Wassup?

So, let's see...

• I left the pet supply store, which was only ever supposed to be a part-time gig. My boss is my friend, and while my presence was helpful initially, it became difficult to "hide" our friendship, and I never wanted to harm her career, so I left before any official "accusations" of favoritism arose (there were hints of leanings of complaints, even though she never treated me any differently on the floor than anyone else on the staff). Better to leave on good terms than to damage her career or our friendship.
• I booked a good bit of set work following that, so as far as my unemployment claim is concerned, I "quit" the part-time gig because of scheduling conflicts with MY career. However, the transition hasn't been completely uneventful. I've already had one phone interview with the unemployment offices, and I've got another one scheduled, to continue my eligibility to collect. Not that we're worried about it - in the past two-week claim period, I'm only eligible to collect a whopping nine bucks! Yep, I'm #Blessed
• Stephen got promoted to "Bench Assistant Store Manager", which was supposed to be "2nd Banana" to the "official" ASM at his particular store. It hasn't worked out that way, though. The "official" ASM has been dealing with some weird health issues ever since he got promoted, and those health issues have rolled into Stephen's promotion. Which means Stephen's "learning curve" in the new position has been more of a "learning cliff" (nothing like being thrown into the deep end of the pool to learn to swim, or possibly exactly like that). He's doing great. Yep, he's also #Blessed
• I was planning to participate in the #March4OurLives yesterday (Saturday the 24th of March), but wouldn't ya know it? I got #BOOKED for work on set! W00t W00t!
• Went to bed pretty early yesterday; got up pretty early today, after a great night's sleep. Today, I went to a reading and signing event at a bookstore in Pasadena, because Anne Wheaton wrote a children's book! I had to buy the book, of course. I had to get her to sign it, of course. It's a sweet/bittersweet little tale, and I had to offer to record the audiobook, of course. She had to hire her famous husband to record it though. Of course. Oh, well. I look forward to hearing it.
• Gonna hit the sack pretty early again tonight, because I have to greet #DawnsTrampStamp again tomorrow... because I am, of course, #BOOKED. It's a recall situation for a feature; I'm carpooling with a co-worker; we know what to expect already. #LoveMyLife #SetLifeRocks

How's thangs in YOUR life? Are YOU #Blessed? Wassup?

Work Work Work (YAY!!!!!!!!!)

All righty, kiddos. I've been bizzy. Even when I haven't been bizzy, I've still felt pretty productive. So let's see. What's been up with me?

At the top of the month (just, ya know, by date, not necessarily ranked "the top"), I walked over to the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for a screening, Q&A, and reception for a Netflix show you should definitely binge-watch, "American Vandal". It's a high school drama mockumentary, and it's pretty damn funny. It takes itself pretty seriously, which may very well contribute to the funny. Also, the Q&A was moderated by Marcia Clark. Yes, THAT Marcia Clark. And the reception was pretty spectacular. Open bar, amazing salads and hot entrees, and plenty of phallic desserts. If you watch the show, you'll "get" why the desserts were specifically selected. I mingled/networked there, and met a producer/actor chick from New York who was here for meetings but also had screenings and other things in place. Kewl.

Then I worked my last weekend at the pet supply store. My presence there was making my boss' professional life difficult, in that there were rumors of favoritism being shown to me (never happened, but my "real" career is sufficient excuse to leave retail, so it was bittersweet but necessary for me to go).

Then I worked in the VO Lab and ran into producer/actor chick from New York in a VO workout group. Crazy, huh? Then I didn't see her again but know she was present the next night at a screening downtown for a film you should definitely see, called "The Death of Stalin". There was no Q&A that night, but there was supposedly a reception, so I took the subway downtown, rather than driving and having to look for parking or whatever. I saw Jason Isaacs (yes, that Jason Isaacs) in the lobby of that gorgeous theater both before and after the screening. The premiere had a live orchestra playing the score throughout, so there were definitely bits that I missed. I never did find any actual reception (beyond the numerous cash bars), and since my +1 was at work, I felt too out of my element to attempt to mingle/network, so I made my way back to the subway to go home. A little adventuring, downtown on a weeknight! The movie was good, though. Very funny, considering the title.

Then I was on set with my friend Jim Beaver (yes, that Jim Beaver), and that was both a nice little catch-up with a friend I hadn't seen in person in ages (he thought I was still in NC) AND a lovely day of WORK! Then I had a phone call with the unemployment office that was scarifying in its timing (I just QUIT working the retail gig, remember?). And then I did some tax-time bookkeeping for the lady I do that for.

On Monday of this week, I worked on the Warner Bros. lot again. So of course, I gave a walking lot tour to another bg artist, because I could. Then today, I did an improvisation workshop at the SAG-AFTRA offices (because I could). And tomorrow, I'm back on the set of a popular, long-running medical drama (recall, baby! BooYah!)!

Stephen's gotten himself another promotion, and we've seen his first paycheck at his new pay grade. We are not hurting, kids. I'm getting our debts paid down or off, and it feels like we live in Fat City. #Blessed. Oh, and when I was working that Craft Services week, my producer had to move my car one day, and in so doing, he scratched/scraped/dented the right rear quarter panel and bumper... so my TARDIS is currently in the shop, getting smaller-on-the-outside fixed up, and I'm driving a brand-spanking-new white Honda Civic. I don't hate it, but I certainly don't love it. It's too big. But I should get my TARDIS back by Monday at the latest, if it's not ready by Saturday, which is what the dude is shooting for.

I've been bizzy! Whatchoo been up to?

What Have You (I) Done For Me Lately? Oooh, ooohooh, oooh, Yeah!

No, I don't expect you to have done anything for me lately. I DO expect ME to have done stuff for me lately.

In my latest blog-reading ==>,
I've found that some of the writers are talking about their penchant for people-pleasing, to the detriment of self-care. You should know the following about me already, but just in case you don't,

• I have reached the point in my life where I have zero fucks to give regarding someone else's requests, unless the fulfillment of them will ultimately please me, too.

This is not to say that I am uncaring, or heartless, or selfish. If your request of me is something related to work that I'm already doing for you, I'm not going to neglect to do my job simply because a specific task would be unpleasant.

I'm talking about putting myself in situations with people I don't know very well, offering to be helpful, and then being asked to do things that are completely beyond my scope. If I haven't already expressed at least a vague interest in this "new" thing, why would you think that I'll succeed in my first attempt? When I do anything "new", I like to get enough practice in before doing it for someone else, because I JUDGE MYSELF, and even if it's not a competition, I still want to "win".

• Don't even get me started on "competitions"

So, if you are close enough in my circle that you care about my feelings and you know I care about yours, you can be damn sure I'm going to give your request careful consideration, and if I choose to attempt whatever it is, I'm going to do my absolute best to not let you down. But I might just say "no". Because if, after careful consideration, I don't see myself succeeding, I know that my own judgment of myself will be bad enough that I just don't want to face it. It may be selfish of me to refuse you. But if you care about me at all, then you'll recognize that I'm not refusing out of stubbornness or meanness. It's self-care. I'm taking care of myself.

And if the thing you're requesting of me is something you already love doing, then why not a) do it yourself, or b) join me/teach me the task? If your request is to get me to love it as much as you do, why not share your enthusiasm? So that if I do end up loving the thing as much as you do, then we leave the whole situation with a new commonality?

If you are not close enough in my circle to care about my feelings and/or you don't think I care about yours, then just don't even try. My need to feel good about myself does not extend to trying to impress you. I have zero fucks to give to "impressing" anyone.

All this, just because some of the bloggers I read ==>

have recently expressed being people-pleasers, and how it's messing with their anxiety or whatever, when the people aren't pleased, or when the situation/task isn't personally pleasing for them. The more we "broken"* people remember to stand up for our own feelings, the better we'll be about self-care... and the more we can try new things, if asked with the right motivation... and the more we will expand our horizons.

*"broken" can mean Depressed, Anxious, Bi-Polar, "On the Spectrum", Noisy, Quiet, Extroverted, Introverted, Short, Tall, Fat, Skinny, NORMAL. Because there is no "normal". If you somehow don't identify as "broken", then I applaud you. If you do identify as "broken", then please be sure to exercise some self-care. Whatever that means for you.

I'm in the middle of doing some work. There's self-improvement/growth here; there's self-care here; there's no room for loathing or judgment. I'll try to keep you posted on my accomplishments, as I reach certain milestones. In the meantime, I'll just keep singing. Hit it, Janet!