My phone is ringing @ 10:01am.  It’s my commercial agency.  It’s one of 4 things.

A last minute audition.

An avail release for VERIZON.

A 2^nd callback for VERIZON.

Or, a VERIZON booking.

Can you guess which one I’m hoping it is?

If the voicemail notification arrives within 15 seconds I’m pretty certain it’s release from VERIZON.  If it takes longer…then it’s most likely better news.

It’s take longer; around 30 seconds. 

The next step is retrieving the voicemail and listening to it.  My hope is that it’s a woman leaving the message and not a man.  If it’s a woman it almost guarantees that I booked VERIZON. 

It was a woman, and YES!  I booked the VERIZON commercial!!!  I’m so excited.  40 minutes later wardrobe calls to see if I can be at a fitting in an hour.  Of course I can. 

The fitting was interesting.  Years ago I had an “incident” at a casting director workshop where an actress “slapped the taste out of my mouth” during a scene.  I later called her on the phone to discuss it that was also an interesting exchange.

Anyway, I saw her name on the call sheet, then 30 minutes later I saw her in the flesh!  It’s on!  Just kidding.  I didn’t say anything to her…and she didn’t say anything to me.  I don’t even know if she remembers that “the incident” even happened or who I am/was.  Who knows.  BUT, I knew I’d see or work with her again! The “Day of Reckoning” has arrived!

Back to the fitting.

As usual, I tried on a zillion different outfits, took a bunch of photos and, 3 hours later, I was on my way back to…bumper-to-traffic on Interstate 10E with a happy smile on my face.

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Audition: “Allstate” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  Auditions don’t get much easier than this one.  I think I nailed it!

Well, it’s been 2 days on avail for VERIZON I feel it fading away.  BUT I contacted my agency and they said I’m still in the running for the booking.  Cool!  Didn’t expect to hear that.

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Callback: “Verizon” @ Dan Bell Casting.  Yes!  This is that one from last week that I think I’m perfect for.  It went really well I think…fingers-crossed.

Cut to: Hours later.

Oh yeah, this evening I received news that I’ve been placed on avail for VERIZON.  Yes!

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Audition: “Walgreen’s” @ Pogo Casting.  I don’t think this one went so well.  It was as simple as could be, but still, I felt I was doing too much.  Next!

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Tonight I participated in a reading of a script titled B.O.O.S.T. through my friend/actress/CD Lydia Blanco.  I didn’t have that much dialogue, but I made the most of little that I read.  I had fun!

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Audition: “Verizon” @ Dan Bell Casting.  I’m not sure how this one went.  I think myself and my fellow actors were working too hard.  The session director seemed a little frustrated with us, BUT I think I’m really right for it so hopefully I’ll get a callback.

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I’ve been having issue with my left hand/arm/shoulder.  I’m not sure what exactly is going on, but my little and ring fingers have limited mobility.  Last week I had X-rays of my neck and elbow taken. They didn’t reveal much so today I’m having an MRI performed on me.

Audition: “Chevy” @ Kathy Knowles Casting.  The best part of this audition was the woman who played my “wife”.  Wow!  She had the most beautiful hands!  And get this, I told her so!  Man, I hope I get a callback with her.

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Audition: “Statefarm” Francene Selkirk Casting.  I think this one went better for me than it did for my partner.  He had the heavy lifting to do and I just had to not overdue it. I think I accomplished that!

Callback: “HP/UPS” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  Hmm.  Not sure how this one went.  They completely changed the character and, honestly, I wasn’t really sure what was going on when I entered the room.  Sometimes that’s fine and I think this was one of those times.  I just played close attention and followed directions.  I think it went pretty well considering.

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Audition: “HP/UPS” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  This interview-style of audition went well today; they don’t always go well because sometimes I think I get caught…acting.

Anyway, I think I look the part.  Callbacks are tomorrow so I’ll know soon if I’m moving on to the next stage in the process…or not.

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Audition/Tape: “The Goldberg’s” @ Leslie Litt Casting.  This was a great time!  I actually walked out of the casting office feeling like I was certainly doing what I was meant to do…instead of filled with self-doubt. 

The Casting Director, Leslie Litt, is the CD who cast me on “FRIENDS”, my first TV job ever.  I wasn’t sure if Leslie would remember me since I haven’t been in her office many times, over the years, since “FRIENDS”.  Turns out she did remember and we had a nice little chat about it.

I would love to book this role!  It would be fun to play and good piece for my demo reel.  If I don’t book this one hopefully I’ll be called into her office more in the future.  The near future.

Audition: “HP/UPS” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  This interview-style of audition went well today; they don’t always go well because sometimes I think I get caught…acting.

Anyway, I think I look the part.  Callbacks are tomorrow so I’ll know soon if I’m moving on to the next stage in the process…or not.

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Audition: “Honda” @ [skirts].  This was quick-fast and I had a ball in the room. I think the direction I went in the room might have been a little risqué, but I had fun nonetheless.

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Last week when I met with my commercial agents about photos my print agent stopped me in the hallway and wanted to meet with me as well. So today I’m sitting down for a quick meeting with her.

About 18 months ago I shot photos specifically for print work, but they did not work for me, at all, like literally I think I had one print go-see in the last year.   Who knows, maybe I can get some print stuff out of this upcoming shoot.  I hate shooting photos…

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Callback: “ABC Talent Showcase” @ Disney.  I think I blew this one.  Terrible.  I didn’t connect with the scene and didn’t execute the redirect.  All of my auditions are very important, but this was really the wrong one to not perform in.  Ouch, ouch, ouch!!!

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Callback “VW” @ RMB Casting.  I’m not sure how this one went, I just didn’t feel all that connected to the creative team.  I had fun with my fellow actors though.

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Yesterday I had a meeting with two of my three commercial agents about my new pictures.  The meeting went really well, I just hope I can translate their instructions and get the pictures that they need.  I do not enjoy shooting headshots. At all; I pretty much hate the whole process of it.  It’s necessary though.

Callback: “Citibank” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  I think I did a really good job in the room. I just have to keep doing that and the bookings will come eventually.

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Audition: “Citibank” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  The usual stuff.  I had fun and I think I’m really right for it.

Callback: “Toyota” @ Francene Selkirk Casting.  I think I did my job well. That’s about all I can do.

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Audition: “Toyota” @ Francene Selkirk Casting.  C’mon!  I’m SO perfect for this one!  It went great, I had fun, when are callbacks?!

Audition: “VW” @ RMB Casting.  Fun, good times.

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Audition: “ABC Talent Showcase” @ ABC/Disney/Jessie Disla Casting Director – I try to get in these showcases that the different networks sponsor every year.  For this one I dropped off my photo & resume about two weeks ago and I got a call for an audition last week, so here I am.

The read went well; I did everything I wanted to do in the room.  It was a lot of fun.  Isn’t that what it’s supposed to be?  Anyway, on the way out, the casting director, spoke to me.  I knew I had met her before, but I couldn’t remember her name. 

She refreshed my memory.

It was Jessie Disla.  She was an assistant at Warner Bros. TV back when they staffed an entire casting department.  Those were the days!  She remembered when I booked my first TV job, FRIENDS, back in 1999.  She thanked me for coming in and said that “she was really glad to see that I was still pursuing it, the dream”.  That was very nice of her to show support and encouragement of my career.

Audition: “FEMA PSA” @ Francene Selkirk Casting.  This was great fun! I even had a wife and two kids to work with…maybe, one day, that’ll happen in my real life!

I got some interesting news at work this afternoon that, I suspect, will result in a very, very significant reduction in earnings.  Not good.  I really have to make this “acting thing” work.  Like seriously. 

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Audition: “Skittles/Starburst” @ Cathi Carlton Casting.  Eh, this went okay.  Funny commercial, but I think I was trying too hard.  I got to go in twice and the two actors did it completely different.  I think I did it better the second time.

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Audition: “Audi” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  It’s great to be back at this office!  It’s been a while.  I was good in the room today.

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Audition/Producers: “Fatal Instinct” @ Jan Glaser/Neely Gurman Casting.

Wow!  This is the first audition I’ve had in 5 weeks and just a handful over the last 3 months.  Hopefully that will change with episodic season starting up over the next several weeks.

I had a great time in the audition room.  I’m not sure what they’re looking for, but hopefully they will consider me for the role and/or other projects in the future. 

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I left Los Angeles yesterday to go home to Virginia Beach for the high school graduation of my niece, Aaleyah.

I didn’t make it in time.

It took me a total of 27 hours to get there.  At least half of that was spent standing in line in Chicago & Baltimore.  Amazing.

On the whole the trip home was, I guess I’d say, bitter-sweet.  My family is so…I don’t even know what to say anymore.  I need to start going somewhere for vacation other than ”home”.  Don’t get me wrong I like going home, but I need some variety. 

I spent a lot of the time, while home, working on things for the family business, BUT I haven’t spoken to my father, the owner, in 10 years.  Yeah, long story.

It seems that I’m the black sheep of the family.  Not sure how or why that happened, but I guess somebody has to hold the crown.

The highlight of the trip was seeing my little sister, Avis, and spending quality time with my 16 month-old niece, Sofia.  That was great!

The second half of the year will soon be upon us and I am hoping to finish it out strong.  I have to.  Working at the restaurant isn’t something I can do forever…or want to do forever.  I still really want to be a successful, professional performer in the entertainment industry…so I continue on my journey.

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Audition: “Time-Warner Cable” @ Joe Blake Casting.  Fun times.  Obviously, my last commercial booking was for TWC as well and I bet this is for the same director, David Shane.  I don’t know if it’s considered a conflict or not, but I went in anyway and didn’t ask questions.  Callbacks are in a few days and I plan to be there.

I kinda hope it’s my last audition before I go home to Virginia Beach for a little, I think, well-deserved break.  I’m not tired of auditioning, it’s just such an anxiety-ridden experience for me to always wonder if I’ll need to change travel plans and/or pay to change plane tickets.  Things usually work out and I think it will this time too.

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Audition: “Hello Ladies” @ Allison Jones Casting.  This audition should’ve been more fun than it ended up being.  There is a guy inside of me that didn’t show up in the room.  

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I’m in an advanced looping/ADR workshop all day today.  It’s not easy stuff to learn, but it seems like a great gig if you can get the work.  I’ll keep trying to learn the craft and eventually get into a loop group eventually.  Gotta diversify as best I can.

Last year was horrible from a financial standpoint. This year, so far, hasn’t been great, but I’ve already earned twice as much as all of last year.  I’m determined to make the second half of this year even more successful.  I have to make it happen…and I will.

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Eighteen years ago today I arrived in NYC from Virginia Beach, VA to further my acting career.  A lot has happened in that time…at the same time a lot hasn’t happened.  But I continue my pursuit.

Audition: “AT&T” @ Craig Colvin Casting.  This audition was fun, but only because I’m such a terrible dancer.  My partner was a woman I had done a play with some years ago and I think she thought I was cooler than I actually am.  I am NOT a very good dancer.  THAT is what made it a fun time.  I don’t know if there is a callback in my future for that one.  If I was a betting man I’d have to say “probably not”.

Audition: “Honda” @ Broad-cast.  I think this one went fairly well, although I may have been “acting” a little too much.  Maybe, we’ll see.  I had a great conversation about personal finance with my audition partner though.

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Wow, I haven’t had a single audition in over 2 weeks.  Pilot season went on without me too!  So it’s been pretty quiet for the last few months, but for some reason I’m not freaked out…maybe I should be though.

BUT!

This weekend, a friend and myself went on a road trip to Las Vegas!  I went to attend the Monster Energy Supercross Finals and she has a close friend that lives there.  I hadn’t been to Sin City in exactly 10 years.

Since I got my new(ish) car a few months ago I’ve been wanting to go on a road trip and Las Vegas was perfect.  We had a great time!  Overall, traffic wasn’t bad other than one complete shut down for an accident on I-15.  It didn’t last too long and I got a chance to vacuum my car and skateboard while traffic was stopped.  That helped to pass the time.  I plan to get out on the road more often in the future.

The perfect time to vacuum my car?  Why not!

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Today I went MX riding at Perris Raceway.  It was a real workout for my body and an absolutely great time.  I had been talking about doing it literally for years and I am so glad that I finally did.  I will be doing it again in the near future.  

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