MIND CANDY 013: MY GIFT FROM ME TO YOU

MUSIC:   "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl
TIME:   8:27 AM


I have a small gift for you this Christmas.  One that you cannot wrap in a box covered in fancy paper with a bow on top.  One that you cannot exchange at the store if it's not the right fit.  One that you can never ever break, but I hope you remember not only in your hearts, but in your minds....ALWAYS.

It's a quote by the legendary Lucille Ball, and the quote is:

"Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." ~ Lucille Ball

I was browsing around some quotes on the net the other day, and this quote REALLY stood out to me. Not only was Lucille Ball one of the greatest performers of our time, but this quote means A LOT to me, because I think sometimes.....we forget this.

I also am posting this for all of those who have lost faith in themselves in following their dreams, whether it is in the same industry as I am in or in a whole different ball park.  Have been broken hearted, feel like giving up, or feel their belief in themselves fall through their fingers like sand.

I, like most people, am no stranger to those emotions.  I've had been down this path before, and it DOES suck.  Also, I always use to be the last person on Earth to love myself, even believe in myself as anything.  I used to be the passive-aggressive type, the one who easily got discouraged, too.  However, somehow, you will find that allowing discouragement win is an even worse feeling than even thinking this way in the first place.  In the end, you always make your way out of it with time by your side...ALWAYS!  I sure have, and quite honestly, I don't know why I even felt that way in the first place!  It's a challenge to pick yourself up, but you can do it!  It takes a lot of patience and a good amount of time, but it CAN be done.

Plus, I, personally, hate seeing ANYBODY give up on their dreams or feel they aren't worthy of them coming true.

This year, in general, has been REALLY awesome, and believe me...I'm ready to go out there and give (or at least TRY to give) 2010 all that I've got!  Honestly, that's all I've been doing ever since I came to New York.  It's all we really can do, but remember, when you do care or feel this great amount of passion about something, you're never afraid to try. =)  Maybe that is what keeps me going.

Before I close this, here's a quick fact about Lucille Ball:   In 1929, Lucy attended the John Murray Anderson School For the Dramatic Arts in New York City. She was very, very shy (believe it or not), which caused her become outshone by the great Bette Davis and to be sent home, because the coaches told her that she had "no future at all as a performer".

As we all know, Lucille Ball didn't go away or let that stop her from going after her dream.  The Lucille Ball we know is an innovator, a legend, the queen of comedy, and pretty much now outshines Bette Davis when it comes to pop culture status (with all due respect to Miss Davis, because I like her, too)!  And if you don't believe me on this, check this out.

Okay, folks, I want to wish you all a warm, festive, and safe MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!  I will be seeing you in 2010 with a new blog, maybe a new website layout, and more mind candy to hand out....super-sweet and straight to the point.

Thank you for allowing me to share a piece of my world with you!  That's enough candy for now!

Cristina
http://www.cristinacho.net/

MIND CANDY 012: SNOWBOUND IN JERSEY

MUSIC: "My Will" by Dream
TIME: 8:25 AM

I don't usually blog about my life down in Jersey, but I'll make an exception for today...well, sort of. *clears throat*

Well, whoever has been dreaming of "white Christmas" is pretty much getting their wish this weekend!  I was supposed to go up to New York today for the Bite-Size Business Soiree my business coach, Erin Cronican, holds every once a month for actors and other industry folks, no matter how seasoned or novice they may be.  It's really, really cool, and if you're enthusiastic about your own career like moi, this is perhaps one of the best things about being an actor.  Because people know - especially Erin - that I LOVE to meet new people!  Oh wait...I'm getting ahead of myself here....

Okay, basically, the soiree works like this:   Erin gathers a couple of us - mainly the newbie actors and advanced actors - at Studios 353, where we would all sit in a big circle (on chairs of course) and discuss certain topics concerning the acting industry.  For example:   The first time I went to Erin's soiree, the topic was NETWORKING, and what she did was discuss how actors network, what works for them, how they can make good connections with each other in the industry, etc.  Another topic of discussion that was brought up was HOW TO WRITE THE PERFECT ACTORS' RESUME, and in that one, she basically broke down bit-by-bit how to list your theatrical credits, TV credits, film credits, special skills, training, what is and isn't appropriate for your special skills section, you name it.  I guess you get my point.

After this, we'd all walk to the Marriot Marquis in the lounge area and have a mini-mixer.  This where the actors and actors-in-training (such as myself) meet and mingle with industry folks like producers, acting coaches, headshot photographers, and each other, since connections are important.  This is the part I usually enjoy, because I do love to meet new people and quite honestly, I enjoy the networking part of this industry.  I've heard about industry folks who cannot stand the networking part of their careers.  I don't know if it has anything to do with the competition, insecurity, nervousness, or shyness, but no matter how you or anyone else may feel about networking, it is important and actually an essential craft all of us must learn.

Usually, the acting coaches, headshot photographers, producers, and whatnot are there to pitch themselves, to meet with Erin's students.  Most of them do business with Erin or have something worked out with her for students for the discounts page on the TAE website.  Hardly any of them attend the discussion part of the event, although I did meet Justin Hoch, who is both an actor AND a headshot photographer, at the NETWORKING soiree instead of the mixer back in April of '09.  Really cool guy, too!

Anyway, when I post on my Facebook status or profile about "Bite-Size", this is what I usally mean by it.  I love it and I urge all actors to go to this and to meet Erin.  As a matter of fact, I was going to blog about today's soiree, but there's just one problem:  I'M TOTALLY SNOWBOUND!

Now, please, don't get me wrong:   I'm very tolerable when it comes to weather.  Being in New York a lot, I can put up with the heaviest of rain, the biggest winds, the hottest day in the blazing summer, the coldest day in the iciest winter, and even snow.  Walking in NYC in snow don't bother me, and basically, the only thing that will stop me from going up to NYC for ANYTHING that is very important to my career is if I'm sick with a high fever or terrible cold where I'm highly contagious or - in this case - if I'm snowbound, and I have no choice, but to stay put.  We'll add that under the "horrific weather conditions" category, which rarely happens where I am in right at this very moment.  If the snow falls where I am or in the city, it happens, but it don't keep me from going there.  What's keeping me is the fact that the cars at my house are trapped in the snow and public trasportation is basically shut down.  Stores are even closed down where I am!

I don't mind train schedule delays.  I woke up at six AM today, was gonna take a cab to the train, but the cabs aren't even in business today.  Nothing is, except for hospitals, police departments, and nursing homes.  Cab companies are closed.  There's no subway in Brick.  Buses...well, you get it.  Unfortunately, unlike the city of New York, Brick isn't 24/7...my little hometown DOES sleep and DOES "relax".  Believe me, if I could get a cab to the train station, I'd be on that train on my way to the city right now, despite the delay in the schedule.  But they're not, the cars are trapped, so I have no choice, but to stay home, so....here I am.  If NYC was covered in two feet of snow or whatever's out there, I wouldn't care, because if I had something to do that was really important, I'd do it anyways as long as - like I said ,before - I am not contagious or if the weather isn't horrific.  And mother nature don't do me or no one else no favors, so sometimes, we do have to put certain things on hold...even though it's frustrating.

Oh and here are some pictures I took this morning:

This is my street facing 88

This is some of the Christmas decor in front of the house half-way buried in the snow

This is my dad's truck

And this is me standing IN the snow....or my knees at least.

I'm 5'3 1/2 and the snow is like two feet.  You can't even see my boots!

I'm not gonna lie - I am bummed, but I'm not gonna let it ruin my day.  It's not the end of the world, because there's always January's soiree. *shrugs*  Plus, looking on the bright side to this:  Unlike a lot of people here in Brick -- I AM FINISHED WITH MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!!!!!  Done, so I don't have to feel bummed about that! =)  Erin's soirees happen every once a month all year round.  Christmas happens only once a year.  So, aside from the wrapping, I am ready for Christmas, but what I am REALLY ready for is the year 2010!   I want this month and this year to be done!  Funny thing about this month so far is that it goes fast and then it goes slow.  When you watch the time, it moves awful slow.  When you take your eyes off of it, it moves too fast.  You can never win when it comes to time.

I will be blogging before Christmas!  For now, stay warm and be safe, snowbound peeps! =)

That's enough candy for now!

Cristina
http://www.cristinacho.net/

MIND CANDY 011: RELAXATION - CRISTINA-STYLE

MUSIC: "Holy Holy" by David Bowie
TIME: 10:16 AM
 
I'm actually taking a day off from my New York life today -- not because of the muggy weather, though.  Weather-schmeather -- I've walked in extreme city weather without a care plenty of times.  And not because I want to "relax" today.  Actually, if there's one thing in this world I'm not at all quite good at doing -- besides algebra or giving up on things -- it's relaxing.  No, people, I'm not kidding you, either!  I really don't like to "relax" to be honest.
 
As a matter of fact, I'm typing this blog and I can't stop bouncing my knee up and down.  Now, don't get me wrong -- I'm not a hyperactive, robotic girl who (although, sometimes I DO feel that way and perhaps come off that way, too).  I do get "lazy spells" sometimes.  I "relax" when I'm dead-beat exhausted to a point where I can no longer hold my eyes opened and surprisingly, I sleep like a rock.  A high school marching band can play a list of songs outside my house when I'm sleeping and I won't wake up to it....or have trouble falling asleep to it.  Surprisingly, also, my alarm clock actually wakes me up!  Thank God for that! =)
 
Speaking of "relaxation", you know what's really relaxing?  Sitting in the Drama Bookshop for five straight hours and just read a bunch of really interesting works by various playwrights, which is what I did last week.  Nothing, but me, a stack of plays on the coffee table, Edith Piaf and classical music playing on my Ipod, and my determination to finding a great monologue and also to educate myself a little more.  Basically, when you read a play or see one, you are educating yourself on a new playwright, a storyline, and in a way, you're also finding a small part of yourself in the process.  For me, when I started reading Shakespeare more back in the day, I kind of made up my mind that I'm not all too keen on reading fiction novels...with a few exceptions such as "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden, "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens, just to name a few.
 
However, there a few flaws to that "relaxing" day from last week:
 
ONE:   It's pretty hard to read when you have two students from the New York Film Academy close to you - one standing over you and the other sharing red leather couch against the wall with you - talking really LOUD when you're trying to read!
 
Seriously, if you some common sense or at least have a brain, when you see someone next to you or a bunch of other people, READING, at least have the courtesy and not talk so loud where it becomes distracting.  That don't just go for the Drama Bookshop, but almost EVERYWHERE!  It's not only a nuisance, but it's just rude.
 
TWO:  It's pretty hard to spot the perfect character or monologue in your stack when you're enjoying the plays you're reading, but you really can't get into them.  When you get into a play, know it's the right one, you basically can't put it down, find yourself identifying with a certain character, imagine yourself playing a certain character, and....well, you know what I mean.  It makes you wanna jump for joy!
 
Well, in my stack, I had some witty, interesting, clever works that I did enjoy, but I really, really, really couldn't get into them.  I basically had to now eat my words, because my Facebook status, which I typed in from my Blackberry, said, "CRISTINA CHO is reading some really great works at the Drama Bookshop -- if you text me and don't hear from you, you will know why".  I actually put that there before I started reading anything. 
 
A few hours into it, and finding I couldn't get into anything, I was beginning to sulk and I sort of wanted to burst into tears, but I wasn't gonna do that in the bookshop.  I don't know what provoked me to get up off the couch and start looking around at other plays from my stack -- which, by the way, I planned the night before thanks to doing some research on Doollee.com and The Asian American Theatre Revue.  However, that's exactly what I did.  And something brought me over to Donald Margulies. 
 
I remember I really enjoyed reading his play, "Dinner With Friends" and I loved working on it in class, so I decided to check out his other works.  I spotted "Collected Stories", and for some reason, my instincts kicked in and made me reach for this play.  I took the play back to my seat, started reading, and...I got into it after the first page or two!  Immediately!
 
Then, it brought me back to the day I met Matthew Sussman for the first time before we sealed the deal that he was going to be my headshot photographer.  I remember him asking me what kind of roles do I imagine myself playing, and I really didn't have a clear answer for him.  Ironically, out of the two touched-up headshots I currently have, there is the one of me where I am this cutesy, naive girl who comes off as shy, pure, and innocent.  And when I read this play, one of the things I did notice is that I'm drawn to characters who are like that. 
 
I'm glad one of my headshots sort of models a person like that.  The welcoming demeanor in the smile, the eyes, and way I kind of cocked my head a little like, "Don't you think I'm cute?"  I call that photo my "small-town girl" shot, because when it comes to storylines in books, plays, TV shows, or movies, the "small-town girl" stereotype is ALWAYS the same.  She's excited by her new surroundings, is fully unaware of herself, find someone or something to cling onto the help guide her, and either she experiences something great that'll either make her or break her.  It's very cliched -- it's sad, but no experience goes just one way, so the good thing about cliches is that at least you can play around with them, too.  Become creative and see how it all stretches out to.
 
However, what I noticed about Lisa Morrison (that's her name), is not only is she the cliched innocent girl, which drew me to her, but she has this inner strength in her that is afraid to come out, but does when it's neccessary.  That's a little something I can strongly identify with...generally speaking.  And afterwords, I changed my Facebook status to "Don Margulies is my hero for today", then started my Christmas shopping....in the rain.
 
 

That's enough candy for now!
HAPPY HANUKKAH!!!!
 
Cristina
http://www.cristinacho.net/