Laugh, and you will smile!

Recently at work I have been overly stressed  to the point that I upped my job search to try and find anything to get me out of there.  I felt my attitude slipping to negativity quite quickly most days and it was really just eating away at my spirit.  I say recently, but really it was a few weeks ago that this was still going on and I decided that enough was enough.  I was done being negative all the time and letting things get to me and people drag me down - so I started laughing again.

I've always found that laughing things off really just helps you smile when you need it the most.  I'm the kind of person who will laugh when someone falls (as well as point but that's just a reaction I can't control...like some force suddenly has taken over my body and before you know it, I'm pointing at a fallen person).  And if I fall, you better be laughing at me, not with me, no, AT me b/c otherwise I'll look like a loon laughing as I sit on the floor.

So with my newly re-found laughter technique at work, it hasn't been so bad lately.  We have the typical "negative Nelly" at work who complains non stop and I'm happy to report that wasn't me, and I will never let that be me.  And I truly believe that by me "letting it go" and just living each day to it's fullest and by doing my job, some good things have started coming my way.

Last weekend I had my first official non official business meeting regarding a film project I'm collaborating on with a friend.  We are taking a story I wrote in 2008 and turning it into a web series, and I'm selfish enough to cast myself in the lead role.  Hey why not?!  The character is kinda my baby and since she's always in my head anyway creatively speaking and I know her story, it's like we are already connected.  I did not, however, create her based on me.  I've read that before in books where the author clearly meant for one's self to be the character.  But of course now she will be molded to be me, so to speak, and I will have to do some molding of myself (i.e. get my ass into shape!) to portray her.

Some other good news, on the day job front (since this started out about that, anyway) is that I recently applied to an internal position that is more my speed in an office environment.  I interviewed on Monday and found out today that I got it, pay rise and all!  I start in two weeks and was absolutely giddy most of today and couldn't stop smiling!  Yes, my current job was quite stressful and really crazy here for a while now, but I powered through and sucked it up and now there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Good things do in fact come to those who wait!

Inspiration

You want to learn to act?  Then act, and like anything else you care about in life, do it religiously and with intense dedication. - Barry Pineo, Acting That Matters

 Went to the library today and found myself for once not searching the endless stacks of fiction books, trying to find yet another book to read about the adventures of King Henry VIII, or The Borgias.  No, instead I found myself in the non-fiction section and began searching the shelves for books on acting.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't expect to figure out the secret(s) on the craft of acting from reading books to tell me, well, how to act.  But a little read here and there to help me stay focused and even push me with some inspiration isn't such a bad thing.

I came across a book called Acting That Matters by Barry Pineo.  Though I've never heard of the author or the book, I decided to at least read the introduction and really liked what I read.  I pulled the above quote from that section in fact.

And then there was this:

Still can't find a process?  Then cast yourself.  Write your own, produce your own, or write and produce and direct your own.  Finding opportunities to act is easy, as long as you're not concerned with quality or cash, and if you want to learn how to act, then the quality of the production or the monetary compensation should be one of the last of your concerns.

This spoke volumes to me, and if you read my previous post in which I basically came out as an aspiring actress, this is basically what I meant summed up in a paragraph!  I can't wait to dig into the rest of this book and see what else is has to offer because so far, I'm quite impressed and definitely inspired.

Chasing that dream

Life events lately have awakened something within me.  I have decided to finally suck up my low self confidence and stop dreaming about what I've always wanted to do, and go after it.

The dream - acting.

Now don't laugh.  I'm not prepared to run off to L.A. and end up working as a waitress while I wait for my big break to come.  That is not me, well maybe the up and moving across the country bit could be me b/c I have been known to, at least, hop across Missouri a few times when my mood struck.

I don't expect to ever get famous or make much money acting.  I don't have that look that would make someone pick me over someone else.  There goes my self confidence slipping...  But I want to give it a go.  I'd love to find some local work acting in shorts, or a web series and just be content with the quality of work I'm putting out there.

I even have a friend, well sort of a friend, more of an acquaintance but that's such a lame term for someone you've known for a while really.  Friend is so much more, friendly.  But anyway, this friend is a local film maker and we have collaborated on an idea for a web series based off a NaNoWriMo subscription I wrote a few years ago.  We are in the process of turning the story into something more and have even come up with an overall theme for not only 1 season, but for a 2nd.

I'm also planning on spending some time on the set of some films he's going to be shooting around the area in the upcoming months so I can get a true feel of what being an actor fully consists of.  I am quite green in all this but I'm ready to jump in with both feet and start at the apprentice level and work my way up.  Everyone has to start somewhere right?!

I guess you could say I'm a writer and aspiring actress b/c I've been writing for years but never shared it with anyone.  Anyone can be whatever they want, it's turning it into something more that takes courage.  I even have a second project that I've started writing on that I would like to see become a short, as well.

So there it is, my big secret out there for the world to know.  Some people know I've had this dream, and haven't cared.  Some people may think I'm crazy, and say I'll never achieve anything.  But like I said before, I am not setting out on this path to reach a certain goal; I'm not expecting to become known or famous or rich.  I have no plans to quit my boring ass day job and starve like an artist.  Think of it more as a hobby that I will do to appease the muse that has inspired me and pushed me to the point of realizing it's time to "act" on this dream.

I will put my heart into the stories I write.  I will hone my craft and dedicate myself to learning the craft and giving it my all.  So at the end of the day, whichever day, I can know I was true to myself and did my best.