It's Been A While...

So, It has been about 3 weeks since my last post. I apologize to anyone who does check this thing. 

I have Started Acting Class part time at The Atlantic Theatre Company. It is brilliant. The whole technique they teach is like God parting the clouds for me. It is all about being true to the material. No thinking about a dead dog, or a crazy fucking dream.... just good old reality.

Other than that, been living life, reading a lot, going to the gym, and hoping spring gets here sooner. I really don't like cold weather I have decided. It is not fun.

Also, still doing Naked Boys Singing. It's a pay check. Not a great one, but one knows that to start in this crazy business, you must take the work and not the money to get a foot in the door.

Much love!

sg

JAckASS!

Hey Everyone,

I know it has been a few days since my last post, but I have been busy!

Tuesday, I filmed with one of the JAckass Team members, Chris Pontius. He, if you don't already know, is the guy who does the party boy skit, as well as Wildboyz with Steve-O. Any who, all day Tuesday, Chris Pontius, Me, and about 19 other guys took over Times Square, right smack dab in the middle of Manhattan, wearing nothing but Liquid Silver Manthongs and a smile. That's right.... I am going to be on MTV, Shaking what my momma gave me. It will air on SAT, FEB. 23, 2008(this SAT), when JackAss takes over MTV for 24 hrs, starting at 12pm est. 

In the picture I have included, my head is poking out of the passenger window of the van! For more info, you are going to have to watch the show!

More posts in a day or so to catch you up on my life!

_sg

To my love.....

A Valentine's Day Poem......

You are always there for me, When I am down.

I never have to call you, you always are around.

When I'm feeling lonely or frisky or I have an itch.

You can satisfy me, and never do you bitch.

I can talk dirty to you or spit on you whenever.

A partner is what you are, forever we'll be together.

No it's not a girl or boy or even a Fan,

It's just a little thing I call my left hand!

I hope you all have a fun Valentine's Day! I am sure I will later this evening.....if you catch my drift.

What This? What This? There's White Stuff in the Air!

Today in NYC, there was a delightful snow storm. I live on a tree lined, brown stoned lined street, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The first snow is a most incredible sight. The snow was pure powder, white and clean. The snowflakes were big and fluffy, slowly crashing toward the ground. Everywhere, little footsteps leading to nowhere. Everyone bundled up in hats, scarves, and gloves. It was a lovely thing to see.

Unfortunately, it is a city, so tomorrow it is going to be black, slimy, wet, and dreary. However, today and into the night, it was a terrific sight!

Curbside Prophets.....

"I'm just a curbside prophet, with my hands in my pocket, and I'm waiting for my rocket to come...."

These are the lyrics to CURBSIDE PROPHET; written and performed by one of my favorite singer/songwriters Jason Mraz. Since moving to NYC in 2006 I have come across my fair share of these curbside prophets. I know you are rolling your eyes and saying," Those crazy homeless people should be in the looney bin." But one second my friends. Do Not Count These Urban Nomads out quite yet. 

Like I said a few posts back, I live in Harlem. For those of you who don't know the manhattan lay out, Harlem is what we NYer's call UPTOWN. For the regular citizen that means from Central Park North(110th ST.) up to 155th st. This extend width wise from the Hudson River(West Side) to the East river and Harlem River(East side). This is the complete width of the island in Upper Manhattan. For the average tourist's general information, Times Square is on 42nd street and Broadway(the Street. Since I live Uptown, and most of my life in NYC revolves around Midtown and Downtown on the West side, I end up spending a lot of time on the city's MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority). Because most NYer's depend on Mass transit to get for place to place, you get a nice cornucopia of people in the subway or bus that you ride everyday. Now, it's always a safe bet to sit next to the yuppie, wall street stock broker, but who wants to go through life living the "safe" way all the time. I personally don't. I love a little flavor in my days, so, sometimes I purposely sit next to the bum or bag lady or guy/girl talking to themselves.

Now, a lot of times, these characters are a little looney. But, many of these people have been on the streets for a number of years. Bouncing from shelter to shelter, train to train, station to park, back alleys to curbside. And, since this portion of the population is unemployed, they spend a lot of their time observing the ever changing NYC culture. They are like walking museum exhibits, breathing SoHo art pieces, living East Village Performance Art, and pulsing history book on NYC living. Many things can be learned from these self-talking nut jobs. Many a prophetic word can be said beneath the bits of insanity. Oh yeah, an interesting and informative conversation can come from these not so fresh smelling folks too! If ever I come across these panhandling, buscar-type, quick scheming crazies, I turn my ipod off, put my book away and switch roles with them. I BECOME THE OBSERVER. I BECOME THE QUIET SPONGE ABSORBING NYC LIFE. I BECOME THE LISTENER. Sometimes, the things you hear come out of their mouths can change your life.... really. 

Next time you pass a crazy or a street dweller, drop back, listen, observe, and take into consideration that they aren't as crazy as they would like you to believe. Take some time and bow down(metaphorically speaking) to the CURBSIDE PROPHETS!

Sit-down, sit-up, SIT-COM!!!!!!!!!

Hey Folks! How's life? I hope everyone reading this is in a good place in their life.... if not, sometimes life's a bitch. Get over it.

As you know, I'm up here, in NYC, trying to make it as an actor. But, also, as many of you know, successful people weren't always on top, especially in the show-biz industry. They usually were persistent(annoying) or hit it from all ends. 

Writing has always been a therapeutic thing to me. Sometimes, i will jot down a line, or write a short story, but it has always been a thing I enjoy to do. One thing I have always enjoyed was funny writing. So, while I am up here, ... in NYC, trying to succeed and hit it from all ends, I too have begun to write a SITCOM. "It's a show about friends and a show about nothing." Sound familiar? I figured I would try to base my ideas around the format of two of my favorite sitcoms, and two of the most popular sitcoms of all time. Friends & Seinfeld. It won't be anything like these two shows, but I have been watching both closely, and let me tell you... it helps.

It's started, I am taking my time, and letting things come organically. So far, the ideas I have shared with people have been well taken. Hopefully in a few years, you will be watching my show!

That's it for now....

SG 

The Glamorous Life

When people ask me what I do, I always say Actor. Sometimes people don't even ask, they just know. Either by my groovy "actor esque" style, i.e. a lot of Black, or just by the pale skin and good looks. But always, these people are like "Oh my God, what a Glamorous lifestyle!"

I hope and pray that my career will take that path.... and please make it soon. What most people don't know about the "biz" so to speak, is more actors are out of work than in work. Luckily, I am in the percentage of working actors. But, as most people who have goals do, I am always striving to get a better job. This basically means that my job is to Audition. For those of you that don't know, here it goes.

Auditioning is my job. I feel I am pretty good at it, but I know I can get better. Most auditions for Musicals mean you go into a room, with a little table, with 2 to 3 people behind the table. There is a piano and a pianist, and then there's you and your 16 bars. For those of you who have no Idea what 16 bars means, it basically is the equivalent of saying two sentences in a singing manner. Now, a lot can be achieved in this short amount of time. 

1) The people behind the table can hear if you have legit vocal talent.

2) the pianist can horribly mess up your song and you sound like shit.

3) You sing well, the pianist plays well and the table people just don't react. (This happens a lot, and is very mind bending for the person auditioning).

It's a tough thing to wrap your finger around. Never can you guess what they are looking for. If you try you will fail horribly. You basically just have to go into thinking, "I'm going to sing, and expect nothing!" That way, if you do get a call back or a reaction even you are pleasantly surprised.

The only scary thing about being a "person that auditions" for your career choice, is you have to find other work to get you by until you get a theatre gig. This means many times the actor comes extremely close to becoming those people with cardboard signs asking for a quarter. What a glamorous life. But, if you have ever been bitten with the bug, it's hard not to give it a shot, and just hope for that break when it's you they choose!