Distractions called life

I'm very aware that I haven’t posted since November 7th. It has been an incredibly busy month. I think that's typical for November, but somehow it feels unusual to me this year.

I've had auditions and a callback including 6 new casting directors, continued my class with Jeremiah, and done things like sending a few postcards to CDs that I know. In the meantime, I was doing the day jobs that keep the bills paid. Like many actors, I look forward to the day when acting pays the bills.

Then the distractions of the past 9 days set in (even had an audition two days before Thanksgiving...and I'm grateful!). I was given time off from my jobs and thought I would rest, workout, recuperate, pick up some sides and work out scenes with friends, go to the movies and I even thought I’d carve out time to write.

Then the phone started ringing. A family member had fallen ill and had gone to the hospital. After that there were lots of calls, searches for plane tickets and packing....then unpacking as the surgery was moved to later this week. As it turns out, it may be next week. In the meantime, everyone is keeping up with everyone and there are lots of calls and plenty of concern and emotion flying around.

And when someone's death is pending, sometimes for me previous experiences with family members dying come flooding back. My mom died a few years ago and I've been really sad from time to time, but recently, I'm more aware that she's gone, and I can't pick up the phone and call her. She held our family together and she had good advice at times like these. I miss her. I miss her especially when something really bad or really good happens in the family or in my acting career. She was my biggest fan.

Anyway, all these calls and emotional rides took their toll on me. I find when there's drama in my life, there's less of me in my acting. We're professionals right? Well, I was the tired professional the last few days. I didn’t work out daily as planned, but I did get in 6 cardio workouts and 4 lifting sessions in 9 days. And last night's class was an effort. That was the most I was able to do. Everything else I tried just didn't work out or fell to the wayside amidst the foray of my life.

So, I didn't get to do most of the things I'd planned for the holiday, but my days are emotionally rich and active with family and distractions called my life. The deeper and more fully I live, the deeper and more full my acting will be. Think about it. This is true for you, too.