Wednesday, September 07, 2005  | Free Cereal
This evening I got a free box of cereal after it scanned as the wrong price at Save-On foods. Sweet! And it couldn't come at a better time, as this transcribing job I started doing over the internet is turning out to be a dud...thought that my previous TV transcribing experience would make doing NPR transcribing a snap...well dum-dum forgot that unlike TV, radio has someone talking practically EVERY SECOND! D'oh! So doing 30 minutes of audio this afternoon took me over 3 hours. At $30 for every hour of audio I transcribe...even the math-challenged such as yours truly can deduce that this business model blows, and I ain't doin it.
Car is making many bad sounds and has no power. Sounds like I'm driving a snowmobile. Bad, bad.
Good, good: FRINGE SHOW
The Spice of Life Part 4: The Final Conflicts
All Shows at Performance Works on Granville Island - check Fringe guide for ticket info, or look it up on the world wide web
Friday, September 9th, 8pm
Sunday, September 11th, 1:45pm
Monday, September 12th, 10:45pm
Friday, September 16th, 11:45pm
Saturday, September 17th, 9:45pm
Sunday, September 18th, 4:45pm
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| Monday, September 05, 2005 | I hate this fucking city.
Current mood:  depressed I hate this fucking place. I hate the mountains, I hate the ocean, I hate everything about this stupid goddamned place that I am and Natasha isn't.
I put her on a plane today after a fantastic week....but everything that was so great about her time here came crashing down afterwards...saying goodbye to her today was probably harder than when we parted in April...fuck! Why am I here? Why the shitfuckpissasserhffiowehfjfeijfjernnmhnh couldn't I fucking make it in Toronto that I had to leave and be 6 million miles away from my daughter? Why? Answer me that,God? What the hell am I doing here? So I'm getting a few commercial auditions and some gigs...big fucking deal. It's all for shit if you can't be close to the people you love.
fuck off, world.
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| Saturday, September 03, 2005 | Natasha's my Lucky Charm
Current mood:  energetic Been a van-tastic week with Natasha here...aside from crappy weather we've had a great time, biking in Stanley Park, Kayaking on Salt Spring, Storyeum, Corn Maze, tomorrow I hope for good weather. She's also a bringer of fortune: I've been cast in Tony N' (sic) Tina's Wedding dinner theatre...3 shows a week...time will tell what the cut of the B.O. will be...good news part deux: the corporate video in Seattle is rumored to be a go for the last week of September. Frankly, I'll believe it when I see it...someone once told me, A gig is for sure when you're eating cookies from the craft table.
Spice of Life 4 goes Friday at the Fringe. Wheee!
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| Thursday, August 25, 2005 | Piece of Shit Car!
Current mood:  aggravated So this morning the slow coolant leak the radiator had became quite big. And it's not leaking from the rad,but dripping from a valve at the back of the engine. Fuck. I need the car to get through next week with Natasha here....after that I don't give a shit what happens to it....so I have to get it fixed somewhere tomorrow...$$$$ for a crappy car that won't even pass an inspection to get BC plates.
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| Tuesday, August 23, 2005 | Dropped a Grape Dropped it on the floor and can't find it. Guess it'll start to stink soon, THEN I'll find it, yep.
Shows, parties, the life of Reilly here, boy...
Just resumed week 2 of 'The Spice of Life.' One more week, then downtime until Episode 4 goes at the Fringe....of course it won't be downtime because Natasha is coming from Toronto for 8 days after the show closes Saturday...boy am I excited about that. Hope the car holds together. We'll be bunking in Chilliwack while she's here...it's gonna be great.
Got caught up on Flicks over the weekend...and how! Between shows on Sat. I saw Broken Flowers...Bill Murray is making a new career out of doing nothing. Mostly notable for the following quote:
“The past is gone, the future isn’t here yet, whatever it’s going to be. So all there is is this — the present.”
Also caught the 40-Year Old Virgin. Funny.
 | Currently listening:
Alt.End
By The Cure
Release date: By 12 October, 2004  |
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| Friday, August 19, 2005 | The Spice of Life Opening night of the pseudo-soap-spoof. Ehhhh. I play 'Tumeric", a detective who is fooling around with his pardner, "Anise." Basically 5 scenes of us messing around and dry-humping, each a variation on the same stuff. Preview I thought was better for us, but opening night was stronger overall for the show...maybe cuz our scenes were always fast-paced overall, and tonight they caught up with us. The challenge tomorrow is for us to make the makeouts more intimate and less like wrestling.
Post-show tonight I got hammered for 20 dollars at a bar. Had alot more pints than the waitress counted. Wheee.
 | Currently listening:
The Best Of The Doors
By The Doors
Release date: By 25 October, 1990  |
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| Friday, August 12, 2005 | Post-show aftermath Relaxing today after the VFS show. Went drinking with the writers after and having missed the last SkyTrain home, took the Vancouver equivalent of the 'Vomit Comet' back...heard an idiot teenager say one of the stupidest things ever re: Britain's deporting of troublemaking Muslims...."that's so mean." To which I couldn't resist piping up "Deportation isn't mean. You know what's mean? Blowing up a bus. That's mean."
Finally saw the FF movie...it was honestly OK. I used a free pass, so wasn't complaining...the story and relationships were there, but why oh why did they scrimp on the effects budget? There was just a total lack of...Fantasticness surrounding the whole thing, particularly when it came to Mr.Fantastic himself...each battle was sorely lacking visually, and that's a slap in the face when we're talking about the film version of Marvel's first family.
 | Currently watching:
Fantastic Four  | | |
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| Wednesday, August 10, 2005 | Sketch Show Tomorrow! In the event that anyone actually reads this, I'm performing in a Sketch Comedy show put on by the writers' program of the Vancouver Film School tomorrow night at 8pm....the address is 400 West Hastings street, if you're in Vancouver. Looking forward to it....it's been a trying process at times, a lot of these kids are writing and performing in front of an actual audience for the first time, but I've been proud to be a bit of a unfiying force bringing the show together by example. I can only hope to emulate the barest shadow of my Idol, the great Phil Hartman, who was referred to on SNL as "The Glue"...every time I feel worn, crabby, or egotistical about anything showbiz or comedy-related, I think of Phil and the sheer professionalism with which he carried out his art. The world is a poorer place without him.
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| Monday, August 08, 2005 | Another beautiful west coast week... Some words of advice on auditioning from the great Linda Kash-whom I emailed after catching her in Cinderella Man last week...if you haven't checked it out yet, it's a great film!
I usually use a dictaphone to memorize by recording everyone else's lines but my own. Reading the script beyond the sides gives better context but if not, I make strong choices for character so the director can choose to go another way if he/she feels. I am very willing to go another way. I always carry my sides but I remain very familiar, When I have trouble memorizing, it usually means there is something wrong with the writing. I try not to embellish but now and again I'll add a line, usually at the end of the scene, especially if it's a comedy. I try to be very much myself in the audition avoiding too much chatter before the read but when I'm nervous, I talk too much. I always ask questions if I am confused but I don't just for the sake of asking. I love auditioning but I hate call-backs. Both Seinfeld and Ron Howard were wonderful to audition for. Not everyone is but I always try to make it feel like I'm rehearsing rather than 'trying out'. Try to make it fun FOR YOURSELF. It's your 5 minutes and they want to like you so don't waste it by being freaked out. Celebrities don't like smoke up their ass. And by the way, if i think I sucked, I say so and ask to start again or just leave the room happy in the knowledge that I left a bad smell. Hey, they can't all be gems... When the audition is over, I do my best to forget about it and move on. I never hound my agents unless I really need the feed back but agents and casting directors usually hate that. When I don't get the job, I want to know why but I am often on to the next thing so I convince myself I didn't care anyway. Sometimes lying to yourself keeps you sane and moving forward. There is no such thing as one lucky break. You work hard, you'll get plenty.
Wow. Words of wisdom indeed. I'm lucky to know Linda and count her as a friend.
On an unrelated subject, why is it that wine makes one crave sweets, when beer gives you a hankerin' for the salty snacks?
 | Currently watching:
Six Feet Under - The Complete Fourth Season
Release date: By 23 August, 2005  |
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| Sunday, July 31, 2005 |
| Sith Simply Spectacular So Friday I finally decide to go see Crash at the 2nd run across from me....and just my luck, I miss it. Fortunately screeners are out there for download....not that I would ever engage in such blatantly illegal activity(cough)...I decide to go see Revenge of the Sith again...and you know what? The damn thing holds up. Yeah, it starts a little slow, the dialogue is stiff, Hayden and Natalie have all the chemistry of a used D-cell battery, but Ian McDairmid's performance, Yoda, and Ewan McGregor's sheer and utter shock at his failure as a Master make it all just so damn compelling.  | Currently listening:
How The West Was Won
By Led Zeppelin
Release date: By 27 May, 2003  |
Friday, July 29, 2005 | Nose hair out of control. Really have to do something about it. And how. Say, nobody says 'And how' anymore. Let's bring that back. Nobody starts a sentence with 'Say...' anymore. Let's bring that back too.
I need a new electric toothbrush. Even though it's only a year old, it's done. Fuck. They're expensive.
 | Currently reading:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
By J.K. Rowling
Release date: By 16 July, 2005  |
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| | Wednesday, July 27, 2005 | Fuckity Fuck-Fuck-Fuck!
Current mood:  angry Just as it seemed things were coming together....landed this corporate video shooting in Seattle, I have my pick of 2 Fringe shows that want me....the sky falls in. Or so it seemed. UI cut me off without so much as a 'by your leave.' Apparently they sent a letter a few weeks ago but I never saw it. For some reason some idiot bereaucrat has decided that since I am limiting my job search to just acting work, they will no longer fund that. Yeah, like I droe my shitbox car 3000 miles to come work at McDonalds. Spent over an hour on the phone arguing to no avail. I could appeal this but it would take forever and would have to live on boiling my shoes in the meantime. Finally caved and said I would look for other work. You'd think having worked in the unemployment office would at least mean I wouldn't be fucked over too harshly, but nooooo.
To the Federal Government, I deliver my most impudent 'Good Day to you Sir!'
Oh, and the Seattle thing? Probably not gonna happen. Company dragging their asses and dates will likely conflict with Fringe show.
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| | Tuesday, July 26, 2005 | Two possible Fringe shows, One gig in limbo, and me... Aaarrrrggghh. Having spent June and July sitting on my posterior, August is shaping up to be too busy. There is definitely one, likely two Fringe shows that desire my participation. Need Natasha come for a week from Toronto, and I still haven't heard about a possible, thought it was supposed to be probable, gig that would take me to Seattle for a few days, which may conflict with all of the above. To quote Doc Brown: Damn. Damn Damn. Damn Damn Damn!  | Currently listening:
Concert: The Cure Live
By The Cure
Release date: By 27 July, 2004  |
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| | Thursday, July 21, 2005 | Nailing it! Busy busy busy....had an audition for a US national beer commercial today. Nailed it! Even though I probably won't get a callback for it, I'm liking the fact that I'm doing consistently good work at my auditions. Maybe it's just being the new boy in town, but I wasn't ever this busy in Toronto. Fuck, why couldn't things have been like this 10 years ago? It's great to be getting union auditions and callbacks, now it's only a matter of time...and a bit of a race...Pogey ends last week of September...will I land something??? Stay tuned...
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| | Wednesday, July 20, 2005 | the other side.... So I'm called back for this gig that I'm up for, and I'm there for a few hours reading with different actors who are up for the other role. What an experience: similar, I guess to working as a reader with a casting director. I see which actors are there ready to play, and which ones are phoning it in or nervous about the lines and all the usual shit that goes through an actor's head when they're in the audition. Absolutely edu-ma-cational.
Say, why are there are no comments on this blog yet...perhaps no one is actually reading these entries. First one to prove they exist and post a comment gets a no-prize.
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| | Tuesday, July 19, 2005 | Two Wolves
Current mood:  awake A Cherokee elder sitting with his grandchildren told them, “In every life there is a terrible fight—a fight between two wolves. One is evil: he is fear, anger, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, and deceit. The other is good: joy, serenity, humility, confidence, generosity, truth, gentleness, and compassion.” A child asked, “Grandfather, which wolf will win?” The elder looked him in the eye. “The one you feed.”
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| | Monday, July 18, 2005 | one of the 
many superb "Flying J" truck stops throughout the USA.
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| | Sunday, July 17, 2005 | Stall.Spin.Crash.Burn.Die. Forgot to take my passport with me when I went to Chilliwack, so they wouldn't let me into the States to get gas. Car is undoubtedly finding taste of expensive Canuck gas odd...and slightly minty.
Yesterday at my audition for Carousel Theatre something happened to me that has never ever happened before....I lost it mid-monologue and had to start over. The do-over was worse, I kept tripping on the damn piece...the Director was extremely cool about it and fortunately I had another piece (the Billy Crystal 'Mr.Zero' bit from 'When Harry Met Sally') that went a lot better...my original bit was from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy....I was trying to do one of The Guide's entries on Babel Fish, but for some reason I could never get comfortable with it no matter how much I rehearsed. Even before tripping up mid-speech, I could tell that it wasn't going over well, a bunch of techno-babble and not much emotion...which of course makes for a great performance piece, right??? Well, a couple of things came out of that. I may stand no chance in hell of getting hired by Carousel, but for me the learning experience is about the importance of picking the right audition piece. The fact that I couldn't get comfortable with it was an indicator that I chose to ignore...and it bit me in the ass.
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 | Currently listening:
The Cure [Deluxe Edition w/ Bonus DVD]
By The Cure
Release date: By 29 June, 2004  |
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| | Saturday, July 16, 2005 | Deluded Hopefuls... The seminar was worth the price of admission...there were some helpful tips like 'don't go during pilot season, if you're going to LA, August-October is a better time...'but overall the place was packed with people who couldn't grasp the fact that if you're not getting work here, going to LA won't help...lot of folks playing the blame game..."I'm not getting seen by the casting directors in Canada because they're all on power trips and don't see new faces!"...Sooo...going to Los Angeles as a totally unproven commodity will help you....how?
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| | Friday, July 15, 2005 | Scamerica... Going to this "Free" seminar tonight called "The business of Acting in America." Supposed to have all these 'Insider tips' on getting into the US to act and getting work etc....now just having arrived here in Vancouver, going down to la-la-land isn't, as the kids say 'a prio'...but the operative word here is 'Free.' Gets me out the house, and there are probably lots of aspiring actresses there with low self-esteem. Zowie!
 | Currently listening:
Hollywood Bowl
By Beatles  |
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