NEW YEARS EVE!! ’05 is over! It was a pretty good year for me. I am looking for ’06 to be much better in many ways. I’m usually pretty low-key on New Years, but this year I had a very, dear friend to spend it with and I actually kinda hollered and hooted like something was really happening. Well, something was happening; I’m just not sure what it was.

Today I get to go motocross riding for the first time since July. This was a great day, because I had a chance to just ride lap after lap. I felt I learned a lot, but my little brother came to the track after work and beat me. After all, he rides way more than I do. I am getting better though AND I didn’t get hurt.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! I had a great day except for a stiff neck for some reason. I got some cool things too, which is always a bonus because I don’t expect anything other than some time off. One thing that was really unique from a very, very special person was a couple of t-shirt with my name on it. It’s kind of a long story……but they are cool. Another thing was my little brother selling me one of his motorcycles at a really, really low price. I always had a bike to ride, but now I officially have my own bike. Thanks Jeff.

FINALLY!! I’m leaving LA for the holidays! I am SO glad to be going home. I wish I would have left about 3 days ago, but I elected to stay until the bitter end because I didn’t want to take a chance on having to change my plane ticket. Of course, I didn’t have any appointments all week. Go figure.

Last week I called Ogilvy & Mather, the advertising agency in New York, to see if my “IBM” commercial had been renewed for another cycle. During the last cycle they bought foreign use, which was a very nice surprise. I’ve only actually seen the spot once before, but I did see it the other night on ABC/Monday Night Football while working out at the gym with my friend and two people called me to say they saw it at other times. Several months ago they told me it probably would not run Class A, but it did a few times during the last cycle.

Anyway, when I talked to them last week I requested a copy and the gentleman said he would "pass the word" to the accounting department. To be honest, it didn’t sound like I would really get a copy that easy. Sure enough, FedEx delivers the tape today. Enclosed was a very nice note from the Assistant Account Executive who said that due to the delay of the next “IBM” campaign launch I would start seeing my spot airing on Network TV. THAT is great news, really great news. I just need to move pass the “on avail” step more often. I think a commercial class is in my future for early ’06.

This totally caught me surprise today. I was talking to one of my younger brothers in Virginia about wanting to buy a condo or townhouse (what's the difference?) here in Los Angeles and he said that he would be interested in possibly buying a place together with me. THAT was great news!! It definitely made my day. Afterall, since I don't have a wife yet, he is someone that is always going to be in my life. I still have a lot to do before I even "really" get into the mental space of making it happen, but this is encouraging to even consider.

Relationships!!!!! Boy, they can be hard and they can be beautiful. I’ve been through both let me tell you - hard and beautiful. Actually, I won’t tell you, but I think most of us have experienced it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve dated some really amazing women in my day. I’m quite sure I’m a handful to deal with and they probably have the scars to prove it! Good luck to the women of the world!!! Ha!

Anyway, tonight I was driving to one of my favorite stores, Costco, in Burbank. I wasn’t feeling particularly great, personally. Ya know, dealing with some “stuff”. I was in the Media Center Mall area of Burbank to be exact. I became familiar with the area a couple of years ago when I started dating someone who lived over there. It just seems to be less stressful than the Miracle Mile area that I currently live in. It has wider, smoother streets and there seems to be lots of parking. I know, sounds crazy, huh? Well, maybe it’s the side of me that has lived in this studio with no parking for 7 years. Maybe it reminds me of being home in Virginia Beach.

Sure, I could just move over there, but I don’t want to move into another rental if I can help it and I don’t want to move into a rental with a roommate. I mean, I’ve been paying rent here for 7 freakin’ years and I have nothing to show for it. That is not a great feeling.

My ex and I actually flirted with the idea of buying something together, but I don’t think that would have been too smart for either of us. She moved forward with the idea with her roommate and I think it has me consumed with doing something similar. I don’t know how I could afford buying something by myself, I don’t have any male friends that I could think of doing something like that with and if I do it with a woman she’ll be my wife…..or at least fiancé…..I think.

I would, however, consider having a roommate if I had a mortgage. Food for thought; something to think about while I’m on vacation.

Anyway, back to my Costco trip. While turning left onto Victory from Magnolia I saw a car that was sitting in the intersection and it appeared to be stalled with nobody helping. I immediately pulled over and jumped out to push the car out of the roadway. Before I could even get there 3 men were there already pushing; THAT was a great thing for me to see. It really warmed my heart.

Once the womans’ vehicle was safely off the road the other men cleared out in a flash. I stayed to see if I could help in any way. The driver, an older Mexican woman, was really stressed out with a very long un-lit cigarette in her mouth. I asked her what was going on. Obviously, the car wouldn’t start. I wanted to figure out why. It was trying to start, so the battery was fine. She had fuel, but it wouldn’t run smoothly. I think it was a bad fuel pump. After a while of her trying to start it I asked if I could jump in and try it; she happily obliged. I got it started, but it would idle very, very roughly and I didn’t think it would get her far.

Through her accent, she told me she was on her way to work at the same place that her daughter worked, somewhere up on Roscoe Blvd. I hadn’t been up on Roscoe Blvd. since my car was towed and taken up there…..whole ‘nother story.

I wasn’t in a hurry so I offered to take her the rest of the way. She was understandably hesitant and explained that it was her daughters’ car and she didn’t know what to do. I asked if she had AAA and she replied “no”. I didn’t want to leave her on the side of the road, but there wasn’t much more I could do so I offered her a ride again. I told her I understood if she didn’t want to accept, but I am know one to be afraid of and that I “wanted” to help. She looked at me for a moment and kinda sighed and said “I believe in God”. I said “Great, I’ll be right back with my car”.

Oh yeah, that long-ass cigarette she had in her mouth was now lit. I was curious if she would be so bold to smoke in my car, or at least try. Nobody had smoked in my car before. I was also curious if I would let her smoke in my car since she was already stressed out OR if I would save her from dying another day earlier and ask her to put it out. When I went back to help her in my car the smoky stick was gone.

On the way to Roscoe Blvd I found out that her name was “Esther” her daughters’ name was also “Esther” I guess that makes her daughter a “Jr.” huh? She explained that her daughter would be very, very angry to know that she took a ride with a stranger. I told her I understood and suggested that she call her to let her know what was going on. I guess she felt pretty comfortable with me because she didn’t feel the need to call.

After a 10 minute drive I left her safely at her place of employment. It really felt great to be able to help someone tonight. I wasn’t in the greatest place and that was the perfect medicine to make me feel better. Thanks Esther and your daughters’ old ass Toyota Camry wit a jacked up fuel pump. You helped me have a better night than I would have had without you.

Audition: "DiGiorno's Pizza" @ Ross Lacy Casting. .......hmmm this goes okay, not too great. It's a long story, I don't think I was right for the part I read for. I was right for another part and I knew it, but I was switched because one of the other actor didn't know the copy. Anyway, callbacks are when I would be flying back from Virginia. We'll see.

Airing: “Love, Inc.” on UPN. I shot this during the first the week of September and it was originally scheduled to air mid-October. I’m not sure why the air-date was changed, I’m just glad it didn’t get totally scrapped.

I have to say, I was happy with how it turned out. It would have been nice to have more dialogue, but I’ll get ‘em next time. I’m going to finally put together a reel and I think there is a piece or two from the show I can use.Now the question is: Are they going to bring our characters, the geek/nerds, back? I mean our situation was totally left open; the matchmakers didn’t help us at all. They should bring us back for a couple of episodes and get us the help we desperately need to get some chicks. Right?

Audition: "Merrill Lynch" @ Ross Lacy Casting.

Callback: "Toyota" @ Danny Goldman & Associates. Cool, I'm really glad to be getting a callback at this office.

My wonderful agents @ KSA are keeping me busy still and I so appreciate it. One of the agents, Brooke, is driving winter items down to an orphange in Mexico. So she put out an e-mail to request any items we could donate. This was great for me because I was able to gather 4 bags of clothing to give. I had been "meaning" to donate the clothing to a local organization, but her request made it so that actually "did" something about it. Thanks Brooke and I think what you are doing is extremely generous.

Audition: “Toyota” @ Danny Goldman & Associates. Cool, I’m glad to get back in this office so soon. I was there about two weeks ago, but before that it had been like four years.

Audition/Producers: “My Name Is Earl” @ Dava Waite Casting. Wow, perfect timing! Why? Because I was randomly selected to vote for the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in the Primetime Television Category. As a result I’ve been receiving a whole bunch of primetime television DVD's in the mail and just the other day I got a couple episodes of “My Name Is Earl”. I’ve seen the show before and like it a lot, but it’s always great to have a couple of fresh episodes right in front of you.

The creative team behind "My Name Is Earl" is the same team behind "Yes, Dear". Dava hired me for "Yes, Dear" and "Hot Properties" and I would love to get in on this one as well.

Audition: “AOL” @ Jeff Rosenman Casting.

Audition: “In Search of the Perfect White Woman” @ Maslar/Liem Casting. Interesting title huh? My agent seemed to be a little suspect about the project, but knows that the writer/director Alonzo Brown has a history in the industry. Actually, he is the writer of 2003’s “Honey” starring Jessica Alba and Mekhi Phifer.

Can I say, again, that I really like my agents? I mean when Caleigh called with the appointment I really got the feeling that she was rooting for me. I like that feeling.

The character I’m reading for is “Derrick” a wannabe rapper trying to come up in the game. He is really bad at rapping so that works well for me - Stephon. If you are curious; I like “Derrick”, suck at rapping too.

“In Search of the Perfect White Woman”. The title alone is sure to get some attention. There is no imdb listing for the project so I googled the title to see what I could find. Ha! I found a website exclusively devoted to White Women and their search for Black men. WHAT! Obviously, I know that interracial relationships are common; I’ve been in a few myself. BUT I didn’t have any idea that the demand was this great; at least according to this site. Wow, you can find anything and everything on the internet – even if you aren’t looking for it.

Partners Ricki Maslar & Caroline Liem both greeted me warmly when I arrived at the office. Actually, Ricki hired me several years ago in an indie film called “XCU”. When Caroline took me in the room to audition writer/director Alonzo Brown immediately said he had seen me before in a film or TV project or something. I haven’t really been in anything lately and didn’t wanna lie so I just paused and said “Good! – CUT!”. That got a good laugh from the room; which helped me get in a groove to read. The producer handed him my resume, he looked it over and seemed quite impressed. That was a cool feeling.

I always feel I have a bit more freedom with the text in a film audition vs. television so I was feeling quite free. The read went well, really well. I added a couple of extra things to the text and it just flowed for me. I was happy with the results. Oh yeah, this was one of the lead roles.

So I leave the office feeling really good and I’m waiting for the elevator to come and I hear “Stephon!” I answer “Yes”. It’s Caroline coming out to get me to say that the director wants me to read for another role – this time it’s “Rodney”, the lead in the film. Cool.

So I go back in 45 minutes later and have a good read for “Rodney” as well. I felt “Derrick” was a lot more fun, but I think on I may be more right for “Rodney”. We’ll see. I called Caleigh to tell her how it went and she was really, really excited.

This was a really good ending to the week because I haven’t been feeling like myself, physically, since returning from my Thanksgiving vacation. I’m just really tired and not my normal motivated self. I’ve been faking my way through it, just trying to make it through the next couple of weeks until I can go home and recharge. It always happens like this before I go home, I kinda run myself really, really hard and then I leave town and return ready to rock and roll. The cool thing is that I go home and really disengage from my LA hustle – which I think is good because it is a real hustle.

Last night was particularly bad, I was feeling horrible. So bad that I cancelled a workshop I was scheduled for. Get this, I love taking baths, but I rarely do because I don’t like my bathroom. I usually only do it now when I stay in a hotel. So last night I really want to take a bath, so I do. I ran my water, took a couple of Nyquil, an Airborne pill and some Vitamin C. I woke up later, naked in the tub, with no water in it!! WHAT!! Yeah, my brother laughed his ass off when I told him that. I laughed my ass off too. Being sick sucks! I’ll be back though. I think the next two weeks I’ll try to keep working out at the gym and start playing tennis with my new tennis racket. I’m sure I’ll be doing drops and auditioning too.

I look forward to two more Nyquils tonight! I’m gonna sleep like Sleeping Beauty tonight. I can’t wait!

A couple days ago I received an invitation for me and a guest to “Mekhi Phifer’s 3rd Annual Holiday Party”. I was really surprised when I got it. I’m not sure why; I just don’t expect these sorts of things.

This was to be a pretty big event with over 1,000 people on the guest list. I guess that’s a lot of people. I can barely get 8 people in my studio apartment. Anyway we were instructed to park at the local high school, check-in and a shuttle would take us to his home where the event was being held. When my date and I arrived there was already a line to check-in.

Finally, after in a bit of time in the bitter, cold LA weather we were on the shuttle through the narrow, winding roads to his home. The theme this was New York famous club Studio 54!! My date and I had been to Mekhi’s house at the wrap party for the film he directed “Easier, Softer Way”. His place was unbelievable to me then, but he took it to way beyond the norm. What’s normal in Hollywood right?

The entire entrance to the estate was redone to resemble a New York club. They even had club security and paparazzi taking photos of the guests as we entered. There was even graffiti on the walls outside. I was wondering how he was going to get 1,000+ people in his house.

I was told that the set director from the film did his house for the party. They basically covered much of the outside grounds thus making it also indoors. There was all kinds of different rooms set up one with a blackjack/poker table, some more cosy, some wide open. It was really, really cool. After dancing for a good while with my date I finally figured out that we were actually on top of the pool. Yeah, they had built this huge platform over the pool for the main dance floor.

You couldn’t possibly see everyone that was there, but I did see a lot of people from the movie, cast and crew. Some that I did see were rapper Nas, Meagan Good, Regina King, Danny Masterson, Jamie Foxx, Cedric the Entertainer and the always exciting Bobby Brown. Thanks Mekhi!

Audition: “Bud Light” @ Kathy Knowles Casting. This went well, I was a back packer again having an encounter with a bear.

Audition: “Jack-in-the-Box” @ Alyson Horn Casting. Ahh, this one went okay. Callbacks are tomorrow, I have a feeling I won’t be getting one.

Audition: “Grape Nuts” @ Jessica J. Casting. This one went well. I was a back packer having an encounter with a couple of bear.