Great article about being a writer...

http://kellyoxford.tumblr.com/post/25930198150/last-weeks-latimes-article-ran-in-chicago

What she says is really truthful and inspiring and I hope to have the guts to do it. Push through the waiting, the crap and enjoy writing because I love it!

What do you do despite the fact...?

The content, rather than the frame.

Stuff.

Sometimes I feel so stuck up on the stuff. The 'Can I pay my rent?' 'Does my agent like me?' 'What the hell is my brand?' 'Should I get a haircut?' Stuff.

This evening I went to a forum for the mentorship program I am involved in, (Fulfilling Young Artists) the topic was auditions.

I usually experience such workshops to be focused on 'hitting your mark' or 'how to use the chair to your best advantage.' All fine, dandy, and helpful to learn, but the Mentors this evening spent a great deal of the time chatting about what feeds us, as artists, outside of our auditions. Outside of our work.

This has been something I've been working on lately and there was much that I really needed to hear:

Mainly, it was a healthy reminder of how my acting doesn't actually mean anything about me as a person. And I forget that, all the bloody time!

Of course, it's me, so I look at that, journal about it and get therapy on my issues such 'needing to be seen' or 'seeking love and approval.' But when I don't feel fulfilled elsewhere in my life, it feels like acting is my only life boat to creativity, passion, and freedom of expressing myself.

Yes, it all come back to feeling fulfilled. Something I'm still figuring out, possibly always will be.

As I was thinking of what that might be for me, (thoughts included family, art, kids laughing, music, great fabric, and dancing around my living room) I was reminded of a quote from A Course in Miracles, saying that "life is about the content, not the frame."

Our world, our culture seems so hung up on that frame! (pun intended!)

It's easy to get caught up in the 'should' of life or the little things like 'Are my headshots great?' and 'I need this, I need that' and blah, blah, blah.

Some days I forget to take the time to connect to why I really do this. Without that I think we lose sight of our bliss, and then out comes jealousy and spite to rear their ugly heads.

I want to tell stories, share my truth, and create amazing art. But for a while I was only doing that in my acting, either in class or at the rare few auditions I did get.

As of late I've been finding other avenues for my 'creative energy' to flow, and I seek to find gratitude for the opportunities I do have to do art in my life!

I'm especially grateful and happy that I took a plunge and got back into writing, it is a huge source of joy for me.

But I had avoided it, because 'It's not a good plan B' and maybe 'Anyone can do it' or 'It's another time-consuming hobby which makes no money and takes time away form building my acting career!'

Complete crap.

It makes me happy, gets stuff out my head, and apparently even inspires other. I have also been dancing more, belting in the shower, thinking of setting up an art corner in my apartment and finding more and more writing projects (Including a short one woman show I will be mounting in August - - more to come soon!)

Yes, I still really want my agent to call, and I'd love to book a guest star or audition for a Carl Bessai film! But maybe, hopefully, over time, I will get to the place where the audition will become just another time to play!

I'm making myself a goal; to focusing on the love, the joy, and the bliss in all the areas of Art that I adore. Instead of future tripping about that darn outside frame.

I challenge you to look at your life, and wonder how you could chose to embrace different avenues of art, even in small baby step ways.

Have a lovely week!

xox

Guest Blogging!

Hello all!

I know I've neglected my blog as of late but I've had some fun projects brewing; one of them I get to announce today...

I will now also be guest blogging at Anthrophysique.com!!

If you would like to follow me there and read my first blog, take a jaunt right over Here, and see what I'm cooking up!

I have some exciting new blog topics on the way on this site as well!

And since it just decided to start pouring rain here in Vancouver I may sit inside and finish one up this afternoon!

Also if anyone is interested I may bring some guest bloggers on to my site, or even do some v-blog style interviews. Interest? Thoughts? Requests?

Have a great day! Hugs, xoxo

My first Video Blog

So here, for the first time Video Blogging!

Check it out on Youtube.

I decided to add a little more multimedia to my blogging. Upon some recommendations, I'm occasionally going to be doing videos to go along with the writing.

This week's topic: Lazy men and a fulfilling side job.

It was a one take wonder with my laptop camera, and super fun to just talk to a screen!

More videos to come, with hopefully better lighting, and maybe less rambling!

Have a lovely Monday!!

xox

Goals, to-do lists, and baby steps

There are going to be days, maybe weeks, and probably the odd month or even year when this industry, and maybe life in general just feels kinda like death. This may sounds rather dramatic; so if that never happens to you, and you don't believe it ever will, thats cool, fee free to stop reading now.

But for many of us, (yes, totally projecting and generalizing), sometimes its feels like when it rains it pours. No this is not a reference to the weather here in Vancouver, because as I write this post it's shockingly sunny.

In these times of need, stress, or lack of calls from the Agent, there are many distracting or uplifting things to do. Have a cocktail, go to Yoga, watch a chick flick, eat an entire bag of Ruffles Sour Cream and Onion potato chips, (that might just be me?) etc.

But instead of feeding the fear (possibly literally), I'm of the frame of mind that a little push and shove goes a long way. And choosing to make stuff happen can be pretty awesome.

For example, last week I was feeling a blah, 'the industry is slow' kind of energy. But I met with my new Mentor, Julia Benson (I'm in an amazing mentorship program called Fulfilling Young Artists -more on that later) and we had a really good chat about what I wanted. To do and who I wanted to be and how to get there. Then we set some small, measurable, accountable goals for this week, and I put effort towards them and they were way less difficult then I projected! But it puts that energy out there, more than sitting on the couch or at the beach.

So what I'm saying is it can be a little tough to get out of the 'depts of despair', but finding out what makes you happy, what makes you tick and what keeps you going in whatever path you choose is a wonderful thing.

I hope everyone has someone in their life they can sit down and tell their dreams too. And as much as I like 'believe in your dreams and they will come true!' It takes a little effort too.

Having a a to-do list is super helpful, and I'm addicted to them but that can be daunting. To start, think of what you want to accomplish, think of some steps and then pick one, just onefor like, the next week. See how it goes! You might even move on to more of the list, or you might fail. Either way you'll probably learn something!

If you're interested in finding out more about Fulfilling Young Artists, its' a program that matches working Professionals in the Acting Industry with young aspiring actors. Over a 6 month period we work together to set goals, create projects etc. You can follow them on twitter if you like. @FyaCanada All of there info to their new website etc is on there.

If you feel like you don't even know what 'next steps' to take, try checking out the Actor's Deliverables class at The Actors Foundry. Matthew Harrison is super helpful at guiding you in the right direction and giving you a good kick in the pants to get you moving!

This post may have been a little 'positive attitude' preachy, but I do honestly believe a few little baby steps can get the momentum going, sometimes we think the stepping stones are way father apart than they actually are. Plus if you miss, it's a chance to enjoy falling in the water!

Hope you all have a lovely day and get a chance to enjoy some free Vitamin D!

xoxo

The trailer for the episode of Fringe I'm on...

So exciting!! The episode of Fringe I was in airs this Friday night.

I'm interested to see how it all turns out!

Here's the trailer

Want to work? Create your own!

Its' slow. It's dead. And it's raining.

I know it's easy to sit at home and complain and wish there were more auditions, trust me I do it sometimes too.

But last night in my class at The Actors Foundry, our teacher Bradley Stryker was talking about how exciting his trip to the Soho Film Festival was. How New York was a city full of energy, an energy of people creating great art. For the Love of it!

I think we need a little more of that going on here in Vancouver.

What if it's not a competition for work? What if we all make the effort to create more, be more excited about the projects we're doing? Think of the kind of work we could all have!

Personally, there are always so many projects, plays, scripts I want to work on, but it can be hard to get started.

That is why I have so much respect for those people that go out and do it!

So this blog goes out to them. Support your fellow artists, who are putting themselves out there.

First I want to talk about some lovely ladies called The True Heroines.

They have come up with this amazing concept, a combination of live cabaret shows and starting a web series. Please check out their website and their new project, an indie go-go campaign.

Every small donation helps. Literally. So skip your fancy latte today and tomorrow and support some genius creative work.

Or just share their page and tweet it out there.

More info here.

On Monday Night I had the pleasure of going to a workshop of a new Musical. Most people don't know what goes into writing a musical, but it's a lot of trial and error and workshops and well, have you been watch the TV show Smash?

This show is called Dumped and it's play tonight though to Friday at Studio 16 on 7th between Fir and Granville. Check out their Facebook event for details.

It's absolutely hilarious! (I mean unless you're always lucky with love and find romance super easy and not awkward at all...) It's a great night of entertainment for only 15$. The cast is full of fellow CCPA Alumni and everyone is obviously having an amazing time.

Which is what this is all about isn't it?

If you love it, do it. Find a way. I know I want too, so maybe there will be some updates on that coming soon.

In the mean time, think of what you love to do, and do it! And help support those who are. Its karma babe, what goes around comes around so lets build a supportive artist community here in Vancouver!

Have a lovely Wednesday, go dance in that rain!

xoxo

PS if you know of any other fun projects out there, share here and spread the word!