IS THERE A MENTOR IN THE BUILDING?

Do people really know what they are doing in the film industry or do they merely fly by the seat of their sequined pants? I
wholeheartedly believe that most people, more often than not, fake it until they make it in any business, to some extent, but not without some help. My observation has been that when someone does make it, either by chance or by hard work, most keep their secrets to their success securely hidden in their back pocket, but why intentionally keep them concealed? How about sharing the wealth of knowledge to an unknown who is just trying to learn the ropes? What have you got to lose? Seriously. You aren’t going to be around forever, so why not pass it on? You’ll gain good Karma, I promise!

All I want is a mentor. Is that too much to ask? I want somebody to say, “HEY, why don’t I show you the ropes” or something along those fruitful lines that I so long to hear from the lips of anyone…um…somewhat normal. I’ve had a few crazy folks say they would help, but that always turns into an “I saw that one coming” kind of a disaster. I’m never totally shocked when something goes wrong, but it would be nice if I could say one day that so-in-so really helped me out in this business, without any kind of ulterior motive lurking in his or her dark alley of a mind.

Every so often, I think, “now is my chance to learn!” and I really become excited about the possibilities that could be excavated from the underground Hollywood vault I am about to discover! Maybe I’ll find the secret scroll to success ala “Kung Fu Panda” style! Yes! Po, from that incredibly delightful movie which was garnished with Buddhist afterthoughts and quests for personal growth, had that mentor I am longing for so desperately. He had two mentors, actually; a wise old Yoda-like tortoise, and a rabbit who at first hated Po’s guts, but learned to accept Panda Po for who he was as a…uh…person or, pardon me, as a panda. The hare saw Po’s faults, but used them as a way to enhance Po's character and, as a result, made him into a better panda. Brilliant! Does this actually exist outside of a cartoon? I never got a tortoise nor a hare to show me how to cross that finish line of success.

Sigh. There is still time, my child...right? Right??? God, I hope so.

Of course, I come across some, shall I say, interesting individuals in the film industry who are down right cruel. All I ask of them is, instead of being nasty or revengeful, try being helpful. The former is a mark of insecurity anyways. Is that what you want to be known for? If not, then extend your hand to those who ask kindly for your guidance and see what happens. I bet you’ll feel pretty damn good about yourself when it is all said and done.

There, Universe, I've asked for my mentor and if it means I must play the part myself, so be it. Just let me know, so I can start acting.

What is your Security Blanket?

Do you ever think "that could never happen to me!" and then realize that the "that" you are thinking of is actually happening to you? Whether positive or negative, I know you've had "that" thought. For argument's sake, I will take the negative rather than the positive, and go from there.

When I see the many drug addicts downtown as I sleepily saunter to work at 9am every morning, I think "that could never happen to me." In the same fashion, when I hop over the sleeping homeless man who is sadly trying to keep warm under a fire blanket in a somewhat sheltered stairwell in my parking garage, I think again, "that could never happen to me." Or can it?

How does someone get to "that" point in their life? I've been asking myself this particular question lately as the bleakest economic time I've seen in my life is hitting everyone, and it is quite accurately hitting me. Call me narcissistic, yes, but people, this is a blog and blogs are just that...somewhat shameless. I am hoping that by me writing about my own "that" in life, you might put your own life into perspective. You might, perhaps, even have a sobering thought that no matter what your situation is, it could be worse, like the man in the stairway who is barely covered by his security blanket.
What is your security blanket? Is it an actual blanket like the man in the stairwell, or is it a little something, dare I say, cushier? Could it be your nest egg that is slowly going down the drain? Is it your overpriced car? Maybe it is the $30K you've saved up for a down payment on a one bedroom condo in the "coolest" part of town which has subsequently dwindled away in GM stock...oops! I still have a GM credit card. Seriously. They took away my points, but probably because they knew I'd never buy one of those fuel hungry wheelbarrows anyway!
Whatever your blanket, at least you aren't the man in the stairwell. How do I know that? Well...you are on the internet, therefore you must have some form of shelter in order to read this blog entry.

I'm not saying our hard times aren't valid just because we aren't shivering under a blanket like Mr. Stairwell, but it does make you think a little, doesn't it? Whether you've lost your job or you are losing copious amounts of security blanket-esque capital, you'll most certainly come out of this eventually, you'll find another job and, hey, you'll even forget this ever happened, because humans are great at forgetting...