*gasp* I've posted again.

So I've been working like a fiend, and still barely making ends meet.  Well, it has been rather feast or famine, actually.  So, some weeks I am working like a dog with no time off at all, and others I am twiddling my thumbs with not enough to do.  And trying to get work on the twiddle thumbs weeks is challenging because there is almost no time to ramp up to employment over 3-5 days.

twiddles thumbs

My "Betty" job for the commercial producer has not *ahem* ... "produced" any commercial casting for me yet, but has been a fun and easy job thus far.  My concern now is that her big party season is over, and will she still need me?  Last week I only worked 3.5 hours and this week am only scheduled to work about 8. Mama needs some more hours than that!

Just to recap that job - I am basically a wife.  I run errands, grocery shop, do a little light filing at her home office, do craft projects for the kids' school or birthday or whatnot, and help with events at the school or various parties and functions.

luckily I don't have to clean, take care of the kids, or give head! 

My weekend job is still about the same.  The daily rate is really really nice, but it is hard work and inconsistent as well.

My man-piece is still there, and we are navigating the waters of relationship fairly well.  We like to do things together, and we also do things apart.  The confusing thing to me is about two or three months ago, I thought he was going to drop the "L" word.  Then he didn't.  And now we've been dating just about six months and still no "L" word.  I'm just a little confused... is he not saying it because he doesn't know if he feels it, or is he not saying it because he doesn't want to move our relationship that fast? Does he feel saying it is the same as putting a ring on my finger and he's not ready for that? Or is it that he doesn't want to get my hopes up for a ring at all?????

On the one hand, I am not getting any younger, and I don't want to waste my time. But on the other hand, I don't want to rush through/past something just because it isn't completely apparently clear exaaaactily how it will turn out.  meh.  where's my crystal ball???

didn't even have to use my A-K

gotta say it was a good day.

my agent says I'm "one of his favorite clients" and then I get a "Betty" assignment all within an hour of each other!

oh, and the new assignment as a Betty is working for a woman that produces commercials.  not a bad assignment.  maybe she'll even decide to cast me in one... here's to hopin'.

lest I count those chickens before they hatch, who knows this could all mean nothing.  but. I have a good feeling.

fucking Bakersfield.

fucking Bakersfield. yeah I said it again.

AKA meth capital of southern cali

It's almost two hours away and it made me miss the Superbowl and St. Patrick's Day.  Like, only the two biggest drinking days of the year! And it is a job that drives me to drink, as if it weren't bad enough already.

My first day on the job was Superbowl Sunday.  I got called in desperation because two of the three teachers called out "sick."  Yeah, yeah, you're sick on Superbowl Sunday, not drinking with your friends at all -- "please pretty please will you please go to Bakersfield tomorrow? We'll pay for xyz extra and put you up in a hotel and name our first child after you?" (sigh) (double sigh) Good thing I really need the money because I was planning to go to a super bowl party just a few miles from my house with the ability to sleep over if I got too drunk to drive home.  Yeah. So as my friends were all toasting their team or their favorite Doritos commercial, I was tutoring little kids how to walk with a book on their heads.  Yeah.

Next, I find myself roped in to teach at Bakersfield for the remainder of the sessions there.  That's ok; there is only 4 sessions left and they will continue to pay me all this extra money, put me up in a hotel the night before, etc etc. Oh yeah, and I still need the money.  So yesterday was St. Patrick's Day.  And I'm Irish.  And I'm wearing my green accent tank top and green ring and green earrings with my required black business attire and I'm teaching kids to walk down the runway.  Aaaaand I'm completely sober.  Yeahhhhh.

This is the worst school schedule ever.  Who cares that I make gobs of money? Who cares that I actually enjoy spending time with these kids? I am missing valuable drinking hours! I am missing drunken "I love you, man" and blurry trips to the bathroom with girlfriends where they keep you from sitting on the pee'd on toilet.  I could have made multiple bad decisions, stayed out way too late, and be hungover right now.

I can't think of any other holidays that I would have to work on that would impede my drinking, but I feel certain if there is something, anything that this school could make me miss it will.  Especially if it involves heavy drinking.  Last saturday I missed a house party.  Not like that is a huge deal but still... I'm just going to have to drink extra during the week to make up for it. Bottom's up y'all.

a job (or four), a car and a boyfriend.

when I started this crazy adventure nearly a year ago I had no idea where it would lead. I now have three or four jobs (depending on what/how you count), a boyfriend and a car. now what!?!?!?

One thing I never planned on was that my three/four jobs would still not pay all my bills. yeahhhh. so there's that.

I work on the weekends teaching kids acting and modeling, but it is not consistently every weekend nor necessarily both days of the weekend.  If it were, that would be a nice chunk of change every week and almost enough to get by.  But it isn't.

(not actually one of my students)

So I signed up to do extra work. I got one of these calling services that will do the grunt work for you to get you jobs. I have gotten one single solitary day of work through them in a month, but that was cancelled by the production before I could actually do it (ie: no paycheck). Ugh.

Then, I'm working on this TV show as a writer and actor, but it is not exactly managed well, nor will it pay anything until we sell it.  I believe in the show, in the concept, and in the ability for it to provide me with viable employment in the future. But as for now, it is bringing me a whopping $0 on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.

Most recently I just got hired as a "Betty," or a personal assistant for hire on a contract basis.  This company hires out personal assistants for as little as an hour or as much as full-time, although most of the clients only need someone a few hours per week. Granted, I just got them the paperwork last week, but I haven't gotten any calls for work there either.

Egads!

And, c'mon REALLY!?!?!??!  FOUR jobs and I still don't make ends meet? This is ridiculous. I am ready to bring home the bacon!

mmmm... bacon

valentines day

what do you do for your first valentine's day together when you've only been dating a month? sweep a girl off her feet, apparently.

I wake to flowers and chocolate, a picnic basket, and Santa Barbara magazine.  Yup, we're going to Santa Barbara for the day. Would you believe I have lived in LA for over a decade and have never been to the most picturesque town of Santa Barbara that is less than an hour and a half away???

First, breakfast.  He whips up a scrumptious hot breakfast, which I devour.  Then we pack up the picnic basket with food he has bought and prepared.  There is enough for about six people to stuff themselves silly.  We load up the car and off we go!

I read up on Santa Barbara magazine on the way down and find a fun walking tour and some other sightseeing that seems like it would be fun.

Santa Barbara Courthouse

the view from the Courthouse. gorgeous!

walking on the walking tour

TURTLES!!!

picnic on the beach

SO ROMANTICAL! So many smooches, so much fun, connecting, talking, and just so thoughtful. Le sigh... I think I'm gonna keep this one around for a while...

my new man-piece

So I've been dating this new guy for about a month now... and it has been a whirlwind! He brought his broom and boy am I swept! (off my feet.  for those of you who went to public school)

tweedle dee dee

I've asked for this, right? I wanted the hearts and rainbows and I got them! But I also got neglect in nearly every other area of life... my poor friends! I'm SO that girl who gets a man and doesn't have friends anymore.  My poor career! I'm SO that girl who gets a man and pays no mind to her job (or quest for one in my case).  My poor family! I'm SO that girl who gets a man and then makes no attempt to make travel arrangements for her brother's wedding.  (although that being said, maybe now I will have a "plus one"!)

Mr. T says, "Stop it, Foo!"

This is it, folks.  This is where I learn how to actively pursue my dream career with everything that I am, have amazing, rich, lifetime friendships, continue to build on the strong foundation of my family, AND foster a loving, trusting, communicative relationship with a man.

maybe I'll even catch some bad guys while I'm at it

Misconception or I should have known better

Remember when I used to work shopping for children?

I'll take this cute one, salesclerk.  Make sure you include the receipt.

Well, I got a chance to work on the other end of that. And boy was that juice not worth the squeeze.

My current part-time job is working for a 70+ year old acting a modeling school teaching kids and teens.  The curriculum is a 10 week course, and so far I have only subbed a few classes.  This past weekend I got the opportunity to work one of the recruiting events, or "free workshop" classes designed to entice kids to take the classes.

I got the email and it said to be there by 9:30AM, and there would be "workshops" at 10, 12, 3 and 5 and that lunch would be provided.  I figured that the last workshop would be maybe an hour or so and that I would be done by 6:30 or 7:00PM at the latest.  BAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

We didn't start the first workshop until about 10:30 or 10:45AM due to technical difficulties, and the workshops were lasting anywhere from 2-3 hours EACH. That is 2-3 hours of trying to entertain kids ranging from 6-18 years old. Two to three hours of wrangling bored parents into clapping for everyone and who could care less about any other child but their own.  And then repeat these tasks for FOUR different workshops. The last workshop of the day started at about 6:30PM and I was not done until almost 9:00PM. I barely got 30 minutes to scarf down the free lunch provided (a soggy Subway sandwich) and was standing in my heels practically the whole day.  And YES I would like some cheese with my whine.

If I didn't like the regular teaching gig so much/it didn't pay as well as it does I would have walked out of there at about 5PM, giving them a few choice words not fit for young ears.  But.  I would like to continue to work for them.  So.  I stayed.  But now I know.  If they ever want me to work a "free workshop" day again, they can go fuck themselves.