No, that’s not a picture of me right now--it’s terribly hot these days and
I am just trying to throw it out into the universe--chill.

Whenever I have weeks like the ones I have been having recently I try to think back to when I was hectically unemployed in Brooklyn and how I used to long for a regular job with a steady paycheck. I would imagine being able to sit in a comfortable office chair and just know that there was going be a certain degree of stability.

So, when I express some frustration at the amount of energy and time that work has been demanding of me lately, just know that yes, I do realize that things could be a lot worse. (Because they were, totally, astoundingly bad.)

iFanboy.com is down right now as I write this, but check out their pick of the week section--I recorded a recent show (iTunes link - I am in the Action #870 ‘cast) and even wrote about it my Wednesday column. The column’s been hard, I gotta admit--I am really trying to write about stuff that hasn’t been mentioned on the site before, but there are times when I feel the piece is too rushed or not as well written as it could be. No matter, it’s a fun gig, it’s keeping me active and it’s just kinda cool to have that happening in my life.

Acting work has been non existent. I feel like I have stepped back in time and am back to one audition a month. This is not true, of course, but I would be remiss if I didn’t admit that I was more frustrated than ever. But it makes sense--commercial work is going to be slow for awhile now as companies become more realistic with their marketing budgets and TV shows and films are still navigating their schedules and trying to cast better known folks than lil ol’ me. I mean, Harvey Keitel and Christian Slater on episodic TV? Harvey Keitel? When’s Pacino’s 30 minute single camera sitcom coming? It’s fine, we’re all in the same boat, though I do admit I felt a bit of chagrin when I signed off my right to be paid for the Jessica Biel LiveEarth spot to be aired throughout India. I’m gonna be huge in Pune, just watch! But who cares, really, right? It’s all coming as it comes.

Politically, I was amazed to see all the pundits talking about how great John McCain did in the third debate last night. I can’t help but feel that they need to say that so they can resist being accused of being biased. McCain, as I am sure you’ll remember, seemed like an angry, petulant grump who was much more interested in scoring points so he could sound tough when he got back on the stump than offering the voters an idea of what he would actually do as president. No matter--I saw this video and realized that I was well on my way to being a position where I really liked my president, which, well, you know, has been a long time in coming. Can you believe what McCain said about abortion and women’s health, by the way? The guy’s a jerk, I don’t see how anyone can possibly not agree. Also, check out Rolling Stone’s feature on the myth of McCain-good reading (and watching, check the related video). I sit next to an admitted hard core right wing evangelical white man at work and he’s been really agitated, lately. Like, fuming. It’s kinda great. I sent in our stuff so we can vote by mail--I figure this way we won’t be standing in line so others won’t have to wait as long...

Best. Ride. Ever.

Randomly, we had a product launch party at Disneyland last week. I gotta say, it was actually really fun. The best part was being able to leave and get appetizers and drinks at Downtown Disney and then go back in the park, really. You have to be able to escape and then go back in. Still, it wasn’t that crowded and I was able to check out all the rides I used to like as a kid. I hadn’t been in 14 years, so the place has definitely changed, but even the cynical slacker in me still enjoyed seeing little kids having so much fun.

On a bit of a more somber note, I have two memorials to attend this weekend, which is sad, poignant and just...reality inducing? Michele’s dad passed away a few weeks ago, so we will be attending that service on Sunday, but Saturday we are attending a memorial for our friend Jeff’s infant child, who contracted a disease and I guess never really had a chance. He was a twin--not identical, I think--and the other baby is apparently fine, but I can only imagine how painful this must be for Jeff and his wife. That’s on Saturday. So, it’s a time, really of reflection and gratitude to be alive--not to sound hokey, but I mean, it goes hand in hand with what I have been learning in yoga: when it comes right down to it, all we have is our breath...so breathe deep--it’s what makes us alive.

Tags: disneyland, politics