...a week. How in the world am I going to pull it off? The good news is I had a trial run and working three days out of my week, pulling double shifts between CNN and NY1, did not kill me. I am still alive as I sit typing this. Evidently. Having the actual weekend off is going to make all the difference in this little endeavor. Having that time to recharge. The actual work I'm doing, if I approach it right, is not all that hard and doesn't stress me out all that much. It's a matter of planning for being away from the apartment for extended periods of time. That means taking extra care to make sure the cat has enough food and that I have enough food that I don't have to eat out every day. The other trick is going to be getting enough sleep so that I don't end up so tired by the end of the night. That means not trying to go straight to sleep but giving myself time to unwind. The other night I dropped straight into bed and ended up tossing and turning until 2am and had to be up at 7. Ugh. Next week I do four days of doubles (basically 9am until 1130pm) and then I work noon-8pm Friday. I know I can survive it. And I'm going to make so much extra money!
Today, Lacy and I played National Underground. Which was great fun. And it just goes to show you that even despite the massive amount of hours I'm working between my three jobs (yes, three...I started training at TruTV last week after my vacation), I am still able to do what I love.
And tonight what did I do? I had a burger with my cousin at Korzo, down the street, while simultaneously doing a load of laundry at the laundromat across the street. Seriously, people, learn how to multi task effectively. It'll change your life.
A few weeks ago I was fretting about how the schedule change to having weekends off was going to affect my routine, and now I'm absolutely killin' it. The only thing I've left to figure out is when I'm going to cook my meals so I don't have to eat out all the time. But even that is not that big of a deal. I may try that cooking for the entire month thing someday. That would require some serious strategy though.
But for now, I just need to sleep. I realized that since I plan on doing yoga in the afternoon tomorrow I can do something amazing tomorrow. Sleep in. Just sleep in. I'm talking about not setting an alarm, ignoring the cat, rolling over several times, putting the pillow over my head to block out the sunlight, stretching out, considering getting up, not getting up, grabbing my phone and reading my Facebook feed. Then maybe, just maybe, getting up to go the bathroom and then getting back in bed. You can see I've given this some thought. It's going to be pretty awesome, barring any unforeseen shenanigans from the outside world. Wish me luck!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
Back in Action...
Back in action now that I'm back in the Apple. Over the course of a very relaxing few days off, filled with many visits, a few bike rides, some much needed floating in the pool, wine, food, more wine and pollen (unfortunately), I was able to polish off the three voice over demos. Now I have them and my film scoring reel locked and loaded and ready to go. For the next few months, though, I'm going to be working nonstop at two, perhaps three jobs, to make a mound of money before diving back into projects.
As I put it to a certain close friend and musical partner, this is a rare opportunity to get a leg up. I have two freelance jobs in addition to NY1 now: CNN and TruTv. Both of them came out of the blue but were much needed and welcomed. TruTV hired me back in February but, with the bizarre lag in HR operations, it took them until now to pull me in for training and, in that interim period, I got a call back from the very manager at CNN who had passed my resume to TruTV, asking if I could help out in the media department at CNN while one of their staff goes on maternity leave. I started back at CNN at the beginning of this month and now that I'm done training, will be working doubles, mornings at CNN and nights at NY1 three, maybe four nights a week. Luckily, I still will have the weekends off. TruTV promises occasional work on top of all that when any of their staff goes on vacation.
So, my plate is full, and though I probably won't get much done in the way of music and voice over work, I do have my arsenal of demos fully polished and up to date so, what's to say, I can't push forward on finding a voice over agent and scoring that next scoring gig?
Before I dive into all of the above, I do have my birthday celebration tomorrow night to kick it all off. The last weekend of my vacation before diving head first into what could be the busiest two to three months I've experienced in New York City yet. But I'm open to what's ahead. In fact, I'm quite excited about it. Anything could happen. My feet are in the doors. I'll just leave it at that.
Birthday celebration should be a fun time. I have a night in the East Village planned tomorrow and am really looking forward to seeing people and eating some good gluten free food and drinking in one of my favorite bars.
I think it's a really good thing that I took this vacation at this particular point. It wasn't really timed on purpose or anything but I really needed a few days to wrap my brain around the next few weeks and how I'm going to manage it all. My schedule changed a NY1 a few weeks ago and I had just gotten the hang of it. But with all the extra work and everything, prioritizing became really hard all of a sudden and I even almost melted down and freaked out a few days ago when I first landed back in NYC. I knew that it was important for me to take this opportunity for more work and more money but I was worried about not having time for music and voice over. But I think what helped was realizing that the voice over and music careers are both at a point where I can put them on hold for a bit, or at least feel okay devoting a little less time to them. I've hit several milestones in the last few months and am poised for some big moves in the next few months but I don't necessarily need to act on them right now. Plus, Lacy and I should have no problem finding time for shows and rehearsals as I'm still off on weekends (without that I don't know what I'd do).
The only thing I'm slightly bummed about is having less time for yoga. But I think I can manage to do some breathing exercises at work and still pull off yoga classes on Saturday and Sunday. And if it gets a little crazy, without the yoga and the sleep, I can always forfeit a few of the shifts I've signed on for at CNN as long as I give them advance notice. So the next few weeks begins my run of double shifts and then I'll reevaluate. For now, it's good night and tomorrow = fun.
Here are some pics from my vacation in Raleigh.
As I put it to a certain close friend and musical partner, this is a rare opportunity to get a leg up. I have two freelance jobs in addition to NY1 now: CNN and TruTv. Both of them came out of the blue but were much needed and welcomed. TruTV hired me back in February but, with the bizarre lag in HR operations, it took them until now to pull me in for training and, in that interim period, I got a call back from the very manager at CNN who had passed my resume to TruTV, asking if I could help out in the media department at CNN while one of their staff goes on maternity leave. I started back at CNN at the beginning of this month and now that I'm done training, will be working doubles, mornings at CNN and nights at NY1 three, maybe four nights a week. Luckily, I still will have the weekends off. TruTV promises occasional work on top of all that when any of their staff goes on vacation.
So, my plate is full, and though I probably won't get much done in the way of music and voice over work, I do have my arsenal of demos fully polished and up to date so, what's to say, I can't push forward on finding a voice over agent and scoring that next scoring gig?
Before I dive into all of the above, I do have my birthday celebration tomorrow night to kick it all off. The last weekend of my vacation before diving head first into what could be the busiest two to three months I've experienced in New York City yet. But I'm open to what's ahead. In fact, I'm quite excited about it. Anything could happen. My feet are in the doors. I'll just leave it at that.
Birthday celebration should be a fun time. I have a night in the East Village planned tomorrow and am really looking forward to seeing people and eating some good gluten free food and drinking in one of my favorite bars.
I think it's a really good thing that I took this vacation at this particular point. It wasn't really timed on purpose or anything but I really needed a few days to wrap my brain around the next few weeks and how I'm going to manage it all. My schedule changed a NY1 a few weeks ago and I had just gotten the hang of it. But with all the extra work and everything, prioritizing became really hard all of a sudden and I even almost melted down and freaked out a few days ago when I first landed back in NYC. I knew that it was important for me to take this opportunity for more work and more money but I was worried about not having time for music and voice over. But I think what helped was realizing that the voice over and music careers are both at a point where I can put them on hold for a bit, or at least feel okay devoting a little less time to them. I've hit several milestones in the last few months and am poised for some big moves in the next few months but I don't necessarily need to act on them right now. Plus, Lacy and I should have no problem finding time for shows and rehearsals as I'm still off on weekends (without that I don't know what I'd do).
The only thing I'm slightly bummed about is having less time for yoga. But I think I can manage to do some breathing exercises at work and still pull off yoga classes on Saturday and Sunday. And if it gets a little crazy, without the yoga and the sleep, I can always forfeit a few of the shifts I've signed on for at CNN as long as I give them advance notice. So the next few weeks begins my run of double shifts and then I'll reevaluate. For now, it's good night and tomorrow = fun.
Here are some pics from my vacation in Raleigh.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Good things...
I love a good thunderstorm. This was not all that bad but could use some extra oomph. A few rumbles and some rain a thunderstorm does not make. It is nice to listen to the rain through open windows for a change now that the year has taken a turn toward nicer weather. In truth, after this harsh winter that just wouldn't relent, this particular change in the weather comes as so much more of a relief. Sitting outside with my lunch today felt so amazing. Just to bask in the sun and put my feet up on a chair outside in the park on 10th ave and 15th Street was such an amazing feeling. I had forgotten how nice nice weather can be. To be able to spend some time enjoying it made the night spent inside at work that much more bearable. And this is only the beginning. I finally understand why it is that New York summers are something so beautiful. It's the shit we have to put up with in winter time that makes the first sunny 70 degree day so incredible you wanna cry. And the childlike anticipation of what's to come is something that could only be borne of completely shitty weather for 6 straight months.
That said, ironically, as soon as it improves here, I'm flying away to even warmer climes in the south. Touching down in Greensboro for a hot second and then on to Raleigh Saturday night. I had originally bought the ticket for Greensboro when I was planning on spending time in the mountains with my brother... one last bro's weekend before he has a kid this summer. But now, two other friends that are expecting planned a shower for that weekend in Raleigh. The change is all good with me. Just means a slightly longer trip. But there's a pool waiting for me in Raleigh, one filled with 70 degree water according to my dad. I should be so lucky.
On the plane ride down, I plan on working on some edits to my voice over reel. Polishing them all off really. I've wanted to put together a promo demo for quite a long time but have taken the opportunity provided by a lapse in my membership to Voice123.com to really spend some time honing the others as well (narration, documentary and commercial). And I've spent most of my time so far focusing on those three. I think I'm almost done. I just need to come up with some music cues and do some compression and EQ on a few of them. The name of the game is making them sound as professional as possible before I submit them to agents. The promo demo is really the one that needs the most work. But that's just because I only have one actual spot done for it. The rest I have to produce on my own and that includes music and sound effects. A monumental task to be sure. It's going to consist of the promo I did for the novel, "Scarlet" from the Lunar Chronicles and a bunch of "stay tuned for scenes from next week's episode, starts Tuesday 9/8 central, Rated R, In theaters and IMAX this Friday," type tags that I have yet to record.
Everything else though: sounding good. Hopefully I'll get a lot done while I'm in Raleigh. Because that was the other half of the reason I took this vacation I'm taking next week. To get this all done. Now, though, the second freelance job, TruTV, (which was actually the first one I got hired for) will start on Thursday the 18th, one day after I come back to NYC. And I'm working both Thursday and Friday. So there goes that. But this is good money, even better than CNN, though probably not quite as consistent.
I won't say much more about the freelance gigs, except that I have a guaranteed 10 weeks of Monday, Tuesday and Thursday shifts at CNN and who knows what at TruTV. Other than that I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. And in fact, I actually want to sleep. Let's just say though, for now, that I feel there are good things on the horizon. Good things.
That said, ironically, as soon as it improves here, I'm flying away to even warmer climes in the south. Touching down in Greensboro for a hot second and then on to Raleigh Saturday night. I had originally bought the ticket for Greensboro when I was planning on spending time in the mountains with my brother... one last bro's weekend before he has a kid this summer. But now, two other friends that are expecting planned a shower for that weekend in Raleigh. The change is all good with me. Just means a slightly longer trip. But there's a pool waiting for me in Raleigh, one filled with 70 degree water according to my dad. I should be so lucky.
On the plane ride down, I plan on working on some edits to my voice over reel. Polishing them all off really. I've wanted to put together a promo demo for quite a long time but have taken the opportunity provided by a lapse in my membership to Voice123.com to really spend some time honing the others as well (narration, documentary and commercial). And I've spent most of my time so far focusing on those three. I think I'm almost done. I just need to come up with some music cues and do some compression and EQ on a few of them. The name of the game is making them sound as professional as possible before I submit them to agents. The promo demo is really the one that needs the most work. But that's just because I only have one actual spot done for it. The rest I have to produce on my own and that includes music and sound effects. A monumental task to be sure. It's going to consist of the promo I did for the novel, "Scarlet" from the Lunar Chronicles and a bunch of "stay tuned for scenes from next week's episode, starts Tuesday 9/8 central, Rated R, In theaters and IMAX this Friday," type tags that I have yet to record.
Everything else though: sounding good. Hopefully I'll get a lot done while I'm in Raleigh. Because that was the other half of the reason I took this vacation I'm taking next week. To get this all done. Now, though, the second freelance job, TruTV, (which was actually the first one I got hired for) will start on Thursday the 18th, one day after I come back to NYC. And I'm working both Thursday and Friday. So there goes that. But this is good money, even better than CNN, though probably not quite as consistent.
I won't say much more about the freelance gigs, except that I have a guaranteed 10 weeks of Monday, Tuesday and Thursday shifts at CNN and who knows what at TruTV. Other than that I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. And in fact, I actually want to sleep. Let's just say though, for now, that I feel there are good things on the horizon. Good things.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Checking in...
It's been about three weeks on the new schedule now and I can say that I'm adjusting more quickly than I thought I would. Those who read this blog and those who know me well, know how obsessed with time management and saving money I am. Especially time management with the end goal of saving money.
I managed to pull it off again today, gangbusters. I cooked enough food to last me until next Wednesday (in terms of dinners at work) and brought it all here to work to store in the fridge until I need it. But why do I need four meals at my immediate disposal? Why not just cook the food the day I'll be eating it? Well usually I do this stuff to save time and saving myself the weight in my shoulder bag has also been a goal as of late...that and not having to carry one every day. But in this case, my weekly schedule has changed so much that I'm having to really improvise.
Normally I would bring all this food in on the first day of my work week. But, I can't do that anymore. Why you ask? Because I'm starting my work week at a whole other job that I've just landed. Freelancing at CNN again and squeezing shifts in on the morning side before working the 330pm shift at NY1. On those days, I really can't (and kinda don't want to even try to) carry food from one job to the next and I certainly don't want to be eating out the two days of the week that I have shifts at both jobs. So, last weekend, in a pinch because I didn't think of it until Saturday, I cooked my food on Saturday afternoon and rode into the city with the express purpose of storing it in the fridge for the next week. The plan worked great and I only had to eat out once last week.
This week though, I had the foresight to use my Friday morning to cook food, a morning when I can't ever make it to a yoga class on my level that ends in time for work.
Yesterday, I cooked as well as baking bread for the week and doing laundry. So, I'm making it work and with the CNN gig and also the TruTV gig (which starts the week of my vacation right after I get back from NC), I should be making bank by the middle of May. The only thing is that I'm finding minimal time to work on the important things like the voice over and the music so I've gotta figure out when to squeeze that in.
Luckily, at the moment, I don't have any music gigs, even on the horizon, except of course playing shows with Lacy, and the voice over gigs will be deliberately back-burner-ed while I focus on polishing the demos (redoing a few takes, producing the promo demo). I'm at a point right now where I can't afford to renew my subscription to Voice123.com anyway. So, what better time than now to polish things and reposition myself for another attack on the city's voice over agents. I've also reached out to a few filmmakers that I know but haven't worked with yet and I'm waiting on responses from most of them.
By the summer time I hope to have something else going in both of those arenas.
Things could change with the day jobs as well but I won't get too far ahead of myself, as a rule. Just the excitement of having consistent extra work is enough to get me by. After only two days at CNN, I'm finding I really like the crew this time around. There are a ton of people that work there that I've worked with before at other jobs...one of them being a former coworker at NY1 ingest who just started there this past December. She was training me on Monday and Tuesday.
TruTV, like I said starts after my quick trip to NC, for which I leave a week from tomorrow. And I'm really looking forward to getting shown the ropes there. I will fly back to NY on the 17th and work the following two days at TruTV to train and then it's my birthday weekend and I plan to throw a bar party that Saturday night.
Fun things on the horizon then including a much needed vacation.
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