So here I found myself: In Chicago, living for the first time in a city that was further away from my family than just a simple 15 minute car ride. And here's where it gets a little sticky.
I chose to move to a city where I know, well, virtually no one, save for a few acquaintances from the acting world and a friend from high school. I definitely have more friends in New York, and Los Angeles contains not only friends but a faction of family. Aside from all of that, I work from home. And not just from home: I work from home for a company that is based out of Canada, not down the street. So I don't even really know my colleagues.
As for the acting scene, well, I had a great gig with a company out of New York (again, what?!) traveling and doing shows in other cities. Which is awesome. Except that since I'm not auditioning here, I'm not meeting or doing shows with people as I ordinarily would, hence, not meeting anyone.
So what the fuck was I doing in Chicago?
Exactly. I began to realize quite rapidly that I had put myself in the kind of situation that I am not very comfortable in; having to network or socialize or whatever you want to call it to meet new people. It's not that I don't like meeting new people -- far from it, actually. But I am, um, kind of socially awkward. I put on a great show of seeming like I'm not, but most of the time in large social situations where I don't know anyone I'm wishing I could be hiding in the bathroom rather than trying to meet new people. Breaking the ice? Forget it. I am terrible. It makes me feel like I'm in middle school again trying to talk to the "cool" kids but saying something that clearly is not the right thing.
But. I had chosen this. I had gotten myself in, and it was time to start adapting and building a life. The other option (returning home to Cleveland with my tail between my legs) was simply not an option. I had watched too many people do this under extreme scrutiny from the rest of the acting community ("they couldn't cut it" or whatever) and I was not going to be that person.
So I got myself into the mess, now I had to figure out how to get out. Ah, yes. How, indeed?
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