Posts Tagged ‘career tips’

I’m OBSESSED — Gotta get outta town

but, Jon — that was then, what about now?

I don’t even recognize myself. My brain has been invaded by CNN and I’m feeling a little insane. Gotta get out of L.A. and away from the NEWS. It’s on in the background at all times — day and night. It’s like I live at an old person’s place! But it’s my place. OMG!

The news is EVERYWHERE —

It’s on at the hospital… and it’s on at my dentist’s office… and where I take my care to be serviced… and in my car.  Oh. Okay, yeah, I can’t help myself. I feel like I’ll miss something — like the world coming to an end or the impeachment announcement. I really do need to experience the impeachment announcement IRT.  And I’m not the only one I know who’s suddenly obsessed with politics. EVERYONE I know is obsessed. OBSESSED! When it’s between Scandal and a real-life scandal, we now watch Rachel Maddow. It’s riveting TV. RI.VET.ING.

CDs can’t read your mind, or can they?

Meanwhile back to my So-Called Life —

I’ve been going through the motions with auditions where they’re uninterested in me and I’m uninterested in them. With Casting Directors you can easily tell. It’s all in their body language.  Like it’s probably in mine. I know, I know. But…  I’d be psyched for challenging projects…exciting projects… projects that would make me feel proud to be an Actor. But those are few and far between. At least for me… these days.

Nothing WOWs me lately. Dr. Crush called me twice and texted me three times last week, and I didn’t feel nervous at all. No butterflies. I feel like I’m living in a fog… Read the rest of this entry »

Staying Open: DECISIONS AND DOORS

The ONLY VOICE to listen to is YOUR OWN.

The voice to listen to is YOUR OWN.

Listening in the ER –

It’s last night and quieter in the ER than usual, so I have time to actually get into a conversation. I select a fellow-Pisces, an about-to-be-high-school-graduate, who’s sitting in Triage, waiting and looking nervous.  Alone in her own thoughts, “Isabella” has been stressing about college, where to hang out after the prom, and whether or not she’ll get home in time to finish the semester project she’s put off till the last minute — typical senior problems.  Oh, and she’s worried about her mom getting treated somewhere in the ER.

I go in the back and find Isabella’s mom in Subacute getting stitched after accidentally slicing her finger, instead of the bagel she was preparing for the child she nannies.  When I come back to Triage, I reassure Isabella that her mom’s doing fine and is in good hands (Dr. A’s.)  So Isabella decides to focus her freak-out on picking the right COLLEGE.  I mean, what better time to concentrate on such an important decision than when you’re in the Triage waiting area, surrounded by screamy-meemies, bloody bits, and patients and family members growing more and more impatient, right? Read the rest of this entry »

Pilot Season 2015 – 2 Early Trends (They don’t include me!)

Trendsetter!

Trendsetter!

It’s Pilot Season again: Yay, there’s OPPORTUNITY, but UGH I don’t fit the profile. White Blonds are an endangered species this Pilot Season! Seriously, this is NOT a joke!

PILOT SEASON is DEFINITELY INTO DIVERSITY —

Sure it’s great, and a long time coming, but  it’s a trend I can’t figure out a way to be part of.  In 2015 CDs are looking for leads that don’t look like anyone else.  Ken Jeong will be playing a version of himself in ABC’s autobiographical “Dr. Ken.” (wish there’d be a medical comedy about about my life!) Whoopi Goldberg will co-lead opposite Jermaine Fowler in CBS’s multi-camera comedy, “Delores & Jermaine.” Mike Epps will be Uncle Buck in, yep you guessed it, ABC’s “Uncle Buck.”  Orange is The New Black’s Laverne Cox will play a transgender attorney in CBS’s “Doubt.”  Paula Patton (I loved her in Precious) will play a woman whose perfect life is torn apart on ABC’s “Runner” while Aunjanue Ellis will be going coming from The Help to needing help in ABC’s Terrorist Thriller “Quantico.” Behind the camera, Selma’s Ava DuVernay will be going from the big screen to the small screen for CBS’s civil rights drama, “For Justice.

And — it’s almost as if I’m experiencing REVERSE AGEISM,  because in 2015 —

OLDIES-BUT-GOODIES ARE LEADING THE WAY on Network TV

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Make a Difference

Be that person!

Be that person!

The world seems kinda messed up. An awful lot of haters and fighters are being very LOUD. Since we’re here for a relatively short time, it seems wise to do something, somehow, someway that makes the world a better place, even if we do it quietly. If doing “Global Good” feels like too tall of an order, we can at the very least do something that makes someone’s world better. Something that brings a smile to a face instead of a frown. Think of it as a DAILY GOOD DEED, a gift that keeps on giving.

KINDNESS IS CONTAGIOUS!

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OVER-SHARING: You Can’t Take It Back

don't blab

Why do we think it’s necessary to tell EVERYBODY everything?  We do it on Facebook, on Instagram, in emails, and texts — on the phone, on Twitter, at the market and at the gym. Everywhere we go, when someone says “How are you?” we tend to give out TMI. Why inform the universe of our every thought and step? Have you noticed that once it’s out there, you can’t take it back?

OVER-SHARING can totally backfire!

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Finding our PASSION: Finding the POINT

hope there's a point

hope there’s a point

Why am I doing this? Who knows why?

Trying to make it as an actor when most people fail.  Stressing myself out every step of the way.  Worrying if I’ll get the audition – worrying if I’ll look the part – worrying if I’ll get the part. Then what if I get it and the project’s not good, or even worse – what if I’m not good?

Is it Worth It?

Is the gain worth the pain – the late night Deejaying, the Temp jobs, the Uber-driving – just because Acting’s my passion? Is it really my passion or something I’ve had some success with? Am I holding on too tight to the encouraging words from CDs and Producers in my corner – the ones who say they’d love to work with me again when the right project comes along. Am I too little-too-late? Are my supporters and successes too few and far between?

Can I be passionate about something else? Maybe instead of putting all of my effort into what I think my passion is, it might be smarter to work on finding another passion. How does one find a passion? Through a Passionologist?

Volunteering in the ER —

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Making Mistakes

At least I'm consistent!

At least I’m consistent!

Mistakes… we all make ’em.  We stress and horrible-ize about ’em BIG TIME — reprimanding ourselves relentlessly, wishing we could do-over, say-over whatever we are currently torturing ourselves about. We need an Ap for TAKING THINGS BACK! If only…

Second-Guessing

As life plays out in the foreground, our brain blames us in the background.  Recently I had a meeting with a team of Casting Directors at a major network and for some unexplainable reason at the end of it I hugged one of them instead of shaking her hand.  Granted I’d worked with her before, but after I left I couldn’t believe what a weird choice that was. Afterwards in the car I kept thinking about it — in the shower I kept thinking about it — as I tried to go to sleep, I kept thinking about it. Crazy, right?  And almost to the point of a migraine — over a hug. A dumb hug!

While volunteering in the ER I make mistakes (shhhhh!) like taking a patient to a room before it’s ready, or taking specimens to the wrong lab,  but the ones that bug me the most are the personal ones – the ones with certain staff members — one hot one in particular.  Like why in the world did I tease him about whatever he does every Thursday at 2:00? He looked at me like, “Why are we talking about this, and why do you even know about it?” (What’s the matter with you, Evie!)

How about a Do-over???

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I’M A SLAVE IN E.R.!
Sentenced to volunteer at Greater L.A. Medical (GLAM!) Hospital... I'm on-call in my worst nightmare -- ?!
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