Me, Meryl and Tricky Dick.

So, I have moved into a room I can officially call my own for the next month. I spent my first evening at home on the couch eating good fresh Mexican take-out and watching Julie and Julia with my new house mate. Well, she fell asleep. It was me and Meryl Streep in on a saturday night. Rock and roll I know.
Here is a clip of my house mate Elaina talking about her book. Excuse the commercial at the start of it ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3lCWeakO-0

It's Valentines Day tomorrow, but not for me. I'll be saving up my love for thursday when my better half arrives for a holiday. And on Monday it's presidents day. Abraham Lincoln and George Washington's birthday, which was actually today I think. I can't quite remember what the Nixon impersonator from the print shop told me now, I was too busy staring at his shiny pate loud hawaiian shirt and thinking Presidents Day must be a big day on the calendar for a Nixon impersonator. I was right. He also does the voices of Reagan, Clinton and Bush too, but his looks mean he sticks with Tricky Dick for appearances.

Pot of tea with ex-pat Kiwi, night out watching loud bands and drinks with a fantastic Kiwi actor whose going great guns here. That was my weekend. I learnt where I can find good coffee, how to tip, and that being in successful films with Oscar winning actors does not mean you're loaded. Acting is a nerve-wracking career fraught with insecurity and poverty occasionally upset by the briefest of periods when you're flush, working and on top of the world. Even if you're working with George Clooney.

I have been diligently following who has been picking up the parts I've been auditioning for and found that I am on the right track and only lacking a good haircut, biceps and some notable American work on my resume. I'll start with the haircut I think.
I have a couple of auditions after Presidents Day. One for a Scottish C.I.A agent. Thats right, Scottish. Just when I thought I was getting my American accent down pat and it's all There's a Moose running Loose in the Hoose. I'm counting on the popularity of James McAvoy and Ewan McGregor to help me sidestep the bicep problem, and channeling the spirit of New Zealand's own resident Scots actor Eddie Campbell who used to stand in the wings before a performance of Flipside:The Men of the Rose Noelle whispering "I am a white hot acting machine" in his rumbling, 2 pack a day, meat pie and coke accent. I've since been told he does this before any show he's ever in. I guess when you're a deserter from the Royal Marines it must pay to remind yourself what the hell you're doing there. Mind you, they'd never think to look in a theatre either I imagine.

I'm happy to report that Meryl Streep is pretty darn good as Julia Childs. Just when you think she's overcooking it (ha) she does something so profoundly real and heartfelt you forget you're watching a performance. Film's a bit trite though. Just a trifle. (ha.) (That's me laughing at my own cooking puns for those who don't know who Julia Childs is. I didn't either. She's America's Alison Holst. Kinda.)

An American asked me today why we have the Queen on all our currency. I couldn't really answer. Why do we? I mean, I know there's some official reason, like we're still part of the commonwealth as such, but is that just the rule is it?

And something that caught my ear and made me laugh. As I was having a drink with a friend, at the table next to us, someone said Kiwi so we both cocked our ears and overheard a table of locals arguing over what a Kiwi actually was. One was determined to prove it was a carnivorous parrot, and another swearing it was the fruit. "you know, KIWIfruit. They just call them Kiwis over there." I decided not to interfere. I figured they'd never believe shy wingless nocturnal bird with whiskers anyway.

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