And I'm an Actor

Twenty med students watched my mother give birth to me, so I was literally born to an audience. Been "chasing the dragon" ever since. My name is Meagan Gordon and I'm an Actor.

When I was 13, I attended an open call in Miami for the new Babysitter's Club movie. Out of 700 girls, I was one of 30 called back. I didn't think it could get any better than that!  It does. And it did. My name is Meagan Gordon and I am proud to be an Actor.

A few years ago, I had an appointment for an audition.  While still standing on the street outside the building, the director - who was late - gave me the "once over" and sent me away. His loss. I'm Meagan Gordon and I am a damn fine Actor.

I love watching the SAG Awards and I love the "I'm an Actor" opening.  As I was googling it this morning to make sure I had the right format so I could play around with a few of my own, I saw a lot of criticism for the opening that the show has been doing for the past eight years.  Some people say it is self-serving, pompous, old-fashioned, etc., etc.  These criticisms were mostly from people not in the industry.  The fact is, it is hard for many to comprehend the journey that most of us have been on to be an actor. Especially to be an actor at that level; in that kind of spotlight. Rejection after rejection, zero guarantees that this pursuit will ever be anything other than a pursuit, little jobs here and there that keep us going but can't possibly pay for all of the bills.  If you're lucky, you work steadily but chances are you'll never get the chance to do your own "I'm an Actor" introduction at the SAG awards.  Even as a SAG member,  you probably will never get a chance to even attend the awards.  It is a very small percentage of actors whose names are known. But there are thousands of us fighting toward and living this dream every day.

So I love the "I'm an Actor" opening.  There is gratitude behind each of those introductions.  There is an acknowledgement to the amount of work and luck it took to get that actor to that point. There is a sense of unity felt by those of us who are still in the trenches - who voted for our fellow actors to receive these accolades.  Yes, in the spectrum of comparatives, what we are doing as actors is more trivial than being a teacher or a doctor or a soldier, for example.  But I know actors who have been in one of these noble professions at some point in their life.  Others of us are just lucky to play those professions on TV. All of us are fortunate to be part of our storytelling collective. Stories are vital to our humanity. A majority of "best film" nominees this award season are "based on true stories." What we are doing as artists, as dreamers, as storytellers is celebrating what makes us human.

All of which makes me very proud to be an Actor.

Bliss

Follow your bliss and doors open where there were no doors before.

- Joseph Campbell

Sunshine

Three of the shots my agent picked out to submit me with.  Sitcom world...here I come.

On another note, my facebook feed is cluttered with blizzard photos from all of my East coast friends.  I see you guys are having some rough winter weather.  Yesterday I sat outdoors at the Starbucks near me and did some writing.  I'm not trying to rub it in. I'm just saying I love LA. While the snow looks pretty, I'll take the sunshine any day.

Also, watched Rabbit Hole yesterday and it gutted me.  I wasn't sure I'd be able to stop crying after it was done. I need to get my votes in today for the SAG awards and it is going to be very tough to make final decisions.  Some really beautiful work this awards season. Hats off.

Something is better than nothing

I'm feeling motivated to write.  I know I'm here everyday writing this blog but I'm feeling more inclined to do some creative writing that may result in some sort of production in the end.  I think I'm feeling inspired from finding that scene that we are shooting next weekend.  I wrote it on some random afternoon and tucked it away. And I'm glad that I found it because I think we're going to have a lot of fun with it.  I also have an amazing, supportive network of friends and family that are encouraging me to explore this "writing thing" a little more.  So today I'll go scribble out some thoughts and see what happens. Maybe something. Maybe nothing. But I might sneak in a coffee while I'm at it. Ok, fine...I'll probably stick with tea.

Potpourri

Oscar nominations came out this morning and I was snubbed again.  Oh, Academy!  One of these days...you're gonna looove meee (please tell me you sang that last part with me).

Audition this morning and rehearsal this afternoon.  Rehearsal for what?  For a scene that I wrote that we are shooting next weekend.  Fun stuff!  I love our production group - doing what we say we're going to do!  More doing, less talking.

Went with C., the founding member of our production group, to the LA Actors Tweetup last night .  Had a great time mingling with people I haven't seen in awhile and meeting new people.  That is the fun part about the tweet ups: People go in order to meet other people so everyone is very open and friendly and willing to talk.  It is never awkward to enter into a conversation already in progress or have someone join in to the little circle you may be talking to at the moment.  Good energy, good people, good times.

And now I'm off to get ready for my commercial audition!

But before I go, a reaction from one of my favorite nominees this Oscar season:

Hailee Steinfeld also spoke to the "Today Show" about her nomination for Actress in a Supporting Role for her part in "True Grit." "I was asleep and I heard my mom and dad screaming in the other room. They came in my room with flowers," she said. "It was very exciting. It's incredible. I'm in shock. The film overall is incredible. To be a part of it all was amazing. I'm so proud of it all."

What a cool way to be woken up.  Congrats!

Friday was Moving Day

As you may have picked up from my painting entry, we have been in the process of a move for the past week or so.  We moved small stuff throughout the week - or I should say, my hubby moved stuff throughout the week.  My flu was very poorly timed because I couldn't really help with any of the heavy lifting.  And my painting schedule got messed up because I only had two days instead of five by the time I was better.  But it all got done and the movers came on Friday to move our big stuff.   So on Friday we are standing around in our old and now nearly empty apartment watching the movers shrink wrap our furniture, when my phone rings.  It's my commercial agent.  Always love seeing their number on my caller ID.  So I answer and they have an appointment for me later in the afternoon.  Which, we've covered before, I love.  I love the hustle of a last minute audition - being a procrastinator by nature, the rush suits me.  And it suited me just fine on Friday too but there were a few hurdles that I don't usually encounter.  They were:

- I was unshowered with a baseball cap on hiding my greasy hair.
- I still needed to get to Target to get shower curtain rings for our new apartment so I could actually take a shower.
- My clothes were all packed away.
- The movers took an hour longer than scheduled...
- And I still needed to get to Target.
- And I needed to eat and there was no food here...since we were moving.
- And if I don't eat, I turn into a bad, bad version of myself....which no one wants to see.

By the time the movers were done, I had about a two hour window to get everything done and get to the audition.  I've never moved so efficiently through Target before.  I picked up food from Baja Fresh.  I got the shower set up.  Picked out some easily accessible clothing.  Did my hair and makeup while my hubby dealt with the cable guy.  And got to my audition with time to spare.

All of those years spent procrastinating on studying, writing papers, and the like, paid off.  I can meet a deadline.  That should be a "special skill" on a resume:  Works well under pressure due to years of procrastinating.

New Exercise Plan?

Friends and Neighbors.  I have discovered the latest workout craze.  The best way to get in shape that really delivers results:

Painting! 

A beautifully decorated home and sculpted muscles all in one package!  At least, my sore body is telling me that sculpted muscles may be a result. I can only hope. I painted all day yesterday and am about to go torture myself - ahem - I mean, "work out" some more.  Total toning from head to toe!

Magic

Feeling a bit back to normal now.  Phew!  Yesterday was still a little touch and go. I tried to get a few things done but felt I needed to rest now and then.  This morning I'm up, I've done my morning pages, had some breakfast and feel ready to go.  Looked through all my headshots and narrowed them down to a more manageable number to send to my agent.  I'm hoping he is as pleased with them as I am.  Way to go, Ms. Ball!

This year I've decided to volunteer and I'm excited because I went to an orientation yesterday for BookPALs.  It is an organization through the SAG Foundation that I learned about and thought would be great to get involved with.  I'll be assigned a school and will go read aloud to two elementary classrooms a week.  They work with grades K - 5 but I'm not sure where I'll be needed yet.  I'm so excited to hopefully get kids excited about reading.  I love working with children and books were such an integral part of my childhood.  There is magic in books.  I can't wait to share some magic.  Oh!  And one of the fun parts is that I get to choose which books to bring in...so as soon as I find out what grade I'm assigned, I'll be looking for good suggestions.  I'll keep you posted!

Not so fun stuff

Like the flu.

I started to feel a little wonky on Friday, a little tickle in my throat.  Saturday morning it was still there but somehow Chelsey and I were able to power through my headshot session.  When I got home that afternoon?  It was all downhill.

Fever, sore throat, cough, chills, achy, all the no good, not fun stuff that comes with the flu.  I'm finally sitting upright and my stomach muscles feel like they got a major workout.  So sore from the coughing and all that not so fun stuff.

I have so much to catch up on - this flu was very poorly timed - so pardon my short post.  But if you want to get a sneak peek of some of the headshots Chelsey took, they are up on her site.  That is one of the things I need to do - narrow down my faves to send to my agent so he can start submitting me with them.  But that is just one thing on the list.  More updates tomorrow.

Fun stuff

Gotta love last minute auditions.  I was sitting here yesterday thinking of how to organize my day when I got a call for an appointment later in the afternoon.  Woohoo!  That is how I'll organize my day - around that.  I had a lot of fun at the audition and we'll see if it goes any further.  Today it is back to errands and running around.  I did a double post yesterday so just wanted to mention it in case you didn't see it below this.  It is about an interesting interview with Jason Segel I read on BuzzSugar yesterday.  Also, are any of you watching Raising Hope?  I've caught it a couple times and thought it was hilarious every time.  I need to set up a series recording.  Check out this video over at EW.com.  It is a video that they made as a Golden Globes plea for a nomination.  It made me chuckle.  It is not for young ones to watch though!  And not safe for work...here is the link.  Hope it makes you chuckle.  And hope you have a great weekend!  I'll be shooting my new headshots tomorrow - our rescheduled date.  I got a few fun pairs of non-prescription glasses to play around with on the shoot.  Here's a sneak peek of one pair...

Seriously though, when I put on the glasses I've bought I think, I kind of like glasses.  Maybe I should just wear them like jewelry.  I mean, I have actual prescription glasses but I am blind when I take them off - and I don't like that feeling.  But glasses as accessories?  I think I might play with that.  Or is that too elementary school?  To confess, I found all my fake glasses at Claire's.  In the mall.  I haven't been inside one of those since middle school.  I felt so teeny bopper walking in.  I sheepishly enjoyed it...

Acting is Reacting

BuzzSugar did an interview with Jason Segel at the Winter TCA.  Mostly they talked about the Muppet movie that he is filming right now but they also touched on the How I Met Your Mother episode that left me in tears last week.  If you are a HIMYM fan and you haven't seen the "Bad News" episode yet then stop reading. Go to Hulu. And watch it.  Then come back and finish reading this.  If you did see it, you might find this interesting:

You said you found out about the scene [where Marshall learns his father has died] the day of. How do you think that affected your performance and your scene with Alyson [Hannigan], whose character gives yours the news?
JS: It was great, and I didn't want to know her lines. I didn't want to know what she was going to say to me when she got out of the cab. So until she got out of that cab . . . We literally did one take, which was so brave of our director. I had no idea what she was going to say to me. I knew the overall premise, but she came out, and she was already crying, and it was so heartbreaking. It made acting very easy. All I had to do was react in that scene. I didn't have to dig very deep.

Zzzz

This week is the last week of The Artist's Way.  Believe it or not, F. and I started our journey twelve weeks ago, stuck with it, made meetings work (even through the holidays) and are coming out on the other side with a little more awareness and inspiration.  I'm diving into our last chapter today and interested to see how the book ends.  Because even though I've done The Artist's Way in the past...I never completed the entire thing before.  It really made a difference having a partner to check in with and be accountable to.

Also will be working on getting together scene work and notes for our production meeting tonight.  A close group of friends has started a production company with the goal of producing our own work - work that we write, produce and star in.  I found a scene that I wrote out in a coffee shop, on some anonymous day in NY.  It was tucked away in a forgotten notebook and when I was cleaning out a closet a few weeks ago, I found it.  It's not a bad scene and I can't, for the life of me, remember what inspired it or why I wrote it. But - clearly - I need to go spend some more time in coffee shops.

Speaking of coffee...this is day 4 without it.  I finally ran out of coffee to make at home and I've been drinking green tea instead.

I have been exhausted all week.

I don't think I realized how dependent I am on stimulants to keep me going throughout the day.  I know that I enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning.  And that I usually have a Diet Coke at lunch.  And I have iced tea at dinner.  But I switched to caffeine-free Sierra Mist as my lunch soda and, ok, I still have iced tea for dinner.  But I can definitely tell a difference in how I feel.  I planned on treating myself to coffee now and then, when I go to meet friends for coffee or out to breakfast.  But now I'm curious to see if my body will regulate itself and stop feeling so darn sleepy if I go an extended amount of time without caffeine.  But how long will that take??  And is it time for a nap yet?

Mid-week

Good morning!  Well, yesterday morning started with promising weather but ended up being a little cloudy and cool and never reached the forecasted 70 degree high.  But today is a new day and the sun is shining and it is pretty warm already.  I say all this knowing that there is plenty of snow on the ground in NYC, which makes me even more thankful that I live here.  What can I say?  I'm a Florida girl at heart.  I need warmth.

So why am I talking about the weather?  Things are still a bit quiet for me on the acting front but I hear that people are auditioning (darn you, facebook and twitter!) so it is surely only a matter of time.  I'm trying to step off of the hamster wheel and just focus on what is around me...like the sun.  And the production projects that I'm working on.  And my sore muscles from yoga yesterday.

On another note, Men of a Certain Age and Parenthood are two of my favorite shows on TV right now.  Not sure what this means as a not-yet-30-year-old woman...but...there it is.

Whoa

My latest commercial that was holding was officially released yesterday.  Which means...for the first time...in five years....I have no commercial conflicts.  What does that mean?  It means I have no commercials that are currently running or currently being held.  For those not as familiar with how it works:  When you have a commercial that is still being held, even if it's not currently airing, you can't do commercials for other products that are conflicting.  So, for example, when I had my Olive Garden spot (for years), I couldn't do any other restaurant commercials.  Makes sense, right?

It also means it is time to book again.  I am very lucky to have had such a long run of commercial success and I'm ready to start this streak over!

In other news, who else is excited about the Verizon iPhone?  Cause I am.

And also excited about my second yoga class today.

And also excited that the sun is shining and the high is 70 degrees.

It's one of those blog days

Ok.  I've been farting around on the internet for almost an hour now, not entirely sure what to write for today's post and wasting time instead.   But this day needs to be set into motion so here I am.  Finally writing something...even if it's not entirely something at all.

My shoot that was happening on Saturday got postponed due to illness - my photographer came down with the flu.  I hope she is feeling better after a weekend of rest and we are set to shoot this upcoming weekend instead.

And that is about it on the acting front.  Hoping this is the calm before the storm.

Namaste

I got new hair, y'all.  I spent a good amount of my day yesterday at my favorite hair guy's, getting my long locks chopped off, colored and restyled.  I'm loving the way it turned out - a little shorter than I was expecting, a little darker, but it all just works.  I also got some new pajamas for Christmas.  Thanks, Mom.

I'm taking new headshots tomorrow with the talented Chelsey Ball and we are going to have a lot of fun.  I love my headshots that I'm using now and I'll keep using them, but I need some shots that show off my quirky side - the side that was evident on Wheel this week and the sense of humor that is throughout my reel.  We're talking glasses, my new hair and bright fun colors.  I can't wait!

Before we head into the weekend, I wanted to share something that stood out to me in yoga class this week.  We were in the middle of a more difficult pose and the instructor gently said,

If you haven't already, go ahead and float your eyes close.  Sometimes it is easy to get distracted by others' journeys.  Focus inward on your own practice, where you are right now.  

I love how this applies in my everyday life.  I'm always looking around me, comparing my career's progress to my other contemporaries.  It's so easy to do, too - between facebook, twitter and blogs, it is hard to escape a flood of information about how other actors and colleagues are doing.  And I start thinking I should have done this, that and the other by now - I'm behind!  And then suddenly I'm on the hamster wheel again.  When, in reality, I just need to "float my eyes close" a little more often...

I've come a long way and my journey in this career is my own.  And it's not going to look like anyone else's.  And, being an artistic pursuit, "success" is not always the traditional definition of moving up the ladder.  If that happens, that is great.  And it is certainly a goal.  But true artistic success is found just in being here, attempting this pose, breathing a little more easily, feeling confident where I am at and stretching to get further, despite stumbling now and then.

Namaste, right?

Check that off the Bucket List!

So much fun watching Wheel last night!!!  Hope you all got to catch it!  We had a big group of friends, some homemade chili and brownies and a lot of laughs watching the show.  Being on Wheel of Fortune is definitely one of my bucket list items that now I can check off.  Can't believe I got to be on the show, did really well and had such an amazing time from start to finish.

If you didn't get to see it, it looks like someone has posted it on youtube already, so you can check it out over there.

I hate to "post and run" but I'm running a bit behind this morning...more on this later!!

PS - thanks to my father-in-law for the pictures!   The hubby even printed them out and hung them up for our viewing party - added the perfect festive touch!

Wheel of Fortune!

I'm a contestant on Wheel of Fortune tonight!  Will I win the million??  Will I walk away with nothing??  Tune in to find out!!

A Yoga Story

I like the way the sun shines
through my coffee steam.
Pretty.

The sun is shining brightly, I'm going to my first yoga class today and I haven't run out of coffee yet.  Life is good.  I do also have two large pimples on my chin though, so let's not think all is rosy.  Except my chin.

Yes, my first of ten classes I bought through Groupon commences today.  I'm a little nervous because I haven't been to an actual yoga class since I left NY.... Unless you count the one adventurous yoga class C. and I attended for free at Runyon.  I don't.  There were gopher holes that you had to avoid twisting an ankle on, there was the actual gopher that kept popping its head up next to my mat, there was the cursing yoga instructor that wasn't happy with some regular yoga attendees that were struggling with the poses and there was the woman's phone that was set on an alarm and kept going off next to me, so it sounded like it was my phone.  Nope, phone belonged to some considerate person that had left her bag next to me but moved across the field for the session.  That was a fun(ny) day.  I'm guessing today is going to be better.  I'm excited to dust off my mat and get back into old hobby.

New Year, New Possibilities

First blog of 2011....I feel like I should say something significant, something profound, something monumental....but....I can almost hear the cliched version of a record scratching at the end of that dot-dot-dot.  This year I'm gently reminding myself that not everything has to be monumental.  That life is significant enough without searching for all the ways to heighten that significance.  I have a tendency to micromanage my expectations and stress over details that I have no control over.  And I am trying to overcome that mentality.  My mantra for the year is to let the year come to me.

I eased into this New Year with a bunch of couch-sitting and relaxing.  New Year's Eve was spent drinking too much wine and playing Trivial Pursuit games.  The weekend was spent rarely leaving the house and comfortably anchored in my sweats.  I did go on a New Year's Day run but it was brutal.  I was happy to wheezingly make my way home and back to the couch. And while most of the time I would feel some sort of guilt for that level of relaxation, I felt gratitude instead.  I'd feel guilt because I'd think, "What should I be doing?  Shouldn't I be doing something?  I should be sending out postcards to casting directors/updating my footage/following up on an idea I jotted down/networking in some way/etc. etc. etc."  You get the idea.  My mind is on a hamster wheel when it comes to this business.  And that kind of hustle is important.  Obsessing over it and not ever really getting off the hamster wheel?  Not so much.  Sure, my mind tried to sneak back over to the wheel throughout the weekend - picture a sneaky miniature me belly-crawling over to the wheel - but I gently scooped myself up and put Mini-Me back on the couch with some HGTV.  I'm totally trying to win this year's Dream Home.

The past year granted me a new perspective and helped me to really realize that so much is beyond my control - with this career, with family, with health, with, well, everything.  So I'm taking a deep breath and focusing my energies on the things I can control:  taking yoga, cutting back on caffeine, forgiving myself when my to-do list isn't always done, taking time to write.  And I'm looking forward getting off the hamster wheel.  Plenty of seeds have been planted.  I just need to water them occasionally and trust that they will grow.  Finding that balance and trust is going to take practice.  But I'll just keep repeating, "Just let the year come to me."