This is just the coolest! My youngest brother Todd has been in Los Angeles on business for a few days and has extended his stay so we can hang for a bit. I can only imagine what it would be like to have some family (at least family I got along with) out here with me. Todd and I have always gotten along great so it’s really working. I even took a few days off of work…that is something I don’t do very often, but I’m trying to take more time to do things other than work.

Today we went skiing and had a complete blast before I had to rush back for an audition; great conditions for his first time skiing on the West coast. Tomorrow we’re going to a motocross race in San Bernardino. So we’ll be spending a lot of time in the car together and I love road trips!

Audition: “Sony” @ skirts Casting. I thought this went well and I had a great partner to work with.

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After about a day and a half in bed and a steady diet of hot tea, water, ZiCam up the nose I feel much, much better. Thankfully, because being sick sucks!

Audition: “Universal Studios” @ Shane Liem Casting. Pretty simple audition, but I could see having a HUGE headache if I was to book it. I’ll take that chance! That’s why we get the big bucks!

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Uh oh! I’m not feeling well. Thankfully, this doesn’t happen too often, but I feel terrible. Stuffy nose, headache, sinus pressure, sore throat, etc… I’ll deal with it.

This afternoon my youngest brother Todd is coming to Los Angeles for business. Family is a really big deal to me and Todd has always been one of the good things for me concerning family. Much of the rest, concerning family is, let’s say,….challenging. Not all, but more than I’d like to admit. Yeah, there are a lot of things I wish were different, but it is what it is I guess.

My agent calls with a same-day, last minute call for an audition.

Audition: “HBO/True Blood” Promo @ Michael Sanford Casting. This goes really well for me and my wife “Candace”. She was a real pleasure to work with.

Afterwards I went downtown to pick up my brother at his hotel and hangout for a bit. After he finishes his work stuff he’ll stay with me for a few extra days. It was weird for him to finally see my new place after hearing about it for so long. Hopefully we’ll get to go skiing while he is here.

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After a busy night at work last night I barely made it out of bed to this audition. AND right as I was getting up to shower my agent called to inform me that the location had changed from relatively close to where I live to all the way in Santa Monica…@ 3:40 in the afternoon. Hello interstate 10…at least I can catch up on some of my podcast listening.

Audition: “Radio Shack” @ Lisa Pantone Casting. When I walked in the room I realized that this was a callback. There must have been 7-8 people in the room. I was calm, cool and ready to book this sucka! I had a couple of takes and was happy with the results.

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Audition: “State Farm” @ Liz Paulson Casting. This was cool and fun from slating my name all they way to the end; my partner and I worked really well together. I really like this acting stuff!

Audition/Producer/Tape: “Rizzoli & Isles” @ UDK Casting. This was a little weird. I think they thought I was reading for something different than I was actually reading for. One person told me that it was okay to stand and move around and another person said that I be reading with her. The character only had one line; so I really wouldn’t be reading with anyone and they wasn’t any movement to speak of. In the end I started laughing and I think they finally realized…something. I’m not sure what, but we all started laughing. I think they confusion was that they were reading about 6 different characters at the same time and didn’t know who would be coming in the door next. No worries; they are only human. So we’ll see what happens I guess.

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Callback: “Best-Buy” @ Ross Lacy Casting. YES! This was definitely one of the best callbacks I’ve ever had. They even called me back into the room as my “wife” and I were leaving. I sure hope it goes from an “avail” to a “booking”.

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Audition: “Best-Buy” @ Ross Lacy Casting. Fun stuff, I had a wonderful “wife” to work with. They should bring us back to the next round.

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I got my taxes done today and I have to say it was a very pleasant experience. Things are looking great for me.

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Audition: “HawthoRNe” @ Megan Branman Casting. This was for two different roles. I felt that the first one I read for went well, but the other role was just okay. I think I was more right for the second role and I should have asked to do another take to smooth it out…but I didn’t. Mistake.

Audition: “Private Practice” @ Lowy/Brace Casting. Yup, I’m STILL trying to get on this show AND they are trying to get me on this show. That is a great place to be, but I NEED to seal the deal and go to the set to shoot it!

In the room I read the character once, got some direction and thought I followed it pretty well. I don’t know if they were giving callbacks right away, but, at any rate I’m confident that they will keep bringing me in until I get something on the show.

Tonight I attended the Los Angeles Premiere of “The Joneses”; a film directed by Derrick Borte. Derrick is a friend of mine, also from Virginia Beach, from way back in my BMX/Bodyboarding/Surfing days. Yeah, a long time ago.

It was almost surreal a year ago when I attended a rough cut screening of the project, but it was really surreal when I saw it at the ArcLight tonight. The film stars Demi Moore, David Duchovny and Lauren Hutton. I attended with Jonathan Julian, another friend from Virginia Beach. We really enjoyed the film and I expect him to generate quite a bit of heat from. Afterwards we went to the after party and had a great time. Derrick and I got to catch up a bit and talk a little shop. He’s already been hired to direct another feature this coming Fall. One of the really cool things is that Derrick still lives in Virginia Beach and doesn’t seem to have plans to move to Hollywood any time soon. So if you wanna see a film that will make you think go see “The Joneses” – it opens in limited release Friday April 17th!

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Audition: “Panasonic” @ Terry Berland Casting. I auditioned at this office once last year, but I think the last time before that was in 2004. Welcome back! I hope I can get back on her radar!

The audition went pretty well I thought…so we’ll see.

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I haven’t had a single audition in almost a week and half. I ain’t tripping though. I’m very fortunate to have opportunities to audition on a very regular basis. But, I’ve been trying to take advantage of the slowdown while I can because sleeping 45 minutes here, 4 hours there definitely takes its toll on me and I’ve been very busy for the last several months. True to form my commercial agent woke me up this morning with an appointment for this afternoon. Cool.

Audition: “AT&T” @ Craig Colvin Casting. This was a lot of fun. The set up was supposed to be 4 adults and 2 children, but they ran out of children so we went in alone. Me and the other actors I read with had a complete blast. Hopefully I’ll see them at callbacks!

Guess what? I went to Barnes & Noble the other day…and bought a book…I’m even reading the book! The title is BRAINWASHED: Challenging the Myths of Black Inferiority – by Tom Burrell. I had recently listened to a podcast with the author on The Tavis Smiley Show and immediately wanted to read the book. I have never been that much of a book reader. Actually, I’m quite envious of people who do read novels and such. I don’t and never really have. I read a lot of magazines and such, but I haven’t read too many books…maybe it’s my ADD – at the same time I’m an information junkie.

So far in reading, it’s very interesting in how the author is explaining the effect slavery has had on Black people in America. Wow. It’s not complete news to me, but you just wanna shake your head when you see so much information dedicated to the matter all at once. It’s hard to believe that there was a time in this country when my ancestors were legally considered less than a full human being of a person…yes, legally. Again, I say wow. I can absolutely say that it has had an effect on me all these years later.

I’m trying to do what I can to make this world a better place. I doubt I’ll be able to change the world, but I can try to make things a little better. I want to be a great brother, uncle, friend. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be a great husband and father – that would be incredible! I have to find more confidence first.

I don’t plan on trying to be perfect, but I would like to be an asset to a given situation if I can. Matter of fact there are a couple of young people at my night job that I’m encouraging and trying to help get out of debt. I don’t know a ton about it in general, BUT I know exactly how I did it. I also know how I completely changed my spending habits. I was never terrible, but even not being terrible leaves room for a lot of improvement. Two full-time jobs will definitely help to curb spending that’s for sure! It’ll also kill your social life.

Get this: over the last 2 weeks I’ve run into the director of the last commercial I did on 3 different occasions. He’s been in post-production since we finished shooting and just delivered the finished spots to the client. He said they should start running in the near future…I don’t know if I’m in the finished spot. I sure hope so. The commercial is for “Marie Callendar’s/Healthy Choice”. There are 6 different ones, but I’m just in one of them.

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Tonight at work one of my guests/customers was a director and his wife that I met 8-10 months ago at the restaurant. Of course I didn’t know he was a director when I first encountered him; it came out in the small talk we were having. Turns out he was in town from London meeting with agents. He told me about his film and I checked it out on their website. I contacted him to tell that I really enjoyed it and he responded in kind.

CUT TO: 8-10 months later…

He and his wife came back in the restaurant and I recognized him right away, but it took me a moment to remember exactly how and in what context I’d had met them. Then it came to me; I remembered the table they sat at, the reason he was in Los Angeles, they agency he signed with…and his name. He was completely shocked.

Since the time I’d first seen him he had left the agency he originally signed with, moved to one of the Big Four agencies, got a project in pre-production…and moved to Los Angeles from London just 4 days prior. He said they didn’t know anyone so they came back to the restaurant; a somewhat familiar place for them. He told me that in a few days he was set to visit 3 different places out of town for location scouting for his project. He also asked for my contact info to stay in touch. Cool. I sensed that he and his wife are nice, genuine people so I gladly gave them my information. I wish them both the best.

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Today I participated in the WGA program that reads the scripts of at-risk students in the some of the high schools in the area. Today it was Crenshaw High and, as usual, always great fun.

Audition/tape: “Hung” @ CFB Casting. …not so much.

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Nine years ago today I left my job waiting tables…at the same place that I am currently waiting tables. How’s THAT for full circle? Trust me, I’m still not sure how that is for full circle. It’s been an interesting mental trip, waiting tables again, but I think I handle it pretty well…usually. I have good days and not so good days. I don’t usually have bad days, but at times it’s a major challenge to say the least…major challenge.

I’m not sure how long this trip will last at the restaurant, but I am determined to keep things moving in the right direction…and I think it’s working slowly, but surely. Of course it’s working…I’m just looking for more results.

The flip side is that, thus far, I’ve made this trip down “day-job road” work for me way better than I ever would have believe. I just have to stay focused and keep expecting…correction, demanding more from myself.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Audition: “Findlaw.com” @ Ross Lacy Casting. This was fun! It was one those law commercials written in the style of the commercials that you see during The Jerry Springer Show or Judge Judy. I love those commercials! They are hilarious to me. I had a great time and hopefully I’ll get a callback.

I contacted my theatrical agent to see if there’s any hint that I’ll be going to callbacks for the pilot in auditioned for last week. No news as of yet, I hope that changes and I get another crack at it. I think I’m really right for the character…fingers-crossed.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Audition: “Bing” @ Kathy Knowles Casting. This was another same-day call, which I am really getting used to. Sometimes I feel like a doctor who is always on-call. It’s all good though, trust me, I’m not complaining. It’s great to have as many opportunities for work as I do…even if they arrive with very little warning.

The audition went quite well I think. I went in with a child actress and her mother. They both were quite the joy to work with.

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Audition: “Vlasic” @ Bad Girls Casting. This same-day call went well. It was pretty simple; we just kinda reacted to an unusual situation. The trick was to not over-act, but still react in a real way. I think I got it right.

Audition: “AARP/Hartford” @ Michael Sanford Casting. Hmm…not so much. Didn’t feel so good about this one. Oh well, that happens…gotta pick up the pieces, learn from it and move on.

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Audition: “The Untitled Dana Gould Project” @ Barylski/Wright Casting. I arrived at the Warner Bros. Ranch Studio Lot early and had a great warm-up session outside by myself. Casting Director Deborah Barylski entered the building as I was outside and greeted me warmly. Deborah hired me years ago for the ABC pilot “Life With Bonnie”. It’s rare that casting directors actually hire actors directly, but that’s exactly what Deborah did for me in the pilot season of 2002. I auditioned, left the room, she called me back in and gave me direction, I read it again and she told me that she was going to recommend that Bonnie hire me. “Bonnie”, as in Bonnie Hunt. She also explained to me that since it was a pilot she would have to get approval from the network. Three weeks later I got the news that the network signed off on me.

Back to the read…I felt really good about it and I think I’m right for the character…or at least in the ballpark of what is right. I really hope I get to the next round.

Audition: “Time-Warner Cable” @ Ross Lacy Casting. This went really well…on the 4th take! Yeah, my partner and myself, mostly me, got off to a bit of a rough start. Actually, I think it made it even better because at that point we were certainly having fun and that is usually a good thing. Hopefully, I’ll get a callback.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Happy birthday to my car. I purchased it, used, 6 years ago today. When I bought the car I had no idea how I was going to make the monthly loan payments. I had been doing my best, with mixed results, to live a cash-only life; I was surprised that I was even able to get a loan in the first place. I literally didn’t know where I’d get the money for the very first payment due just 30 days later.

CUT TO: Several years later.

Somehow, I was able to pay the car off one month early and now enjoy having reliable transportation without a payment. Yeah, like most people, I’d LOVE to have a newer car, but now isn’t the right time for that…it doesn’t fit into staying as close to being debt-free as possible. Now THAT is a great feeling and I plan to keep it that way. I’ll get a nice ride one of these days, but I’ll do it in a way that, hopefully, makes sense.

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Audition/Producers/Tape: “Love Bites” @ Debra Zane Casting. This was at one of my very favorite places to audition. Debra, Tannis and Shayna are just wonderful people…I wish I would have been more wonderful in my performance, but we’ll see. It’s an NBC series so maybe I’ll get back in for another role…if I don’t go further with this one.

http://www.stephonfuller.com