Driving down the Canyon

So, driving down Laurel Canyon is my favourite thing!!!!! This is the route I take back from the Studio and from the workshop I have been taking ( instead of taking the freeway back) It's so beautiful, and freeing and you have to find the balance between being focused on the twist and turns and free enough to keep the car going at a pace that doesn't slow down others, or take your car out of control. How cool is that a metaphor for my life right now!!!!???? Oh how my driving teacher back in Montreal would be proud of how I handle those turns on the windy road!!!! And how my dad would be proud that I am always checking my rearview mirror, and I am pretty sure that I saw Justin Timberlake yesterday, pays off, thanks dad! Not sure if it was him, but you know one of the differences here to home, is when you think to yourself that guy looks like....there is a huge chance that it IS that guy! haha!

For you SGI members and family who love the cd, I met Herbie Hancock on Monday! It was so cool, because I went to the bathroom at the center and as I was turning the corner to go I thought to myself something is going to happen, I am going to see someone....and then boom I turned the corner and there he was walking towards me, and I, freakishly smiling at him, went straight to him, and said HI! I'm Adrianne from CANADA!!!!- ??? I know. But it was great to chant with him later and just be in the presence of possibility, a proof of what is possible. 

Anyway, enough name dropping, and more on our adventures and feelings.

I had a set back this week, where my heart got a stitch, I think it's muscular, but it literally slowed me down, which is a good thing, and as Dan told me, I have to trust that I will make the same connections and relations with people in the biz here as I did back, with steadily moving forward and doing my work. That was great advice, because I think I was subconciously trying to do too much, and put a time limit on my success! But fortunately, I am leaving on Monday to film MILLIONAIRE LIFE LOTTERY again! Yes, abundance!!!! And that takes a bit of the stress off of "getting the right agent and getting it now, of doing as many workshops as possible, now , because I have to meet people to get working NOW" because we have to pay the bills feeling. I am so happy because it gives us the freedom to move forward steadily and just keep doing our work! I love my acting class, I love working with Alice Carter. I did my first work of "Chocolate" on Tuesday and we immediately did a second work of it, and it was just fun to play!!!!! It had been awhile, and I was going a little crazy inside from not "emoting" or expressing! I love that Alice gets me, and where I am at already, and she is already pushing me to get out of a box that I put myself in in the scene- I realized I was feeling uncomfortable with being inappropriate. That fortunately was the character's feeling, but I didn't allow myself to play as much with what was inappropriate! But I soon found how much room I had to play, and look forward to tackling a scene from "Turning Point" now! ( the little toads scene for those of you from class) Speaking of chocolate, I found a little place near the acting studio where they sell heavenly cup cakes and things, wowzer, soooo good! I also found at Trader Joe's these little chocolate peanut butter cups that are better than Reese! Can you imagine!?

We enshrined our Gohonzon tonight with 2 young women leaders from our District, and that was so great! It feels like our new place is complete with it finally up! 

We found a fun sports bar that we watched all of the Phillies World Series games, and I am sure Dan will talk more about that!!!! Go Phillies!!!! The bodyguard/checker of ids' at the front door has gotten to know us a little bit and says little things to us in french as we come and go, from seeing our Quebec drivers licences. 

It's so cool how many people we meet who either are with someone who is from Canada, or just came from visiting Montreal, or who are from canada, or who are with someone who is from Montreal! It's just so cool, and we met the ma who lives above us last night named dave who is just SO excited that we are from Canada! He lived in Montreal for 8 years and misses it so much and says of his 625 years on this planet those 8 in Montreal are his favourite! haha! Love it! he is also, at the moment, our only way of recycling!!!! It is so hard to come from Canada, where we recycle every week, and our bins- all 3 of them were packed, to here where there is NO RECYCLING IN OUR BUILDING, or I think n our street. The way it is here, it seems, is just where the wealthy live they have big bins they roll out? So, Dave, our neighbour recycles to help a family in need at his church, and we warned him already that we will fill his bin every week, and will probably have to get him a bigger one! We are going to look into possibly getting our building to recycle.....

So, remember the fabulous workshop place I signed up for, they kicked me out! It's not that dramatic, but basically I said I would attend a 3 week intensive, but then after a look at our finances decided against it. I thought I had to give them 48 hours warning, which is the case with other workshops at this studio, and that here it was 2 weeks before the first class and I 'd only said yes the day before, however for the intensives it's a NO CANCELLATION policy after payment is verified. (now the only thing is I hadn't verified my payment yet) ANYWAY, they said we'll have to take you out of our system, but then said if you want to come back, which I was welcome to do they would need a credit card from me.

Uh....what?

So, I just have to re-audition, to get back in... so strange.

A good friend of mine said when I asked her advice "that's lame." And suggested better ones, which she had already mentioned before to me, but here was the opportunity to join others instead.

I am really glad that I attended this studio's workshops at least twice though, because I met an agent at an agency that I am going to send my stuff too, and I met a Producer who was-is possibly the nicest producer ever! he was so amazing, and I got the feeling that he would have stayed all day with us, answering questions, and making short films! he broke us up into little groups and we had to write, and act in a short film in a few minutes, and then he filmed it like 3 times, and our group got together with him yesterday to edit it. He encouraged us to just keep making films, telling stories- sound familiar Carter Thor East? Love it! I also asked him if I could give him my demo, and he said bring a bunch, I'll give them to my friends, I'll hook it up! So open and cool! 

So, we'll see, I am making nice connections, and I just want to continue doing my work, and telling stories, and expanding my wisdom! As Cameron said today, I audited his class, he said we are here to develop more wisdom, (in class) not more knowledge. 

Th frustrating highlight of the week, but I told Dan I will not be swayed! Was hearing that it's the thing to do here- to give gifts to the casting directors, agents etc. If there is an agent you are interesyted in, court them, find out what kind of things they like, for example, Starbucks, and get them a Starbucks card and send it over to them! Ahhhh!!!!!!! Or send thank you for getting a job, or whatever, and you all know I LOVE GIVING, and I love sending little things of appreciation, but not when I am told, or not when it is expected, or not when it is implied that that is the only way I will be seen.

You know maybe I am totallllllllllly and utterly naive to the biz, and I probably am, but I just don't want to do that. I want to be seen because of my work, and artistry.

And maybe I am in the wrong town for that, but I want to do it my way dang it- thank you Frank! We'll see, I know I have to learn how to play the game here, but, come on.

More on "playing the game" I'm sure.

I love you all and thanks for reading, I know I write long ones, and I appreciate you sticking in there!

xoxo