the day to day of a professional actor in the San Francisco Bay Area

mostly the day to day of a professional actor in the San Francisco Bay Area, but also the home of the Counting Actors Project

Monday, April 11, 2011

fall down seven times...

get up eight. 

Earlier this week I learned about 2 gigs I didn't get, and one more that it's looking like I probably won't get, pretty much all on the same day.  On the heels of a string of gigs that I haven't gotten, which I've learned I haven't gotten because of technicalities relating to union status and budget, having nothing to do w/my acting talent. 

All of this happening while I'm in this screeech of a slow down.  It's tough.  It totally sucks.  I spent about a day kind of going through the motions, dwelling on the unfairness of all of this as it relates to me.

Then, I read something that included the Japanese proverb at the top - something about the resiliency of the Japanese people in the face of crisis.  Fall down seven times, get up eight. 

This is where actors have to live, my friends.  We have to be ready to keep getting up.  For me, repeating this proverb shook me out of my funk, and brought regular exercise, classes, and taking care of my body, mind and soul into a new focus.

So, I'll see you out there.  I'm dusting off the low mood.  And getting up.

5 comments:

  1. I hear ya, Val! It just means there is something better out there for you! xo

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  2. Mary - thanks for the encouragement! Glad to know I'm not the only one who gets this way...

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  3. Over at Backstage.com, they have this thing called Unscripted - a bunch of different actors blogging their lives. And Emily Kinney (aka Lemon)has a terrific post about slow times.
    http://backstage.blogs.com/unscripted/2011/04/the-heart-can-grow.html

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  4. ah, this is a great proverb!! thank you for sharing, i will definitely be reminding myself of this saying throughout this actor journey...

    -Nina

    ps- looking fwd to reading your blog!

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  5. thanks Nina! appreciate the comments! I've been enjoying your blog for a while now - one of the reasons I decided to start my own.

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