My 2013 Resolutions Redux

Last year I made some positive resolutions for the new year.  You can read all the details here: 2013 Resolutions and Goals.  For the most part I kept true to them and much more!

I wanted to create my own web series and post episodes on social media.  Although, I haven't yet gotten that far, the ball is rolling and it's closer to production than before.  Throughout this year I have posted videos and am working towards creating a brand.  I also created a Fantasy Football section on my blog that I updated on a weekly basis.  While it may not be my own show, I am Hosting for Afterbuzz TV which airs LIVE weekly on their website and has all the episodes on YouTube.  Host Lyndsey Wegner for Afterbuzz TV.  My Co-Hosts and I bring viewers a recap, opinions, gossip and news for Supernatural and Shahs of Sunset.  That's me Hosting a show where I can be myself and that's what I wanted!

Hosting for Afterbuzz TV

I was waiting to share the news until I could tell my family and close friends and am happy to report that I now have Representation for TV/Film and Hosting by Chez Chic Talent.  We are currently putting together a portfolio of headshots and photos as well as a video section with all my projects, commercials, and reels.  I finally feel like I have someone who is as excited as I am to find and book work, that wants me to succeed in a business and career sense.  It's a great feeling and hopefully there will be some big work to come this year.

My favorite resolution of last year was to do more new things and get out of LA on a regular basis.  From a trip to Carmel and Clint Eastwood's restaurant with my Mom and Dad, to hitting up Las Vegas for an impromptu trip with my roommate, going to Santa Barbara with Neil, and having a family vacation in Punta Cana; it was nice to travel and do something different and fun.  There were tons of concerts I saw this past year, Sara Bareilles, Keith Urban, Matchbox 20, and Buckcherry to name a few as well as seeing Jekyll & Hyde at The Pantages Theater and other theater performances that were incredible.  I also got involved in the Creating Arts Company and had my first theater experience here in LA being cast as Mary Contrary in Babes In Toyland.

Goo Goo Dolls at The Gibson

As I'm looking back on this past year and the goals I set for myself, I didn't realize how much I've achieved with my hard work and dedication.  I'm getting to do what I love, I'm working at a few bars here in Los Angeles and having a blast and I even get to enjoy some fun experiences.  This 2013 was pretty good but I truly believe that 2014 will be even better!

2013 Resolutions and Goals!

I can't believe how quickly 2012 flew by and I'm sure that 2013 will only follow in suit!  Obviously, we all survived the Mayan Death Calendar, although my flight landing in Wisconsin on the 20th during a Blizzard made me think I might go before the 21st, it's already January 3rd and we've got a long road ahead of us to enjoy so much!

I'm so happy that I was able to keep up with my resolutions from last year and will continue to challenge myself to keep them this year because it does feel like a lifestyle change for the positive and I can't wait to add more to that!  Some of my new resolutions seem more like goals, but at the end of the day, I'm striving to achieve more, so either way, if I stick to something and work hard, I'll be happy with my decisions.  These are my goals for 2013!

1.  Create my own Web Series or Show and post Episodes on Social Media.

Watch out 2013...here I come!

I have so many ideas floating around in my brain and this is the year I plan on putting those thoughts on camera!  It'll probably have something to do with cooking and recipes, crazy stories, cars and other fun stuff so I'm really looking forward to making that happen and perhaps even Hosting my own show!

2.  Get Representation.

Now that I joined the SAG/AFTRA Union in November I need to get Theatrical and Commercial Representation so I can go out on more Auditions, book work, and build my resume!  I enjoy submitting myself and book most of my work and jobs on my own so it would be nice to have someone supporting me and getting me out there so I can form new relationships with Casting Directors and Industry people :)

3.  Do new things and go out of town more.

I've been living in Los Angeles for over 7 years and I've been to San Diego once, Temecula once, and Las Vegas a few times.  I have always wanted to go to Catalina, Santa Barbara, etc.  These are places that are a car-ride away so I want to take a day or two and enjoy a different city on occasion; it'll make me appreciate where I live and give me an opportunity to try new things.  I also want to do things I don't normally get to do, like going to plays or seeing Musicals when they come to LA, trying new restaurants instead of sticking with a stand-by, or taking a fun new class.  Groupon and Bloomspot offer great ideas for restaurants and things to do around LA and I often buy restaurant stuff but I'll push myself to buy some activities from now on too!

I think my 2012 positive lifestyle changes in addition to these new resolutions and goals give me a lot to look forward to in 2013!  I'm determined, I'll work even harder, and I'll keep smiling and be patient because one of these days, my hard work will pay off and I'll achieve my hopes and dreams :)

Acting Thoughts...

It came in the mail last week and I was so excited to see it...I finally got my SAG Card!  I feel like an Official Member of the Screen Actors Guild now and am so excited for the opportunities it will bring.  Next up is the SAG Awards at the end of January and as a Member of SAG I'll be getting all the screeners of the Nominee's so I can see all the performances and movies that are up for awards!  Even though I may just be one person, my opinion along with the other SAG-AFTRA members will make the decision for who wins Best Picture, Best Actor & Actress, Best Director, etc.

I was reading through a bunch of e-mails regarding Casting tips and information and I actually took some notes on Commercial Audition Techniques.  The one thing I have noticed since I joined the Union is that there's so much more Non-Union acting work on the Breakdowns and I can no longer submit for those jobs since I'm a SAG Member.  This only pushes me to get out and find an Agent so that I can be submitted for the Union jobs that aren't listed on the Breakdowns, but finding an Agent was always more difficult than it seemed.  Perhaps now that I'm a part of the Union I'll have a better chance of finding someone to represent me Theatrically and Commercially and I'll be working towards that full-force when I'm back from Christmas vacation as most of Hollywood shuts down in the month of December.

A lot of the tips in the article I have used in my own Auditions and they certainly bring confidence and have helped but there were other tips that I'm so excited to use at my next audition like 'Coloring the picture with adjectives to hi-light the product' or 'Demonstrating what life was like before and after the product'.  It's amazing how simple it seems but you get in that Audition room with the Casting Directors and on top of memorizing the script or scene, as nervous as you may be, you have to do all these things and more just to stand out from the crowd and bring yourself to the Audition.  One of my favorite things to do at Auditions is figure out the clearest way to get the product or scene across and then challenge myself to figure out other ways to do it, making it different from what everyone else is probably doing.  This way I'm setting myself a part from everyone else and giving the Director something different they may not have seen yet.  Sometimes you'll take that chance and it'll work and other times it won't be what they're looking for but at least you tried!

Another article I was reading talked about staying positive through it all and not letting negative thoughts affect you.  It's hard to be optimistic all the time when you're constantly bombarded with commercials that you think you might be perfect for or even commercials that you auditioned for you and you don't know why they hired the actress they did but you can't think like that.  I've learned I need to take what I gained from that experience and use that at my next audition, anything that can better help me in the future or parts I should work on and improve but be proud that I went in and did my best at that time!  Positive energy manifests itself and brings better things along and I can work my hardest but know that it'll happen because I am determined, creative, and well-prepared.

My New Year's Resolution was to write in my journal every day, write blogs that contain fun and important moments in my life along with creative happenings.  Since I recently created a portfolio that I bring with me to Auditions, I have started taking notes about the Auditions and also writing blog entries that will help me at future Auditions because I can look back on what I did that worked and what didn't.  It's important to keep these details along with Casting Information so that when I'm working with someone, I know who has brought me in for a Commercial or to read for a certain role.  I'm a huge believer in Thank You notes/e-mails, so after I Audition I usually send out a Thank You e-mail within a day because at the end of all of this, it's about networking, and creating lasting relationships with people you'll work with in the future!

So I'm soaking up all this new information, meeting people, talking about work, and am excited for the future and Acting work.  If I'm not Auditioning, that just means I need to create something myself, and I'll work hard to continue doing what I love :)