L.A. - Currently in production
After a road trip across the country and the various detours I took along the way, I made it into California two weeks ago, around 10pm on a Thursday night. Since then I have done almost nothing but move in and set myself up. I'm not done yet, but things are coming along.
I moved into a single studio apartment already rented by my girlfriend, and we're sharing. I have my own closet and the area on the floor in front of i. I'm still working on how to fit all of my clothing in the closet and everything else I own around the end table my computer is propped up on. I almost had the closet figured out by the second set of hanging shelves broke, so a re-design is in order, but I'll make it work.
After I spent the first weekend getting the living arrangement in order, I got to work on setting up my career arrangement. The Friday after I moved in I went to Universal Hollywood to sign paperwork and be an employee, and the next day I went to orientation. My goal was to jump right in as soon as I got here, but I discovered that the auditions I wanted to attend came with strings that I wasn't prepared for. And I'm still finding more hang-ups with auditioning and being an actor. However, thanks to tips from friends who I am grateful for, I signed up with an extras casting service and got work the very next business day. That job ended up being a gig where I was paid to hang out on a beach and occasionally enjoy free food all day long. And even better, it went into overtime and lasted three days. That first job, while not entirely as glamorous as it sounds, was a sweet gig. From what I heard about other extra jobs, it might be the best one I'll ever have. Nevertheless, I have the means to get work, and I'm going to to exploit it as much as possible.
The only other task I've been trying to set up for myself is to simply learn my way around the city. I've had a handful of friends show me around and take me out to get acquainted, and I'm starting to piece things together. I hope that soon I'll be able to take advantage of some of the fantastic places and opportunities out here. All I've really gotten to enjoy about Los Angeles so far is the weather. I love the weather here. The traffic not so much, but that I'm learning how to deal with. Oh, but then there's the landscape, which is totally new to me as a Floridan. I'm still in awe of some of the landscapes and elevations I get to see out here.
People ask me how things are going and how I like it here in L.A., and my response is simply that "it's different, but I'm adjusting". There's so much that I'm adjusting to to make a life out here. I'm adjusting to way people drive, parking on the street, living in such tight spaces, limited closet space, not having a dresser, not having a dishwasher, going back to coin-operated laundry, not having enough towels, living with my girlfriend, not having somewhere to be all the time, not getting to go play in theme parks with awesome people, not knowing where anything is, having to call in every day to get work, anticipating paychecks, having to pay money to get work, being almost clueless on how to advance in my job, and not seeing my friends every day.
Still, it's only my first two weeks, I'm still setting up, I will adjust and learn the ropes. I just have to be patient and hope the rest of the world doesn't mind being patient with me as well. Soon things will come together and I'll get my stride. It's going to take some funding, cuz right now this is a low budjet project I've got going out here, but it'll be easy. The hardest part is behind me, I'm already in L.A.
I moved into a single studio apartment already rented by my girlfriend, and we're sharing. I have my own closet and the area on the floor in front of i. I'm still working on how to fit all of my clothing in the closet and everything else I own around the end table my computer is propped up on. I almost had the closet figured out by the second set of hanging shelves broke, so a re-design is in order, but I'll make it work.
After I spent the first weekend getting the living arrangement in order, I got to work on setting up my career arrangement. The Friday after I moved in I went to Universal Hollywood to sign paperwork and be an employee, and the next day I went to orientation. My goal was to jump right in as soon as I got here, but I discovered that the auditions I wanted to attend came with strings that I wasn't prepared for. And I'm still finding more hang-ups with auditioning and being an actor. However, thanks to tips from friends who I am grateful for, I signed up with an extras casting service and got work the very next business day. That job ended up being a gig where I was paid to hang out on a beach and occasionally enjoy free food all day long. And even better, it went into overtime and lasted three days. That first job, while not entirely as glamorous as it sounds, was a sweet gig. From what I heard about other extra jobs, it might be the best one I'll ever have. Nevertheless, I have the means to get work, and I'm going to to exploit it as much as possible.
The only other task I've been trying to set up for myself is to simply learn my way around the city. I've had a handful of friends show me around and take me out to get acquainted, and I'm starting to piece things together. I hope that soon I'll be able to take advantage of some of the fantastic places and opportunities out here. All I've really gotten to enjoy about Los Angeles so far is the weather. I love the weather here. The traffic not so much, but that I'm learning how to deal with. Oh, but then there's the landscape, which is totally new to me as a Floridan. I'm still in awe of some of the landscapes and elevations I get to see out here.
People ask me how things are going and how I like it here in L.A., and my response is simply that "it's different, but I'm adjusting". There's so much that I'm adjusting to to make a life out here. I'm adjusting to way people drive, parking on the street, living in such tight spaces, limited closet space, not having a dresser, not having a dishwasher, going back to coin-operated laundry, not having enough towels, living with my girlfriend, not having somewhere to be all the time, not getting to go play in theme parks with awesome people, not knowing where anything is, having to call in every day to get work, anticipating paychecks, having to pay money to get work, being almost clueless on how to advance in my job, and not seeing my friends every day.
Still, it's only my first two weeks, I'm still setting up, I will adjust and learn the ropes. I just have to be patient and hope the rest of the world doesn't mind being patient with me as well. Soon things will come together and I'll get my stride. It's going to take some funding, cuz right now this is a low budjet project I've got going out here, but it'll be easy. The hardest part is behind me, I'm already in L.A.