Houston Day 100

Wow, 100 days.  Well done us!
The fall semester started at Houston City Dance last night.  I'll be taking classes there three times a week: Ballet on Monday evenings, Jazz on Wednesday evenings, and Tap on Saturday mornings.  Ballet was hard work last night, but a good class.  Woke up feeling very sore and tired this morning, and struggled through a Pilates class at Hope Stone at 8.30am.  Am continuing to love Hope Stone.  For the first couple of months of my internship I'll be getting free classes instead of payment, so I'll hopefully make it to Pilates twice a week as well as maybe Modern and something called Gyrokinesis.  I chatted with Gayla a little this morning (the head theater teacher at Hope Stone) and we're both feeling really positive about me coming on board there.  It's funny, though, I have this strange feeling about actually committing to something.  Maybe it's just a Gen Y reluctance to shut off any better options, but I have a feeling that there's something else in there too, athough I can't put my finger on it.
Getting a fair bit of work done at home in terms of audition preparation, singing practice, etc., but not as much as I could be - it's hard to motivate myself although every time I go to a class or an audition or a rehearsal I recognise how necessary it is.
Maybe I'll throw some kind of fun celebration with Lucas tonight to celebrate 100 days of living here.  But first, more monologue rehearsal.

Houston Day 99 - a weekend trip to Boise

This weekend just past we went up to Boise, Idaho to visit Lucas' family.  His youngest brother Brenton is moving to Seattle next week to do his Masters in Japanese Studies so we wanted to catch him before he left.  It was a really good weekend catching up with friends and family.  And not just in a "they're Lucas' friends and now my family so I have to pretend to be having a good time" kind of way.  It was really really lovely.
We got there late Friday night and were met at the airport by Lucas' dad Mark, his brothers Scott and Brenton, and Brenton's girlfriend Erica, who I'd never met before.  Saturday morning we went out for breakfast with Brenton and Erica, and Saturday afternoon was dedicated to some dear old friends of Lucas', who I think very graciously let me call them my friends too! When Lucas was in high school and college, his best friends were Dave, Carol and Nate.  Nate lives in L.A. now so we didn't get to see him this weekend, but Dave and his wife Shannon and Carol came over.  Shannon and Carol took me out for a girls' afternoon, which was so nice.  One of the - well, not problems, but less than desirable experiences we had anticipated was that as we're still building up our friendships here we get a little sick of hanging out with just each other most of the time.  So an afternoon with the girls was just what the doctor ordered! We had some great chats while we wandered around the old Boise penitentiary and gardens and then when out for a drink.
In the evening all the aforementioned people plus a few more friends - Manuel, Sally and their son Jordan - had a BBQ at Mark's place.  Sunday morning was breakfast with Mark and Scott at the diner where Brenton works, then round to Lucas' mom Robin's place to catch up with her.  It's nice to know I have another mum here when I'm missing mine so much! She even went out of her way to find a place that sells Tim Tams :).
Something else that was really nice to hear was that so many people mentioned that they've been reading this blog! Robin is one of those, and so she knows I've been getting into yoga, and gave me a yoga magazine to read on the plane home.
And to cap the weekend off, we arrived home late Sunday night and were reminded of the last time we came in to Houston on a plane...i.e., nearly 100 days ago.  That time we were exhausted, and a bit numb but also a bit terrified, and everything was unfamiliar and unattractive.  This time, I drove home, and I knew where I was going (mostly), and I have things to look forward to (I can't wait til Hope Stone starts after I get back from the U.K.).  It was a little reminder of how much we've settled in so far, and made us look forward to more to come :)

Houston Day 94 - some stereotypes explored

1. "Americans are very litigious."  The evidence points to this being true.  Advertisements have all kinds of disclaimers on them, including some pretty unnecessary ones.  Ads for drugs have to list the possible side effects.  Interestingly, "mood changes" was listed as a side-effect for anti-depressants...There's another ad for a chewing gum, supposedly so flavourful that it will be as if you've been punched in the face.  It has a shot in the style of boxing replays, with his face being impacted and rippling in slow-mo.   Down the bottom left corner reads the disclaimer: "dramatization".  As if there's a small chance that someone will believe that their chewing gum will punch them in the face.  There are also many ads for lawyers.  "Are you in this situation? Jump on the bandwagon and join this lawsuit."  Suing for medications gone wrong, suing for more money from insurance companies for Hurricane Ike damage.  Suing lawyers who approached you to sue someone else (it's true).
2. "Texans eat a lot."  Undeniably true.  Serving sizes in restaurants and fast food places are obscene.  I went to the movies last night with Maggie and her friend Kassy.  They ordered small buckets of popcorn.  I ordered a small frozen cherry Fanta.  "Small" in this case turned out to be about the size that I would expect to be labeled at least medium, probably large.  The only time I made the mistake of purchasing a large drink, it turned out to be well over a litre.  And when you order most meals at most restaurants, you will have to choose sides that are often large enough for a meal in themselves.  At Yale St, where we go pretty much every weekend, the eggs-based breakfast dishes come with your choice of toast (or biscuit or muffin) as well as either hash browns or grits.  My last meal there was composed of just two sides - biscuits and sausage - and was more than enough.  BTW, biscuit here means scone, not cracker.  Delicious with either butter or a rich, white spicy gravy.
3. "America has a very consumeristic, capitalist culture."  It's hard to tell whether this is more true of America than Australia, because it's possible that America is just more overt, but I think it is true.  There's a stronger sense of being bombarded with advertising, especially because the billboards on the freeways are more numerous and also larger.  But they could just be larger because the freeway bridges are so much higher off the ground.  And everything is advertised.  Hospitals.  Medications.  Churches.  Things that in Australia you would rarely see advertised, you would just choose based on recommendation or geography.  And I miss economic socialism.  Unbelievably, many people are morally opposed to socialised healthcare, or to welfare being available to more people.  "It flattens your ambition," is what someone told me.  To me, it seems valuable to have ambitions beyond making money to survive.

Houston Day 92

Not being busy is both a blessing and a curse.  Yesterday morning after our customary weekend breakfast at the Yale St Grill & Gifts Lucas and I came home and then this strange lethargy and grumpiness slowly washed over me.  I didn't want to sit around doing nothing in our house which needs a clean, but I didn't have the energy to do anything else.  I didn't feel capable of deciding what to do about that, and I unfairly got a bit cross at Lucas for feeling exactly the same way.  Eventually Lucas suggested we give Nick and Rebekah a call, which was a good idea, and we spent the rest of the day with them, and it was a lot of fun.
On Friday I checked out the Heights School of Yoga, and took a beginners' class there.  It was pretty good.  Mostly posture-based (asana), but as an expression of a deeper spirituality.  My favourite moment was a pose that opened up the shoulders - I was lying face down on the ground with my hands clasped behind my back and the teacher pulled my upper body up off the floor by my wrists.  It felt amazing to let go of that tension.  But I'm also kind of compelled to admit I liked it that she was using me to demonstrate because I had the most flexible back of anyone in the class.  Probably not the best reason to want to go back to a yoga class!
Today was a fairly productive day, and filled with a few pieces of good news.  Lucas won an eBay auction for a motorbike, which he's very excited about.  He just called me fifteen minutes ago to ask if I mind him going to a motorbike accessories shop on his way home from work! I got an email from my fourth cousin Emma Higgins, who lives in London, saying I can stay at her place while I'm there, which is exactly what I needed and I was about to have to get over my awkwardness and just invite myself to someone's house.  I also got an email setting up a meeting with the Kid's Play directors at Hope Stone tomorrow.  Then I spent the rest of the day hunting online for auditions and rehearsing a monologue.  I am preparing a video audition for a casting agent here.  Rehearsing that monologue is kind of emotionally exhausting - I have to emotionally fall apart, then pull it back together, and then practise it again with tiny variations several times over until I'm happy I've worked it enough for one day - so I think now I shall relax in front of the TV or an audio book.
P.S. Another stupid random difference between here and Australia is bugging me at the moment.  I can't get any good strapping tape for my achilles tendonitis.  Am settling with this flimsy white stuff that doesn't adhere nearly as well as Elastoplast brand tape, or whatever it is I used in Aus.  Never thought I'd miss a particular brand of strapping tape more than friends, or you know, Tim Tams.  :)

Houston Day 87 - Great news!!!

Maybe, slowly, I am meeting the right people and setting up a life.  Last night Lucas and I went to "Grown Up Story Time" which is held at a pub and run by a theatre company called Boo Town.  They seem wacky, and all the right things.  I can't get involved in their next show because of my trip to the UK but I'm going to be a reader at the next Story Time night.
This morning I went to a dance class at Hope Stone.  Did I tell you about Hope Stone already? I left my first class there thinking, "I wonder if I've just found the people who will become my community".  They run internship programs where you work there, unpaid, in return for free classes.  One of the programs they run is a youth theatre, which looks so similar to Fresh, where I worked in Melbourne 2006-2008.  It's all about the teachers using creative arts to facilitate the young people's personal growth, and healing, and storytelling, and helping the young people find their place as socially conscious, expressive members of society.  The staff help turn the kids' ideas into a production.  I sent an email to them earlier this week saying PLEASE let me get involved, and Jane, the director of Hope Stone, spoke to me after class today saying that that's exactly what they plan to do! They've been looking for another person for the youth theatre!!!!    .....!!!!!!
Something else that's going on is that I'm looking into yoga as a spiritual practice.  I borrowed a couple of books about it from the local library and I'm learning more about it.  One of the books is more of a history and overview, and the other one is a more practical book with exercises, written for westerners.  Today's task was to set an intention for practicing yoga ("I will practice yoga because....") that is specific, and has a long-term effect and a positive impact on other people.  Then I am to set it aside and not consciously think about it for a week.  That second part is about learning to contemplate things without having to decide about them or act on them straight away - I think I could definitely use that skill.  So, as practice, yesterday, after I contacted two voice-over coaches, I put it away and I will decide later which one to enroll with.

Houston Day 86 - Cast at Last

So begins another at-home week.  I have been emailing and calling lots of people, putting as many feelers as I can out there about getting involved with theater projects and voiceover work.  The weekend saw me at three auditions - one a callback for Aside Productions, who cast me in their production of "And Then There Were None" (yay!), the second for Houston Grand Opera who employ actors as extras in their shows (that was fun), and the third which wasn't really an audition and requires more explanation.
I was searching casting websites (which are usually rubbish, although occasionally you get a good gig) and found a call for actors, singers and dancers.  It listed a company name and some descriptive terms about the show, and that was all.  A google search told me that they're a Christian company, but no more details about this project.  I sent in my headshot asking for an audition, and got one, and was planning to find out more details at the audition.  Then I got an email saying they've just decided to cast everyone and we're to go to a production meeting.  It was a really strange feeling, to be told I've been cast in something that I have pretty much zero idea about.
Now Dad's getting ordained in September and he and I both really want me to be there for that.  So when I was told that rehearsals start straight away for the show in December (which turns out to be an epic cross-cultural nativity story), I had to weigh up whether it was worth cancelling the trip for, and I decided it was more important to go and see Dad.
So I booked my flights today (yay!), went to a pilates class at Hope Stone, an amazing place I'm hoping to get some work at, went to see my friend Annie in one of the billion antique shops on Westheimer Rd.  Evenings still see me getting pretty depressed and anxious, which is not great for Lucas either.  I just hold in my mind memories of other times when I've not known where on earth I was going to turn or how I was going to get through something, and then with some effort and some time it's passed.  I know it'll pick up eventually.  Just for the moment I kind of feel like I've lost a limb.  I can still function and survive, but I won't be starring in any metaphorical ballets anytime soon.
On the plus side, I will be starring in Aside Productions' "And Then There Were None".  They specialise in doing new takes on shows, and this one is switching all the genders of the characters.  Brings out some interesting sexual politics.  So I will be playing the role of Phillip Lombard, who in this show will be a woman! Rehearsals start in December for performance in January.  They're a not-quite-professional company, mostly made up of uni students & recent grads.  I went to see their production of "Songs for a New World" which was unfortunately spoiled for me by the fact that I couldn't hear the piano, and I don't think the cast could either.  But the acting was really strong, and I really like all of the people I met at the callback and the show, so I'm hopeful that doing this show will be a really positive experience!

Houston Day 78

I had a brilliant audition last night for a new show called "Death, the Musical".  I sang great and my monologue was funny and I sensed that the two guys on the panel were pretty impressed.  But I didn't even get a callback.  The sense of failure is mounting.  What the hell am I doing with my life? I'm meeting new people all the time here and I feel ashamed every time someone asks me what I do.  I know that actors often have even up to a couple of years between jobs.  I'm just not sure if I'm good enough to call myself an actor.  I feel like I haven't earned my unemployment.  Although it did lift my spirits a little the other day to prepare my tax return and note that I earned enough money to support myself in the last financial year.  It's so funny, I'm usually so against income being the only symbol of success.  But I'll take anything I can get!
We also went to a pool party at Scott and Maggie's yesterday.  That was fun.  For the first time since we got here I felt like it was summer.  Not because it's not hot (see previous post) but because I haven't felt any of the fun holiday feelings that go along with summer.  Then I got confused as to why it wasn't Christmastime.
Now this week...I have a schedule of audition prep and singing practice planned.  Do I even bother? Or do I start reading career change books?

Houston Day 76 - White Linen Night

The Heights has a kind of bizarre tradition called White Linen Night.  It was invented (or much improved) by Hurricane Katrina escapees, coz people from New Orleans know how to party much better than Houstonians.  It's centered in 19th St in the Heights, and it's a big neighbourhood party.  Everyone wears white, and all the shops are open and have sales and free food and drink, and there are bands playing and market stalls set up, and people have pool parties.  It's quite festive and fun!
We started White Linen Night at 4.30pm in the afternoon with a few drinks at Scott and Maggie's place, also with Dan and Shani.  Headed over to a friend of Maggie's who was having a pool party and serving awesome jumbilaya (but still not as good as Lucas').  Then at 6pm the street party aspect of it kicked off, so we wandered the streets eating goodies and checking out shops and listening to the bands and chatting to people.  Lucas and I also got our photo taken on a longhorn steer.  It was mildly terrifying.  We got tired and thirsty and in need of a bathroom so Scott, Maggie, Dan, Shani and another Exxon employee called Jay wound up at our place, which is a bit closer to the 19th St shopping district than Scott & Maggie's.

Then I got a call from Mum, who was visiting with my grandma, who's really sick at the moment.  It seems her COPD is finally getting the better of her.  When Mum called I thought she was going to tell me Grandma had died, but she just wanted to Skype me from her laptop so that Grandma and I could see each other.  But alas, the wireless signal in the nursing home is not brilliant (can't imagine there's a massive demand for it among the aged patients), so we could only see each other for short moments at a time before the signal got patchy again.
When I was a child I was in hospital with asthma for a while.  Can't remember how long, but it must have been at least several days, because I do remember Grandma coming to visit me everyday and bringing me a new sticker book.  I have another round of auditions this week, but after that I'm seriously considering flying to Melbourne to visit Grandma every day for a couple of weeks and bring her things she might enjoy...pink doughnuts and flowers and DVDs of people tap dancing.
Also, a brief word about the weather.  I have never experienced heat like this.  It has been in the 90s or 100s (Farenheit) consistently every day bar one or two pretty much since we got here.  That's high 30s/low 40s for those of you who speak Celsius.  I keep looking out the window and saying "oh, it's a nice day" then going outside and remembering that the heat is absolutely heinous.  Reminds me of when I was in Scotland saying "oh, it's a nice day out" and going outside only to remember that it was below freezing.  A blue sky does not mean anything.  It's muggy too, so you sweat something nasty.  However, I am grateful for air conditioning, and enough money to pay the accompanying electricity bills, and for this still being better than Melbourne winter, where most buildings are not insulated well enough.

Houston Day 72

So one of the hard things about being so far away from my friends in Melbourne is that I miss out on being in the circle of information.  I really love it when people text me updates or Skype me or send me an email.  Doesn't have to be huge, just helps to have a little confirmation that the people I care about are safe!
The dance intensive finished last week, so this week I am spending my mornings preparing for auditions and my afternoons doing (mostly) fun stuff.  Yesterday I checked out a diner near our house, which was pretty fun, and spent the afternoon trying to get my tax records in order so I can submit my Aussie tax return.  I'm doing what most actors do, and throwing it all at an accountant and saying "fix it please, I'm afraid of it".