A suprisingly busy week

Hollywood pretty much shuts down this week, but somehow I ended up with five auditions...had a callback today for a national SAG commercial for www.moveon.org, a political organization backing the democratic party. I think they were trying to get me to say what political party I affiliate with at the callback, so I told them I was communist. They laughed. I was sort of serious.

I did have a good audion and chemistry with the people in the room though. They will call by tomorrow night if I got it. It shoots Monday.

Last night Debbie and I went on a real date to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary coming up in a few days. We haven't been able to go out as much lately as when we lived in Vegas. It was a very good night. We saw "The Family Stone" and we both loved it. There were a few trite and predictable parts, but the actors were phenominal across the board and the story was strong. I actually cried for the first time in a movie theater since Mr. Holland walked into the gymnasium to a standing ovation.

Deb's working a lot this weekend and I'll be hanging out at home with the boys. Going to Lifelines now...it's birthday night.

Merry Christmas.

Holiday Plans, Devil Girls and AFC North Champs

Christmas approaches...

I'm looking forward to the holidays this year. It's always hard for me when work slows down, but once I embrace it, it's a good thing. Today is Eli's last day of school, both he and Aidan have the next 16 days off...

Mom and Dad are visiting in early January and it will be nice to have them here. Dad hasn't been out since we moved here.

In between Christmas and their visit Debbie and I will celebrate our eleventh wedding anniversary. In a bit of payback for the last two years (in which I had to work on new years eve, our anniversary) Debbie has booked a party and will be away for most of the day and night. It will be odd being at home with the kids on NY Eve as we normally spend it with our friends in Vegas. Odd, but fun in its own way. We can watch a little Spongebob and call it a night. That's the way a 32 year-old father is supposed to party anyway. Heck, we might even pop open a few fruit boxes and do some Capri Sun shots...

Almost forgot two important things:

1. I booked a part in a SAG feature film called Devil Girl. I play a televangelist...which should be very fun. It shoots in early January.

2. How bout them BENGALS? I have no idea how to live life with my football team still playing in January...it's all so backwards. Maybe the Reds will make the playoffs too! I know, one miracle at a time.

Only 95 shopping days until my birthday...

We have wrapped the sitcom pilot. I spent the last few nights filming. I actually think it's going to be funny when all is said and done. Debbie had a big night last night with three of her parties going down at the same time. So...a very busy weekend for our family.

I'm working on General Hospital on Tuesday, but that's all that I have scheduled next week at this point. The Holiday lull is in full swing I have a feeling.

Friday was very cool. Lifelines organized a holiday meal for the local homeless people. I was able to spend a few hours hanging with some friends from Lifelines, as well as our guests. It was good to hear stories from them all and offer what little we had to help.

I received a copy of "Emerging Churches" by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger in the mail. I was interviewed for it three years ago. It was very interesting to see my own persepective back then and how it has evolved in one way or another. I've only skimmed through it, but it seems like a good resource for anyone out there struggling to translate the gospel into the life and language of the emerging culture.

Back to work, or not...

I'm neither auditioning nor working tomorrow. It's the first weekday in awhile where that is true. It's amazing how the insecurities of it all come crashing in on a day like that. You'd think that actors are neurotic enough, but the freelancing aspect of it pushes us over the edge. Things should start slowing down as we approach Christmas though. No matter what, the sitcom pilot shoots this week on Friday and Saturday. That will be nice for many reason, not the least of which is that it shoots less than two miles from my house.

I've been logging my auditions and it looks like I have a chance of hitting 100 auditions since moving here in July. That's unbelievable, especially considering it only accounts for half a year. If you had told me that I would have had 100 auditions in my first three years here, I would have been ecstatic. Granted, some of it has to do with my union status. I'm currently able to audition for both union and non-union projects. I'm now an AFTRA must join and will be a SAG must join after my next SAG gig. I'm thinking I will be joining both early next year. After that I can't work on any non-union projects, but the auditions I do go on will all be significant.

I did book back in Vegas for a convention in mid-January through a friend at church here in Costa Mesa...a little confusing I know. I'll be there four days on the convention floor running a game show both. Another great case of "who you know." Thanks, Bill...

Short Update

It's been a busy tiring week or two. The Punk'd callback went well overall. They had me there for almost three hours. They kept letting guys go and it went from 40 guys down to 9. Then they called us all in and the executive producer said we were all great and that we were going to do more improv. About 90 minutes later they let me go, along with another guy. About four guys were left there after we were dismissed, so I'm not sure if that means that they got it, or if I will hear back from them. It was the most exhausting acting experience of my life: three hours of improv with the constant possibility of being cut. I'm still recovering.

The last two days I've been working as a writer on the sitcom pilot. The script is complete as of an hour ago. Shooting late next week.

GH is over for now, but they said they will call again.

Days of our Life...

For all of you asking, it probably won't be worth the effort to try to see me on General Hospital. I think the six episodes that I appear in begin the week of Christmas. I pretty much just stand outside of the hotel lobby and let people in and out. No lines yet. I finally read for the casting director on Thursday and she said they will continue to use me as the doorman, and possibly some other speaking roles in 2006. So, it's definately a good thing, but nothing to spectacular on screen.

The bigger news is that I have the third and probably final callback for a series regular on Punk'd this coming Monday afternoon. That would be a pretty big gig for me at this point. One of the regulars last year is a new SNL cast member this year and some of the others have appeared in Ashton's movies, etc. The actual work itself would be well suited for me. It's not much different that what I did for two years at Tony n Tina's, except that people would have no idea I was acting...but I'm confident it's something I could do well.

All of this and the sitcom pilot that I've been working with is now in pre-production and should be filming just before Christmas. The year is definately ending in a chaotic burst of activity.

As for life in the family, we are all doing pretty well. The kids are excited for Christmas and we have decorated the apartment. Debbie is a party-selling machine. Stuff at church is good. I started a series in Matthew last night that I plan on continuing into the spring. It's good to spend time in the gospels. Jesus makes me want to follow him, even when his followers don't.