Trying to be good

So it has been a couple of days, so let me catch you up...

Thursday night I went to The Table, a gathering of writers, actors, producers, directors, etc., that get together and help each other out free of charge.  It is a wonderful idea and I've already had good success with getting advice and potential jobs.  There are over a thousand members (as they said repetitively at the meeting), but only about twenty five were physically at the meeting I went to.  I had to go at least once so I could get in the group as you have to be recommended by someone already in the group.  (Thanks Michael!)  Each person took a turn standing up and saying who they were and what they were all about and what they needed/were looking for.  I won't describe each character, but I will say they were all characters.  Many people felt the need to go on and on about their lives, using the group as a sort of psychotherapy session while others felt the need to chime in give their 2, 3, 4 or five cents.  I was a little bit put off by the general "theater" feel of the people and the meeting, but all in all I learned a lot and had ample time (The meeting, as described above, lasted 3 hours) to do some in depth character study.  After it was all over, I got hit up to do a reading, act in a short film and to help give my opinions about burlesque in its modern form.  All in all not bad for my 2 minute "I'm an actor and just moved from SF" speech.

Thursday was a bit of a runaround for me.  I spent the morning trying to post things on craigslist for Erin, who had asked me to help out her business for a nominal fee.  It turned out to be stressful and technically difficult, which did not leave me in a good state for my audition that afternoon.  In fact because I was waiting on a code from Erin I ended up leaving later than I wanted for the audition and not having the extra time to get lost, as I did, I was late for the audition.  Luckily the director was ok with it and the audition went well.  It is a piece by a USC student named David for his class.  The audition was interesting because there were no sides.  He simply had me improv.  I think I did quite well.  I hit the emotions with stride and came up with some interesting stuff.  I'm not sure when I find out if I'm cast.

After the audition I rushed home so that I would be here in time to meet up with Sharron, my new friend.  She is a friend of my friends that live in SF, but I had never met her.  We had communicated via text/im and email though, so I knew I would like her.  We hugged hello when she arrived and were quickly comfortable with each other.  There was a bit of flirting previously, so I think we were sizing each other up a little bit at first.  After hanging out in my apartment for a while we decided to go to a restaurant I suggested.  I've been doing the master cleanse with the addition of fruit and salad, so I picked a place I had never been too, but knew would have salad. 

I ordered the Cobb salad, probably my favorite salad, and she got spinach.  Our conversation was very natural and in depth.  We talked a lot about the brain and brain function.  Along with this we talked about Buddhism and inner searches, basically analyzing the core of happiness.  I myself have been looking into this a lot lately since I've had a lot to deal with with the move to LA.  It was a good conversation and I could see we will have a lot to talk about in the future.  At the end of the meal I was a little stressed, as always, since I'm broke and didn't know what to do about the bill.  I had mentioned something earlier, a half joke, about going Dutch.  So when the bill came I put down my card and excused myself to the bathroom.  When I got back Sharron was gone and there were two checks to be signed on the table.  I felt bad because I like to take care of people or at least take turns, but money is tight and I need to be responsible.

We headed back to my apartment to discuss what to do with our night.  My friend had sent me some info on a happy hour show, so I suggested that, but since we were talking so much, we ended up just opening up some wine and playing rock'em sock'em robots and "drinking" Jenga, a game my friends and I invented by writing drinking game instructions on the Jenga pieces. 

Today has been all about trying to be good.  I have my first paid gig tomorrow and I want to be fresh.  I know I could go out and still make it and do fine, but I didn't come to LA to party, I came to strive for success in the field that I love.  Thus, I will be missing a party at Josh's in SD, dancing with Rachel at the Avalon and the burnal equinox party at Area 33.  Grr.

I also officially got off the master cleanse today with a trip to the grocery store.  I did buy almost all good, healthy fruits and vegetables, so that is good.  I also ate a lot more today, but that is party of the diet.  I think any good diet should have a day where you over eat so that your body doesn't go into starvation mode.  Starting Monday I will be back on an even more modified version of the cleanse.

So that's it for now.  I have a night of looking for work, video games and movies ahead of me.  Not particularly looking forward to it given it is Saturday, but I just keep telling myself that it is Tuesday and that seems to be working.