Bloody hot Saturday. Over 100 degrees. Blimey.
Checked out an Animal Planet thingy in Woodland Hills. Basically a huge advert for Animal Planet and Time Warner. Predictable I suppose. Bunch of tents and a few animals here and there. Great dog show with some hugely talented collie dogs. Also lined up to get an autograph of some animal guy called Jeff for munchkin. This guy was extremely hot and bothered and he no sooner handed us an autographed photo he then said "Hey buddy, that's a cool hat". He grabbed the hat off litt'un's head and signed it with his Sharpie! What a dick. Did anyone ask him to sign his hat? No. What a dick. How bloody rude. He was probably suffering from heatstroke though, poor little celebrity.
Had a night out and went to see XMen - Last Stand (M's choice, not mine). It was fine. It is based on a comic, after all so I wasn't expecting Nicholas Nickleby acting standards and I wasn't disappointed.
Home again and went online. I cannot believe what utter shite most of the uploaded videos on myspace are. Seriously, the people who upload this crap are worse than pond life. In fact, I cannot believe that they actually have lives. Sad, really really sad.

Friday. Called Ab's to see if hs/res was of any interest and they said that they've still to look at it but they'd be in touch if interested. Prob best to forget that one then. Called Mad and told them I wanted to switch to another commercial agent and they were cool. I told them that I needed to make my own mistakes and have a 'lookie see' at this other agent. He said he understood and they'd still keep me on theatrically. Nice. Called my new comm agent and he was thrilled! Yes folks, thrilled. Nice to be wanted innit! Switched info on LAC. Picked up some paperwork from the hotel to fill out before I start next week. Big folder of paper. Great!
G, R & K all came over to chat thru the new project and K & I caught up about work, agents, DJing (him, not me) etc. He mentioned that he might be able to shove some work my way which would be rather nice. He made 14K last month DJing which is why he can just hang around for whatever acting job he fancies and doesn't have to do commercials. He has such a great look, he just books work left right and centre (and doesn't 'do' callbacks - "You saw me in the audition and you either want me or not"). Good for him! We're gonna meet up and film the scenes for the 'project' in the next couple of weeks.
T came over after her dentist visit (5 cavities filled - already had four done, needs 2 more! Soft teeth apparently). She was very excited when G explained the project to her and we spent time going thru all the possibilities. We'll be getting together and filming our scenes ourselves, no director, just us. It's gonna be great, just riffing until we're in the moment and firing on all cylinders.
She's looking for a new place to live as her and her boyfriend have been attacked a couple of times recently. Nice area, that MacArthur Park. G & I discussed another project which would utilise my Britishness - need to think about it but I think that one's a goer too.
G showed me the first section of the new project and it looks great. He's done a superb job in the edit. We all agreed on a few minor changes. It'll be ready for distribution very very soon. No clues, boys and girls -'Nuff said...
The boys stayed on and played with munchkin a few hours and litt'un had a great time. M was generally pee'd off about life as usual. Ho hum...

Met Elliot Yamin (3rd place, American Idol - very unfair IMHO) in the foyer of the hotel today. Shook him by the hand, congratulated him on his performance and his voice and wished him the very best of luck. He wished me the same with a genuine smile. Nice guy.

Spoon river and our 2nd NAM class. We were all completely working within our imaginary circumstances and wow, what a couple of hours. Incredibly connected and emotional. I was a total basket case. What a feeling. Felt great to feel so much and to be totally consumed by it.
Picked up the monkey and headed home. Off to the hotel for the 2nd interview which turned out to be a meet and greet of the people I'll be working with. Turns out I'll have to run the daily reports ready for the financial dept in the morning. Coupled with looking after all the duties of the front desk during the graveyard shift, that'll be the job. The CFO and another accountant are also from London so we'll be building quite a little enclave in this part of WeHo! They were really really nice and the CFO complimented me on being obviously intelligent enough to do the job with my eyes closed! Apparently, I'm starting next Wednesday. Cool.
Home again and played with the munchkin for a couple of hours.
Dad's night out with the Mom's club spouses. 5 of us went out to a Tex-Mex place and the evening turned out to be a really good.
Started reading the Spoon River anthology for the first class in two weeks.
Spoke to Stephen about VI and he has a new producer and financier on board. Both have Hollywood credits up the you-know-what and seem to be the real deal. The financier is trying to attach Par Hil and Jen Anni. Wow. Wouldn't that be really rather cool!
Also spoke to Equity today and it turns out that the 'ham-n-tot' casting team are holding off callbacks until as late as end of July. Damn.

Wednesday. Class was good. Did an activity and Y came to my door. Didn't censor anything and was truthful and open. S was well pleased! Major progress.
Signed up for a one day writing class in July.
Lots of new faces coming into the class. Cool. Fresh blood. Most on their 3rd or 4th alones and they're coming up with some pretty good circumstances.
Ced had a really bad time of it. Was totally in his head being logical and S just gave it to him about how he cannot stand having to give him the same note time after time, year after year. How everyone other than him in the class can work off their partner and have an emotional response to every one of their partner's actions or statements. His response is always to try and concoct a logical response and not react from his gut. That's what it's all about, boys and girls. React viscerally! Be truthful.
After class, headed up to Santa Clarita for a wardrobe fitting. My god, SC is hotter than ten hells. I'm still reeling from my day on the beach - I am so friggin burnt. My feet, my legs and my neck and face. Ow - I hurt all over. I did wear a huge hat but I suppose the IR bounces off the sand, dunnit.
Anyway, fitted as an attorney, that's a solicitor back home for work next Tuesday on An American Crime. Should be fun.
Have an 2nd interview for the hotel job tomorrow (wages help me to stay in LA to work as an actor, chaps!). You have to stay in the game, whatever it takes!
Watching the tivo'ed England Sweden match and enjoyed the first Eng goal but, dear o dear, the first Swedish goal was unforgivable. Wasn't Mr Beckham supposed to be marking the chap who scored? Isn't that his job or doesn't he 'do' marking? Well, they scored and they shouldn't have done.
Blimey... they almost scored again! The Eng goalie stopped the ball with his head! Cool! England look a little lost as I continue watching...
Going to review NAM tonight as we have a class in it again tomorrow...

Shame... Top of the Pops finally bites the dust, after 42 years!!!
R.I.P. rather quaint pop music type programme.
alright? not 'alf!

Links for today.
Here's a guy who makes futuristic Lego buildings and displays them against real world vistas.

Here's an emotional trip. Think carefully before you click the link. Get the tissues ready...

Spent the day on the beach today. Super-dooper. Oh, and if you're going to go to the beach, you HAVE to take a tent and some comfy chairs. Rough it with just a towel? Me? Naw!

Monday. Another audition (no.5 in three months - whoopdedoo). My agent has sent me for an audition as a cabbie! Inspired. Yes, I really look like a cabbie I don't think. Even the audition posting called for actors of 'any ethnicity' which basically means not white. So, then, I have an agent desperate to send me out for anything so I don't leave. Well, as soon as I get a better offer, I'm outta there! It's not that I think I'm too good for this particular agent, it's just that I'm in charge of my career and I choose with whom I do business with - my own business partners if you like. This particular business partner hasn't spoken to me in three months, hasn't initiated any conversation and doesn't seem to give a rodent's bum about me or my career. That's not good enough in my book - I deserve much better than that.
Well, guys and girls, this is part of the daily challenge a committed, working actor has to deal with in sunny old Los Angeles. Marvelous.
Off to class afterwards and did my scene with M. Went really well, we were both connected and we had a real argument. T told us that it was a 'good rehearsal' and we could perform the scene next week if we wanted to. Great!
Spoke to G and he told me that the LATimes ran an article about a girl who had a video on youtube being offered a distribution deal which basically underlines the fact that you have no idea how you are going to find jobs in this town - you have to try everything. It's mind blowing how many pies you have to have your finger in. G went on to tell me that agents are reportedly scouring youtube for new and fresh talent. I can't believe all of them are but I have no doubt it's a rich source of fresh meat for the Hollywood machine eager for the next 'big' thing or, at least, the next thing they can peddle for five minutes' worth of ratings and pin money.

Sunday - Father's Day although that didn't change the fact that I still got out of bed when munchkin got up while my missus snoozed on (bless 'er, she deserves it). But, that did allow father and son to watch the tivo'ed British Grand Prix (excellent) without female intrusion. Spent most of the rest of the day reading (as always) but did have to deal with the three year old's tantrums which, I have to say, are getting worse by the day. Escaped to the bedroom for a little while and called the UK to chat with J, P, M & R. Monkey (and Mummy) bought me a large bag of chocolates (rather nice) as compensation for a 'not very lazy' Father's day. Hey ho, you can't ask kids to take the day off, can you!

Saturday was fairly uneventful, lots of reading, as always.
Had a singing telegram in the evening at a place called the 'Snakepit' on Melrose. Yes, you can imagine that it was no ballroom with a name like that. Anyway, I sang two Frank Sinatra songs for two lovely people who are just about to get married (each to their own, I suppose). They were very happy with the performance as were the other 30 people looking on!! Thanks to the girl behind the bar who turned off the PA during my performance! Client who booked me was ecstatic (bless) and she gave me her card and told me to email her so she can send me something nice. Sounds interesting... Drove home with a silly grin on my face.
Watched 'Bad News Bears' - very intellectually stimulating, oh yes. Nice performances from the leads though.