Comedy Central, Allergies & Karaoke

On Tuesday night after I was leaving my Photo Shoot in Alhambra I saw I had a missed called so when I listened to my voicemail it was a Casting Director who wanted me to Audition for a show tomorrow and gave me some of the details.  Knowing it was nearly 10 pm I tried to call back but they had just left the office; I left my info in hopes that I would get a hold of them before I missed the Audition.  Lucky for me she called me back within 15 minutes and I was getting the details for Wednesday's Audition.  Hooray!

On Wednesday morning at 11 am I had my Audition in Hollywood at a Production Office for the Television Show/Pilot that will be airing on Comedy Central called 'Venture-iffic.'  Basically, I would be playing the role of 'Becky' a woman who was hired to help a man who wanted to spice up his relationship with his wife, with the help of a Relationship Expert suggesting he do Role-Play.  The Audition consisted of mostly Improv with a few scripted lines.  After slating we did our first run-through with the female Casting Director, E*, reading opposite me.  The first one I was very flirtatious and seductive, she asked me to be forward so I did that.  Then she said to play the next one more coy, so I got a little more quiet, and perhaps even shy.  Finally, we did just an Improv scene just her and I, doing a little Role-Play and then the Audition was done.  It was fairly quick and simple and I felt comfortable with the Improv, even if I wasn't necessarily comfortable with the content, but I think I faked it well and stayed confident throughout the Audition.  I like doing Improv and have a ton of friends who are in Improv Troupes in LA, and I did it in College at Winona State with the Wenonah Players on occasion and it was always so much fun.  It gives things a fresh and organic perspective.

The coolest thing about the Audition since it was for a Comedy Central show was that it was a Union job so if I had booked it I would have had to have joined the Union.  It would have been a reason and a push to do it but since I didn't book the job (or because I haven't heard from them yet), I'm still in the limbo of being SAG & AFTRA Eligible.  There's a reason I'm waiting, and I'm hoping they'll be a reason that I'm joining very soon.  

Yesterday, I figured out I had Allergies and that it wasn't just a cold, and wow, do they stink!  I was wondering why it felt like I had sand in my eyes, they kept tearing up, my nose kept running, and I kept 'fake' sneezing, along with real sneezing which was a welcome feeling compared to the fake ones. 

So on Wednesday night I was Hosting Karaoke at Gabe's which was quite interesting but thankfully, I had a bunch of friends show up and keep the night going and busy for me so in-between sneezes I had friends singing and keeping the crowd entertained.  It was slow till about 10 pm and I played pool with a guy at the bar, and even hit my first ever behind the back shot, and I made it!  Once 10 pm hit we got the night started and by 11 pm the bar was actually pretty full since Amy was leaving for Kayt's Wedding the next day, so people came by to say goodbye to her!  Jamie sang 'Hold On' and had everyone singing along, it's such a fun crowd song!  My new song of the night was 'Ray of Light' by Madonna which was a silent creeper because it was really difficult.  I didn't realize the range she had in that song, not to mention I haven't heard it in years, so I had forgotten where she went up but after 6 long minutes, it was finally over :P  Jamie and I both sang a little Shania Twain and when Khad came in he did some Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam!  Of course, the night wouldn't have been complete without a Double Entendre performance of 'I Want It That Way' originally by the Backstreet Boys!  It was definitely a busy night and I was so happy since it's been so quiet lately!

Today I had work at Irish Times and my allergies were in full-effect so as soon as I was done with work I picked up some Claritin and I'm hoping that will help me out!  I'm Hosting Karaoke again on Friday night and want to be able to enjoy the night, not spend it sneezing and 'fake' crying!  I'd love a little rain to clear the air, so please Rain, rain in LA!

Magazine Test Shoot

Monday was an exciting day because I was re-signing with my Agent at Commercial Talent Agency for another year.  I'm hoping that I'll go out on more Auditions this year than last, and continue the bigger and better trend that she's helped to create!  I'm working hard but I can always do more so I've just got to keep it up and it will pay off.

On my way out of the office in West Hollywood, I was walking up a hill off of Sunset Blvd to my car when one of the Star Tour Buses was driving up and pointing out the celebrity homes in the area when I heard a beep beep beep.  I turned to look and heard the person on the PA say, 'Folks, we have our first celebrity sighting, it's J.Lo.  We've got J.Lo. right here!'  People started pulling out their camera's and started taking my picture when I realized they were talking about me!  What?!  I had to laugh and smile because I actually did look a little like her with my hair in a bun on the top of my head, jean shorts, gold wedges, and a bright orange top, plus my Ray Ban style glasses.  'J.Lo. smile for your fans, wow, we got to see one!' was the last thing I heard before they turned the corner at the top of the hill.  And that was my brush with fame for the day, quite exciting :)

Yesterday, I was doing a Test Shoot for a Car Magazine in Alhambra.  A Test Shoot is basically a practice shoot before shooting an actual magazine spread.  This way, a photographer can get a feel for your personality and style and see how you are to work with.  I pride myself on being prepared and on-time, so when the Photographer said to be there by 7, I asked if I could come at 6:30 pm so I could freshen up and relax just before our shoot and he happily obliged my request.  Before I left for the shoot I packed 2 bags.  I had tons of clothing options and a whole duffel bag full of shoes and boots.  Of course, I only ended up wearing one pair of heels, and that's usually how it goes.  We did 5 different looks at the shoot, all very edgy and super high-fashion with all these different angles.  As we peeked at the photos throughout the shoot I was excited because first of all, I looked tall (yay!) and this was a totally different style than I've ever shot.  This photographer shoots for the magazine all the time and we worked so well together!  We made a great team and I felt comfortable around him and adventurous to try new poses, even if it wasn't perfect it made things unique and we found some great angles because of that.

We finished the shoot at 9 pm and I felt like we got so many varieties and I think going through the photos to find a few to keep is going to be very difficult.  I'm hoping that my knowledge of cars and experience at Car Shows will give me an edge and help me to be one of the models featured in the magazine!  Fingers crossed everyone!!

Oh, and I ate Pizza last night for Dinner...isn't that what all models do after a shoot :P

Resolutions & Karaoke

After 8 and a half months of singing a new song every time I do Karaoke I'm proud to say I'm holding true to my New Year's Resolution.  I'm still journaling every day, and at this point, I'm at 440 pages.  I'm also blogging regularly.  After this year, I can't say that I'll sing something new every time I Host Karaoke but I will make an effort to do new songs on a regular basis.  I will definitely continue to blog regularly and try to write in my journal every day, but probably less in-depth than I've been doing for the past 8 and a half months.  I think one of the most important resolutions that I've kept is that I'm doing something creative every day, whatever it is, if it's journaling, blogging, submitting for castings or sending out my resume and headshots, editing photos, painting, reading scripts or popular books, watching a movie I've never seen, writing lyrics, singing, performing or entertaining.  That is something I will continue to strive for each and every day!

On Wednesday I had my usual Karaoke day at Gabe's.  It's been slow at work (Gabe's & Irish Times) for the past few weeks.  I think the extreme heat had something do with it and the fact that it's the end of Summer and perhaps people are trying to enjoy their final days before going back to school, work, or feeling like Fall.  With all the craziness that's been going on lately, I feel like I haven't fully recovered from my laryngitis and am still run-down because I can't get enough sleep or eat when I normally do, or do my regular work-outs.  I'm going to be so sore next week when I get back to my usual run and stair work-out.  Perhaps I should re-think doing that the day before my Photo Shoot?

Wednesday started off slow and after fixing some sound issues we got the night started.  It stayed slow but steady for the first hour or so and then some of the Karaoke regulars showed up.  Both Debbie and Khad were doing new songs all night long.  Khad's discovered some new Pearl Jam and Jim Croce and Debbie is trying new Disco Era songs and even sang Frank Sinatra's 'New York, New York.'  My new song of the night was Madonna's 'Power of Goodbye,' which has been on my list to try for years but I always seem to forget about it.  The crowd seemed to enjoy it and it fit my voice and range perfectly.  I heard the best version of a Tenacious D song tonight ever which was a pleasant surprise and a guy that comes in on occasion and always kills it, did 'Devil Went Down to Georgia' and 'Folsom Prison Blues' which is better than Johnny Cash's version in my opinion.

When I got done with Karaoke, Khad and I decided to grab a late night bite at Swinger's in Santa Monica.  He got a Vegan Burrito and I ordered the Avocado Toast which was soooooo good.  Who would have thought?  Simple and tasty, avocado spread on thick multi-grain toast with olive oil, lemon, and chili pepper flakes.  Of course, I would have added parmesan to it, but it was still fabulous!  After a very long day, starting with court, getting in a work-out, then going to work at Karaoke, and a late night Swinger's run, I was ready for bed.  It was a good thing I didn't get that Rocket Shake afterall!

Final Verdicts

I was glad to have Girl's Night with Amy & Jamie on Tuesday when I realized I'd have to make my final verdict for the Burglary case I was on at Jury Duty on Wednesday morning.  

When I arrived at the courthouse on Wednesday I had spent the entire previous day's afternoon and evening thinking about what I needed to do.  I had been thinking with my heart and emotions for the most part but I knew I needed to think with my head and do what was right.  We had listened to the Closing Arguments from the Prosecution and Defense Attorney's on Tuesday and went back to the Deliberation room and were at a 4-8 split.  We only had about 30 minutes in the room before we were told to meet back there tomorrow morning.  Taking the time apart was the best decision for everyone because we knew what we needed to do.  A lot of people were on the fence the previous day and the first thing I said when I got into the room was, 'I think we all know what was about to happen here, and we can sit here and deliberate all morning, thinking about the what if's, but we can't prove intent, so we need to follow what we've been told.'  Then I said, I had been very emotional the previous evening and the woman next to me said, it's a matter of black and white, it's one or the other, and it doesn't matter how we feel.  They had to be proved guilty and in this situation, there was reasonable doubt, we couldn't prove intent, therefore, we all voted not guilty and within 5 minutes of walking in the door, we were handing in our Final Verdict.

If someone was knocking on your door, you weren't expecting anyone, you didn't recognize them, but they continued to knock.  Then they started to pound on the door, messing with the door knob and lock.  After 10 minutes they walked to the back of your house, saw that they were re-enforced with bars, then walked back to the front and continued to pound.  As you set your alarm and they heard when it was activated and said, someone is in there, and stayed there for a few minutes until they fled the scene but were caught by authorities and didn't resist, what would you think their intention was?  I guarantee they weren't pounding on your door to sit on a comfy couch and watch some TV.  But guess what.  It's not up to me to decide what they would or wouldn't do.  Unfortunately, the police didn't do a thorough job and because of that, these two guys are getting off.  Yes, I know they didn't actually get into the house but what were they doing there, in the middle of the day, for 15 minutes?  We all need to think realistically about it, and hope that they have learned their lesson, and a Lawyer won't need to tell the next Burglary Victim that they were at a trial in the past and were given a verdict of not guilty because there wasn't enough evidence.  How frustrated would you feel?  I know I did my Civic Duty and I'm proud of myself and glad that I won't have to go back for another 18 months!  

I think one of the coolest things about being done with the case was getting to talk to the Lawyers after.  Of course, the DA wanted to know why we voted not guilty and we told him there just wasn't enough evidence to prove intent.  I spoke on behalf of all of us that we thought he was great, intelligent, funny, and very respectful and it was an unfortunate situation.  The Defense Attorney's were very appreciative of our decision and asked if there was anything they could do to better themselves for their next case.  A bunch of people spoke up about some pet peeves with each of the lawyers but said for the most part, they did a good job in reinforcing that we had to prove intent and if we couldn't we would have to vote not guilty.  By burning that into our minds it gave them the edge because we knew they were right.

So to my reader's, if your house ever gets Burglarized, make sure that the Police take fingerprints, insist upon it, and give the best description you possibly can.  Give them anything that sticks out, or is out of the ordinary and you'll be in a far better place than the family in my case was.  Be safe and be fair.

Falling for Fish

I've always been a huge fan of shrimp, whether it's sauteed, baked, breaded and fried, shrimp can do no wrong but I've never been a huge fish fan and that's probably attributed to the fact that I grew up in Wisconsin and anytime I ever had fish, it usually tasted like Lake Water aka Fishy.  My Grandma always made Fish on Friday's and it was good and there was a fancy restaurant in Charlesburg, Wisconsin that my family and I would go to and if I wasn't ordering Steak, I would order the Haddock with drawn butter.  Both were yummy but I felt like they were anomalies. 

As the years passed and I started working in restaurants I started trying new things, I believe I had my first ever Salmon and Tuna when I was working at Siebkin's in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.  Still, the fish always had some sort of sauce and depending on the chef and day of the week it would range from being great to just ok.  Then I worked at The Bull in Sheboygan Falls and that's where I got my first consistent tasting of fish but I was only there for a few months before I moved to Los Angeles so I didn't really get a chance to be adventurous.

Upon moving to LA, I remember my first sushi experiences and being very careful about what I was eating; it was a lot of California rolls, Shrimp Tempura, and Spring Rolls which really aren't sushi.  Then I dated a guy who took me to Nagao which was my first ever real Sushi experience.  I had raw fish rolls like yellowtail and spicy tuna and really liked them.  Next it was Katsuya which is still one of my favorite restaurants to get Sushi at and I had the Miso Glazed Black Cod which was always perfectly cooked and tasted delicious.  As time has gone by here in LA, I find new sushi restaurants all the time, but one of my current favorites is Wabi Sabi.  They have the best yellowtail sashimi I have ever had.  Not to mention, I love their scallop salad and lobster curry.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago when my friend, Jamie (you may remember her from my Karaoke posts) and I went out to Dinner at one of her restaurants, Ocean Avenue Seafood in Santa Monica.  She asked if I was an adventurous eater and I said yes, I would try anything she suggested.  We started with the raw food first, Oysters, Clams, Scallops, Shrimp, and Sea Urchin.  I had just seen Sea Urchin on an episode of 'Top Chef' and was excited to try it but to me, it tasted like Ocean Water in the sense that I felt like I was at a beautiful beach in Mexico, sipping a Pina Colada, while sitting in the sand and getting a tan.  It was a little fishy but I would definitely try it again with a different preparation.  I didn't like the clams, way too fishy for me, but I fell in love with the Oysters.  I'd had Oysters a few times, back in the day when I worked at Hooter's, and with my friend, Thi, and both times I was unimpressed.  Here at Ocean Avenue Seafood they had fresh Horseradish, Cocktail Sauce and Mignonette (which was like a scallion vinegarette, I think) and they just enhanced the flavor of the Oysters.  The Scallops were in a ponzu with chives and were amazing as well, and of course, I loved the simplicity of the shrimp.  For Dinner, Jamie suggested I get the Halibut since it's a milder fish.  It was cooked perfectly but could have used a little kick to it to elevate it a notch.  Needless to say, the entire meal was incredible (and I'm only telling you about the seafood parts)! 

Last week, Jamie, Amy, and I had a Girl's Night at Water Grill in Downtown Los Angeles, another restaurant that Jamie works for.  By the way, she's a rockstar!  We all started out with Signature Cocktails and they were awesome.  I had an Amaretto Sour which was by far the best Amaretto Sour I've ever had; I'm not sure what they did, but I wouldn't ever order another one unless I was at Water Grill!  Once again we started with the Raw Food, getting Oysters, Scallops, and Shrimp.  This time the Scallops were sweeter, being served with a mandarin orange, pesto and a pistachio.  These Scallops nudged themselves ahead of the ones at Ocean Avenue because of the flavor.  Once again I loved the Oysters!  Our adventure that day was trying Ceviche-Style Loup De Mer.  It was raw fish with olive oil, red onion, and cilantro.  It was incredible to have such a great fish that didn't taste at all fishy in the slightest.  It was so surprising!  This time, I got a Steak for Dinner because the waiter boasted about how great it was, and he was absolutely right.  That Steak is now in my Top 5 best Steaks EVER!  It was perfectly medium rare and my Pinot Noir was paired perfectly with it.  Since we're all foodies and wino's we discussed every aspect of the meal, and after we had our fill of an amazing meal, we were content and happy.  

Before our Adventure at Water Grill in Downtown Los Angeles

Never in my life did I think I would be ordering fish at a restaurant or looking for recipes so I can cook fish at home.  Never did I think that I would want to order Oysters when I go out for Dinner.  But I want to do all those things because of my recent fish excursions.  Now that's  a big Thank You to Jamie for opening my eyes to all these fabulous choices and treats :)  I can't wait for my next Adventure!

Spazmatics!

After a short hiatus (probably 2 years) the Spazmatics are back to playing shows in LA.  The Spazmatics are strictly a cover band playing mostly 80's songs with a few 90's song in their repertoire. And they come dressed in full-out nerd garb.

Sunday night they were playing at Zanzibar in Santa Monica.  The last time I saw them they were playing in Marina Del Rey on a big stage with a wide open dance floor and that was 2 years ago.  They've had a residency at bars all over Los Angeles and apparently they were back again!  There was a DJ playing upon arrival, spinning 80's & 90's music and mixing really well.  His transitions were seamless and his choices were fun.

It was my first time at Zanzibar and while it didn't seem like the ideal venue for a show that used to bring in hundreds of people, I loved the loungey aspect of it.  Plus, there was plenty of seating but still had a dance floor and small stage in the back.  The band started promptly at 10:30 pm (no delaying us here, *cough* Steel Panther *cough* for nearly 2 hours).  I did recognize the lead singer and the guitarist from the last time I saw them but I believe there's a few new members to the band as they were calling themselves Spazmatic Lion, which may have been a joke.  The major thing I noticed was that their background music included all this new stuff from music on the radio today, so they were sampling bits and pieces of rap and hip hop songs along with some pop.  I suppose that brings in a new crowd for them but the reason I enjoy them is because there is no Auto-Tune.

Neon Colors & 80's Style at Spazmatics

They played some of the classics, 'Jessie's Girl,' 'Don't Stop Believing' which originally was 'Separate Ways' which is my favorite Journey song of all-time but then switched over to the crowd favorite.  A few years ago at a Hollywood Pool Party I actually went on-stage and sang Journey with them; it was a blast!!  I don't have any pictures of the performance but I'll always remember how much fun I had!  Hearing some of the music brought ideas for future Karaoke songs like The Romantics, 'What I Like About You' and 'Your Love' by The Outfield.  I could tell this was basically a warm-up show for them because they didn't seem to have the energy they've had at past shows but as the show went on they got more into it and the crowd did as well.  Everyone was dancing and singing along.  At one point the whole band took a shot together and one of the guys threw or kicked his shot glass which was actually a double shot glass and it hit me in the wrist.  Let me tell ya, that hurt.  Bad!  I didn't want to make a big deal about it, but my wrist is still sore 2 days later and I've got a nice goose egg over a vein.  Hot.

Around midnight they took a break and I'm assuming they were coming back for the second half of their set but I had Jury Duty the next day so I wanted to get home and get some sleep because I knew it would be a long day.  I'll definitely go back again to sing and dance along to my favorite 80's tunes but hopefully this time, I won't be assaulted ;)

Eye-Opening Shows

It's Sunday which means it's my day to take a nice long walk around my neighborhood...today was no different than any other Sunday other than it was 85 degrees outside and we are going through a major heat-wave here in California and I believe there's been record-breaking temperatures all over the US!  Needless to say, it was really hot outside and while I know it's good for me to get outside, do a little exercise, and enjoy the sun, I was happy when I was back at my apartment an hour later.

This week has been pretty busy with Jury Duty, work, and spending time with friends so I was looking forward to a low-key Sunday afternoon.  I was flipping through the channels and saw there was a new episode of 'Intervention' on A&E.  I only caught the last 10 minutes or so but rather than changing the channel I kept it on because I got totally wrapped into this show called 'Beyond Scared Straight.' 

I'm a fan of 'Intervention' because it's one of the few shows that can make me laugh, cry, and feel positive in my life, all in one show.  That show tugs at my heart strings when I see the pain an addict causes to his family and friends, and how they just want him or her to get the necessary help to create a better life for themselves.  There's been many a time where I've wanted to help out at a counseling or rehab center to be a positive influence on someone's life but I've also realized as I've gotten older that you can't change anyone; they have to want to change for themselves, they have to want to be better, and seek help on their own when he or she is ready.  Their family needs to support them when they are ready and help in any way they can but they can't enable them during the process or be a significant part of their life when they're causing trouble or going through an addiction.  I can't imagine how difficult it must be to walk away for the betterment of helping someone, afraid that they may hurt themselves or die or be killed because of their choices, and the guilt that a mother or father could hold because of this, but what's better, watching them slowly kill themselves or pushing them to be better and find someone to help them work through their issues and be a positive force in their life?  Even though every story doesn't have a happy ending it's the ones that do that show it is possible and everyone can find their happiness.

This show 'Beyond Scared Straight' introduces a few kids that are At-Risk or causing trouble while they are minors, whether it's stealing, drugs, assault, or tagging, and taking them to a prison to see what life is like behind bars.  These kids come out, cocky as all get out, and after going through a pat-down and meeting a few inmates who are helping to run this program, suddenly become silent and respectful.  The inmates introduce themselves, why they are in prison, some are spending the rest of their lives there, while others are eligible for parole 50 years from now, and would rather die in prison than spend their life living there.  I think it's a humbling experience for these kids to see what it's really like behind bars and if they continue to follow the path they are choosing by committing crimes they could end up like one of the inmates.  An interesting fact I didn't know about California is that there is a 3-Strike Rule, which means, no matter what you do, on your third strike, you will go to jail and they will try to get you the longest sentence without any regard to what you're doing.  They walk through the showers, finding out that 10 guys are all shower at the same time and are designated to certain shower heads by race or hometown, and at Christmas time a year ago, one guy came in and killed 9 guys because he couldn't handle being alone for his first Christmas.  You aren't guaranteed a day when you're in prison, and a lot of people try to commit suicide because they'd rather be dead than spend their life in jail.  I think one of the most interesting things about the show was how adamant the inmates were about helping these kids and making them realize what their life will be like, and if they can even help one person, they've done something that they can be proud of.  The show ends with an update on all the kids, and in the episode I watched, all of them had made advances in school, had jobs, were trying to get ready for college, and had quit all the criminal activity.  Even though it's hard to watch this show sends a great message to kids and families to take time and make sure you're spending quality time with your children, support and love them, communicate with them, and give them positive role models to look up to, and it allows them to see what their life could be like if they make even one bad decision.  I think this show definitely helps kids see the negative effects of crime versus the positive and exciting aspect of it and at the very least, it's a completely different perspective than they're probably used to.

So, now that I've had an emotional hour I think it's time to watch something positive.  How about some Joey time, and a little Joey Special called Two Pizza's!!  I'll be there for you, my 'Friends.'

Getting over Laryngitis!

At this point it's been 2 weeks of me having Laryngitis which means I'm still trying to eat healthy, not drink, get sleep, and not sing as much at Karaoke.  I worked twice this week so on top of Jury Duty I was pretty busy, keeping up with my Castings but unfortunately missing Auditions while I'm at the courthouse.  I just try to look at is as though it's just not meant to be.

A Karaoke Night at Gabe's with Marcus & Debbie

I Hosted Karaoke on Wednesday and it was so slow once again that I didn't get started until after 9:40 pm, went through a short rotation and waited another 15 minutes before doing another one.  I sang 'Rhiannon' by Fleetwood Mac because it's a heavily instrumental song so I wouldn't have to sing much.  I didn't even take my turn during the rotations to try to protect my voice but I had to sing a new song at some point.  Around 11:30 pm a bunch of Karaoke regulars walked in and what I thought would be a short night ending at midnight ended up going till after 1 am.  I didn't mind because I'm making money and it's fun, I just wish the night would be more steady.  I think every Bartender or person in the service industry likes it to be busy or steady to keep from getting bored, you know you're making money, and it's more fun when the time is flying by!  Khad sang some new songs as well as some crowd favorites.  Debbie was glad to be back from Vegas and had some exciting stories to tell plus she was thrilled that she had sold-out of her books during her 2 signings so Congrats Debbie!  My new song of the night ended up being the Spice Girls, '2 Become 1' because they sang at the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics.  I thought it would be fun to do but it was more difficult than I expected because I forgot about all of their voices over-lapping, and having another singer with me during the song would have made it much easier.  I think it would be a fun crowd song so I'll have to sing it again on a busier night with a friend!

Then Johnny and I switched our shifts this weekend so I ended up working on Saturday.  Every night at Karaoke is different, you get some of the same regulars, but there are regulars for each specific night and each Karaoke Host.  It was empty at Gabe's on Saturday night and I was in shock.  Neil came in and I was glad to see him since it was so slow, and Lee was there, plus Art wanted to sing.  Since it was a quiet night I was comfortable singing slower songs and we had a really supportive group of people sitting in the front at a table.  My new song of the night was Adam Lambert's, 'Whataya Want From Me' which was super fun to sing.  I think I like it because it's got a good range plus it's upbeat but has some feeling behind it.  In between singers I play background music, and Vanilla Ice's 'Ice Ice Baby' was playing and Neil totally pulled out some dance moves I had never seen and had the crowd in full-on appreciation and applause; it was awesome!  Carolyn came in since she got off of work early so I was able to catch up with her for a little bit for the first time in a month!  Neil sang a couple new songs, an Elvis song, that's always fun to hear him sing because it's low but had a great range, and also sang, 'The Famous Final Scene' by Bob Seger which I loved.  I think I've heard the song before but he made it his own and that always makes a song stand-out.  I did get to sing En Vogue's 'Don't Let Go' that Neil actually knew and sang back-up for which was hilarious since he can hit all the high notes with his falsettoAfter my friends had left around 10:45 pm the night ended up getting a little bit busier but stayed steady so that was nice.  By the end of the night, people that had sang 5 or 6 times actually told me they didn't want to sing anymore which was surprising since usually they'll keep asking if they can sing even when it's after 1 am.  I was able to call it a night at 12:45 am and get home fairly early on my Saturday night.

Next week is going to be busy with my Jury Duty, Hosting Karaoke, and back to Bartending at Irish Times.  I was bummed to miss out on my shift at Irish Times this week but I had to keep my Civil Duty and be at the courthouse for Jury Duty!  I'm just happy to be getting in a nice walk from the Parking Garage to the courthouse in Downtown LA on my Jury Duty days!

On the case!

On Wednesday I wrote a blog about Jury Duty, little did I know that I would be coming back to the Courthouse for more than one day.

After lunch on my first day at Jury Duty on Wednesday they called another group of people, but this time instead of 20 people there were over 50 of us called and I was the first of the group.  As I walked up to the 15th floor and waited, when most of us had arrived they did role call and we waited for everyone to show up.  It was amazing to see that we had already lost a few people on our way up 2 floors.  So that delayed everything and when we finally got into the courtroom and took our seats it was after 3 pm.  The Judge introduced the case and the lawyers and said we wouldn't be in court on Friday, not because he was playing Golf, but because he had a prior commitment.  It was nice to see a little humor in the courtroom.  

Then one by one, they called people up by their Juror ID and I became Juror #6.  I was nervous as I took my seat in the Jury Box and as we filled all the seats the next part was something they never show on TV or on the Court Shows.  There was a question and answer format as well as general information about yourself.  You say where you live, your marital status, your occupation as well as if you've served on a Jury before.  The Judge told me to be elaborate and asked if anyone would have seen me in anything when I said I was an Actress and Bartender.  I didn't want to get into too many details since everyone in the room including the defendants were there so I mentioned my Hosting Job for PowerTV and said it was a great experience.  Then we had to answer if we knew any police, lawyers, knew of a crime to a family member or ourselves, and if we'd ever testified or been a witness in court.  I thought by saying that my purse was stolen might get me excused from the case, but I said I could be unbiased in the trial that would happen next week and they went on with everyone else.  It was easy to spot those that were trying to get out of serving on Jury Duty and everyone has their reasons so if someone is scared or doesn't want to be on a case for whatever reason, just let them leave.  This process took a long time and we didn't finish before the end of the day so we were required to show up on Thursday at 10:30 am to continue with this.

When I arrived the next day, Stacy, another juror I had been chatting with the day before was there already and we started talking since we both were Actors and the younger people of the group.  It was an hour before we even went into the courtroom and we continued the question and answer process and some of the jurors got excused before the Attorney's could ask questions to the Jury Panel.  Some of us were addressed personally by the Prosecuting or Defense Attorney's based on the answers to the questions from the previous day and I got asked about my stolen purse, but I said it was a learning experience and I don't blame LAPD for their inability to find or convict the girl who stole my purse.  As people answered questions, and counsel took breaks to discuss in private, more people were excused until we went to Lunch at 12 pm.  The process continued around 2:15 pm until around 4 pm when they finally had their 12 Jurors and I was one of them.

The Defense Attorney's made sure to explain that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and the Prosecution needs to prove that the defendants did what Prosecution is accusing them of beyond a reasonable doubt.  To be perfectly honest, I'm a little nervous but also excited because I think the whole process will be very interesting.  Of course, I can't say much more than I am or give any details until the case is over but I'm looking forward to the first day of the trial on Monday and listening and making an informed decision based on a fair assessment of the information given to me.

Who knows, maybe I'll decide after this process that I'd like to be more involved with Legal Issues and decide to go back to school and pursue a career in Law.  Those are my initials so I think I have a good start on it ;)

My Civic Duty

Jury Duty.

How many times in our lifetime do you think we get called in for Jury Duty?  Does it depend where you live in the US?  Are there any deciding factors that make us more eligible or likely to be called in?

My Mom in all her '28' years of life has never been called in for Jury Duty.  EVER.  I've been living in Los Angeles for almost 7 years now, and this is my second time.  Clearly, there's a lot more crime happening in Los Angeles County than in Sheboygan County (better yet Plymouth, town of 7,000) but how in all the millions of people do we get called in?  And me, twice for that matter?

To be perfectly honest, I would rather get the phone call that I have to serve on a Jury than to sit here and wait to find out if I'm going to or not, depending if they get to me by the end of the day while I sit in a room with 200 other people awaiting their fate.  I understand that everyone deserves the right to a fair trial, and by that, lawyers deciding who they want on the Jury to benefit their client, but isn't there a way they can decide that versus calling us into the courtroom to see us and question our life and choices?  We all fill out the paperwork but perhaps there should be a background check or a lengthy form you fill out when being requested for duty and if they want you, then they call you in.  I'm sure all this has been thought out and this is the best possible way to do it but while I appreciate being a citizen of the US and all the rights I have this is a major inconvenience to my day (not to mention the people that need to get off of work or have someone take care of their children, etc).

I had to skip a Fitness Audition today that I was requested for last week.  I got an e-mail from a Producer I worked with in the past, wanting me to come in today for a new Fitness Series.  I was all ready to Audition when I found out I had Jury Duty at the same time and there would be no way I could make it to the Courthouse without being late and then being turned away and the consequences of that were far worse than going into the Audition.  I just had to think that this wasn't the Audition or if they really want me, I'll be able to go in at a different time or perhaps they'll have Call-backs.  I'm trusting in God that he has it all figured out for me and today I had to be at Jury Duty.

At least nowadays you can bring your laptop and get work done while you're here.  The last time I was here, there were no laptops, just people, magazines, books they brought, snacks, and a 1000 piece puzzle I finished all by myself.  Hey, now that was an accomplishment :)  But for now, here I sit...haven't heard anything over the intercom in an hour, no one has been called in as a group to go to a specific room, and people watching is getting boring.  I should have brought a 'Friends' DVD!  Next time...let's just hope that doesn't happen next year.

Letting my Hair do the talking...

On Thursday evening, after I got home from work at Irish Times, I was going through my Castings and saw that I had a Hair Audition in Woodland Hills on Friday morning!  This was a job that could be working this weekend, a month from now, or 6 months from now, so it was a great opportunity to meet with this stylist and teacher.  

My favorite Great Hair Headshot :)

*Let me give you a little back story about my issues with my hair...I remember when I was younger in my grade school and middle school days when the girls in my class would make fun of me, tease and laugh at me.  My hair was one of their issues with me, and the butt of their jokes.  They would say I had terrible hair, and should shave my head, because I would be better off bald.  Back then I would cry and it would make me wonder what was wrong and why they would say things like this.  My Mom would always tell me that they were just jealous but when you're 10 years old, it's hard to believe that; now that I'm older and understand relationships and friendships, I know my Mom was right and they were just being mean and jealous.  I had very long dark hair that was naturally wavy, was healthy and shiny.  What was so wrong with it that I should shave it off?  Nothing.  It was something that these girls knew they could pick on me for, and push me down, to make them feel better about themselves because they were bullies.  I've never held a grudge and even when I see these girls when I'm back home, I will always be polite, but I've never forgotten how they treated me, and how I will teach my children to treat everyone they meet with respect.  I make sure people in my life, even people I just meet, don't feel like outsiders, make everyone feel welcome because we all have our insecurities, we should give everyone a chance and not make a snap judgement.

Waves for my Hair Casting

So back to the Audition.  I waved my hair that morning, doing more natural make-up to let my hair do the talking at the Audition!  It's good to stand out and give Casting something to remember you by so I chose a simple bright purple dress to accompany my favorite Guess heels.  Since I had driven to Woodland Hills last week for my Fitness Audition around the same time, I knew that even on a Friday, traffic should be moving, and I was able to make it there in less than a half hour.  The big difference from Culver City to Woodland Hills was the over 25 degree temperature change; it was 75 degrees in Culver City and 102 in Woodland Hills!  I'm never one for air conditioning, but going to a casting on a day like today was a must!  It was the same place the last Hair Audition I had was at (a training salon for students), and after signing in, I took one of the remaining seats.  I was 15 minutes early and able to read a little bit of my book. Then around 10:45 (the audition time) I noticed a man, walking around, looking at every girls hair.  There were some gals walking in just then, even 5 minutes late and not wearing heels.  That was one of the main things on the Audition notice, always wear heels, and considering they wanted girls to be 5"5 I had a pair of my highest heels on!

They called about 30 of us who had signed in first, to a classroom to wait for the Teacher and his Stylist.  They were shooting videos in the next few months, and since N* had just moved here from New York he wanted to get a group of girls together to work on these videos, where he showed cut, color, updo's and styles.  We were separated into two different groups, girls who were willing to cut at least 4 inches of hair, and then girls who weren't open to major cuts, but would be willing to color or hi-light, do trims and styles.  I was in the second group and they called 8 of us forward.  N* looked at each of our hair, and flipped through mine and then asked all of us for our pictures.  They were actually filming a video this Sunday already.  I noticed I was one of a few brunettes, as most of the girls were blondes, and then a few redheads.  At both Hair Castings I've been to, they tend to lean towards the redheads because I think they're more unusual, and all the redheads had great hair so I can see why they were chosen!  After they got all of our info we were dismissed from the room.  As I walked out of the building, I saw that more girls had showed up so they still had a lot of people to see before the day was done.

Even if I don't book a hair job in the next couple of weeks, I'm sending my information and more photos to N* because he's got a ton of videos coming up in the next few months and I'd be more than happy and lucky to work with him in the future because it's all about the net-working :)

Laryngitis can't stop me!

I've been feeling a little under the weather on and off for a month; I've taken a break from drinking for weeks at a time, tried to get plenty of sleep, and have been eating healthy to figure out what's been going on, but nothing would stop this on and off cold.  I thought it could be allergies, perhaps my busy schedule, the changing season, but knew a month of feeling like this, including a Monday that knocked me on my butt, wasn't just allergies.

On Tuesday I made an appointment with my Doctor.  Luckily, the huge goiter (in my exaggeration) that was on my neck had disappeared, and wasn't inflamed or hurting the way it did the week before, but a slight temperature, my 'turtle voice' and aches needed to be checked out.  The Doctor right away said there was no way this was allergies with my hoarse voice and very swollen glands.  That lovely goiter was actually a really inflamed lymph node and the singing I've been doing so much at Karaoke wasn't helping.  He said I had Laryngitis.  The last time I had this I think I was in High School, it was Spring Time, and I was the lead in 'State Fair.'  I couldn't talk during our final rehearsals, and stayed silent and didn't sing for a whole week but when it came time to perform, I made it through and made my family and friends proud as Margy Frake!  There's not a whole lot you can do, except rest, not overexert yourself, and continue to take cold medicine, as Antibiotics won't affect it.  So I've done my best all week to take care of myself and aside from sneezing, feeling a little lethargic, and like I've got crap in my lungs, I'm feeling better taking my daily Theraflu liquid medicine that I swear by, along with drinking plenty of fluids and juices.

I had Karaoke on Wednesday and even my Laryngitis wasn't going to stop me from working.  I just turned that microphone up louder so I wouldn't have to talk as loud and tried to make the most of the night.  It actually ended up being a blast even though it was really slow.  A couple guys that had been in the week before showed up to check it out, and even sang a few songs, and Amy said that Jamie & Zach's version of 'Picture' was the best she ever heard!  Sean had come in and got the night going with 'Careless Whisper' and later sang 'You've Got A Friend,' that the crowd loved.  Jamie sang this awesome Musical song that was perfect for her voice.  She also sang a new song for herself, 'What's Up' by 4 Non Blondes, and she killed it!  Khad came in shortly after and sang some new songs as well, and I loved his version of 'Alive' by Pearl Jam.  It was a really slow night but a very supportive crowd, and even though the rotation was short, it was filled with a lot of my friends and a couple regulars so it was actually a really fun night!  Now, I knew I was sick, but it's been over 8 months of me singing new songs at Karaoke, and a little 'cold' wasn't going to stop me, so I decided to try 'Because the Night,' the Patti Smith version, which is definitely different than the 10,000 Maniacs version.  It's more rock and roll, which I love, but the words and ending were majorly different but something I would work on.  I actually don't know which version I like better, I'll have to do the Patti Smith version a few more times to find out!  Since I was only doing one song so I could do my new song of the night, I let Khad close out the night with 'Mulan' and got to call it a night early!

Friends, come and visit me at Karaoke; we all have such a good time, and it's so much more fun when you know the people singing, and we can all be supportive and can challenge each other to try new songs and new material!  This was one of those nights and I'd love to be able to share it with more of my friends, because Gabe's is a little gem that needs to be discovered :)

It's a small World...in the Bud Light World.

Last Thursday I was working at Irish Times when a group of people came into the bar because they were scouting locations for a Bud Light Commercial they were shooting.  They had come in earlier in the week but wanted to get everything finalized before the weekend.  As the Director came in and looked around, he gave me some of the details, and I made a joke that if he needed an actress for the Commercial to let me know.  He smiled and said I was in!  I laughed and said ok, and went back to some other customers.  The whole crew was there for about a half hour and before they left the Director said, you know you're in, right?  And I said ok, as one of the scouters came up to me, gave me his card, and asked for mine to contact me about the shoot.  Cool!

Fast forward to Friday morning and I got a text saying I had a call-back.  The only thing I auditioned for that week was the Fitness Video and I didn't think they were doing call-back's, so when I checked my e-mail and saw that it was for a Bud Light Commercial, I was a little confused.  After talking to my Commercial Agent, she said that it was a straight to call-back audition (yay) and that my Audition time was 5 pm.  I was going to be playing a part of a Hispanic couple.  It's so interesting because in Wisconsin I'm never called ethnic, but in LA, I'm Middle Eastern, Italian, Greek, Hispanic/Latina, etc.

I made my way to Santa Monica that evening and after finding the correct address, signed in, showed my ID (you have to be 25 or older to be in an alcohol commercial), got my sides, and then sat down.  A group went in right before me and as I read the sides, it was a pretty funny spot.  I only had 2 lines so that was great and when 2 guys got called before me, I sat waiting another few minutes when they pulled me in with them.  We were about to practice the scene when one of the Assistants came out to give us some pointers about the scene.  He said the Director was looking for very natural responses and expressions and to keep things flowing conversationally.  It's always great to get advice because it gives us a better chance to show the Director exactly what he's looking for!

When we got called into the room, I smiled at everyone and one guy looked familiar and I figured it out as he said, 'Hi Lyndsey, from Irish Times.'  Yup, it was the Director from yesterday at Irish Times, and they were doing a couple different Bud Light Commercials, and this was one of them, though it was different than the one they were filming at the bar.  It's such a small world.  After taking photos and slating, the Director gave us some ideas and then we got into the scene.  After getting through it the first time, he suggested I make a different choice with my lines, more chill, more one of the guys, so I did it that way that time around, and he had me go even further with it, saying to completely throw the line away.  After doing the scene one more time, he said he loved it and it was great.  I felt a little bad because he was focusing on me but lucky because it's not often that you get to work on a scene and really get into it.  Plus, he got to see me do it a few different ways showing I was able to take direction and give him options!  After he thanked all of us we were on our way out.

Then as I was about to leave they had me wait, and when the Assistant came back out, they were having me read again with another group of guys.  YAY!  I would get another chance to be seen and do more!  This time around I was more comfortable with everything and as our second group got started, he stopped us, saying I had the line perfect but the two yahoo's with me, messed it up, and to start again.  He was joking but I think it made us all feel a little more at ease.  On our second time the scene went amazing.  Everything flowed really naturally, it was funny, and felt easy.  He said that it was awesome but that he wanted to try it a different way and said that the 'weird guy' on our couch should be even weirder and gave him a line reading.  He also gave me a different line as my last line.  As we went through the scene this time, it didn't flow at all, everything felt off, and unfortunately, the 'weird guy' on the couch took it a little too far and slowed the scene down majorly.  When the 'weird guy' asked how it went, the Director didn't shut him down, just said that it was different but thankfully, he told me he loved my delivery of the line change.  Again, he thanked all of us and I was really done for the day.

As my group and I walked out, the 'weird guy' said he definitely wasn't going to get the job, and I disagreed saying that they all seemed to love our original run-through, and he was able to show range and do something different which shows that he can follow directions and that's always a good thing.

Overall, I felt really great about the Audition and hoped that since I had met the Director the day before at Irish Times, that it was a positive thing, and helped make me memorable!  And since I got to Audition, it gave him a chance to see me Act and prove that I would be great for the Commercial based on my talent, not just my cute face ;)  Plus, it was a Football based Commercial that was going to be airing during the NFL Season and how much fun would it be to get to wear my Aaron Rodgers Jersey for the Commercial...Go Packers!!

*I found out on Monday that they were going to be shooting at Irish Times on Wednesday, and James, my boss, congratulated me.  I asked why, and he said that they called in and told him how much they loved me and wanted me to play the 'Bartender' in the Commercial they were shooting there.  (I auditioned for a different commercial that took place in an apartment).  Sadly, it's Tuesday night, and I haven't heard anything.  It's hard to not be disappointed but I try to trust in the fact that everything will happen at the right time, and this just wasn't it.

Pack-Rat & Hilary Duff

It's been a great week so far; I feel like I've gotten so much accomplished, auditions, grocery shopping, great work-outs, spending time with friends, Karaoke and Bartending, and more organizing!

I've been on a kick to really clean my room and get rid of a bunch of stuff I don't wear, or use anymore, and have to question why I'm holding onto some of these things.  Empty boxes that have sat in the same place for years, when I could have gotten rid of them years ago, and now I tackled the magazines that have been sitting in my closet since I moved into this apartment 3 years ago.  They've piled up over the years, since I moved to LA which is nearly 7 years ago at this point, and why I've kept them...I have no idea!!  I literally am getting rid of hundreds of magazines, Los Angeles Magazine, Bazaar, Marie Claire, Elle, Allure, Cosmopolitan, etc.  I think my original thought was to keep them in case I used them for something; I did craft projects for a short period of time where I cut pictures and words out of magazines and made jewelry boxes (thanks to Ash for the idea, and they actually turned out to be really fun projects and great gifts), or used the articles in my daily life, cleaning certain things, recipes, places to grab lunch or find a great Happy Hour, make-up tips, whatever it was, I thought I had a need for them later on.  My need now is to get rid of them!  I'm pretty sure the library can't even do anything with them since they're so old and they probably don't want Cosmopolitan filling the shelves either.  I decided that anything older than 2010 is probably going to get tossed and anything from 2010 to now I'm going to take to a Homeless Shelter if they'll let me give them to them.  I'm sure the people in there would find some enjoyment out of them, and then I'm doing a good deed, which makes me feel all warm and toasty inside :)

Meanwhile, I'm practically tripping over the stacks of magazines that are sitting next to my sink/vanity area in my room, but at least I've freed up a ton of closet space, opened up a shelf on my bookcase, and am slowly but surely, clearing the floor space along my newly picture-framed wall! *(Refer to my last blog in July for that story!)*

So after going through some more magazines to make sure I'm not losing any valuable information because I am that OCD, I had to Host Karaoke last night!  I didn't have anyone signed up until after 9:15 pm but then there was a rush and we had nearly an hour and fifteen minute wait between the rotation.  There was a whole group of people that I didn't know that were singing, and another group of regulars that were all cheering everyone on and trying new songs.  I opened with Garbage and Marcus wanted to sing 'Time of My Life' as his first song so we sang that and then I took a break for the next two rotations because it was so busy and I'd rather have other people sing than sing myself.  Lucky for me, some familiar faces showed up when Sean and Julie came in, and Sean tried '3 am' by Matchbox 20 and that was awesome!  Jamie came in around midnight and sang a few times, even closing out the night for me with 'Gravity.'  Thank you Jamie!  My new song of the night because I didn't know what to sing was Hilary Duff's, 'So Yesterday.'  The song actually went well but because it was such a different vibe in the bar it may not have been the best night for it, but oh well, I needed to do something new.  I'm going on 8 months of new songs and it's definitely getting more difficult to come up with new material but that just means I need to go for artists I would never have thought of and try something crazy.  Crazy = Great!  Then to top it all off, Amy had made this Spicy Meatloaf for Chris, whose Birthday it was at midnight, but he never showed up.  I got to have a slice of the Meatloaf and it was absolutely amazing...Amy gave my Grandma run for her money!!

Now, here I sit on a Saturday evening, after getting home from Church, 'Friends' is playing in the background, and I'm thinking about what I want for Dinner (probably the other half of my Meatloaf from Amy and a fresh Veggie Quesadilla), and so excited to have a quiet night to myself.  Well, I'm sharing it with Debbie to help her figure out some stuff for her headshots but she's such a ball of energy, perhaps I'll be in the mood to attack more of my room!  It feels so good to let things go...

It's already August?!?

Can you believe how quickly the Summer has flown by...before I knew it, it was May and the weather was getting to be perfect in LA, then it was my Birthday in June, and all of a sudden it was 4th of July and now August!  Where does the time go?!?

Considering how quickly the past couple months have gone by, yesterday at Karaoke was quite a change.  It was by far the slowest beginning to my night since I started...a couple of us sang at 9:45 pm to get the night going but didn't sing again until after 11 pm!  I couldn't believe how slow it was...and of course, at 11:30 the bar just filled up and we had Karaoke singers just waiting for their next song, and I went until after 1:15 am because I wanted to give everyone a chance to sing one last time.

I actually don't mind when it's quiet, I can catch up with some of the regulars, my favorite Bartender, Amy, and yesterday the Olympics were on, so I was watching that.  Go USA!  I got the night started with a little Eurythmics and felt like it was going to be a more soulful kind of quiet night and I was right.  It didn't get loud until later on when we had a rowdy group come in and sing some Flock of Seagulls, Queens of the Stone Age, and Metallica.  I was so excited to see Jamie as it had been forever since she had come to Karaoke, and Khad was with her, and they were trying some new songs for the night so that was awesome!  Khad sang a new Jim Croce song, and reminded me yet again that I need to learn 'Jackson' so we can duet that.  Jamie sang some Deana Carter and reminded me about the 'Rent' song we want to try together!  My new song of the night was En Vogue's 'Don't Let Go' and I was super scared of the song initially, but once it got started, it was right in my range and I felt a connection with the song, and normally even if you can't tell, I'm a little nervous or shy with people watching me and for some reason this song just felt like I was born to sing it and everyone seemed to be enjoying it.  Of course, I was reminded that the song came out in 1996 or 1997 which is at least 15 years ago at this point but what a fun song to sing!  I highly recommend it :)  Debbie and Judy both came in, Judy singing some Patsy Cline and Debbie trying some new songs by Madonna and dancing her heart out!  Jamie's last song was 'Gravity' and she asked me to close with a Jewel song and since I haven't seen her in so long, she was my deciding vote!

Overall, it ended up being an eventful night with good people and lots of fun.  If it had been that busy all night, no one would have been able to sing as much so it's always a nice perk when everyone gets to sing a few songs and get to have their Karaoke fix for the week!