Sunday, January 8, 2012

A Case of "The Mondays"


Today’s Quote:
The Business of being an actor, whether you are employed or not, is a full-time job.  Serious pursuit of your career demands diligence in developing your talents, looking for jobs, being able to perform on cue, and packaging yourself correctly.  It really requires a total commitment.  How To Be a Working Actor by Mari Lyn Henry & Lynne Rogers

Today’s Song:  A Real Hero (feat. Electric Youth) by College

My Dreams:  This week is the start of some yearly goal setting.  I’m doing something that lots of folks think is taboo.  I’m going to tell you how much money I want to make.  Weird right?  By August of this year (when my current apt. lease is up) I want to make at least $25,000 through performance work.  These are big numbers for a fresh actor, but, not impossible.  Besides, even if I get to half of this it’ll be more financial stability than I have ever seen.

What did I do to get there? 
Honestly, I dropped the ball a little this week.  I had a car emergency that soaked up a day and a half, but still:  I partied with a bunch of industry professionals at an annual party (yes it counts), I put my website online (still under construction) check it out - eriksiegling.com – give me your comments on the site.  What’s good, what’s not… I had an audition yesterday that went all right, and I finally got some balls and started calling up casting agencies.

Ok, so technically I’m a few hours late getting this in for my ‘weekly’ minimum update.  Shame on me!  I’ll write two at least this week to make up for it.  Boy do I have enough to talk about!

Tomorrow marks the start of something big.  I’m going to be working from 9AM to 5PM!  This isn’t at a bank, or a market, nor is it at box manufacturing company (LOST reference).  I am starting rehearsals, which will go the next two and a half weeks, followed by an average eight show per week run that goes from now through the middle of April! 

Tomorrow marks the first day of my life that I am fully supporting my lifestyle and all of my bills with my art.  This is a giant piece of awesome pie that many never even get to taste.  I am so grateful.  And I want to keep it that way.

I don’t get how one could ever want to have a job that makes them literally HATE Monday.  WHO DOES THAT!?  Why would you do that to yourself?  I think such a sentiment is a big indicator of how soon you should quit your job and start following your dreams.  If I hated Mondays because of my job, I’d quit … THIS Monday.  If doing this ends up not working for you, don’t blame me.  Just try again.

I think the other thing that I’m grateful for this Monday is that I have three weeks of that 9-5 work to get into a hard workin’ groove.  Once the show gets running, it’ll be tempting to call the daytime shows and the evening DJ gigs good enough.  But, I can’t imagine how much more reachable my fiscal and acting skill-level goals will be if I work a solid 8 hour day.  I’m gonna do it!

Unstoppable.  Tomorrow marks the day that I become UNSTOPPABLE!!!

I hope it’s that good of a Monday for you too.

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