Holidaze

Looking back at the year...and even beyond to when I first moved to New York, I am stuck between feeling like very LITTLE has happened and a LOT has happened. 

In terms of jobs, I have definitely gotten my feet wet in a wide variety of occupations or more aptly named "things that make me money".

I have worked as a receptionist at a branding/market company on 5th Avenue.
I have walked in a parade in front of an MMA fighter while holding a banner for a cable company that I hated so much that I ditched cable altogether.
I have been paid to give my "expert" opinion on luxury makeup products. (Folks, marketing surveys can be lucrative.)
I have served many a cocktail to lovers of song in a karaoke bar, including Precious who I tried to protect from "fans"  (Can I add "security" to the list?)

Don't worry.  I got your back!

I have held platters of food with shaking arms for parties on roof top bars which I myself liked to enjoy during beautiful New York summer nights (it's nicer when you're actually the patron).
I have been a job interviewer on camera for corporate videos.
I have studied sushi on flash cards during my stints as a waitress at two Japanese restaurants.
I have also taught Spanish to little kiddies who are probably fluent in the language, not to mention dug through a bag of clothes to give to a student who peed himself.



Ah, so much one can do in life, my friends.  I am sure I have forgotten a few of my experiences, which is why journaling is good.

I know I'm a job whore, but geesh....

As for my career in film and television, I look forward to 2011 for more opportunities...and well-paid ones for that matter.  I'm pumped!  I want more!  Don't get me wrong.  I appreciate all that 2010 has offered, including opportunities to interview people on the red carpet, play prostitutes, and get my SAG waivers for the highly difficult task of "portraying" an Asian.  But now it's time to get serious, right?

My friends ask me what my plan is for my future failure.  Ok, they don't ask it like that.  But yes, the reality of what is my back up plan if I don't get to my ideal goal after many years.  I honestly don't know.  My head is too into making it that I haven't thought about the "what if I don't" fears.  Or perhaps I push them away because that is just too scary to fathom.  I tell myself in the end, it will all be ok.

I'm not asking for super duper giant steps in my career.  For this upcoming year, I'd like to move from less background work to principal/speaking roles.  And I would love to take more classes. Not bad goals, right?  (That sounds weird, but I was trying to be grammatically correct instead of saying "not a bad goal".  Alright, I digress.)

I have to be honest, though.  Many fun moments have been shared in holding (where we are "held" until needed) or on set with other extras.  I've met so many fantastic people who have taught me a lot about the business and/or just keep me laughing.

We often held deep conversations about the important stuff in life, as seen below:

1) Tomatoes.  Do they really bring anything to the table?  Their main function in life seems to be to bring sogginess to otherwise yummy food.  Exhibit A: Sandwiches that fall apart from soaking the juices of those evil tomatoes.  (I actually am a fan of tomatoes.  This is merely another's opinion. See, I'm fair. Though I do suffer from disintegrating hamburger buns at the hands of that ruby pseudo-fruit.)

Psst, hey you, tomato.  I heard that some people hate you.

2) Mixing foods.  During this time of holiday fattiness and plates overflowing with different sides, you have to ask yourself this question:  Do you care if your various sides touch each other?  I don't.  My  cranberry sauce and gravy can molest each other as much as they want.  Others leave behind tainted mashed potato walls that had protected the rest of the mashed potato from the corn.  This person's stand on food mixing:  "You can't do it.  Why do you like mashed potatoes? Because the creamy, silky texture.  It's so smooth you can slurp it.  You cannot RUIN it with corn kennels all in it...like rabbit pellets!"  Nice visual.

You just may need one of these bad boys for holiday meals.

3) Your taco or hot-dog eating style:  I feel like most people eat them like a typewriter, from left to right.  I eat from one side and switch back and forth until only a little nub formerly known as the middle is left to pop into my mouth.  Typewriter eaters say they may use my tactic when the condiment is about to spill from the opposite side.

4)  The need for a non-union civil rights movement:  A lot of times in holding, they will separate us by non-union and union groups.  There will be a room divided in half with tables and pieces of paper taped to them, declaring themselves specifically as SAG furniture.  The non-SAG tables just didn't have labels. I think I've even heard of union people getting chairs in some rooms and non-union being forced to stand around.  Union people usually eat before non-union, and they even get much better meals on some productions.  We like to exaggerate the issue by calling it SAG-regation and telling stories of water fountains labeled SAG and non-SAG.  And yes, some SAG people do get haughty.  It is hilarious when they do.

Perhaps the last part confused you if you're not in acting.  Just sharing some of our convo's.


Well, one thing that I've been really, REALLY happy with is the amount of traveling I have been able to do in the past year and a half.  True blessings!  I got to visit Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Brazil.  Traveling is one thing I HAVE to do more of next year.  So, friends, let's plan those trips, please!!

I'll leave you with a video of a little island in Panama that Thuy and I visited back in the day.  May it inspire all of us to see more of the world and relax....even if we're broke doing it!!




And just because I love them, here's to my friends who have made 2010 an awesome year!  You have all given me so much support and happy memories this year.  And you are not all pictured here because I have a horribly organized iPhoto folder and it's bathroom time.

 

 

 

And then there's my BEST friend, Olivia Munn.  No really, she is.