So a couple days ago we were just starting to take the dogs out for their morning walk when a model-T Ford chugged by the house. We were standing right out front deciding on a course for the morning...either the dog park around the corner, the long and winding, dusty trail at the Equestrian Center or the residential trek through suburbia. And here comes this model-T Ford. Jay Leno was driving it. Apparently he has thousands of cars, he's a car freak, and this is not a terribly rare sight. He lives near here in Burbank. But it made me smile. A gentle reminder that I'm not in Kansas anymore, so to speak.
Now, seeing Jay Leno drive by in an old car is not in and of itself all that earth shattering. But it gave me pause because I just think it's cool that a guy we see on our TV screen everynight (actually, we watch Letterman, but you get my drift) drives by our house all the time in one of his freakish cars.
As usual he waved and smiled and kept going. Mr. Leno, at least from the safety of his front seat, seems a very nice guy.
Last night I had an audition for a small budget film. The read was at 8:00pm...an odd time for an audition but whaddayagonnado. The character was a very milk toast kinda guy, ala Jack Nicholson in 'About Schmidt.' I read the scene over a few times before I went in and had pretty much decided there wasn't a lot there for me to play with, acting-wise. So I just did it plain and open and simple. No frills auditioning. When I finished and the director turned the camera off, she said, "GREAT! I just KNEW you'd bring something completely different to the role!" Huh? Uh, yeah, well, thanks.
Today I'm memorizing a chunk of dialogue for a big read on Friday. I usually don't memorize dialogue for auditon purposes, but this is a callback situation and a big one at that. So, I'm breaking my rule.
The read last night reminded me of a story a buddy of mine out here told me once. He'd been cast in a film Clint Eastwood was doing and they had all taken their marks and were about to get the 'action' call. He turned out to Clint, standing slightly back and away from the camera and quickly asked, "Anything in particular you want for this?" Eastwood replied, "Well, let's start with nothing and see what happens." I've always liked that - 'Let's start with nothing...'
I didn't win the mega millions lottery. Then again, no one else did either. So now it's up to something like eight gillion dollars. I'll buy two more tickets for the next drawing on Friday. I don't mind doing this. As usual I'm a little late to this party. I never played the lottery before coming out here. Not once. Ever. And yet I always fantasized about winning it, strangely enough. I don't mind buying two dollars worth of tickets (are they called 'tickets?') because I get so much enjoyment from daydreaming about winning it. My daydreams have taken on the scope of a daytime drama...incredibly complex, lifelike, action-laden daydreams. I've practically written a full-length play in my head about the twists and turns that would come from winning it. While we're on our morning constitutional with the dogs, Angie often asks, "Where are you right now? What are you thinking?" I always say, "Nothing." But the truth is I'm deep into my lottery daydream. Sort of pathetic, really. Nonetheless it gives me great pleasure.
I remember an interview I saw some years back with Bill Gates. He was asked, "What do you say to people who tell you 'money can't buy you happiness?'" He said, without pause, "They've never had money."
There you have it.
See you tomorrow.
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