Welcome back!
And thanks for reading! This week I’d like to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
REMEMBER:
Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen. What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.
I won’t
Be using the term “actor” in this post (well, I may but this is not about acting), but I’m leaving the above in anyway because…people. Yeah, I put it there every week because some folks didn’t think I meant “them” when I said actor. I mean them.
Thanksgiving
If you are (like me) in the US, then this week we celebrate Thanksgiving. If you are not in the US, or don’t celebrate, then you just don’t know what you are missing! (But I hope you have a great week too!) This Holiday, which BTW celebrates making it through some pretty lean food times (depending on who you believe anyway) by instituting a short but immense period of gluttony. Yeah, it’s kind of Ironic, I know.
But really…
It’s really supposed to be about giving thanks for the things we have. Even if you don’t have much, there is something to be thankful for…so even though this is a very short post by comparison (which some of you may appreciate I suppose) I just wanted to publicly give thanks for some of my blessings. So what follows are 10 things I am grateful for.
This year I am thankful for (and some of these are every year TBH…even every day for some):
- My family. It’s a big one. It’s a mix between people who share my DNA and people who don’t, but I love them all the same. I don’t know who I’d be or what I’d do without them.
- Karen. Yeah, I know she is part of number 1 too…but she bears mentioning twice. I lucked into her! Don’t know why she puts up with me, and my galivanting around to various film sets, but I couldn’t have found a more encouraging and supportive partner. (Plus I got to use the word galivanting, which is also nice) Don’t know what I’d do without her!
- My Friends. None of them share my DNA but I love them as well. I’m blessed to have many good friends, some I see regularly and some I don’t, but I am aware of and think about them often. Next to family, a group of good friends is golden!
- A home and food to share with them. It’s a lot of work to host Thanksgiving, but I love to be blessed with a home they can come to and enough money for food to feed them all. I love being able to share with family and friends and I am grateful to have them and enough resources to do it!
- A reasonably successful third career. I’m no “A-lister” for sure, but I’ve enjoyed more success than I imagined I would at the tender age of (nearly) 62, and for that I am grateful!
- Colleagues. I’ve been amazingly blessed with colleagues who challenge me and help me grow every day. To them I say Thank You!
- Producers and directors who have hired me to be a part of their projects. Thanks for your faith in me as an actor and for helping me gain experience and grow!
- My coaches/teachers. I won’t single any out because I don’t want to forget anyone, but all of them have been both honest with me about my ability and helping me grow in the craft. It sometimes “stings” but it ALWAYS helps me improve!
- Time. It’s an unusual one, I suppose, but I am grateful that I was able to retire from my day job and have the time I needed to pursue acting. We all have a finite amount of time, and none of us know how much there is, but I am thankful to be unencumbered with a 9-5 so that I can be available for those people in #7 above when there is an opportunity.
- All of you who read this blog each week. OK, most of you don’t actually read it every week, I know (thanks to MailChimp’s analytics) but I am thankful nonetheless because, even though I write for me and not you (sorry), it makes it seem a lot less like wasting my time each week.
I’m NOT thankful for…
Among other things, of course, the 50-60 people who spam the comments. Every. Single. Day. The comments are moderated, I won’t let them through! 🙂
So, there it is…
Ten things I am thankful for this year. It’s good to sometimes pause and reflect on the things we are thankful for, and I challenge each of you to create your OWN list of ten things you are grateful for. Even if you are not in the US and/or don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. Post your list in the comments, I’d love to see them!
To be honest I forgot about your blog. I subscribed so I won’t forget. I’m back. I love your positivity. In a world of mean, it’s great to see your positive look on life.
Well, I’m glad you finally remembered and ALWAYS happy for a new subscriber!
Life is WAY too short to be negative (well, for very long anyway)…so I try to look for the positive as much as possible!
Thanks 🙏🏽 for the reminder of what we’re really supposed to be doing this day.
👍
I mean, it’s also about eating a ton of food…but it’s a lot better with a ton of family around too!
I appreciate your blog, your insight, and especially your thankfulness on this awesome holiday. Thank you, Gary!