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3:44 pm - FRI 3/22/02
\"Sorry Julia. I can't go to the Oscars with you, cause I'm already taking Mary Louise Parker. Maybe next year...\"
In terms of acting stuff, the past couple days have been a virtual whirlwind of activity (At least compared to my NORMAL level of activity in that department).

I've started calling Cenex again (Cenex is the non-union arm of Central Casting). I called Wednesday, and again yesterday, and while nothing came of it, I felt good for having done it (Basically, you call the recorded job line, listen to what's available, and if you fit the description of what they want for a particular job, you call the individual agent's line, and take it from there).

Beyond the issue of transportation (I'm just calling on my days off from Borders, so my work schedule doesn't enter in), another "issue" I'm going to have with extra work is CLOTHING; When I moved out here, I jettisoned a LOT of my clothes, and left still more with either Mark and Jane, or with Kevin (Sometimes they have an outfit for you, but most of the time, as an extra, you have to bring your own).

I need to get at the very least a blue blazer, some more shirts (I don't have ANY light-colored, long-sleeved shirts), and another suit or two (These are also things I'd need if/when I start doing regular temp work).

Beyond that, if I'm going to take this extra thing seriously, I probably need to start thinking in terms of "costumes" as well (A white lab coat, for example, for that appropriate medical/scientific look).

I started thinking about this again when I noticed a number of movie shoots going on within my neighborhood (On Vermont, on Wilshire, and a couple on my bike ride to work along fourth street). Each time, it's crossed my mind, "This would have been EASY for me to get to..." (Not everything shoots out in Santa Clarita, like my "Frank McKlusky" gig).

In addition to calling Cenex, I did something that made me very nervous, and something that seemed at some level kind of pointless, but I did it anyway; I called two of the agencies I've sent headshots out to, to--I don't know--I guess remind them I'm OUT there.

They were both very nice. One asked if I had directed it to a specific individual, and when I said I wasn't sure, told me I needed to address it to him for it to be seen. So that was actually productive (That was the only place I sent something out to where I COULDN'T tell you who I'd addressed it to. With the others, I underlined the specific agent's name in "The Ross Reports" listing, in case I needed to refer back to it. Anyway...).

The other place told me, very politely, that "usually the way it works is that they'll call you if they're interested...", but took my name and number anyway; I didn't really plan on having anything COME of that, but still, I thought it was better than them saying, "Please don't call us anymore".

I also sent some more headshots out--for four films--and finished "How to Sell Yourself As An Actor", the Kay Callan book.

Towards the very end of the book, she quotes various people who have enjoyed some success in the business--Mira Sorvino, Angelina Jolie, David Ducovny, and Sharon Stone--about what a drag it can be to be successful.

I think I follow what she's trying to say--If you want to "make it" and think that's what it takes for you to be happy, you're barking up the wrong tree--but nevertheless, I have to believe that following your dream, and seeing it pay off, HAS to be better than NOT following your dream and having not much of anything happen. And besides, in terms of having to WORK for a living, there's just nothing else I want to DO.

But it has occurred to me that I have to figure out what ELSE I want out of life TOO. Because one of two things are going to happen here--I'm either going to be successful as an actor to some degree (The most likely outcome) or else I'm not--but NEITHER outcome will mean much if I'm, as Ms. Callan puts it, "...an empty shell, waiting to be filled up by someone else".

_________________________________________________

A small but annoying mystery was solved earlier today...

Earlier this week, I noticed that my dark green, long-sleeved shirt was missing.

It was moderately upsetting to me--It's one of my favorite articles of clothing, not to mention one of only two long-sleeved shirts with collars that I OWN out here--and I just couldn't figure out what had happened (I don't go anywhere where I'd take my shirt off for any reason, and it was hard for me to believe I'd leave something like that in the washer or dryer. A SOCK, maybe, but not a whole SHIRT).

Anyway, I went downstairs today to do laundry, and what should I see on the table down there but my wayward green shirt...along with two turtlenecks, a couple of t-shirts, two pair of underwear, and a pair of socks. For whatever reason, I'd walked off without them the last time I did laundry.

I've been pretty--What's the word for it...?--SCATTERBRAINED lately.

I had rehearsal yesterday (A couple hours earlier than usual, because the theater was going to be in use during our normally scheduled time).

As I rode to the theater, I decided I could really go for a refreshing diet Coke. I stopped at one machine along the way, but it wouldn't take my dollar, and I had the same bad luck with a second machine. So I ended up stopping at a place along Santa Monica to buy my beverage.

Mission accomplished, I went on to the theater, but when I got there, it was chained up (The theater is not in the BEST of neighborhoods).

I was exactly on time, so I decided to call Mark to see if he had cancelled rehearsal and I'd maybe not gotten the message (I also thought I should check my voicemail).

That's when I realized my backpack was GONE.

My script was in there, along with my cellphone, and assorted other paraphenalia.

I freaked out. And after a very BRIEF hesitation, I hopped back on my bike and made a beeline to retrace my steps (I didn't want to be late for rehearsal--though at that point, everyone ELSE was--but I figured time was of the essence here. The longer I waited, the more likely it was someone was going to walk off with my backpack).

At the party store--No backpack.

At the second machine--No backpack.

At the first machine--No backpack.

(Are you sensing where this is GOING...?)

At that point, I was closer to home than I was to the theater, so I stopped at my apartment, knowing that I would feel like a major IDIOT if the backpack were there, but better that than having it be stolen.

It was there, right by my computer table. I'd never put it on.

(At that point, I thought about writing off rehearsal--"Sorry Mark, but something came up..."--but I felt too guilty, so I hopped BACK on my bike and raced BACK to the theater...where it turned out that half the cast hadn't shown up for one reason or another, so all the handful of us who were there ended up doing was just reading the script. Adding to my pain was the fact that I'd been tempted to blow off rehearsal in the FIRST place, because there were free passes at work to see a sneak preview of the new David Fincer/Jodie Foster movie, "The Panic Room". But I did the right thing, so "yay!" for me).

I've also come in late to work TWICE recently, thinking I was scheduled at a different time than I actually was. I'm not exactly sure what THAT'S about (More "help" from my friendly subconscious? "Jim, you really need to find another job, so let me help by getting you FIRED...").

(A quick note--Tomorrow, I work from 1-9:00, so if you log on around that time and you see that I'm online, could you remind me that I should be at WORK? Thanks in advance...)

Had a good "brush with greatness" at work recently...

On Monday, Luke Wilson ("Boys on the Side", "The Royal Tennenbaums"), and Mary Louise Parker (ALSO "Boys on the Side", along with "Fried Green Tomatoes" and a continuing role on "The West Wing")were both in the store, though not together, and not at the same time.

Luke Wilson looked much thinner than I would have imagined. He was looking at books in the film section. I thought about saying something to him, but realized I had nothing to say beyond, "Duh...I saw you in that movie...", so I decided to just leave him alone.

Mary Louise Parker came in with a woman and a guy who I found out later was her brother, and actually needed HELP, so I got to wait on her.

At first, I thought I should just keep my mouth shut, but I was pretty geeked (I really like her on "West Wing", not to mention that I think she's really CUTE), so as I was leading her to the poetry section, I said something like "I really like you on the show. You two (meaning her and "Josh") have great chemistry together". Then for some reason, I felt myself turning bright red, so I turned tail and ran back to my little information counter.

She was looking for a particular poem by a particular poet--always a pretty hard thing for me to find (All I have on Title Look Up is a keyword search, and that only works for words in the title)--and after doing everything I could think of to do, I had to admit defeat.

At that point, I had regained my natural coloring. When I told her I had not been able to find the book, I said, "And I really wanted to be your hero tonight too".

Much to my delight, she smiled and said, "You already are".

(If she's available for the Oscars in 2005--I've gotta give myself a couple years to hit big here--I think I'll ask her if she wants to go.)

 

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