improving disappointment

musings on being an additional statistic. Now that you know me, you should follow me, or you could get to know me, Ask me. Looking for something?

That’s what I love about these college guys, man. I get older and they stay the same age.
At 31, I became a Babe-y MagnetWhat the Hell is this about? If you’re above 26 and you’re a male, within the past year, you’ve taken me on a date or hit on me or tried to hit on me. Why? It’s like the more I tell you that I’m too old for you, the more you want to prove that you’re just as good as someone my age — or that you can convince someone MY age to spend time with you? I’m not sure. I thought 26 was bad, then I find out one is 25 and WILL BE 26… at the end of the year. Then another is already 26 and WAS a virgin. You’re in graduate school and I come to audition for your thesis short film and you’re 24 asking me to go to the movies and out for a drink afterwards. You’re 25 and you ask to come hang out — you’ll bring by some beer & we can watch TV — and you show up with cans of Bud Light or Coors *shudder*Now, you’ve been seated next to me for about 2 hours for the background shot we’re in on this film, you’re 22 and you’re messaging me the next day how you’ve never met anyone as smart, funny, beautiful and amazing as me and you want to spend time getting to know me better. Well of course you haven’t. YOU’RE TWENTY-TWO YEARS OLD. Between the ages of 22 & 30, you have NO IDEA how much you’ll change. I don’t care how many of your friends and family tell you that you have an “old soul” or that you “act too mature for your age” or how you were “raised a true Southern Gentleman” I thought 26 was too young, shit — I thought 28 was too young, especially for men (no offense, it’s science that y’all mature slower than women, no big deal), but 22? Sorry, i can’t do it.
At least there’s an upside…They’re less “experienced” so pretty much anything I do is new and makes their eyes light up like Christmas morning. They’re used to high school & college girls, girls who’ve never been in long-term, committed relationships where they’ve had time to hone certain “skills” so they’re impressed a grateful for, well, damn near anything you do or suggest.Do I mind dating younger guys? Obviously not. Comparatively, the guys my age & older I’ve been dating are just as broke as they are but are much more aggressive and it’s much more pathetic when their parents send them money as opposed to when a 24 year old parent’s sends them money. And if I happen to come across someone my age or older who IS “successful” he ends up being a douche canoe who thinks he’s God’s gift to women. And no matter how physically attractive you are, that’s just ugly — unless of course you have a Black AmEx & you’re not afraid to use it.
Cougar in training…Do I mind these younger guys being interested in me? Not really. They’re more likely to be clean guys, without children or an ex-wife and haven’t yet been jaded by life, society, and worst of all — women. And damn, they’re in good shape. I don’t mind playing around for a little while longer. I still go on dates with guys “my age” I just end up uninterested and home alone. What girl doesn’t want to hear she’s the most interesting & beautiful person someone’s ever met??
Lay it on thick fellas, I’m all ears.

Letting go doesn’t mean you stop caring - It means you stop trying to force others to.

So I deflowered a 26-year old guy, got drunk at 3pm on a Wednesday & rode a mechanical bull (& have the inner-thigh bruises to prove it)… How was your week?

Believe me, I was quite surprised myself. Not about getting drunk. A LITTLE about the bull. He seems totally normal. I was told a few days later what had gone on that I was completely unaware of that night, and honestly it freaked me out a little. What’s wrong with him? was my immediate thought. Super hot, check. Super nice, check. Polite, check. Smart, creative, funny - checks all around. So what’s the deal? “I just never got around to it.” ONE girlfriend in his entire life that lasted two months.
Now i’m not at all against virginity, or saving yourself for someone, especially if you have a good reason. And he has a good reason he filled me in on and I had an independent party corroborate his reasons and I’m satisfied with that. What sucks for me is not only does he not live close to me (over 200 miles, that was also information that would’ve been nice to know that night!) but that I like him a lot, and he’s so used to being on his own that talking to him to try & get to know him is really difficult. He’s either always working, or when we text, it doesn’t feel like I can ask him the things I want to know about him because it’s so impersonal.
But more questions arise — do I want to try to start a relationship with someone so far away? with someone who says he’s interested but then acts so aloof sometimes? with someone who doesn’t know what it’s like to be in a relationship? I’m no Spring chicken and I’ve already told him, since he’s younger than me, that I’m looking for a life partner…
I know what to do… I just don’t want to do it. He’s sooooo good looking and he’s sooooo nice and I REALLY like the person he is — at least what I know about him so far. I’ve got plenty of guys here who want to date me, or at least take me out but in my own sadist mind I MUST take THE most difficult route. Why can’t I be happy with and enjoy the company of my guys friends here? I can’t even say I have high standards, because good grief, my history of guys reads like a horror novel. I know I’m a fascination to psychiatric societies everywhere. Either that or just another disorder cubby-hole they love to tuck you into as they take their notes, shake their heads and try to convince you this new pill will “fix it.”
Who knows what will happen. I’m already over-thinking this by just writing about it. I need to just let things happen and let go of control. I found something I want, it’s not coming to me in the appropriate amount of time I want it to, so I’m getting aggravated and starting to get impatient and pushy. That never works. I need to focus on job-hunting, making money, getting my clients to pay me and working. I need to do sit-ups and I need to walk my dog more. I need to drink less beer and stop spending money that I don’t have. This is the first time in my life I’m as independent as I am and I’m trying to figure out what to do with myself and my time. Doesn’t feel like it’s going well. I guess we’ll see. It also seems I have another question to ask any guy I meet & go out with next time.
Little Green Monsters beside an empty pillow… I haven’t been feeling particularly introspective lately, just really busy doing nothing every few days. Working a little here & there, always trying to find more work, but then once I get it, back down from it and start dragging my feet. Not a great way to maintain clients or keep customers & bosses happy.

Gaining some weight back since I’m not doing much moving around anymore. It’s not like I even have enough money for food… All I can afford is gas station hot dogs, beer, cheese slices & beef jerky & that’s pretty much what I’ve been living off of lately.

I can definitely thank God that there have been some pretty incredible blessings in my life, but the roadblocks are still getting thrown at me from all directions and I’m doing my best to take them as they come and try to not be overwhelmed by them. I’m turning more to my Faith, because it’s really all I have anymore besides myself and my dog. Being disowned by the largest, more successful and wealthiest side of your family for being a “disappointment” on more than one occasion (two of the times were at Christmas) in your life starts to take its toll. But after it happens so many times, their success & wealth are what makes them the most awful people to be around. It’s a huge shame because I dearly love my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins and would do anything for them, but over 30 years of being with them, they have always been the ones who have turned their backs on me when I was in the MOST NEED of their love and support. They were proud & full of pomp, flattery, invitations to lunches and dinners when I was successful, getting promotions, winning awards… I lose my job and the phone calls and invites stop. I’m only called to be told it would be “better for everyone if [I] didn’t come to Christmas this year.”

Why do I still let it bother me? Why do I still crave their approval, their acceptance, their love? They don’t have love for me. I was the black sheep of the family before I was even a zygote. Sure, they loved me as a kid, but as I grew up, developed a personality and my own mind they pulled away from me and I was “out of control” and “disobedient”… of course I was. I was 14 with divorcing, arguing parents at a brand new school I hated surrounded by people telling me to “get over it” both sides of my family speaking dishonorably about the other and wondering why I had to take Algebra 1 three times.

While one side of my family thinks I hung the moon and understands the kind of person I am, accepts me for it and loves me anyway… I can’t stop wanting the same thing from the other side. I should be thankful that I have a small handful of people that understand I’m not the “straight & narrow road-taker” type and are there for me every time I stumble and are there for me when I pick myself back up. I’ve never taken the easy road and I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because it was the road everyone else was taking and it was too crowded or the path THEY wanted me to take. Would it have been easier to listen to them like my cousins have? Absolutely. I’d most definitely have a career and either be deep into it, or be married with my career on hold to take care of children. And I’d have money. And success. In THEIR EYES. But what about MY EYES? Would I be able to look at myself in the mirror every morning, knowing I didn’t truly follow MY heart? Would I know the difference?

My friends tell me on occasion that they’re so jealous of my life and some days when they’re stuck in traffic going to the grocery, kids are screaming in their back seat or tearing up the house they just cleaned, that they get online and see posts from me about hanging out with my dog all day with the windows open, watching tv & enjoying the quiet & taking a nap. They’re “jealous” of my “freedom” and the fact that since I lost my job, I can just pick up and move and go anywhere at anytime and do anything I want. I don’t have a husband to answer to, or tuition to pay. I can go out and do what I want, when I want, come home if I want and have no one to answer to except a dog, who would just pee on the floor if I left her too long. They talk about their “jealousy” and then chastise me for being so depressed about things and letting things like being disowned take over my days and keep me from doing all of the things I COULD be doing… things THEY would love to be doing but can’t. They tell me to get a grip, buck up and move on, stop throwing pity parties and live my life. Then they go home where they post a picture of a drawing their little girl made in school that day for them with “To my Mommy, I love you” scribbled from the top down the side with her holding it having a biggest smile in the world wearing a tutu with a big bow on her head & her hair all crazy, sweaty & stuck to her head from playing & running outside that day. Then she gets to crawl into bed with her husband and have someone to hold her. When she wakes up, he is still there and they are not alone. For the rest of their lives they are not alone.

You want to talk about jealousy…

We all have our little green monsters. It’s a matter of keeping them quiet and not letting them rule our lives that is the biggest battle. I see others with amazing families, surrounded by amazing people that have been through FAR worse things than me and my family. They even graciously invite me to their holiday events, knowing that I’ll either be spending the holiday alone or at a stark white tablecloth (you must CAREFULLY move the porcelain figurines from the table to the Sideboard before you set it — no, stop it, just, dammit, let an adult do it! Finish setting the table and prove our money wasn’t wasted sending you to etiquette classes when you were 12!), Royal Doulton China, serving dishes and silverware that could crush a small family pet if it were to fall off of the table, talking about the weather, the new house their building or the renovations to the beach houses, and new local restaurants or small businesses they’ve recently patronized. Is my family not as close because we’ve been “lucky” when it comes to “tragedies” and have never really formed that kind of special bond — but not ALL families that are close and loving have had major life-changing events that brought them so close, have they? They all go on vacation together and no one is left out because of money, they pitch in for each other and no one tells who put in how much. They do it because they’re family. They do it because they love each other and want to spend time with each other. I’ve NEVER experienced that. I never even went on vacation with my own parents, much less the entire family. I’ve been on plenty of family vacations, just never with my own family. I’ve seen their connections. I know they exist.

Maybe that’s why I’m not “out there” looking for “someone special” to fill the void that I have. I’m worried I won’t know how to be a family. How to accept my child for who they are and not force my opinions on them, even though I know it’s not the right thing to do — it’s what I know. I only know how to show my love through materialism and that’s not a way to raise a family. I can only hope that one day I find someone to love, someone who loves me and my thousands and thousands of flaws, who has a solid Faith, a solid family structure and knows how to love without boundaries and live through the highs and the lows, loving me and supporting me the whole way through, helping me make decisions — the better decisions for an “easier” life path. Otherwise, what the hell am I doing here?

If… the penultimate and the antecedent of all points of life. - Me

After being unemployed for a few months, savings have been dwindling  & no one is hiring for designers. Freelance work is few & far  between here. After searching for weeks on Craigslist, I came across SO  MANY casting calls, I knew it’d be better to do a job as an extra &  getting out of the house would be good for me. The extra pocket money  would be a good touch as well. There are over 100 films/tv shows, etc.  being filmed in Louisiana JUST IN 2011. So I sent my email to the  casting department of HBO’s series “Treme” & they selected me. It  was a beautiful day & had a fantastic time. This episode will air on  April 24, 2011 (Episode 5). That was it for me. I got “the acting bug.”  A few hours of work, being fed & meeting friendly people, THIS IS  FUN.  I had my very first acting class with the top coach in the city.  As for now, he’s a “luxury” that I can only afford after more paid gigs.  He informed me of a TV pilot he was cast in & gave me the  information to be an extra. I submitted my information & within  hours I was called to be a crowd extra. A few hours later I was called  back that they needed a stand in. Having never done stand in work in my  life, but being told that the pay was higher, I immediately said yes.  Like ya do… Thursday, February 24, I showed up early with bells on &  ready to go. After aimlessly roaming around the area, I finally saw  someone with a headset & asked what I was supposed to do & where  I was supposed to go. They had already been filming for a few days, but  this was their first day at their new location, so they were a little  lost as well… I get sent to wardrobe for a “color cover,” which, when  you stand in, you need to be wearing similar color to the actor your  standing in for so everything is set up right. Basically, the “real”  actors run a quick rehearsal for the Director, DP (Director of  Photography) & cameras, a PA (Production Assistant) marks their  spots. Stand ins are called “second team” & have to watch the  rehearsal so they know how the actor is sitting, standing, walking,  using props, etc. They let the actors out & call in second team.  Ideally, they want stand ins that are the same height, weight, &  possibly hair color & skin color. We’re there so the DP &  Gaffer/grips/sound/cameraman can set up the lighting, set up the shot so  the director, Assistant Director (AD), DP & others can see how the  shot will look, if the colors are right, the lighting is correct,  shadows are fixed & camera movements are tested. Once everyone is  satisfied, we’re excused & “first team” who are the actors, will  come in do the scene. Thankfully, the male stand in has been working as a  stand in for YEARS so I’ve been getting incredible advice &  information from him. The only “problem” with being a stand in, is that  you have a viewing area where all of the producers, Director, AD, DP  & anyone else who wants to see, can see you on their screens &  the shots being set up. Thursday was a SCORCHER out on a huge blacktop  & I was barely through my very first set up shot & I could feel  the makeup pouring off my skin & my bangs getting all sweaty &  stringy. Good stuff. I was amazed at how much I looked like the stand  in. No one told me what to wear but we were pretty much the exact same  outfit, pink strapless top (I wanted to get a little tan!) & a brown  skirt. We had different shoes on but our hair was fixed the same as  well. I didn’t realize as a stand in, you pretty much have to stay the  entire time. 10, 12, 14 hours or more in case they need you for  something else. By the end of the day, I was a hot mess, but they threw  me into a scene anyway which was pretty cool. The humidity on Friday was  miserable. I was VERY sunburned from the day before. My hair was  frizzing before I even walked to the set. But by this day, I had spent  over 12 hours in very close quarters with the same people already &  it’s amazing how “close” you get to the crew on set so quickly. They  were already treating me like I had been working with them for months.  Joking around, MAJOR players in the film industry actually walking up to  me, greeting me by name & even sitting with us at lunch. I made a  great impression on them & had multiple PA’s, as well as the casting  agency tell me how much they like me & hired me for the remainder  of the shoot. That, in itself, is fantastic, but now it’s more about  networking & making connections because once this project wraps,  we’re all scrambling for new sets to get cast & hired onto & the  more people you know and the better impression you make, the better  your chances of seeing them on another set & possibly even being  asked for to work on their new projects.  Sunday, Feb 27 I worked on a  rap music video for “experience” & free headshots & a copy of  the video. Can’t wait to see how those turn out. It’s going to be  ridiculous. Monday’s call time is 6:42am. It’s miserable humid but  thankfully we have a good deal of interior shots which equals air  conditioning. My hair is still frizzy & crazy (the makeup/hair  department doesn’t take care of us!) but getting a RED HD Digital camera  shoved in your face with a joker light above your head while hearing,  “beautiful, that’s perfect, looks great, thanks second team” by the  Director ,AD & DP gives you a little ego boost, lol. By the end of  the day, being asked to come back for the remainder of filming even  though I’m not a 6′ black man or Darrell Hammond was a really good  feeling. Having multiple people on set telling you how much the  Director, DP & producers love working with you & the casting  agency calling you to say the same thing gives you a good feeling.  Especially because it’s fun, you’re making money, you’re spending time  with so many interesting people & you’re getting “free” lessons in  filmmaking & even acting.  Today the weather was AMAZING & while  I was done with standing in at 9:45am, I didn’t get released until 8pm  because “you never know” & they’d rather keep you on set than send  you home & something happens & they need you again & you’ve  left. I’ve been getting some pretty good sunshine as well! 5 other stand  ins were there today & things were slow for us, but we all sat  together, trading stories, running to “crafty” (craft services), &  just hanging out in BEAUTIFUL weather with a bunch of really fun people.   I’m cast as the lead female stand in for the remainder of the shoot.  Right now, the goal is to get onto a few more sets, get to know people  better & hopefully get thrown a few lines in a scene here &  there to become both SAG eligible & to have enough footage for a  demo reel so an agent can start searching for actual roles & not  just extra/stand in work. Hey, the first day I was there I got a bump  into a scene as one of the featured actor’s girlfriend… It’s not  COMPLETELY beyond the realm of possibility. The best part about it is  that they have said I look great on camera, & no one knows my age,  but those who have asked have guessed 24-25, so I’m much better off than  I tonight I was when it came to age range. It opens the doors to more  possible roles by having such a wide age range based on hair, makeup  & wardrobe.  I love, love, love this & cannot wait to do more.  Cross your fingers & say your prayers that I have more work coming  my way because: A) I need the money & B) This is so much fun. It’s  exhausting work & I’m asleep before my head hits the pillow, but  it’s a lot of fun.