A novelist? Or seemingly mindless rant?

This post is somewhat related ... down time to the job search.

I don't have a full time job and haven't for the past two years. Despite my continuous job hunting, days spent substitute teaching, the 2 middle school plays I've directed, and my part time DK job, I have had a lot of down time over the past two years. Can you say cabin fever???

Some of my down time (as several posts on here can already attest to) I read! I didn't like to read so much as a kid, but I LOVE IT NOW! Some days I get totally lost in a book, some days I devour an entire one (and I do not read fast). I love how vividly one can live inside someone else's imagination (have I said this already)?

Some days my down time is spent visiting a friend who lives in town, and her two little munchkins. A friend from High School who I'm thrilled to be back in touch with, so closely. I love having converstaions about books we've read ... among other things! ;o)

Sometimes my down time is spent cooking. I LOVE TO COOK!

And with some of my down time I try to keep my creative juices flowing and the creative urges 'satisfied'. I've done one of my 24 Hour Theatre rounds with the local High School last Summer, and have one in the works for this March. But without the funds to just up and do a show, I've taken to writing. My writing seems to come to me mostly in the form of short stories or novels (or at least one hopes a novel might be born). Though I've got a slew of poems (of which I've been jotting down for years now), and I've taken a stab at playwriting as well. I've got a one act I think is in pretty good shape - though not finished it is close, and several other ideas that I've begun.

However, I find that finishing any of them - specifically the short stories / novels I'm attempting - and yes the plural tense of the words is correct - is horribly difficult! You see, I keep getting these great ideas (what artist would say otherwise of their ideas, and I really do think several - if not all - have real potential), but I can't seem to take them from the great idea to a final story. And this is frustating! Any suggestions are welcomed!

Why am I writing this post today? Well I think it's partly because I spent the morning working on yet another book idea that came to me, and partly because I'm looking for any advice on how to get an idea from its initial inception to a finished story, and because I didn't do any job hunting today or have any jobs to apply for.

So, there you have it ... my current brain waves.

2 'in person' interviews

So I'm in the process of setting up two interviews, in person, for next week!

WOO HOO!!!

One is for the Production Stage Manager role with WAM's O Solo Mama Mia Festival; and the other is for the potential Nanny job.

That is all for today.

Happy Friday Everyone!

Nein! Confusion, and potential!

Three Responses Today

1. I received this email as a response to one of my recent applications, short, sweet and to the point:

"Hello,

Thank you so much for your interest in working with us*. At this time we are not considering you for the position(s) you applied for.

Best of luck in your job search."

*I've replaced us with the name.


2. I also received, what I consider to be a rather confusing email today. One of the jobs/locations I applied to, that had already responded with a maybe - as in, they got my material and would let me know if I was going to get an interview or not - has sent me an email today re:internships. However, none of the positions I applied for at this particular location were listed as internships. I'll have to check into it. Hmmmm...

And

3. I've also had a promising response for a Production Manager Position I applied too, to set up a meeting to chat. Yay! :o)


Oh, and I also had a meeting today about a show I'm directing over the summer with the Good Cause Club in a local town.

Feels like a productive day, even considering the fact that I spent the morning finishing my book (Traveling with Pommegrantes) and then went over to a friends house for lunch/hang out time, and then had coffee and a chat with another friend who's also working on the Good Cause Club show. Nice day!

Self Made Jobs

Today I am working on creating an acting class that I can give here in my home town. I've already mentioned it to a few people I know who have kids interested and in love with the theatre, acting, and they have expressed interest in such a course! The only problem at the moment, well I honestly have no clue if it's the "only" problem but it's the only one I know of at the moment, is that with out a decent number of students to make a real class, I feel it would be better to offer individual acting lessons.

SO ... today I am working on something I can email / hand out to people describing the course - as well as defining exactly what I will do with the class, in the hopes that I can get the numbers up. I feel like I need at least 5 or more students to say yes or it's not enough people.

At any rate ... in this field it's true that often you have to create your own ideas/projects to work on, especially when paying gigs are far and few between, in order that your creative juices keep flowing. Plus, I love passing on the info I've learned thus far, and LOVE learning from others. And no matter the age, everyone can teach you something!

I've already done this once - create a project and do it on my own - and had it be successful, and I hope it will continue and become more so! And that is my 24 Hour Theatre Series. I've done 3 different rounds to date, and have a fourth in the planning stages. Yay!

This acting class could - and hopefully will - be my next personally created success!

So, back to work.

Potential Job (outside the wonderful world of theatre)

A friend of mine has put me in touch with a family looking for a Nanny for one little girl - I think she's about 6 months old. Cool. Don't know if I'll get it, depends on if the family can work out someone else to watch her when I'm at Drama Kids ... but it's a possability, and I'm greatful to my friend for putting my name in the pot! :o)

*This post was supposed to go up last night but I was too absorbed in my most recent book 'Traveling with Pommegrantes' by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor.

Unwavering!?!?

This post is actually something I shorthanded Monday night while waiting for a phone interview that never happened...I've expanded it a bit.

Unwavering!?!?
A very good friend of mine recently told me that she admired my unwavering dedication to the pursuit of a job in the world of theatre. Unwavering, ha! That was pretty much my response to her. Though I am very appreciative of her compliment, I do not feel that I have this unwavering dedication.

If she only knew I doubt myself, almost daily, and half the time I believe that I apply to things "knowing" I'll never get them, not even a return email saying that they received my information. *How many times have I pondered other fields I could have (and often times feel I should have) gone into. Culinary Arts. Photography. Film. Elementary or Middle School Teacher. etc...

I find myself over scrutinizing job ads sometimes, wondering how I could consider myself qualified for the job. In my mind I question what, on my resume, would make me worthy of obtaining that job. This is the internal dialogue I often fight down when I send out an application, not every application, some feel ubelievably suited to me, while others feel ... questionable. I know - for a fact - that I am very qualified in the world of theatre, and for many different jobs within it. So, why this self doubt? And how to conquer it for good?

This is what I was thinking while I was sitting and waiting for the phone to ring for a scheduled interview I was supposed to have at 3pm West Coast (or 6pm East Coast) on Monday the 24th.

The feelings above, which are not new to me, began while I was typing up the class overview I'd created, and which was a requirement for the interview. The entire time I was creating it I was wondering why I felt qualified to teach someone else these things - which I do know, and feel comfortable with, so why was I questioning it????? Self doubt sucks! Well I gott'er'done and sent it off before going to work.

I waited around after my Drama Kids class - which ended at 5:45pm, so that I wouldn't be driving when the phone rang for the interview. And while I was sitting there some of the above spilled out onto a piece of paper, as did this ...

Phone interviews can make me nervous, a phone interview. Haha. My hands feel a bit shakey right now.
I feel judged - prejudged by this company for some reason. (I think I know why ...)
My hearts beating loudly - well, hard that is - is that what people mean when they say or write that, that their heart is beating 'loudly'?
I feel neverous, in the pit of my stomach, and afraid of my impending (it's 6:02pm) interview.
Why?
Why should I feel nervous, they obviously saw something in my resume worth awarding me an interview. And I am good at what I do!
It's my class arc, this is why I feel nervous, I'm afraid now that I've created a very basic one for them, that it's not going to cut it with them.

6:05pm - Heart throbbing.
6:07pm - Feeling calmer now. I can do this, I'm good at what I do and I know it!
6:12pm - Not going to wait much longer, I have an hour drive home.
6:15pm - They're only supposed to be 1/2 hour interview time slots, so ... um ... and I sent my stuff to the artistic director at 1pm (or 10am West Coast time), so he's had plenty of time to check it over.
6:16 - I've now waited a half an hour in this place for what appears to be NO REASON!
6:19 - Done waiting. I'm going home now.
HOW RUDE! Oh, and I receive all my emails on my pone, and there are none from them so ...
7:20 Home now. And still NOTHING!


Right well...obviously I do not have a good impression of this company now, not only did they blow me off on Monday, but I have yet to hear from them and it's Wednesday!

I've asked a friend in L.A. if he's heard of the company and he said no, nor had any of his friends ... don't know if that's telling or not - I'm sure there's tons of theatre out there.

A ventured guess:
In my email to the Artistic Director (with the class overview and my resume) I made a query about the teacher 'salary', stating that I'm in NY and can't afford to up and move to L.A. unless the job is financially beneficial. *Adding that I had hoped the company would be interested in me as both a teacher and stage manager. I don't think this is an inappropriate remark/question to ask so I didn't fret putting it into the email. Perhaps they didn't like that. Or perhaps my class overview was not what they wanted. Whatever their reason for not wanting to interview me, they should have let me know!!!

I mean, this is the company I asked for a postponed interview time and they granted it, with gratitude for my wanting to be prepared ...

Right well ... that's enough about that! ;o)

At the weekend.

I didn't do a stitch of application'ness yesterday (Saturday) nor will I be applying anywhere today - though I might do a job search later.

Instead, yesterday, being a Saturday and all, I read a book and went shopping with my Mom! :o)

I'd received a Barnes and Noble gift card for Christmas - from one of the kids I teach in Drama Kids - and went to use ir. Seeing as it was from a Drama Kid, I used it to get a book containing several Greek Tragedies and one Greek Comedy. I haven't read enough of them (in fact the only one in the book that I have read is "Antigone") and am very excited to do so - even if they take me a while.

Today will be spent, a porition of it at any rate, working on my class overview for tomorrow's interview.

And I need to reschedule a meeting I've got on Tuesday for a show I'm directing this summer - I wound up being asked to work on Tuesday and I need the money, so I've got to reschedule the meeting. I'm not really sure why I've typed that out here ...

That is all for the mo.

Ooops...and an application.

Strike that, reverse it ...

TODAY'S APPLICATION:
I just sent out an email submission for the Production Stage Manager role with Revision Theatre, for their summer '11 production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR.

And "my bad"...
So I did a really boneheaded thing where my second phone interview is concerned, it's supposed to be today at 3pm (and actually, as I write this I don't know if that's east coast or west coast time - the company and job are in LA ... probably LA time ...).

Right, so the email response giving me the time of my interview also had a list of things I needed to send the Artistic Director prior to the interview. So I sat down, about an hour ago, to send that all off when I realized my "skimming" of the email meant I didn't really take it all in. Along with my resume they want a description of the class you'd teach - they had a description of what that means on their website. Well my initial reading of the email was too fast and so I don't have a class arc to send.

REMEDY - I hope ...
I've sent off an email, apologizing for not better reading the email, stating that I don't feel I've enough time to create the class overview by the interview time, and asking (and hoping/praying) that they'll allow me another interview time.
Obviously I apologized for my oversight, blamed myself entirely - since it is all my fault - and stated I would understand if it's not possible to get another interview time.

Sigh...sometimes the no's are my fault! Live and learn.

Yesterday

Yesterday I had one of my phone interviews. I had a lovely converstaion with the Artistic Director and feel that the interview went very well. Now I've entered the 'wait it out and see' period. I was told that the interviewing process will end and the decision be made by early February ... so now I wait!

Phone interviews are interesting. I mean you can sit in the comfort of your own home, wearing your pj's if you so desire, and still be interviewed. However, not meeting in person means you can't get the full picture of how it's going - there's no facial expressions to go along with the words. Well, there are, but you can't see them. (As if I needed to write that out, haha.) But I digress...

I feel good about this one. It was easy to talk and laugh and answer the questions asked. So...fingers crossed! ;o)

A "most unique" No!

Ok, well one of the places I've applied too has unknowingly (I assume it's unknowningly) given me a No - and how many others as well???

Let's see, I emailed my cover letter and resume to the address provided in the online job advert. Shortly there after I got an automatic email response from "them". This response said something like ... in order to keep spam out we block all unknown email addresses ... and then it gave a link to click on if you wanted to be "verified" as non-spam and thus added to their acceptable email addresses. Right, so I click on said link. I wait - a stupidly long time - and get told ... unable to verify because my original email is no longer available.

Well I assumed it was because I had navigated out of the open email response - though the new pop up window from the link they provided was still up and running.

At any rate, I try it again, only this time I keep the original email open while the link window was also open and running. Same response.

This leads me to believe that "they" fully deleted my email application. Perhaps it was simply because they emptied their spam folder ... but I ask you, why put an email address on your advert if it won't allow unkown senders email addresses?

Seriously ... riddle me this, how do they get any submissions at all?

Oh well ... I appear to like to use the three period 'pause' ... dot dot dot ... haha!

Applications for the Day

1. Production Stage Manager at WAM Theatre for their upcoming "O Solo Mama Mia Festival" in Troy NY (and then Pittsfield, MA).

2. Touring Stage Manager with American Theater Arts for Youth in Philadelphia.

and

3. Stage Manager at Water Works Theatre Company in Roayl Oak, MI.

And the few I'm still working on.

I feel like all I can find is Stage Manager, Prduction Stage Manager or some similarly titled job. What I wouldn't give for my dream directing gig to simply fall into my lap. Hahaha, this only happens for the rich and famous and I'm just me.

Knock on wood!

Today's Application:
~I've just emailed an application out for the Production Manager position with The Theatre @ Boston Court.

And now, knock on wood ...

I really don't want to jinx anything but at the moment (and obviously I don't know that any of these places will actually offer me a job) I've got several prospects of future employment. It's a weird feeling really. Usually, as the trail of rejection letters/emails and silent no's over the past two years have indicated, nothing comes of these submissions. Then I decide to start this blog and boom, six possabilities. Again, I say possabilities - there is NOTHING concrete here, but still. Who'd'ave thunk it?

So, the excitment is that I have TWO phone interviews that will take place over the next week and a half (Bristol Valley Theatre and X Repertory Theatre Company). And I've got FOUR other potential interviews (Lost Nation Theater Company, Barrington Stage Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival's Boris Sagal Fellowship and the Adirondack Theatre Festival).

I've still got a few job ad's in my hands where I haven't yet submitted an application. And true to form, there were a few that I couldn't decide on due to overlapage of job dates with my current employment (perhaps if they had been majorly big job's to apply for I would have submitted, but they weren't), and so I didn't apply for them. And of course I will search for other places to send my brilliant resumes too, tomorrow, and the next day, and the next and so on and so forth!!!

:o) Happy Snow Day East Coasters!

Over the weekend.

So I admit it, I didn't do much in the way of job hunting or posting over the past two days, it was the weekend.

Family was about, so that's partly the reason.

It's also partly due to being absorbed in two different books. 1. Another in a "murder mystery" series I've been reading, it's the Agatha Raisin series. She's a 50-something retired PR lady in the Cotswolds turned murder mystery solver. Somehow it makes me feel more connected to my former home. Plus I LOVE how vividly one can live in the imagination of another. I used to "hate" reading books when I was a kid, in school, all those sup lit books. I think it was because I was being forced to read something without anyone trying to make it exciting at the same time ... 'cause some of those stories - I didn't really read - are great stories! 2. The second book is "Julie Taymor: Playing With Fire" ... and I'm beginning to feel like my mind works very much like hers!!!

I also got another phone interview, this will happen this Friday (the 21st) while I'm in the midst of my 24 Hour Project, thankfully it's during the Playwright's writing period, so I'll be free to take the interview. It's for a place I applied to before I began this blog, on January 7th I sent an application out to XRT in Los Angeles, for either (or both) an Equity SM job or a Drama Instructor's job. We'll see what happens. It would be grand to live out in the sun shine for a year ... or so ... or something.

And I've found a few more places to apply too ... that is my task for tomorrow. Take the job descriptions I've got and apply for them.

Ok ... boring blog entry ... sorry ...

Peace, Love and Hair Grease!

Hmmm...

Sometimes it's really hard for me to decide if I should or should not apply for a position when I consider the fact that I'm already employed and I can see that the dates of the job I'd be applying for would over lap with my current job. Yet, I can't not (hello mr. doublenegative) apply for things where I'd be paid more, and in some cases gain benefits as well, right?! In the fabulous field of entertainment, no matter if you're an actor/director/stage manager/other, (setting aside all the rejection out there) securing one job doesn't always mean that it's a long term one - but it's the only one at the moment so you take it. Then you find something "better" and want to apply for it, but it overlaps with your current gig ... what then? Sometimes I sit in wait and wind up passing a deadline to apply because I can't make up my mind ... is it better to apply for the possible job and potentially have to give notice somewhere, or 'wait out' the current gig??? Arrrrgh...I digress...

TODAY'S APPLICATION(s):
I found a few things to apply for, though most of them fall into the above mentioned catergory of 'job date overlapage' - I make up new words all the time. :o) So I've set those few aside to deal with tomorrow.

I did, however, apply for the Stage Manager position with Lost Nation Theater Company in Vermont.

AND...
One of those silent No's I was talking about yesterday, well it became a maybe. Looks like I might have an interview with Barrington Stage ... we'll see.

TGIF! Happy Weekend ya'll!

Today's Bit

NO's ... well, only 1 of the 5 applications I put out there on the 11th was even responded too, happily it was a positive one and I will be having a phone interview next week. The other four applications I sent out, well they appear to be silent no's - this happens alot! C'est la vie!

I was busy today with things other than applications.
Selfishly my morning was spent absorbed in a book I was very close to the end of, and so I sat and read it.
Then I had to prep for my Drama Kids classes in the evening (I am a part time drama teacher with Drama Kids International), as well as a "lecture" that I will be giving tomorrow on my time in Bali, and Balinese Performing Arts. The lecture will be given to an IB Theatre Class at the local High School. Can't wait for that!

I do have two applications that I am working on right now, but they both require online applications - and I don't mean email - as well as a bit more info than "simply" eamiling a cover letter and resume, so I'm in the process of these and will give more info when they're done.

On a super sweet note, last night I found out that a good friend of mine out in Seattle has gotten me 3 weeks of work as a drama teacher / director, for a summer camp. Woo hoo! I've never been to Seattle, and I haven't seen her in almost two years!

That is all. For now. :o)

No #1

So the first no is that there are NO jobs for me to apply for today - at least I haven't found any as of yet ... and it's 11:33am East Coast Time.

That is all.

Today's Applications

I certainly couldn't leave you hanging on day 1 without any job applications ... so ... I have just now submitted myself for several jobs - all via email, ahhh, the instant beauty of email.

1. I sent out an adendum email to The Williamstown Theatre Festival where I have put in (yesterday January 10th) a proposal to be the recipient of their Boris Sagal Fellowship. Here's hoping ... it would mean a summer of creative collaboration with ten actors, a playwright and myself - and on an idea of my own origination!!! How amazing does that sound!?!?! Hey, you never know!

2. I applied for the PSM (Production Stage Manager) or ASM (Assistant Stage Manager) positions with Astoria Performing Arts Center's upcoming production of "The Human Comedy"

3. I applied for the Apprentice Program Director position with Bristol Valley Theatre - this one sounds especially up my alley. It would be director (creator) and implementor of a six week program for students ages 11-17 years old with emphasis put on acting, but open to other areas of theatre. And directing the children's show and presentation of work during the course. Sounds great to me!

4. I applied for several positions at Barrington Stage Company for their upcoming summer season. These include Assistant Managing Director, Company Manager, Associate Company Manager and Assistant to the Artistic Director - or anything they think I'm qualified for.

5. And last but not least, for the moment, I applied for the Company Management Assistant with the Utah Festival Opera for this coming summer season.

Phew ... that's a lot of typing ... but it's also a large number of people who will (hopefully) now see my resume ... something's gotta give, eventually!!!

We shall see what transpires!

The Beginning ... 1/11/'11

365 Days ...

For the next year I am going to blog about all the places and job positions that I apply for ... and most likely, all the ways I get told "No!"

You see, for the past two years I have been applying - and all over the country - for any and all jobs I believe I am qualified for. And for the past two years I have heard - almost exclusively - "no" ... in many fashions ... so this year I am going to keep a blog of said applications and their responses ... and see what comes of it!

Who knows what this adventure might bring, perhaps nothing more than a year long dedication to one project, perhaps more.

I will give accurate theatre names and job titles of the things that I apply for, but will keep that info to myself when talking about rejections ...

So...

Here we go!