Happy Memorial Day!

I hope everyone had a fun and safe weekend. I was invited to five parties but I could only make it to three of them. I can't be everywhere, you know!

BTW I wanted to welcome about a dozen new Good Karma Network members. Some are from the Yahoo! Group and some are from Facebook. Please stand up and say hello to the rest of the gang! Also, I'd love it if you guys would post your headshot/logo and website link here for all to see. This is all about networking, you know!



Speaking of networking, the film "Transition" now has a website, a Myspace Film profile, and a Facebook group. Please join to show your support. We have three more shoot days and if you've contacted me already about helping out you'll hear from me soon.

I also had VO gigs at ETS in Princeton and at Full House Productions for Oxford UK.

TIP OF THE WEEK: It's nice to get back to normal after a long weekend, isn't it? After a few days of being unproductive I start to feel, well, unproductive. I like jumping back into the mix and looking for new ways to find work. This time around I'm gonna spend more time on LinkedIn and Plaxo looking for work on a regular basis. I recently dumped a bunch of job sites because they have yielded no results. That's what you have to do once in a while. Change up your routine. Re-examine your habits and behavior so you don't get caught in a rut. Trust me, it's good for your brain and for your soul!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. George Washington

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: I originally started this section to start a weekly dialogue but there have been very few responses to it. Maybe it's because you're doing what the title says and "thinking" about it instead of talking about it. Should I give it a new title to encourage discussion? Ask different questions? BTW don't think about it, tell me!

Have a great week!

(zzz...zzz...zzz...) Huh, what? Oh, hi! Sorry about that, I slept in today. Why? Because I'm POOPED! POOPED, I say! And sun burnt. And I'm a big ole wuss, so there you go.

Yesterday I was the 1st Assistant Director for the film "Transition". It was an amazing day! We shot at Holmdel High School in Central New Jersey for almost 12 hours. The cast and crew were a pleasure to work with.

I want to thank the director Doug Bollinger for bringing me in on this project. I also need to send out some serious props to fellow GKN members Justine Topham who supplied us with sound equipment and a great intern, Jennifer Wos as the 2ND AD, and David Youngblood as our Clapper Loader. All of you did an incredible job!!!

Last week seems so long ago after yesterday! Some good things happened, though...

I sent out a targeted postcard mailing to every agent and casting director I've met via Voiceovers Unlimited.

I sent out my quarterly newsletter "The Rognog" issue 17. I hope you enjoyed reading it!

I did the final batch of retakes for those nine sci-fi short stories I narrated for Infinivox.

I had a very nice ESL recording session at Full House Productions and got to work with fellow GKN member Ollie Wyman. Good for you, good FOR you.

TIP OF THE WEEK: Yesterday was very gratifying on many levels. I was flattered that Doug would ask me to be the 1st AD. It's a hard job to run the set but everybody was so nice it was pretty easy! I was particularly happy at the amount of responses I got from fellow GKN members willing to pitch in. It was shocking! It proved to me how powerful marketing, networking, and developing strong relationships with your peers really are. And it yet again affirmed what wonderful people I've had the pleasure to meet and work with over the years. Remember, it's not who you know in this business, it's how you treat who you do know.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the biggest mistake of all. Peter McWilliams, Life 101

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: When you go an audition or a booking, do you start conversations? Do you make sure to bring business cards? Do you thank everyone for their time and the hard work they put in?

Happy May! A bit of a wet start to the month, ay? Isn't that only supposed to happen in April?

Last week was a bit light so this'll be short. The only in-person audition I had was a VO spot for Tecate Light. Funny script! While there I bumped into fellow GKN member Mike Rivera Smith who played Kevin the Cat in that Cartoon Network pilot I did. It was great seeing you, Mike, and I wish you continued success in South Pacific at Lincoln Center!

I also had a great conference call with my fellow Project TERRA creators. The real animation has begun!

Since last week was light I picked up a copy of the Ross Reports so I can do a targeted mailing of every agent & casting director I've met over the years at Voiceovers Unlimited. Did you know the Ross Reports is now called the Call Sheet and it's $10.50 an issue? Thanks to Steve Caputo for directing me to the Barnes and Noble in Paramus!

TIP OF THE WEEK: Wow, my first slow week in months! It was bound to happen. Good thing I have my Action Plan to keep me on track. That's how I got inspired to do the new targeted mailing. It's my go to, the thing that keeps me grounded. Call it nerdy, anal, micromanaging, or what have you, it certainly works for me!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Rule of the Great: When people you greatly admire appear to be thinking deep thoughts, they probably are thinking about lunch. Anonymous

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: What keeps you grounded, if anything? Family, a desire to succeed, the need to eat?

Have a great week!

And a very happy and WARM Monday to you! Can you believe this beautiful weather? For the first time in many weeks I had a Sunday all to myself with no plans. So what did I do yesterday? I helped myself to a big ole' heaping spoonful of NOTHING. It was bliss!

Last week contained the usual variety of fun tasks, such as another recording session for ETS in Princeton. I also did a marathon retake session for Infinivox. I had five short stories worth of retakes to do and it took about 2 1/2 hours. Thanks to Siara at Panetta Studios for making it a bearable experience!

I had two in-person auditions as well. One to be the voice of Rhapsody, courtesy of Ingrid French, and one to be an on-camera host for Restaurant Passion.com, courtesy of Craig's List. That's right, Craig's List! Don't forget to use Crazed List or Search Tempest so you can job hunt on multiple lists at the same time.

TIP OF THE WEEK: Once again, it has been proven to me that there is no substitute for experience. When I went on the Restaurant Passion audition, after I did my reading they asked me three questions: what is your favorite wine and why, which is your favorite restaurant and why, and what writing experience do you have? Fortunately, I have enough experience & knowledge in these areas to answer those questions quickly and (I hope) competently. I don't know if I'll get the gig, but it's nice to know I was prepared!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: (this is the last Lincoln quote, I promise!) Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. Abraham Lincoln

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Did you ever have to "fake it" in an audition? Lie about your experience or your skills? Did you get the part?

Hey folks! Sorry I didn't post this yesterday but I had a long & crazy day. I'm also feeling a bit under the weather and I'm not sure if it's allergies or one of those pesky Spring colds because of the yo-yo-like weather. I'll try not to sneeze in your direction...

Apart from the recording session I had with ETS, the highlight of the week was recording a VO spot for American Express & Delta Airlines. It's part of their joint "Pay With Miles" promotion. It will be on both of their websites pretty soon. Thanks to Ingrid French for sending me out on the audition and to Marro Associates for casting me!

Check out this pic of Project TERRA villain Angela Miller!



Teddy is doing an amazing job, isn't she?

TIP OF THE WEEK: This past Saturday I went to Asha's first birthday party.



Isn't she adorable? What was so interesting about the party is that it was one of those "Worlds are colliding, Jerry!" situations where a bunch of mutual friends that know of each other but never met finally did. It was cool! So what's my point? Actually, I don't have one. I just love it when stuff like that happens. Hey, I can't be expected to supply epiphanies every damn week, can I?

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be. Abraham Lincoln

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: When was the last time you examined your systems of thought? Have you ever thought about why you think the way you do? Your brain follows the path of least resistance, you know...