Taking Off

Sunday is the Lord's day, and rest is always blessed! I spent my Sunday mostly relaxing and catching up on a little lost sleep. And it's a good thing I did, because I had an insane week ahead of me.

Monday I started my new job- at least the training. I was recently hired by Dialogue Direct Keystone Fundraising, which works solely for the non-profit organization Children's International. I feel like this will be a very beneficial job for me because it will keep me grounded. It's easy to come out to Los Angeles and get caught up and lost in the materialistic life that most live out here, but this job will be a daily reminder of how fortunately blessed I am! It's a full time position, 9AM-6PM Monday-Friday. But due to traffic, I have to leave by 7:15 every morning. I also had Jack's class going on through the week, so I went straight from work to Jack's class-which I arrived late to. And then getting home around midnight. I also have the web series that started this weekend! So I got to spend my days off from my day job, working on set! WHEW! I'm gonna wear myself out fast. OH WELL, I love being busy :)

So Monday's training went really great! We was a fantastic new group of people. We all brought in our own personalities and there was never a dull moment. We learned all about the organization, how to go about the job, and pitching all afternoon. I went straight from work to Jack's workshop. On Tuesday, I got to meet my team leader- Sarah- and officially began the job. We worked in Korea town and had some amazing korean food for lunch. My first day on the job, I managed to save a baby all on my own! Wednesday, I met my other teammate- Olivia- and realized that we are practically the same person. We worked in Santa Monica that day and I managed to save two babies! On Thursday, we worked downtown and one of my previous co-workers ended up getting interviewed for the news and they shot quite a bit of footage of me working; as well as the time I walked directly behind the camera waving..... Never would have thought I'd been on camera before! Haha

Interview

Friday, I had the day off from work because I had scene class with Jack Waltzer. I love Jack way too much! He's the sweetest man. He's constantly hugging on me and saying "Kelsie's the perfect girl. She's my girlfriend from Tennessee. She cooks, cleans, and sews! She's the perfect girl." He also told me that he worries about me because these LA people are going to corrupt me! Once I got out of class, I came home and cleaned house. Then Christopher and I went and enjoyed a nice sushi dinner :) I came home and prepared myself for the next day. I had to miss class on Saturday because I was working on set.

Saturday I worked on set of "The Disorganized Zone". I act as well as work as script supervisor. I was a nervous wreck, since I'd never done that before and it's one of the most important jobs on set. But it went surprisingly great! The director and producer both bragged on me and said "You should do this on the side from acting!" And I got the pleasure of meeting some wonderful actors and people, as well as getting to work with Eduardo again- whom I worked with in Canada on "Bluff". And Judy Norton, known as Mary Ellen from "The Waltons", is directing this production as well! Below is the link to some of the wonderful cast!

Judy Norton

Gil Darnell

Eduardo Enrikez

Davis Pevsner

Tarri Markel

Saturday night, Jack Waltzers class had a wrap party a Jouri's huge house. I walked in and their all hugging and kissing me saying how much Jack bragged on me and how much they missed me in class. It was honestly the best time I've had in an extremely long time. Best people on earth. I feel like it's appropriate to share about the amazing influence that these people continue to make on me. They have left the biggest prints on my heart and I will never forget or get over the love I feel for each and everyone of them. The class was much larger this time and it was still the best! I connected with people all over the world, talk about international learning! It could have gone both ways, but these are people that I can talk about anything with. I don't feel obligated to only talk about scene work or what we're soon to work on. I laughed more than I ever have that night! I had to drag myself out of the house at 2 AM, since I had to get up early the next morning. I had to park on the next street over, and as I walked I noticed a helicopter circling with a spotlight all around me. I got to my car and there were cops blocking off everything around me. I panicked just a bit, got out of there as fast as I could, and called all my friends to warn them. But luckily everyone was safe :)

 On Sunday,  I rolled onto set with my sunglasses on, struggling to keep my eyes open. I had to quickly down several cups of coffee and then helped myself to a wonderful bagel with chocolate spread and an apple :) Since "The Disorganized Zone" is a comedy, they asked me to act with a heavy southern accent! I love having fun on set :). I also got to hold, read, and get a picture with an original script from "The Waltons"! We got to put temporary hair color and tons of make up on Gil, in order to make him appear even younger! I talked with David for a while on break and learned that he was in an episode of, my favorite show on earth, General Hospital with James Franco- I was secretly fangirl-ing!

On Sunday night, we had a second party from Jack's workshop. This time we partied at Roya's house, in the hills! Another wonderful turn out with the best people, although we were missing quite a few because some already left for home.. It was still perfect. We sat around the fire pit and shared memories and laughter. I cannot say enough how much I love these people. I hope to see each and every one a million times again :)

And did I mention there was cake at both parties?! [that's secretly the only reason I went.... ;) ]

Alice in Wonderland

There were two things my friends always knew about coming to my house: 1) bring your own blanket, because I keep my room at 66*, and 2) be prepared to watch "Alice in Wonderland"- the original cartoon version- on repeat! They picked on me about my obsession and slightly complained, but I secretly think they enjoyed it because no one threw a real fit about it ;)

As a little girl, I- of course- watched and enjoyed "Alice in Wonderland". But I did not rediscover it until freshman year in high school. I dreamed of being a Barbie in Wonderland. I wanted to be perfect like a barbie, and just as Alice was in the cartoon, but to live in Wonderland.

As we grow up, we find ourselves looking around and thinking that "maturity" is not holding your parent's hands anymore, being too big for those kisses from your mother, not watching cartoons, fixing our own food, picking out our own clothes, and thinking that we should be able to say when we should do something instead of being told to. We're taught to take a look at our surroundings and adapt. We're raised thinking that the only thing you can do with your life is to blend in and be just like everyone else. So we don't explore too much. We see what everyone else does with their lives and we plan ours accordingly. We grow up and go to school to be something that we can do at home- something plain, something average.

But what about the dreams everyone else says are impossible?

Have you ever truly paid attention to "Alice in Wonderland"? Most didn't notice the true story until the second movie came out. After all, in the cartoon she was just a child. But even as a child and despite what everyone else thinks, she lets her imagination roam and shares with those disbelievers. She's just a child so she refers to it as "her world". She dreams about what it would be like to be animals, to be a queen, to to go against what society thinks is right.

Who decides what's right and wrong anyways? Who is this Society guy and why does he set the rules?

In the movie, it shows everyone around her discouraging her. Telling her to dress and behave as society says a girl should. Telling her to stop dreaming all those silly dreams and be realistic. To do the same things that I listed above. But Alice has guts, and those dreams that everyone says are impossible- she sees them in living colors. Not only goes out on a limb- but she leaps onto another limb! She's the definition of a small town girl, that decides "there is so much more for me than what's in this little old town", packs her bags, and heads out on a new adventure to make a difference and be truly happy with her life.

And one day, all those things that we thought we were too old for- we will miss them and wish things were still JUST like that. And one day when you realize you settled for a life like everyone else, you'll wish you had been an Alice. You'll wish that you spent what's supposed to be "the best days of your life" exploring and chasing those "impossible" dreams you dream.

"Simply impassible"- The Doorknob

"You mean impossible?"- Alice

"No! Nothing's impossible!"- The Doorknob

Yes, I may sound a little crazy going on and on about how "Alice in Wonderland", the movie everyone associates acid to, is an inspirational movie. But let me tell you a secret "all the best of us are" :)

Los Angeles: The Beginning

In March 2013, I received an email from Karen Carlson (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0137948/), my acting coach for two years. There was a link that explained an opportunity, a workshop opportunity that is. Jack Waltzer (http://www.jackwaltzer.com), whom Ms. Karen studied with long long ago, was holding a workshop in Los Angeles and auditions were coming up. I did not have a clue who Jack Waltzer was, so I did some research. He studied with Meisner, Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, Elia Kazan, and many more. He took their ideas of "Method Acting" and created his own version. After reading all about him, who he studied with and who he taught, I realized he is an absolute classic. I wanted to take the opportunity, but there were so many things that needed to be worked out: a place to stay, transportation, blah, blah, blah, blah! Until Ms. Karen called me to let me know that she thought this was exactly what I needed to do. She called her daughter, Robin, who lives in Los Angeles and asked if she would be willing to take me in. Robin agreed to do so without hesitating!

One Friday morning, I got up early and got on a plane to Los Angeles, never realizing how much the next few weeks were going to impact my life. As soon as I landed, I went straight to my audition, we had to audition to get into Jack's class. I performed my monologue, from Thanksgiving in the Wilderness, and held my head high. Jack looked at me and asked me to step forward. He asked me who I was thinking about while I recited that monologue.. I replied with the name that was on my lips instead of the name I was intending to think about.. He asked me questions about that person, and before I realized it I was tearing up. He asked my to say the monologue again, but this time in my real thoughts and to imagine that the person was standing right in front of me. By the end of the monologue, I felt like I was that girl and she was I; I became one with the character from the play. I was crying, as was everyone else in the room. Jack looked at me and said "You're not bad. Tell Karen she's got a good eye for talent. I'll see you on Monday at 5:30." I walked out on cloud nine. Never before had I imagined that someone with such knowledge and experience would tell ME that I was talented. 

The following three weeks was spent work-work-working and a tad bit of exploring. My class was the most amazing experience I have ever had in my entire life. Jack Waltzer is an older man, and I found myself concerned that this may be a waste of time. Only because if he is that old, is he really all there? Can he even hear? Is he so old that he's losing his mind? But the first day of class, all my previous concerns quickly changed. This man may be old in age, but he is on top of every single thing that is going on. He never misses a beat, and he is not afraid to call anyone out! I learned so much about myself and my instrument in such a short amount of time. I not only got the opportunity to learn from Jack, but I also met a ton of other people.

I was able to meet two of Robin's friends, Candy and Craig. Candy is from Texas and Craig is from Kentucky, it was nice to hear a southern accent while in this busy city. They introduced me to some friends and I was able to meet and have coffee with a friend of their's who is an actor. He gave me so much advice and influenced me that I need to be in Los Angeles studying. On top of that, I had the most amazing classmates on earth. I could give a brief description of all of them, but I could go on and on about how amazing they all were. No matter how long we all may have known each other, everyone was so supportive; happy to hold a hand or rub a back when someone was coming down from a high emotional scene. I could have stayed with these people forever.

On my last night in Los Angeles, we had a "wrap party" for the workshop. I was able to sit down and talk with some that I had not gotten the opportunity to before. There was one person who left a lasting impression on me, Jouri Smit. As I sat and talked to Jouri that night, I asked him what he did. He called himself a "story teller"; he continued to explain after seeing the look of confusion on my face. He said, "Back in the day, the indians had one particular person that they called the 'story teller' who was responsible for creating and portraying the story. I want to do just that. I write, act, direct, and produce. I am a story teller"(not an exact quote). After hearing that story, I was forever changed. I had a fire burning inside of me already, and it was as if he threw lighter fluid onto that flame. 

As I sat down with Jack Waltzer and said my goodbyes, he told me that he had faith in me. He said that Karen knew exactly what she was talking about, and he himself could see the talent in me. He turned to another classmate and said "Can you imagine what this girl will be doing a year from now? She'll be a series regular!" I tried to control my feelings and said my thanks, but inside I was screaming and crying all at once. How amazing it was for Jack Waltzer to say such wonderful things about me. 

After everything that happened those few weeks, I did not want to return to little ole Dresden, Tennessee. For the first few days, I was beaming with happiness. Waiting and hoping that someone would ask me about my time in Los Angeles. But after that first week, I was genuinely depressed. I found myself missing my friends and classmates that I became acquainted with while in Los Angeles. I was lucky enough to get all their information and had the ability to keep in touch with them after I returned to Tennessee, but it still was not the same. 

After a couple weeks, Robin happened to email me to catch up. She decided to move in with her boyfriend and informed me that Christopher was looking for a roommate. The first thing that crossed my mind was that I wanted to be Christopher's roommate. I ran to my parents and sat down with them. I confessed how I truly felt about Los Angeles and the opportunity that Robin had mentioned, and the fact that Jack Waltzer was having another workshop in September. I proposed that I was to move across the country to live with Christopher, and I wanted do it by Jack's class in September. The surprised look on their faces were enough to make me nervous, but I will never forget that they looked at each other and looked back at me and said "if this is what you want to do, let's do it." I realized how overly blessed I was with such amazing parents. 

After many emails and confirmations with Robin, Christopher, and my parents, we decided that I would leave Tennessee on August 31st along with my parents company. At first, I thought the days would never go by, then all of a sudden it was August 30th. I was running wild trying to see everyone that I possibly could before I left and getting myself completely packed. My wonderful uncle, aunt, and best friend- Alex Glisson- came to help me get everything organized. Before I realized it, I was waking up to my grandparents seeing me before I left. I cuddled with our two dogs and three kittens for as long as possible, and then I got into my car and the journey began. 

I was a nervous wreck; I felt awful. I had terrible and nasty dreams the entire trip there of every bad thing that could happen. Then all of a sudden, we were pulling up to my apartment after only 30 short hours on the road. We got things unpacked as quickly as possible, got our showers, and went out to dinner. The next morning, we went grocery shopping, had lunch at the Laurel Tavern, went to Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood Blvd, and then dinner at the Aroma Cafe. I awoke early the next morning to drop off my parents at the airport. The second time I ever saw my daddy cry was that day. It was the hardest thing to be strong and walk away, but I did. 

The hardest thing about leaving is my family; we are very close. We do everything together and see each other as much as possible. My mother is my best friend; I tell her everything and we do everything together. I truly believe that I am my step-daddy's daughter. We may not be blood, but we have lived together for as long as I can remember. And they say the more you are around someone the more you become like them. We have the same sense of humor, make the best of every situation, always smiling and laughing, and have a lot of the same interests. We talk about sports and watch Duck Dynasty together every Wednesday and Sunday night. Although my sister and I have fought for the past 15 years (her entire life), she is my little sister. We finally began to get a little closer just before I left. But hopefully the distance will make us closer. My father is my night and shining armor though. He is always to the rescue and always helps me when I need something fixed, put together, or worked on. I do not know what I am going to do so far away from him. My uncle Daniel is not only my uncle, but he is the big brother I never had and my best friend in the entire world. He told me I have to send him a picture of something every single day until I see him again. 

But here I am in Los Angeles-2,000 miles and two time zones away from home- all alone. Searching for a job and keeping myself busy is all that I can do. And things are looking promising. I start Jack Waltzer's class on Monday, and then I start a web series at the end of the month. Yay for change, learning, and work! Happiness can fade, but joy is eternal. And if you have joy, you can find happiness. 

Psalm 106:1 "Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord. He is good. His faithful love endures forever!"