SYTYCD rants 1st week of eliminations

My tirade on the first perform/eliminate show...
First off I think it sucks that they couldn't do a seperate show...so much pressure.

Secondly- Noooo Billy.... His technique is amazing and when he performs he knows how to PERFORM...not just do the contemporary thing and turn inward... I want to steal him and make him do LOTS of ballet FOREVER.

Ahem... Noelle, I don't even remember her. Isn't that sad?

1st number waaas- Phillip, I expected him to do well at the Jive and I think he did do pretty well. Channing....I agree, not using her plie. Not a bad number, but what I expected.

2nd- Ah Jakob, can I have him also? Ashleigh was like a glittery prop for this.... His jumps are AMAZING. I liked the number...but would have liked to see a female who could have shone a little more against him.

3rd- I thought Peter did okay with the hip hop moves. Ariana was dull. Between them they could have made the piece alot cuter, funnier, charater-y, something. Just bleh.

4th- Poor Russell. Melanie is scary looking. And it was so dark for this piece it was hard to see him. More lighting please. I think he did well, but it was hard to judge.

5th- I tend to like Tyce pieces... I liked this one alot once I thought about it. I thought Bianca did insanely well... her being a tapper and all. Something about the costumes turned me off though.

6th- Karen and Kevin cha cha. Ugh. Sometimes Toni and Meredith's choreography falls SO flat for me. The costuming was stupid for starters. She was all sparkly and he was boring. He looked like an escort she'd hired just to sortof go to a dinner party with her. He is a pretty man, though, I'll admit. No wonder he models. Anywho- She is hot, but I feel like their choreography ignored him, which is unfair, since he is a competing dancer- not just a partner. And using "Push It" as music? I was waiting for the dance to start the whole time.... I felt like (with the help of the music) the dance was just idling the whole time. Yes, Karen is hot and can shake her hips...but that doesn't make the piece good.

7th- Crazy crazy face Sonya I'm emo but live in candyland look how I did my hair today's choreography... I think I would have liked it more...if the music had been better. Again I never really felt like it got going. Also not impressed with Ellenore...I feel she is extremely cocky but never delivers the quality of dance that cockiness warrants. It was okay, but Sonya is on a meh streak for me.

8th- Pauline and Brandon... OMG fucking cute tiny asian couple.... OMG cute asian couple at prom... awwww. Umm... Where was the glideyness of the smooth waltz? I felt it was not good, if pretty. Poor dude got the short end of the stick. They should have just had Pasha or someone come fill in... Then in the event Noelle doesn't get fixed (she had a HUGE brace on) then they can make a partnership out of her and Billy's partners. It's not like they don't KNOW a fuckton of dancers who would drop everything to fill in... So sortof Pauline got the short end of the stick also.

9th- Kathryn and Legacy? I don't remember Kathryn? But I do now! I thought it was fun, funny, had spark....and they did really well. I think it had the entertainment quality I expect PLUS was well executed. Costuming was also creative and stuffs.

10th- OMFG, sign them to Disney. I can't handle the cuteness....
However, that being said.... I LOVE good disco... (I would right?) And I thought it was GREAT, and retardedly fast which is GREAT!

Eliminations Boys- That was just unfair. Poor Brandon, and well I don't think Russell deserves bottom 2. Gotta say as much as I like Russell, I thought Brandon had a much better solo.

Girls- Pauline was also at a disadvantage. Ariana- don't remember her. I know shes contemporary...(is she?) but there are so many better contemporary, ballet, jazz dancers out there who can do exactly what she was doing. Plus her solo was desperate.

Ahem...thats it for now...

There is a divide....

It is a divide of the blogs... If you wish to read about my restaurant time it is now here at My Time With Max...

If you wish to read about my random thought doodling than please continue to follow here. Or follow both. Its all good.

Notes to self....

Noooo Billy.
Gah Jakob is too good.
I shall explain later.

1st Day in the Restaurant...

Yesterday was really my 1st day, but it was mostly paperwork, so I don't want to talk about it right now.

Today was my 1st day at Max's in Burlingame. I will be working at Max's on the Square in San Francisco once I finish my training on November 25th. I'm very happy about this...because... as much as I like Burlingame, it is sortof slow there, and I sortof like being busy. It is sortof glamorous working in the city...especially on Union Square and when your company pays your parking. I will be on Union Square. Duh. Also a very good friend is just starting as a manager 3 blocks away, so I can go get drunk at his restaurant/meet for lunch/after shift meals.

I love the restaurant so far. All the managers are awesome. The servers actually care about their job. The food is amazing. The food quality and control over food quality blows my mind. I learned so much today...how to open primarily... Alot of info in my head.

All in all, it is a very short training program. It is only one month... but that is okay... I am more of a doer and training makes me antsy...so I prefer to get it over with quick.

Ugh I'm SOOO tired. And I'm half drunk... three olives cherry vodka is VERY good. I need to sleep...

A new job!

New mission- to write almost daily, starting tomorrow... to chronicle my journey as an assistant manager at Max's restaurants.

I start in the morning at Max's on the Square. I'm super excited, I've always loved their restaurants, and now I work for them!

You've got to love any place that offers you coffee and pumpkin cheesecake at your first interview.

Ugh...I ate too much cake...

Emilee and I walked to Safeway tonight, where I redeemed my free sandwich coupon and we also bought cake. I ate too much cake. Life just needs to slow the hell down, eating to deal with it never works.

So my car is booted, I may not have a job tomorrow, and I still have no credit cards or checks. Lovely.

Yes, I'm being over dramatic.

Oh well...

Things I would like...

No Debts.
To post to my blog daily without dragging my feet and being silly.
To practice my instrument daily.
For the SF DPT to explode mysteriously.
To work for an employer with ethics that treats his/her employees well on at LEAST one level.
A car that is not only amazingly fabulous but shrinks down to hand held size when you need to park.
To go to the gym/dance at least every other day.
To stop eating cheesecake and hot cheetos.
Shoes.

Things I dislike...

Ill behaved children.
Bugs.
Stupid hos.
My employer.
People who rob cars.
The SF DPT.
Brakes.
The fact that I am nowhere near as good at organizing my life as everyone/everyplace elses. (ie work... if I could tackle my life with half the time I spend at work than I would be amazing.)
When insanely intelligent and nice people can't get amazing jobs working for people that don't suck.
Trolls.
The fact that someday in the future I may have to once again search for a roommate.
Money.

I'm just rambling really. I was remembering earlier how I like to write. But I didn't really know where to start, since once you get out of the habit, it's hard to do. So rambling is as good a place as any. It's like one big sounding board.

Recently I read this book, "Bitter is the New Black" by Jen Lancaster. It was entertaining, but she didn't REALLY get evicted. Just almost evicted. So disappointing.

I am also currently reading the "Crown of Stars" series by Kate Elliott. It's good but a little sloggy and probably 4,200 pages in total.

Really, today was really bad. I was going to go to band and also to make some returns at Target and to buy garbage bags...but I got out the door and saw my car was booted. I think literally my heart almost stopped. And then I freaked out and couldn't find my trumpet or the items for return, when in all actuality I left them in the hallway to my house once I saw the car. I almost fainted. Seriously.

Things I am grateful for right now...

My family loves me.
I have shelves.
Rent is not due yet.

Current Thoughts

Well...

I am graduating this weekend. Or rather not. I decided not to walk. My parent's would rather take me to dinner, and I would rather not sit in the elements for 6 hours straight. Expect graduation announcements....

Work is stressful. I sortof short circuited and stopped existing in the full spectrum of life for awhile. Oh well. I think I'm coming back to normal-ish. For those of you who don't already know... I'm now bartending and shift leading in addition to serving.

My last wind ensemble concert was a few weeks ago. It actually went really well. I am hoping to play with another group of some type in the near future. Perchance I could play again with them in the Fall, but that is so far away that I'm not counting on it.

-----

Again I question happiness... At work I am being offered quite an opportunity, the chance to become a manager in the future of a large corporate restaurant. However this week I've been very upset over the realization that this job takes up all the energy I want to spend on dance, music, theatre, and other endeavours. A job which I took because it allowed me the time and income to focus on other things is now taking over. So I am starting to think that I need to reevaluate what I really want. Do I want to just serve and spend the majority of my time auditioning for acting and modeling gigs? Or do I continue on with the career that "society" approves of? The status that comes with such a job is nice. You feel accepted, good at what you do, as if you have status. Because in this world you do, a manager has some status. It may be a shitty status in the great scheme of things. But it is something, and many don't have it. Mostly I feel flattered, and I like anything that makes me feel like I'm good at something. Don't we all? Don't humans want to be successful? But I'm good at many things. I guess I am just drawn torwards whichever one I'm being openly praised for at the moment. It is not hard to do. I think the reason most people don't is because perhaps they are not that good at many things.

Part of the hesitance to give up the management opportunities lies in the uncertainty in the other path. The life of an artist is pretty rough. Unless a large studio or agency likes you and continues to use you, than it's a hard life. There are so many actors out there, even consistantly working ones...who we still never hear about. Yeah you land a decent gig...you're ok. But it is hard to make a living doing single shoots or tv spots. It's the unknown versus the known, so of course the known is the easiest path to follow. I become a manager at Elephant Bar I pretty much no what I'm in for. As long as I'm not stupid and I don't break any rules, that I have a job. As someone who dabbles in music, dances, acts, and on occassion models... I can't depend on anything.

And on that abrupt note...I'm off to bed.

A thought and an update

In this world, we often feel sorry for ourselves...when in all reality it is our fault. It is our fault when we let people torment us and our fault for giving them that power. I know someone who is completely devastated, obsessed, and devoured due to another. The person who tortures them obviously doesn't see the good in them, doesn't value their qualities. (As much as the first party would like to believe.) Often in these situations (and indeed this one) people keep giving that bad person the power, they let them control their emotions, life, and every action. Every breathing moment of life is spent doing things in such a way that "Maybe they'll see and realize they do love me." It can come off as sad, it can come off as desperate, and it's never going to work out that way. Speaking from recent experience... It is not unusual or unnatural or unhealthy to yearn for or mourn for someone you lose for a little while, it is actually better, otherwise it's going to come back to get you later. But at a certain point you have to grudgingly start severing those ties, distract yourself, tuck the letters away in a drawer. Stop stalking them on facebook. (This was my huge flaw for awhile.) If you ever want to have a chance at a healthy and well formed relationship with that person, you have to stop giving them power over you. Otherwise you become their plaything, their slave. This being said, they have some growing to do too...and you better realize that. Otherwise you are weak and will throw yourself at them when they say they need you, when they probably are only going to use you. But once you start this process you give yourself a chance. And you may even surprise yourself, in the resignation of not having that person you may find someone even better. And it is hard to admit they are better at first, it's hard to be open to being with them and not saying "Oh we're just having fun"... But as you let everything slip and get back to being you, you'll realize that you are happier then that other person ever made you feel. Eventually that other person, who is bad for you, will fade to a memory...maybe you thihnk of them and the good times and still regret the way some things happened, but you don't let them have that power to twist you into something that isn't you. You will stop throwing yourself at them... You will stop plotting to kill their significant other... You will never give in when they call you crying and say they want you and only you... You will realize that they just broke up and are lonely or only want you for the basest reasons... But right now you can't. You need to stop holding them close to your heart and let life happen in its beautiful way.

-------------------------------
And now for something completely different...

Recent events are quite interesting. I was scouted a few weeks ago, via my online modeling portfolio by a casting director for America's Next Top Model. It turns out that this cycle they are only taking short models. So I said, alright, sounds like fun... (Thinking this lady was crazy.) But she was serious, I talked with her on the phone, then met her at Starbucks. A couple days ago (Tuesday) I went to do the actual audition. The recruited girls had to show up at 7am, but we got to go straight in. (Thank goodness I wasn't open call...those girls were outside in the rain when I got there and still there when I left at 9am.) The audition was simple, talking in front of a camera...the application was 15 pages long though, plus some photos. There were only about 30 girls recruited from the Bay Area, so that is sortof a compliment in itsself. So this being the second audition stop, it may be awhile before I hear back....the videos have to be watched by everyone- including Tyra!

That being said, I'm thinking when I send my stuff out to agencies, I'll look for modeling representation as well as acting.