taking the leap

FATE: Are we in the hands of fate or is fate in our hands?

Are we meant-to-be or are we meant-to-make-it-happen? Some people and moments-in-time feel unexplainably meant-to-be. But what about the thousands that don’t?

Sticking Your Neck Out —

One of my author faves, Allison Winn Scotch explores choice vs. fate in THE THEORY OF OPPOSITES, a modern day love story about losing a safety net and learning how to jump anyway. Yikes! It’s about going in the opposite direction of your comfort zone (not my favorite direction) — creating a “Life Map”, then owning it/living it fearlessly and intensely, regardless of how vulnerable, inadequate, and totally freaked-out you might be. (I’m freaked out just thinking about it!)

Last month real life “Air-Traveler” Erica Domesek (@psimadethis) decided to edit her own Fairy Tale via Twitter after she sat next to her “future husband” but didn’t get his full name on a flight. (Don’t you just hate when that happens?) Erica tweet-begged the airlines to help her track him down and when that failed, she rallied the universal Twitter Nation. Erica took destiny into her own hands after her possible true love had been seated in “2B.” Keep Reading»

Dear Jason Katims:

Though we’ve never met, I feel like I kinda know you – at least your inner warm and fuzzy, touchy-feely parts.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and PARENTHOOD, are amongst my faves-forever and your newest, ABOUT A BOY is worming its way into my heart.

I don’t know how you do it, but with every episode you manage to make me laugh-cry or cry-laugh as I empathize with your lovingly-flawed, fully fleshed-out characters. They’re all so heart-achingly honest and really, really, real — especially the tough-but-tender. So no matter how many times they fall, I’m there waiting with a net.

And don’t get me started on the Bravermans. I mean, I feel like they’re Family I love them all so much! Julia, Sarah and Kristina are my soul-sisters. Adam’s the big brother I wish I’d had. Camille’s my mom (if she’d lived longer). Though some of the situations may feel too-close-for-comfort (like family members with cancer or letting go of someone you love) you show me that we do get through it, no matter how hard it feels.

And ABOUT A BOY just keeps getting better and better. I now know that at the end of every episode there’s gonna be a lump-in-my-throat moment, whether the scene takes place on a diving board or toilet. Marcus and Will are 2014’s “Odd Couple.” They’re delicious! When it comes to characters, you know all the best flavors.

Marcus and Will

Your taste in casting is impeccable. I fell-in-love-at-first-sight with Tim Riggins, Vince Howard, Crosby B. and Will Freeman — I mean, you had me before they said “hello”. Keep Reading»

OMG if one more Actor moves to L.A….

Full of opportunity, “Pilotzilla” (PILOT SEASON 2014) is frustrating, exhilarating, intimidating…

Casting choices are ridiculously unexplainable at times with hush-hush agendas happening behind the scenes. More and more and more and MORE it’s about getting names, Names, NAMES!

Not Meant-To-Be

After totally nailing an audition I was completely right for – (based on beyond-enthusiastic feedback from Producers and Casting) I lost out to another Actress who happened to be the daughter of famous Actress the Producers were trying to woo as the character’s mother. Things like that are so out of my control… Sigh… MOVE ON…

PILOT SEASON is its own Dystopian Universe

Odds are so stacked up against Actors, it’s almost like winning the Lottery! First you’ve gotta be on the list of acceptable actors the particular Network or Studio is willing to work with. Then you’ve gotta get through Auditions. You’ll read for the Casting Director (sometimes I’m lucky enough to bypass this step) and then if you get the Callback nod, you get to do it again in front of Producers —  Keep Reading»

the new flu can be rough-rough!

OMG! It’s a MASKADEMIC! Our hospital reminds me of Asia during the Sars Epidemic ‘cuz everyone’s wearing a MASK! Crazy! It’s like the opposite of what we learned in ER Volunteer Training when our Supervisor Charlayne told us –

Ya’ll need to wear masks around patients in ISO, but be sure to remove them when you’re walkin’ around. It’s like wearin’ rubber gloves in the waitin’ room. They give the wrong message.

Things are different now with the current strain of Flu — because it’s much stronger, scarier, and more virulent than in previous years. The new Flu is a RISK to the young, the old, the high-risk and even to HEALTHY humans. Yeah, it’s Twilight-Zone-y, sorta like that movie Gwyneth Paltrow was in: CONTAGION. Well no, not that bad —  but seriously, this new Flu can be a matter of life-and-death. No kidding! Keep Reading»

Banksy’s heart-on

It’s almost February 14th — UGH!

That means:
PRESSURE if you’re in a Relationship. DEPRESSION if you’re not.

It’s the HOLIDAY of unrealistic EXPECTATIONS and humongous DISAPPOINTMENTS (so fun!) —
Wait… isn’t that just about my every day?

Oops!

So uhm, while you’re trying to bribe the hostess at that fully-booked “romantic” restaurant and feeling kinda forced to express yourself, why not take time to listen to my Valentine’s Day Songlist? Who knows, maybe it’ll help put you —

In The Mood — 

Smooch-smooch!

Flume – This Song Is Not About a Girl

Andrew Ripp – Falling for the Beat

Roberta Flack – The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Haim – Honey & I Keep Reading»

It’s contagious, so spread it!

Musically-speaking I heard a lot of positivity this weekend. Friday night I was lucky enough to go with my Dad — who’s friends with a high-up at the Recording Academy —  to the Musicare’s Person-of-The-Year Tribute to Carole King.

GOOD TIMES — GOOD SOUNDS

I knew of Carole King because my parents used to play her Tapestry Album over and over and over — plus they went to every James Taylor concert, so I knew she wrote for him too. But I had no idea Carole King wrote music for like 50 years for everyone from the Everly Brothers to Aretha Franklin to Blood Sweat and Tears to the Beatles… I mean the list just goes on and on. And the songs are ones we all know from growing up – they were blasting from our parents’ stereos, on the radio during carpool, in movies like The Big Chill and The Virgin Suicides.  When I listened to the words throughout the Tribute to Carole King, what really struck me was how positive her music is/was — especially if you compare it to what’s popular now, which in a lot of cases is negative, dark and more about sex than love, more about pleasure than feelings — it’s weird, we’re all still human, right? Keep Reading»

try it, you might like it : )

OMG I’m an Actor! So why is “Acting” NORMAL the hardest acting job in the universe? Why does it feel so out-of-body the moment I walk into “The Room?” I can be charismatic at the cleaners, where Mr. Chin thinks I’m hilarious; I’m totally in sync with Julio who makes the best Ice Blendeds at Starbucks;  but when I see a Casting Director in an AUDITION, it’s like I experience “white coat syndrome” only it’s with “deciders”, not doctors!  Seriously, my pulse goes bananas and I just wanna split.

Niles, my hairstylist/bff/therapist/family surrogate has been helping me un-psyche-myself-out  — I don’t need to worry about my performance, according to my kindest critic, because I always have that down.  BUT I need to WOW them with my confidence and charisma — specifically during my entrance and exit into “The Room.” (Can someone please just write those lines for me? — Is there a Coach for that? Or something I can Google?)

So…last week my Agent Josh sent me sides for a guest part on a family cable show — for a hottie, late 20’s, who’s trying to seduce someone’s Dad  (I know-I know,  that’s what they call “Family Entertainment” these days)…  Anyway, after I coached for the Audition, I called Niles for moral support and he said — Keep Reading»