Q: So how'd the big audition go, Beth?

A: Meh!


Ha, ha, no-- in all seriousness, it was okay!  I truly did feel good about my read.  But I will say that it confirmed my instincts not to get my hopes up.  Auditions are just too much of a wild card: Do I have the right look; what are the ages of the actors that would be playing opposite me; what celebrities are in the mix for the same roles I just read for; do I live in the right state to warrant inclusion in this Texas-made film; etc? 

I did my best (which admittedly is never quite as awesome as my "best" when I'm at home practicing my sides in front of a mirror...) and then drove away from the casting office literally THANKING GOD that I'm no longer pursuing acting as a career!  Hooray! 

I'm grateful that I have a job that lets me pursue acting gigs when they come up, but I'm also so very content with my daily life that I could only count my blessings after that big audition yesterday.  Not that pursuing acting as a career is bad, it just wasn't for me and I'm so much happier since I made the decision to "settle."  I'm so thankful that I'm no longer in that rat race, juggling auditions with waiting tables, and keeping my friends/enemies close in the name of healthy competition. 


...Speaking of healthy competition, who do you think that I ran into upon arriving at my audition yesterday? 

My friend Tawny:

My gorgeous, adorable, girl-next-door, Texas-raised, charming, bubbly friend Tawny!

Yes, I know.  She's precious.  And to top it off, she's a really good person and one of my dearest friends.  We are the same "type" and are constantly competing against one another for roles.  I've never had a sister, but I can only guess that my relationship with Tawny must mirror some sisterly rivalries.  I genuinely care about this girl, but being so similar, I also crave my moment in the sun next to her. 

I admit that upon arriving at that casting office yesterday and seeing sweet Tawny running over her lines in the waiting area, there was a brief moment of: "Aaaaggghhh!!!"  (I'm just being honest!  I'm sure that Tawny felt the exact same thing when she saw me walking up!)

But the wonderful thing is that that ugly competitive moment passed as quickly as it came, perspective kicked in, and I found myself in Venice with a friend to wait out the traffic with!  It was like being given the gift of an unexpected girls' night.  Tawny and I went shoe shopping at a really awesome hidden spot that she knew about and we both found some great deals.  Then we grabbed a bite for dinner and had amazing conversations all evening.  It was really fun. 

So how'd my audition go? 

It was pretty perfect.

Easter, already?

I can't believe that it's almost April!  I am reading the scripture at church this weekend and only when I went to write it on my calendar did I realize that this Sunday is Easter!

I think I'm going to dye eggs this weekend.  I haven't dyed eggs in years, but I think it's time to revive that tradition.  My mom used to make the best hard boiled egg sandwiches for our lunches every year-- maybe I'll look for a good egg salad recipe...

Secrets

Dear my blog readers-- the handful of you loyal readers are going to be treated to some of my most personal secrets below.

First off: I have an audition tomorrow.  A big one.  It's a long shot, and my hopes are not up, but I have to confess that I am really excited for it.  It's the biggest thing I've ever auditioned for, and I am lucky to be reading for a role at all, but my friend Brandon (who happens to be directing this indie feature) came to see WIT while he was in town a few weekends ago and while talking to him after the show he said that he'd like to read me for one of the roles.  (Brandon and his family moved to Texas about a year ago when his wife's mother got sick, but he still visits LA a lot for work.) 

The woman doing the casting contacted me last week and sent me the script and the names of the 2 roles to read for.  Umm, the script is awesome!  And one of the roles is actually a pretty good sized role!  Now, again, I'm managing my expectations here-- I don't expect to get in this film, but understand that I've never auditioned for a project this big, and I'm pretty honored that Brandon even wanted to call me in to read for it.  (But shhhh, all this excitement is a secret-- I'm not even typing the name of the film or the names of anyone involved in case they have some sort of google alert set up-- but here's the film's profile pic on facebook)

Here's another secret: I'm doing the Warrior Dash in 2 weeks and I haven't been training (at all) for the 3 miles of hellish terrain that I've signed up to encounter... 

About a month ago Greg and I ran around the block together (ugh-- I hate running!) and I nearly killed myself because I was pretty sure my lungs were imploding.  And on Saturday I popped in my new Billy Blanks Boot Camp DVD, which I actually did and was very proud of myself for making it all the way through, but I don't know that Billy Blanks is going to help me hoist myself over a tank or jump over a fire pit.  I just may be in way over my head.  I'm afraid I might die on April 10th.

Here's another secret, my husband is a truly amazing man.  (Okay, if you read this blog regularly, that might not be such a secret!)  Greg and his comedy team, Rigor Tortoise, performed at the first ever Dallas Comedy Festival this past weekend.  It was our first weekend apart since we got married, and he was travelling with 4 of his (single) buddies. 

As in any art community, if you're any good (which Rigor Tortoise is), you're going to get attention.  Read: Female attention.  Rigor Tortoise was to the Dallas Comedy Festival what any awesome indie band would be to a music festival.  And my sweet husband presented himself as a very clearly married man all weekend long.  Not that there was ever any doubt that he would present himself as such, and certainly there was no doubt that he would be faithful to me-- but my husband goes above and beyond to actually find ways to honor me as his wife, even when I'm not there.  I know many men who would have taken a weekend away from home as an opportunity to flirt openly or act like an ass with his bros-- but not Greggers.  He's one in a million and I can't believe I ended up with such a catch.

This is Greg's indie photo in honor of the indie band comparison...

And to top that all off, when he got off the plane yesterday he actually came to my cast party with me after our last WIT performance.  WHAT A GUY!

Saying goodbye to WIT

For nearly all of 2010 I have been rehearsing for or performing in the Actor's Co-op production of Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize winning play WIT.  This weekend is the last of the show's six week run.

I love this picture of Nan-- she's got such a knowing look on her face

I won't lie, I'm ready to have my weekends back.  But I must say that this show has meant a lot to me, more than I expected as a lowly ensemble member in the cast of fantastic actors.  I feel very proud of this production, and strangely enough, I have really been touched by the various responses from the audience.  I mean, one expects to be affected by watching a play with this content-- but some of the feedback has struck me deeply.  I'm very thankful to have been along for this ride.

Danny Tanner talk for the newlyweds

Things have been beyond busy for Greg and me lately.  It's been a good kind of busy! 
Between us, we've had:

• auditions
• short films
• a 6 week run of the Pulitzer prize winning play: WIT
• multiple weekly improv performances
• 2 upcoming out of state comedy festivals
• day jobs (that sometimes have night shifts!)

Lots of opportunities, and Greg and I are very happy with the activities that we're each involved in. 

From the set of the short film "One Hell of a Plan,"

which kept me busy for a few hours on Saturday.

However, there aren't enough days in the week, and we sat down this weekend to have a very serious talk with one another about how we're managing our time so that we get enough quality time with one another.  It was a really good talk.  It was the kind of talk that Danny Tanner used to have with his daughters on any given episode of "Full House." 

Greg and I have some things to pray about, but we've got several possible solutions to help us make more time for one another. 

I really love that man o' mine.  I can't wait for this busy season to calm a bit more so that we can enjoy nights of just hanging out with one another again.

Customer Service

There is a Subway restaurant near my work that used to have the most wonderful employee.  She was a sandwich maker, and she joyfully made those sandwiches and genuinely interacted with me when I would visit for lunch.  Because of the way she did her job, I felt cared for.  I felt like a valued customer!

She has since left her sandwich making days behind her-- onward and upward, I'm sure-- but as someone who has worked her fair share of restaurant/retail positions myself, I really appreciated the Subway girl's efforts.

I'm thinking about customer service because it struck me recently how low my expectations are in that area.  I'm actually surprised (pleasantly surprised!) when I do get good service, and of course, bad service feels like a kick in the gut.

I went to a building downtown last weekend and in the lobby, I had to pass by a desk before reaching the row of elevators.  I acknowledged the woman sitting behind the desk as I passed saying: "I'm going to the 16th floor," at which she nodded and waved me on.

I pushed the "up" button and the far right elevator immediately opened.  I pushed "16" and then realized that the button wasn't lighting up nor was the elevator moving.  So, I exited my far right elevator in hopes that one of the other two elevators would whisk me to my floor-- but alas, whenever I pushed "up," only the far right elevator would open its mouth.

I turned to the woman at the desk and before I could ask if the elevators were working she said: "Push 'down,' then push 16." 

Ummmm...?  Okay...

So I push "down" and the middle elevator (a freight elevator I might add) opened up.  I stepped in and pushed "16," but again: Nothing happened.

By this point I'm feeling pretty stupid.  I've used elevators before!  I've pushed those buttons since I was a small child! 

I crept out of the middle freight elevator and once again push "up" and try the far right elevator.  No luck.  With my tail between my legs I step once more into the lobby and call to the woman for help. 

"I'm sorry but it doesn't seem to be working--" I start, but before I can even get my sentence out this woman very angrily says: "I told you what to do!  You push 'down' then hold down the '16,' I've worked here ten years, I know how those work!"

A bubble of anger shot up in my own chest and I wanted to scream at this complete stranger the way that she was screaming at me: "It's not that I didn't believe you, you crazy woman, I just couldn't get it to work!  If there was a trick you might have told me when I first walked in, surely if you've been working here ten years I must not be the first person baffled by pushing 'down' to call an upward-moving elevator!" 

But instead I turned my back on her and got back in the freight elevator, making sure I held down the button for the 16th floor (FYI-- I had to hold it down for about 5 seconds to get it to actually light up and move).

I have to go back to that building this evening and I'm sort of dreading it because I so don't want to see that stupid woman again.

HOWEVER, I still sometimes visit that Subway near my work and it's still a happy place for me, even though that awesome sandwich maker has moved on and the current employees are drones who manage to get a sandwich made (although, not necessarily pleasantly, just neutrally).

The moral of this blog entry today: Be nice to people-- It does matter!

Surprise picnic in the park

After a bt of a rainy season in Southern California (which I loved), lately we've been having the most beautiful spring days.  It's warm, but not uncomfortably hot, with a nice breeze, but not too windy.  It feels like the day is wrapping itself around me in a big hug.

Yesterday was my wonderful husband's day off, and Greg surprised me with a picnic lunch in the park near my office.  He laid a blanket down for us under a big shady tree, and he pulled from his bag 2 salads, red grapes, chips, and 2 bottled waters. 

He also brought me daffodils!  I have to say, I have never been one of those girls that gush over receiving flowers, but I must say that getting flowers for no reason is one of the NICEST things!  It's so thoughtful, and then you have fresh beautiful flowers that you can display for a few days.  Doesn't my desk look brighter because of these beauties:

Mom & Dad visit Cali

This weekend Greg and I enjoyed a lovely visit from my parents.  I had been anticipating their arrival all week and was so excited for them to see the home that Greg and I have made for ourselves.

We had such a good weekend!  My parents were real troopers and let me drag them all over town to show them my favorite eateries, cool spots, and hang outs.  They were also game for some late nights, despite the 3 hour time difference (and even losing an hour to daylight savings on Saturday!) they came with me to see 2 of Greg's improv shows as well as my play. 

I'm sure they're very tired after our action packed weekend.  You'll be proud to know that I did remember to take some pictures!  Here are my parents in their hotel room on Saturday morning before we set out for our day's adventures:

Don't they make a nice couple?

One of our stops was at Galco's Soda Pop Shop, which is an old grocery store that now ONLY sells soda.  Soda of every flavor that's out there.  One can find vintage sodas that are rare and even standard sodas made with cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.  There's also a little section of old fashioned candy that's pretty cool.

My mom eyeing a cane sugar Dr. Pepper

Shelves of classic sodas

My dad went crazy to find a Zagnut candy bar

I mean, look at all that soda!

I took this for my brother (named Eric)

It was a quick trip, but a really good one.  Before they left on Sunday afternoon we went to breakfast at Franks, my favorite diner.  (This was the morning after I took them to Greg's 11:30pm improv show, and we also "sprung forward" and lost an hour to daylight savings.  Like I said: troopers!)

Sandy & Bill ready for breakfast at Franks

Beth & Greggers at Franks

Thanks for the wonderful visit, Mom and Dad!

Visitors

After 6 months of marriage, Greg and I are finally getting to the point at which we feel comfortable inviting people over to our little apartment.  It took a while to get settled, but we can now proudly offer our company a couch to sit on and a place to rest their drinks while we visit. (Although we're still working on figuring out what to hang on our walls...)

Last week I hosted a "girls' night" for the women at the Actor's Co-op. In addition to our weekly company meetings, the ladies of the Co-op usually meet once a month to chat, eat snacks, encourage one another and pray for one another. Wednesday night was an intimate group of 5 really awesome ladies and we had the best time. I made martinis (something I love to do!) and in honor of this weekend's Academy Awards, I made a popcorn bar with an array of toppings that people could try. Standard toppings like cheddar cheese/nacho cheese with a kick of hot sauce, as well as chocolate & caramel to drizzle on top and peanuts to throw in with the popcorn.  It's a great girls' night snack because the toppings can meet cravings for both salty and sweet depending on what your guests are in the mood for, but the key is the presentation, and I learned this trick at a film festival: serve the popcorn in the plastic "classic popcorn bags" that you can find at Target and offer chopsticks to your guests so that they're able to indulge in the toppings without getting their hands sticky.

Of course I didn't take any pictures last week of my cute little table (curses!), but to give you a visual, here's a picture of my friend Aimee and I using the ol' chopstick-popcorn-trick at a movie night we had last year:

Isn't that fun?  I really love hosting, and I really love unique little details.
 
Then on Saturday morning, two of my married girlfriends came over for brunch.  I invited them over because Teresa and Tara are also married to artists, and I thought it would be nice to visit with one another and possibly learn things from each other as we shared stories from our marriages.  The three of us found ourselves in an awesome conversation about marriage a few weeks ago after a Co-op meeting, and I made a mental note that I wanted to make time for more conversations like that.  We each have a desire to be supportive wives as well as Godly women.  There are challenges to being married to artists, and it was nice to hear some examples of how these two women find ways to encourage their husbands.  On Saturday morning the three of us talked easily for a couple of hours, then we prayed specifically for our marriages and our husbands.  It was lovely. 
 
But of course I didn't take a picture of that spread either. (There were flowers on my table!  Beth, Beth, get it together!)
 
This weekend my parents are coming for a visit!  I absolutely can't wait to show them the home that Greg and I have made in this little apartment of ours.  They fly in on Thursday and Greg and I are going to make them chili for dinner before Greg's improv show.
 
I'm really looking forward to showing my parents around, and I think they're excited to be in some warm weather after the cold winter they had in Georgia:

 
I promise to TAKE PICTURES of their visit so that I have something to show you when I write about it!

We think we're funny

I once made Greg take this picture next to the poster for Knowing starring Nicolas Cage when we went to the movies. 

(Note: we did NOT go see this particular movie, we just happened to see the poster while we were waiting to see something else.)

To be fair, Greg once made me take this picture:

I'd say we're about even.

Mad as a Hatter

This is my friend Lori:

 

She is one of the most creative people I know.  She sent me this photo of herself when she invited me to come see the new Alice in Wonderland film on Friday (that's her fish, named Brain, in her teacup...) 

I just had to share because I love it so much:

...And as long as I'm sharing pictures of Lori-- isn't this the greatest Halloween costume EVER?

She's Zoltar from Big. 

LOVE IT!

(Actually: LOVE HER!)