Snowy Day Musings

Most people know this about me, because (funny enough, like with Pentatonix and the last post) I tend to announce, loudly, that I'm from Portland, Maine.  One of my favorite parts about Maine is the snow.  I have been horribly saddened by the lack of snow this winter, because I haven't gotten to perform one of my favorite activities.  No it's not snow angels, it's not snowball fights, and it's not even sledding, though inner-tubing makes my top ten activities list.

One of my favorite activities is sitting inside, near a window, while it snows, wearing sweats, and pondering on the deep philosophies of life.  Immanuel Kant, move over...it's time for Ned Donovan to take a stab at deep introspective, horribly confusing thoughts.

Here we go.  *cracks knuckles*

It's a bit humbling to know that (god willing) in 4 months and 7 days, also known as 128 days, I will be a college graduate.  I will have my diploma.  I will received all the training courtesy of Ithaca College, and I will be well on my way towards being an actual human being.  Where does that leave me, then?  Well a lot has to happen in the next 128 days including:

- Auditions for Main Stage, MT Workshop, and Showcase
- Casting (god willing), and the subsequent work that each of those projects entails.
- Various film projects, right now I have one very large one, and the possibility of another equally large one.
- Schoolwork, because I really do take classes. I'm taking three intense classes (on top of my other regular ones), including Directing II, Fiction Writing: Short Story, and a Gen Ed which I can't remember what it is.  Which is mildly embarrassing, and only proves that I truly am a theatre major.  It has something to do with Educational history, I know that.
- Next Broadway Star - yes, it is indeed still going, and while they are slacking on telling me the dates, I have to be ready for whatever dates they decide to give me.
- Field Studies - Coming at you the week before Spring Break, I'll be making a trip to NYC to meet with industry professionals and begin to get a feel for this crazy profession.
- Showcase - Coming at you on the weekend of May 5th, myself and the 23 other members of the Ithaca College BFA Class of 2012 will be on display in front of many industry professionals looking for agents, casting, and general salivation over our various talents.
- NETC auditions, as well as the numerous other summer stock auditions I'll be attending.  There's a big call for Cortland Rep, the Hangar Theatre, Merry-Go-Round, and the new Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival in two weeks.  That'll be my first stop.

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What comes after that, though?  I mean, my parents would like me to tell them that I'm employed, doing well, and all that, but the 85% unemployment rate (or whatever ungodly number it is) of Actor's Equity is hard to ignore.  Also I'm not a member of Actor's Equity so I'm joining the ranks of the unemployed NON-EQ actors.  I'm assuming a much higher percentage.  I guess I have a five year plan, but I'm 100% willing to drop it if something better comes along.  In this profession, five year plans don't tend to go like you want them to.  Either they get scrapped six months in because it worked, and you've exceded all expectations, or they get scrapped after six months because the first six months failed miserably.  Either way, this profession is not easy, and I have to be ready for it.  I do feel ready, and I am remarkably excited to graduate and go hit the ground running.  I have new headshots (as you can see on various parts of this new website), I have my audition materials ready, I feel good.  The only last step is organizing my Rep Book, and I'm not too worried about that, that'll be fine.  Now it's a bit of a waiting game, and I hate that.

You see for me, life is not about a due date, it's about what happens in between.  This philosophy is exactly the reason why I get overbooked, overstressed, and make everyone around me miserable, just ask my girlfriend :-P.  Sorry Priya.  However if I have free time, why not fill it with things I could do?  I'm only in college once, and I'll never have this many free opportunities to fail miserably and not have it matter in the long run.

They always say snow's whitest while it falls.  It only takes a couple days for it to be dingy and dull.  I find that's only true if you follow the regular paths, but if you make your own, the snow's still white, and ready for you to dirty it up.  If you're doing what everyone else does, then you're only seeing someone else's churned out snow, and who wants that?

Do your own thing.  Be your own person.  Live life to the fullest and never stop doing it.  If you want something bad enough, go for it.  And if all you want to do is sit tight and watch snow fall?  Don't let others tell you you can't.  So I'm gonna sit here, sip my french press coffee, turn on another episode of Burn Notice, and do nothing.  

It's kind of a nice feeling, actually.  I should try this more often.

Now if only it would snow more than once this winter, and maybe I'll get the opportunity to.

~Ned