The Wife
-
Freedom
This Thanksgiving season I am grateful for freedom. We live in a land where we claim to have freedom to live according to our beliefs and convictions. Now… I used to believe that. As a young naive child, I was fed the idea that we live in a free land. A place where people came from lands far away to escape from persecution. This land was founded as a land of liberty where people could live their religions, convictions, and lives free from tyranny. I have since grown up. Sadly enough… the freedom I once believed in has long been replaced by a cheap off brand version of the real…
-
Barefoot
When I was sixteen years old I was given the opportunity to visit my mom’s home country, El Salvador. I remember the view from the plane as I looked out the window at the country below. The landscape was absolutely brilliant with a vibrant green that I had never before witnessed. Visiting this beautiful land was the chance of a lifetime. I would finally get to see the country of my ancestors and in so doing understand the life my mother lived that much more. Our party included my uncle, aunt and three cousins as well as my grandmother and my elder brother. The first place we stayed was a…
-
Gratitude
This November I want to focus on being grateful. I have so much to be grateful for, as do we all, and yet sometimes, life’s troubles seem to overwhelm my sense of gratitude. I’m going to treat gratitude as a muscle that needs exercise to maintain (or increase) it’s strength. So, here it goes. This November I am grateful for my darling husband. Even with all the ridiculousness he puts me through. The choosing to be an actor rather than taking a traditional path, the “it’ll all work out” attitude, and the fact that he sometimes has to be reminded to laugh at my really awesome jokes. I truly am…
-
Secrecy
Much of being on set is very hush hush. Film makers love surprises. They don’t want everyone to know the movie magic and plans before they hit the theaters and television screens. So, part of my job is being an excellent secret keeper. For example, I was on a set recently for a commercial. It was a Coke/Netflix collaborative effort commercial. I had to sign two intense documents stating that I was not allowed to take photos, talk about the set or even hypothesize on social media or in person etc. This particular commercial had ten hairdressers, ten make-up artists, four costumers (even though everyone had been pre-fit into costumes…
-
I’m back!
I’m sorry that I haven’t written in ages. Here’s the truth: I don’t write when I’m sad or angry. Well, the last post I wrote was an exception to that rule, but in general… I can’t even begin to explain how hard this part of my life has been (and still is) for me. I’ve been struggling with self-doubt, anxiety, depression, anger, and I’ve wanted so many times to turn my back on God. I’m not proud of that. I haven’t been the person I know I want to be. I’ve had a difficult time finding the joy in the journey. Now… don’t get me wrong, I’m not miraculously cured.…
-
Our Decision to Homeschool
You read that right. We’re homeschooling. This past week Jess and Liz had their last day of public school. It feels like it should have been bitter sweet… but to be honest, it was just sweet. We have always made it a focus to have a stable home for our children. Once we made the decision to move to California to pursue acting, we realized that we’d have to change how we defined stability. Moving is often difficult; and moving in with my parents, we knew that, sooner or later, we would have to move again. But we figured we decided that wherever we are, as long as we’re together,…
-
How Much Is Your Integrity Worth?
Recently on set I ran into someone I recognized. Now… I run into familiar people often. In fact, a common phrase on set is “you look so familiar.” Well… as background performers we all work for the same company and are all on tv frequently, so yes. Familiarity is inevitable. I don’t often remember where I’ve met people. That was not the case with this guy. No… this young man I would have a hard time forgetting. I worked a night call in November. So far my one and only night call. It was a very cold night (for California anyway, no offense to my frozen-snot folk) and we were…
-
The Musical
I have so much to catch up on… sigh. Life gets crazy. I can’t fill you in on everything in this post, but I am so excited to tell you about this. I recently auditioned for a musical. Our Stake (church group) is putting on a show. The musical is an original script riddled with beautiful and inspiring well-known songs. As soon as it was announced I was determined to be in it. Jess wanted to be involved in the show as well. Ben’s schedule is so hectic that we figured it best for him not to audition. Okay… here’s the deal. When Ben works he’s often gone from before…
-
The Glamorous Background Job
As a background actor, I’ve enjoyed the walking, sitting, reading, eating catered food, and talking to new people that I call “work.” It’s all been quite fun, in fact. Don’t get me wrong, there is a reason we are paid; the job has its downsides. I’ll tell you a few. 1- First off, we do the same thing over and over, like a factory assembly line. Here’s some homework for you. Pick a movie, any movie. As you’re watching pay attention to the camera angles in one scene and count them. I don’t claim to be a camera expert but I do realize that many angles make a great film.…
-
Flattery
One of my favorite things about doing background work these last couple months is the social aspect. While we do work plenty, there is also usually a fair amount of time where I get to just sit around and chat with the other background actors. I’ve met some lovely people. And they always make me feel good about myself; I’m constantly being flattered. My favorite part about it, however, is the shock factor. I don’t know why I get such a kick out of it… but I do. Here I am sitting with a group of people my age. We’re usually discussing acting and the jobs we have recently worked.…
