Festivities
2008 was a year where I became unemployed, employed, unemployed and “held” for employment. At this time I ask myself “Did I leave this year in a better state than how I entered it?” I think the answer is “Yes”. I’m fitter, and happier than at this time last year, I’m a year older and wiser than at the same time last year and I feel freer now. The journey from that point to this has been, let’s be generous, Challenging.
There’s more challenges ahead for me, and I’ll tackle them as tenaciously as I can.
To all of you, Happy New Year and remember, a New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.
‘Should auld acquaintance be forgot’ – unless those tests come back positive. – Jay Leno
Elephants
The road map that I have to consider to get to a point of meeting others, or even if they want to meet me, can sometimes be, for me, very complex, confusing and frustrating. Even irritating.
When I say ‘meeting’, I don’t necessarily mean physically catching up with a person, I mean the meeting of minds. There have been times that after being around a person for a few hours, or regularly communicating with them, that afterwards it dawns on me that we weren’t in sync, or that the things left unsaid were what, perhaps, needed to be said. There are so many instances when I’ve walked right into a firestorm because the objective or agenda or mood of the other person should have been known by me.
Doubt
I reckon the most common experience that actors share is doubt, or more specifically self-doubt. I remember when I met the American actor John Randolph (Serpico, Prizzi’s Honor), the first thing I asked him was about self-doubt and he said that it’s part of the territory. It was good to hear this from him because he knew exactly what I was saying, he validated it and said that it was ok. This was a great relief to hear from a guy with so much experience.
Sometimes when I’ve been unsure of how I’m going things can have a habit of collapsing. I know that sounds dramatic but that’s how it happens. But when the feeling on the set with the Director, the cast and the crew are really strong and my confidence comes back, things get shot on the first take. It’s amazing how that happens. I get this great feeling that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, that I belong, that my path is… Righteous. Read more
Carouse
What a Beautiful Day. The bike ride around the bridges that I finished 35 minutes ago lifted my spirits. I’m still sweating. It was so joyous to see families along the river with their little kids all dressed up running around. The headwind of the “Freo Doctor” was strong but the experience was wonderful. It took me 1 hour and 10 minutes.
I’m so grateful that the test (cricket) is a real bumper. South Africa are really giving Australia a good ol’ shake and the standard of this test and the first test was what I consider true test cricket. My definition is when the bowlers and batsmen don’t get it all their own way, the fielding is top class, and the spectators and commentators can’t confidently pick who’ll win. And the fact that Australia, the best cricket country in the world, has to really work for every wicket and for every run and at home surely makes this a wonderful contest. How’s Duminy? 158 not out so far!!! Amazing. Read more
Being
I’ve been reminding myself of being “in the now”. There are so many times when I fall for a kind of mental gymnastics and it all gets pretty busy up there.
I went to the gym and that was good. One of the best things that Richelle taught me (she’s taught me HEAPS) is to lay on a rubber pipe thingo right down the centre of my back for 20 minutes. After a good run and a stretch I lay down and let gravity do it’s thing. It feels very good, and I must say my back is void of pain. Richelle is very big on keeping my chest up when I exercise and it’s helped my posture.
I’m getting alot out of training and Richelle is such a great help. She teaches me technique and ALWAYS makes me do more than I think I can do. I’m so grateful to her. Read more
As It Is
Actors have to eat. This I’ve heard. We must be truthful and yet we have to eat. This is not an option.
What do I do if I want to tell it as it is? As it is for me.
I’ve been told “You’re too honest”. How’s it go?… “Honesty without compassion is Ruthlessness”, something like that.
I have this urge to say things that may seem to others… well… Impolite. What’s this urge?
David Mamet writes in his excellent book True and False : Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor “The actor who mugs, who hams it up, who lays claim to emotions which are false, or who uses these supposed emotions to make a demand upon the audience, can extort an unhappy admiration as he asks the audience in admiring him to admire himself. But the actor who tells the truth simply because the circumstances require it is like the postman who saves the invalid, the bicycle messenger who rides in the Olympics, an ordinary man or woman behaving with address and direction in extraordinary circumstances. And, at this, we, the audience, exercise a higher faculty than that of getting our money’s worth: the faculty of admiration, of love for true nobility in the human character.” Read more
Blog This!
To those who may read this, I hope this blog will prove to be a positive experience for you. It’s purpose will be to express my thoughts, feelings and experiences so I’m pretty sure it’ll help me. Thanks to Ed Lynch for creating my website. You’re a Gem.
It’s Christmas Day and I found a cafe in Mount Lawley that’s open with free wifi. That’s fantastic! Good coffee too. Exomod in Beaufort Street. I received a text message from Shezza and Gaz today. I don’t know how long this cafe will be open for; I’ll ask ‘em in a minute.
I’ve often thought about how we express ourselves and I’ve noticed that when I type (or text msg) I’m most comfortable to word it and spell it as I would say it, keeping as much as possible to the correct grammar. So you’ll see alot of ‘em for “them”’s and so forth. I s’pose that’s what CJ Dennis was doing in “Songs For A Sentimental Bloke”.
