Feeling gOLDen today

Wednesday

On Monday, I thought that I had so many things to do today. I thought I was booked for a gig, I turned down another gig, and a print job that I went out for would have shot today. Oh, and it happens to be Daryl's birthday. Come Tuesday night, I had no gigs; I didn't get the print job, I wasn't needed on the one that I had booked, and it was too late to pick up the one that I had turned down. I was bummed for a second, but then I realized how awesome it was to be able to celebrate Daryl's birthday with some of our friends. I woke up early to go to an open call for a theatre festival, got some grooming appointments in and picked up some things for our trip. I booked promo on one of the morning shows about a half an hour ago, so I have to be up in about 4 hours. Ahhh....flying by the seat of your pants is fun. Right?

Our friends took Larry with them tonight because he'll be staying with them while we are away. It is way too quiet in this apartment!

Here is a picture of the birthday boy:
It took two subway stops for some random artist guy to sketch this picture of Daryl on the train today. (Those are earphones hanging down). You can click here to learn more about the guy that drew him. 

The Start of Summer

Look who came to visit us last weekend! It was such  a pleasant surprise. The weather was perfect for a picnic in Central Park. Larry was having fun too; don't let stink-eye stare fool you.

I'm telling you, he was having a good time.

Daryl plays on a softball league for broadway and off-broadway shows. He doesn't get to play very much because he's apparently not that great. He looks great in his jersey, though. 

I LOVE greenmarkets. The one in Union Square is one of my favorites. It's a great place to get local produce, but I wish it was more affordable. 

!!!!!

I'm not sure when this is going to open, but it's coming to a neighborhood near me. Right now we trek to Brooklyn so that we don't have to endure the crowded craziness that is the Union Square location. This is going to change my life. 

Furminator

Larry has been shedding like a hairy kitty. Today we bought him a Furminator at the recommendation of our pet store clerk. It is amazing! It works on dogs and cats. 
It's a little pricey, but totally worth it if you are tired of being covered in pet hair. 

Vacation

Do you "live to work" or "work to live"?
Hmmm. I guess it depends on what job I have on a given day, because sometimes I absolutely love what I do. Generally, I subscribe to the latter.

For me, vacations are absolutely essential. This has been especially true since I moved to NYC.  It's congested here and there's a lot of concrete. Life moves a little faster, and we happen to live an unpredictable and somewhat stressful lifestyle. It would be unhealthy not to get away every now and then. Daryl has always said that the best part about living here is leaving; and then coming back (or something like that). I'd have to agree.

A vacation does not have to be lavish or long-lasting. It is defined as a period of time devoted to rest, relaxation and pleasure, which are things I strive for every day but often fail to accomplish.

In the next few weeks, we have a few things to celebrate: our birthdays (2 days apart) and our 1st wedding anniversary. We have a very narrow time frame to work with because of the way our schedules are lining up this summer. The most cost effective idea is to take a cruise from a port here in the city, but we couldn't swing a single one of them. The next closest port is Boston, so as long as we can get some paperwork in order, it looks like we'll be headed to the beach.

It wasn't easy booking this trip because a part of me feels guilty about spending the money, missing potential auditions, passing up work opportunites, etc. Luckily, Daryl is good about encouraging me to get over it.

And you know, he's right. We work hard so that we can enjoy life. There will be more jobs and we will make more money. Bermuda, here we come!!!

Alright, who needs a vacation? Do it! If you can't get away, go get a massage. Go on a picnic. Friends and family...NYC is not a stressful place to visit! I love playing tour-guide (and I'm better than I used to be) Otherwise, I highly recommend cruising. Those of you with more predictable schedules or some flexibility can nab some amazing deals!

Rejected.

Last week, Daryl and I went to see our friend perform in a play.  He received a fruit basket as a good show gift from an admirer, which he passed on to us. It was a lovely assortment of fruits (plus an artichoke). On the way home from the show, we encountered a man on the train asking for change. This is typical. However, we do not typically have a large basket of fruit to share. When he shook his cup at us, Daryl offered him an apple and was promptly rejected. "Nope," he sighed, "just want change."

And that is (one of the many reasons) why I never put money into those cups.

Helping those who are less fortunate and down of their luck is a good thing, but I don't think that giving people money on the streets is helpful at all. Volunteering is helpful. Donating resources to charitable organizations is helpful. I believe that throwing money into those cups is....harmful and enabling.

Every day, I encounter at least a dozen, if not dozens of individuals asking for money. When I was a little girl, it would have broken my heart. Once in awhile, I'll see someone who is severely disabled or very elderly, and I feel sad for them. But most of the time, I feel frustrated. Especially when I try to give someone something to eat and they scoff at me.

Okay, that is all. Random, huh?

Oh....and I'm not talking about busking at all. That is totally different than begging. There's some talent on the streets!

p.s. Larry LOVES homeless people. He likes to sniff them and tries to check out their cups.  Uncool.

Hi

Hello out there. It's May. I've been away from the blogosphere for awhile. I'm sorry. I'm back now.

Since I made that disastrous omelet, we had a lovely Easter with friends, went to my cousin's wedding in Des Moines, worked a lot... paid our taxes...worked some more.

I'm taking a directing workshop as one of the actors that the directors work with. Taking class always reminds me how much I actually love acting, which is inspiring and discouraging at the same time.
Lately I've been working a lot of background jobs. The paychecks have been really awesome, I generally have good experiences with it, and you get lots of free food. (The other day, I had lobster and filet mignon for lunch...seriously). It beats every other crappy day job I've had in NY...and there have been plenty. However, background work is a dead end job in the land of film and TV. I mean, Larry could do it. They need dogs sometimes.

I don't want to sound ungrateful, because I am appreciative of the work. I would just like to....you know....speak. Because I can. I guess you can think of it as working as ball boy when you want to be the pitcher. You're on the field, but far away from being a player.

In the meantime, I submit for as many auditions as I can. Last week I had a print casting and a short film audition. I got called back for the film but I couldn't make it because I was stuck on a set, and the next day I had to turn down a print casting that one of my agents got for me for the same reason. All of this scheduling stuff can be really nerve-wracking.

Here are some pictures from April. I will not be so neglectful in May. I promise.

Easter Dessert Bar

Easter Family Shot. Larry was not into it.

My cousin on his wedding day!