Back in LA

I wanted to do a posting right when I got back, but both my jobs had me scheduled to work every single day for 6 days in a row! That means I've been doing 16 hours days ever since I got back to California on June 14th. I'm defintely exhausted, but I am in a good mood right now for a few reasons. One is that I got my car back a few days ago. I must say, it looks almost brand new. It was so clean and shiny. I mean, cleaner and shinier than I have ever had it. It looks really good which is great because I can take some pictures of it before it gets dusty. I'm going to try and sell my car and get a smaller car with much better gas mileage. The Explorer was great in getting me out to LA, but I really don't need it anymore. In addition to that, I had to get my car smogged so I can finally register it in California. I've been bummed the last few days because one of my co-workers told me how his friend got a smog check on his car and it failed, and he had to pay like $500 to get it repaired up to California's emission standards. So, I went on the website for the smog test sites and it talked about all these tests they do and how California's standards are higher than the federal standards. I just KNEW that my car was going to fail the test. My car is from Ohio and we don't have smog tests there, and I haven't had any maintenance done on my car since I bought in 2005. So, I go to the smog test center all depressed, but somehow it PASSED!! Every test! It out me in the best mood. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that perhaps this was a result of my car accident. The accident cost me know money out of my pocket, but there was some internal damage in my engine. Maybe whatever they fixed in there cleaned up my engine a bit and caused my car to pass the smog check? I guess we'll never know, but I'll pretend that's why it happened. If so, then it was worth it in my opinion. $500 is one month's rent!!!

In other news, Transformers comes out July 4th. Don't bother trying to look for me though. All of the scenes I was in were pretty wide shots. I'm only mentioning it here because I am going to see the movie with my favorite crazy of all time. The one and only Pam!! If you need a refresher on who she is and why she cracks me up, click here. She was in the movie with me and I CAN NOT wait to see it with her. I'm going to be laughing so hard. Here is an exerpt from an e-mail she sent me last night:

If you are getting this note that's because I have a ticket for theTransformers movie with your name on it! I can't believe this day is almost here!!!!!! We are in my Arclight member preferred seating row O, seats 20-24. Right now, this is the attendee list: Me, Kris, Joe, Nicole, Cole, with Douglas on reserve.

[Three long paragraphs left out by me]

Pam,

Beloved of Optimus

Yes, that is how she signed her E-mail. It was not made up by me. This is going to be so hard. The Arclight theater is this movie theater here where they have movie premiere's all the time. There are absolutely no lights in the theater. It is completely black when the movie starts. Also, there is no noise or cell phones. If the light from your cell phone screen is seen, even if you're just text messaging, they will kick your ass out. They don't play at the Arclight. You will get kicked out for talking to. Yall know I can't control my laughter. I hope Pam only makes me laugh at funny parts in the movie, but I know that's just not going to happen. Also, I'm going to take my camera this time so you all can see what this woman looks like!

Here's the positive quote before I go to work (of course):

"Through persistence, you can be one of those happy, victorious people who not only chases dreams, but who catches them! The persistent person also persevers long enough for their dreams to catch up with them!"

Catherine Ponder, The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity

Home Sweet Home

I am posting this entry from home in Columbus. I am so excited to be home and I have really felt the love from all my family and friends. It feels good to be back. I've been all over town non-stop since my plane landed. I'm a little tired, but it is definitely worth it. I'm actually not wanting to go back to Los Angeles in a few days. It's not that I don't want to go back to L.A., it's more that I don't want to go back to my jobs because I hate them so much and it's really getting to me! I work SOOOO much, and for what? I'm able to pay my bills and everything, but I have no extra money (yet), to do anything else. And I'm going to start (trying) to pay back one of my student loans starting next month! I swear, if it isn't one thing, it's another. I'm going to be praying so hard, and when I get back to L.A., I'm going to be working so hard to really book some commercials, and work on getting a theatrical agent and getting auditions for some television shows and movies. I refuse to be broke for much longer. I'm going to be rich and be able to do and go anywhere I want, and I plan to work for every bit of it. Not looking for any free passes here.

Anyways, I digressed a little bit. I just wanted to leave a brief message that I was at home and having fun. And Lin, if you're reading this, what great weather we are having in Ohio! It is supposed to be sunny and mid 80's every day that I am here....just like in Southern California. Although, I kind of was hoping for a thunderstorm or two. I have not physically heard thunder or seen lightening in over a year! I kind of miss it.

Well, I'm going to continue enjoying my last couple of days here and "pretend" that I love my jobs back in LA, because that is the only way I'm going to have the energy to get up in the morning and go. All I know is that I've actually made a lot of progress here in my first year and I really hope things just keep moving forward!

Wish me luck!

Today Is My Birthday!

I made it through another year and I'm certainly thankful for that. I've accomplished a fair amount of things over the last year, and I just want to keep moving forward, not looking back. Today I am a quarter of a century old. I know there are some crazies reading this right now, so in other words, I'm 25, lol. I guess this is considered a milestone age, but I'm not sure. All I know is that my car insurance should be going down now! I thought I was going to make it to 25 without having been in a car accident, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. Hey, at least it wasn't my fault, right?

I'm woking later today, and I'm working every day up until I fly back to Ohio for my long awaited vacation. I'm going to celebrate my birthday in Columbus because, right now, I'm just busy with work and I'm exhausted. I'm hoping that when I'm in Ohio, I can get relaxed, re-energized, de-stressed and be able to come back to LA and really pursue the acting with fire in my eye! I can't explain how much it excites me to think of all the opportunities and possibilities that will come along with me being able to make a living doing this, most notably the travel opportunities. It's what I really want to do. I know I'm right where I'm supposed to be right now. I just need to be patient a little longer because some great things are about to happen. I can feel it!

Along with this birthday post, I'm posting my new headshots. Yes, I got headshots re-done again for the last time for a while. I put them on some other websites and they've gotten a good response from my friends, so hopefully they will get a good repsonse from casting directors as well. Wish me luck! I was never really too thrilled with my last set of pictures, and neither was my agent. I'm glad she suggested I re-shoot. I actually feel good about these pictures, at the gut level, so I know I got it right this time. We'll see.

Going to be bed now, but not without the positive quote first:

"Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it."

- Jack Canfield: Author, Chicken Soup for the Soul.

I wholeheartedly believe this now. I've heard it from too many separate sources. I asked to be in Hollywood, even when I thought there was no way possible for me to do it. And a way was made for me. You have to be pro-active!

I'm Going Home!!

This is attempt #2 at going home and I'm going to make sure it happens, no matter what this time. I think it was meant to be. I'm flying on the new airline, Skybus. Skybus made Columbus, Ohio (where I'm from) their home base, and as of right now, all of their flights only fly to or from Columbus. In addition to that, they do not fly into LAX (or any other major airport, but into the Burbank airport (and other smaller airports). My new apartment is 5 miles from the Burbank Airport and almost 30 miles from LAX. It's like it was created just for me!

I'm uber excited. I really love Los Angeles, but I NEED to get away from the hustle and bustle of this city, just for a few days. With everything that's gone on in the last month, it's just been stress, stress and more stress. Plus, I haven't seen any family or friends from Ohio since I moved here. It will be a whole year as of June 29th. That's too long!! No one should go that loing without seeing their mother!! Can't wait to see my mom and everyone else and eat, eat, eat good food the whole time I'm there!

Skybus is a brand new airline and all their planes are brand new as well. The use full size Airbus A319 jets and all of their flights are non-stop!! I really like that part. No connecting flights, no long layovers in airports. It's great. Also, there is no business or first class on this airline. The entire cabin is full of leather seats and the aisles are wider than on most other airplanes. The inside of the plane looks like the picture on the right, I think. One of my co-workers has a friend that flew on the very first Skybus flight on May 23rd, and she said she really liked it. I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes!

Transition 2: Complete

I'm FINALLY moved into my new apartment! I couldn't wait for this day to get here because I absolutely hate everything about moving. It's so stressful. I will still be somewhat stressed out until I get all my stuff put away because I hate clutter. I hate when my room is a mess and I get stressed until it is clean. Anyways, my roommates are really cool and I live in a good area as well. It certainly isn't West Hollywood where I could walk anywhere, but it's a good safe area. I am, however, going to miss living on the Sunset Strip. It really spoiled me being so close to everything, but oh well. I will NOT miss the stupid alien transportation and parking people though. I had gone so long without getting a parking ticket, and then I got one on my very last night in West Hollywood, as if the city just had to get me one last time. At least the ticket got put on my rental car and not my real car. My car is in my mom's name and she gets mad when I get parking tickets, haha.

As far as my jobs, they are boring and I hate them. They are just for money. One day very soon I will be able to quit these jobs and support myself acting. I can feel it. I just got some new pictures done (my last set for a while) and my agent really liked them. I'll post them in the next few days. So, once they get retouched and printed and I get settled in my apartment, I think I can really get into high gear as far as the acting is concerned. With everything that's been going on, it's been sort of slow because I've had to skip auditions and stuff like that.

That's it. I am 100% determined to keep a positive mind frame no matter what. Sometimes I have to read positive quotes over and over again, sometimes I have to really just sit (and almost meditate) and visualize in my mind the things that I want. Don't underestimate the power of the mind. Here is the positive quote:

"If you don't like something, change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it."

- Mary Engelbreit: Innovative artist, illustrator, publisher