Finito

Well, I told my temp agency that I didn't want to do this anymore! Woohoo! I am almost done with this BS!

Insert-a chorus singing Hallelujah!!!! I am not a religious person, but that says it all. So I am almost free.

I have been taking a class with a casting director at this place in the valley. It's one of those places that you pay to meet casting directors and agents. This one is a little different than other ones that I have been. You actually take a workshop with these people instead of meeting with them one on one. I like it. The first I signed up for was a 6 week class which has turned out to be great. The CD is fantastic-very down-to-earth, no-nonsense. And, incidentally, she is the kind of person I would be friends with. In this case, however, seems like it would be slightly awkward to initiate that-to say the least. Nevertheless, I have now met someone I respect and who now knows my work in LA. Its unfortunate that it is the only way an actor can connect with casting offices until one has an agent. Although, I must point out that its nice that there is a way other than mailings to connect with people. Regardless, let me get back to my original point, which was that last night, in week 5 of my class, I decided to ask my fellow actors about jobs.

I told them my current circumstances-temping, reception, 11 dollars per hour and got a resounding "awwwwww." Whew, and I thought it was just me.

Anyway, got a few ideas. Bottom line, I can do better. At least when it comes to money. Stimulation, well, we can attend to that next.

So, extra work, promotional work and substitute teaching are on the table.

Extra work, I've done. I didn't make a career out of it, but I've done it. Did you know that there are extras who actually make a career out of being a "background artist. " Now granted, the ones I've met were stand-ins. Funnily enough, they are snobby about this fact. They get 15 dollars more a day than a regular extra and, yet, they are somewhat exclusive about their positions. Now, I come to find out that many do it because, if they work for enough weeks, they qualify for health insurance. Now, that's all well and good, but some of these people actually got into this business to act and have now resigned themselves to being BG for health insurance and a pension. Seems like an odd choice to me. Seems like a lazy choice to me. Seems like a straight and narrow choice that is even more narrow and, ps, not nearly as secure, as a 9 to 5-or 9 to 6 if you live in my world. Now maybe some of them had preexisting medical conditions that forced them to make a certain level of health coverage absolutely necessary. Could be. What do I know? Very little.

Anyway, seems like a reasonable option, but nothing I could live with for long.

Next option...promotional stuff.

Well, now, I have done this too.

I worked for a gorilla marketing company-very bad idea. I had to go to all the restaurants that Sex and the City had been filmed in and try to put stickers up in the bathrooms about the show being on TBS. Yeah, that was fun and very classy. Don't you think? Oh, and I had to take a picture of every single one. (Insert condescending, peeved expression.) Oh, and I had to "dress sexy"-that was really great wandering around NYC, its like 110 degrees, and I am in a very short skirt and I have to approach nasty ass bars, high end restaurants-you name it and be charming, and ask if I can essentially post free advertising in their bathroom. Simple. Easy. Completely sleazy and disgusting. Not worth my or anyone else's spit if you ask me.

So, a woman in class said something about setting up a booth and that's it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Worth asking about a catch anyway.

And lastly, subbing. I have never been a substitute. I cannot say that the idea really excites me. In fact, dealing with a bunch of hormonal, insecure little pricks is not my idea of a good time. May little ones though. Less complicated. That sounds more appealing. Maybe I will do that after I investigate the promotional stuff. My God, these are my options!

Don't worry I haven't forgotten my yoga idea.

Still, small victory, I blew the whistle on this gig and started looking for a new game.