The L.A. Report – Part 31

03-14-2023

As I told you, my programming contract with UCLA ended in June. I got a new one February 7^th, about which I’ve already told you. In case you want to read about it again, see https://jayblake.com/writing/NewJobLACounty.htm. It’s still going great and I haven’t had to work with the Dragon Lady again!

Today is my 40th running anniversary. I've now run a total of 41,394 miles. The earth's circumference is 24,902 miles so I've already made 1.7 trips around the globe. I doubt I can finish a second lap, running less than 1,000 miles a year, but I'm going to try! My MS has made my legs stiffer and stiffer every year and my gait is choppy at best. Still can't complain, though - many people with MS can't even walk, much less run!

I’m still getting a few acting auditions, very sporadically. You can see most of the ones I’ve done for the last few years on my Web site:

https://www.jayblake.actor/videos/auditions.html. I put an asterisk in front of four of the better ones. For some of them, I can’t share yet because the films or shows are still in production and they don’t want “spoilers” out there. That’s why some of them say “coming later”. BTW, I noticed a little bug - if you watch one and click back to watch another, the scroll bars may disappear so you’ll have to refresh the page (or use your scroll wheel). It doesn’t seem to be a problem with just my site - I just noticed other Internet sites that have that same problem. The solution is the same - just hit your “refresh/reload” button.

I haven’t been around the studios lately so I haven’t seen any celebrities lately, but a friend of mine hangs around Burbank once in a while and ran into Jay Leno coming out of a coffee shop. Jay actually asked him if he wanted a selfie with him! He sent it to me, just minutes before he and I had lunch in my neighborhood. He looks really good considering all the accidents he’s had lately!

In my last report, I told you about the screenplay I wrote (The Black-Handled Dagger). I pitched the synopsis to 37 different production companies, from small to major. Five of them asked to see the it, including the company that produced Shutter Island, Zodiac, and, oddly out of place, What To Expect When You’re Expecting. I never heard back from any of them, not even to tell me to F-off or anything, even though I did send them one follow-up email. Not surprising – every job in the entertainment industry is highly competitive.

Being in SAG, every year they send you “screener” DVDs (or streaming links) for your consideration in voting for the SAG Awards, which are about a month before the Oscars. You usually get at least a few dozen. Most of the movies also up for Oscars. I don’t know if times are tough at the studios and production companies or what, but I only got four or five movies and about 7 TV shows (complete seasons at least).

I took advantage of my time off and spent an hour at the DMV and got my Real I.D. so I’ll be ready for May, when they’re required to fly.

Another thing I did in my time off – I rebuilt an acquaintance’s website, even though web programming is not my forte: http://www.nancypearlman.net. She’s a fascinating woman – an educator, environmentalist, broadcaster, anthropologist and outdoorswoman. She got defeated in her re-election bid for The Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees so she’s going to try again next year. She also runs an environmental organization, Educational Communications, http://www.ecoprojects.org that struggles financially so I offered to maintain that site, too, both pro bono. She also wanted one specifically for her cabin in Idyllwild, so I offered to do that, too since I could create it in the same design I used for her personal site. I just finished it last night – http://www.PearlmanCabin.com.

Those of you on Facebook know that for the first time in my life, I hired a cleaning lady, who will come once a month. Wow, I should have done this decades ago! One less thing to worry about!

‘Til next time, take care,

Jay