Cooking is just one letter short of Cool...ing!

I would just like to note that I enjoy cooking. And while I may not always have the time, or proper ingredients there's something supremely relaxing about cooking. Forget all the times you may have almost caused involuntary arson, or the times you've had to fan the smoke detector with your "Kiss me, I'm the chef" apron, or the times the heat of the oven far surpassed the threshold of your pig shaped oven-mitt. Cooking is fun!

And while I may not be the best chef, I know that if I were ever to settle down with a decent supply of money, I would definitely invest in a nutty (no pun intended) array of spices and herbs. In fact I've always wanted to start my own personal cookbook/menu of dishes that I can cook blindfolded. Unfortunately, at this current junction in time, it would hardly be a be worth the cost of printing it, haha.

So for now, I'll just continue "chemistrating" (that's my term for Chemistry+Orchestrate) in the kitchen when time allows--one should never underestimate the satisfactory result of salt, pepper, and a non-stick pan.

Oh, my ramen is done. I jest. ^_~

60% versus 100%

Quick entry:

So after an interesting (actually not so much) CALL BACK to Noises Off, I walked back to SJ Rep deep in thought and analytical assessment. There have been a handful of times when I've walked away from an audition where I feel absolutely serene. That's not to say that I landed the role or anything, but the feeling was, for lack of a better word, flavorful.

Today was not the case. It's been 3hrs and 30 mins since I was allowed to leave the CALL BACK and I'm still stewing over how un-explosive/energetic my performance felt. Which brings me to my subject-title. 60% versus 100%. While I practice the habit of "Go to audition, then drop the feeling when it's done", there are singular cases when it's easier said than done. Many times I feel absolutely prepared to read but as soon as I bust out of the gates and utter my first line, BOOM -- my performance energy seems to be at 60% (just a guess in numbers). I want to be at 100%! I want to be at 100%!!

Now...I can keep saying that until the cows come home and there are situations when that has been the case, zoom...0 to 100 in a matter of seconds. Yes, I love it. But due to the limited exposure to auditions here in San Jose, the experience-training isn't very consistent. Which brings me to my final conclusion on the matter. Training. The act of training is slowly moving into a mindset rather than something "to-do". Which is a plus.

Well, that's it. I'm writing on the topic more of a way to vent than anything else. I would like to comment that my scene partner for today's CALL BACK was fun, energetic and a pleasure to read with (even though the particular cut of dialogue was utterly short. We'll name her, Kim. Lol.

Finally, I know I'll be stewing on this for a few days but don't worry about me, it's mostly because I really have nothing to do for the next few days but work and read. Haha--the next audition is right around the corner on July 12th with Renegade Theatre Experiement.

100%....100%....100%....

The Grass is Greener...

...when you're busy watering them.

Right?

Acting is easy. Acting believable is a challenge. I realize I spend a lot of energy every day just scrutinizing how I approach different aspects of acting. Sometimes I think I think too much, which can be a hazard to believable acting. But I'll spare you the boring "la la" of my deep internal struggle to find the next level of creativity.

The grass is greener when you're busy watering them. To say it's greener on the other side is a cliché and rightly so. But, if you think about it, your grass CAN be green too! It just takes work and effort, right? Right! Anyway, although my financial situation as an actor isn't impressive (in the positive way), I'll have to say, being busy with work, auditions, gigs and learning makes for a wonderful way to live life. At least that's the case in my life.

I am currently working on a commercial for a product called Sling Box. It's an interesting device that transmits what you're watching on television to a mobile device. That's the bare bones of it but I know it's a little more complicated than that. At any rate, the production team consists of talented individuals from San Jose State University's RTVF (Radio Television Film) department. It's been a wonderful experience so far. Here are some photos. I'm in the first one, on the bleachers with the fancy hat.






I'll keep you posted as to when or if this ever goes on television or on the internet. Oh and in case you were wondering, it wasn't a paid gig. But it was totally worth being a part of.

This weekend is audition weekend. I wrapped up an interview and an audition today. The interview was with a crew of talented local film makers. I won't go too much into detail about it, but they're a great bunch of folks! Here's a short film of theirs they wrapped up for a 48hr film festival. You're welcome to navigate to their YouTube account page as they have a variety of humorous shorts.



And finally, City Light's Theater Company held their general auditions today and I attended it and with me, a new monologue that I'm happy to have found. It's from a play called Gagarin Way by Gregory Burke, and the character whose monologue is from basically is one of two employees that kidnap and accidentally kill their boss. It's a fun little bit that has such a wonderful range of emotions and possibilities in terms of acting choices.

It was great, I ran into an old cast mate from Pandemonium and Susannah, who was the director for Pandemonium! Overall, it was a fun experience. I actually left the audition without feeling like I could've done better, or nitpicking at how I presented the monologue. That feeling alone is priceless.

Good weekend, and it's not over yet! I have one more tomorrow with Tabard Theatre Company. That's it for now. It sucks not to have (a lot) money, but I feel I would be more miserable if I had no idea what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. But hey, that's just me.