New Beginnings...

Who else to welcome in the New Year?

I took a prolonged break from this blog.  I felt overwhelmed by the technology, the concept of social networking, and while I was going through the process of getting married I didn't want to share my thoughts and feelings across the web.  I actually do believe some things are private, such as ones home life.

I am back.





For the coming year I have several resolutions:

1. To teach acting
2. To live simply
3. To save money
4. To exercise consistently

Beyond these simple goals (which in private I have concretized --- because without specifics, there can be no success).

I will writing here about my personal journey as both a person and an artist....two roads that are inseparable.  I welcome your comments and feedback.  Let's build a community of like-minded people, dedicated to living well and making beautiful things.

LOOKING FOR WORK
Ours is not to reason why....

I've been looking for work my entire working life. That's right, over thirty years. Since I was 15. The first job I had was washing the windows of the stores on the Upper West Side, near where I grew up. I think I got a dollar a window, big money if you add up how many windows you can do in an afternoon (and you're a fifteen year old kid in 1979). I loved it and held that gig for several years.

I had a job as a busboy in a deli on West 57th street the same year. Cleaning, mopping, doing dishes. I didn't like that much --- not because of the work but because it was steady. I had to be in the same place, the same hours week after week. I lasted two months.

I'm a freelance person by training and temperament. I've always loved hunting for the next gig, show, experience. When I was younger this attitude extended to my dealings with the opposite sex. I am much more settled now when it comes to my dealings with women (one woman, getting remarried, life is MUCH simpler that way) but I'm still a rover in my work life --- and I like it that way.

Of course working in theater, where there is little consistency and few long-term jobs, help with staying freelance. At this stay of the game I am probably ready to go to work on a daily basis.

But who knows? Possibly I will work this way for the rest of my professional bouncing from job to job. I know that I love the challenge of making something where there was nothing before.

What about you? What's your style? What do you prefer?

I don't have a job...

And that's not really a problem for me.

That's a surprise, huh?

During the current economic crisis, I have followed the emotional ups and downs of many of my fellow Americans as they've lost their jobs, seen their livelihoods vanish, and suffer the effects of dislocating economic change --- and it's made me thank my lucky stars I've worked in the professional theater for most of my entire life.

With US unemployment hovering around 9.2% I see the pain of economic uncertainty on every face and voice I hear on the news. We're at a tipping point as a nation; we can no longer expect secure jobs that last a lifetime nor certain retirement the way we used to.

For myself, I never really expected to have one job for my entire working life. I knew from the time I was sixteen, I was going to go from "gig to gig". I'd get too bored (I am marrying a woman who is exactly the same way.) So I direct, act, write, teach, stagehand (less now of course because of the foot), do home improvements, do presentation coaching, and anything else that pays real American money. Some times are flusher than others. Right now, it's an uncertain transition --- but I know in the end all will work out.

My biggest work love is, however, making my theater company RAISED SPIRITS THEATER COMPANY fly. Please check us out.

And you? As always, I wonder what works for you? I want to know