a surprise.

None of this is a great revelation.  Just a great reminder.  To trust.  To live.  To breathe.

Dork Alert

High School Graduation

Really enjoyed my class yesterday and looking forward to our next one.  It is good to be back in an on-camera class, focusing on audition technique, getting geared up for the opportunities that always seem to be around the corner.  I have another commercial audition today and looking forward to going to a screening of Love and Other Drugs tonight with C.  Should be an interesting Q&A afterward.  Would you say "afterward" or "afterwards" in that sentence?  I just struggled with that grammatically for a second and then chose the former.  But I'm not sure if it's right.  Hmm.  Interesting because in my audition yesterday we had to tell a story from our childhood - a proud moment.  And, because my memory is shot - which is why keeping a blog helps - I could only think of a moment from high school, instead of anything younger.  I thought of stuff from my "child-childhood" once I left the audition but, at that moment, I thought about being in high school, being pretty good at English and being asked to take the AP English exam.  I guess it was good for the school to have higher scores representing them or something because I was not in AP.  I was in IB.  But I took the test anyway since it didn't really affect my academic well-being.  When I found out I had scored a "5," I thought that was pretty good.  In IB, our exam grading scale was 1 to 7, 7 being the best score.  So I thought a 5 was pretty decent.  Until I found out that AP exams were on a scale of 1 to 5.  I had gotten a perfect score.  That moment of realization was a dorky, proud moment.