Actors

I have long admired, and somewhat envied, actors. And I'm not talking about those that make it rich and famous. I mean actors, in general.

"What do you envy about actors?" you might ask.

I envy the chance they get to step out of their own lives and into the shoes of someone else; to forget their own cares and worries and see how it is for another. There have been many times in my life where I have wished for this ability. Or maybe it is just the desire to step out of all the roles that I HAVE to play, and into a role that I choose to play...

Aside: I believe the actors I enjoy watching the most are those that are truly able to feel empathy for the characters they portray.

Another aside: I found the following unpublished partial post, entitled "Actors Have More Fun", sitting around since June 11, 2007:

I've been thinking about jobs a lot lately, and I think that actors are lucky. And no, I'm not talking about money and fame. I'm talking about getting paid to act like you are somebody else. Sometimes I think it would be really nice to be able to leave my own life behind for awhile and, even if the pretend life I was leading wasn't the nicest, at least I wouldn't be tied to those problems forever and could return to my own issues at the end of the day; would that make me a "method" actor?

Epiphany

I realized something about myself this weekend, and though it surprised me, with thought it is so very obvious. I have always thought of myself as a writer, and it is true that I have been writing for many years … I have a friend from middle school who recently reminded me that I was writing a novel in my spare time even then, and I have always found the act of writing, especially in a journal, to be relaxing and writing fiction to be enjoyable, for the most part. (Don’t get me wrong, I know that writing is hard work.)

Even when I have time to write, I don’t always choose to do so. I won’t drop everything to write, and I don’t feel frustrated and wound up when I don’t get the chance to write. I do, however, begin to feel that way when I don’t have something good to READ! With retrospection, I realized that the directive from an experienced writer which has always thrilled me the most is this: “To be a good writer, you must be a reader.” That, dear friend, is what I have always excelled at. I was even a young reader, having learned to read when I was three years old … my husband says that it is my competitive, jealous nature that wouldn’t allow my brother to know how to read when I didn’t, and he may be right, but I prefer to think that it was my subconscious recognizing what I have only just consciously acknowledged…

I AM A READER!

Now if I can just figure out how to make a living reading, then I would truly have found my calling. Any ideas?

Happiness

I just have to say that The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin is an absolutely AWESOME book, and the paperback version was just released. I read the book last year, borrowed from the library, and loved it so much that I just had to get a copy for myself. Every time I pick it up to remind myself of something, I end up reading through to the end of that chapter. Gretchen's writing is absolutely captivating, and her situation is very easy (at least for me) to relate with. I also love her blog by the same name.

I have been trying to have my own happiness project this year, variable rates of success. I am proud to say that I have flossed my teeth every day (except one) since February 3rd, and have been almost as good about brushing my teeth twice per day ... two of my Resolutions for the year.

I have been less good about getting enough sleep, as evidenced by the fact that I am writing this after 11 pm on the night before a day when I have to get up at 6:15 am. That being said, I should probably get some sleep...