e-love

Someone told me their email address at work:

johnandjaneforever@email.com*

I guess it's kind of cute.  But there's just something about immortalizing your love in an email address that doesn't have quite the same sense of romance as perhaps...well most other things you could do...

#13

13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.

2 Corinthians 12:9 - "...My grace is sufficient for thee:  for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

1 - Sugar. I speak very honestly when I say I might be addicted.


2 - I can be a very impatient person.  I really do try to just breathe and take a chill pill most of the time, but sometimes it's not so easy.  Especially if I'm tired.  Or hungry.


3 - Follow-through.  I make lots of plans.  Lots of plans.  I'm terrible at following through.  Sometimes I'm even good at sticking to things for a couple of weeks (I'm on week 3 of the Insanity workouts right now!  WOOT!) But usually I just lose the motivation to stick to things.  It's a problem. (Though sticker charts did help that one time...)

4 - I'm kind of judgmental sometimesallthetime. 

5 - Sticking to decisions.  This one is kind of like #3, but a little bit different.  Here I'm talking about sticking to my guns.  Personal integrity, moral conviction, keeping my pants on.  You know, just the big stuff.  You may read this and say, "What?!  You, Greg, clearly have no problem with this." And thanks to being raised Mormon by some pretty amazing parents, you're kind of right.  In general I've got things under control - but trust me when I tell you it's a daily fight.  And not like a 70%/30% or a 60%/40% sticking to it vs. giving in kind of fight.  Much of the time it's closer to a 50.5%/49.5% battle.  (Percentages calculated according to very specific, scientific, accurate methods) But I guess that's kind of what it's all about right?  Sticking to the fight even if you tip past that .5% every once in a while. 

#12

12. Describe a typical day in your current life.

Nothing I type here will be typical.  I'll give you an idea of a couple of different options though:


"Typical" work day:


Go in to work at midnight - work for 8 hours selling various workout programs to the kinds of people who call infomercial numbers at absurd hours of the day.  


Go home and work out, then head to an audition or two in various parts of town.


Come home and sleep.


Lather. Rinse. Repeat.


Typical day off:


Tuesday.  Catch up on dishes, putting clothing away, laundry, grocery shopping, internet use, books etc.  I'll usually go see a movie in the theater or Redbox something and watch it.  Occasionally I'll hang out with a friend or two in the evening depending on their work schedules.


But really, being an actor, I don't have any kind of set schedule.  I have 3 things in my life that are fairly consistent:


1 - Acting class on Monday night.


2 - Choir practice and church on Sunday afternoon


3 - Work.


The rest is crazy town! 

#11

11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.


1 - When things are behind schedule.  More so when things are behind schedule and no one will tell you why.


2 - Grumpy people.  There's no reason for it.


3 - For this one I'll just use an example.  I would sometimes have a question or two for my agent in Utah, so I'd send her an email. Without fail one of two things would happen:  1 - she wouldn't respond, 2 - she'd respond but only answer 1 of several questions - always the least important question of the bunch.  I think this kind of ties in with #1.  I am just generally peeved with a lack of communication.


4 - Buying a carton of strawberries only to have it get moldy after 2 days.


5 - Fees of all kinds.


6 - Bureaucracy.


7 - Another example here:  At work we ask this question, "For research purposes may I ask your age?".  I am severely bugged by anyone who says "No."  SERIOUSLY?!  WHAT DOES IT MATTER?!


8 - People on welfare who shouldn't be on welfare.


9 - When there's not enough cereal left in the box for a full bowl.


10 - That you can fly pretty much anywhere in Europe to anywhere else in Europe for like $10, but I can't get from LA to Salt Lake for less than $250.

Disconnect

So I end the call, right?

"Thanks for calling, best of luck to you.  Have a good one."

I don't hang up the phone, I just let it hang there.  She didn't hang up either, but she thought I had.  Then I hear...

"Wow, he sounded hot!"

I'm afraid I'd disappoint.  But she'll never meet me and I'm not one to poop on people's dreams.

Didn't even know it...

Night shifts are interesting.  They do all kinds of weird things like make you forget what day it is, but they also provide you with plenty of free time for reading and such.  I was looking through some old blog posts and came across this one about a poetry activity when I was an aide at the Elementary School.  I thought it might be fun to do a new poem and see how things have changed over the last couple of years.  So here we go:

I am smile-inducing and brave

I wonder if he knows...

I hear the call of winged wonder

I see the state of imagined bliss

I want to have a career instead of a day job

I am smile-inducing and brave

I pretend to have conviction

I feel that exciting stir

I touch the edge of fame

I worry that the edge is as far as I'll ever get

I cry alone on the beach of a Friday night

I am smile-inducing and brave

I understand that it can be really hard

I say "Get it!"

I dream about giant spiders

I try to just keep it together some days

I hope to hear the good words

I am smile-inducing and brave

 

Here's the form once again if you want to do your own.  Feel free to post it on your own blog/facebook/journal/whatever.  And also feel free to leave your poem in the comments!  I'd love to see what you all come up with.

 

I am (two descriptive things)

I wonder (something you wonder about)

I hear (some imaginary thing you hear)

I see (some imaginary thing you see)

I want (something you really want)

I am (first line of the poem)

I pretend (something you pretend)

I feel (something you really feel)

I touch (something imaginary you touch)

I worry (something you worry about/fear/etc.)

I cry (something that makes you cry)

I am (first line of poem)

I understand (something you understand)

I say (something you say/want to say)

I dream (something you dream about)

I try (something you try to do)

I hope (something you hope for)

I am (first line of poem)

#10

10. Describe your most embarrassing moment.

I have mixed feelings about this question.  I never know how to answer this question.  I can't decide if it's because I haven't really had any embarrassing moments, or because I've simply blocked them out.  If the former is the case I feel both jipped by the universe for not providing me an answer to this question, and also grateful that I don't have an epic answer to this question.  I don't deal well with embarrassment.*


So...embarrassing moment?  I have a plethora of stories from the stage - missed entrances, forgotten lines, costume malfunctions...but those seem just seem like they go with the territory so I don't really count them.


I was asked this question recently in  an audition and I nearly froze up.  Luckily they said, "An embarrassing moment or funny story." So I shared this one. If you don't want to read the whole thing, the gist is that my car broke, but was saved by the SLC Fire Department.  The whole story is much funnier however.


While searching for that particular blog post I remembered a time in college when I was driving with my friends Melissa and the Guter to the boonies outside of Cedar City and I somehow drove the front end of my car into a hole.  Apparently I have trouble with cars.  Must be the curse of Grandpa B.  Melissa and the Gutes swear they warned me, but I must have been fairly distracted because I do not remember any such warnings.  Anyway, we ended up getting the car out, but it was pretty embarrassing.  At least for me...but again, I don't deal well with embarrassment.


*And no, that's not an invitation.  If you take this as an opportunity to embarrass me in some way, you will quite possibly do irreparable damage to whatever relationship we might have.  So let's not.

#9

9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.

I'm just gonna be a bit random on this one.


In no particular order*:


1 - Walt Disney.  Because of Mr. D I have lots of treasured memories, a well-stocked DVD collection, some of my best friends in life, full photo albums, and unrealistic expectations about love.  I also have a near-constant desire for a churro.  Influential.


2 - Bob Martin.  He's the guy who wrote the musical "The Drowsy Chaperone."  He inadvertently influenced my life in a very big way.  Because of his writing I had one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life on stage.  I subsequently also moved to Los Angeles where I recently filmed a commercial for the one and only Old Navy - basically all because of Bob.  If that's not influence, I don't know what is.  But seriously, being in "Drowsy" was a pivotal experience for me and it will always hold a special place in a frame on my wall. (and in an over-sized, crocheted-afghan-covered chair in a tiny warm corner of my heart)


3 - My aunt Mary Ann.  Among so very many other things (being a stellar teacher, parent, and all-around person), she taught me to tuck in the sleeves of my under-shirts when I roll them up while folding laundry.  Makes for a much cleaner underwear drawer.


4 - Whoever invented brownies.  Seriously.


5 - Ruth and Nathan Hale.  I never met them, but I've heard amazing things.  From what I understand they started this little family-friendly theater in Glendale (which is still there) and expanded their empire to include several other theaters in a couple of other states.  Some of the absolute happiest times in my life were spent at the West Valley Hale.  I met some unbelievably amazing people there, and really just can't describe the influence that place had on me.  It's basically my home.  Thanks Hales!


6 - My friend Molly.  Each of my friends has influenced me in some way, but for some reason Molly popped right into my head when I read this.  And I think the reason is something she probably doesn't even realize she does.  Aside from the many praise-worthy virtues I could extol ad-nauseum, I mostly remember that whenever we go anywhere she treats everyone she talks to like they deserve every courtesy and every ounce of human kindness one can muster.  Always.  It's rather inspiring.


7 - My High School Arts Triumvirate.  Yep, I gave them a title.  I couldn't pick which one to write about, so I'm including all three.  Mrs. Street, Mr. Bird, and Benj.  Drama, Band, and Speech respectively.  These three stellar educators really shaped who I am today.  They helped me build my confidence, tap into my talents, learn how to work for worthwhile things, love the arts etc. etc. etc.  I was lucky to be instructed by all of them and am where I am today because of the foundation they set.  I should send them all a thank-you card...


8 - There was this tiny little old lady I met in Argentina.  I forget her name, but she would play this song on tape and the culminating phrase was, "Lazaro, Lazaro, Lazaro, lenvantate!"  (Lazarus, Lazarus, Lazarus, Rise!**).  With corresponding ascending chords and such.  Whenever I'm feeling a little down and need a reason to smile I think of that.  It was a peppy little tune and just so funny to me.


9 - Becca.  She gave me hope.  And because of her I now eat the entire apple every time - core and all.


10 - Jesus Christ.  Sometimes I'm a little reticent to say things like that in a public forum for whatever reason.  But lately I've been trying to be better at letting my faith become more of a core part of my life - something that's just a natural, daily part of me.  So honestly, Jesus Christ has been the single biggest influence on my life, my happiness, my trajectory, everything.  He gives me hope and lifts me up even when I probably don't deserve it, and despite my occasional bouts of wavering.


*There are TONS of people I could have put on this list, but I had to pick 10.  Just because you don't see your name here doesn't mean you haven't influenced me.  I tried to be a bit unexpected.


**Or "Rise up!" or "Come forth!" or however else you want to translate it.

#8

8. What are 5 passions you have?

1 - Acting.  Acting is the only thing in my life that I have never gotten tired of doing. (That may be a bit hyperbolic as I continue to enjoy eating, Disneyland, and sleep, but you get the idea.) Despite the fact that I am a bit of an introvert in my regular life, there is something very addictive about acting.  Although I've heard that a lot of actors are introverts - specifically I heard that about Danny Glover, so I guess I'm in good company. But I digress.  I just love acting, and happen to be pretty good at it. (That's not arrogance, it's self-awareness.)

2 - Brownies. I've cut down a bit on the brownies lately, but at one time I had at least 12 boxes of brownie mix in my cupboard.  A colleague of mine had a closet full of toilet paper, so we decided that during the end of the world, we'd trade.  One of my dreams in life, when I'm an old, eccentric, retired actor is to open up a bakery that sells exclusively brownie-related foods.  I'm always on the lookout for a great recipe, so if you have one, pass it my way.

3 - Disney.  Perhaps a bit cliche, but it's true.  My season pass just expired and I can't really afford another one just at this moment and I may have cried a few tears about that.  I've been going to Disney since I was 6.  I think I took 10 trips just last year.  I've already been 4 times this year.  I worked there in college. I love it.  LOVE IT!

4 - Education.  I love kids.  I love seeing kids learn.  I love helping kids learn.  True story.  The classroom was a bit stressful for me, but I loved the atmosphere and the involvement. I hope to be involved with the education of the childrens in one way or another for the rest of my days.

5 - Dreams!  I'm all for being ridiculous and living with your head in the clouds a bit.  I realize that's easier for some than others, but seriously - you regret the things you don't do more than the things you do do.  (ha ha, do do.  Don't judge me, it's early.) Follow your dreams.  Pursue your passions.  Live without regrets!