Move Over & Move In

Good Morning Hollywood!

Wow where to begin? How can anyone’s life here in LA be boring when you’re pursuing your dreams? No matter how slowly you “feel” things are moving, by the end of the day, you still end up having the wildest most random stories to share. Let’s start from two weeks ago when I moved into my new BEAUTIFUL Spanish villa styled home. Complete with arched windows, doorways, and stone.  It’s the most stunningly lit up house during the day because of the INSANE amount of windows in every room. I also have been blessed to share it with a young married couple (one of whom happens to be my boss at the church and his wife is a successful model and actress) they’re also very talented photographers and have overextended themselves, with their unbelievable generosity, to get me pictures and material for my reel. I’m also fortunate to live with another actress/seamstress who has promised to tailor and remake anything I may need. I couldn’t have dreamt of a more perfect fit and family of friends to live with.

As far as work is concerned I have been diligently serving at my restaurant and begun connecting with the other actors/actresses that I work with in that environment. There is so much to learn from people who have already been around the industry block a couple times. One also is privileged to see a “celebrity” or two from time to time. Nicki Minaj for instance came into eat and took up our whole back room. We sang happy birthday to her friend she was with and I noted her especially dramatic blue and white hair and then went back to serving her very anxious driver on the patio. Here the paparazzi was quicker than lightning to snap photos of me entering and exiting the only entrance into the restaurant hoping I was Nicki. All my tables were less than interested in hearing my daily specials and were going NO where without seeing her depart. I discussed with her driver who his favorite people were to drive. “Harrison Ford” he replied, “who’s second?”  I asked, “Mel Gibson”, “So the older generation is preferred?” I questioned. “Oh yes, they’re very nice and not so needy” He responded.

It must be because I work in such a normal middle class job that when I serve someone who, in the eyes of the public are special and practically worshipped, I’ve come to realize how very normal and average they really are. Likely it’s because one sees them on the television that we feel they’re almost not even factual when really they’re eating in a normal restaurant, ordering normal food, with other normal people. I sometimes feel I should care more than I do that they’re famous or renound for their skill but generally I just feel like they’re like any other person just with a greater personal revelation of their importance as individuals. I wonder what it would be like if we all realized that revelation? And even when I see cast from Grey’s anatomy come in for a drink at the bar or Stacy London at a runway fashion show, in the end I’m more interested and excited about the 17 year old second youngest pilot in the world that I met from Scotland and his story. I wonder though if it’s humility that made me more fascinated by the 17 year old pilot’s story or if he just seemed humble because he didn’t have the same revelation of his importance and value. It can be a quicker road to understanding one’s value when you have a thousand fans following you and telling you openly but I think it’s a more lasting, deeper revelation when you discover it on your own.

I’ve enjoyed the audition process as overwhelming as it can be. You really have to relearn the meaning of hustle in this place. I literally went to an audtion forty-five minutes away knowing I would likely have to risk being an hour late for work. I then called in and asked someone to cover for me for an extra hour still hoping it wouldn’t be any longer with that…you can’t place any bets on LA traffic. I went into the audition and booked it on the spot (very unusual to book immediately) then I was the last one they were dressing and were struggling to put this outfit together, promising an even later arrival at my next job. However, they managed to let us go early and after celebrating as one must do when they achieve something here, otherwise you just take it too seriously, I was on my merry way and luckily earlier than I expected for work. You learn to be flexible and always available even when you’re not.