On Thursday I got a call saying I'd been hired for this Paul McKenna project (it has something to do with hypnotism and sugar addiction) I'd auditioned for a while ago. This is the second job I got based on personality alone. The casting director really liked me, but he said that the network (Lifetime) was looking for someone heavier than me. However, he really liked me and he was going to try to push me through. Sure, I thought. Hollywood bullshit, I thought. Then I get a call asking if I was available to film in February! It's a non-paying job and I have class (Level 3 just started yesterday) and rehearsals (in a new troupe with Clif from Men In Shirts and Darin R Webb of The Remainders!) the 5 Saturdays they are filming (in Manhattan Beach, which is like an hour away from where I live), so I'm going to turn it down. But I was still super excited to get the call.

Tomorrow I have an audition in Santa Monica for Total Core (an ab machine) as Woman On The Street. This one *is* a paying job. Thursday I have an interview with the Zanuck Agency. They contacted me through LACasting and I sent them my headshot/resumé a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't expecting to hear from them so quickly! So, things are going really well out here. Better than expected. So far I'm 3 for 3 on auditions and bookings. Not that I expect to keep that up, by any means. It's just a LOT better than I was ever expecting to do. I've done more stuff here in 3 months than I did in PHX in 4 years. To be fair, though, LA is a slightly bigger market.

Oh, and I sort of impulse bought a laptop today. Macbook. I've done the research and wanted a laptop for a while, but I was planning on waiting til the end of February. Not so much. I walked right in and told the guy what I wanted. He said, well, let me show you this model. I said, I'm literally only going to use it for wireless internet, photos, and music. I don't need the version that's $400 more. They have a 90 day no interest finance plan available, so he had me fill out the info as he went to the back. I was done quickly, and grabbed a passing girl to help print it up. It was processing my info when she said, "Don't worry. Hardly anyone gets approved over the website." At that moment, my approval code popped up. "Wow! You're one of the few! I don't think I've every seen that before. Usually we have to call in with additional bank information." Oh, honey. I've been obsessed with my credit rating for about 10 years now. I can get approved for just about anything.

So, anyway, I now must go upload my itunes onto my new Mac! Hooray!

Faith has been in AZ this week visiting family. She left me a message today:

"Hey, Ashley. I was just thinking about you and was wondering if your camera ever made it?"

Uh, yeah, Faith. Perhaps you do not remember, seeing as you were three sheets to the wind, but you were on the phone with me when the UPS chick delivered it.

Oh, Drunky, you sure do make for good stories.

Check me out on the iO website:

Podcast

UPS reads my blog.

At 9:30 last night my doorbell rang. I was on the phone with Faith, as she's back in PHX for Family Fun Time. We don't have a peep hole, so it's always a surprise when our doorbell rings. (Unless we've ordered pizza) It was the UPS lady. Even though my phone conversation earlier said they would come back the next day, she made the delivery right away. AWESOME!!!

Thank you, UPS, for your fantasticness.

I DID NOT MOVE!!!

I ordered my Nikon D80 on the 29th. They shipped it on the 30th. I was able to get 2 day free shipping b/c I spent so much. I have been tracking my order ever since, and I was supposed to get it today. Anytime up until 7pm. They called last night to confirm. Today at 6:20pm, the UPS site had "Moved" in the status column. I immediately called, seeing as I hadn't moved all day. I had been processing claims in anticipation of my delivery that should have come a week ago. The nice CS rep updated the system and confirmed my address. Yep, they had the correct address. I have no idea what happened. BOO!! So, tomorrow they're s'posed to come.

Sunday I got the best wrong number call of my life. I never answer my phone when I'm eating with people, unless it's a number I don't know. I'm signed up with LA Casting, so if someone wanted to get a hold of me for a job, I'm not about to let that go to voice mail. Anyway, it showed up "Restricted". I answered.

Me: Hello?
Older Black Woman: Well, hi! How're you?
Me: I'm fine. Who are you trying to reach?
OBW: Vanessa. Is Vanessa there?
Me: No. I'm Ashley.
OBW: Well, hi, Ashley, how're you?
Me: Uh, fine. Who is this?
OBW: It's your grandmother!

***Now, I know what my Nana's voice sounds like, and it sure wasn't the woman on the other end of this conversation. However, I was thoroughly confused, as she seemed to know me even after I said my name.***

Me: Um, I don't think so. This is Ashley Nugent.
OBW: Oh, my, I'm so sorry! I must have the wrong number! I thought you were my granddaughter, Ashley.

***Turns out this lady's grandchild and I share the same name***

We talked a little longer about how funny the whole situation was, and I wished her luck at calling her family. This woman was so nice. That conversation made my day.

Dear Faith's Cookies: Stop tempting me with your yummy goodness.

Dear Faith: Stop baking my Arch Nemesis!

Camera, oh Camera. When will you get here?

Happy 2008

On Sunday my folks left me a message. They were headed up to Troy for their Sunday ritual at Culvers. Burgers and fries.

Dad: This is our last trip up here for a while. No more burgers and fries!
Mom (laughing in the background): Yeah, right!

Every year it's the same. They get crazy with the diet plan, then stop sticking to it about a month in. I realized that's the same for me. Every year I vow to exercise more. I vow to stop eating so many sweets. And I can go a week with solid exercise. Or a month with eating well. And I'm definitely in better shape now than this time last year. So what does it take to change? To make this year-my 30th on this planet-The Year?

For starters, I'm going to be more public about it. On the first of every month, I'm going to post my weight and body fat percentage. Now, I really don't care how much I weigh. It's the BFP that bothers me. I've drawn up a very intense work out schedule for the month of January. I'm just going to take it one month at a time, but I'm going to treat it like I'm training for an action movie.

I think another motivation is my location. I'm not in a small market anymore. If I don't get auditions, I can't say, well, that's because there aren't a lot of things to audition for. I'm living in the biggest market in the US. There are no excuses. That immediacy has definitely changed my outlook.

So, here it is:

Weight: 150
BFP: 33.64%

My ultimate goal is 20%-22%. You can lose 1%-2%/month, which means this could take 5-10 months to get where I want to be. Weight-wise, I don't think I'll go below 135. My freshman year at WSU I had a smokin' hot body that was almost solid muscle from all the dance I had to take, and I never dropped below 138. Now, don't worry. This journal isn't about to turn into a constant obsession with my exercise routine. I can't stand girls who complain about how they look. Just once a month I'll post where I am. Sort of, to be held accountable publicly. There it is. I'm excited!