To spend or not to spend that is the ?

All this revamping and celebrating has me thinking it's time for some new headshots. Only thing is headshots are expensive but I read somewhere that as an actor that is NOT the place to try and save money. That's the first thing a casting director sees and the casting director pretty much calls the first shot and decides if I'm going to audition for the project or not. Bummer because pictures can be really expensive but i'm feeling so figity right now. I feel like I'm twitching constantly and thinking what I can do to get this show on the road. The one thing, well there's two things, but one of the the things that keeps going through my mind is headshots! So I'll keep you posted and let you know what I decide because this will definitely hit the pocketbook pretty hard. Till next time :)

Missed blog-aversaries and a revamp

I was looking through my blog archive, if you can call it that, and I realized that I started writing on Sunday July 5th. It's been over a year since it was born but I can't say that it's a very big feat considering there has only been about 40 postings. That comes out to about 2.5 postings a month but I'll take it. Why?? Well because it's actually something I haven't quit. Let me rephrase that, I did delete it once or twice, had a couple of break downs and some cupcake binges, but I'm still here. Anyway, I thought a little revamp was in order, something to help celebrate my one year 2 month anniversary (because I didn't realize the one year ann. had passsed). Something to keep me excited about coming back to share with my dear dear friends that come back to read this madness. I totally appreciate the fact that you all actually come back to visit and some of you even comment. That is totally awesome!!

This past week was a little difficult for me. It was a bit quiet on the audition front and then throw in that my hubby filmed his commercial. Don't get me wrong, I was and still am super excited for him, I just can't believe that he actually got to experience what I go through. It also took me to a very strange place. I began to wonder what this all means for me, what's the lesson here, how does he book a SAG National in a second and I'm going on 3 years my second time around. Why am I not hearing anything. Jesus where are you?? Well very quietly I came across this, Isaiah 43:18-19, "Forget the former things, do not dwell in the past. See I am doing a new thing". Wow!! It helped me realize that something new is on the horizon it may seem as dry as a desert but I just need to be patient and not give up. I also came across a tweet by @revrunwisdom, "Nothing great has EVER been created without enthusiasm". End of Story!!

p.s. I'm brainstorming on a slightly new direction for the blog. Maybe a little something for my actor friends to exchange some good and much needed info. Not to sure yet. Any ideas??

Here are some pics from the "undisclosed shipping company ad" ;)

A little project update!

So enough about Jeremiah's rise to stardom in 2.5 seconds. Let's go back to the long and emotional journey we've been going through together. Ha! Just kidding. Kind of.

Anyway, last Thursday I was on set for a small internet project. Not really sure what it's for or where it will run but I had fun and was at two great locations. Griffith Park Merry go Round and A small cove in Palos Verdes. My partner and I enjoyed the beautiful sunset on a makeshift dock looking out into the sunset. Totally beats a day at work. As soon as I get my hands on it, I'll post if of course. A little pic of the "set" will have to do.

I also have a little something something to share. I'm never contacted when projects that I do come out. I usually have someone tell me they saw me on tv or I have to hunt for them on my own. I found this during one of my treasure hunts. Enjoy!

By the way, Jeremiah shoots his commercial tomorrow. So excited and so proud! As soon as it comes out I might be nice enough to share some blog time so he can post it for y'all!!

Funny Story!

So about 12 days ago, Thursday around 10 am to be exact, I was looking through my emails and project notices that I can submit myself to when I came across one that read something like this. Seeking real people, not actors, that fit these descriptions. Lab Technicians, Teachers, Environmental Bloggers and real blue collar/construction workers. At this point a little light bulb went on, so I yelled for Aliyah to ask her if she had a picture of daddy that we could use. Then I remembered that we had a couple of pictures in our computer file. So I tell her, "babe, I'm gonna submit daddy for this". So I do, not really thinking anything of it because after all, this is a SAG National and well only experienced actors like me get these (riiiight) so I didn't' think anything of it, so much so that I didn't even tell Jeremiah that I had submitted him.

Later that day, I get a call from him asking me "who is this lady calling me asking if I want to audition". Oopsy! So I explained myself and to make a long story shorter, he auditioned and the feedback he received was pretty positive. The funny part of the story is that when I audition, most of the time I'm a bit of a mess after. I make sure I have my phone with me at all times waiting to see if I'm gonna book it. You begin to question your talent, and if you really did good or you're just telling yourself that. Well, every time I go through this Jeremiah tells me don't worry, stop thinking about it, basically leave it at the door and move on. So you think Mr. Figueroa would heed his own advice. Wrong! He was a mess people, calling me and texting me to ask me why they hadn't called him. He was nervous waiting for the phone to potentially ring. I laughed and gave Jesus a big thank you for allowing him to feel what I feel and go through what I go through. Sweet poetic justice. By the way, He promised me that he would never tell me that again.

So what happened you ask. Well, the kid booked a SAG National!! Yes, he booked it. He got the call today and just about keeled over. I am so excited and so proud of him. You need to understand, in my eyes he can do anything, he is my Superman and today he proved that to me once again.

*I will be supersizing this picture and hanging it over my mantle because it's the one that booked this thing!!*

And the Emmy goes to...

Ok, so I think I can officially say that New York is not happening but while that was NOT happening something else was. I think it was back in April that I had auditioned for a commercial, I think I even had a callback but didn't hear anything after that. Until last Friday that is. I got a call saying that I was put on avail and the next day I was told that I had booked the job. So basically while I was sitting there waiting for New York to happen, or not, there was something else brewing. I'm going to be honest, it's no New York but like I've said before the fact that I continue to audition and book gigs is definitely good enough for me.

So that being said, on Thursday I had the privilege of being on set with a totally cool crew of ladies, sitting around for 10 hours to literally shoot our parts in 10 minutes! The fact that neither of us went nutso was a total miracle. The fact that I sat around for 10 hours and totally enjoyed and appreciated every minute of it was even a bigger miracle. I realized that I absolutley love doing this and the fact I get to see it begin to unravel and come to fruition is a total blessing and quite surreal if I do say so myself.

So am I bummed about NY, ummm, not really, seriously! I just want to keep working, I want to work my way up, I want to continue to learn and soak in every second of it so that when NY, or a SAG National or the Emmy's do happen (I'm watching the Emmy's so I thought I'd just throw that in there) It'll be that much sweeter. Then I'll be able to stand at the mic and thank all the little people that made this all possible ;)

NY or Bust!

Wow! Just noticed it's been a month and a day since I last blogged. Oops.

I have a good excuse though. Ok, no I don't. I think about having to write and I get sleepy.

Well alot has been going on since the last time I wrote. I've gotten a couple of auditions, I booked a Sugarland video and I just went on a callback yesterday. The video was a small last minute project and again you could only see me waaay far away for a split second but it's all good. I got to work, meet some great people, get my hair and makeup done, ride in a van with Sugarlanand have some deeeelicious food! So overall I guess I could say I had a very good day.

On my last post I had mentioned that I went on an audition for Olive Garden. That audition was on June 30th to be exact. It came and went so I figured it was cast and should be showing on your local tv station any time soon. Wrong!! I just received a call today that I got a callback for it on Monday. I was super excited to say the least, because I've auditioned for this casting company and for Olive Garden several times and have heard nothing but crickets after. So that alone was an achievement. Oh did I forget to mention that if I book it, it shoots in New York!! What??!! This is big people!

When I made my list of goals this year, a SAG national was on the list. I wrote it down, with doubt of course, but I said what the heck, my God is a big God so go for it! We'll see what happens. Even if I don't get it, I think it's a little sign reminding me that anything is possible!

Here's a clip of the Albertsons Commercial. There were 3 0r 4 commercials for this campaign but I could only get my hands on this one so far. Don't blink ok. I come out in the first 40 seconds at a patio table with my tv daughter. Enjoy!

Boy was I wrong!!

This past friday I woke up and got ready for a 2pm call time to shoot a print ad for an "undisclosed" shipping co. As I was opening up emails to get the address and some important info I noticed that the letterhead said Grant Delin photo session. So I google Grant Delin thinking that's the product or company we're shooting for. Wrong! Grant Delin was the name of the photographer, so I clicked on his website, then I died. It only took me a second to realize that this guy was big time, check out his website and I'm sure you'll agree. This probably was not the smartest thing for me to do because I went from thinking I'm shooting a small ad for Bob's Corner Shipping Co. to knowing that this is gonna be kind of a big deal. My friends, it turned out to be a great deal. I ended up shooting an International print ad for UPS with a top notch photographer. Of course I was excited but more than anything I think I was just overwhelmed with joy because I felt the Lord's hand in all of it. There's no way I could've planned it any dreamier. Everybody on that shoot was amazing from the make up and wardrobe ladies to the photographer and all his assistants. Overall it was an awesome and unforgettable day.

Hopefully this is just a taste of what's to come. As for now, I'm waiting to hopefully hear from Olive Garden and/or Lowe's for a callback. Either one would be fabulouuus!!

Hold on for the ride :)

Still haven't figured out why I had to cancel a gig for an audition that I didn't end up booking but I guess It's not for me to try and figure out. I thought it would pan out clearly, of course, and I would be able to tell you exactly why that happened. Well that is not the case.

Anyway, I had an audition today. I gotta say I was pretty excited, it was a SAG National for an Italian Restaurat Chain :) Now SAG national my friends is what every actor loves to hear. It's like music to one's ears. Most commercial work is a buyout, they'll pay you once for the job and that's it. Well not a SAG national, that would be the gift that keeps on giving, over an over, each and every time that beauty shows on your telli.

The audition was a bit tortuous. Two hours of waiting, which is fine if everybody has to wait that long but when people that came in way after you are going before you that could drive anyone mad. I'm not gonna lie, it kind of did. Needless to say when I left I was a bit of a mess. My emotions were all over the map.

-"Should I keep doing this?"

-"Why am I doing this?"

-"Lord, where are you?"

So just as I was contemplating my future and sorting through an array of career options, professional quilt maker, pool lady, dog trainer, I get an email that I have another audition tomorrow. All I could do was laugh at myself. It was an instant answer from Jesus telling me "I got this, I AM your Pilot on this magic carpet ride. So chill".

p.s. I'm shooting a print ad for a shipping company on friday. yay!

p.s.s. Still haven't gotten my hands on the supervalu commercial.

Dream big or go home!!

Ok. Gonna try to make this quick, good luck to me. About two weeks ago I had an audition, the call back came and went and my phone did not ring. No biggie, on to the next one. Well there hadn't been a next as of this Wednesday so I was super stoked when I got an email asking if I wanted to be a selected extra for that same project. It paid about 1/38th of what the feature role paid but I didn't care, bottom line, I wanted to work. So I accepted it in a heartbeat. Then to add to the greatness I get a call that I could possibly be selected to be in the print campaign. Sweet, I was gonna get paid!! Needless to say I was super excited. For a couple of reasons. One, it came totally out of the blue. Two, I thought because I wasn't being a diva and took the job regardless of the pay that I was being blessed with the print campaign. Basically I was patting myself on the back for my "goodness". errrr, no! That's not how Jesus works. Three, I felt like it was all starting to come together. My dream is slowly coming to fruition. I was excited, I was feeling good, then... I get ANOTHER email that I had an audition the next day!! What??!!! I was thanking Jesus left and right. I couldn't believe it, when it rains blessings it pours. And----end scene.

Let me break it down to make this go by quicker:

1. Get the call to be an extra on Thur & Fri and possible print campaign. Score!

2. Get an audition for Thur. Score! so I thought.

3. Conflict! Audition can't be moved to accomodate my work as an extra.

4. I have to cancel my extra gig for this audition. I have to cancel a for sure thing for a chance at maybe getting this other job.

And 5. I was super bummed!!

MY plan of how it was all supposed to happen, failed! Woe to me! Then a thought came to my mind. I think my plan is perfect and the greatest that ever was and God is chuckling at how little I dream. I feel like He's telling me, "really, that's all you got"? "My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are my ways your ways." (Isaiah 55) Bottom line, He has a way better plan for me, one that I can not even fathom. FIN!

The Commercial Forecast :)

Three Tuesdays ago today I was on the set of a Supervalu commercial in good ol' Pasadena, Ca. I didn't really know what to expect but judging from the amazing clothes I had to choose from at the fitting, I knew it was going to be good. And by golly I was not disappointed.

I arrived to our checkpoint, jumped in a van and was off to my destination. I was in awe as we were driving through the neighborhood, it was one beautiful sprawling mansion after another. Honestly, I just couldn't believe I was there. So, I get dropped off at hair & makeup, get into my beautiful Anthropologie dress, meet up with my "family" and hang out at craft services which was conveniently located on the beautiful lawn of the home we're filming at. Rough, I know!!

After about one hour of shooting some backyard scenes it was time for lunch. This wasn't no ordinary lunch. Cast and crew all walked to the house next door and as I turned the corner it was like they had set up for a party in yet another beautiful front lawn. I was happy, I was sooo happy. I was on the set of a commercial, with delicous food, with a great group of actors. I did not care that most of the day was spent waiting for our turn. I did not care that it was sooo cold and I was wearing a dress. I did not care that it took about 10 hours. I sat and waited (and ate) and counted my blessings. I soaked up every second because I love doing this but I'm not gonna lie, it's tough booking a gig. Let's just say it's not raining commercials out there, you know what I mean?? Right now it's drizzling, but Lord willing soon It'll be pouring!! Amen?? Amen!!

And here is Gia, my tv daughter, we had a blast!! Watch out for her, she's a cutie!!

p.s. I went on an audition on Friday. I'm praying for a callback, so hopefully my phone rings tomorrow because the callback is Thursday!!

*as soon as I get my hands on the commercial, I'll post it*

Mexico and the Callback!!

I've been wanting to post an update about my crazy trip to Mexico with my crazy friend B and I've been wanting to share a little bit of my commercial shoot with you guys. I was going to try and do a two for one shot but I don't think that's gonna happen. So here goes Mexico.

About two weeks ago I went on a whirlwind adventure with Bianca to try and help her find a wedding venue. We didn't find a wedding location BUT we did find a location to relax and eat and eat aaaaand eat. We visited about 37 resorts in 2 days, ok it was like 6, but it felt like 37. The first place we stayed at was scary, we nicknamed it Maravilla, as in projects. It wasn't that bad but we're dramatic so go with it. The second night on the other hand was, AMAZING! Well, it was scary and amazing, scary because in a nutshell, we slept smack in the middle of the jungle AND our living corridors had no windows. That's right I said, "no windows" and I have the pictures to prove it. Basically the only thing that was protecting us from lions, tigers and bears was a mosquito net. Ok, there weren't lions, tigers OR bears but there were wild monkeys and they were scary and wild.

I'm not going to write about the commercial I booked here but I will tell you that while we were in the junlgles of Yulapa I received an email from my agent that I had a callback at 6pm the next day. Ummm what?? Ok, we were going home the next day but one problem our plane landed at 5pm and I had to be in Santa Monica by 6. Long story short, I made it on time to the callback thanks to the expert moves of my international traveler friend B and to the super chippy (CHP) driving manuevers of my husband J. And hence, I booked the commercial. Yay!!

And what blog is complete without pictures :)

This is the view we had during breakfast, it's not a downloaded image. (promise)
This is the pool and the hut you see in the background is the yoga platform that overlooks the ocean!!! Can you say paradise!!

And this my friends, is where we slept, yes, this is where we slept! Each hut is a room and to use the restroom we had to walk out of our room and down a walkway that shook with every step you took. Needless to say there were no middle of the night potty breaks :)

Back by popular demand~kind of

I am back by popular demand! No, not really. My friend said "blog soon" and I was like "ok". So two or three weeks later, here I am. As you probably guessed I did not get the HD gig and yes I did have cupcakes. Actually from then to now I've had several cupcakes. I used to be a huge fan of Sprinkles that was until I tried Crumbs. Oh my word, those are AMAZING and BIGGER!! Confession: we drive an hour in traffic to get one cupcake each and a cup of coffee. Anyway, I got side tracked. Back to my gigs. The last audition I went on was about 2 weeks ago, it went very very well, I was put on avail again, I didn't get it. I'm getting pretty good at accepting rejection. Oxymoron, but it's true. This is a tough gig but I'm learning sooo much, it's been a very emotional ride, but I'm not giving up. I know eventually this will pay off, I feel it in my bones. I get callbacks, I get put on avail and eventually I'll book! Right? Right!

Callbacks & Cupcakes

Yesterday morning I had already told myself that I wasn't going to get called back for a second audition so on to the next. I'll admit, there was a tiny pity party going on. Tiny. So when Home Depot called back, I gotta admit I was beside myself, I was pretty stoked. Usually I'm able to audition, put it aside, and move on to the next. For some reason this one was bugging me, maybe it was having to wait 2 weeks to see if I would get a callback. That's kind of unheard of, usually it's a 2-4 day turn around.

So here comes Wednesday morning, I'm excited, anxious, a bit nervous but ready. Of course, I always check and double check directions and make sure I know where I'm going. Well, today I said "I remember where it's at, I know exactly where I'm going". Errrr, Wrong! Really??!! I waited two weeks to get this callback, I was super excited when I got it and now I'm lost and I'm gonna be late. Long story short, God is good, I was only 15 minutes late, I auditioned and I think it went pretty darn good if I do say so myself. If I book it, I should hear from them by Thursday or Friday. So if you don't hear from me in the next couple of days it's probably because I didn't get it and I'm sulking and stuffing my face with about 1/2 dozen cupcakes. The End.

It's Time!

I had an amazing opportunity this past weekend to retreat. I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't very excited about going. I'm not a big fan of being away from my hubby for too long, but deep inside I know I needed it. I needed to be refreshed, rethink my thoughts, and be around women that were there for the same reason. The theme of the retreat was "It's Time" and the timing couldn't have been any better. I left to the retreat with so many questions and so many emotions (or non emotions) for those that know me, and I came back not necessarily with answers but with clarity and affirmation.

I KNOW that I am sooo blessed to have an amazing husband, really this guy is awesome, he is my best friend. It's always bummed me out that I didn't have a girl that I can call a best friend and could call me that right back, but the Lord is funny, I married a boy that is undoubtedly, 1000% my best friend and bonus, along with him came a super terrific little girl that fills my heart with joy.

I KNOW that I want to be an actress and I'm going to pursue it with all I got. Hence the new website. It's something that I've been wanting to do for a long time but I would always end up making excuses and talk myself out of it.

I KNOW that I met and met up with an amazing circle of women that I am proud to call my friends.

I KNOW "It's Time" to book a gig!!! ;)!!!

P.S. I am patiently waiting to see if Home depot calls back for a second audition on the 9th (this is a big one) and I had 2 auditions on Thursday so I'll keep you guys posted.

Auditions, where are you??

Audtions this month were pretty non-existant. I had one on Wednesday and when I got the email I almost fell out of my chair because it had been a good month since i've been out. The audition went well but the callback (if I get one) is not until March 10th! Really?!?!

All this time sitting around and waiting got me thinking if there is more that I can do. Should I take new pictures, take more classes? One problem with this, this stuff is expensive but it's necessary. I'm my own business so if I want to grow I need to invest, I need to keep learning and be ready for when Hollywood comes pounding on my door. That's right I said pounding! So in the meantime, i'll be praying and waiting. Ideally i'll get the gig, take new headshots, take a couple of classes and do a little bit of shopping of course. I'll keep you posted.

I think it's time for an update!

Wow, it's been a long time and in this long time a lot has happened. In the past 3 months i've had about 8 auditions, 4 callbacks and almost one booking. I've auditioned for Dominos, Little Caesars, Amtrak, Olive Garden, Walmart, and a few other small projects. I was 99% booked for Little Caesars and the deal fell through. Booo!! Took me a second to come to terms with the fact that I didn't get it but it's all good. Sooner or later one will hit. Hopefully sooner than later. In the meantime I just have to keep myself prepared and remember that it's a challenge, it's not going to come easy but it will come.