One Selfish Wish

If I were granted just one personal, selfish, "ask whatever you want kind of wish", by a cute lil' fairy with a magical wand, I would wish away the need for a day job.  Don't get me wrong, if I have to have a day job (which I do), I wouldn't want to work anywhere else.  Everyone is nice.  I get to go to my gigs.  It's creative.

But I can't stop daydreaming about all the things I could accomplish without the 9-5 grind.  I'm at a point where I could fill those hours with acting work, mailings, workshops, classes, drop-offs, auditions, plays, character research...I promise I wouldn't be a couch potato!  I really would devote all my time and energy to moving my career forward.  And I often wonder just how much more I could accomplish and at a much faster rate if I could just make that leap.

You know, I could drop by my agency to say "Hey! Doing great, looking great, remember me?"  I could work on those accents that I'm supposed to have down for my show that's opening in three weeks.  I could have found the perfect second monologue for that odd audition I had to cancel last week because I just couldn't squeeze in the time.  I could update my reel.  I could make time for the friendships that are important to me.   

I often hear people say, "Just book a bunch of commercials."  As if that is so easy and so reliable. pfff

Life is good, and I'm not complaining,  but I am tired.  I'm working too much, rehearsing too much, running around too much, juggling too much to be good at everything, forgetting things, trying to pay for the holidays and letting people down.  In short, I'm doing everything an actor needs to do to make it all work.  My situation really isn't that unique.

I put my career and life goals to paper several times a year.  Under the title, "Long-Term Goals" you will always find this little wish.  I keep putting it out there in the universe and trudging forward.  But even if I get to the point where I won't have to report to a desk job, there is no guarantee that my luck will last.  My friends, it's a crazy career we're pursuing.

  --Stacey Jackson

Comments

[susan]

Cheers to the idea of ditching the need for a "real" job. I often think about how much better I'd be at auditions - how much further along I could be, even - if I didn't have the "real" job hanging like an anchor around my neck. Of course, it also keeps me afloat, financially. We'll get there... it just would be nice if it was sooner rather than later ;)

[Ming Ming]

I absolutely agree. Being a successful actor is figuring how to juggle many balls in the air, maintain your sanity, be a quick study, make huge sacrifices, work under impossible conditions, and still bust it out of the park. Before I entered this business, I always thought it was so cheesy when actors would bawl during acceptance speeches, but I get it. To have it all finally pay off must be so overwhelming.
I know this actor who married a friend of mine who is financially independent having earned a living as a model. Unbelievably, she supports her entire family back in Singapore, as well as her husband. He gets tired if he has to go to more than one audition in a single day. Gross, eh?
I think actors who don't have to work don't have the kind of hunger and passion to be truly successful. They lack appreciation when they do make big strides. And most importantly, they lack real life experience to draw upon in their crafting.
in other words, keep your eye on the prize.
(I write far too much when I haven't gotten enuf sleep.)