“Up, down, all around, and a smile on my face the whole way.”

That’s been my answer when anyone’s asked me how I’m doing for the past several weeks.  It’s true, with the exception of a few moments when the smile has slipped, but overall it’s accurate.

This weekend nearly kicked my ass.  Friday night I went to a club in Old Town after work, then had judge’s training saturday morning, work saturday night, work sunday morning, a birthday party sunday afternoon, then yoga sunday night (which is the only reason I’m alive, imo).

Overall, the changes I’ve been going through have been testing my will/strength/resolve/resilience/etc. and I’d say that I’m dong really well, albeit I’m tired as a dog most times.

I’m staying with a friend in Hollywood, my car is having major issues which means I’m taking public transportation, got the new job which is mindless, easy, and pays well (my favorite), and I’m living the bachelor life for the first time in years.  Not like riding a bike, but then I haven’t been riding a bike for the past several years.  I’ve been riding a tricked out harley, so riding a bike, though drastically different, isn’t nearly as complicated.  It’s actually a refreshing break.

Know anyone that’s single?  Just kidding…  well, mostly kidding…

No, but really, know anyone that’s single?

Everything’s coming up Milhouse

Last Thursday I helped my girl Corey with her printer, which she hadn’t been able to get working in almost 2 years, and got it working (albeit only in black and white, as the color cartridge needed replacing with lack of use in two years).  This was payment for the printer’s use to print copies of my resumé, as I had a few interviews coming up in the next few days.  While there she asked if I had heard any word about the improv group I had auditioned for.  I had forgotten that I should have heard by then whether I’d made it.  So, I chuckled about that fact, and came to terms with the fact that I didn’t get it.  C’est la vie.  The audition had gone well, but I didn’t have a resumé, and when the group was asked about their prior experience, I felt myself coming short in comparison to the other peoples’ experience.  Classes at Groundlings, years of experience with other companies…  but I’d done so much better than them…  I guess experience counts for something…
Friday started with my interviews at a temp agency in Pasadena, where I arrived with resumés in hand, ready to take their proficiency exams in Excel, Word, and anything else they might throw my way.  After breezing through their exams and scoring far beyond their normal averages, they had me meet with another division of their temp agencies that handles accounting firms, as my scores in Excel were quite exceptional.  I left quite confident that I would be getting a job, or at the very least an an interview with one of their clients, shortly.  Cloud nine.

I picked up my paycheck, cashed it, and went to Target to buy some red briefs for Hedwig, as I was positive it would be the one costume item that wouldn’t be provided.  I have gone with briefs, boxer briefs, or commando for the past ten years or more.  I had’t worn briefs in more than ten years.  In order to get the one pair of red briefs I needed, I had to buy the 5 pack that contained the one pair of red priefs I needed.

Laughing at the irony of it all, I went home, made myself quite the lunch (a steak, slowly cooked on a bed of onions and potatoes, washed down with a few beers), and started to watch Willow.  While yelling aloud “There is still good in you” to George Lucas, who, despite my earnest praying has fallen to The Dark Side, I received a multitude of calls.  A girl that I’d been interested in called me to see if I wanted to go to the bar.  This was unexpected, to say the least, as my interest in her wasn’t known to anyone but me.  After telling her about my plans with Hedwig, and that I would love to take a raincheck, she said she might come out to the show.  It turns out she didn’t, but all the same, I am more than happy to have said rain check in the bank.  Then an old friend from eHarmony called asking if I’d be interested in a poker game at his place coming Friday.  I had a blast the last time, and this coming game sounds like it will be a much bigger and entertaining affair than the last.  Good times, good peeps, I’m there.  Then I got the call from the imrpov group.  As it turned out, he hadn’t gotten to calling me until the day after he had promised, but I didn’t care.  I’m in.  I made it.  A reputable improv group that will mean experience, exposure, and above all, making people laugh.  I can’t tell you what that meant/means to me.  The first rehearsal is tonight, and I’m stoked beyond compare.

Then today I had another interview in the Wilshire District.  Not altogether than optimistic about the job, I went to the interview anyhow, and by the end I was offered the job on the spot.  I accepted, ecstatic, and proceeded to dance in the elevator once the doors had closed, all the way to my car.

So, to recap:

1) I got a job

2) I’m being pursued by attractive girls

3) I’m making progress in my acting career beyond community college.

[See post title]

Elton, you know your shit

I want love, but it’s impossible
A man like me, so irresponsible
A man like me is dead in places
Other men feel liberated

I can’t love, shot full of holes
Don’t feel nothing, I just feel cold
Don’t feel nothing, just old scars
Toughening up around my heart

But I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won’t break me down
Won’t brick me up, won’t fence me in
I want a love that don’t mean a thing
That’s the love I want, I want love

I want love on my own terms
After everything I’ve ever learned
Me, I carry too much baggage
Oh man I’ve seen so much traffic

But I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won’t break me down
Won’t brick me up, won’t fence me in
I want a love that don’t mean a thing
That’s the love I want, I want love

So bring it on, I’ve been bruised
Don’t give me love that’s clean and smooth
I’m ready for the rougher stuff
No sweet romance, I’ve had enough

A man like me is dead in places
Other men feel liberated
But I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won’t break me down
Won’t brick me up, won’t fence me in
I want a love that don’t mean a thing
That’s the love I want, I want love

I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won’t break me down
Won’t brick me up, won’t fence me in
I want a love that don’t mean a thing
That’s the love I want, I want love

Loop on the fly

I’m auditioning Wednesday to join an improv group in Sherman Oaks.  I’m not certain what the details are concerning the group, but I’m just excited that I get to audition.  Doing improv/comedy has always been a passion of mine, so this should be good fun.

I told them I have big balls.  That probably caught their attention.

The thing about…

being smart is that you usually see how things are going to turn out, and you’re right.

being raised in a Catholic home that has a fair amount of denial going on is that you try not to accept those things until they are in your face.

being The Loop is that you realize when these streams have been crossed, so you expect the worst, hope for the best, and collect all of your better thinking for when the storm comes.  And make no mistake, the storm is coming, and I have my umbrella.

Whoville was derelict

This Christmas was the least Christmas-like its ever been.  Sure, I’m seperated and all, but I didn’t see anyone from my family, at all, and didn’t really get anything.  And the thing of it is, I’m not all that upset about it.  I worked on Christmas day, and spread cheer to strangers (accompanied by mochas and lattes).  I haven’t had any money lately, but I was able to come up with something to give everyone that didn’t cost a lot of money.  As I haven’t delivered the last of them, I’ll hold off on what they are.  BRILLIANCE, I tell you.

I miss my wife.

Here’s hoping it’s not just 15 seconds…

I had a blast on 1 vs. 100, but I can’t say how it went, especially here on a blog, but I can say that the experience was a fun one, and that I will very likely be featured in the episode, as my taunts and gestures not only caught the attention of the contestant, but frightened her. The episode will air on January 14th.

After filming that day, I rushed to take my final exam for the comedy class I was in, which entailed performing 5 minutes of standup at the Ice House at their Annex (a smaller and more intimate stage). I was supposed to be there around 8pm, and was held up in Culver City until 9pm. I called the instructor as soon as I was out, and he was gracious enough to have the MC (also one of the instructors) stall between acts so as to give me more time. I drove like a bat out of hell, taking the 10, 5, 2, 134, and 210 all the way to Pasadena. The whole trip took 23 minutes.

My performance went extremely well, though watching the dvd of the performance left me with some personal criticisms. It was my first go, and it will not be my last. I have truly found something that I love almost as much as theater, and I’ll be commiting myself to creating more material and performing again and again.

There will likely be some sort of gathering where my standup and the episode(s) of 1 vs. 100 will be seen, but more on that will be decided upon in the coming weeks. In the mean time, I will be working hard to become rich and famous.

CONSTANT VIGILANCE!

1 vs. 99+Loop

A few weeks ago I went to an open call to audition to be on 1 vs. 100 which was to figure out whether or not I would be an ideal candidate to be the 1, or one of the 100 (the “mob”).  I was one of 120 or so people, and had found out that several of these open calls were happening on that day, and on several other days.  We all answered a quiz, which included tons of random trivia, then went through a basic interview process where 6 people went up to a table and told the casting agent why they should be on the show.  After we all gave our pitches, 3 of the other people were told that they could go.  After that, I was the next to be sent on my way.  Thinking that I didn’t stand much of a chance, I went home just glad that I gave it my all.

Today I got a call from the show, and they have asked me to be in the mob.  While this isn’t necessarily going to put me in the lime light, per se, it does carry with it a greater chance that I can win some cash.  The times I’ve seen the show in the past the 1 has always been a little dumb, which is to say, not nearly as knowledgeable as I.

I’m not even guaranteed to be in the mob, though I was told that the earlier I get there, the better my chances.  I plan to be 2 hours early.

CONSTANT VIGILANCE!