Lydia's Journey BEYOND Hollywood

Wow - I feel like I've been on vacation forever!! I flew into Austin last Wednesday, December 19th and here in Corpus for a week. And I kinda miss home, if truth be told. I'm not sure why...I won't be doing much when I get there. The writer's strike is still happening and I would just be trying to get some subbing work scheduled. My parents are vacationing in California for a week or two when I get back, so I will be entertaining guests right after the holidays. My life will just have to wait a bit before going back to normal! I can't wait until the new year! 2008 is going to be GREAT! I can just feel it! I plan on working my butt off and being more focused this year! Nothing but good things to come... :)

On Saturday I saw a screening of Grace is Gone and they had a Q & A with John Cusack afterwards. I have always loved him, ever since Say Anything... Well, before that screening, I was having brunch with some friends in Santa Monica and I saw Michael Keaton eating there. Two celebrity sightings in one day - that was pretty nice! And Batman no less! :) But Sunday night, I was at a holiday party at Shemar Moore's house and that was the perfect way to end my "Hollywood Weekend"! Such a beautiful house for such a beautiful man! ...

Let me just say that I had the opportunity to go to advance screenings of Sweeney Todd and The Great Debators this week - and OMG! - they were awesome! I absolutely LOVED Sweeney Todd!!! Johnny Depp was GREAT and so was Helena Bonham Carter! And Tim Burton did some amazing visual things with this film! And The Great Debators was REALLY good. It had a nice strong cast! Go see them - both - when they open!

I had two commercial auditions this week. One for a Washington Mutual where I had to dance the cha cha cha with two different dance partners. That was fun! :) And another for a Jack n the Box commercial where I had to play a bridesmaid holding back the bride who wanted to kill Jack. Two fun spots. Didn't hear back from them though....Oh well.

I saw my episode of Notes From the Underbelly last night. I was in the very beginning of it and it was over very fast. :( You know what's weird about this business? I have been here for 7 years (almost) and I started off here doing background work and have worked my way "up" to booking roles on tv and film. And after all the auditioning I do, and stressing out, and praying that I book a job - when I do, it's all over so very quickly. Sometimes a job I book is such a small role that it wasn't that much different than being an extra, except with that whole "having a line" thing - and auditioning for the role... :) I have to admit it's a little frustrating at times. I feel like throwing my hands up in the air and shouting "Just give me my own show already!!!!" :) But I know it will all come in due time. Everything happens as it's supposed to, right? hmm...I hope so... I spoke to my manager today and she told me that Speilberg ...

My episode titled "Heather's Visit" will air Monday, December 10th, at 9:30pm on ABC (8:30pm Central). Look for me as (SURPRISE!) "Maria" the Mexican restaurant hostess. :) You can also see a quick clip on the ABC website . I shot that over a year ago and it's barely airing! Wow! ER is set to air late January, episode "Atonement".

Today was pretty stressful! I got a call around 5pm on Friday that I had an audition for today at 1pm. Straight to producers for Eli Stone - again! :) (YAY! I love that this office keeps calling me in for this show - now if I would just book an episode already!) :) I was stressed because I didn't have time to cancel my subbing work for today so I showed up to work and told them my situation and they let me leave during lunch to do the audition. I told them I would try and be back around 1:30 - making me a half hour late from lunch. I zoomed to the UDK Casting office and got there by 12:45pm! I was early!!! I sat and waited - and waited - and waited some more! Finally, around 1:15pm, and because a friend let me go ahead of her since she knew I had to get back to work, I finally was getting called in to audition. Then, right as I was about to walk into the room - the casting director asks if its ok that the producers take a 5 minute break before they see the next group of a...