The new phone books are here! The new phone books are here!!

Okay, I didn't really get a new phone book today. It's a line from the movie THE JERK (one of my all time favorites). Navin R. Johnson (Steve Martin) is working at a gas station when the new phone book arrives. In typical enthusiastic Steve Martin style he crows "The new phone books are here! The new phone books are here!! Things are going to start happening to me NOW!" Of course at that point we see a crazed madman pick Navin's name out of the phone book as the person he is going to hunt down and shoot. Not nearly as creepy as it sounds - trust me, rent the movie!

In any case, for the first time since January 1st, I finally feel like the new year has arrived. Things are going to start happening to me now! I went to two workshops today, one with a TV casting director and the other with a voice over coach/actor/casting director and both left me feeling like there's still something for me out there. I had been toying with the idea of going back to school to become a teacher (certainly a noble profession but far less entertaining than driving onto the Warner Brothers lot to get paid for saying a few lines and loafing around the craft service table) just so I could have some consistent cash. This economy hasn't been fun for a lot of people but I'm really getting sick of wondering if we're going to have health insurance next year. And teaching gigs really work with the over-scheduled child's after school activities. If I temp in some office, who is going to get her to the rink, tie her skates (I know, I know, it's time...) and be there to comfort her after the emotional and physical pain from 200+ attempts to land a fully rotated double toe loop? But going back to school for teaching (and the ensuing school loans) really would mean I'm planning to be a teacher. Not an actress who plays a teacher. Not a substitute teacher who is really an actress. A teacher. Day in and day out. Assuming I can even find a job! After 18 months of school (including 6 months of unpaid student teaching!). With none of the showbiz glamour and perks I've come to know and love - okay there aren't that many perks but it IS nice to get DVDs in the mail in January (thanks SAG!). Let's face it - I am really happy to take a step back from that bridge and lounge on the shore of possibly soon to be employed voice over actor or even unemployed actor who still has residuals coming in and is really working on making connections.

In any case, it's a new year and I feel optimistic. I'm still hot, off and on, but I'm also still talented. And more than that, I'm much more at ease than I've been for a long time. I'm finally old enough and have enough on my resume that I can go in to a casting director workshop and just do the work. Not spend the time freaking out about whether he'll like me or not, whether my scene partner thinks I'm talented or whether I should have worn a pair of stiletto heels like the girl named "Chartreuse" who just moved here from Atlanta. I know I'm not the next Julia Roberts - let Chartreuse worry about that! But for now, I'm an actress (who's still available to substitute teach) and I'm hoping 2010 just might be a GREAT year!