A Dilemma of Appearance

I'm 24-years-old but regularly assumed to be anywhere from 14 to 18 years of age (18 is on a lucky day).  I'm well acquainted with shocked reactions of people who card me and awkward moments in which the manicurist asks if Best Girl Friend is my mother (morons.) 

Sometimes I embrace the advantages (I was still offered crayons at restaurants till recently; I can let people assume it's okay I don't have a degree yet, etc.) and other times I have to brace myself for possible challenges.  Acting gigs are one of my major challenges.  While it's great that I'll most likely be passing as a 21-year-old by the time I get to 40, for now my *youthful* appearance is a pain in the arse.

A few months ago when the movie opportunity came along is a prime example. The casting notice called for 25-30somethings, and an actress friend told me to give it a shot.  She'd already been cast as an extra.  I originally planned to submit what I considered a good head shot (a photographer did it about a year ago):

 

but she suggested the shot looked too young.  So we settled on this:

The difference in the two pictures is about a year, so maybe I have aged slightly (finally :-p).  I submitted it, and the casting agent called me "cute" and seemed delighted, but suggested it was possible to style myself older.  She said I had the job, and would need to look 30-35 the day of the shoot.  I freaked out, but worked with my friend to pick make-up and wardrobe that would give me as much advantage as possible.  This is how I looked the morning of the shoot:

Then last weekend I was preparing for an audition that called for a "20something."  BGF (who's a licensed cosmetologist) thinks I look older with my hair up and less eyeliner, as modeled in this look:

 

and I got the part. :-)

Have any of you ever encountered a major obstacle with your appearance or age, especially one that interfered with obtaining a job opportunity?  How did you handle it?

[July] Obsessions

"Angry Birds is a puzzle video game developed by Finland-based Rovio Mobile. Inspired primarily by a sketch of stylized wingless birds, the game was first released for Apple's iOS in December 2009. Since that time, over 12 million copies of the game have been purchased from Apple's App Store, which has prompted the company to design versions for other touchscreen-based smartphones, such as those using the Androidoperating system, among others.
 
In the game, players use a slingshot to launch birds at pigs stationed on or within various structures, with the intent of destroying all the pigs on the playfield. As players advance through the game, new birds appear, some with special abilities that can be activated by the player." -Wikipedia.com

Boyfriend's new Android phone isn't safe around me, nor are those dastardly piggies!  It is annoyingly obvious that he is better at the game than I am, but that only makes me want to play it more. :-p

A cool promo project by T-Mobile:

 

There's even an interactive Angry Birds on YouTube!

Have YOU played Angry Birds online or via smart phone?  Is it a guilty pleasure, a fun challenge, or of no interest whatsoever?

Pass The Big Girl Pants, Please

It's been pretty obvious I settled into an unproductive slump this summer, but that apparently ends today.  Ready to hear about it?

I officially got the part[s] and I go to my first rehearsal next Monday!  In September I'll be appearing in two short plays in a festival of five plays called "@The_Moment: #5shortplaysonlifein2011".  If the title seems strange (or nifty) to you, rest assured I will explain all in the customary series of post I do throughout all my shows.  Stay tuned.

I picked up an extra (well paying ) house sitting job which happens to start the same week I start my other (long term) job at the theatre.

I then had to coordinate the transportation and schedule for these commitments.  In less than one day I went from being underwhelmed to overwhelmed. (I am at times very easily overwhelmed.  It's a tragic Debbie flaw.  I hide it well when needed.  An awesome Debbie trait.)

Also I'm meeting with my fellow Alpha Rho Psi leaders this evening to start planning our 2011-2012 year together.
 
It's all good.  I'm up for it all, I'm provided for, and unexpected opportunities are a banging way to spend/close out my summer.  :-)

Mobile Posting and Midnight Ranting

Last night at around 2am I wrote the following 6 page text message and tried to send it to the mobile posting function of this blog.  It didn't post.  Guess I should aim for brevity next time?  Anyway, here's a peek into my immediate pre-sleep mind:

"I want to sleep, but I can't, so I'm trying out this text posting function for the first publicly official time!

My head is full of things that have been and what could be.  This is why I shouldn't watch reality TV before bed (add that to the banned late-night list, next to The Unit.).  After four eps of "The Glee Project" my head is buzzing with performance theme thoughts (side note: I look down on myself for watching any and all reality TV and hate to admit I do so).

I'm waiting to hear back from my Saturday audition.  I feel it went well, but I did have trouble connecting to my text (which is a play-on-words, since my character was a cell phone...), so we'll see.

I was catching up with a friend this evening and he asked if I'm on my way to Hollywood yet,  I chuckled and said no, and that if I ever go anywhere it'll be New York.  I can't picture myself in L.A.

I'm rambling.  Night. :-)"

That was my grammar/post verbatim.  I stopped composing only because I reached the character limit for a single text on my phone.

Goodbye To The Desk, Hello To A Table Saw

There's just a few days left of "English Department, this is Debbie, how may I help you?"  I've been so blessed by working for the supervisor I currently have, and genuinely enjoy the teachers I assist, but a work study paycheck will suffice no longer.  August will bring the start of something new on my resume!  I'm not going far from "home"; I'll be working as an assistant at the campus' theatre as an employee of the college.  I will help run light/sound/stage for events, assist in theatrical set building, and generally help maintain the scene shop.  My co-workers will include Boyfriend, a professor/school TD I've mentioned before, and another good friend (occasionally.  He's leaving us for university. *pouty face*)

I'm excited for the benefits of the new job: more hours, pay raise, good company, learning more about my craft.  I've nervous about some elements of the job: longer work hours while carrying a full credit load, brand new responsibilities to learn, harder work (read: *using drills instead of pens* :-p), and the possible impact of boyfriend-turned-co-worker.  But I have faith that all will be delightful and it's an exciting new experience! (and oh look! A new label for my blog! ;-)

I have an audition downtown tomorrow!  It's my first audition that has not been for a college production, and I'm a little nervous.  It's with Salt Luck Arts, of which I could not find much about, and it's for a short play festival in September.  My current worries are will I get cast? and if I get cast will I be able to accept? (good ole transportation issues, rehearsals that would be a half hour away, etc.)

Until next time: rock your weekend, sleep well, smile lots, break a leg, or whatever else happens to suit your fancy. ;-)

Blogger In Draft Changes?

For those of you who have Blogger in Draft- are you feeling the new dashboard?  Maybe I just don't stay up on news, but I wasn't expect the change at all!  Nothing was recognizable, but it does seem easy to figure out and fairly organized.

Toes at Tiffany's!

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Niki has a fun little post showing off her rocking nail polish, and I can't resist sharing too!  I've fallen in love with something in a bottle (that isn't an alcoholic beverage ;-p)

China Glaze is my favourite brand of nail polish (it's just as durable as OPI in my opinion, but the colors are less sedate).  This shade pays homage to my fashion idol, so wearing it is a no-brainer.  When I showed my newly painted toes to my man today his reaction was "Whoa!"  (the kind of "Whoa!" he gives when something is sexy and/or cool. :)  It's a gorgeous colour for summer, and very true to the famous Tiffany's blue.

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"Over The River and Through The Woods"

Did you know that a cafeteria can make a charming venue for a play?  I found it to be so last Sunday afternoon. :-)

Mini Pinot Grigio!
All for me :-p

The renowned summer theatre Cockpit In Court is hosted by CCBC Essex, and Boyfriend is currently technical director of the cabaret stage (Cockpit also boasts the main stage, and the two stages will hold four shows total, overlapping each other over the summer). Last weekend was the first of two for "Over The River and Through The Woods" written by Joe DiPietro and directed by local Sherionne Brown.  "Over The River" is a well-written and touching story of an Italian young man, Nick, and his relationship with his four grandparents.  Act One keeps the laughs rolling, touching on all sorts of stereotypes about immigrants, Italians, and family dynamics that anyone can relate to.  Act Two slows and sombers slightly, keeping to the charming heart of the story but taking us through Nick's hard decision to start a life of his own.  The actors, all local to Baltimore, did a fantastic job!  I thought they had wonderful chemistry and comedic delivery, and handled the sad moments beautifully.  (Click here for a cute picture of the cast and their names!)

The Cockpit cabaret stage productions are done in the round and held in the cafeteria of the Essex campus of CCBC.   The full rigging system for theatrical lighting and dinner-style seating ensure that viewing the show is an enjoyable experience, complete with light fare of salad, sandwiches, deserts, wine, and soda.  I enjoyed the show immensely, and am looking forward to the second production to be held in this venue,  "The Edge of Darkness".  "Over The River" closes this Sunday afternoon, so you have two chances left to see it!