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OMG and Other Useful Panic Phrases “OMG!” “Oy vey!” “Good grief!” “For heaven’s sake!” Whatever your exclamation of choice, it all means the same thing: sh*t happened. And it probably happened to you. Yup, that’s me. I’m in the middle of it. My voiceover studio is at risk of collapsing into the basement below it. Not an entertaining proposition, to say the least. I’m working with a temporary studio, but it’s not the same. Definitely need to get the problem solved! So how did this happen? Long story short: We had a small water issue in our basement – which in hindsight we should have just decided to live with, mopping up as we go. But no, my husband Alex and I decided to be proactive and get ahead of a problem which could likely get much worse over time. Being responsible homeowners, we called in a home foundations repair/waterproofing company with a good reputation. Not an inexpensive undertaking, but one that we thought necessary according to all the people we talked to. Hmmm. Can you say “disaster in the making?” It was one thing after another. First, they showed up one weekday morning without warning. We knew that we’d be scheduled for work sometime over the next few weeks, but we never received a formal call to establish the date. No problem. It’s Covid, we’re all working from home, and we were just glad it was finally our turn. It was an all-day job, making such a loud racket that it seemed the house was being shaken to its foundations. In a way it was, since they had to drill into concrete to install a new French drain and pump to replace the existing system. I went to check on the work midway through and just stopped in my tracks when I saw the absolute mess: heavy concrete dust flying around everywhere without proper venting. It was visible in the air and so hard to breathe. The debris covered everything and the work crew had made no effort to restrict the mess with plastic sheeting around their work area. Nor did they tell us what to expect so that we could move some nice furniture and equipment out of range. They didn’t even bother covering any of our belongings with tarps, plastic, or anything else that could have protected them. Worse, because they neglected to vent, thick dirt and dust covered every square inch of that basement. The debris was blown under the doors into others areas of that floor, coating everything in sight. Electronic equipment was ruined. By the time I saw what was happening, it was far too late to do anything. But that was nothing compared to what we learned two months later. First, a series of heavy rainstorms proved that the work was all for nothing. Same amount of water, in the same place. The company couldn’t tell where the problem originated and blamed it on issues outside of their contract. We’re brought in other experts who couldn’t tell either and said that we should just “live with it.” Second, through this process, we discovered the biggest problem of all: the work crew had removed and disposed of the weight-bearing struts that supported the floor above that part of the basement. They needed to do so to put in the water vapor barrier, but they did not replace them afterwards. The wooden poles they erected were left as is, a temporary “solution” and, as it turned out, totally useless. It took an architect to tell us that they were put in the wrong places, that the floor above was already sagging, and that we needed those weight-bearing structures replaced or good section of the floor above that area could come crashing down. There’s nothing like hearing that work, which perhaps should never have been done, served only to make a section of your home unstable, such that it could collapse without warning. The architect said to stay away from that unsupported part of the upper floor until new supports are in place (whenever that may be). Guess what’s up there on that floor? My voice over studio. Those G-rated exclamations don’t begin to cover my true feelings on the situation. This is not an easy problem to live with. Running around yelling, while temporarily therapeutic, doesn’t do my studio any good. Figuring out a temporary studio and fixing the underlying problem does. So, we’re divvying up the challenges. I pulled out my trusty, handy-dandy travel booth and equipment and went off to find as quiet a space in the house as I can to work. My husband began calling contractors to make the repairs. We’re both running into issues. Me, with finding peace and quiet in a house filled with busy people. Him, with trying to find good, qualified people to do the work. And show up. (That’s a whole other story….) “Keep calm and carry on” is our motto for the time being. Not that we’re all that calm about our situation, but we’re trying to mask it as best as possible, at least for the kids’ sake. I don’t think we’re fooling anybody, but really, what else are we going to do? Clear heads are betting at resolving problems than emotional basket cases. Assuming materials are available, we’re working to get everything fixed within a month. And that it would be done right this time. To ensure that outcome, we’re asking our architect friend to look in on the repairs as they are being made. Barring that, I’m also going to look for a building inspector who can step in and supervise the work. No more screw-ups! (Ah, that should be the motto of our foundation repair/waterproofing company….) We’ve had enough already. The worst case scenario is that we’ll need to file a lawsuit against the company. It’s a last resort, if all else fails. We’re not lawyers, so unlike them, we don’t realize “better living through litigation.” It’s a last measure and I certainly hope it doesn’t have to come to that! Stay tuned; this continuing saga will, I’m sure, be addressed in future blogs.

Creative Solutions for Survival How do you respond to a crisis? Are you paralyzed, not knowing what to do? Do you run for sanctuary elsewhere? Or do you stay put, handling the situation as best you can, finding other ways to be successful? Fifteen months into the pandemic, we look around us and see the responses to this crisis. Shuttered businesses. Atypically high prices on materials that overnight seem to suddenly be in much demand. (Have you heard about the price of lumber lately? And how long it takes now for delivery of all sorts of manufactured goods?!) Yes, some businesses are working feverishly to gear back up to full production and alleviate shortages. But so many others have gone into bankruptcy and … disappeared. Why? In many cases, the long-term economic shutdown became too much for their already razor-thin profit margins to withstand. Restaurants and small businesses especially took it hardest, though larger corporations carrying a lot of debt also had to fold. Some businesses simply did not have enough capital or manpower to adapt and survive. And a number of businesses just couldn’t – or wouldn’t – adjust to new ways of enabling employees to work from home or delivering their goods and services directly to their customers. The top business schools teach through the use of case studies, examining real-world scenarios and evaluating corporate decisions and their consequent successes or failures. It’s been fascinating to see this in action in our own neighborhoods. We’ve seen innovation and adaptation in play, with new services being offered to accommodate social distancing requirements. Restaurants seemed to lead the way with new “meals to go” and pickup windows; healthcare and business professionals embraced telemedicine and Zoom meetings, respectively; and entertainment giants have funneled movies – some originally intended for theatrical release and some, well, just original creations – through streaming services to audiences to enjoy at home. Schools took up virtual learning – for better or worse – and even many gyms and fitness centers offered classes online. Suddenly, our computers were our lifeline to the outside world. Talk about a whole lot of new case studies! As in earlier times, we’re seeimg that the most successful individuals and businesses are the ones who’ve been willing to risk new approaches to adapt to the changed environment. Some of the adaptations are actually quite innovative, speeding technological developments that may have required another 5-10 years to take hold. Remote conferencing is a great example. We’ve had the technology for a while, but people were reluctant to fully embrace it. Until they had no choice. Zoom has led the charge and companies have realized that it’s a great way to save time and money previously spent on travel. It’s also allowed individuals like me to attend a number of virtual conferences around the world from the comfort (and convenience!) of home. I’ve noticed that remote conferencing has especially enabled people with limited mobility, particularly those who are bed-ridden, to reclaim their ability to participate in meaningful ways. I think, too, that we’d all agree that digital distribution of movies is not likely to go away either, putting continuing pressure on movie theaters to remain economically viable. In my own line of work, I saw that voice actors as a group have done pretty well throughout the pandemic. Yes, there were far fewer projects in the first months as businesses pretty much ceased operations, but as spring turned into summer, voice over work proved resilient. The industry transitioned to home production fairly quickly with only a few adjustments. Clients and production houses found that they could create content from their home offices, collaborating online and working virtually with talent and other industry pros. The voice actors found themselves scrambling to build home studios, if they didn’t already have them. Those of us outside of the Los Angeles and New York markets had an advantage here; many of us already had broadcast-quality home studios in place. The LA and NY talent, however, were used to traveling to nearby studios for recording sessions, the result of a concentrated market and facilities in those cities. The biggest change the rest of us saw was the demand for connectivity software from our home studios. Many clients chose to use Source Connect, which very quickly became the new industry standard (supplanting the more cumbersome and expensive ISDN lines). Needless to say, Source-Elements, the creator of Source Connect, had a very profitable 2020. In my work as an on-camera actor, the biggest adaptation has been within the auditioning process. Pretty much gone (for now) are the in-person auditions in front of casting directors. Self-taping, in which the actor records the audition scene(s) and then digitally submits it to the casting director for review, is now the default auditioning process around the country. Its sudden rise in use was not a shocker to those of us in the Southeast; we’ve been self-taping for years before Covid hit. It was actually born from an earlier crisis, the Great Recession of 2007-2009, when it became economically infeasible for actors to drive long distances for short (often under 5 minutes) auditions. But in concentrated markets like LA and NY, the self-tape was rarely used. As with their voiceover counterparts, these film/TV actors had to very quickly learn how to create and properly use a home-based setup. Self-taping has its advantages and its drawbacks. It enables casting directors (CD) to see many more actors per role, viewing tapes at their personal convenience. It saves the CDs time, particularly when the digital playback can be stopped and quickly eliminated from consideration if the performance is too far off the mark. It gives actors ample opportunity to record multiple takes, choosing the one or two best, and presenting those to the CD. It also allows actors to audition from a physical distance, whether they’re away on set or out of town on vacation. Self-taping has its drawbacks, too, including the loss of personal interaction between CD and actor, the ability to be redirected with clearer instructions during the audition, networking and relationship building, etc. It can also make actors too dependent on the process, losing their comfort with in-person auditioning, trading technical perfection of a performance over authenticity, and becoming less able to “play“ with the script in front of a live audience. For the duration, though, as well as the foreseeable future, self-taping is here to stay. We will go back to in-person auditioning, but the self-tape has too many conveniences not to be used. So we might as well figure out how to create a good one. The essentials are a simple backdrop, (box) lights, a camera on a tripod, an external mic, and software for easy editing. Also important, though, is a good reader, ideally someone who is also an actor and understands how to be a good reader. So, what does a reader do? As the name suggests, it’s someone who reads all the other characters’ lines in the audition script. A good reader doesn’t just read the lines; they give the auditioning actor someone to play off, to react to, to influence, etc. during the scene(s). The reader needs to be loud enough to be heard on the audition tape, but not so loud as to take away from the auditioning actor. Another actor is ideal, but sometimes you have to improvise. In a pinch, I’ve drafted my son or husband, but neither has much patience for the role, nor do either of them have the training or interest to play the subdued but important role of an off-screen scene partner. My teen daughter, who is also an actress, is a terrific option, but she’s often not available. And sometimes the material is not appropriate to play against a teenager. Especially yours. This is where Zoom and an actor buddy come in handy. I’ve worked with a number of other actors and traded services as a reader. While I very much appreciate having someone read with me in my auditions, I’ve found that I learn so much more when I’m reading for another person. And I gain more than I give in the following ways: 1. Learning what truly makes a good read (or not) It’s a little like sitting on the casting director’s shoulder. If you’re like me, we have in mind how the scene in front of us would play out. We have a notion of how we’d play a particular role, the choices we’d make, those character traits we’d bring to the part. And then we get to see how our friend interprets it differently. The nuances and tactics – sometimes even the main objective – can be wholly different than you’d ever considered. Personally, I love that! It goes to show how each of us brings something unique to each role we play. Conversely, reading for another actor can also show us what NOT to do. Did our friend fall into a trap within the script, taking the expected (and dull) route? Was our friend (gasp) not properly prepared to tape? There's nothing worse than to be grasping for lines, becoming more and more flustered with every attempt. (Best to reset and try another time.) Did our friend overact, showing the need for more training? We don’t want to tell the other actor what to do, but sometimes it can be painful to watch. 2. Seeing risks that work (or not) Following on the first point, it’s instructive to see the risks that another actor takes to make a character work. Whether it’s creating a memorable first moment before a word is ever uttered or taking a character in a unique direction, it’s fascinating to see how actors can truly make scripts their own. Say the actor chooses a sassy, smart-mouth attitude for a character that on the surface seems to be the embodiment of sweetness and light. It could become an interesting new twist that the writer and director never intended, but may like enough to adopt. And like enough to cast the actor for revealing that unexpected interpretation. Alternatively, the risk could be so far off base that it leaves the casting director a bit baffled. On one hand, it could give the actor points for originality and consideration for another, future project. Or … it could leave the casting director with the impression that the actor would benefit from more training before taking a chance on them. That’s why it’s called a risk. But if an actor doesn’t take them now and then, the actor risks being labeled as mediocre, bland, as someone taking the easy, safe route, etc. Not such a good thing in the end. 3. Observing how a little creativity can enhance a mediocre script Sometimes … the material isn’t so great. Perhaps the writers are just starting out or are exploring a new genre within the entertainment industry. Whatever the background, it doesn’t matter. It’s up to the actor to elevate the script to something more interesting, nuanced, authentic … something far more than what’s on the page. That something can be creating a character background and history that informs the story in subtle ways, providing new meaning to the dialogue, with a depth to the character that hadn’t previously been written. When an actor can do this, it’s startling to see how much can be gleaned from a scene that, on the surface, had seemed so vanilla. It reminds me of an acting exercise that provides two actors with short, very vague dialogue. The dialogue itself doesn’t really tell us much. It’s up to the actors to give it direction and purpose. The whole point of the exercise is to have the actors dig deep within themselves to flesh out entire characters that will never be truly revealed, but that are very much evident in the way they converse and interact with each other, using just the basic, non-descript dialogue. It’s amazing to see what each person comes up with! 4. Generating goodwill, that warm tingly feeling when you help someone else There is something within us that just makes us feel good when we can help someone out. I find it very gratifying to know that I’ve helped one friend make his deadline or another friend her workload as she balances two jobs and family commitments. And their heartfelt appreciation is genuine, which is rewarding unto itself and makes me want to be available the next time they need me. 5. Friendship! I’ve developed good friends in this manner. I’ve met them on set, in class, and through other people in the industry, but the relationship builds through our mutual assistance. Atlanta is known for the warm, supportive attitude within its acting community. Helping one another as readers for our self-tapes is just one more way that we’re there for each other, not just in the auditioning process, but as human beings. The pandemic may have sidelined the entertainment industry for a while and kept us physically distanced, but through technology it’s also brought us closer together in spirit. It’s given us a third option to the old fight or flight choice when faced with a crisis: Adapt. Create. Yup … turn lemons into lemonade.

Responsibilities of Both Customer and Service Provider My home is an extension of myself. It reflects who I am (OK, my husband and kids, too, but let’s be honest, who REALLY does the work of taking care of it?!). It’s a comfortable and welcoming place, nicely appointed but livable. And like the rest of me, I keep it in order. My home is clean, neat, and well maintained. So when something is damaged or in serious disarray, it’s personally upsetting and I want to remedy the situation as soon as possible. I’m not talking about the little things, like kids messing up the house or someone dropping and breaking a piece of glass. I’m referring to more serious problems, like a termite infestation, a tree dropping on the roof, or water leaking and flooding the basement. These issues take time and expertise to resolve and, yes, more than just a little money. We want to find the right experts at an affordable price, bring them in as soon as possible, and see the job done right the first time. Ideally, this is how it would always play out. In the real world, sometimes – as I’ve recently experienced - it takes flexibility, patience, and more than a little determination to have a problem properly rectified. In a perfect situation, these expert providers would be on top of the customer’s problem, informing them of their availability and keeping them updated on their progress. In real life, though, most of these providers need to seriously improve their communications with their customers. Case in point: we recently had water seepage in our basement. Fortunately, we caught the problem early and called in a well-regarded company specializing in waterproofing and foundation repair. Unfortunately, as we discovered after the fact, their onsite crew manager was having a bad day personally and neglected to properly vent a lot of concrete dust and debris. He also didn’t bother to cover or protect our furniture and other possessions where the crew was working. As homeowners, we weren’t even alerted to the mess that could be made so we could have moved what we could to other areas of the home. And what a mess they made. A thick layer of concrete dust and debris covered everything throughout the entire area and even to other areas of the house. The crew made no effort to clean it up, either. Their attitude was that they had a job to do, they did it, and then they were moving on. We were not happy. It took ten days for a field manager to respond to our complaint and come to the house to see for himself the extent of the mess. Concrete dust was still floating in the air; it was still so thick that we all had to wear face masks in the area just to avoid coughing. (At least with Covid, we had plenty of masks on hand.) He said that it was the worst mess he’d ever seen on one of their jobs and apologized for the inconvenience. He asked for our patience while he consulted with his company about how to best clean it up. On that promise, we remained flexible and patient waiting for his response, dealing with the filthy and unbreathable area of our home as best we could. (This was not an unused basement.) Turns out we had to be patient for quite a while, because our emails and phone calls to the field manager and others in his company went unanswered. This was the point when flexibility and patience turned into determination to force the issue with the company. It seemed that nothing was going to be done unless we made it happen. We stopped payment on the deposit for the work, researched commercial-grade cleaning crews ourselves, and laid the groundwork for legal action. Money talks, and presumably it must have in this case, because we finally heard back from the company after we stopped payment on our deposit. They said the long silence was because it had taken some time to present our situation to upper management and find the right cleaning solution. Perhaps so, but more likely not, because we learned afterwards that the cleaning company they called in is their standard go-to solution for many years for cleaning up similar messes. Much good will and aggravation could have been saved if the waterproofing/foundation repair company had just been communicating with us over the month that we had been waiting for an answer. Just a call to say that they hadn’t forgotten about us, that they’re working on a solution, would have alleviated our concerns. Simple respect for the customer and the voiced desire to make things right would have salvaged our relationship. In any industry, with any product or service, things can go wrong. But it’s how the situation is handled by both sides of the customer/provider solution that makes all the difference. I’ve worked in the business world long enough and in a number of different capacities to know that a level head and honest communication are the best ways to go about resolving a problem. Each side has an implied responsibility to give the other the information and opportunity to bring about a favorable resolution: The customer can clearly and concisely state the complaint and give the product or service provider a chance to respond. Flexibility and patience are in order, as long as the provider is trying to correct the problem. The provider, in turn, can maintain a line of communication with the customer, assuring them that they have received the complaint, that it’s being addressed, and at what point they would be able to answer the complaint with a plan of action. It’s basic customer service, or at least it should be. Most of the time, the customer just wants to know that they are being heard, their concern respected, and that the provider will stand behind its product or service. In our case, the cleanup crew did an excellent job, both in the final result and in their manner of handling the situation from start to finish. They took our concerns seriously and only considered the job complete when we were satisfied that it was done well. Too bad the waterproofing/foundation repair company left us with a different impression. I’m so often in the role of the service provider (the voice actor) that it felt a bit odd to be the customer in this interaction. And I was so disappointed in the initial non-responsiveness of this company, which ran counter to their reputation. Could it be the size of the company that makes the difference? For the best companies that offer top-notch customer service, it shouldn’t be. Sadly, there seems to be less and less value placed on customer service and care for the individual with every passing year. That’s why I so appreciate those businesses that still value their customers and prove it when things go awry. My work ethic is similar to that of the cleaning company: I’m happy when my client is happy. I’ll go that extra mile to make sure that the job is done right. And I treat my customers as I would want to be treated myself, especially if something needs to be improved. It all comes down to my personal and professional reputation. After all, my business – like my home – is an extension of myself. If nothing else, this experience will remind me to always think of every transaction from the perspective of the customer. My particular story, however, is not quite over, though I truly wish it were. We just had a major rainstorm and – you guessed it – there’s water again in our basement, in the very same spot. Here we go again … (sigh). At least, I may have the pleasure of interacting with that excellent cleaning company again.

Looking Forward to Being Utterly Outrageous “Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life.” - Author Kitty O’Neill Collins I have a birthday coming up. I’m long past the age where I’d count the days to celebrating with a party, presents, and cake … though I still look forward to the cake. Chocolate, please. Yes, I admit it. I still look forward to my birthday. For dinner out and away from the kitchen, if nothing else. “Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.” - Author Larry Lorenzoni And they’re a marker of how I’ve spent my time on this planet. I can remember every year and how I, the world, and the people have changed with the times. My character is testament to how I’ve handled life. My face reflects how I’ve dealt with all the things that I’ve experienced. “Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.” - Fashion designer Coco Chanel Attitude is our outlook on life. It’s how we’ve managed the ups and downs and whether we’ve been defeated by setbacks or made all that much stronger by them. It’s whether we see the glass as half full or as half empty. Whether we only see that gathering clouds or consider the rain and occasional silver linings they bring. And if we can see humor in everyday events. “You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.” - Playwright George Bernard Shaw So I have another birthday approaching. It’s not a big number. Definitely nothing to get my panties all in a wad over and bemoan the passing years. It’s just another tick mark on the wall of my counting, one that I don’t need to stress over. Because I’ve decided that age is a matter of attitude. OK, that’s easy for me to say right now, as I’m in top physical shape and feel as on top of my game as ever. I’m still a long way from geezerhood, but I know there’ll come a day when I’ll find myself creaking a bit and struggling to do what used to come effortlessly. And when I do, I’ve decided that I’m going to make the most of it. I want to be the little old lady from Pasadena, living life to the fullest. I want to be the most interesting character in the knitting circle (not that I knit … right now), the older neighbor that you actually enjoy talking to. In fact, I want to have fun and be my most authentic self. “Old age is an excellent time for outrage. My goal is to say or do at least one outrageous thing every week.” - Activist Maggie Kuhn Elder years give unsaid permission for behavior and attitudes that may not have been possible before. You can get away with saying things that you never would have been able to before. Have you noticed how some of the most beloved eccentrics in literature, film, and TV are the elderly? They often say the things most others are thinking, but would never dare voice. They wear whatever they darn well feel like, sleep whenever they want, and live life on their own terms. “At age 20, we worry about what others think of us. At age 40, we don’t care what they think of us. At age 60, we discover they haven’t been thinking of us at all.” - Advice columnist Ann Landers How funny to realize that most people are just so wrapped up in their own lives that they’re not constantly judging us after all! Ann Landers has it right: we are more comfortable with ourselves as we move into mid-life. Confidence replaces the hesitation and uncertainty of youth when we ‘re worrying about fitting in within our peer group. We come to terms – and peace - with our personal strengths and weaknesses and hopefully the decisions we’ve made up to that point. Later still, we relax even more into our own authentic selves, reclaiming our individuality more strongly than since we were children and taught to be self-conscious and self-disciplined. Saying what we really think may or may not get us into trouble. It may endear us to certain people and isolate us from others. A social filter is still a good thing to keep in place, knowing the fine line between what’s appropriate to share in public and what’s definitely not. Otherwise, while some people may find you quaint and amusing, others may rack it up to dementia. And you really don’t want to go there. “Aging is not ‘lost youth’ but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” - Activist Betty Friedan If life’s been good to you and you’ve been able to plan well and retire comfortably, your elder years can be the best of your life. It’s a time to travel and learn new things, explore interests and hobbies that you didn’t have time for earlier, or discover latent talents that you never knew you had. “Your 40s are good. Your 50s are great. Your 60s are fab. And 70 is f*@king awesome!” - Actress Helen Mirren Not only can you have fun on your own, but it’s a great time to spoil your grandkids (or nieces or nephews) like you never did with your own children. Yes, go ahead, sugar them up, wear them out, and then wave a cheerful good-bye as you leave them for their parents to deal with. Think of it as instant karma for all those times your own kids provided you with rather challenging moments. Ha! Serves them right.  “Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.” - Singer-songwriter David Bowie It’s time to appreciate the little things in life again, like the sweetness of each season, long walks with special people and longtime friends, and the play of children. It’s time to slow down your pace and enjoy meeting new people. It’s an opportunity to volunteer your knowledge, skills, services, and wisdom for the benefit of others. It’s time to unfold your true essence and share yourself with those wise enough to appreciate the value of what’s being offered. “The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected.” - Poet Robert Frost If we’ve matured as we’ve aged, we have a lot to offer younger people, should they be open to receive it. Some retirees become active in their religious institutions, as students, lay leaders, or volunteers. There’s more of a focus on the spiritual and exploring the richness of spirit than on the demands of family and work. “My physical body may be less efficient and less beautiful in old age. But God has given me an enormous compensation: my mind is richer my Soul is broader and my wisdom is at a peak. I am so happy with the riches of my advanced peak age that, contrary to Faust, I would not wish to return to youth.” Author Robert Muller While physical aging isn’t something most of us look forward to, there’s plenty else in compensation. And as long as we’re not plagued with pain, illness, or disability, our elder years can do little to slow us down. “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” - Author Mark Twain A famous quote – perhaps the best known of all – is that: “ Age isn’t a number, it’s an attitude. “ Guess what? There is scientific evidence to support that very thing. Researchers from Yale and Miami University (my alma mater!) determined that people who saw growing older as something positive lived seven and a half years longer than those who didn’t. Becca Levy at the Yale School of Public Health showed that putting a more positive spin on our general view of aging can make a profound difference in the health of people over 65. Poet & playwright Robert Browning shared this positive attitude: “Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be.” Besides, what choice do you have?! “Old age isn’t so bad if you consider the alternative.” - Actor & singer Maurice Chevalier So here's to birthdays! Now, bring on that chocolate cake....

Paying Opportunity Forward Within my theatrical agency, I’m one of the go-to people for voice over. This has especially been the case this past year when pretty much everything else in the entertainment industry ground to a halt. Yes, VO took a bit of a hit in the spring of 2020, but over the summer it bounced back strongly, while on-camera productions continued to languish. Not surprisingly, many actors who were thrown out of work were very seriously looking into VO as a possible expansion to their careers. I like being a resource. During Covid, at the request of my agency, I gave a few webinars introducing actors to VO work and how to get started the right way: avoiding the traps that many new VO talent fall into, particularly the scamsters who are always out to take advantage of the uninformed. Many of the suggestions I gave eventually became a series of six articles in my blog under Resources. (They’re still there, if you’re curious about VO yourself.) And I’ve been regularly adding my two cents in the relevant Facebook groups when actors, both within and outside my agency, ask questions about the business. I’ve even worked directly with a few folks who were recording their VO auditions on their phones and needed help with their sound quality or proper formatting of their auditions. Most people do like to help others. There’s something intrinsically within us that rewards us with a bit of happiness when we do something nice for someone else. It can be as simple as answering a question or providing directions, to full-on mentoring of someone who’s coming behind you on the same career path. And most of us appreciate being helped. So useful to know how to apply our efforts most productively, to understand the steps others have taken to become successful! While these opportunities to help others pop up in our everyday lives, most of us think of mentoring in career terms. It doesn’t even have to be a well-defined, full-on mentorship program! It can be as simple as helping another person from one place (where they may be stuck) to the next through advice, introductions, or sharing of resources. I still fondly remember those who went out of their way for me when I was first getting started in my business career. Their little suggestions, tips, and even warnings saved me a lot of time and trouble. They may not have thought twice about them, but they meant the world to me when I needed them most. And I found it most gratifying when I could help someone else, in turn. Early in my corporate days, I was asked by our manager to guide a young woman just a year out of college to looking and acting more professional. Honestly, I was hesitant, because the request didn’t come from her and most women wouldn’t care for unsolicited advice from a co-worker. Fortunately, he must have suggested that she have a talk with me, because she eventually approached me and asked for ideas about a new hairstyle. From there, we discussed appropriate hair, makeup, clothing, and business etiquette – things I’d picked up over the years along the way. She adapted, the manager approved, and she was eventually awarded with a promotion. I felt good, knowing that in a small way I had helped her along her career path. More recently, I’ve been asked and given guidance to other women who, like me, decided to pursue an acting career later in life, usually after kids are grown or at least more independent, or in retirement. It’s been a great way to begin new friendships and it’s been so gratifying to see them make progress in their training and accomplishments. The same is true for voice over. Many of those conversations actually begin while I’m on set with another actor or a crew member. I love talking about VO and sharing the names, websites, and podcasts of more experienced and well-known talent who offer classes, coaching, and other resources. The appreciation from the other person reminds me of how much I valued the time that others took to do the same for me when I first began. It’s also a bit of paying forward the incredibly valuable coaching and career advice that some of my favorite teachers have given to me over the years. Sometimes, it’s the personal advice or heart-to-heart talks that can make all the difference in someone’s life. I love talking with younger women about the challenges that they face in the workplace, whether it’s in the entertainment industry or other workplace. I’m dismayed at hearing stories of sexual harassment or unwanted attention thrust upon them, especially in the business environment where I thought much more progress had been made since “my day.” At least there seems to be less criticism of women who are forthright and confident in their work. When I was in the trenches, it seemed that women were forever managing the balance between appearing assertive vs. aggressive. It’s the old joke: 51% sweetheart. 49% bitch. Don’t push it. Pay it forward is an expression for describing the beneficiary of a good deed repaying the kindness to others instead of to the original benefactor. - Wikipedia The idea of paying something forward has been around for a long time, but the phrase entered the popular lexicon from Catherine Ryan Hyde's 1999 novel Pay It Forward , which became a movie of the same name in the year 2000. The story is about an 11 year old boy who devises and puts into action a charitable plan of networking good deeds to change the world for the better. It's similar to the Jewish concept of "tikkun olam," which literally means to repair the world through good deeds or mitzvahs. And helping another person, such that you are both smiling and feeling positive about it, goes a long way to making the world a better place.

Encouraging the Marathon Runner One of the most difficult aspects of being an actor is the general lack of feedback during the audition process. It doesn’t matter if it’s for film and television or for voiceover work. An actor rarely hears anything, except when he’s booked a job. Actors know this, of course. We know that it’s a long journey filled with rejection. It’s hard to find even the biggest stars who don’t have a litany of rejections from early in their careers. It’s all part of knowing that an acting career is “a marathon, not a sprint” and that a “no” today for one project could be a “yes” tomorrow for another. Still, it’s nice when someone takes the time to provide useful critiques or even encouragement. This is very rare from someone other than an acting teacher, coach, or agent! But when someone close to production, an agent, or a client takes the time to send a note, well, that’s something different. Just this evening, a voiceover friend surprised me by saying that his wife was the casting director and producer of a short film for which I had auditioned and received a callback. I had had no idea, as his wife used her professional name and he wasn’t part of the auditioning process. I knew that I was on the shortlist, but when I didn’t hear back from them after the callback, I had assumed that the part had gone to someone else. This evening, though, he told me that he had been in the background observing the auditions and callbacks, and that both he and his wife had liked my performance very much. Ultimately, his wife had chosen another actress because she thought that the role called for an older performer who could more believably play the part. Rather than being disappointed – I had since moved on to other auditions and other bokings – I felt quite gratified. Here was validation of the quality of my work. That I hadn’t been cast for this particular project was due to factors beyond my control. This is often the case. Ideally, once the audition process reaches the callback stage, each of the performers is there because the producers could see any one of them in the role. Outside circumstances then can come into play. Aside from the performances themselves, the casting director and producer take into account things like chemistry between the actor and other, already cast, players. Appearance plays a huge factor, too, especially in ensemble pieces. Which potential cast members look like they could be family members? In a group of friends or co-workers, does each person have a unique look? An actress may not be cast, no matter the quality of her work, if she looks too much like the lead. Or reminds the producer of his ex. Don’t smirk. It happens! Unexpected encouragement comes from the voiceover world, too. Very early on in my career, almost immediately after I had been signed with my first agent, I learned that I – as a newbie – had been one of the top three choices for a major VO commercial. The client did decide to go with one of the two other talents, each of whom had long resumes and many years of experience. My agent, though, said that this was in his opinion a win and that we should both be very proud of that achievement. Well, I certainly was pleased to hear how well my audition was received – mostly because it came from my new agent for whom I had the highest respect. And today, I received a very nice email from a production company that had recently sent me an audition for one of their clients. They didn’t need to take the time to write the note, but they did, explaining that the client chose another talent, but that they had truly liked the reads I had submitted. It reminded me of a previous time when an agency owner went out of his way to say that he wanted to add me to his talent roster, even though his client had chosen a different actor for the job. Again, while I didn’t book the project, I still felt like I had a small win because my work stood out and was well received. They're rare, but other actors and I do see these encouraging notes from time to time. While non-actors may read this and think “well, so what, you didn’t get the job” and write it off, actors know it’s only one opportunity among many to come. After all, we audition for far more jobs than we know statistically we’ll book. We understand that just because we weren’t the best fit for a particular role doesn’t mean that we won’t be for the next role they need to cast. And we're aware that when casting directors keep calling us in for projects, it’s because they know that we can do the job and do it well. It’s positive feedback, an “atta-boy” and a slap on the back, all rolled into one. We all need it, regardless of the careers and industries in which we work. Positive performance reviews (and raises and bonuses!) made my day when I worked in corporate IT sales. Kind words and support from close family members and friends are appreciated now and always, especially on tough days when nothing seems to go well. And extending those positive vibes, encouraging and supporting other people, make us feel better about ourselves, too. So keep at it. When you notice someone has done a good job, let them know. When you see someone who could use a boost to their spirits, show them you care. As long as it’s honest and comes from the heart, it will be gratefully received. And who knows? You just might make someone’s day all that much brighter.

Penpals Reimagined In the Age of COVID As a kid, I loved having pen pals. It all started when I was twelve and picked up an issue of “Teen” magazine. I felt so grown up. Here I was, not yet officially a teenager, reading a magazine for cool teens! This first issue was a very special one, too. Among the articles dealing with fashion, hair styles, and makeup tips (not that I was allowed to wear any), was an opportunity to have a real, live pen pal. Someone who lived so far away that we’d probably never meet, another girl living in an exotic locale. At least, exotic to a twelve year old growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. The match up was to be with a girl about my own age in Hawaii. Wow, Hawaii! I was already envisioning my new friend, a smiling girl with long, silky black hair dancing the hula under the palm trees. I couldn’t wait to find out about her life and all the adventures she was enjoying. Certainly nothing as boring as my suburban middle class existence. I filled out the form with my name, age, and address, and mailed it to the magazine, wondering what I could possibly say about Cleveland that would be of any interest to a girl living in paradise. Some weeks later, I found out I was matched up with a twelve year old girl named Ona. What an exotic name! I was surprised, though, to see that she had red hair, light skin, and freckles. Not what I had imagined at all. Oh, I came to understand, her father was in the military and Hawaii was where they were currently stationed. No problem! In no time at all, we were off and running, becoming the best of distanced friends. We stuffed our envelopes full of pages in which we wrote all about ourselves and our families, colorful pages that were decorated with stickers and little hand drawings. We’d send little gifts to each other and share our lives, which surprisingly weren’t all that much different from each other. We actually corresponded all throughout school, even as I picked up (and dropped) other penpals from around the world. I loved receiving mail! Back then, my parents told me to enjoy it, as there’d come a day that all I could look forward to receiving in the mail would be bills. I did enjoy it, especially when those letters (and occasionally packages!) began arriving from England, Australia, and both coasts of the U.S., as well as Hawaii. My biggest dilemma, after figuring out how to mail international packages, was trying to figure out what I could send from Cleveland that could possibly impress my international friends. What was Cleveland known for back then? A river that caught fire. An old industrial city that had seen better days. Pollution and too many wintry grey skies. It wasn’t easy, especially when my Australian friend sent great gifts like a toy stuffed koala bear and a real boomerang (which, believe it or not, I think I still have somewhere). As we all moved through our teen years, those penpals naturally fell away, but I’ve thought about them recently during this year of the pandemic. With Zoom especially, it seems like a new and improved version of the penpal has come back into vogue. Quite different, with live video and audio replacing pen and paper, though the Zoom chat window does give an element of written communication. But curiously, in some ways it’s also the same, with new friends popping into my life from all over the world. I participate in a lot of acting and voiceover classes, webinars, conferences, and meet ups. While the acting classes seem to be fairly well contained within the U.S., the voiceover community is quite global. I’m part of an accountability group that meets monthly, with members living in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. The voiceover conferences, including this past week’s VO Atlanta and the UK-based One Voice conference, attract attendees from all parts of the world. These conference organizers do a great job scheduling the sessions to suit the time zones of as many attendees as possible, which primarily range from the US coast through western Europe. These sessions are also recorded, which gives those in other parts of the world the opportunity to watch them at a later time. I’m thrilled to listen and learn from coaches, industry experts, and other voice actors from all over the globe. Different perspectives, new ways of doing things, unique experiences, and insights into other cultures. Occasionally, I’m the odd American joining a group of Brits or Aussies. Like with my Hawaiian penpal, I find that we have far more in common than we do differences. Except that their accents are far more melodic and intriguing than my own! A few weeks ago, on April 16, I was delighted to have the opportunity to participate in a special podcast that celebrated World Voice Day 2021. My friend Samantha Boffin, who is a highly talented voice actor and promo producer, has a podcast for voiceover directors called “Talking Creative.” Based in the UK herself, Sam reached out to voice actor friends on both sides of the pond to offer advice from the talent’s perspective. Eighteen people contributed, with a few rather funny stories thrown in for good measure. It’s a fascinating podcast, which you can listen to here . This global digital outreach, this new and updated worldwide community, has been a gift of this past year. If anything good can be said to come out of this pandemic experience, it’s the realization that we all desperately need some degree of social connection. Whether it’s comparing local lockdown rules, how we’re each coping with restrictions, or the ebbs and flows of our businesses, we recognize our shared experience and support one another as we struggle through this bizarre time. Really not so dissimilar from how, all those years ago, girls from all around the world helped each other get through the shared difficult teen years. Like my penpals, many of these connections may fade away as we eventually return to our more ‘normal” lives. But a few will remain. After all, despite the decades that have passed since we first met (and I’m not saying how many!), Ona and I still communicate, though this time through Facebook. She’s now living in Guam (even more exotic to me than Hawaii!), while I’m living in Atlanta, the Peach State – something I can finally hang my hat on, when it comes to sending gifts. Even Cleveland, formerly known as “the mistake on the lake,” has cleaned itself up, finally becoming the attractive city that it always could have been. Just goes to show that there’s a silver lining in every cloud. And occasionally, miracles DO happen.

Adapt to Change or Get Out of the Game "The only constant in life is change." – Heraclitus, Greek philosopher The ancient Greeks knew it. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin knew it, too, though he put it this way: “ When you are finished changing, you are finished. ” - Benjamin Franklin You gotta love old Ben’s sense of humor. But it’s true! Universally, nothing stays the same and those who fail to adapt will, at best, be left behind. “All failure is failure to adapt, all success is successful adaptation.” - writer and business consultant Max McKeown The American entertainment industry changes at a rapid pace; nothing is static. It’s governed by the tastes of the public and seeks to reflect everyday American life. Or at least our values, which show up in genres like science fiction and fantasy. We even see modern day sensibilities echoed in period pieces, either with diversity in casting or a character’s perspective that seems ahead of its time. The changes can become vastly accelerated with abrupt changes in our society. Take the last year for example. With a nod to Henny Youngman, “Take the last year … please!” Just think of the changes our society has experienced in the past year! A global pandemic that has affected every individual, every segment of society. Protests and social unrest that all too often have escalated into violent confrontations. Political power shifting at the highest level of our government with a vastly different set of policies and priorities than its predecessor. These are all stories waiting to be told – and would have been already told, if productions hadn’t been shut down by the pandemic. When the floodgates reopen to new content, expect countless themes on our lockdown experiences. We may all be sick to death (no pun intended) of the events of this past year, but our society has been profoundly affected, and these changes will be explored on all levels, from the global on down to the personal experience for the rest of this decade. At least. Those of us who work in the entertainment industry know that the world doesn’t need calamitous events to get the wheels moving. TV, film, theater – these are artistic pursuits, molded by unique temperaments and creative expressions, that march to their own drummers. Even if they seem to march in step as an industry as a whole, especially in response to societal changes. On a personal level, even in the quietest of times, change is a fact of everyday life for an actor. You never know what auditions will show up on any given day or – oh, joy! – what bookings you’ll land. Conversely, you also can’t predict what dry spells you’ll experience or even why. You learn to go with the flow, not putting weight on any one opportunity until it truly manifests. Every audition is a type of “catch and release” – you learn to quickly understand and master a scene, creating a small work of art by auditioning to the best of your ability … and then letting it go. There’s no point in dwelling on what may happen with the audition, because most times you’ll hear nothing back unless you’re invited for a callback or you book the job. Much is out of your control. Newbies to the business are taught early to regard their acting career as a “marathon, not a sprint.” It takes many years to train and become established in the business, with a multitude of disappointments and setbacks before becoming a working actor – one who can support himself through acting jobs alone – with no guarantee of success. While there are exceptions, most “discovered” actors have actually been slaving away at lower levels of the industry for many years, learning their craft, building connections, and creating a growing body of work. The entertainment industry, and the life of an actor in particular, is a study in change and motion. Besides seeming like a marathon, an acting career can be a wild roller coaster ride. Some see it as one long, slow ascent, culminating in a euphoric rush when an exceptional role is won. Others see it as a long cycle of ups and downs. Still others envision it as a mad rush to places unknown, with twists and turns, and unpredictable speeds and slowdowns. Whatever your metaphor, know what you’re getting into and be sure to buckle up, because one thing it’s not is your grandma’s slow, predictable boat ride. As a performer, opportunities do run hot and cold. (Don’t worry, I’m not about to launch into a new series of plumbing metaphors!) Sometimes auditions, callbacks, and bookings are coming fast and furious. Your type is in demand and there are plenty of roles for which you may be a perfect fit. And then there are other times when it’s “crickets” – nothing is happening and you may feel like you’ll never have a chance to work again. It could be due to societal or industry changes, as presently with the clarion call to increase diversity in casting. Greater opportunities for those who were marginalized before, not so much for others who were considered mainstream and more often cast. It could be that you fit one type of character, let’s say a gritty independent outdoorsy sort, and the industry has moved on to embrace light-hearted comedies. Or you may have moved on to another stage of your life and are between types, such as being older than what’s considered “a mom type” but younger than what is expected in “a grandma type.” I’ve heard working actors say that, throughout their careers, there have been many different periods when they seemed much more in demand. They fit the look or type that resonated with the trend of the day. They looked the part of the young champion, the popular idea of a good dad, the ideal of a competent business executive. And then after years of relative inactivity, they aged into certain roles that they hadn’t quite meshed with so well before and began working more than ever. So what can you do as an actor about it? Unless you create your own content, there is little to control beyond preparing yourself by constantly training your acting chops, extending your capabilities, or trying new mediums (like voice over!). Live life as an active human being, interested in the people and events around you. Life experiences complete you as a person and make you more interesting in turn. You pick up new skills, perspectives, and understanding. And all these things can make you far more castable than someone who simply pines for busier days and does nothing in the interim. So – and this goes for everyone - change along with everything else! Evolve and grow. Stagnation is death. And last I checked, there’s not much of a call for a lifeless body. That’s what the props department is for.

Running Your Business According to Old MacDonald My maiden name isn’t McDonald. Or even MacDonald. And neither is my married name. But if either were … oh boy! I’d have a fun time creating a version of the children’s song to fit my voiceover business. It has nothing to do with the animals or the sounds they make, in case you think I’m especially capable of mooing, bleating, barking, etc. I’m definitely not. So please don’t ask me, unless you’re a very sweet and adorable pre-schooler. In which case, you wouldn’t be reading this blog. And if you were, I’d be so impressed, I’d do my best to entertain you by conjuring up as many different silly voices as I could to go with the farm animal of your choice. I’m more of a corporate gal by way of background, courtesy of over fifteen years as an IT sales exec. I speak tech, geek, acronym, and “obscure and curious marketing catch phrase.” I also speak plainly and directly (in a very nice way, of course) as an extension of my open and honest work ethic. Which brings me to the whole E-I-E-I-O business. In my experience, successful companies have their core values, mission statements, goals, and measurable results. At least they should, and if they don’t, then they’ll eventually realize how much they need them. (Can you tell I spent a bit of time working for the Fortune 500? ) As an entrepreneur, I’ve brought that structure to my own voiceover business. An entrepreneur’s business is often a pretty fair reflection of the person behind it. It’s built upon your ideas, ideals, hopes and dreams, and sometimes driven by your personal fears. For me, it’s a culmination and integration of my love of communications, personal creativity, performance, and business operations – all rolled into one tangible service that expresses much of who I am and what I can offer. And entertaining toddlers aside, E-I-E-I-O pretty well describes the core values behind my voiceover business. Before I get into the “business speak,” let me first give you a brief guided tour of my voiceover farm, so you can see what lives there. Instead of cows, chickens, goats, and the like, there’s corporate narration, eLearning for both adults and kids, and explainer videos. Oh, and running around like they own the place are the commercials for all sorts of media. The TV variety are what most people recognize on their first visit, but those pre-roll animated advertisements on the internet are often the most fun to watch and they can get a little wild, so be careful where you step. Keeping to themselves within their own pens are the different breeds of telephony: the outgoing IVR (greetings and phone trees), the on-hold messaging which love to chatter to themselves non-stop, and the automated assistants, which are a bit robotic by nature. Then there’s all sorts of character voices that flit around the farm like so many spastic birds. You never know where they’re going to land (or poop) and sometimes they move so fast it’s hard to keep track of them. And finally, there’s the sensible medical narration to balance the seemingly schizophrenic character voices. You’ll find ol’ MN copiously noting the tiniest details of farm operations, ready at any moment to espouse on them at great length, sort of like Christopher Robin’s wise old Owl. Overall, it’s a noisy and active place, but it keeps the farmhand busy (that’s me!) and happy. And it’s up to me to keep the animals in check and away from turning everything into a human-free Animal Farm. So many entrepreneurs can get swallowed up by the tiniest details and want to run away. As the business owner, I keep order and the farm running in the black with core values and common sense business practices. Now THIS is where E-I-E-I-O comes in. It’s a pretty simple concept, not a jumble of business practices that have been reworked a bajillion times by expensive consultants who like to write books. In the words of one of my character tracks, “Ya get what ya pay for!” and a whole lot more. It’s the whole “exceeding expectations” and “delivering outstanding customer service” that I cut my teeth on working for IBM and a bunch of tech start-ups. Plus the enthusiasm of a small business owner who absolutely loves her work and partnering with her clients. It’s my work ethic. And this is how I break it down: E – Excellence Always delivering the very best product that you (my client) want, expect, and need. And for especially creative projects, going just a little bit farther to surprise you with additional options that you may not have considered. Excellence means that the skills, training, and experience are in place and ready to be applied by a dedicated professional who knows how to best use them. And most importantly, that this excellence is highly valued by said professional who stands by his or her work and takes no shortcuts. When mistakes are made (as invariably happens when humans are involved), excellence means taking immediate steps to own up to them and correct them. ASAP. I tell my clients that I’m happy when they’re happy – and THAT’S when the job is complete. I - Integrity Who I am as a person and, by extension, as a business woman. For me, that’s open and honest communications and business practices, providing you with fair rates, top notch service, and an easy-to-do-business-with mentality to help you meet your deadlines. Even rush requests, when they can be accommodated. Integrity is standing behind both the promised excellence and my professional and personal reputations. It’s doing what needs to be done, as contracted and as expected. It’s offering referrals to other qualified, talented voice actors, if it turns out that I’m not the best fit for your project. Essentially, integrity is living and working with strong moral principles, and doing the right thing regardless of circumstances. E - Efficiency I was born with a list in my hand! Ultra organized, detail-oriented, and mindful to beating deadlines by a wide margin. Efficiency doesn’t mean cutting corners on quality! It’s knowing and understanding client requirements, asking questions (like proper pronunciations) up front, and doing the job right the first time. My efficiency honors YOUR deadlines and the commitments you’ve made to your clients, helping you put your best foot forward to secure happy, satisfied customers. In the corporate world, you learn quickly that you’ll do well when you help make your boss look good. The same goes to helping your clients look good to THEIR clients. I – imagination Creativity unleashed within the scope of your project’s tone and intention. You want a unique voice to grab the attention of viewers of your creative venture, customers for your product or service. Yes, you may want the standard read that listeners are expecting, but maybe, just maybe, you want to surprise them in unexpected ways. Voice over is not reading a script, it’s immersing oneself as an actor in the message, telling a story from the perspective of someone sharing a thought or experience as it’s being lived. Imagination is crucial to the storytelling, providing interesting alternative choices and bringing your project to life. Not to mention it’s a lot of fun on the VO talent’s side! O – Oh, Joy! Underneath all creative work should be an element of joy. A sense of play, positivity, fun. People intuitively connect with the spirit of a thing, whether it’s the compassion and concern within a healthcare message, the mischievous wink-of-an-eye behind an animated explainer, or the excitement coloring a toy commercial. Most projects are focused on providing a positive experience for their intended audiences, so that they will be entertained, inclined to purchase, or motivated to learn. The creative artists need to evoke those qualities within themselves in order to bring them to their work. No problem here! Like many voice actors, I’m doing what I love. Enjoying the work, seeing it as an element of creative play, identifying with the story, and happily applying my training and experience to bring your message to life. The joyful spirit, the right intention, is already in place. Look for people who love what they do - and your team building will be that much easier! In other words: Go the extra mile. Do what you say and mean what you do. Be a good person. Do your best. And have fun! Silly animal voices optional.

Definitely Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places It’s bad enough on Facebook. But when did Leisure Suit Larry start showing up on LinkedIn? For those who don’t know the reference, Leisure Suit Larry was the lead character in a series of video games about a balding, obnoxious man in his 40s who went to great lengths to seduce attractive young women. His ammo was a leisure suit from the 70s disco era and plenty of double-entendres. He wasn’t very successful. Fast forward to the age of social media, and Larry’s persona has been taken up by older guys with an Internet connection around the world. They’re usually found on Facebook, where they’re easily identified because their friend request shows at most only one or two connections, they have almost no posting history (or it’s the same photo repeated half a dozen times), and they self-identify as a doctor, business executive, or military general. Sometimes the photos they use look suspiciously like stock photos you’ve seen elsewhere … or used by other wannabe Larrys. Now, I’m no sweet young thing and haven’t been for many, many years. So it astounds me how many friend requests I get on Facebook from one variety of Larry or another. Poor guys, they must be desperate, wrangling for any female connection they can get in any part of the world. I wonder how successful any of them can be, that they continue to do this from thousands of miles away in the middle of a pandemic. Do they really expect anything to happen? Hmmm… perhaps a few are instead just scamsters, using flattery and lavishing attention on naïve or lonely women to wrangle away their money…. I typically delete the friend request as soon as I spot it, but in the name of research for this blog, I actually replied to the introductory “hello” from a few Larrys. Had to see if anything has changed over the past few years. Nope. Sure enough, it was the same old schtick. All it took was one simple “hello” back before the Larry started asking personal questions. The type that you simply don’t ask someone you don’t know. These exchanges usually came to a sudden halt when I replied that I was happily married with kids, “just in case you’re going down that road.” Sometimes, though, you just have to unfriend and block the more persistent Romeos. Larrys pop up on Instagram, too, but I’ve been surprised (and rather disappointed) to see them occasionally showing up on LinkedIn. Come on now! Facebook and Instagram, I can understand; most people use them to share their personal lives. But LinkedIn is for business networking! And the majority of users – and practically all women, I think - want to keep it that way. I’ve talked to women of all ages about this Larry phenomena. And we’ve all experienced it, on one platform or another. We kind of expect it on most other social media platforms, but we’re all in agreement that it just doesn’t belong on LinkedIn. It’s the one social media forum that you’d think was the least likely for Larrys to lurk. Don’t you suppose that the Larrys would look for easier, more naïve, and less suspecting prey than business and other professional women on LinkedIn? Maybe we’re just giving the Larrys too much credit in the reasoning department. Or perhaps the Larrys figure that women who network for business are too busy to have invested in their personal lives and thus are eagerly receptive to their digital catcalls. In our dreams, one day we’ll each have a Larry detector attached to our profiles, so that LinkedIn automatically reroutes each and every Larry to Tinder, where they can happily swipe right to their hearts’ content. In the meantime, I guess we’ll just keep our fingers poised over the delete key. And talk about how the pickup lines never change, the delivery just evolves with the times.

Optimism Rediscovered I feel like I’m writing a chapter in the Star Wars saga: A New Hope. It sounds cliché and even a bit corny, but it’s in the air and I’m not the only pandemic-weary home warrior sensing it. We’ve just rounded the corner on the vernal equinox, set our clocks ahead one hour, and more and more of us are getting vaccinated. Hoorah! Spring is the season of fresh life, new beginnings, more daytime hours, and venturing outdoors and seeking others out. If you’re living in Atlanta like I am, it’s also the pollen season. Any day now, I expect to see a shower of yellow pine pollen descending from the newly budded trees, coating everything in sight with one of our biggest allergy triggers of the year. Oh, well. That’s what the garden hose is for. I don’t mind the yellowing of everything caught outdoors. Not this year. What’s a few weeks of an itchy nose compared with a year of being stuck at home? It’s like the awful allergic and incredibly itchy red rash I suffered over my entire body for a few weeks when I was a teen, when I didn’t know that I was allergic to penicillin and was using a LOT of it to fight off a double whammy of mononucleosis and bronchitis. Mosquito bites afterwards seemed a much more minor nuisance and never itched quite as much in comparison. So I’ll stock up on the allergy medicine and the Kleenex. ‘Cause it’s still spring! And the kids have come out to play in droves. This afternoon, my neighborhood held a socially-distanced spring fling in our community park for the kiddos to celebrate the coming of the Easter bunny, with an egg hunt, the mandatory and very messy egg toss, your standard teen-in-a-giant-Easter bunny suit posing for photos, and even a small petting zoo, with a rabbit, several goats, a turtle, and even a baby llama. Don’t know where they found the llama, but it was hanging out nonchalantly with the goats. Interesting, all the animals were vying for the spots in the middle of their pens to keep out of reach of the more enthusiastic toddlers. Smart animals. The kids had a blast. The older ones and the teens decided that it was already summer and were running around in tshirts and shorts, despite the decidedly nippy air. Reminded me of this time back in college, when a somewhat warmer day would suddenly give some of the girls the idea that sunbathing season had started. This year, more than most, everyone just wants to accelerate the progression of time and hurry further into the year when it’ll be warm, sunny, and eventually– we hope! – pandemic-free. That sense of hope is definitely in the air. Especially now that my husband and I have received our second of the two vaccination shots. Fortunately, the only side effects were our sore arms where the injections were given. A small price to pay, and I consider ourselves very lucky. A close friend had a horrible time with her second shot and was sick for a few days, and I’ve heard of others feeling poorly even after the first one. Just goes to show that, like the virus itself, everyone’s body is different and we’re not able to tell who will be affected and who will be able to shrug these things off. One thing, though, that I have been able to tell is that most people, my family and I included, have been a lot healthier this fall and winter season than any other. Not surprisingly, it’s due to keeping our distance from others, washing our hands thoroughly and repeatedly like we’ve always should, and having surfaces in common areas like grocery stores constantly wiped down. We certainly don’t miss the colds, flus, or sore throats. The sense of hope and a return to “normal” is showing up in the on-camera and voice over auditions, too. Atlanta film/TV production is in full swing and I’ve been thrilled to audition for so many projects this month. The voice over auditions are having more and more of an upbeat tone than in previous months, too. Call me an optimist, but I think these are all exciting signs that we are turning a corner on recovering from this pandemic. And once it becomes clear, watch out! Just like the Roaring 20s followed the Spanish flu pandemic, we’ll see a flurry of retail activity, travel, and good times that we’ll think we’re in the middle of one long New Year’s Eve party. We can only hope so. 

Breathing in Fresh Air and Human Connections A social outing! With real people outside the family! In the sunshine, no less. It's been a long year. A year of fear, worry, frustration, and more negative adjectives than I have time to write. All amidst health scares, economic hardships, record unemployment, social unrest, and shutdown after shutdown. The pandemic is not over by any means, but with the vaccines, we're all seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. And for the first time in a year, it's not the headlight of an oncoming train. For me last Sunday, it was the bright sunshine on an unusually warm late winter afternoon. I guess when the temperature hits the high 70s, I should really call it early spring, no matter what the calendar says. Either way, it was heavenly to be outside on a gorgeous day ... and with other people, no less. Heresy? I think not. Fresh air plus social distancing equals a fine afternoon. I joined with the Georgia Entertainment Sports League , founded by casting director Brian Beegle, for a walk and yoga class along a section of Atlanta's developing Beltline. These are walkable trails through city parks that will eventually connect the neighborhoods in a circle around Atlanta. Paved pathways, bridges over babbling brooks, stone steps to smaller paths to explore, playgrounds and picnic tables - all within a canopy of green. Everyone was out! Kids, dogs, joggers, walkers of all ages and ability, cyclists ... you name it. For nearly an hour, we walked along the paths before we found an open grassy knoll. Gathering in a circle - six feet apart from one another - we spread out our towels and enjoyed a wonderful yoga class taught by Brian's fiancé and master yoga instructor, Cari Moskow. I'm more of a Pilates gal than a yoga afficionado, but the gentle stretching felt wonderful in all that sunshine. Best of all, this was time to meet and socialize with other people, other actors, musicians, and creatives who had also joined the GESL. It was truly a reminder that we are all social creatures. After a year of isolation, it was exhilarating just to connect with other folks outside of a Zoom session. Yes, the walk and yoga class were highly enjoyable, but the social interaction was what our souls needed most. It also goes to show that actors aren't purely the attention-seeking, spotlight-craving creatures that so many assume we are. Well ... at least not entirely. We're storytellers, reflecting humanity on itself. Acting is about seeking out the truth in human relationships and exposing it for all its worth: the vulnerable moments, the flaws within everyone, the stories that we create just by living our lives. We can't create compelling characters and tell these stories without experiencing these very human moments ourselves. And it's pretty darn hard to experience these moments when we're isolated from one another for a long periods of time. Imagination takes us far, but ultimately - like everyone else - we need to be with others to rejuvenate our spirits. Last Sunday was a very human moment out in the sunshine, connecting with others eye to eye, and sharing stories of our year in virtual lockup and our hopes for the coming seasons. If nothing else, it proved (at least to me!) that light, hope, and sunshine are intrinsically more powerful to our true selves than the draw of any man-made spotlight.