Warm Days, Early Nights

It is sunny and warm again here today.  Beautiful, in fact.  It was nice to play softball in shorts and a t-shirt this morning -- and still work up a good sweat!  I trust that I'll be welcomed back to Wisconsin by the open arms of Old Man Winter next week, so I have to take in this heat while I can...

The funny thing about it being in the 70's here this time of year is that it still IS December.  That means short days and early sunsets.  For 30 years or so, 70 degree weather meant to me that it would be light outside until 8 or 9 at night.  So, it takes some getting used to to have it so warm (and summer-like!) during the day, and yet it starts getting dark around 4:30 in the afternoon.

Anyway, I do look forward to seeing some snow and breathing in the crisp Midwest air at home, but at least weather-wise, I may be glad to get back here -- back to running in shorts and t-shirt weather :)

Time to Read

One of the best things about extra work -- besides getting paid and usually eating well -- is that there is often ample time to read.  So, in addition to catching up on my pile of unread magazines last week, I also got to read a couple books.  The best of which was Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, which I had somehow managed to avoid reading through umteen years of school.  In a discussion with my friend Greg (for a blog of all things reading, visit Greg's HERE) regarding a different book last week, I mentioned that for me the measure of a good read is the residue I'm left with afterward.  And Slaughterhouse-Five is still hanging with me...

Vonnegut's satirically bleak tale of war and despair, time-travel and free will is engaging, funny, and sad -- often all at once.  And man can that guy turn a phrase!  Here are a few of my favorite little nuggets:

Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.

On the ninth day, the hobo died.  So it goes.  His last words were, "You think this is bad? This ain't bad."

"I am seeing all time as you might see a stretch of the Rocky Mountains.  All time is all time.  It does not change.  It does not lend itself to warnings or explanations.  It simply is.  Take it moment by moment, and you will find that we are all, as I've said before, bugs in amber."

Billy hated the canyon.  He was sure he was going to fall in.  His mother touched him, and he wet his pants.

Ah, good stuff!  Anyway, it's nice to pass the time on set waiting for "Action!" to be called by pulling out a little paperback and disappearing into that world for a bit...

The Newest Member of the Disney Family

Congratulations to Gina who, after a lengthy and arduous application/interview process (including her facing of a 'firing squad' where she alone took on the questions of 10 executives), was just accepted into the Disney/ABC Television Writing Fellowship Program!  That's a long way of saying that she is now one of 8 folks (out of over 1600 applicants) who will be paid by Disney for the next year to do what they love to do -- write!

Way to represent for Midwesterners, girl!

(Here is a picture of Gina with the TV spec script that she used to get into the program - fierce!)

What $15 Million Gets These Days...

I spent the last three days/nights doing extra work on a party scene for an upcoming movie.  The location was this incredible mansion in Bel Air, which is apparently on the market for somewhere around $15 million.  Though with the current state of the housing market in California, I bet they'd take less -- make an offer!

The shoot was pretty easy, and I felt very English in my tight, dark plaid suit...

Auto Auditions

Last week I had a couple of car commercial auditions.  (Incidentally, one of my friends who gets a lot of commercials is currently in one of those ubiquitous Lexus holiday ads...)

Thursday was for a Dodge spot at Laray Mayfield Casting and Friday was for Chrysler at Lisa Fields Casting.  Since both callbacks were today, I'm guessing I didn't "advance in the competition."  I've really got to start getting some more callbacks -- it's been awhile!  Both of the auditions were for fun spots, but neither had dialogue, so it was even more about a specific look for these ones -- whatever that look may be.

Anyway, I'm grateful for the auditions.  Onward and upward...

Closing Time

Last night was closing night for "Another Play of the Dead," the show I was in at Psychic Visions Theatre.  The run was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed meeting so many new folks.  Thanks ladies of Psychic Visions for letting me play with you for the last six weeks!

Here is the entire cast of the show:






Here I am with Tracy and Suzie, the two ladies I shared the stage with in the piece "Meeting Cute:"

Trekking About

Now that Star Trek is out on DVD, I pulled a couple stills.  Looking for me during the assembly scene is kind of a 'Where's Waldo' exercise.  I am sitting right next to Uhura and two seats down from where Spock sits before he's called to come down to the front. (hint: when Spock is talking, look over his right shoulder to see my pensive/confused visage ;)

During the Kobayashi Maru simulation, I get to briefly be the center of a shot, looking bewildered in my pajama-esque flight suit.  Look for me when the power goes bonkers, and the lights dim for an instant and come back up...