Good, capital G

16 March 2020 in MD office Long Island, NY

how about wisconsin for a lack of change?  still holding primaries this week in the middle of what is NOT simply another year of “the flu”.  maybe that is a sign of how scared the political machine [which i can tell you does NOT represent me or likely you] is of change.  machines run the program.  our compliance, take our money and stay in our homes and forget about any change in this broken machine, inhuman, unhelpful, unkind, impersonal, big business (another machine) killing the little being.

now is a time for people to come together in a bigger way.  NOT physically; energetically.  we need more energy to do the things we all are appreciating how much FREEDOM we under appreciated and took for granted: gathering physically, stopping at the grocery store for that “one thing we came in for”, taking kids to a playground, or having kids over to play in our backyard.  how has our backyard somehow even become a little less Ours?  

17 March 2020 ophthalmic tech/scribe NY

because right now we have a responsibility for our community, the people we know and those we have never seen.  the 82-year-old who’s grandchild does not yet grasp that hanging out leaning on your friend’s car at the beach could kill grandma.  this has never happened to us in our lifetime; we are capable of learning from history.  we are intelligent.  

i don’t know the number of people who want another president in the United States; i don’t know the number of countries that want more of the same for US.  I know i want more, more of what is Good.  we all know Good, in our guts.  it is not a question, it is undeniable, it is Known, and it is the same for all of Us.  

10-4 in 2020! 🙂

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Pretty _____ Week

This week past, I worked as an “Environmental Protestor” holding a sign against a pesticide law in California for a TV show, and I play- here’s a stretch- (on another show, this one for AppleTV)- a NY pedestrian. Background performer on both, no lines, or legit screen time, but both pretty days in their own league.  I often am cast as the “crunchy” “granola” “hippie”.  It’s my look, it is, apparently, my niche.  From the Hulu show ‘The Path’ to this week’s ‘PROTECTOR of BEES!’ role,  I guess it’s clear, I am a treehugger.

Prius-driving, recycling, composting, cloth napkins, buying Mother Earth friendly (and, it turns out, the friend to our own largest organ: our skin!) soaps … and, choosing recycled paper products, all these individual choices add up.  Each IS a choice to complete the cycle through the purchase of paper products; recycle the cardboard = step 1, buy the 100% recycled paper product = step 2 (it feels like there should be a step 3 somewhere since it IS a recycling TRIangle, help me out here).  I, personally, buy ’em all: paper towels, toilet paper, tissues.  Some people cannot go for a recycled paper product to wipe the arse post-poopage.  I can.  One day, soon perhaps, I will make the switch to cloth handkerchiefs, too.  Need to research how to clean them well enough; is it possible without bleach?  Baby diaper: you GOTTA use bleach, right??

Let us/me mostly get back on topic: The NYC pedestrian gig was what is referred to as a “RUSH CALL”. Basically, usually, someone else has canceled and the casting person needs to replace her NOW to show-up on-set on-time/ASAP. My husband was set to work a specific “OVERNIGHT” and a RUSH CALL for a female was posted via email approximately a half hour before he was suppose to leave. I replied to it (usually i do not because i feel they should have booked ME in the first place, because I would Not have canceled on them… I show up… anyway) and I said I could be to the location at the exact time I knew he was suppose to report there, his call-time. Casting called, and I booked the gig.  Long story short, it ended up being a beautiful location by the water with NYC skyline view, I didn’t even end up working because they only wanted special ability dancers, AND production paid for a crepes truck to show up: “Thanks for a Crepe Week!”  I basically got paid to get some exercise by riding my bicycle with my husband, to have someone who just won an Emmy for personal hair dresser to Michelle Williams on the Fx miniseries ‘Fosse/Verdon’ make my hair look even better, to eat a delicious catered dinner, to enjoy a Friday night out with my husband eating a savory crepe . . . and getting paid.  Oh, and the “overnight” turned out to be we were riding our bicycles home before midnight.

Um, I am grateful, for many, many … many moments.  What have you, to be grateful?

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Abundant 2019

The past two years have proven … full of Love/excitement (some scary, some fun)/exhausting/infinitely hopeful.

Auditions have increased, and I have joined the stage union Actors Equity.  Originally, I had solely focused on television and film, but acting in the British farce ‘Miranda’ as Lady Claire Martin, and a friend who worked on Broadway, brought me to the the realization that limiting myself to these two filmed mediums only was cutting out a whole opportunity to act.  The goal is : to act, to sustain myself financially through acting.  Stage acting can be lucrative, and certainly fulfilling, the characters robust and standing the test of Time, satisfying beyond being a background extra.

Limiting ourselves; placing restrictions on our Life’s satisfaction, ugh.  We, each of us, are deserving of happiness.  Whether we restrain possibilities of Love in a miserable relationship where we make too many unreasonable compromises to the benefit of another who consistently takes from us our energy, or in a job that depletes our creativity and passion in order to pay the bills.  Paying the bills is important.  Currently I am investing in my financial freedom by reading a digestible book called ‘InvestED’ by Danielle Town.  The stress of financial worry can wreck havoc on our health, and while I am reading a great deal more, in part thanks to a wonderful man in my life who also enjoys the delights and benefits of the exercise, if feels empowering to grow this knowledge.

Another area I have been in pursuit of more devotion: My own health.  Specifically, more dependable Yoga and Meditation practices.  Usually, I suppose, I have discovered, I can have a tendency to be an “all or nothing” mentality, a perfectionist unhappiness that accomplishes zero when five Sun Salutations or five meditative minutes is, in fact, better than none.  The Peace washes me of displeasure, fault-finding and “not enoughtist” mentality, leaving me happier, healthier, and good enough.

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Greatest Week

This was the first week I was paid to work full-time on-set. Hugh Jackman is starring and producing a biopic of P.T. Barnum, a passion project long in the works, titled “The Greatest Showman”.  By far the best production I have ever been a part of, both because of the entertainment level of the movie and the kindness of the crew. The songs are incredible, one better than the next, written by two of the composers from award winning “LaLa Land” (Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) with splendid dance numbers (I only know the choreographer as Ashley, he is amazing!).

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From the fitting a month ago, where the wardrobe department dressed me three different options, to the first day of filming this past Monday, even with a 3:30 am wake-up to begin filming at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, I have been completely enthralled. This energized and colorful movie set in the 1860’s feels like it is going to be the Christmas blockbuster of 2017. I have never encountered such a kind and truly generous leading man as Hugh Jackman. He handed out lotto scratch off cards to the crew Friday morning, upon introduction – hugged their friends and family visiting the setup, and hired an Italian sausage food truck for the final late night of the week, too. No wonder the production feels so happy and work proceeds with ease, even on perpetual 14 hour days.

The inspiration from the beautiful, uplifting, strong songs, seeing the unrelenting happiness and work ethic of the main man, and the collaboration of many talented artists to create this masterpiece goes without compare. What a powerful way to begin this new year. Two weeks in and it is a blessing I am grateful to have experienced this motivating force of art that emboldens one to continue recent endeavors, to push for more achievements, and to dream even bigger with the belief that enough hard work, perseverance, and patience, can, and will make all dreams true. Everyone starts somewhere; everyone is inspired by someone. I am a very thankful woman; may I grow ever more so throughout the year.

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I am one of the Perks Of Nature

Be a part of growing me on the star-meter at IMDb.com 

Source of Sunshine

I have plants surrounding where I sit.  Basil, oregano, chard, they grow towards the light.  I turn their pots, they stretch to straighten, to lean in the other direction, always toward the source of Sunshine. Human beings can be this way, too. We gravitate toward happy people, we soak up their good vibrations.

Personally, I know I will not call or meet with someone specifically if I know I don’t have a high frequency, am not feeling well enough to deflect or ward off their bad joujou and keep my own essence positively strong. This is important. There are enough negative energies bombarding us, from the outside world, and even more so sometimes from the inside. The self-defeating thoughts our brains can torment and torture us with is as bad as cutting or bulimia. Moving, stretching ourselves toward the inner Light we are all capable of creating is powerfully rewarding.

This year has thrown a lot of intimate, terrible yuck at my heart, and this has made my head exceedingly defeatist. I certainly wished for the pain to stop, sobbing and begging many times to no avail. Sleep eluded/eludes me, still, though this has gotten better with daily exercise again (when I am focused and allow life to be the imperfection it must) and a natural stress-free sleep combo from the Whole Foods Market. Sleep and exercise, dormancy and challenge, these are what makes Life.

A lot of accomplishments have occurred, too, though those are not as easy to dwell upon, but they can be. I learned I can memorize well and quickly, thus that is no longer a fear. I was shown I can audition and get a callback, when I go and have Fun, because Fun is part of the Light, and everyone wants to be comfortably warm and smiling. I laughed at myself, and still do, with many others also laughing at themselves and the challenge of learning choreography. To be challenged is part of living. All beings yearn and strive to be whole, to be well, this is our natural homeostasis, to grow and be healthy and shining with confident eudaemonia.

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see my StarMeter rise on the  International Movie Database

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Mirth Worthy

Moments of inspiration, respiration, perspiration, they come in and out of life.  When a person is born, we celebrate.  When a person dies, we mourn.  A celebration

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of the life they shared with us and the world is a productive, optimistic, motivating choice. I wholly empathize, and cry hard, to the point of nausea, when a close loved one croaks.  All that morose feelings, though, is for me, my regrets for not seeing them that one last time, hurt I did not soak up every opportunity with them because my “life”, and appointments, and commitments got in my own way. Excuses.

Our loved ones know we love them, they know this because we spent loving time and shared deep unexplainable connections, over countless moments together. To have regrets, the pain is deep. A pain unalterable, all we can do is allow, and let go. How easy it is, two simple, short words, to say: Let go, of all we wish had happened, would happen. How brief this life is, and how peaceful we can choose to breathe. Or to heave, with sobbing thrusts, when all is truly out of our little control. Control, like time, and money, are, in fact, illusions. Death commands: Relinquish.

This year has proven a grand reminder, to live in this moment, this present before me NOW. To breathe deeply, in and out, to seek ways to calm myself and care for this little being, channeling the most energetic essence, that is me. Many times, folks have told me I have to take care of myself, and those too are easy, valuable words. Figuring out HOW to care for myself, when life has thrown much seriousness to deal with onto the playing board, I try to … PLAY. As a wooer of words, I adore looking up synonyms. My favorite for months has been

PLAYFUL [adj] funny, fun-loving: coltish, flirtatious, frisky, jaunty, jesting, jocund, mirthful, rollicking, snappy, vivacious, whimsical, and zippy.

Simply typing these words has spanned a smile wide across my face. May mirth rollick into you day in many ways.  It’s all worthy.

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This Monday 10/10 I am enthralled to be a guest on BBox internet radio!  Have a listen from 1-3pm EST!!

Meditation

Last week, I attended an open meeting with a commercial agent at the actor’s union (SAG-AFTRA) office. As a Meisner trained actor, I am confident stating listening is a strength of mine. Commercials, however, while they may involve listening or reacting to another actor or situation, are more likely to be a monologue. In every situation an actor must bring herself to the material, let it flow through without pushing, relax, have fun, and ultimately play!

The ‘Casting Access’ opportunity stipulated “bring 30 seconds of commercial copy”, your headshot and resume, oh, and it is not advised to wear flip-flops. They really have to say that; maybe it’s for the L.A. folks. This was to be my very first foray into commercials. Of all the classes in which I have invested, from improv to auditioning for the camera, I now shake my head that so potentially lucrative a field as commercials was overlooked. Commercial acting is … acting, but it is also specific in its technique, and thanks to the Q&A with the agent, there is now a serious value for years of thorough improv training.

Google [personally I utilize blackle.com] knows everything, and with a quickness I found an ice cream commercial that felt right for me, “my type”, the young mom, shall we say. I worked on memorizing it, and the day came for my very first commercial audition, albeit for a commercial agent. As far as I could feel, it went exceedingly well. He was very positive with his feedback, remarking he could see me recalling the memory like we do in real life (the cogs turning so-to-speak), I was warm and brought my organic essence; I felt like I had nailed it. Then, I had to let it go. Doing fantastic makes one levitate with ecstatic satisfaction- you feel validated, like “yeah, I am very good”. In the end, though, in every aspect of life, we have to let it go, move on, because after we do whatever it is we do, there is the next moment in life, and holding on to the past stifles the future.

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I am one of the http://www.PerksOfNature.com

check out the YouTube I recorded a week ago!

Poison Practice

Today, casting inquired my availability to audition: today. “Yes!”was the natural response. One always enthusiastically replies affirmative. At least, this is the habit we cultivate when desiring positive reverberation from Universal Energy to all our own hopes and dreams answered. This audition was specific to redheads … and could I be there by 2:00 pm. Again: “Yes!”.

Quick like a bunny, I hopped in the shower and blow-dried my hair, found my last remaining prepared headshot and resumé [they pleasantly remarked how I was the only one who had come prepared] and off I went into the magic that is Manhattan. Arriving, after discovering the entrance, though listed on Broadway, was truly on 40th … being photographed by security in order to have a barcode printed with my photo so I can to scan my way through the gates to ride the elevator, I land on the 23rd floor to a standing-room-only waiting room full of glorious redheads!

Rocks and leaves

Pleasantly chatting up the male receptionist for approximately half an hour … it was my turn. They were looking to fill five positions for a live event to include: the cowgirl from Toy Story, Lucille Ball, Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman, Wendy from the fast food restaurant, and Poison Ivy. I think every woman instantly wants to be the tall, sexy Pretty Woman, but reality helped me consider the chances of me, at 5’3”, fitting that tall bill … upon re-evaluation, my excitement grew as I realized my long tendrils would be a perfect fit as Poison Ivy. The audition consisted of improvisation, which was immense fun. Sexy, seductive, deadly Poison Ivy. Needless to say, [I forgot to mention, a bird made a tiny poo landing right on me surfacing from the subway] … the audition went splendid! They confirmed my availability both the 16th and the 18th … I am completely available ALL the 18th, however, I am already booked for the 16th … because … I said “Yes!” to another casting director for a show I work on all the time! “Friday is a rehearsal, it is an hour, everyone has to be there, we’ll be making our decision tomorrow” … oh well! It would have been immensely fun to dress up in an amazing Poison Ivy costume. At least I got to practice auditioning!

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http://www.KatrinaPerkins.com

 

Business Adventure!

Business must progress in order to remain viable attain growth. Therefore, 2016 will bring the addition of Vlogging to the enterprise of Katrina Perkins, Inc. Management has suggested this for some time, and finally, it shall be implemented; the video is scheduled to drop on YouTube the final Friday of the month. Now… I have decided on a topic: Five Things I wish I Knew (Before I began working background), next is to record the video, then edit, and finally set it free upon the internet!

This is splendid practice on several levels. 1. Choosing a topic (I am challenged when it comes to finalizing a choice, it’s the Libra in me only possibly). 2. Dissecting with intent realistic, weekly goals in order to achieve this monthly project consistently. 3. Recording myself (I am self-critical and have a silly belief I must look perfect, everything must sound perfect, and the ideas I string together must be perfectly understandable). 4. Editing! I have never edited video before, and this might turn out to be easier to learn than I anticipate, which is what I hope! 5. FREE me up to Doing something and Allowing it to BE! I am excited to be undertaking this endeavor, many other humans are capable and I too shall succeed!

This new year is only a week in and many good moments are opening up to me. A regular yoga practice has helped (I was off for a bit, and am now back Om haha) AND I have taken up meditation, at the same yoga studio, which has ben truly beautiful. It is a chakra balancing meditation which lasts about 45 minutes weekly and the energy is sublime; peaceful, centering, vitalizing, uplifting, and I feel stronger, too. Every new beginning has it’s wobbles, but perseverance and consistency bolster any adventure!

 

www.KatrinaPerkins.com  see my rising StarMeter on the IMDb icon too!

End On Ease

I am that woman who holds onto a bottle of-who-knows-how-many-too-many-years-old clear nail polish top coat, because the bottle is still more than half full.  Worry nevermore over a cost (though be it well deserved, much needed, self-pampering time) of more Self-manicures, an easy removal from the list of worry.  It comes down to time.  Many matters do.  At the end of the year I find myself more motivated to take my time (does that even make the slightest sense?), and accomplish, somehow, even more.  Focused.  Busy year, quite full of thanks.  List making (aside from the mental ones to keep track of worrying) is a brilliant start to a day.  Consistency creates ease.  Dirty, dirty… chaos, must naturally create the opposite, dis-ease.  And then, and then, and then, another year begins. Perhaps I continue to persevere the day after day of working this Business of Show. And perhaps I overcome having postcards addressed to huge casting director stamped:

RETURN TO SENDER

NOT DELIVERABLE AS ADDRESSED

UNABLE TO FORWARD

Boo!  How does one circumnavigate this hurdle into getting in front of someone in this casting director’s office. Sometimes I feel so nervous auditioning. I get in my own way. Recently I had an experience where I realize this is one of my grandest hurdle. Anxiety. How has this happened to me? I may be the best in the class, but without being in class to work out, I feel less confident going into an audition. I think I just struck on to something. Ok. So classes? Paying for classes is not something for which I am budgeted. No yoga classes. No dance classes.  no stunt training.  no jujitsu.  No acting classes.  But, “I just struck on to something”, and classes certainly eased this anxiety that I suddenly find bear hugging me. What is a woman to do? Part time job for classes? Then how much time am I committing to instead of time spend to grow this incorporation?  To attend classes, at least two days each week. Leaving only five days each week to hope for multiple days to work as an extra, oh grand aspirations one hopes to achieve!  AKA a form of Networking, that happens to pay a little.  Ok. Where there is a will there is a way.  Where? Let us move on to that question perhaps now and we’ll tackle the other one next. Lively New year; the time is now 7:24 in the East Coast USA