What's been done, to do, on the "To-Do" in 2010 plus agent rant

This year began with a 5-mile jog with K. to Astoria Park. This is a medium/long run for me right now. Ever since my plantar fascitis from February, I haven't gone past 7 miles. Not because I can't. The one thing really has nothing to do with the other. I look forward to longer runs to Central Park and back. Or through Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan. Like last year. Bridges. Bring me bridges.

Yoga, first week in 2010:
*Create a yoga resume, and submit that to a few postings.
*Draft a cover letter, of course.
*Talk with a counselor at the Actor's Work Program re: Group Fitness Instructors. She submits me, as do I, to equinox. Equinox responds and says they'll keep me posted. Out of my league at this point, but if there's one thing I know -- it's WHO YOU KNOW!
*Lululemon Athletica invites me to a meeting on Tuesday morning (with other people). I have NO idea what kind of interview this is -- what to expect. Will go.
*I will be starting my assistantship at Sonic Yoga in Manhattan starting next week.

This year, so far, in terms of acting:
*I get cast in a week-long reading at The Hudson Showcase Theatre for March. One Equity Week. Not in Florida! Yay!
*I meet with my agents.
*I go to an EPA for a new Off-Broadway show. I know the director. Some great things are said about me and my audition while I'm in the room, and it sorta makes my day.
*I perform with my fiance at "OUR BAR" with the wonderful Off-Off company, Project: Theatre!
*Having not heard back about any call-backs for the Off-Broadway show, I book a plane ticket to Memphis, TN for the annual UPTA (Unified Professional Auditions) in February. I have already paid for my slot, just hadn't bought the ticket yet.
*Right after this, I get called back for the Off-Broadway show!...I spend all night and morning preparing the sides. I am trying out this new thing called "confidence". It quickly leaves my being when they give me different sides and rush me in and out of the room. No need to cancel the trip to Memphis. Which is too bad, cuz I had cancellation insurance.

This year, I saw a new GP: Now my new GP. She can test my INR levels in the office, and has already given me two referrals for a Vascular Surgeon (for another UltraSound, I wanna check on what up with that clot, yo) as well as a hemotologist (talk blood thinners, hormones, what to do when bebe-time comes?). She says "here in NY, we do extensive testing". I feel like I'm in good hands.

I went to a wonderful holiday party hosted by my catering company, Cleaver.

For the wedding, we sent out "Save the Date" cards yesterday. We created a website, and we are beginning our registry. We have musicians for the ceremony and reception. And of course, the chapel and Inn have been reserved for the big day.

I also am on stand-by jury duty right now, and will be all next week.

Next week, I need to:
*Do extra work on Monday.
*Lululemon mtg Tuesday.
*Hit all the EPAs I can.
*Get a different headshot touched up for my agent, print 50 with new resumes.
*Pick out a pastor, or someone who can marry us.
*Send out updates to industry folks.
*Begin yoga assistantship.
*Add items to registry.
*Jury duty.
*Werk whenever werk callz.


On Agentz:

agents.


agents.......Oh man. I just.

I freelanced with an agent my first year here (2006). After my audition, he told me "You are the best thing I've seen in a long time", and yadayadayada. I even sang for him. It was a great time. He wasn't a big agency or anything, he was boutique -- and an older actress had talked me up to him. However, he had "JUST" signed a bunch of young women who looked just like me. So, I'd have to freelance with him. OK, I said.

He got me two auditions in half-a-year; which, I've come to find out, is sort of normal for someone like me. (Like me = a semi-attractice non-musical theatre actress with an MFA not from NYU who can play young/old/ugly/pretty/dim/sharp/fat/thin. They don't know what to do with me). When I wrote to tell him I had gotten cast in a show myself, he wrote me back explaining he thought I "had moved on". And why? Because he had run into his ex-partner who had said I had sent her a postcard. Yes, I was sending postcards to agents. Because I was only freelancing with dude. And this particular agent (to whom I had sent a singular postcard) I had met before dude.

Why they were talking about me? I have NO idea.

But, after that, I had no agent for another year and-a-half. I freelanced with a major agency, commercially. But they dropped me when I kept working out-of-town.
And then lots of really boring things happened with agents.....One said I had "The worst personality" he'd "ever seen", another said I could "so easily be plain", and then another (with whom I was freelancing last year) yelled into my ear on the phone: "YOU are TOO OLD to be shy".

My meeting with this agent was a catch-up thing. I dropped by, I listened to her talk about why she couldn't send me out for certain things. I understand, I do.

It's my responsibility to be seen by more people. They are not really in a position to help me, so I gather, so I need to just get work for myself. Maybe they'll get me an audition now and then. But I need to be seen.

How are you seen by Casting Directors when you don't have an agent? You have to pay $30 a pop. OK. I can do some of that.

But let me be clear: I HAVE NO MONEY.

I dropped off a substantial check for the agency, for work I had gotten myself: But that's part of the game. Now I feel ok asking them to submit me for things that are right for me.

Who knows what will happen? It's a learning process. I'm making the best decisions I can.

Despite all this, I feel optimistic. Believe me?