Moving On

As I reflect on the last few months and my time in this town and my apartment dwindle away, I realize that I don’t have a lot of time left here. The simple fact of the matter is, I have to move on in order to continue my life and career. It’s a bittersweet realization in that there are people who I will sorely miss when I go, such as my Lionface and college friends, all the friends I’ve met through doing comedy, and work colleagues turned friends. Yet there are people and situations surrounding me that I would rather forget. I’m a believer in the idea that life is too short to be around people who make you feel like shit. Hence the bittersweet feeling, there are pros and cons to moving on.

Which brings me to my next point: Where am I going? The answer: Not entirely sure. So I’m listing some pros and cons for the top three locations that have been recommended to me for various reasons. Note: I’m not including monetary investments in the pros/cons because that’s sort of a given. Of course I’m going to have to think about money issues, but I don’t want to have to repeat myself on that particular note.

Don’t worry, we’ll get through this together. I have interspersed happy puppy pictures to keep this from getting too heavy.

Location 1: Los Angeles

Pros:

• This is where my company would like for me to go. They believe that there is a lot more work for me there and that, due to my age and young appearance, I will be cast more readily then someone who goes there without representation or looks a great deal older than their age. Plus, they have enough connections in the area that they assured me that I would have an easier time finding side work to help pay the bills while I am auditioning and performing elsewhere.
• Health-wise, this would probably be a good move for me. I’ve always had issues with my health that has kind of been attributed to Ohio’s constant changing of weather and cold winter. Therefore, living somewhere with a more steady weather pattern might not be a bad idea.

Cons:

• I have almost no contacts in LA. Oddly enough, being and actor and a comedian, I have yet to actually meet someone who has lived in or will be living in LA. Yes, I am supposed to be starting off fresh, but having one or two contacts that can show me around would be EXTREMELY beneficial. Plus, I have no doubt that it gets lonely in a new place and I have enough anxiety issues as it is to not have at least one person that I can talk to in the area.
• Let’s be real, I am a very fair-skinned ginger. There is no tan for me, I go straight to burn in a matter of minutes. When I burn badly enough, I can get incredibly sick, which would naturally prevent me from working. Not to mention the fact that an actor’s appearance is a huge selling point in the industry. If I walk into an audition with a face that matches my hair, that might not leave a very good impression. A minor con, perhaps, but still something to think about.

ZOMG! He’s so happy!!!!

Location 2: Chicago

Pros:

• I have a lot of connections in Chicago! This could help me find a job to do on the side while attending auditions and whatnot. Plus, I would have people to be able to show me around the city and possibly help me with networking. This would also be beneficial health wise for me so that if I am having any problems or am in an accident there is someone in the area I could call to help me out.
• It is a great deal closer to home for me, which is a big deal for me. I come from a very close family and while they drive me nuts on occasion, it has always been good for me to be only a few hours away as opposed to a few states away. My biggest concern would be not being able to get home in time if there was a big emergency. Naturally, I have to go where the work is, but if I went to Chicago, this would be less of a concern since I would be able to make it back if I absolutely needed to versus if I would have to take an airplane or a train or something.

Cons:

• While they are currently in the process of trying to set up an office in Chicago, the company that I am associated with does not currently have any representatives in Chicago. Since they are the focal point of my career, this is a problem. I would most likely have to leave Chicago quite often to attend auditions or work, which can not only be pricy, it would also be extremely stressful.
• From the various connections I have in Chicago, I have learned that finding side work is not very easy. Within the past couple of years, Chicago has become a hotspot for aspiring actors, so the competition is fierce. While I am confident in the skills I have, I do need to take this into consideration, especially as far as side work is concerned. If there are hundreds of aspiring actors in one place, no doubt they are looking for side work as well in order to be able to stay in the city as long as possible.

A wild happy dog appears! SO HAPPY!!!

Location 3: New York

Pros:

• Once again, this is a place in which I have a few connections. Perhaps not as many as I would in Chicago, but I do have friends in this area. And as I stated before, this is kind of a big deal to me.
• The company I work for does have an office in New York, so I would not have to travel out-of-town as much in order to attend auditions for find work. Mind you, I probably still would have to on occasion, but there is a greater chance of me finding work without having to go outside of the city.

Cons:

• As with Chicago, New York is full of aspiring actors and not only that, but aspiring business men and women as well. To say the least, New York is pretty packed. Not to mention the fact that for a single, young female living on her own, it does have the possibility of being dangerous. I am not an idiot by any means and I do know ways of protecting myself, but I’m also not foolish enough to think that this isn’t something to worry about.
• Once again, finding side work presents itself as an issue for me to consider. In New York, I am not only competing against actors but performers in general. I would be elsewhere as well, but from what I’ve heard New York is more difficult to find work in. Many people attempt to get a job there first before every moving into the area to begin with. So if I were to even consider going to New York (or honestly anywhere) I would want to make sure that I at least had a job waiting for me when I get there.

If you made it to this point than kudos to you! Glad to see my ramblings have not thrown you off immensely, I hope that happy puppy pictures helped. Since you did make it this far, I would like to ask your opinion on this matter. Additionally, if you know anything about the living and/or job situation in either of these three cities, I would love to discuss it with you and perhaps clear up any misconceptions I might have. I await your comments!

Thanks for reading!

“And who knows, maybe starting a new journey won’t be so hard or perhaps it has already begun.” – KH1