The Pendulum Theory

Isn't this pretty? Taken by the Hudson River waterfront, while listening to the sweet sounds of African music. 

Hear me out: I like to think of life, luck, karma, etc like a pendulum. This pendulum is constantly swinging in an arc. Once you hit a high point, you are inevitably going to swing back down to the low point, before you head back up on the upswing.

I have been on a high point since I moved to NYC, but some really bad auditions had me down and out, at the lowest point of the pendulum. I think I momentarily burnt out, all of my motivation had gone right out the window. Sometimes it felt far easier to just go to work, and keep my head down. Some actor-friends told me that this funk was natural, and happens to them all. I was feeling super-conflicted, and those little nasty vampire voices were talking constantly in my head. I'm sure you are familiar with these lecherous thoughts; maybe you aren't good enough, maybe you think you are better than you actually are, why are you wasting your time at auditions when you can't even get an agent.

Slowly, over the past week, a few events shook me up. One day while I was at work, none other than Bette Midler walked into the shop. After a brief clerical conversation, I said, "Thank you, Ms. Midler." At the time even I didn't know how much her random appearance into my life would effect me.

Later that day, I'm taking my lunch break outside and a producer from the New York Musical Theater Festival approaches me and asks to interview me for a promotional video. Afterwards, we start talking about her production's auditions, and she asks me for my resume. Of course I didn't have one on me. The cardinal rule of a working actor is to always have your headshot and resume on you at all times. Remembering this kind of woke me up to all the opportunity flying around NYC.

That week I was called in for an immediate job interview to work ticketing at Carnegie Hall. They were filling the spot immediately, and I had all the qualifications! I was essentially hired...

And then I got a phone call telling me that I'm going on another National Tour. Sadly Carnegie Hall wouldn't accept my new conflict, so I'm not going to be working there. Even better - I'll be working as a fully employed actor for 16 straight weeks starting in September.

See how the pendulum is swinging? I'm on the upswing now, baby.