My Perfect Plan

I have been holding off posting news until I have something to say but I might as well catch you all up on what my life is like right now.

Last weekend I went on the LAFSC Alumni "Dead Poets" retreat. Themed after the movie Dead Poets Society, the retreat is open to alumni and friends of alumni. In total there were about 30 people there for the weekend. We focused on being away from the hustle of life and unlocking our inner artist. It was a good time of fellowship and I met some very cool people.

In the nearly 6 months I've been in California, it was my first time outside the city. It was refreshing to see there is more to this state than lights and narcissism.

My job search continues. I am registered with a temp agency and will begin seeking placements soon. But that is plan B right now because...

I have signed up to be a background actor (extra) for film and television. I also have secured a "call-in service" which is essentially an agency for extras. They get me jobs and I pay them a small fee (unlike agents, it is not percentage based). I am excited about this prospect as it will allow me to be around the production side of things that I love. Perhaps more importantly though, I can potentially support myself on the income from this work alone if I get enough bookings (which, let's be honest, won't be hard looking like this->).

Since I haven't gotten any jobs yet from either source (I only finished registering yesterday/today) I have been hesitant to share about it. I am continuing to look for more stable work but this may be a pretty ideal situation for me (if a little insecure).

My current plan is to get as much extra work as I can. It's infinitely more enjoyable than office work and allows me to be around the production, which I love (ironic given my choice of profession). Additionally, I will have a lot of free hours on set to work on writing.

On the days that I am not able to get booked, I will try to secure short term (preferably just a single day) work through the temp agency. In the event that neither source can produce any work for me, I will spend my enjoyable day off working on my writing.

On paper it is a perfect plan. I will have lots of time to write, enough money to live on and lots of flexibility in my schedule. But as I have yet to discover how difficult securing work through either source will be, I may find myself in much the same position as I had previously been; looking for work and desperately worrying about running out of money before I find it. Pray on!

Oh, I almost forgot! The best news of all...I have found a broomball league that plays in Burbank once a month a mere five minute drive from my apartment! (Why yes, I can tell you which stick each of these broom heads belongs to...)
Sure it's probably a gross approximation of the game and the level of play will be rudimentary at best. But it's broomball sticks, a broomball and ice for two hours and I will be there. This is the first step in fulfilling my private dream of bringing a California team to Nationals one day. I can not wait!

In parting, here is a newt.

It's Been Awhile

Wow, haven't posted in over a week. Might as well update a little.

No news on the job search. And not this isn't a "no news is good news" situation. I keep chugging along, trying hard not to get too discouraged. I promise you will be the first I tell if anything comes up.

I finished my webseries script but I'm having trouble getting notes back from people. I have sent it to several friends looking for feedback and have only heard back from one. I really would like to finish this so I can move on to the next thing on my writing list. Hopefully I'll have that script finalized by the end of the month.

Once that is done I'll be working on putting some ideas to paper and getting those ideas protected. Then I start on a new feature (possibly a pilot for a series, one idea is kind of toeing the line). I had a plan to write a spec script for an episode of How I Met Your Mother but that was kind of ruined by the Vikings loss on Sunday so back to the drawing board there.

In other news I am registering with the leading background talent organization in LA this week. It's a good way for me to stay around film, maybe meet some people and possibly pull in some money on the side. Though at the moment that side is the only one with money.

Hmmm, anything else? Nothing comes to mind right now. Just keep praying for me to make some friends (slow process), get some work and just for peace when the anxiety starts to creep in about the first two. Laters.

p.s. Oh almost forgot. Here's some pictures:
My Apartment


My Street

Update

Not a lot to report. I have been back in Burbank now for over a week and it has been a smooth transition. The weather certainly doesn't hurt that (it's been in the 70's pretty much every day, and sunny). My bags and boxes are all unpacked and I'm pretty much settled in.

I'm getting along pretty well with my new roommates, though I don't see them all that often. That's just the way things go when they are working every day and I am not.

I've been getting some writing done with all my free time. I have almost completed the first draft of my webseries I've been writing. Should finish that this afternoon. Then I get some feedback from people, and start on rewrites. I'm hoping to have my final draft ready early next week. Then I start trying to find a way to get it made.

And no, nothing new to report on the job front yet. I suspect this could be a long journey to find employment so keep praying. Not just for a job but also for me to keep from getting discouraged if nothing happens for a while.

That's all for now. If anything interesting happens, you will be the first one I tell.

Home?

I have returned from my home in Minnesota to my new home in Burbank California. There is going to be a bit of an adjustment period as I readjust to California after living in Minnesota for the better part of the last month.

Leaving yesterday was harder than when I departed for LAFSC several months ago. I think the uncertainty about my future (compared to a syllabused existence at LAFSC) and the fact that I didn't leave my family for a 3 day road trip with my brother were the biggest reasons for it.

My flight was relatively uneventful so that is always a positive. Other than some delays on both connections, the only interesting part was landing at LAX. As we came down, a thick fog was creeping in off the ocean. I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, I can barely see the end of the wing. It must be hard to land in this kind of fog." Then BAM. We hit the ground pretty hard. Hard enough to do damage? Probably not but certainly the hardest I've ever landed in a plane.

I have finally met my roommates, which is nice to have off my to-do list. I am spending most of today and a good chunk of tomorrow moving my things into my new living quarters. They are somewhat smaller than what I was used to at Park La Brea so things are going to get cramped pretty quick. I really have too much stuff don't I?

I start my job hunt in earnest on Monday so keep praying for me!

1 Week-ish

I will be returning to Los Angeles in just over a week from tonight. I am still excited to return, which is good. I am still scared to return, which is to be expected. I am going to be sad to leave my family behind again.

God has answered my prayer and I have really enjoyed my time here the last couple weeks. I have mostly not thought about LA or my impending job hunt. The result was a wonderful Christmas. I got great presents and gave in kind, but most important for me was the time I have spent with my extended family.

My family is very close and being able to spend one last Christmas at my grandpa's farm was a wonderful experience and one that I will sorely miss.

I will spend the next week seeing everyone I can and being with my family because after January 7th I am flying west to a new life. Hopefully this blog will be more interesting then.

"Home"

I am currently at my parents house in good old Shoreview, MN. It feels so weird to be visiting my own house. But I am encouraged by the feelings I have. I am happy to be home and glad to see everyone again but I can not wait to return to my new apartment in Burbank. Slowly but surely, Los Angeles has become home in my mind and now I miss it more than I missed Minnesota in August. It's a strange feeling leaving home to visit "home".

My prayer these next 3 weeks is that I can live in the moment and enjoy my time here without being distracted by thoughts of sunny California or the friends I have there. "Keep your concentration here and now where it belongs", as Qui-Gon Jinn once said. Before I know it, I'll be on a plane back to CA and missing my friends and family here again.

If you read this, I hope I'll see you sometime during these 3 weeks! Let the games begin!

Blessings

The last day and a half has more or less been a vacation for me here in lovely Burbank, CA. I haven't really had any obligations, or responsibilities and I've been free to just relax. I haven't really, but I've been free to.

The great news of the day is that I have an apartment lined up for January. I'll be moving in on the 7th officially. It is in Burbank and in a excellent location so I couldn't have asked for more really. I also found a place to store my car for free so blessings abound at the moment.

I fly home tomorrow so I'm sorting through my things to find what I want to bring with me. I'm excited to be home (sad to be leaving my computer though) and see my family again. But those 3 weeks will go by quickly and I'm extremely excited to have a place to come home to when I get back out here.