Dear Jonas, As you know, I am going to be an actor. And I, too, have somewhat luxurious taste. My cardboard future concerns me, but it does not rule my life. Why, you ask? Because I know this is the thing that makes me happiest. I don't just love doing it, I am physically addicted to it. When I haven't acted in about a month, I get physically depressed, I go through mild withdrawl symptoms. I have to do it; there just isn't another choice. And I know it is something that will challenge me for the rest of my life. Which is not to say I don't have days where I question this or don't feel like acting or don't wanna do it, but I find that on those days, it's simply because I am afraid to live up to my fullest potential, because that's really scary. I also know I have skills. And that with these skills of mine, I will somehow be able to support myself doing whatever is necessary so that I can also act. I was also concerned for a while that the "acting lifestyle" would not really suit me. I thought I'd have to work thankless jobs that I hate all day and then go into rehearsal all night and never sleep and never live. But a man named Paul Macarelli (he's actually the Verizon guy, and has been a working actor for years before he got that gig) came to one of my classes and told us you can just be who you are and work at what you love. And I found a lot of freedom and joy in the idea that I can just hold whatever random job I want, and I don't have to be fixed into this internship to get this job to work hard and get this promotion or whatever. I can be a dog walker. And a bartender. Or a personal assistant. Or a nanny. And I can be an actor. I am not a person who's going to give up on something just because it's hard to do. If, maybe 10 years down the road, maybe sooner, maybe longer, I find that I am no longer addicted to acting, or that I no longer find joy and freedom in working odd jobs, or that I want more stable work to support a family, or whatever, then I'll make a decision to do something else based on that. But also, the thing about being an artist is that you don't have to quit forever. If you go away from it for a few years, you can come back, and its okay. Anyway, things are pretty good with me. I'll see you in Berlin? And later, you've got to visit Candice, Maggi, and I in our box. k
Oh, Katie. Thank you so much! You've just given me a whole new perspective of being an artist slash living as an artist. I had never considered the freedom of random jobs. Plus, it definitely sounds a lot more like me, since I get bored very quickly, so different jobs sounds better. I hope I won't have to quit being an artist. But I also hope that if I do, then coming back will be even better.
My friends still haven't sorted things out for their summer, but I guess that if I came, it would be in August, about at the end of your stay in Paris. If my friends aren't going to Berlin, then I'll either come to Paris, or go to Berlin anyways, since the city is quite amazing in itself - I like it better anyways.
Well, Thanks a lot for your comment. It has helped me a lot, and I will still help me a lot.
I hope to see you soon! If not this summer, then definitely in New York sometime.
As you know, I am going to be an actor. And I, too, have somewhat luxurious taste. My cardboard future concerns me, but it does not rule my life. Why, you ask? Because I know this is the thing that makes me happiest. I don't just love doing it, I am physically addicted to it. When I haven't acted in about a month, I get physically depressed, I go through mild withdrawl symptoms. I have to do it; there just isn't another choice. And I know it is something that will challenge me for the rest of my life. Which is not to say I don't have days where I question this or don't feel like acting or don't wanna do it, but I find that on those days, it's simply because I am afraid to live up to my fullest potential, because that's really scary.
I also know I have skills. And that with these skills of mine, I will somehow be able to support myself doing whatever is necessary so that I can also act. I was also concerned for a while that the "acting lifestyle" would not really suit me. I thought I'd have to work thankless jobs that I hate all day and then go into rehearsal all night and never sleep and never live. But a man named Paul Macarelli (he's actually the Verizon guy, and has been a working actor for years before he got that gig) came to one of my classes and told us you can just be who you are and work at what you love. And I found a lot of freedom and joy in the idea that I can just hold whatever random job I want, and I don't have to be fixed into this internship to get this job to work hard and get this promotion or whatever. I can be a dog walker. And a bartender. Or a personal assistant. Or a nanny. And I can be an actor.
I am not a person who's going to give up on something just because it's hard to do. If, maybe 10 years down the road, maybe sooner, maybe longer, I find that I am no longer addicted to acting, or that I no longer find joy and freedom in working odd jobs, or that I want more stable work to support a family, or whatever, then I'll make a decision to do something else based on that. But also, the thing about being an artist is that you don't have to quit forever. If you go away from it for a few years, you can come back, and its okay.
Anyway, things are pretty good with me. I'll see you in Berlin? And later, you've got to visit Candice, Maggi, and I in our box.
k
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I hope I won't have to quit being an artist. But I also hope that if I do, then coming back will be even better.
My friends still haven't sorted things out for their summer, but I guess that if I came, it would be in August, about at the end of your stay in Paris. If my friends aren't going to Berlin, then I'll either come to Paris, or go to Berlin anyways, since the city is quite amazing in itself - I like it better anyways.
Well, Thanks a lot for your comment. It has helped me a lot, and I will still help me a lot.
I hope to see you soon! If not this summer, then definitely in New York sometime.
Jonas
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